14 20 545 https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/259/1892-01-01-The-Author-2-8.pdf dbd922fb812fc0c504ae6fa3a97d08c9 PDF Text Text ������������������������������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1892-01-01 Volume 2 Issue 8 Pages Page range in volume 225–254 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18920101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin ^Ibe Hutbor. [The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. 8.] JANUARY 1892 [Price Sixpence. CO NT TAGE Warnings "9 Notices "9 Misprint '1' The Cost of Production 333 American Copyright 233 Literary Criticism 333 Two Actions at Law— I.—Pinnock v. Chapman and Hall 333 II.—The Proprietor of a Magazine v. The Proprietor of a Country Paper 334 ENTS. PASI The Storyteller's Night aj4 Notes and News 334 Publishing on Commission 33K The Art of Fiction and the Authors of Antiquity 340 The Independent Theatre 343 Literary Rights 343 Death and the Lifeboat 344 Correspondence 34$ "At the Author's Head" 347 New Books and New Editions 350 EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE. STATE TRIALS, Reports of. New Series. Vol. III., 1831—40. Published under the direction of the Slate Trials Committee. Edited by Jonx Macdonkll, M.A. io>. INVESTMENTS. A List of 1,600 British, Colonial and Foreign Securities dealt in upon tho London and Provincial Exchanges, giving tho highest and lowest prices of each particular Stock for each of the last twenty-two years, or from the time of the creation of such Stock, also tho price on 30th May, 1891, and the yield per cent, to the Investor. Compiled by G. Brown, is. bd. PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, 1891. Red Cloth, 3*. Contains all tho Public Acts passed during the year, with Index, also Tables showing the effect of the year's Legislation, together with complete and classillod Lists of the Titles of all the Local and Private Acts passed during the Session. REVISED STATUTES. (Second Revised Edition.) Royal 8vo. Prepared under the direction of the Statute Law Revision Committee, and Edited by G. A. R. Fitzokrald, Esq. Vols. I. to IV. now ready, price 71. bd. each. FORECASTING BY MEANS OF WEATHER CHARTS, Principles of. By the Hon. RAi.rn Abkrcromiiy, F.R. Met. Soc. IS. METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, Instructions in the use of. a«, bd. THE LITERATURE RELATING TO NEW ZEALAND. A Bibliography. Royal Svo. Cloth, is. bd. POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY AND ANCIENT TRA- DITIONAL HISTORY OF THE NEW ZEALAND RACE. By 8ir GEORGE Gret, K.C.B. Illustrate. Royal Svo. Cloth, $s. ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE MAORI. By John Wiiitk. Demy 8vo. Half Morocco. 4 vols. io». per vol. PLIOCENE DEPOSITS OF BRITAIN, THE. By Clkme.xt Reid, F.L.S., F.G S. Five Plates (48 cuts), s«. bd. LONDON AND NEIGHBOURHOOD: Guide to the Geology of. Bv William Whitaker, B.A. i». COPYRIGHT LAW REFORM: au Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill. With Extracts from tho Reportof the Commission of 1878. and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely, Esq., Barristcr-at-Law. is. bd. KF.W BULLETIN, 1890. Issued by the Director of Eew Gardens. 3*. iod. EEW BULLETIN, 1891. Monthly, ad. Appendices, id. each. Annual Subscription, including postage, 3s. yd. DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF MUSICAL INSTRU- MENTS recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition. Compiled by Capt. Day. Oxfordshire Light Infantry, under the orders of Col. SnAW-HBLLiER, Commandant Royal Military School of Music. Illustrated by a series of Twelve artistically executed Plates in Heliogravure, and with numerous Wood Engravings, a is. "Unique, as no earlier work exists in English dealing exhaus- tively with the same subject A very important con- tribution to tho history of orchestration."— Athentrum. PUBLIC RECORDS. A Guide to the Principal Classes of Documents preserved in the Public Record Office. By S. R. ScaRGILL-Bird, F.S.A. 7». "The value of such a work as Mr. Scargill-Bird's can scarcely bo over-rated."— Times. Monthly Lists of Parliamentary Papers upon Application. Quarterly Lists Post Free, »d. _ Miscellaneous List on Application. Every Assistance given to Correspondents; and Books not kept in stock obtained without delay. Remittance should accompany Order. GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL PURLISHERS. BYRE and SPOTTISWOODK, Her Majesty's Printers, tiast Harding Street, Uudon, K.l.  ## p. 226 (#630) ############################################ 226 AD VERTISEMENTS. MISS XI.. -V. QIX.L, TYPE-WRITING OFFICES, 6, Adam Street, Strand, W.C.. and 5, Air Street, Piccadilly, W. Authors' and Dramatists' Work a Specialty. All kinds of MSS. copied with care. Extra attention given to diilicult hand-writing and to papers or lectures on scientific subjects. Type-writing from dictation. Shorthand Notes taken and transcribed. FURTHER PARTICULARS ON APPLICATION. MISS -A.. JEt. LBKTTY, TYPE WRITING OFFICE, 165, QUEEN VICTOKIA STEEET. Highest Testimonials for all kinds of Work. Price List on Application. MRS. GILL, T Y P E - W It ITIN G OFFICE ST. PAUL'S CHAMBERS, 19, LUDGATE HILL, E.C. (ESTABLISHED 1883.) Authors' MSS. carefully copied from if. per 1,000 words. One additional copy (carbon) supplied free of charge. Instruction given in Pitman's System of Shorthand and in type- writing. References kindly permitted to Walter Besant, Esq. VICTORIA TYPE-WRITING OFFICE. (FRANCES A. COX.) 565, Mansion House Chambers; 11, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. Authors' MSS. carefully typed. Legal and General Copying. PROSPECTUS ON APPLICATION. AUTHORS.—The New York Bureau of Revision aids Authors in completing their books; gives competent and unbiassed criticism of Prose or Verse; and offers MSS. and proofs in the American Market. Address— Dr. TITUS MUNSON COAN, 20, West lith Street, Neiv York. TO LYRIC AUTHORS, LIBRETTISTS, Sc. ARLY in the New Year will be issued Monthly, One Penny, "The Lyric Author's Advertizer and Composer's Magazine," a Mart for Lyric writers, Librettists, and Composers. Entire Lyric Poems, or extracts, with the Author's name and the price attached, will be inserted as advertisements at a low charge, viz., 2S. per 100 words, and pro rata. No agency business undertaken. The Magazine will be posted free to all the well-known composers; and, it is hoped, will prove a boon to buyers and sellers. Address— THE CONDUCTOR, ASHMOBE BUSSAN, HOBSFOBTH, LEEDS. All applications relating to Advertisements in this Journal should be addressed to the Printers and Publishers, EYRE & SPOTTISWOODE, East Harding Street, Fetter Lane, London, E.C.  ## p. 227 (#631) ############################################ A D VER TISEMENTS. CJje J*wtetg of autfjors (finrorporatrtX PRESIDENT. The Right Hon. the LORD TENNYSOX, D.C.L. Sib Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E. Alfred Austin. A. W. a Beckett. Robert Bateman. Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G. Walter Besant. Augustine Birrei.l, M.P. R. I). Blackmore. Rev. Prof. Bonnet, F.R.S. Lord Brabourne. James Bryce, M.P. P. W. Clayden. Edward Clodd. W. Martin Conway. Marion Crawford. Oswald Chawfurd, C.M.G. The Earl Of Desart. COUNCIL. A. W. Dubourg. John Eric Erichben, F.R.S. Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S. Herbert Gardner, M.P. Richard Garnett, LL.D. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. J. M. Lely. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. F. Max Muller, LL.D. George Meredith. Herman C. Merivale. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wakr, F.L.S. J. C. Parkinson. The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., LL.D. Walter Herries Pollock. A. G. Ross. George Augustus Sala. W. Baptiste Scoones. G. R. Sims. J. J. Stevenson. Jas. Sully. William Mot Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. The Right Hon. the Baron Henry de Worms, M.P., F.R.S. Edmund Yates. A. W. a Beckett. W. Martin Conway. Hon. Counsel—E. M. Underdown, Q.C. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—Walter Besant. I Edmund Gosse. J. M. Lely. | H. Rider Haggard. | Sir Frederick Pollock. Solicitors—Messrs. Field, Roscoe, & Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. Secretary—S. Squire Sprigge. OFFICES. 4., Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. A. G. Ross. PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Report. That for January 1891 can l>e had on application to the Secretary. 2. The Author. A Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary Property. Issued to all Members. 3. The Grievances of Authors. (The Lendenhall Press.) zs. The Report of three Meetings on the general subject of Literature and its defence, held at Willis's Rooms, March 1887. 4. Literature and the Pension List. By W. Morris Cot.les, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C.) 3s. 5. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigge, Secretary to the Society, is. 6. The Cost Of Production. In tliis work specimens are given of the most important forms of type, size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books. 2s. 6d. Out of Print, New Edition now preparing. 7. The Various Methods of Publication. By S. Squire Sprigge. In this work, compiled from the papers in the Society's offices, the various kinds of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreements. Price 3s. Second Edition. 8. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill now before Parliament. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention, and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely. Eyre and Spottiswoode is. 6d. Other works bearing on the Literary Profession will follow. vol. 11. P i  ## p. 228 (#632) ############################################ A D VER TISEMENTS. The " Swan" is a beautiful Gold Pen joined to a rubber reservoir to hold any kind of ink, which it supplies to the writing point in a continuous flow. It will hold enough ink for two days' constant work, or a week's ordinary writing, and can be refilled with as little trouble as to wind a watch. With the cover over the gold nib it is carried in the pocket like a pencil, to be used anywhere. A purchaser may try a pen a few days, and if by chance the writing point does not suit his hand, exchange it for another without charge, or have his money returned if wanted. There are various pints to select from, broad, medinrn, and fine, every handwriting can be suited, and the price of the entire instrument, with filler complete, post tree, is only 10s. 6d. MAfciE TOOO J. BAUD NtW V0«K fej%^ The Gold Pens in the "Swan" are Mabie, Todd, & Co.'s famous make. They are 14-carat tempered gold, very handsome, and positively unaffected by any kind of ink. They are, pointed with selected polished iridium. The " Encyclopedia Britannica" says:—"Iridium is a nearly white metal of high specific gravity, it is almost indestructible, and a beautifully polished surface can be obtained upon it." They will not penetrate the paper, and writer's cramp is unknown among users of Gold Pens. One will OUtwear 90 grOSS Of Steel pens. They are a perfect revelation to those who know nothing about Gold Pens. Dr. Olives Wendell Holmes has used one of Mabie, Todd, & Co.'s Gold Pens since 1857, and is using the same one (his " old friend ") to-day. Svdnky Gbumdy, Esq., says (referring to the Fountain Pen) :—" It is a vast improvement on every Stylograph." Moberly Bell, Esq., Manager, The Times, says (referring to the Fountain Pen) :—" One pen lasted me for six years." S. D. Waddy, Esq., Q.C., M.P., says (referring to the Fountain Pen) :—*' I have used them constantly for some years, and, as far ns I can remember, they have never failed me." -^^^3r3>-cf^ Send Postal Card for Free Illustrated List (containing interesting Testimonials from the Best People, who have used them for years) to— MABIE, TODD, & BARD,  ## p. 229 (#633) ############################################ ^Ibe Butbor* (The Organ of the Incorporated Soviety of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. 8.] JANUARY i, 1892. [Price Sixpence. For the Opinions ex-pressed in papers that arc signed the Authors alone are responsible. WARNINGS. Readers of the Author are earnestly desired to make the following warnings as widely known as possible. They are based on the experience of six years' work upon the dangers to which literary property is exposed :— (l.) Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, unless an opportunity of proving the correctness of the figures is given them. (2.) Never enter into any correspondence with publishers, especially with advertising publishers, who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. (3.) Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to any one firm of publishers. (4.) Never accept any proposal of royalty without ascertaining exactly what the agreement gives to the author and what to the publisher. (5.) Never accept any pecuniary risk or respon- sibility whatever without advice. (6.) Never, when a MS. has been refused by resectable house.s, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. (7.) Never sign away American rights. Keep them. Refuse to sign an agreement con- taining a clause which reserves them for the publisher. If the publisher insists, take away the MS. and offer it to another. (8.) Never forget that, publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Society's Offices:— 4, Portugal Street, Linxoln's Inn Fields. NOTICES. THE Committee have to announce with great regret the resignation of the secretary, Mr. S. Squire Sprigge. He finds himself unable to give his whole time to the Society, and the greatly increased work which has now to be done makes it necessary that the secretary should henceforth devote the whole of his time to that work. When Mr. Sprigge became secretary three years ago, the number of members was 25o. It has since trebled and the work has more than trebled. This rapid increase is, the Committee feel, largely due to the zeal and the intelligence which Mr. Sprigge has brought to the work. The kind of work is often of an extremely delicate nature; authors are not always in the right in their disputes; and, when they are, it is not always expedient to set things right by the immediate intervention of the lawyer; many disputes have been amicably arranged by Mr. Sprigge in interviews and by conversation; in such a position as that held for three years by Mr. Sprigge, enemies may be very easily made. It may be said of Mr. Sprigge that he has made very few, and of those few, some—the persons, namely, who live by dishonest practices—are of the kind whose enmity is an honour. Mr. Sprigge retires at the end of March. The Committee hope to appoint his successor before that date, in order that he may have a little time to learn the work.  ## p. 230 (#634) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. The Committee very seriously entreat members to sign no agreements without submitting them, confidentially, to the secretory. The points, how- ever, which are most to be kept in mind are, (i) what the author gives up—his copyright, his American rights, his rights of translation, and, in most cases, his control of his own property. (2.) "What consideration he gets for it. (3.) What the publisher proposes to reserve for himself. If a royalty is offered, the author must ascertain what that means, both in view of a limited and of a large sale. If he is to share in profits after the book has jmid its expenses, he must have it dis- tinctly laid down in the agreement that expenses mean actual expenses paid for production, and not a fancy charge, giving the other side a fraudulent profit at the outset. Also he must have something to say in the matter of advertisements, remembering that it is not an uncommon practice for the fraudu- lent publisher to charge what he pleases under this head, and to "spend the money" (!) on advertising in his own periodicals or trade lists. In other words, the Society earnestly and un- ceasingly exhorts those who write books to take as much care of their property in books as they do of their property in houses, and lands, and shares. It may be only a very small property, or it may be large—in either event let it be guarded as carefully as any other kind of property. There is no subject on which everybody is so willing and ready to write as on the subject of publishing, and there is no subject on which there prevails such extraordinary ignorance. This is because the figures of one side only have been accessible. Those of the other side have now been presented by this Society, and anyone can ascertain by the help of these figures, or by special appli- cation to the secretary, what these figures are, ami what they mean. To those who do know what this means and why they have been so carefully withheld, the ordinary article which treats of publishing is a thing which would be contemptible if it was not pitiful and mischievous. Let it be remembered tliat the Society has a mass of pub- lishers' accounts, printers' estimates, information from booksellers, bookbinders, printers, advertising agents, agreements and returns, which has never before been collected together, and could never be collected except by such a Society. It is hoped that members will consult the Secretary and use this knowledge freely in their own interests. It is also hoped that editors will recognise, the fact that no articles on publishing methods are worth the paper they an; written on unless the figures on both sides are attainable. The recent labour agitation in the bookbinding trade has resulted in the concession of an eight hours' day with higher wages to the workmen in the trade. As to the justice of the case we are not called upon to speak. The working of the result is that for ordinary binding an advance of "j\ per cent, will be made on bookbinders' charges to pub- lishers for books, and of 12 per cent, (perhaps) for magazines. In other words, bookbinders say, prac- tically, "we are already cut down as far as we can go. Somebody else must lx>ar this burden." Let us see what it means. The cost of binding an ordinary octavo volume ranges from ^d. to jd. An advance of 7 \ per cent, adds \d. on the 4c?., and ^d. on the jd. In case of any attempt being made to reduce royalties on the plea of this increase, these figures should be borne in mind. It is not, however, in books so much as in magaziues that the difference will be felt. If the 12 per cent, advance is made, it will make a difference to a sixpenny magazine, perhaps all the difference. Would the world be any the poorer if the sixpenny magazine became a shilling magazine? The New Review began at 6c?., was advanced to gd., and will immediately become is. So much the better for everybody. On November 1st the readers of the Author, and members of the Society, were invited to subscribe in order to present Mr. K. U. Johnson, Secretary of the International Copyright League. On December 1st the Committee announced that they had received enough money to carry out their intentions. A silver salver has been pur- chased, and will be sent to New York immediately. The subscription was limited in amount, so as to enlarge the number of those who might wish to join. Many who would have joined were prevented by the announcement that enough had been re- ceived. If we had wanted more money the list could have been extended indefinitely. We have lost one of our earliest members. Mr Egerton Warbnrton, one of the best known of. Cheshire squires, was a member of the society from the first. Without being a great author, he was well known as the writer of excellent hunting songs, and was at all times devoted to literature and literary pursuits. He yvas a gentleman of what is called the old school—of ancient descent—  ## p. 231 (#635) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 231 conservative, ami a churchman—indeed, he was one of the late Beresford Hope's friends—a good hunting man—with all the best traditions attaching to his class. Some years ago he instituted a May Queen ceremony. For twenty years he was afflicted with blindness. Another, and a more prominent member from the literary point of view, has been lost in Mr. W. G. Wills. If success proves greatness, he was a great dramatist. If prolific production means greatness, he was great. The time has not yet come for his work to be judged impartially as to its place in literature. Few will forget, who ever saw those pieces, "Oliver," and "Charles the First." He possessed the first and greatest gift for one who aspires to be a dramatist. He could hold his audience. He has been charged with the sadness of his pieces. They are lugubrious. It was, however, in the nature of the subject that they should be so. The man himself was far from being lugubrious. His muse was tearful, but his heart was light. "We have also to regret the loss of Mr. G. T. Bettany, who died of heart disease at Dulwich on December 2nd. He was born at Penzance in 185o, and, being intended for the medical profes- sion, entered Guy's Hospital in 1868. After graduating B.Sc. at London University with First Class Honours in Geology, he proceeded to Cam- bridge, where he took his B.A., coining out (bracketed Third) in the First Class of the Natural Science Tripos in a remarkable year, Professor H. N. Martin and the late Mr. Frank Balfour being respectively first and second. Air. Bettany lectured for some years at Newnham and Girton Colleges, and at Guy's Hospital, but ultimately decided to devote himself to literature. His chief works are "The Morphology of the Skull," which he wrote in collaboration with Professor W. K. Parker, P.B.S., "Eminent Doctors; their Lives and their Work," "Life of Darwin" (Great Writers' Series), "The World's Inhabitants," and "The World's Religions." At the time of his death he was writing a "History of Christianity," and a "History of Guy's Hospital," the latter in collaboration with his friend Dr. S. Weeks, F.R.S. Mr. Bettany was a contributor to the Times, the Atheneeum, the Contemporary Jfevieic, and " Dic- tionary of National Biography," and has, with only one or two exceptions, edited more books than any man living. The "Minerva Library of Famous Books," of which he was ihe originator and sole editor, is now generally admitted to 1h> the cheapest and most valuable series of cheap books in existence, and has attained an enormous sale, while his "Popular Library of Literary Treasures" was also the means of bringing much that is valuable within the reach of a very large public. The meaning, as between publisher and author, of the so-called "Royalty System "—where there is no system—was explained in the Author for November 18g t. Writers are entreated, in their own interests, to study the facts and figures there set forth. Communications intended for the Authors' Syndi- cate should be addressed to W. Morris Colles, the Honorary Secretary. Mr. Colles will issue a report on the financial side of the Syndicate, drawn by a firm of chartered accountants, at the beginning of the new year. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of this Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly understood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, under- take the publication of MSS. The official directions for the securing of American copyright by English authors were given in the Author for June 1891. Members are earnestly entreated to take the trouble of reading those directions. Members are earnestly requested to forwanl agreements to the Society for inspection before they sign them. Once signed, the mischief is generally irreparable.  ## p. 232 (#636) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. MISPRINT. The Author, December 1891, page 200, column 2, line 4 from bottom— For "Again, there are no periodicals," read, "Again, there are two periodicals." The passage, us quoted, is unintelligible. W. W. Skeat. *■■*■■* THE COST OF PRODUCTION. ANOTHER edition of this very useful little work is now ready. Those who possess the earlier editions will please note that since they were issued there has been a rise in compositors' wages, which, so far as London is concerned, will affect the item of composition, or setting-up, and press work, or machining, to the extent of about i5 per cent. It has not, we are assured, touched prices in Edinburgh. Those who consult the book should also bear in mind that our estimates are very liberal, so us to be on the safe side. A printer's bill is a very elastic thing, one that may be shortened as well as lengthened, in a most surprising manner. For in- stance, a certain piece of work required for the Authors' Syndicate, which began by costing 364'. a week, has now gone down to l5*., without the least alteration in length. And the other day the account of a book was sent in which showed the cost of production considerably less than the estimate in the Society's book. Nor is this the only occasion in which we have found the figures supplied to us to have been liberal ones. AMERICAN COPYRIGHT. I. IE annual meeting of the American Oopy- I right League, by the courtesy of the Executive Council of the Authors' Club, was held at the rooms of the Club, 19, West 24.th Street, on Friday afternoon, Nov. 20th, Dr. Edward Eggleston, third Vice-President, in the chair. On motion the meeting was adjourned to a date in December, to be determined by the Secretary, of which (hie notifica- tion will be given. At a preliminary meeting of the Executive Council of the Leagues some routine business was transacted, and a committee consisting of Mr. E. Stedmun, first Vice-President and acting President of the League, and Mr. 11. U. Johnson, Secretary, were appointed to draft resolutions on the death of James Russell Lowell, late President of the League, to be reported at the December meeting, which will also receive rejwrts, elect officers, and decide upon the future policy of the League. II. The following is important. It is an extract from a communication made to an English editor by an American house :— "In the case of the publisher of a magazine who uses matter which is also copyrighted in the United States, we think it very important that he should secure from the author in writing his or her autho- rity, not only to publish it in their magazine, but also his or her authority to export it, i.e., the said magazine to the United States; also to sell the same in the United States. This authority should \n: given in legal form, and signed in the presence of two witnesses, and copies of the authority should be sent over to us, so that in case questions should come up here we should have positive proof that the author had given his authority to import and sell the publication in the United States." The Associated Press of New York has been interviewing English publishers as to the working of the Copyright Law. As reported, the general opinion seems to be that none of the evils prophesied for the printing trade are likely to come to pass. Composition in America is twenty-five per cent, at least more than it is here. American authors are asking larger prices; literature which appeals to the million will undoubtedly be greatly affected by the Act; other literature, naturally, to a much less extent. The benefit to the author who commands a hearing in America will be enormous. An American' writes to remonstrate with an expression used in the Author. It described the. Copyright Law as a Printer's Protection Act. He points out that the printers are no more protected than they were before. This is quite true; the expression should not have been used. We regret that it was used.—Editor. ■ ♦•«■♦ LITERARY CRITICISM. IP literary criticism may be said to flourish among us at all, it certainly flourishes im- mensely, for it flows through the periodical press like a river that has burst its dykee. The  ## p. 233 (#637) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 233 quantity of it is prodigious, and it is a commodity of which, however the demand may be estimated, the supply will be sure to be, in any supposable extremity, the last thing to fail us. What strikes the observer above all, in such an affluence, is the unexpected proportion the discourse uttered bears to the objects discoursed of—the paucity of ex- amples, of illustrations and productions, and the deluge of doctrine, suspended in the void, the profusion of talk, and the poverty of experiment, of what one may call literary conduct. This, indeed, ceases to be an anomaly as soon as we look at the conditions of contemporary jour- nalism. Then we see that these conditions have engendered the practice of " reviewing "—a practice that, in general, has nothing in common with the art of criticism. Periodical literature is a huge open mouth which has to be fed—a vessel of immense capacity which has to be filled. It is like a regular train which starts at an advertised hour, but which is free to start only if every seat be occupied. The seats are many, the train is ponder- ously long, and hence the manufacture of dummies for the seasons when there are not passengers enough. A stuffed manikin is thrust into the empty seat, where it makes a creditable figure till the end of the journey. It looks sufficiently like a passenger, and you know it is not only when you perceive that it neither says anything nor gets out. The guard attends to it when the train is shunted, blows the cinders from its wooden face, and gives a different crook to its elbow, so that it may serve for another run. In this way, in a well-conducted periodical, the blocks of rcmplissage are the dummies of criticism —the recurrent, regulated billows in the ocean of talk. They have a reason for being, and the situation is simpler when we perceive it. It helps to explain the disproportion I just mentioned, as well, in many a case, as the quality of the particular discourse. It helps us to understand that the "organs of public opinion" must be no less copious than punctual, that publicity must main- tain its high standard, that ladies and gentlemen may turn an honest penny by the free expenditure of ink. Henby James (Philadelphia Paper). TWO ACTIONS AT LAW. I. Pinnock v. Chapman and Hall. THE same number of the Times—Wednesday, December 9th—contained two reports of cases, Iwth of the greatest importance. The first of these was Pinnock v. Chapman and Hall. This case VOL. II, was probably seen by all our readers, who have also read the comments upon it in most of the papers. Briefly, it was an action by a private person against a firm of publishers for an alleged libel contained in a certain book of stories. In this book the plaintiff stated that he had been introduced in such a manner as to make the identity impossible to be doubted, and in such a way as to convey charges affecting his honour. The defence set up was not that a novelist has the right to place any person he pleases under disguise, real or slight, but tliat the plaintiff was not intended. The judge, in summing up, put these two questions to the jury: (1) Did the author have the plaintiff in his mind and intend him when writing this story? (2) Was the tale so written that those knowing the plaintiff would reasonably infer that he was intended? If either question was answered in the affirmative, the jury would have to consider only the question of damages. The jury did find an affirmative reply to these questions and returned a verdict for the plaintiff with 200/. damages. The comments on the case mostly turned on the publisher's side of the question. Every- body asked how a publisher could protect him- self. Nobody seems to have perceived that it is perfectly simple to insert 11 clause in every agree- ment to the effect that the author is liable for any damages or costs in fighting an action for libel. Such a clause is inserted in some agreements, and it is one which no author could refuse to accept. With this clause, and with the additional pre- caution of a careful reader—in this case the reader was led to believe that the whole book was fiction —there should be little danger for the publisher. Of course, the author might be unable to pay the damages. On that point tin; publisher would take care to be informed beforehand. Some twenty years ago a similar case was brought. The offending author was reported at the time to have paid the damages inflicted on the firm out of his own pocket. If he did so his action was just and honourable. The real difficulty is the novelist's, not the pub- lisher's. Our whole gallery of fictitious characters is a gallery of portraits. There is not a novelist living or dead whose books are not filled with portraits drawn from the life. There is not a single book of any note in which there are not living characters, and for the most part characters well known and easy to be recognised. Fiction, like painting, must have models. It will be the beginning of the end for fiction when she ceases to draw from the life. Now, it is easy to get a model for the studio—but difficult—almost impossible—to get a model for the study. AVho would consent to sit for the Marquis of Steyne—for Major Pendennis—for Jos Sedley —for Blanche Amory—for Ralph Nickleby—for Squeers—^for the Egoist? These portraits have to Q  ## p. 234 (#638) ############################################ 234 THE AUTHOR. bo taken surreptitiously—a line here, ft line there— here the Kodak—there ft word of talk. They have to be drawn with selection and discrimination. Hitherto, none of these unwilling models have brought their unwillingness into court. All the world, perhaps, knew who was meant, but the subject pretended either not to know or not to care. Henceforth the novelist must l>e very careful. If he takes from his acquaintance a villain, a hypocrite, a sensualist, an egotist, a man selfish, voluptuous, vain, foolish, priggish, a hum- bug, a bully, a poseur—anything—he must be very careful so to disguise him that the model, though he may know, may have no legal cause for complaint. He may transform to his canvas the mental qualities of the model or the physical peculiarities or the conditions and facts of the model's life. But not all together. Thus, if his character adorn New York, transfer him to London; if he be mentally humpbacked transpose the hump to a person physically unlike the real man. The effect is not quite so happy as the bodily transfer of the whole man with all his surroundings, and the conditions which have made him what he is. But it is safer. The portrait of a dead man may, one supposes, be shown accurately without danger of legal'proceedings. In such a, case the painter need only fear the vengeance of able-bodied sons, brothers, or cousins. II. The Proprietor of a Magazine v. The Proprietor of a Country Paper. This case is also one of considerable importance, because it involves some definition of the right of a newspaper to copy or abridge work appearing in a magazine. The defendant admitted the pub- lication of an abridgment, but contended that he had acted in perfect good faith; that he had received a copy of the magazine containing the story, and that he had believed that he had the consent of the plaintiffs to publish the story. It does not appear, in fact, that the defendant did more than has been very often done by country papers. Yet it was necessary that the powers of a newspaper to reproduce magazine articles should be defined. There can be no doubt that the reproduction of papers or portions of papers from certain magazines may materially advance their popularity and increase their circulation, so that, to some extent, editors should be encouraged to reproduce them. But it is well to remember that the copyright belongs to the man who has bought it, and that copyright means the right to publish. There can be no harm done so long as editors recognise the necessity of getting permission to reproduce, and so long as that permission is freely granted, But it should not be asked, nor would it be granted, in the case of stories which form the most attractive part of most magazines. ♦■»■♦ THE STORYTELLER'S NIGHT. HERE is a hint for the Authors' Club. At the Aldiue Club, New York, they have a Storyteller's Night. Their last was on Thursday, December 17th. Mr. Frank Stockton took the chair. The storytellers were Mr. George Cable, M. Paul du Chail'lu, Mr. Charles Dudley Warner, Mr. W. Hamilton Gibsou, Mr. Will Carlines, and others. One after the other they stood up and told their stories, and sat down again. In one respect we cannot imitate the Aldine Club. Their dinner was not served till ten o'clock. Our ]>eople wouldn't stand that. Here is Mr. Charles Warner's story as reported in the Critic :— "There was once a robber in Cairo who fell from the second story of a house he was trying to enter, and broke his leg. He went to the Cadi aud complained. The man's window was badly made, and he wanted justice. The Cadi said that was reasonable, and he summoned the owner of the house. The owner confessed that the house was poorly built, but claimed that the eaqienter was to blame, and not he. This struck the Cadi as sound logic, aud he sent for the carpenter. 1 The charge is, alas, too true,' said the carpenter,' but the masonry was at fault and I couldn't fit a good window.' "So the Cadi, impressed with the reasonableness of the argument, sent for the mason. The mason pleaded guilty, but explained that a pretty girl in a blue gown had passed the building while he was at work, aud that his attention had been diverted from his duty. The Cadi thereupon demanded that the girl be brought before him. 'It is true,' she said, 'that I am pretty, but it's no fault of mine. If my gown attracted the mason, the dyer should be punished and not I.' 'Quite true,' said the Cadi,' send for the dyer.' The dyer was brought to the bar and pleaded guilty. That settled it. The Cadi told the robber to take the guilty- wretch to his hoiiBe and hang him from the door-sill, and the populace rejoiced that justice had been done. Hut pretty soon the crowd returned to the Cadi's house, com- plaining that the dyer was too long to be properly hanged from his door-sill. 'Oh, well,' said the Cadi, who by that time was suffering with ennui,' go find a short dyer aud hang him. Justice shall prevail.'" — NOTES AND NEWS. MB. Brander Matthews, a writer of distinction in the world of fiction, has just published (Longmans, " With my Friends "), a dainty volume of short stories idl written in collaljomtion.  ## p. 235 (#639) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 235 His literary partners are Mr. H. S. Bunner, Mr. Walter Pollock, Mr. George H. Jessop, and Mr. F. Anstey. All the stories are good, but the first and the third seem to nie especially good. There is an introduction in which Mr. Brander Matthews (without a collaborateur) treats of the art and mystery of collaboration. I think that this is the only essay ever written on the subject; that is to say, many have written about literary partners, but none 011 what is really meant by a literary partnership; how men may collaborate in literary work; what constitutes partnership; the advantages of such partnership; its dangers and disadvantages and limitations. The scanty limits of the Author do not permit a summary, however brief, of this valuable essay, nor do they permit certain comments which one would like to make. These must be reserved for another place. Mean- time I beg to recommend the book to all who write fiction, not only for its excellent stories but for this introductory essay. One point I note in this place. Mr. Brander Matthews claims for collaboration an educational value so far as concerns construction. "It succeeds," he says, "most abundantly where clearness is needed, where precision, skill, and logic are looked for, where we expect simplicity of motive, sharpness of outline, ingenuity of construction, and clearness of effect." Observe that these are all things which are absolutely essential to the success of a drama. It is, he thinks, because the habit of collaboration so much obtains in France that the constructive part of their work is generally so much better than with us. Now, in fiction as well as the drama, all these qualities are desirable. And a want of clearness in outline, a want of sharpness, is one of the most common faults in English fiction. If this could be removed by a little collaboration, let us collaborate. The reason why collaboration proves a remedy for this fault is, I apprehend, that the inventor of the fable—there can be two minds working upon it, but there can be but one inventor—is thus enabled to see his own idea projected upon another brain; he sees it as it is, not as he imagines it is; he sees it in the mind of another man. Why is it that the unsuccessful man of letters so often cannot understand his ill success? Mainly, perhaps, because he cannot really see his own work; he sees the vision of it in his own brain, and he cannot understand that he has not transferred it to the page. With a collaborateur he would have had to bring out every character, every incident, every name to be discussed, arranged, altered, and made presentable. Collaboration has many dangers and many difficulties. One would "ot recommend a young writer to collaborate, except for quite short things, first of all; to feel his way; to enter into no lasting engagements; and never, whatever disputes may afterwards happen, to claim more than a just half share in the work. Perhaps, after all, the best form of collaboration is that which has produced this volume. It is when two friends, in after-dinner talk, hit upon an idea, begin to turn it about, to see its possibilities, and in an hour's amusement actually to construct a story which cither of them can write down. Every great thought proves to have been antici- pated by somebody else. For instance, when wo talked of a school for novelists and of the possi- bility of teaching those capable of learning some- thing of the elements, just as rhetoric may be taught to one who wishes to know how to conduct an argument, we were quite ignorant that there was already in the field a Professor of the Art—a Literary Tutor—and that he had been in practice for many years. That is, however, the case. This gentleman edits a magazine—not one of those, apparently, which pander to the taste of the day and are read by such people as ourselves, because it is not on the bookstalls. Moreover, on application to the office we found it gone—the people knew not whither. The tuition is conducted by letter only. The fees are decidedly low—thirty shillings for three months and five guineas a year, and the tutor offers (at least he has offered to one editor) the splendid commission of half a guinea on every literary pupil obtained for him. He says in his prospectus that many of his former pupils have now "ascended several steps up the ladder of Fame." Now, in all departments of learning, the teacher must be able to show that he is able to do, himself, the thing that he teaches. Let us, therefore, beg all who think of getting such help as that proffered by this gentle- man, or others like him, ascertain that he has shown himself, by his own writings, a corn- latent guide. That one has never heard of him is not enough to make one refuse his services or to warn others against him. Let him prove his competence in the only way possible, by the pro- duction of his own work. If it is good work, there is a possibility that he may be able to teach. But that proved, the next question is whether the man 1* able to teach? Meanwhile, that offer of the half guinea commission does not, somehow, inspire one with confidence. A communication has been received from the advertiser in the Daily News whose proposal was commented on hi the last number of the Aut/ior (i 2  ## p. 236 (#640) ############################################ 236 THE AUTHOR. under the title of "A Now Departure." What he says is practically this—which one is quite ready to admit—that a literary agent, or middle- man, may be very useful for an author. It is quite true, and there are literary agents already in existence; the advertiser would do well to find out a good one and employ him. He must be very careful not to employ any- one not well recommended. He goes on to say that " not a quota "—what is that ?—of MSS. sub- mitted to publishers are ever read. My own experience is that MSS. are always read by pub- lishers. He therefore thinks that a literary agent would read them though the publisher will not. A literary agent would not read MSS.; he cannot possibly do so. Ho might, as publishers do, em- ploy a staff of readers, but he could not, personally, read MSS. Here then is advice for this adver- tiser. Withdraw your advertisement; apply to the society for advice; if you employ a literary agent you will have to pay him a great deid less than the 25 per cent, you foolishly offer to any shark who may be on the look out for prey. "It is a part of the literary gift," says a cor- respondent, "that authors should express their disagreements in the most disagreeable manner possible." Profound observation! It explains in one short sentence the whole of the history of authors and their quarrels. It also affords hope to the despondent. There may be a brighter future for literature, when its followers will cease to scratch and claw and revile and scarify each other. Manners will, some time or other, be taught. Thus the natural woman, when she disagrees with her friend, scratches, clapperclaws, and tears out hair. One has seen the natural woman so dis- playing her disagreement; the onlooker, at such a moment, thinks of authors with a sigh. But the blessings of civilisation are teaching the natural woman a better method; you may now walk about the streets for a twelvemonth without finding such a natural woman. In course of time we shall find our own profession educated up to the point of disagreeing with politeness. The Bludyers, how- ever, are a long-lived race. A correspondent in the St. James's Gazette writing on the old grievance—far more real for playwrights than for novelists—of the difficulty of getting a piece produced, he makes a practical suggestion. It is that the manager, like the publisher, shall have a reader or a staff of readers. Why not? He goes on, however, to suggest that the dramatist shall pay the reader himself. Why? The author does not pay the publisher's reader. He is part of tlie office. Why should not the manager pay his reader? But the circumstances are not quite similar. Editors of magazines and publishers must always l>e bringing out new things—every month for the magazines—every season for the book list. The manager only brings out a new thing when he is obliged. If he gave the world a new play every two months or so—as he could yvere it not for the present lavish expense of mounting and dressing—he would want a reader. As he looks for a run of twelve months at least, he does not; he prefers arranging for a new play with an old hand. Think of a new piece every month at the Lyceum, and another at the Haymarket, and another new piece at the Comedy, the Prince of Wales's, and all of them! In ten years we shoidd have such a company of dramatic authors in this country as was never before known. A successful play would not then be worth, as it is now, a small fortune; it would, as it should, be worth what a successful novel is worth, and no more. But that shoidd be quite enough to stimulate hundreds of active brains. And then the manager's reader would be a very useful person indeed. Mr. Andrew Lang's "Sign of the Ship" is always a thing to look for— it is one of the minor events of the month—though, like the delicacies of the Christmas season, he does not always agree with one. This month he contributes a few interesting statistics concerning novels. There have been, he says, 270 novels of the year, as recorded in a library catalogue. As a fact, there have been many more. A "student"—of fiction or of folk lore?—has kindly erased 254 from this catalogue, as not to he sent. Of these, about 24 had been read before; of those left on the list, twelve, at least, wore experi- mental. Of the whole 270, there were about forty that " a male human being might read." The rest, he says, yvere all for ladies. "Ah !" he cries, "that authors would not write, that publishers would not publish, that libraries would not buy, the common, mild, middle-class domestic novel any more!" If one were obliged to read them, one would certainly echo that sigh. But then, you see, one is not obliged—and one does not read them. In the same way as we pass a pastrycook's shop, and observe the masses of tarts, cakes, buns, chocolate, and confec- tions of jam, one might cry, "Ah! that pastrycooks would not make, that people would not buy, that children would not eat the common, mild, domestic biliousness any more!" Or, when one passes the fragrant fried fish-shop, one might equally ejacu- late, " Ah! that fryers would not fry, that sho[>s would not sell, that workgirls would not eat, this  ## p. 237 (#641) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 237 terrible, horrible, awful mess!" Or, again, when one goes to an exhibition of pictures, and sees the acres of wall space covered with feeble and conven- tional daubs, one might cry, "Ah! that painters would not paint, that exhibitions would not exhibit, that people would not buy these mild, domestic, middle-class conventional pictures any more!" Now, let us make out what case we can for the mild novel that nobody wants. In the first place, does it injure the circulation of the forty which the male human being can read? It may injure, to a very small extent, their circulating library circula- tion. That is to say, the latest work of the Eminent novelist may be bought by the hundred instead of the hundred and twenty, and readers are made to wait a little for him, because—it is rejK>rted—the small fry can be bought—" sorted out "—at a much lower price—sometimes at five shillings the three volumes. But at Smith's they will get, I l>elieve, any book that the subscriber asks for. If that is the case, then the Eminent one suffers not at all, however many domestic novels are produced. But readers always have the remedy in their own hands. They can send back, by return post, the rubbish which fills the box. Or, better still, they can select books for themselves, and return all those which 'are not in the list. As to the cheap edition—the one-volume edition—of course the mild domestic novel, which never gets to that edition at all, injures nol>ody. In fact, the whole 23oout of the 270 appear, flutter about for a month or two, and then vanish for ever. Their real end, which is pieces, comes to them after a few seasons in the seaside circulating library. Broadstairs, for instance, hath a noble, unique col- lection of the novels that nobody wants. Even little Llanfairfechan is not without this museum, though on a smaller scale. Again, there are many, very many, desperately dull houses in country towns and country villages where the ladies must, perforce, devote part of the day to reading. I hope we have long since passed the old fashioned stage of believing that one must read only with a view to improving the mind. Those ladies read with a view to getting out of their dullness—away from themselves. They therefore read novels. They read a novel in two days, or three at the most, say three a week. They therefore read a hundred and fifty in the year, or, leaving out eight weeks for amusement, travel, and other distractions, they read one hundred and thirty-two novels in the year. Now, if there were published none hut the forty readable by superior VOL. IT. man, these poor ladies would simply have nothing to read, nothing to talk about, nothing to distract them from the deadly petty gossip of the place, for about fort)- weeks in the year. Think—oh! think—What a calamity would l>e the suppression of the Two Hundred and Thirty! Again, let us acknowledge, for argument, the feebleness and the conventionality of the stuff. But it is intended for the distraction of minds not too strong at best, and, in their hours of relaxation, at their feeblest. Do these books harm anybody? Indeed, no, unless feebleness of writing injures the mentally weak. Do they lower, for those who read, their standard of purity, of nobility? No. These writers accept this standard to the best of their abilities, and, for the most part, maintain it. I do not profess to have read much of the work of this poor company of Two Hundred and Thirty, shiver- ing and trembling beneath the forefinger of scorn, but I believe that if they ventured to assail our morals, they would lx? instantly annihilated. There is an Eye—a watchful Eye—upon the morals of the novelist. In my own humble way, I have received remonstrances which revealed the existence of that Eye. Once—only once—I suffered—nay, encou- raged—a sailor to kiss a girl in a summer house— only a kiss, nothing more, but it was wrong—it was sinful, and I heard of it. "I thought," wrote the indignant moralist, " that your lxwks were safe reading for my daughter. Most providentially I looked into that one called 'The World went very- well then' before placing it in my child's hands. I can only say—may God grant you repentance and forgive you!" If this wholesome watchfulness is kept upon the male novelist, how much more upon the artist of the other sex! Again, there are about thirty or forty ladies who, by writing these domestic novels for other ladies, manage to make a little income, varying from fifty to a hundred pounds a year, bringing out one every year. The libraries take three or four hundred copies of each. The publishers make— say, a hundred pounds to a hundred and fifty pounds by each work. Are we to deprive these ladies of their income? It is of vital importance to them. If we have no pity on the poor ladies, shall we not find one tear for the innocent publisher? Or, if this company of Two Hundred and Thirty were annihilated, think what would happen to the R  ## p. 238 (#642) ############################################ 238 THE AUTHOR. young gentlemen who write papers for the thought- ful magazines on the Decay of Fiction! Magazines have got to be filled, as Mr. Henry James has pointed out. What so easy to write as an article on the Worthlessness of Modern Fiction! The editors like the subject. Anybody who can write at all, whether he knows anything about, fiction or not, whether he is capable, of writing or inventing the smallest anecdote, thinks he can write an article upon it. If we were to approach the editor with an article on the Fried Fish craving which seems so deplorably on the increase in certain cpiarters, he would not take it. I am sure he would not. But an article on novels? Why, he takes at least three every year, and sometimes more. And then there are the weekly reviews. The novels find employment in their pages for many eminent hands. And there are the daily papers. The reviewer of novels finds in their columns con- stant and remunerative occupation. And the writer of the literary letter. He has hardly anything to talk about but, novels and novelists. There is also the writer of the paragraphs—what would he do without his novelists? Indeed, when we think of the re- viewers alone, we shrink in terror from a measure of suppression which would abolish their chief source of income. "Strike," we hear them cry, " strike at church and constitution; abolish the House of Lords; suppress the House of Commons; but leave, oh! leave us this company of Two Hundred and Thirty." Put all together, the libraries, the publishers, the publishers' readers, the advertise- ment columns, the reviewers, the thoughtful young gentlemen of the Higher criticism who write on Decay, the printers, the lx>okbinders, the paper makers, the artists, and the authors, and consider what would be meant by abolishing this poor Company. No. Let us rather say," Go on—goon— ye Two Hundred and Thirty. Go on writing as long as the people go on reading. When some other amusement is found, as attractive, as ready to hand, as cheap as reading, perhaps there will be no longer any demand for you. When you cease to write, then we—your reviewers—cease to flourish. Go on. But we reserve, meantime, the right to scoff and sneer at you whenever there is nothing else to write about, and whether we read you, or whether we do not. Indeed, we never intend to read you. Your function, next to pleasing the girls who read you, is to furnish subject for contemptuous writing for those who do not read you." There is only one thing more to be said. Out of the Two Hundred and Thirty, at least eighty are authors who pay for the production of their books. And then, because the library catalogue by no means exhausts the list of new novels, there is probably another eighty or more also paid for by the authors which never even get into the libraries at all. Walter Besant. PUBLISHING ON COMMISSION. i. General Literature. 2. Medical Literature. OUR first impulse at the office of the Society of Authors, on hearing from an author that he intends to bring out a book at his own expense, is to dissuade him from his project, for it is our general experience that these undertaking* end in disappointment. Accordinglv, wo publish a warning every month, urging a young author never, never to pay for production. But although we make it a rule to dissuade young authors from publishing in this way, we have never lost sight of the fact that in certain special cases it may be fo the author's advantage to bear the cost of production himself. For instance, let us suppose that an author has n book for which a quick sale can bo expected in certain quarters, owing to bis own personal efforts or private; influence, or both. This is not a very rare state of affairs. His public is a ready-made one and does not require to be approached through any special channels, or with any publishing wiles. He is more or less in the position of a man who has a certain number of subscriptions guaranteed to him for his work; he am get at his public himself, am! does not want any assistance. Such a man hail l>etter publish upon commission. He runs no risk and his pecuniary returns will be greatest in this way. Take, again, the ease of an author whose chosen subject precludes him from ever achieving real popularity. His work may be a valuable contri- bution to literature of the highest kind, and a useful addition to the world's store of knowledge. There would be good grounds for recommending the owner of such a work to produce it at his own expense, but we should warn him of the probability that much of his money would be sunk, and that he would have to take out his reward in glory for ever. It is true that many such books are pub- lished from time to time at the cost of learnea societies, while a few are published on the time- honoured subscription method, but an author is not always so fortunate as to find either societies or individuals, who are ready to pay his printer's bill. It often happens that these books, thoroughly valuable work as they may be, are left to find their  ## p. 239 (#643) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 239 way to the public through the author or not nt all. If the author does not expect anything else, but is satisfied to lose money in making his name, and spreading the knowledge he has gained for the good of his fellow-man, it is most right that he should publish at his own expense. No one asks tliiit the author's reputation should be made at the expense of the publisher's purse. All the Society does in such eases is to say: "Publish by all means, but put yourself in honourable hands, so that you may not be cheated over the accounts, and do not anticipate large profits." But besides these classes of books there is another, where, the author's resolve to publish at his own expense can be justified by sensible and practical reasons, although the result may be a pecuniary loss to him. This is the position in the publication of certain medical books. All purely medical books may be said to belong to one of three classes :— (1.) Works of general medical reference. (2.) Books written in one of the popular series. (3.) Monographs on special medical subjects. To the first class belong the historic medical works. They generally remain the property of their publishers, though it is not unknown for the copyright to have been held by the author, editor, or compiler. There is a steady annual sale for these books to the, medical profession, to the general public, to students, and to hospital and general libraries; and the new editions, as they are issued, are brought up to date by the author, or, in case of his death, by the most fitting person whom the owner of the copyright can secure for the purpose. The price at which they are, sold is, as a rule, by no means a popular one, so that many of these books an'^aluable pecuniary properties. And this is very ^Jtting, for most of them are monuments of industry and research. The books of the second class—those written as parts of a scries—have the double value, to their author, always possessed by books written for a scries, i.e., they bring him in some money and Wime reputation. The author's name becomes widely known, for these books always sell largely. The good ones sell the bad ones, and the popular prices suit the purse of a great many people. Every copy of every book contains an advertisement of the rest of the series. Again, as it is widely believed— a very justifiable belief—that the best available men for the different subjects are always desired to write these series, the public spread of a doctor's name attached to one of the books is directly or indirectly so good for him, that the small fee received for writing the book is counterbalanced thereby. The pay and the fame should be, and doubtless are, self-compensating and self-arranging. The more the author was the favourably-known man in VOL. 11. connexion with his subject, the higher will be his price, and the less his desire or necessity for advertisement; the less known he is, the cheaper would he sell his work, and the more good would he expect to get from the publicity. Or it may be that a doctor is approached by the owner of one of these series, and is asked for a work on a special subject at a certain figure,* and is told that the sum named is the sum that is to be paid to all the authors of all the monographs. There is here no question of sticking out for a higher price. If the scientist wants the notoriety and the lucre he will exchange his brainwork for them. If he is not tempted, the proprietor will easily find some other person equally fitted for the task to undertake it at the suggested price. But it is of the third class, the monographs on special subjects, that we particularly wish to speak, l)ecause they appear to occupy a unique position in publishing. Most often the work is written by a man who is not yet widely known, in the hopes of becoming widely known. It is thus in a way an advertisement pure and simple, an expression, however, for which a few words of explanation will be necessary. But the first point to be noted is that it may l>e a very good book, and, as a matter of fact, it generally is a very good book. If mere excellence would sell a medical work, so that there should be a pecuniary profit upon it, many of these works would l>c worth more to the publishers than those written under contract. But, alas! mere excellence will not by itself achieve so desirable an object. For the public to which a purely medical book is sold is a very small one, though it be one, with whom excellence would have due weight. And here, of course, conies in the great difference between the publication on com- mission of the medical work, and the same proceeding, when applied to the ordinary novel. Both acts may be looked upon as an act of adver- tisement, but the novel addressed to a very large and uncritical public may sell to great jiecuniary advantage, although it be exceedingly bad, while the treatise, being of interest only to a small and thoughtful body, cannot ever realise a profit for its author, though it be an exceedingly good and valuable work. So far is this true, that we make bold to say that if Professor Koch's discovery had been a trustworthy or perhaps, it is more correct to .say a complete and conclusive piece of work, and he had embodied the results of his researches in a book, whoever published the book would have lost money by the transaction. Details of elaborate experiments, with figures, numbers, illustrations, * Fifty pounds down, and another fifty pounds towards the cost of illustration, is the offer made by the proprietor of one of these series to his authors. S  ## p. 240 (#644) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. foot-notes, side-note, and cross-references cannot be printed with the ease and cheapness characteristic of the production of a " yellow-back." And when the expensive book, containing within its pages priceless and authentic information as to one of the scourges of humanity is ready for sale, who is going to buy it? A suffering public—of course not. It is not written for them. If it were written for them it would not have been worth writing. The whole medical profession? Cer- tainly not. Doctors are not rich people, and those books cost so much to produce, that some sub- stantial price must be put upon them, while the practical use to the rank and file of the medical profession of an elaborate scientific monograph is very small. "Who buys the work, then? A few savants, a few professors, and a few libraries. But from these sources the knowledge contained in the work is disseminated in lectures, comments, re- views, and scientific articles, so that the book becomes broadly useful to an enormous public, who could have gained nothing, however, by buying it for them- selves. The good to the public is obtained, but—to put it flippantly—where does the author come in? This way, for there is no especial disinterested- ness about the medical author. Public recog- nition by his fellows as the author of a valuable work is a reward that may at any time prove as substantial to his pocket as it is grateful to his self-esteem. Upon such recognition follow appointments, upon appointments pupils, upon these lectureships, upon lectureships practices, and upon these legitimate notoriety, with its substantial results. This, of course, is the rosy future for the author of the medical book published upon com- mission. That it actually occurs often is not suggested, but some part of the programme is carried out in a fair proportion of eases. Com- paratively speaking, this sort of success is as often met with among medical authors, as is a large pecuniary success among the producers of fiction upon commission. In taking as an imaginary case a work by Koch, it may be said that here the author had previously obtained the very things which it is suggested are the medical author's sole reward. This is so. That case was selected merely to point out the unsalc- ability of medical books. If a work by a great man on a subject of world-wide urgency cannot pay its way, how can pecuniary profits be expected for the more specialistic work of a less known man? That is the question it was desired to raise. It is true there is no substantial reward to come to the von- great physician who writes a purely medical book. He is one of the authors who ha.s to take out his reward in fame. In this Society we have always insisted that literary property ought. to receive some tangible recognition, but there are cases when in the natural course of events this is not forthcoming. And this is so here. Let it l>e remembered, however, that in no very far-fetched way, the successful and distinguished physician cam be supposed to have been prepaid for his work. His practice and his appointments have made it possible for him to acquire the necessary information, and he owes it to his world-wide reputation that he should make his discoveries public. In speaking of "advertisement" it must he understood that no reproach is intended by the word. Such a medical book as we have referred to is only intended to justify its author's position, or enchance his reputation among his fellows. It is not an appeal to the public to come to him and be healed, and the Royal College of Physicians can be trusted to see that no one whose conduct seemed to be o[>en to this interpretation, attains to a position of professional authority, whatever may be his public repute. There are those who have chosen to rely upon public opinion only, and to these—still without reproach—the word advertisement applies in its full sense. THE ABT OF FICTION AND THE AUTHORS OF ANTIQUITY. THE majority of mankind have resolved to believe that there is no such thing as an "art of romance," and the novelist, in the opinion of the greater part of his fellow creatures, is merely a man who, being too idle, or, more likely, too great a fool to do anything else, wastes his time—probablv worth nothing—and pens, ink, and paper—which cost something—in writing at random "anything that comes into his head." Human lieings are slow to correct received opinions, and probably society must be left to enjoy this error, amongst, a great many others, for a very long time to come. Meanwhile the "scribbler" of "trashy novels," whilst turning over the pages of his masters, the great authors of all ages, observes with delight that the writers of antiquity were well acquainted with all the canons of his art. The classical authors were themselves guided by these same canons in the composition of their immortal works; their writings abound with allusions to them; and in works upon authorship, of a purely didactic kind, they expound these fundamental rules of construc- tion with all their familiar force and precision. Indeed, it would be easy to compile from Aristotle's Poetics and Horace's Epistle to the Pisones, a code of maxims comprehending almost all that the beginner in fiction has to learn, and a great  ## p. 241 (#645) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. deal more than writers long engaged upon this difficult art are always happy enough to be able to remember. Aspirants after literary or dramatic fame will scarcely find anywhere manuals of equal value for their guidance; and whilst consulting them may assure themselves that they are in the very best company. Anyone who pleases may convince himself that Fielding had been reading Aristotle's Poetics when he wrote the second chapter of the third book of Joseph Andrews, his first novel. But, to offer some evidence of an assertion that will certainly seem startling to a good many people. In the first place the authors of antiquity were fully convinced that the composition of any kind of "history "* was an art that could be taught, and ought to be learned. It seems odd that anyone can be found to dispute the fact, one who knew, and whom everyone knows, having written, pretty nearly two thousand years ago, Kgo nec stadium sine divite vena Nec rude quid possit video ingenium; altering sic Altera poscit opem res, et conjuntt amiee.f But what is talent and what is art, the majority do not concern themselves to discover, and, in consequence, starting from some vague misappre- hension of both, they easily arrive at all sorts of absurd conclusions. Lucian, however, in his interesting work "How History should be written" (chap. 33), deals with this very point at some length, and what he says is in substance this:— "The author should have these two principal tilings to start with, intelligence and descriptive power. The former is a thing that cannot be taught, a natural gift; but the power of description must be acquired by much exercise, and by continuous labour, and by emulation of the ancients. The former, then, is not a matter of art, and here there is no need of 'advice from me. For this little book of mine does not profess to make people clever and quick who are not so by nature. It would be a valuable book, or rather the most valuable of all books, if it could effect transmutations and transfor- mations of that sort But where then is the use of art and advice? Not to create abilities where they already exist, but to show the right way to use them So, pray, let no one look askance at me if I profess to have discovered an art in so great and difficult a matter. For I do not say that I can make an author of anyone you please; but that I can show a man, who is naturally intelligent, and who is well versed in literature, certain right ways by which he may more rapidly and more easily attain to a certain success." * Novels are histories. "We have properly enough entitled this our work a history." Fielding. "Tom Jones," book 2, chap. 1., and passim throughout the same work. t Horace. Ars poetica, 409. Now the distinction between ability and artistic power could hardly be better explained than in this passage. Again, in the forty-eighth chapter of the same work, Lucian insists upon the importance of working from a scenario, a matter about which even a great many authors are sceptical. Here is what W says:— "When the author has gathered all together, or the greater part, first of all he should weave a sort of memorandum, ami make a kind of corpus, without any adornments, or any joining together of the various parts. Afterwards, when he hits further introduced arrangement, he should add ornament, and then set forth his book, with art, and reflection, and finished style." But we may turn to a writer greater than Lucian. Aristotle's work on poetics brims with suggestions of the highest value. The only difficulty is to select one or two passages amidst so great an embarras des richesses. Aristotle addresses himself more particularly to the tragic dramatist and the epic poet; but as both of these must have a story, what he has to say about the " mythos " is equally useful to the novelist. And it is worth while to notice— considering some opinions that have been expressed in late years—that Aristotle sets the highest value upon the story. "The story," he says, "is the beginning, and, so to say, the soul of the tragedy."* Whilst in the twenty-fourth chapter of his work, he observes, "narrative art is above the others." This is the sort of remark that brings the heart of the " trashy novelist " into his mouth. But to return to the story. A story, Aristotle declares, should be "a whole and perfect action, having a certain length."! Next he explains what he means by "a whole "—something that has a beginning, and a middle, and an end. The beginning is that which does not of necessity result from something else. But after it something else naturally follows. The middle is that which both succeeds in consequence of something and leads to something else. And the end is that which naturally follows, "either of necessity or in all probability," but after which nothing further neces- sarily ensues. Therefore "those who would put stories together well, must neither begin acci- dentally anywhere nor end accidently anywhere." Aristotle is always brief to obscurity, but every writer who has discovered with Jean Paul Richter that, "es gibt in der ganzen entdeckten Welt keine verdammtere Arbeit als einen ersten Secktor zu schreiben," will feel that the Stagyrite is a friend in need in having, at any rate, something to say about where the story ought to begin. * Aristotle, Poetica. Chapter 5. t Aristotle, Poetica. Chapter 7.  ## p. 242 (#646) ############################################ 242 THE AUTHOR. Respecting length, Aristotle's rule is that the story should he of such a length that the whole may be conveniently carried in the memory. He considers that " taking into consideration the nature of the action related in the story, the longer tale, provided it be connectedly clear from end to end, will be the better. So that we may sav, giving a simple rule, that a sufficient length is that which affords room for the successive incidents which effect in some necessary or probable manner the change of the fortunes of the diameters from happy to sad or sad to happy."* And these great writers were practical. It is at this very point that Aristotle pauses to add that in the question of length the habits and requirements of the public must not lie overlooked. Aristotle must not detain us longer, for to leave Horace unquoted would not be pardonable. At the same time to adduce passages from the familiar "De arte pnetica" is almost an impertinence. Some interesting lines occur, however, in the second epistle of the second book, respecting the great art of " cutting " :— At qui legitimum cupiet fecisse poema, Cum tabulis animum censoris sumet honest!; Audebit, quscumque parum splendoris habebunt Kt sine ponders enint et honors indigna fercntur, Verba movere loco, quamvis invita reccdant Et versentur adhuc intra penetralia Vesta:; The novelist cannot exist who does not feel the force of the last two lines. How often the very passage that lias to be cut out, the incident, the morsel of word painting, the author's philosophic reflection is emphatically something "most un- willing to quit its place." How often it is some- thing that has dwelt by the hearth-fire of the author's thought, and has haunted his imagination from the day when he commenced his tale. But, "sed nunc non erat his locus," and the favourite passage must go. Which suggests another of Aristotle's maxims, "Whatsoever, whether introduced or not, makes no difference in the storv, is no part of the storv." Such are a few passages only out of works abounding with suggestive remarks of the greatest value. Anyone who will open them may find for himself paragraphs that will appear to him more helpful than the half-a-dozen brief extracts here offered. But these liave been selected as an evidence that the construction of a story was regarded as an art by the great writers of antiquity, and one whose principles they did not think unworthy of their serious attention. H. C. * Aristotle, l'oetica, Chapter 7. ♦<*•-* THE INDEPENDENT THEATRE. ONE of the most interesting examples of the intellectual activity of our time is the revived interest among the public in the present con- dition of the English Drama. An enthusiastic num- ber of gentlemen, following the example of Berlin and Paris, have lately banded themselves together, under the title of the Independent Theatres Society—a society whose motives have been much canvassed. If, from the point of view of subscrip- tions, there is much to be desired, they have a hard fighter in Mr. George Moore and an enthusiastic helmsman in Mr. G. T. Grein, to guide their ship through the waves of criticism. Among the many changes which they are anxious to bring about is the introduction, on the English stage, of the Literarv Drama. It is not the place here to dis- cuss the vexed question of actor and author and stage manager—the fitness of "ghosts" for public representation or the evils of the "star" system prevailing in England and America, and the supe- riority of the French conventions of the Comedie Francaise. Suffice it to say, that the Independent Theatre Society hold strong views on all these subjects. I shall confine myself to the Literary Drama, the possibilities of which Mr. H. D. Traill, in the December number of the New Review, has so skilfully criticised. The Inde- pendents have been abused and misrepresented, as founders of all new movements have been in the world's history. All the penalties of success promise to be theirs, and if they take themselves a little too seriously, it is a fault on the right side. They are accused, among other things, of trying to crush healthy English Drama by introducing Norwegian and French varieties. It should be remembered, however, that it was owing to the efforts of Mr. J. T. Grein that the "Profligate" and the " Middleman" were performed in Holland and Germany with great success. If I understand them aright, they are only anxious to expel provin- cialism from the stage, whether in Germany, England, or Holland, or any country. Their admirable performance of "Therese Baquin" is, perhaps, the best answer to their critics. In England, though there are many capable dramatists, many capable actors, and very comfortable theatres, and a public of moderate intelligence, there is, practically, no such thing as a " Literary Drama." There are hundreds of plays we are always glad to see, but, with the exception of Mr. Pinero's and Mr. Gilbert's, not many that we care to read. The poetical drama is dead, Mr. George Moore admits. Save a few instances, as the "White Pilgrim" of Mr. Hermann Merivale, and a few others, the modern poetical drama is a very gloomy affair. So that witnessing n modern play, we are unable to  ## p. 243 (#647) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 243 experience that pleasure which Shakes])eare or Moliere on the stage give to some people. We may be thrilled by dramatic situation, psychological analysis, tine acting, stage management (whether of the author or actor kind) but we do not feel the intellectual excitement that literature alone can give. In French or Norwegian plays, we do ex- perience this feeling, even when the dramas are not- poetical; so let us make the experiment in England. That is all the Independent Theatre ask. Surely it is not a very terrible request. They may be asking the impossible—asking too much of the drama—or, at any rate, of the English Drama. Perhaps they are. Mr. Traill is certainly of that opinion. It may be as absurd as asking art critics to tell us what they mean, or architects to build us houses that we can live in. Monstrous requests that no one in his senses would think of making. Still, it is an interesting experiment. And, after all, it is the duty of art to be unable to answer silly questions. However delightful it may be to witness the plays of Mr. Henry Arthur Jones and Mr. Pinero at our leading London houses, there are moments when at a second-rate theatre I am fain to believe that the only legitimate English Drama is the Drury Lane Pantomime, as interpreted by those incompar- able artists, Mr. Herbert Campbell and Mr. Harry Nicholls. To inquire for a moment into the objection to a Literary Drama. Mr. H. D. Traill does not meet the pioneers of the new drama with the stale old phrase of "Shakespeare is good enough for me," used by persons so thoroughly convinced of the merits of "Hamlet" as a play, that they would have dramatists imitating all Shakespeare's faults, even if they cannot approach him in merit. Mr. Traill points out how very few of Shakespeare's plays have survived the stage, and how when he is dramatic (very seldom, Mr. Traill thinks) he is never literary— in short, that as plays for the present requirements of the stage they are failures, because of their literary quality. This opinion the of one whose sympathies would lean rather towards literary excellence than dramatic achievement. And he continues, after exploding the hopes of returning to the conventions of Elizabethan and Greek dramas (owing to the altered conditions of the stage), to- show that "The School for Scandal" and "She stoops to conquer" are not played because they possess the imperishable quality of literary excellence, it is for the story, the situation, and the opportunity for the actors. And Mr. Tree, who has had'practical experience from the dramatic side, as Mr. Traill from the literary side, in his lecture to the Playgoers' Club, endorses every word. "The first duty of a player is that he should be actable, in fact, dramatic," said Mr. Tree, and again "by all means let the drama be literary, but first let it be dramatic. The drama has a literature of its own." Mr. Tree might have adopted Mr. Whistler's immortal principle, "That art is art. Mathematics are mathematics," by saying "Drama is drama and literature is literature." Mr. Tree's inimitable acting,and Messrs. Stevenson and Henley's brilliant dialogue did not make "Beau Austin " a good acting play, any more than his more wonderful impersonation of the " Village Priest," or Mr. Sydney Grundv's splendidly written adaptation make that drama anything but a silly caricature of a Sacrament in the Catholic Church. Yet the "Village Priest" was dramatic, "Beau Austin" was not. Both had the literary quality, and failed in spite of it, the other succeeded in spite of the violation of fuct and probability. So there is in reality as much reason on the side of Mr. Tree as there is rhyme on the side of the advocates of literary or poetic drama. There is only one unfair criticism of the Independents, and Hamlet's unfortunate remark about the mirror and nature cannot fairly be quoted against them, but rather for them. It may or may not be right to put the Whitcchapel murders on the stage, or to dramatize divorce proceedings, but to say "How unnatural!" is ridiculous. If the mirror is advocated, we must not blame it for reflecting unpleasant images. If Mr. Tree brings us nearer to the angels, the Independents can humble us by reminding us what we once were. Mr. Mathew Arnold rather contemplates the more ardent reformers when he said our drama was the most contemptible in Europe ; but that is hardly true at the present moment, and the future must be exciting even if is not literary; whether we are content with the Shakespearean past and the Pineroan present, as Mr. Tree bids us be, or go to Norway for subject, and to France for a convention with the Independent Theatre, or remain interested spectators of the scene with Mr. H. D. Traill in the pages of the New Review. L. F. ■ ♦•»■♦ ■ LITERARY RIGHTS. I. "\\J E have living minds who have done their WW duty to their own age and posterity. Such men complain not of the age, but of an anomalous injustice in the laws. They com- plain that authors are deprived of a perpetual property in the produce of their own labours, when all other persons enjoy it as an indefeasible and acknowledged right; and they ask, upon what principle, with what equity, or under what pre- tence of public good, they are subjected to this injurious enactments? Is it because their labour is so light, the endowments which are required for it  ## p. 244 (#648) ############################################ 244 THE AUTHOR. so common, the attainments so cheaply and easily acquired, and the present remuneration in all cases so adequate, so ample, and so certain? The Act is so curiously injurious in its operation that it bears with most hardship upon the best works. For l>ooks of great immediate popularity have their run, and come to a dead stop; the hardship is upon those which win their way slowly and difficultly, but keep the field at last. In such cases, when the copyright, as by the existing law departs from the author's family at his death, or at the end of 28 years from the first publication of every work (if he dies before the expiration of that term), his representatives are deprived of their property just as it would begin to prove a valuable inheritance. The last descendants of Milton died in poverty. The descendants of Shakspeare are living in poverty, and in the lowest condition of life. Is this just to these individuals? Is it grateful to the memory of those who are the pride and boast of their country? Is it honourable or becoming to us, as a nation, holding the name of Shaks[>eare and Milton in veneration? To have placed the descendants of Shakspeare and Milton in respect- ability and comfort, simple justice was all that was required; only that they should have possessed the perpetual copyright of their ancestor's works— only that they should not have been deprived of their proper inheritance. Believing, as I do, that if society continues to improve, no injustice will long be permitted to continue after it has been fairly exposed, and is clearly apprehended, I cannot but believe that a time must come, when the rights of literature will be acknowledged, and its wrongs redressed; and that those authors hereafter who shall deserve well of posterity, will have no cause to reproach themselves for having sacrificed the interests of their children when they disregarded the pursuit of fortune for themselves." SOUTHEY. If. "Fortune has rarely condescended to be the companion of genius; the dunce finds a hundred roads to her palace; there is but one open, and that a very indifferent one, for men of letters. Why should we not erect an asylum for venerable genius, as we do for the brave and helpless part of our citizens? When even fame will not protect the man of genius from famine, charity ought. Nor should such an act l>e considered as a debt incurred by the helpless member, but a tribute we pay to genius. Even in these enlightened times such have lived in obscurity, while their reputation was widely spread; and have perished in poverty, while their works were enriching the booksellers." D'Israeli. No artist recognises any standard of lxjauty, but that which is suggested by his own temperament. The artist seeks to realise in a certain material his immaterial idea of beauty, and thus to transform an idea with an ideal. This is the way an artist makes things. That is why an artist makes things. The artist has no other object in making things. Oscar Wh.de. (From a letter to the Pall Mall Gazette.) ■—■ — DEATH AND THE LIFEBOAT. From the German ofRvv. Otterlich. I stood without a ruined nave, Whose mossed and ivied luxury Was fed from many a circling grave: Below me lay a still dull sea. Then brightly grey the midnight grew; I felt a Spirit pass me by; Upon my cheek the breath he drew Fell ill a chill and lingering sigh. And straight the ivy overhead Dropped withering on the withering turf; And angrily the sea of lead Curled up to break in milky surf. For Death stood by the shattered fane, Stood on his thick-sewn ground—a King; His robes a shroud, his gems the train Of death-worms on it slumbering. What sound fulls on my shuddering ear? A suppliant shot from off the deep; Death laughs: his worms awake and rear A hissing crest and o'er him creep. Death turned, and with a jaunty trip Passed through the shrinking grass, to reach The sea, where on a mastless ship Plunged headlong towards the sucking beach. He came to the wave-smitten shore: Hearts brave for rescue were afloat: Is there not room for one heart more? Death stepped into the bobbing boat. I screamed. He heard and smiled reply Then touched the tiller with his hand; And lo! there lay before my eye A waste of waves, a strip of sand.  ## p. 245 (#649) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 245 CORRESPONDENCE. I. Reading Unions. WHILE reading in the last issue of the Author a paragraph on Reading Guilds, it occurred to me that a programme of a Heading Circle which we started a year or two ago might prove of interest. Rules. I. That the Society shall be called the " Sesame Reading Circle." II. That its aim shall be to promote, by the method of association, careful and thoughtful read- ing, and the study of good literature; to approach the subject under consideration in an inquiring spirit, and to avoid, as far as possible, all dogmatic opinions and personal expressions. III. The Circle shall consist of i3 members, one of whom shall be chosen as secretary. The execu- tive committee shall consist of three members, of which the secretary shall he one. IV. At the general meeting of the Circle the books to be studied during the next reading term sliall be chosen. To each member shall be allotted a work which he shall study, and upon which he shall write an essay during the first two months. The essays shall then be handed to the secretary, who will redistribute them. Each memher shall then read the book corresponding to the essay he has received, and appending a statement that he has perused both book and paper, he shall proceed to criticise the subject and add his comments thereon. A similar course shall be adopted at the end of each successive period of six weeks. Each period shall be understood to expire on the 14th, or the last day of the month, as the case may be. V. Each essay shall be retained by the writer of it, together with the critiques, at the end of the reading term. It shall be accessible to anv of the members. VI. If a member fail to read the allotted works on two occasions during the reading term without giving adequate reasons, he forfeits membership, and his place shall be filled by a new member chosen by the committee. VII. A business meeting shall be held at the end of the term. X. II. The Generosity of the Religious Society. In the December number of the Author there was a paragraph on the generosity of a religious society, and in the October number another on the honourable conduct of a religious society. By mistake the two paragraphs were supposed to refer to the same author. They were different authors. It is the same melancholy story, however, with both. The publishing company, under the guise of religion, buys up work for ten, twenty, thirty pounds, out of which it means to make hundreds, and knows that it will make hundreds. III. The Authobs' Club. I read the announcement of the projected "Authors' Club" with the warmest satisfaction. As is stated in the Author, the Athenteum is the only literary club pure and simple—though, perhaps, the word " simple" is scarcely the correct descrip- tion of that august institution—admittance to which by the ordinary literary man is as difficult as admit- tance to the Marlborough. In the November number of the Century are an article and illustra- tions describing the new Players' Club of New York, founded by Edwin Booth. We can scarcely hope to vie with the magnificence of this club, but I think we should endeavour to emulate its solid comfort. In addition to the usual dining, drawing, and smoking rooms there should be a cosy library in which the literary man from the country may find a corner—like those in the National Liberal— where he can, undisturbed, write his copy and correct his proofs. For the best of all reasons the tariff must not be an expensive one; and I would suggest, with all deference, that the country subscription should not be more than two guineas. If pictures are wanted for the walls, and they should be wanted, I am convinced that they would be readily offered either as loans or gifts, portraits of living and departed authors, scenes from their lives or works, would be forthcoming from many literary men who for years have l>een longing for some central spot in the great city in which they could feel "at home." If well-known men would, from time to time, recount their experiences or read papers on their calling so much the better. What is wanted is a comfortable, artistically arranged club, where the London author can meet and welcome his fellow laliourer from the country, and strengthen that union of hearts and brains which has too long been neglected by the profession which needs it more than any other.  ## p. 246 (#650) ############################################ 246 THE AUTHOR. In conclusion, may I express a hope that all the shares—it is, I believe, intended to make it a joint stock affair—will be held by literary men. If a man holds only one share of £1, £2, or £5, as the case may be, he must necessarily feel a personal interest in the venture, and it is this personal interest which will tend to make the club the success we all heartily wish it. c. o. IV. 'A member of the Society signing himself "Iota- Subseript" asks a question as to publishers' liabilities under certain cases. Will he Ik; kind enough to send his name? It is manifestly impossible to answer anonymous questions. V. The Bookman on Royalties. Sib, If words have any meaning, the Editor of the Bookman did, on his own showing, accept a very important statement that a royalty of a penny in the shilling yields as much to the author as to the publisher. There is not a word of correction or of contradiction. The note which he quoted does endorse the statement, because it does not contradict it. Your obedient servant, A Constant Reader. [Other communications have been received from readers, all to the same effect, and none contrary to this.—Editor.] VI. The Editor of the Bookman (Dr. Robertson Nicoll) sends the following communication. It does not touch the real point at issue, which was that he printed, without a word of correction or contradiction, the statement that a royalty of one penny in the shilling gives the author as much as it gives the publisher, and is a fair royalty. To the Editor of the Author. Sir,— A very few words will suffice in answer to your notes on my letter. 1. As you have printed my own words, I confi- dently leave it to your readers to decide whether I "advocated on a six-shilling book a profit of £75 to the author, and to the publisher of £3o5," or whether the statement was not as I styled it, and style it again, as gross a misrepresentation as can possibly be imagined. 2. We are all much indebted to you for formu- lating a system of publishing on royalties easily understood and remembered. It is stated in two propositions :— (1.) "Whether the book is a shilling lxx>k or a six-shilling book, the proportion is the same." That is, upon all books, irre- spective of their price and size, the same percentage should l>e paid as royalty. (2.) "Why should well-known writers receive more than beginners on a royalty?" That is, all writers, known or unknown, should receive the same percentage as royalty. (3.) The only point remaining to be settled is, what should be the percentage? Ob- viously, the highest royalty any writer is receiving. It remains therefore, to find out that, and the whole business of publishing is simpler than A.B.C. Whenever I receive the name and address of any publisher who conducts his business on these principles, or of any person willing to invest a shilling in any business so conducted, I am ready to discuss the matter. Of the extraordinary statement that thirty or so (!) is the average number of press copies, I say nothing. 3. I did not ask you who wrote the article on the Bookman. I asked by what right the author of the article used the words "As a society of lwokmen and bookwomen, we," <fcc. The answer is, By no right. No one has the slightest authority to pose as the spokesman of our society. More especially should such action be avoided when it is remembered that we do not elect our own com- mittee, that no opportunity is given us for private conference, and that our opinions are notoriously divergent on many points. By throwing the Author open for free discussion, some good might be done. I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, The Editor of the Bookman. Here are two or three simple notes :— 1. A royalty of a penny in the shilling applied to a six-shilling book does produce the astonishing result quoted in my notes. He who maintains that to be a fair royalty does advocate this astonishing result. 2. The proportion of a penny in the shilling is certainly the same applied to any lxx>k at any price. How can it be otherwise? 3. I certainly cannot understand why there should be one royalty for the widely popular and another for the less popular. I exclude the  ## p. 247 (#651) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 347 question of risk, because the publishers seldom take any risk. If of two books at the same price one sells ten thousand and the other two thousand, both authors should be paid in proportion to their circulation. 4. What percentage should be paid? Not neces- sarily what the highest-paid author receives, because an author may for special reasons receive special terms, but that percentage which may be adopted as just and fair both for author and publisher, fully recognizing the services of the latter and the rights of the former. No greater service can be rendered to literature than to further the adoption of such a plan. We hare paved the way for it by learning and publishing what has hitherto been concealed— viz., the cost of production and the profits of pub- lishers on the various systems of publication now current. 5. The number of press copies is about " thirty, or so." We do not, at this office, s]>eak of pub- lishers' methods as they might be, or as we imagine them to be, but as they are. "About thirty, or so," is a fair statement of the general practice in sending out books of serious literature—jicrhaps in little story books a greater liberality may be found worth while. For instance, there are nine London dailies; about a dozen weeklies, and about a dozen great provincial papers exhaust the list. People may send as many copies as they please, but it is the usual practice of the trade not to waste good lwoks on papers which have no weight. 6. No one has ever in the Author jwsed as the spokesman of the Society. But the writer of the notice which has so greatly exercised the editor of the Bookman is surely not pretending to be the spokesman of the Society when he used the simple and harmless words, " Asa Society of bookmen, and l>ookwomen, we would earnestly invite our new friend to consider that literature has many sides, that there are many readers, and many books and standards, and many ideals of excellence and of style." The " direct question " of the last number referred to notes signed by the writer. 7. What kind of " private conference " does the editor of the Bookman desire? He has made no proposal for any conference of members. Such a conference might be extremely interesting, and most useful, provided the meeting was conducted in the spirit of mutual courtesy and friendliness. 8. I, as the editor of the Author, have always thought the columns open for discussion. There is correspondence every month. Does not the inser- tions of Dr. NicolFs letters prove that the paper is o[X'n to discussion? But no more correspondence on this subject can be inserted. Walter Besant. "AT THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." MR. George Meredith's new volume of verso is called "Modern Love: a Reprint, to- gether with the Sage Enamoured ami the Honest Lady." Macmillau & Co. are the English publishers. Mr. Lecky's "History of England" is to be issued in a cheaper edition in monthly volumes (Longmans), twelve in number. Some of Mr. Andrew Lang's books are to be re-issued in a half-crown form. It is a great pity that the many admirers of this writer can only procure complete editions of his works by painfully toiling through publishers' lists. No writer of the day, unless it is Thomas Hardy, is so scattered. There is a library somewhere in a garden; the casement windows stand wide open; outside there are flowers of the old fashioned kinds,—gilliflowers, sweet william, ragged robin, bachelors' buttons, stocks, pinks, mignonette—each blooming in her season; the rose spray Haps in at the window; there are Japanese vases; the room is lined with books; the table is covered with books; there is no litter of books such as one finds in a place when a student is searching and investigating; in this library the lwoks are arranged neatly and in order; many of them are old and shabby, but not for that reason held in lesser honour. It is a silent library; the silence is like that which one feels in an ancient almshouse beside a busy road; outside, in the road, is the sound of hoofs and wheels; within is peace. In this library there is silence; outside, the bees hum and the birds sing, the branches rustle, the scythe mows down the grass; but their noise is best heard within. "My library," says the happy owner of this place, " is the identical library in which Christian Mentzelius was at work when he heard the male bookworm flap his wings and crow like a cock in calling to his mate. Come with me round the room. Let me show you some of my books. Nothing that a book lover likes so much as to show and talk about, as his books. Oh! I am no buyer of scarce books because they are scarce. Mine are here for read- ing. I will read bits of them to you if you like to sit an hour with me. Here are the works of George Wither. Do you know that poet? Here is Gerard's 'Herbal.' Do you know Lady Win- chelsea? Do you know Amasia? Do you know Christopher Smart? Sit down, my friend, and listen. The air that steals through the case- ment this hot afternoon is fragrant; that chair invites you to rest. So you shall listen and I will talk." Fortunately, the talk has been taken down.  ## p. 248 (#652) ############################################ 248 THE AUTHOR. and everybody can hear it, because it is on Mr. Heinemann's list, and he generously allows anyone to become the possessor of "Gossip in a Library" ■who pays the toll and uses the name of the author, Mr. Edmund Gosse, in such a way as to show that he can be trusted with the book, and that he has a feeling for a Library. In a more civilised world we shall liave to pass examinations before we are allowed to possess books of this kind or of that. Not only will ignorant persons have to surrender treasures of classical learning or of science, but literature itself will have its stages, and every man shall belong each to his own level, and shall have the books corresponding to his degree, but with the power of passing the examination for a higher degree. Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson and Mr. Rider Haggard will contribute the serials for the Illus- trated London News of 1892. There will also lie occasional short stories. The literary department of the paper shows a considerable increase in activity under the editorship of Mr. Clement Shorter. Mr. James Sully has nearly ready a new work on Psychology. It is said to aim at meeting the special wants of those who desire a more complete presentment of the results of the recent ramii'orm developments of the science than was possible in his earlier and more elementary work on the subject. The new treatise will be in two volumes, and will be published in January. Mr. "William Black has made arrangements with Sampson Low and Co. for an entirely new edition of his novels in twenty-five monthly volumes. The novels will be carefully revised by Mr. Black. The first to appear will be " A Daughter of Heth." A sister of Mr. Rudyard Kipling has joined the band of story tellers. May her brother's fortune and his genius be hers as well! The " Whitefriars Library of Wit and Humour" seems to attract good writers. With the names of Messrs. Andrew Lang, Arthur a Becket, Barry Pain, Justin McCarthy, and Walter Pollock already on the title page or promised, then; should be hardly any stronger series in the market. The lwok of the month is Austin Dobson's "Hogarth," a book as beautifully written as we have a right to expect of Mr. Dobson, and as beautifully got up and illustrated as the subject demands. Mrs. Cashel Hoey, the best translator living, has finished her version of Robida's "Centuries of Toilette" (Sampson Low and Co.). It is a book which all ladies who wish to understand anything more about dress than the fashion plate of the day- must certainly possess. Sir Edwin Arnold seems to have fairly " caught" the American public, if not the English as well, by his "Japonica" (London: Osgood and Mell- vaine). This is what the New York Critic savs of it:— "It is hard to decide between penman and draughtsman in praising this dainty work of art. Never before have we seen so happy a marriage of pen and brush. Of the author of 'The Light of Asia' we know, and know favourably, as an inter- preter of Japanese aesthetics; but, fascinating as are his word-pictures, we must award equal praise to the artist who has brought Japan before our eyes bv his wonderfully accurate and deeply svnqia- thetic drawings. With only ink, and no colours such as flush the sky and ocean, and all surfaces in Japan, or deepen in nook and shadow, Mr. Robert Blum has achieved wonders. As a lady may be handsome, and enthrall a man's heart bv her expression, even though her face lack colour, so Mr. Blum's pictures have the rich charm of repro- ducing Japan's witchery of form and grace. Sir Edwin is in his happiest vein and humour while discoursing of the country, the jwople, their ways, and their thoughts. To him Japan is the Land i>f Great Peace, gentle manners, pleasing thoughts, fair morals, and exquisite conceits. He seems a veritable child in exuberance of enjoyment, and has reached that land, so rarely entered by the middle aged, which is behind the looking-glass. A fascinating freak of geography and ethnology is this country to him, and no less fascinatingly freakish are its people. After hearing what all the literary, scientific, theological, and other critics say of them, this English knight of the pen is still the lover. 'My own opinion is,' he declares with that solid assurance which belongs to the lover who imagines his vision to be crystal, clear, and scienti- fically achromatic, 'that the central characteristic of the Japanese is self-respect, and that their patience, their fearlessness, their quietism, their resignation, and a large proportion of their other virtues, have root in this deep and universal quality.'" There are notable papers in the new volume of the " Dictionary of Biography," especially Dr. Gur- nett on Edward Irving, Mr. T. R. Gardiner on James I., Mr. Leslie Stephen on Lord Jeffrey, the Rev. William Hunt on King John, and Mr. Regi- nald Lane Poole on John of Salisbury.  ## p. 249 (#653) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 249 Just before his death, says the New York Critic, James Parton expressed his views on the earnings of authors in the following words: "An indus- trious writer, by a legitimate exercise of his calling, that is, never writing advertisements or trash for the snke of pay, can just exist, no more. By a compromise, not dishonourable, though exaspe- rating, he can average during the best years $7,000 to §8,000 a year. But no man should enter the literary life unless he has a fortune, or can live contentedly on $2,000 a year. The best way is to make a fortune first and write afterward." Mr. Henry Cresswell has in the press a new novel, in three volumes, entitled " Fairest of Three," which will be published by Messrs. Hurst and Blaekett this month. If this novel prove as clever and entertaining as " The Hermits of Crizebeck," considerable popularity may be foretold for it. "Lester the Loyalist:' is one of the most beautiful books we have seen for a long time. It was printed in Japan, in one of the styles pre- scribed by their etiquette for the printing of poetry. It was manufactured entirely by Japanese. The only difference is that the lines are printed horizontally, as in English, instead of vertically. The letterpress is a poem by Douglas Sladen, author of "Australian Lyrics," "The Spanish Armada," &c. It is called a "Romance on the Founding of Canada," and is in hexameter verse. The publishers are Griffith, Farran, and Co. In " Great Pan Lives" (London: Luzac and Co.) "Clelia" offers a paraphrase of Shakespeare's Sonnets, and proffers an answer to the question, "Who and what is the 'Lovely Boy' of the Sonnets?" The answer takes the form of a genealogy, beginning with "Beauty All," and ending with "Will Shakespeare." It is one more book added to the literature of the Sonnets, and may be left to those who have studied the subject. A "Winter Cruise in Summer Seas," by Charles G. Atchison (Sampson Low and Co.) is a chatty, pleasant book, descriptive of a voyage on board one of the Royal Mail Steam Packets to the Brazils, Buenos Ayres, and other places. Anyone who wants to take a holiday of two months, and does not know where and how to spend his time, will do well to study this book. Those who would like to spend a holiday of two months, but cannot get the leave or the money, would do well to read this book. The " Merchant's Children," by Eleanor Stred- der (T. Nelson and Sons), is a story for the young on life in China. It is a little book to be recommended. Mr. E. A. Reynolds Ball has written the article on Naples in Messrs. CasselPs magnificent fine art publication "The Picturesque Mediterranean," 2 vols., price £4 4*., which has recently been published. The latest addition to the " Adventure Series" is the story of the " Life and Exploits of Theodore Kolokotrones," the Greek hero. Tt is translated from the Greek by Mrs. Edmonds, author of "Greek Lays," &c. The translator has written an introduction and furnished explanatory notes. A preface has been added by M. Gennadius, Greek envoy to our Court. Messrs. Cassell & Co. will bring out in January a collection of Mr. Egerton Castle's shorter stories under the title of " La Bella and others." It is to be hoped that the volume will include "A Para- graph in the Globe," which appeared a few years ago in Remington's Christmas Annual, and was not only one of the best Christmas stories of its year, but one of the best of its kind in English. Our litera- ture is by no means rich in good short stories, though Mr. Louis Stevenson, Mr. Andrew Lang, Mr. Pollock and others have set us such admirable examples, and this one of Mr. Castle's was worthy of Balzac himself in his fantastic vein. Mr. Howells' daughter, Miss Mildred Howells, has entered the field of literature, as a poem in the November St. Nicholas shows. It is entitled "Romance," and conveys some of the fancies of young dreamers. Mr. G. A. Henty has written for the new volume of Young England a serial story of seafaring life in the last century, entitled "In the Grip of the Press Gang." The other serials which will appear in this magazine are "Beneath the Sur- face," by Sarah Tytler, and " The Golden Lion," a romance of Elizabethan days, by Robert Leighton, author of " the Pilots of Pomona."' "Charles Kingsley: the Story of his Life" is the title of an article to be contributed by Mr. Mackenzie Bell to an early number of the new series of the Welcome Hour. "Hypocrites," the serial story by Mr. Hugh Coleman Davidson, which is now appearing in Hearth and Home, will be published early in the new year by Messrs. Sampson Low & Co. It will be illustrated by Rene. Two very interesting papers on Burmese life and manners which have recently appeared in the Globe were written by Mr. Henry Charles Moore. They are chapters from a projwsed work on Burmah.  ## p. 250 (#654) ############################################ 250 THE AUTHOR. NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS. Theology. Alexander, Wm., D.D., D.C.L. Verbum Crucis: being Ten Sermons on the Mystery and the Words of the Cross, to which are added some other sermons preached on public occasions. Preachers of the Age Series. Sampson Low. 3s. 6d. Beet, J. A., D.T). The Firm Foundation of the Christian Faith: a Handbook of Christian Evidences, for Sunday School Teachers. Wegleyan Methodist Sunday School Union, Ludgate Circus Buildings, E.C. is. Denney, Rev. James. The Epistles to the Thessalonians. Volume of the Expositor Bible. Hodder and Stough- ton. 7s. 6d. Duff, Archibald, M.A., LL.D. Old Testament Theology; or, the History of Hebrew Religion from the year 800 B.C. to 640 B.C. A. and C. Black. Ellicott, C. J., D.D. Christus Comprobator; or, the Testimony of Christ to the Old Testament. Seven addresses. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Fife, E. G., M.U. Analysis of Theology, Natural and Revealed: an Essay Contrasting the Pretensions of Religion aud Atheism to Scientific Truth. Williams and Norgate. Mabtineau, James. Home Prayers, with two services for public worship. Longmans. 3s. 6d. Maurice, F. D. Sermons preached in Lincoln's Inn Chapel. Vol. III. (of VI.). New edition. Mac- millan. 3s. 6d. Stannard, Rev. J. T. The Divine Humanity, and other Sermons. Edited by the Rev. John Hunter. Maclc- hose, Glasgow. Stanton, V. H., D.I). The Place of Authority in Matters of Religious Belief. Longmans. 6s. Vaughan, C. J., D.D. Sermons, preached in the Parish Church of Doucaster. New edition. Mac mil lan. 1 os. 6d. History and Biography. Adams, Henry. Historical Essays. Fisher Unwin. 7J. 6d. — History of the United States of America during the first Administration of James Madison. Volumes 5 and 6. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 9s. each. Broglie, Due de. Memoirs of the Prince de Tallyrand. Edited, with a preface and notes, by the. Translated by Mrs. Angus Hall. Volume IV., with a portrait. Griffith, Farran. Browning, Oscar, M.A. Dante, his Life and Writings, and Goethe, his Life and Writings. Volumes of the Dilettante Library, enlarged from articles in the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." Swan Sonnenschein. Clinch, George. Mayfair and Beigravia, being an Historical Account of the Parish of St. George, Han- over Square. With illustrations. True-love aud Shirley. 1 2s. Goulburn, E. M., M.D. John William Burgon, late Dean of Chichester: a Biography, with Extracts from his Letters and Early Journals. Two vols., with portraits. John Murray. 14s. Graham, P. Anderson. Nature in Books: Some Studies in Biography. Methuen and Co. The History of the Popes, from the Close of the Middle Ages. Drawn from the secret archives of the Vatican and other original sources, from the German of Dr. Ludwig Pastor, Professor of History in the University of Innsbruck. Edited by Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, of the Oratory, with an introduction by Cardinal Manning. Two vols. John Hodges, Agar Street, Charing Cross. 12s. "Jehu Junior." The " Vanity Fair " Album—a Show of Sovereigns, Statesmen, Judges, and Men of the Day, with biographical and critical notices by. Vol. 23. 1S91. Vanity Fair Office, 181, Strand. Lounsbury, T. R. Studies in Chaucer: His Life and Writings. 3 vols. Osgood, M'llvaine. 42s. Palmer, A. H. The Life and Letters of Samuel Palmer, painter and etcher. Written and edited by. Illus- trated. Seelcy. Puschman, Dr. Tiieodor. A History of Medical Educa- tion, from the most remote to the most recent times. Translated and edited by Evan H. Hare. H. K. Lewis. Gowcr Street. Selby, Charles. Events to be Remembered in the History of England. 28th edition, with additions. Crosby Lockwood. Stebbing, Wm., M.A. Sir Walter Ralegh: a Biography. With a frontispiece. Clarendon Press. 1 os. 6d. Symes, J. E., M.A. The French Revolution, 1789-1795. With map of France. University Extension Series. Methuen. 2s. 6d. Trebutien, G. S. Journal of Maurice de Guerin. With a Biographical and Literary Memoir by Sainte-Beuve. Translated from the 20th French edition by Jessie P. Frothiugham. Edited by Chatto and Windus. 2*. 6d. Waylen, James. The House of Cromwell and the Story of Dunkirk : a Genealogical History of the Descendants of the Protector, with Anecdotes aud Letters. Illus- trated with engravings, portraits, and plans. Eliot Stock. 1 os. bd. Wicksteed, P. H., M.A. Four lectures on Heiurik Ibsen, dealing chiefly with his Metrical Works. The Dilettante. Library. Swan Sonnenschein. Fiction. Black, William. A Daughter of Heth. New aud revised edition, with portrait and preface by the author. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. Burnett, F. Hodgson. Children I have known, and Giovanni and the Other. Stories. Osgood, M'llvaine. 6s. Campbell, Sir G. The Romance of the Ruby. Illustrated. Beeton's Christmas Annual; containing also an original musical faroe by R. Andre. Ward, Lock, Bowden. Cardklla, G. A King's Daughter. A Novel. 3 vols. Swan Sonneschein. CoixODi. C. The Story of a Puppet: or, The Adventures of Pinocchio. Translated from the Italian by M. A. Murray. Illustrated. Fisher Unwin. is. 6d.  ## p. 251 (#655) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Conan Doyle, A. A Study in Scarlet. A new edition, with illustrations by George Hutchinson. Ward, Lock, Bowden. 3s. 6d. Ccshino, Paul. Cut with His Own Diamond. A Novel in 3 vols. Blackwood. Dowlino, Richakd. A Baffling Quest. A Novel. 3 vols. Ward and Downey. Eckknstein, Lisa. The Little Princess and the Great Plot. Illustrated by Dudley Heath. And Tales from the Mabinogion. Kdited by Meta E. Williams. Vo- lumes of the Children's Library. Fisher Unwin. 2s. 6d. each. Fonblanque, Albany de. Jcdwood Justice. A Novel. 3 vols. Bentley. Francillon, R. E. Gods and Heroes: or, the Kingdom of Jupiter. Illustrated. Blackwood. Gray, Annabel. Through Rifted Clouds. A Novel in a vols. Eden, Remington. Green, F. G. Dean's Fairy Book. A Companion to the Doyle Fairy Book. With illustrations. Edited by. Dean, Fleet Street. Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. 3 vols. Osgood, M'llvainc. 3is. 6d. Hocking, Silas K. For Light and Liberty. With original illustrations. F. Wanie. is. 6d. Humphreys, Jennett. Some Little Britons in Brittany: a Seaside Story. Sampson Low. 2S. 6d. Hutchinson, Horace G. Mr. Batter's Pedigree: or, Experiences of a Tenderfoot. Illustrated by George Hutchinson. Whitefriars Library. Henry. 3s. 6d. Hutchinson, Rev. H. N. The Story of the Hills: a Popular Account of Mountains and how they were made. Seeley. Jones, C. A. A Modern Red Riding Hood. Frederick Warne. 3s. 6d. Kennedy, Patrick. Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts. Collected and narrated by. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. Larder, Alfred. A Sinner's Sentence. 3 vols. Chatto and Windus. Lawrence, Boyle, and Cadett, Herbert. Fin-de- Siecle Stories. Biggs, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. Paper covers, is. Leake, A. J. de Courcy. Ad Finem Esto Fidelis, and Scaffold or Ferry. Eden, Remington. Linton, W. J. The F'lower and the Star, and other Stories for Children. Written and illustrated by. Lawrence and Bullen. Lucas, Annie. Love's Victory: a tale of Dursley Mine. Home Words Office, Paternoster Square, is. 6d. Lynch, L. L. A Slender Clue: a Detective Story. Ward, Lock, Bowden. Martius, "I Will Repay." Eden Remington. Peard, Frances M. The Baroness. A Novel, 2 vols. Bentley and Son. The Abbot's Bridge. National Society's Deposi- tory. 3s. 6d. Pinkerton, T. A. A New Saint's Tragedy. A Novel. 2 vols. Swan Sonnenschein. Ritchie, Anne Thackeray. The Fairy Tales of Madame D'Aulnoy. Newly done into English, with an intro- duction by. Illustrated by Clinton Peters. Lawrence and Bullen. Stacpoole, W. H. The Three Boots. Dean, Fleet Street. Stock, Lady Gertrude. A Wasted Life and MairM. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackctt. Stoker, Bram. The Snake's Pass. New and cheaper edition. Sampson Low. 3s. 6d. Varty-Smith, A. A. Matthew Tindale. A Novel in 3 vols. Bentley. Verney, Lady. Essays and Tales. Simpkin, Marshall. Yorke, Curtis. A Romance of Modem London, a Novel. 3 vols. F. V. White. General Literature. Aitchison, C. C. A Winter Cruise in Summer Seas: a Two Months' Voyage to Buenos Aires and back. Illustrated with photographs and sketches. Sampson Low. Allen, Grant. Falling in Love: with other Essays on more Exact Branches of Science. A new edition. Smith, Elder. Bates, Fanny B. Between the Lights: Thoughts for the Quiet Hours. Arranged by. Third Edition. Burnet, Henrietta Street, Strand. Bell, Ernest, M.A. Handbook of Athletic Sports. Edited by. Vol. IV. Illustrated. George Bell. 3s.6rf. * Bishop, Mrs. Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan: in- cluding a Summer in the Upper Karum Region, and a Visit to the Nestorian Rajahs. 2 vols. With portrait, map, and illustrations. John Murray. 245. Bolton, S. K. Famous Artists. Nelson and Sons. Bonvalot, G. Across Thibet: being a translation of " De Paris au Tonkin a travers le Tibet inconnu." With illustrations from photographs taken by Prince Henry of Orleans, and map of route. Translated by C. B. Pitman. 2 vols. With illustrations. Cassell. 3is. Calmore, Alfred C. Practical Play-writing, and the Cost of Production. With an introduction by W. Davenport Adams. Arrowsmith. is. Christian, John. Behar Proverbs. Classified, arranged, and translated into English, with notes, appendix, and indexes. Kegan Paul. Cook, Charles. The Prisons of the World. With Stories of Crime, Criminals, and Convicts. With an intro- duction by C. H. Spurgeon. Second edition. Morgan and Scott, Paternoster Buildings. 2s. 6d. Corballis, J. H. Forty-five Years of Sport. Edited by Arthur T. Fisher, major, late 21st Hussars. Bentley. Dixon, Edward T. An Essay on Reasoning. Deighton Bell, Cambridge. Eardlet-Wilmot, Capt. S., R.N. The Development of Navies during the. last half century. With illustra- tions. Seeley. Earl, Ethel. Dinners in Miniature. Reprinted from the Queen. Chapman and Hall. zs. 6d.  ## p. 252 (#656) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Elm hirst, Capt. P. (" Brooksby"). Foxhound, Forest, and Prairie. Illustrated, Eoutledge. Gambier-Parry, Major. The Combat with Suffering. John Murray. Paper covers. 3s. 6d. Gkli., Hon. Mrs. Lyttleton. The Cloud of Witness. A daily sequence of great thoughts from many minds, following the Christian seasons. With a prefatory note by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Cloth extra, 3s. 6d.: also an edition on Oxford India paper, cloth guilt, 6s. 6d. London, Henry Frowdc, Oxford Univer- sity Press Warehouse. Goosestep. Splay-feet Splashings in Divers Places. The Leadenhall Press. 3«. 6d. Gosse, Edmund. Gossip in a Library. William Heine- mann. js. 6d. Hamerton, Philip G. The Portfolio: an artistic periodi- cal. Edited by. Seeley. The Present State of the Fine Arts in France. With illustrations. Seeley. Ha/.ell's Annual for 1891—Revised to November 10, 1891. Seventh year of issue. Hazell, Watson, and Viney, Creed Lane, Ludgate Hill. Henderson, W. J. Preludes and Studies: Musical Themes of the day. Longmans. 6*. Hoffman, Prof. Home Gymnastics, for Youug and Old. With illustrations. Routledge. Howells, W. D. Venetian Life. With illustrations from original water colours. In 2 vols. Longmans. 21*. Irving, Washington. The Alhambra. 2 vols. Darro edition. G. P. Putnam's Sons. iSi. Junker, Dr. Wilhelm. Travels in Africa during the years 1879—1883. By. Translated from the German by A. H. Keane, F.R.G.S. Illustrated. Chapman and Hall. 2i«. Jusserand, J. J. English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages (14 Century). Translated from the French by Lucy Toulmin Smith. Illustrated. Fourth edition. Fisher Unwin. Kebbel, T. E. The Old and New English Country Life. Blackwood. Kennan, George. Siberia and the Exile System. 2 vols. Osgood, M'llvaine. 32s. Millican, Albert. Travels and Adventures of an Orchid Hunter. Illustrated. Cassell. 12s. 6d. Mitchell, Kate. The Gentlewoman's Book of Hygiene. Victoria Library. Henry. 6*. Morison, Jeanie. Of "Fifine at the Fair," "Christmas Day and Easter Ev<>," and other of Mr. Browning's Poems. Blackwood. Morris, W. B. Ireland and Saint Patrick. Bums and Oatcs. Mulhall, M. G. The Dictionary of Statistics. Rout- ledge. Neil, James, M.A. Pictured Palestine. With Illustra- tions. Nisbet, Berners Street. 7*. 6d. Norman, Henry. The Real Japan: Studies of Con- temporary Japanese Manners, Morals, Administration, and Politics. Fisher Unwin. 10*. 6d. Oliphant, F. R., B.A. Note of a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Blackwood. Oliphant, Mrs. Jerusalem: its History and Hope. With engravings from drawings by Hamilton Aide, and photographs by F. M. Good. Macmillan. 211. O'Reilly, Mrs. "Much Land to be Possessed," and other sketches. Vickers-Wood, Churton Street. Priestley, Eliza. Hygiene under Difficulties. Allmau, New Oxford Street, W.C. Prince, ^Elian. Of Joyous Garb. New edition. E. W. Allen, Ave Maria Lane. Pyle, Howard. Men of Iron. Illustrated. Osgood, M'llvaine. ys. Cd. Rees, J. D., CLE. The Duke of Clarence and Avondale in Southern India. With a Narrative of Elephant- catching in Mysore by G. P. Sanderson. With map, portraits, and illustrations. Kegan Paul. Rigby, Cuthbert. From Midsummer to Martinmas: a West Cumberland Idyl. With illustrations. George Allen, London and Orpington. Rodd, Rennell. The Customs and Lore of Modern Greece. With illustrations by Tristram Ellis. David Stott. Rubinstein, Anton. A Conversation on Music. Trans- lated for the author by Mrs. John P. Morgan. Augener. Paper covers. Sterne, Laurence. A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy. Illustrated by Stanley L. Wood. Aldine edition. Pickering and Chutto. 6s. Vinogradoff, Paul. Villaiiiage in England. Essays in English Mediieval History. Clarendon Press. 16s. Warren, Mrs. The Ladies' Treasury for 1891 : a House- hold Magazine. Edited by. Illustrated. Benirose, Old Bailey. Whittaker, T. P. Barker's Facts and Figures for the year 1892, with census and election supplements. Edited by F. Warne. 1*. Whittaker, Thomas. Brighter England and the Way to it. With frontispiece. Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. 6d. Educational. Alexandrow, F. A New Practical and Easy Method of Learning the Russian Language, after the system of Mathias Meissner. Sixth improved and corrected edition. Franz Thimm, Brook Street, W. Arnold Forster, H. O. This World of Ours. Intro- ductory Lessons to the Study of Geography. Illus- trated. Cassell. 3s. 6d. Beames, John. Grammar of the Bengali Language 1 Literary and Colloquial. Clarendon Press. 4*. 6d. Chambers's New Historical Readers. (1) English History Easy Stories (9<f.); (2) Simple Stories (9<f.); (3) Stories from Early History (is.); (4) Stories and Biographies (is. id.); (5) The Tudor Period (is. 4a1.); (6) The Stuart Period (is. 6d.); (7) The Hanoverian Period (is. 6<f.). W. and R. Chambers. Harrison, Jane E. Introductory Studies in Greek Art. With map and illustrations. Second edition. Fisher Unwin. 7s. 6d. Holmes, G. A. The Academic Manual of the Rudiments of Music. Weekes, Hanover Street, W. is.  ## p. 253 (#657) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 253 Holmes, G. A. Macmillan's History Headers: Stories and Tales from early English History. A reading book for Standard III. Macmillan. is. Palmer, E. Davidson. Manual of Voice-Training (with a complete course of exercises). Joseph Williams, Herners Street. Paper covers, zs. Ranken, George. The Federal Geography of British Australasia. With maps. Sampson Low. 'Royal Atlas of Modern Geography. Part II. W. and A. K. Johnson. Paper covers. Schofield, Dr. A. T. Physiology for Schools, in three stages. Stage I. Cassell. Cloth 61I., paper Sd. Scott-Keltie, J. The Worldwide Atlas of modern Geo- graphy, political and physical, with an introduction. W. and A. K. Johnson. 73. 6d. Smith, Charles, M.A. Arithmetic for Schools. Cam- bridge University Press. Smith, E. Singleton. Historica Prima r a class-book of English history for junior forms of schools. James Parker. Webb, H. J., Ph.D. Elementary Agriculture: a Text-book specially adapted to the requirements of the Science and Art Department and other elementary examinations. Longmans, is. 6d. Whitfield, E. fi., M.A. French Commercial Dialogues, with Notes for Advanced Pupils. Edited, after Thuni and Drucker, by. Hachette and Co. Poetry and the Drama. Dennis, G. R., and Dennis, John. The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope. A new edition in three volumes, revised by. With a Memoir by. 3 vols. Aldiue edition. George Bell. Dale, Philip, and Havilland, Cyril. Voices from Australia. Verses. Swan Sonnenschein. Foster, Will. The Fallen City and other Poems. Blackwood. Guinness, H. G., D.D. The City of the Seven Hills. A Poem. James Nisbet. 5*. Hughes, Thomas, Q.C. The Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell. With an Introduction by. Mac- millan. 75. 6d. Morris, William. Poems by the Way. Reeves and Turner. Powis, T. J. Poems. With Portrait. Kegan Paul. Quillinan, Edward. Poems. With a Memoir by William Johnston. Middleton, Old Mill Bridge", Ambleside. Paper covers. Sheila. Sketches from Nature. A Book of Verses. Kegan Paul. Spenser, Edmund. Daphuaida and other Poems. Cas- sell's National Library. Cloth, 6d. Law. Addison, C. G. A Treatise on the Law of Contracts. Ninth edition, by Horace Smith, Bencher of the Inner Temple, Metropolitan Magistrate, assisted by A. P. Perceval Keep, M.A., of the Midland Circuit. Stevens, Chancery Lane. Hamlyn, Clarence. A Manual of Theatrical Law, con- taining Chapters on Theatrical Licensing. Music, and Dancing generally, and on Dramatic Copyright. Of the Middle Temple. Waterlow. Haycraft, T. W. Law of Innkeepers and the Licensing Acts. Effingham Wilson. i». 6d. Lawrance, G. W. Precedents of Deeds of Arrangement between Debtors and their Creditors. Fourth edition. By H. A. Smith, M.A., LL.B., of the Middle Temple. Stevens, Chancery Lane. 7*. 6d. Palmer, F. B. The Shareholders' and Directors' Legal Companion. Twelfth edition. Stevens, Chancery Lane. is. 6d. Tyssen, Amherst D., D.C.L. The New Law of Charitable Bequests: being an Account of the Mortmain and Charitable Uses Act, 1891. Clowes. Paper covers. 1*. 6d. Science. Althaus, J., M.D. The Pathology and Prevention of Influenza. Longmans, is. Ball, Sir Robert. The Cause of an Ice Age. "Modern Science" Series. Edited by Sir John Lubbock, M.P. Kegan Paul. Dutton, Thomas. Indigestion Clearly Explained, Treated, and Dieted, with Special Remarks on Gout, Rheuma- tism, and Obesity, and Chapter on Rearing of Infants. H. Kimpton, High Holborn, W.C. Kennedy, S. The Cancer Controversy: Mattei v. the Knife. With Epitome of Mattei Treatment of Cancer and General Diseases. David Stott. is. net. Scientific Mysteries: a Collection of Simple and Effec- tive Experiments Illustrating Chemical, Physical, and Optical Wonders. Chemist mid Dniygist, Cannon Street, E.G. is. Scott, Alexander. An Introduction to Chemical Theory. A. and C. Black. Parliamentary Papers. Returns of Local Taxation in Ireland for the year 1890. 5d. Irish Land Commission. Return of Judicial Rents fixed during July. is. Reports from Her Majesty's Consuls respecting the Working of Cargoes on Sundays in Foreign Ports. Part II. America. i\d. Historical Manuscripts Commission. 12th Report. Appendix, Part V.—The MSS. of the Duke of Rutland, K.G., preserved at Belvoir Castle. Vol. II. {is.). Navy.—Seagoing War Ships return (Jrf.). Return relating to Postmen's Pay in 188S and as fixed in August, 1891 (.2d.). Returns relating to all Authorised Gas Undertakings in the United Kingdom, belonging to Local Authorities for the year ended March 25, 1891 (4-d.), and other than those of Local Authorities for the year ended December 3i, 1890, S{d. Turkey. No. 6 (1891). Further correspon- dence respecting Affairs in the East. 6d. 46th Annual Report of the Board of Supervision for the Relief of the Poor and of Public Health in Scotland, 1890-91, is. id.; Return as to Drunkenness in Scotland during 1890, id.; Census of Ireland, Part 1., Vol. I., Province of Leinster, No. 12, County of Wicklow, gd. Report to the Board of Trade on the Relation of Wages in Certain Industries to the Cost of Production, u. yd. Kyre and Spottiswoode.  ## p. 254 (#658) ############################################ 254 A D VER TI SEME NTS. ELECTROTYPES OF ENGRAVINGS FOR SALE. THE attention of Authors, Publishers, an<l others is directed to the large and varied Collection of Engravings in the possession of Cassfll and Company, Limited, from which they offer Electros for Sale. The Collection embraces every class of subject — History, Topography, Natural History, Scientific, Figure Subjects, &c, Ac., produced by the best Artists and Engravers. Call and examine this Collection, or apply for specimens, giving full particulars of the subjects and sizes required to— CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, LA BELLE SAUVAGE, LUDGATE HILL, E.C. HOW SHALL I WRITE MY MANUSCRIPT? —oaaoooaaa . THE old-fashioned way was by quill or steel pen; the modern way is by a Typewriter. If you adopt the modern way, then the success of the change depends upon the Typewriter you select. And, remember, there is a great difference in Typewriters. Correct theory, substantial construction, and mechanical details rendered perfect by unlimited expenditure and three years' practical experience. Ease Of Management, Durability, VISIBLE WRITING, Perfect Writing, Automatic Line Spacing, Automatic Inking, Duplicate Keyboard, we among the qualities which make every owner of a BAR-LOCK MODERN STANDARD TYPEWRITER So content and satisfied. We want you to have a BAR-LOCK on Free Trial for a week—you will not want to use a pen again. We supply them for Cash or by 12 Monthly Payments of £1 ig*., or 24 of £1 is. 8</. The BAR-LOCK was awarded the only Gold Medal at Edinburgh, 1890, and Jamaica, 1891. It is used by the Sub-editor of the Times and many London and Provincial Papers. It is also in use at the offices of the Morning Post, St. Step/ten's Review, the Star, the Manchester Guardian, the Western Morning News, the Plymouth Mercury, &c, &c. Illustrated Catalogue sent Post Free on Application to— THE TYPEWRITER COMPANY, LTD. LONDON: 12 & 14, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C. MANCHESTER: 45, Market Street. LIVERPOOL: 1, South John Street. GLASGOW: 22, Renfield Street. IiOKDOK: Printed by Etke and Spottibwoode, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majeity. 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. 02 Issue 08 (January 1892) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 02 Issue 08 (January 1892) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1892-01-01-The-Author-2-8 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/260/1892-02-01-The-Author-2-9.pdf 8a3dc447aadd45ab15d1cdb5cf0eaa74 PDF Text Text ���������������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1892-02-01 Volume 2 Issue 9 Pages Page range in volume 255–294 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18920201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin ^Ibe Hutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. 9.] FEBRUARY i, 1892. [Price Sixpence. CONTENTS. PAGB • 'SI • »57 Warnings Notices , On Literary Property— I.—Author and Editor 359 II.—An Instructive Caso 259 III. —American Rights 260 IV. —The Literary Fraud 360 V.—Sale of Copyright 261 VI.—Return of MSB 161 VII.—A new Device 262 Gossip in a Library. By Edmund Gosse 362 A Hint for British Museum Readers 364 The Day shall Como 264 Notes from Paris 365 Like the Authors ..366 A Magnificent Story 368 Notes and News. By Walter Besant 369 "Eric and Robert" 373 Criticism and Fiction 374 Oxford, and the English School 376 To Busy Men in Good Positions 377 Burns and Scottish Poetry 377 Periodical Lists of Continental Books 378 Correspondence— I.—Illustration jg, II.—The new American Society 383 III.—Press copies 383 IV—The Mild Domestic Novel .'38, V.-How? VI.—Gerald Massey js| From the Papers— I.—Modem Poets , 33, II.—Names and Work ."384 III.—Copyright in Lectures asj IV.—A New Terror 385 V.—Literature and the State ag< VI.—The Commonest Delusions 386 "At the Author's Head" a86 New Books and New Editions 288 EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE. STATE TRIALS, Reports of. New Series. Vol. III., 1831—40. Published under the direction of the State Trials Committee. Edited by Jons Macdohell, M.A. 10*. INVESTMENTS. A List of 1,600 British, Colonial and Foreign Securities dealt in upon the London and Provincial Exchanges, giving the highest and lowest prices of each particular Stock for each of the last twenty-two years, or from the time of the creation of such Stock, also the price onjoth May, i89i,and the yield percent, to the Investor. Compiled by G. Brown. i». 6d. PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, 1891. Red Cloth, 3*. Contains all the Public Acts passed during the year, with Index, also Tables showing the effect of the year's IiCgislation, together with complete and classified Lists of the Titles of all the Local and Private Acts passed during the Session. REVISED STATUTES. (Second Revised Edition.) Royal 8vo. Prepared under the direction of the Statute I*w Revision Committeo. and Edited by G. A. R. Fitzgerald, Esq. Vols. I. to IV. now ready, price 7». M. each. FORECASTING BY MEANS OF WEATHER CHARTS, Principles of. By the Hon. Ralph Abercromby, F.R. Met. METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, Instructions in the use of. 3t. bd. THE LITERATURE RELATING TO NEW ZEALAND. A Bibliography. Royal 8vo. Cloth, «. bd. POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY AND ANCIENT TRA- DITIONAL HISTORY OP THE NEW ZEALAND RACE. By Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Illustrated. Royal 8vo. Cloth, s». ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE MAORI. By John White. Demy8vo. Half Morocco. 4 vols, ica.jpervol. PLIOCENE DEPOSITS OF BRITAIN, THE. By ('1 I'M km Re-ID, F.L.8.. F.G.S. Five Plates (48 cuts), s». bd. LONDON AND NEIGHBOURHOOD: Guide to the Geology of. Bv William Whitakbb, B.A. is. COPYRIGHT LAW REFORM: an Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill. With Extracts from the Reportof the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. i». bd. KEVV BULLETIN, 1890. Gardens, it. tod. KEW BULLETIN, Issued by the Director of Kew Monthly, 2d. Appendices, 2d. each. Annual Subscription, including postage, j*. ad DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF MUSICAL INSTRU- MENTS recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition Compiled by Capt. Day, Oxfordshire Light Infantry, under the orders of Col. Shaw-Hellikb, Commandant Roval Military School of Music. Illustrated by a series of Twelve artisticallv executed Plates in Heliogravure, and with numerous Wood Engravings. 31J. "Unique, as no earlier work exists in English dealing exhaus- tively with the same subject A very important con- tribution to the history of orchestration."—Athenaum. PUBLIC RECORDS. A Guide to the Principal Classes of Documents preserved in the Public Record Office. Bv S R Scarcill-Bibd. F.S.A. is. 'The value of such a work as Mr. Scargill-Bird's can scarcely be er-rated."— Times. Monthly Lists of Parliamentary Papers upon Application. Quarterly Lists Post Free, id. . Miscellaneous List on Application. Every Assistance given to Correspondents; and Books not kept in stock obtained without delay. Remittance should accompany Order. GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL PUBLISHERS. EYRE and SPOTTISHOODE, Hrr Majesty's Printers, East Harding Street, London, E.C.  ## p. 256 (#660) ############################################ 256 ADVERTISEMENTS. The " Swan" is a beautiful Gold Pen joined to a rubber reservoir to hold any kind of ink, which it supplies to the writing point in a continuous flow. It will hold enough ink for two days' constant work, or a week's ordinary writing, and can be refilled with as little trouble as to wind a watch. With the cover over the gold nib it is carried in the pocket like a pencil, to be used anywhere. A purchaser may try a pen a few days, and if by chance the writing point does not suit his hand, exchange it for another without charge, or have his money returned if wanted. There are various points to select from, broad, medinm, and fine, every handwriting can be snited, and the price of the entire instrument, with filler complete, post tree, is only 10s. 6d. The Gold Pens in the "Swan" are Mabie, Todd, & Co.'s famous make. They are 14-carat tempered gold, very handsome, and positively unaffected by any kind of ink. They are pointed with selected polished iridium. The " Eucyclopajdia Britannica" says:—"Iridium is a nearly white metal of high specific gravity, it is almost indestructible, and a beautifully polished surface can be obtained upon it." They will not penetrate the paper, and writer's cramp is unknown among users of Gold Pens. One will Outwear 90 grOSS Of Steel pens. They are a perfect revelation to those who know nothing about Gold Pens. Da. Oliver Wendell Holmes has used one of Mabie, Todd, & Co.'s Gold Pens since 1857, and is using the same one (his " old friend ") to-day. Sydney Grundy, Esq., says (referring to the Fountain Pen) :—" It is a vast improvement on every Stylograph." Moberly Bell, Esq., Manager, The Times, says (referring to the Fountain Pen) :—" One pen lasted me for six years." S. D. Waddy, Esq., Q.C., M.P., says (referring to the Fountain Pen) :—" I have used' them constantly for some years, and, as far as I can remember, they have never failed me." Send Postal Card for Free Illustrated List (containing interesting Testimonials from the Best People, who have used them for years) to— MABIE, TODD, & BARD, S3, OHEAPSIDB, LOKTDOKT.  ## p. 257 (#661) ############################################ ^Ibe H u t b o t\ {The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. 9.] FEBRUARY 1, 1892. [Price Sixpence. For the Opinions expressed in papers that are signed the Authors alone are responsible. WARNINGS. Readers of the Author are earnestly desired to make the following warnings as widely known as possible." They are based on the experience of six years' work upon the dangers to which literary property is exposed :— (1.) Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, unless an opportunity of proving the correctness of the figures is given them. (2.) Never enter into any correspondence with publishers, especially with advertising publishers, who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. (3.) Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to any one firm of publishers. (4.) Never accept any proposal of royalty without ascertaining exactly what the agreement gives to the author and what to the publisher. (5.) Never accept any pecuniary risk or respon- sibility whatever without advice. (6.) Never, when a MS. has been refused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. (7.) Never sign away American rights. Keep them. Refuse to sign an agreement con- taining a clause which reserves them for the publisher. If the publisher insists, take away the MS. and offer it to another. VOL. 11. (8.) Never forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Society's Offices:— 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. ■ NOTICES. THE Annual Report of the Society has been delayed for the universal reason of universal delay—the influenza stops the way. The accounts could not be drawn up for the auditor. As soon as possible this will now be done, and the Report will then be issued. The First Report of the Authors' Syndicate, which is a branch, though an independent branch, of the Society, will be issued at the same time as the Report of the Society. It will be found to show a vigorous and a promising record of the first year's work. On Thursday, January 28th, the Committee pro- ceeded to elect a secretary in place of Mr. S. S. Sprigge, resigned. Their choice fell upon Mr. G. Herbert Thring, M.A., formerly of Hertford College, Oxford. Mr. Thring is a son of the late head master of Uppingham. He is a passed solicitor, and is not unacquainted with the work of the Society. He enters upon his duties at the end of March. The Committee desire to express their thanks to the gentlemen who offered their services. That the post should have attracted candidates of such marked ability is a gratifying proof of the position now held by the Society. T 2  ## p. 258 (#662) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Cardinal Manning was one of the first Vice- Presidents of the Society of Authors. He attended at several of the earlier meetings, and always took a lively interest in the welfare of the Society. It was, indeed, the adhesion of men such as our illus- trious President, the Cardinal, and others, men whose position commanded respect, which gave the Society at the outset a claim to attention which a mere gathering of well-known literary men might have failed to command. Such is the situation of literature in this country. In America, on the other hand, a gathering of literary men would command the most widespread and the most respectful attention. Our readers will be sorry to learn that for the last two months Mr. R. U. Johnson, the secretary of the Copyright League in New York, has been dangerously ill with typhoid fever. Mr. Johnson is still unable to write or communicate in any way with his English friends, and it is even believed that he is still unaware of the gift which the authors of this country have presented to him. We are happy to say, however, that as we go to press we receive from Mr. Gilder, the Editor of the Century Maga- zine, a telegram, which states that Mr. Johnson is now convalescent, and is believed to be out of all danger. Mr. Rudyard Kipling has been elected a member of the Council. An American Society of Authors has been founded. Its President is Mr. Richard H. Clarke, LL.D., its Executive Council consists of the Rev. Dr. Alfred H. Moment, Rev. Edward P. Ingersoll, Mr. J. Fairfax McLaughlin, and Mr. C. B. Lewis. Its secretary is Mrs. Katherine Hodges. The prospectus begins with an extract from a letter written by Mr. G. W. Smalley to the New York Tribune, a copy of which has already appeared in this journal. The five points which are put forward as the objects of the Association are as follows :— 1. To promote acquaintance and sociality among authors. 2. To secure a clear understanding of the position and rights of authors in literary property. 3. To furnish information as to copyright laws, methods of publishing and form of contract. 4. To assist authors in gaining accurate in- formation as to the true value of their productions, and, when necessary, to secure that value. 5. To endeavour to elevate American literature. We do not know yet how the Association has l>een taken up in the way of membership; we have invited the committee to forward news as to their progress. We wish them every possible success, and we hope to publish from time to time reports of a triumphal inarch. At the Committee meeting of January 2 8th the following resolution was unanimously passed: "That this Committee welcome with great satis- faction the foundation of the American Society of Authors, and that the secretary is instructed to furnish all information and help in its power to the sister Association." The meaning, as between publisher and author, of the so-called "Royalty System "—where there is no system—was explained in the Author for November 1891. Writers are entreated, in their own interests, to study the facts and figures there set forth. Communications intended for the Authors' Syndi- cate should be addressed to W. Morris Colles, the Honorary Secretary. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of this Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly understood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, under- take the publication of MSS. The official directions for the securing of American copyright by English authors were given in the Author for June 1891. Members are earnestly entreated to take the trouble of reading those directions. Members are earnestly requested to forward agreements to the Society for inspection before they sign them. Once signed, the mischief is generally irreparable.  ## p. 259 (#663) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 259 ON LITERARY PROPERTY. I. Authok and Editor. WITHIN what period has an author a right to have unused manuscript returned to him? Has he any right to have it returned to him at all? If it should be lost, has he any right to compensation? These are questions as difficult as they are important. To return an exactly accurate reply to them is impossible, but an endeavour must be made to return an approxi- mately correct one. And, first, a wide distinction must be drawn between cases subject to special agreement and cases not so subject. In a large number of magazines the editor prints in each issue the terms on which he is prepared to receive manuscript, intimating that "he cannot undertake to return rejected communications," or the like. Out of the four corners of such agreements there is no escape, but they should be clearly printed and easily to find. They are, as a rule, however, not only clumsily worded, but incomplete. For instance, they do not state the latest day at which manu- script must be sent in order to ensure insertion in the next issue of a montldy magazine. It is believed that the 8th of each mouth is almost universally the latest day. Numerous contributions being strictly topical, all authors should be put on their guard on this point, and thus saved much useless " writing up to date." It is submitted that all topical contributions which arrive after this fatal 8 th should be returned to the author forthwith. But how about contributions not topical? It is notorious that some editors will keep such for many months, and, perhaps, eventually allow them to be wasted. On this point I confidently submit that no editor has a right to retain manuscript on the chance that room may eventually be found for it. As for corrected proofs which after all do not appear, or what is called "over matter," the right of the author to be paid for such is, or should be, beyond dispute. But where there is no notification in a magazine as to terms on which contributions may be sent, what are the relations between publisher and contributor? Some would say that the publisher solicits manuscript from all the world, and is bound to have all manuscript attended to, and either accepted or returned. It is greatly doubted whether this view will hold water, aud in 1884 the late Mr. Justice Williams, in an action brought unsuccessfully against Sir Augustus (then Mr.) Harris by a dramatic author for compensation for a lost play, laid down the law in terms which show that he did not share such a view, and non-suited the dramatic author. All things considered, and especially looking (1) to the excess of the supply of contributions over the demand for them, and (2) to the great risk of the same subject being selected for treatment by many more contributors than one, authors should surely either not contri- bute at all to magazines containing no special notifications as to handling of manuscript, or else make such terms for themselves by special agreement. A word as to remuneration. Whether rightly or wrongly, no magazine throughout the civilised world has as yet publicly notified any fixed scale. It need hardly be pointed out that the author has a right to be paid for each contribution accord- ing to its value—unless, indeed, the contribution be put in the form of a letter, when it is supposed that merely to insert is sufficiently to remunerate— and that a "scale pay," though in nine cases out of ten it ought to be accepted as fair, is not conclusively adequate. Much less would a publisher have any ground to stand upon who, after inserting a contribution, should venture to tell an uathor that the magazine is being run gratuitously. Such treatment should l>e met forthwith by a writ for the amount claimed. So much for magazines. Now for books. Here there can be no special agreement by public notifi- cation, but there is always opportunity for an author to make a special agreement when delivering his manuscript for consideration by the reader. What form should this special agreement take? So varying are the subjects and the sizes of manuscripts that of course no general rule can be laid down. It would perhaps, however, be reasonable to stipulate for a limit of three months' detention of manuscript in all ordinary cases. But why should not the Authors' Society draw up a sort of scale for publishers to agree to? And why should not a reasonable demurrage become payable by publisher to author after a reasonable period of detention? And why should not an author submit copies of the same manuscript, or offers to write on the same subject, simultaneously to several publishers, with the view of closing with the highest bidder for his work? II. An Instructive Case. A.B. is one of those pcisons who are wholly unfitted either by education, or by special study, or by natural powers, or by acquired powers, to write a single word for the furtherance or help or solace of his fellow creatures.  ## p. 260 (#664) ############################################ 260 THE AUTHOR. He is also one of those persons who become possessed of a single idea, generally a wrong idea, based upon misunderstanding, and impossible for anyone to conceive or to cherish who had any real knowledge of any subjects with which it may be concerned. Some of these persons write letters to the papers; now and then the letters get inserted. Then they are happy and look for the conversion of the world to their own opinions. Less frequently they write a book. A.B. wrote a book. It was a long and dreary MS. on an absurd and ridiculous subject; a book which any publisher with the least regard for literature would, without hesitation, refuse; a book which nobody would buy ; a book which ought never to have been published. Having written his book, A.B. sent it to pub- lishers. The extent of the travels of that MS. is unknown. At last a firm offered to publish it for him if he would pay the whole cost. So far, the only objection to the proceedings is that the book should never have seen the light. They appended an estimate. The printing, machinery, and paper, they said, would cost, for 750 copies, so much. They would recommend adver- tising to the extent of so much. The binding of 25o copies—to begin with—would cost so much. They also stated that they should charge a publishing fee and a commission on sales. The author accepted the terms without question or examination. The book came out and the accounts came in. The printing, machinery, and paper, set down according to the estimate which the author had accepted, was about £3o more than they cost. The binding was set down at a quarter more than it cost. The advertisements "in papers, lists, and cir- culars" were charged double the stipulated sum. No details were rendered, and it is clear from the wording that a good part of the money had been charged for advertising in the firm's own lists. The " publishing fee" was not forgotten. There were next to no returns. In other words, this firm took up a perfectly worthless book, knowing that it was perfectly worthless, in order to make out of it (1) a trifling publishing fee, (2) a trifling commission, and (3) the by no means trifling sum of £5o or £60 by fraud. This was not a little unknown firm: it was a large firm which advertises a long list. In the face of one single fact, such as the above, is there not ample justification for the existence of this Society? Should not the knowledge that the Society has dozens of such cases in its possession prompt all authors to ask its assistance, if only to be kept out of the hands of such a firm as this? III. The Value of American Rights. This is the day for warning authors—it is done very seriously by the disinterested brethren who manage literary affairs—not to expect too much from American rights. Let us not expect too much; let us wait and watch; meantime, we will keep these American rights, whatever they are worth, in our own hands, and not let the dis- interested brother have them at all. An article on the subject in an American journal states that most authors—all those who are not yet in a position to dictate their conditions—are compelled to accept a ten per cent, royalty. A few, he says, can command a twenty per cent, royalty. Now, we have not yet got behind those figures; we do not quite know what they mean, in America, to publisher as well as to author. Therefore, let us for the present say nothing, but make the best arrangement possible. The cost of production and of advertising does not, it is said, follow the same law of proportion to the price as in this country. The writer who is quoted gives us, however, one or two useful pieces of information. A work by a tolerably well-known writer which sells 3,ooo copies does well. Often a publisher is satisfied with a sale of 2,000 copies. At a fifteen per cent, royalty on a price of one dollar and a half, the author would get, on a sale of 3,ooo copies, the sum of £i35. In this country, on the same sale of a 6s. book, and with the same rate of royalty, the publisher would net about £2 70, that is to say, publisher: author :: 2 : 1 on that scale. On a larger sale it may become a pro- portion of 3:i. The American writer goes on to say that he numbers among his friends two well-known and successful writers, whose income from literature is not equal to that of an ordinary clerk in a prosperous business house. IV. The Literahy Fraud. "What protection has an editor against the man who sends him old and stolen papers as his own? None, except the police court; and it is really wonderful, considering the impunity with which the thing may generally be done, that it is not done oftener. In the States, it appears, the trick is much more common than here. The Harpers are reported to be resolved upon ferreting out and  ## p. 261 (#665) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. bringing to justice this class of offenders. There is more than one way of trickery. A man may stoal a paper from an old, or translate one from a foreign, magazine, and pass it off as his own. This, one imagines, is what is commonly done. If an obscure magazine is chosen, the chances of detection are very slight. Of course, if a man stole from old numbers of the Cornhill, or Temple Bar, he would be found out at once. Another plan is for a writer to offer an editor work done, sold, and published years before. A third is to sell the same thing to two or more different magazines. The exposure of the criminal's name is something, but in this, as in every other infringement of literary property, the courts of law are the only real preventive. V. The Sale op Copyright. If a man sells his copyright to a publisher, can the publisher do what he likes with the manu- scripts? I hear everyone say at once—certainly. Softly! Can he mutilate the work? Surely that might be to the author's detriment. Can he burn it? That also might damage the author. For an author is paid in two ways—by money and bv repute. If he is only to obtain his money pay- ments, they should be proportionately large where he is going to be done out of his fame. The matter is one for legal exposition, which is invited. The case is put in the form of a story in this paper. VI. The Return of MSS. The following notices have been extracted from the January numbers of the magazines mentioned, and if aspiring contributors would read them they would spare themselves a great deal of disappoint- ment. A large number are silent as to their practice with regard to the return of manuscripts, and in a still larger number of cases their bark is worse than their bite. Among these must be included the Quarterly Review, Edinburgh Review, Con- temporary Review, Blackwood's Magazine, and Cornhill Magazine :— The Law Quarterly Review: "It seems convenient to repeat, in a conspicuous place, that it is not desirable to send manuscript on approval without previous communication with the Editor, except in very special circum- stances; and that the Editor, except as afore- said, cannot be in any way answerable for manuscripts so sent. The Editor cannot undertake the return or safe custody of manuscripts sent to him with- out previous communication." The Nineteenth Century: "The Editor of the Nineteenth Century cannot undertake to return unaccepted manuscripts." The National Review: "Correspondents are requested to write their name and address on their manuscripts. Post- age stamps must be sent at the same time if they wish their manuscripts to be returned in case of rejection." The New Review: "The Editor of this Review does not undertake to return any manuscripts." The Fortnightly Review: "The Editor of this Review cannot undertake to return any manuscripts." Temple Bar: "Every manuscript should bear the name and ad- dress of the writer (not necessarily for publica- tion) and be accompanied by postage stamps for its return in ease of non-acceptance. Every care will be taken, but the Editor and publishers cannot be responsible for accidental loss, &e. « # • # Poetry. From the large number of pieces received every month, it is impossible to return them. A copy should be kept, as rejected pieces are destroyed." Longmans' Magazine: "A stamped addressed envelope should accom- pany the manuscript if the writer wishes it to be returned in case of non-acceptance. The Editor can in no case hold himself responsible for accidental loss." Macmillan's Magazine: "Every manuscript should bear the name and address of the writer, and be accompanied by the necessary postage stamps for its return in case of non-acceptance. Every endeavour will be made to send back unaccepted articles, but the Editor cannot guarantee their safe return. There is no rule in this magazine entitling a contributor to the publication of his signature. This and all other kindred matters rest solely on the Editor's discretion." "We shall give further editorial announcements next month.  ## p. 262 (#666) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. VII. A New Device. "The wily publisher has lately adopted a new device for fleecing his secular victim that may be recommended to the notice of the Author. The wretch has taken to sending the author all the unfavourable reviews that appear of his immortal work, and suppressing the favourable ones. The result is, or is expected to be, that the author supposes his work to be a failure, and, when the time of submitting accounts arrives, either expects no cheque or is delighted with one of a most modest amount." The above is from the Athenceum (Jan. 2, 1892). The adjective "wily " affixed to the word "publisher" probably means that the whole paragraph is an elaborate joke. "Secular victim" is a good phrase—also part of the recondite and cryptic joke. If it is not a joke, then somebody has been deliberately thieving, and ought to be tried in a criminal court. But when was it expected that a publisher should collect and send to an author all the notices of his book? Authors in their younger days have sometimes favourable notices sent them by their publisher to promote confidence, and always have unfavourable notices sent them—to promote despondency—by private friends. One would like to know more about the origin of this paragraph. It looks as if it had teen communicated by some publisher who had been rashly accused of the thing by a suspicious author. If not that, then it is the suspicion, probably unfounded by examination into the facts, of a suspicious author, communicated by him to the Athenceum. If that is so, his remedy is easy. He has only to send a chartered accountant to audit that publisher's accounts. If the publisher is an honest man he cannot possibly refuse. If he does refuse, there is another step possible, and very easy, which will overrule that refusal. GOSSIP IN A. LIBRARY. "Dbvden's Fables. "Fables, Ancient and Modern. Translated into verse from Homer, Ovid, Boccace, and Chaucer. With original Poems. By Mr. Dryden. London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, within Gray's Inn Gate, nea t Gray's Inn Lane. MDCC." This is an elephant among books, and makes us sigh as we lift it. At the close of the seventeenth century the British public grew more and more to address the poets in the words of Armado in Love's Labour's Lost: "Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio." Until that time these grandiose forms, properly dedicated to the theologians and the philosophers, had been com- monly eschewed by the poets until they came to collect in a final shape their works (" that is to say, their plays"). The volumes in which the famous lyrical poets of the middle of the century made their appearance were delightfully exiguous. A young dreamer of dreams might carry his Lovelace or his Crashaw next to his heart without any fatal injury to the elegance of his doublet; the first edition of Waller, slipped into the pocket of his cloak, would add nothing appreciable to its weight. But, as the century closed, books of verse became steadily taller, and, above all, there came in this taste for folios. It was the enterprise of Jacob Tonson that first encouraged this latter fancy. One of his earliest ventures, as a young man of five and twenty, had been Dryden's Absolom and Achitophel, which he brought out, in defiance of all precedent, as a thin stitched folio pamphlet. He was immediately imitated, and this form, incon- venient as it seems to us, became the one generally chosen for the first appearance of occasional poetry. But among the enormous books of verse with which the century closes the one before us was the hugest, as it was the last. It was published, it is believed, in the month of November 1699, and therefore less than six months before the death of Dryden. The noble poet, worn out at last in his unequal struggle with misfortune, succumbed at length to a cluster of ailments which had tormented him all through the winter. His surgeon offered him the chance of prolonged life if he would submit to an operation, but Dryden refused. He told Mr. Hobbes, as Ward reports in his London Spy, "that he was an old man, and had not long to live by course of nature, and there- fore did not care to part with one limb, at such an age, to preserve an uncomfortable life on the rest." And so, on the 1 st of May, 1700, he died, calmly and resignedly, "taking of his friends," says one of those who were with him, "so tender and obliging a farewell as none but he himself could have expressed." This tall folio, then, possesses a singular interest as the final message of this great poet to the world in which he had fought, and laboured, and fallen, and persevered, for seventy arduous years, the last crop from this gnarled and broken but still richly fruitful tree. If the Fables showed signs of a mental decay responding to the physical, they would still awaken our interest and demand our respect. In those days a gigantic book of this kind was not rapidly worked off nor readily circulated. If, indeed, certain copies were subscribed in November, it must have been nearer Easter before some country clients of Tonson received the ponderous packet. Life went upon leisurely wheels in rural places then, and many a fine lady and lettered squire may have  ## p. 263 (#667) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 263 seen the ominous paragraph in the Postboy: —" John Dryden, Esq., the famous poet, lies a- dying,"—before they had mastered the contents of their last purchase. All their lives through such readers would have awaited the utterances of the one great writer of the age with the same certainty with which they awaited the changes of the seasons. That winter would follow autumn seemed not more inevitable than that Mr. Dryden would oblige the town, as he had obliged it since the earliest memories of man, with an ode or a satire, a tragedy or a translation. And now he "lies a-dying!" With what zest, with what melancholy eagerness, would they turn to his new volume. Nor would there be any possibility of disappoint- ment to a reader of that day. To compare the pleasure given by this folio to its immediate readers, we have to think of the reception proposed for the second Childe Harold or for the Idyls of the King. In spite of the insolence of his controversial opponents, Dryden was now to the world at large what Byron was in 1816, or Tennyson in 1864, that is to say, a writer intimately in sympathy with his public, of uncontested mastery, perfectly sure to provide exactly what his readers would wish to receive. The only doubt admissible was, whether disease of body and old age had reduced the creative and executive gifts. A glance at the folio would remove this fear. Never had Dryden written, in his own way, with a more brilliant force; never had his powers of narration been so pictorial, his artistic resources so completely under his control. Never till now had he shown what fire was hidden under the lids of those " sleepy eyes." The? chorus of critical praise rang out louder and clearer than ever before, and the laurels weighed down the weary body as it passed to its long sleep between the dust of Chaucer and of Cowley. The impression produced by this particular volume was not destined to be ephemeral. A hundred years after its publication, one of its most important sections could still be placed by so influential a critic as George Ellis " on the very topmost shelf of English poetry." Later still, Mr. Saintsbury has called the Fables "the most brilliantly successful of all Dryden's poetical experiments." It is therefore here, if anywhere, that we may attempt to solve the question why the admitted masterpiece of one who is acknowledged to Ik? one of the greatest of the English poets, is no longer widely read or enthusiastically enjoyed. I know no problem more difficult to solve, none more embarrassing to our critical pretensions. It is of no use to affirm that the Fables are enjoyed as much as The Fairy Queen, let us say, or as Prometheus Unbound, because? it is matter of common experience that this is not so. It is of i VOL. 11, equally little use to affirm that, therefore, Dryden must be a poet of a rank inferior to Spenser or Shelley, because it is easily demonstrable that he is quite as prominent a figure as either in our literary history. Let us, first of all, see what this volume really contains, a feat not to be achieved, even in Mr. Saintsbury's splendid (but alas! unfinished) resuscitation of Sir Walter, except in the original issue. The edition of 1700 consists of a prose dedication, a long critical preface, a poem addressed to the Duchess of Ormonde, a paraphrase from Chaucer, an Epistle to John Dryden of Chester- ton, a translation from Ovid, a paraphrase from Boccaccio, three more pieces out of Ovid, the first Iwok of the "Iliad," successive paraphrases from Chaucer, Boeeaeeio, Ovid, and Chaucer again, the ode called " Alexander's Feast," five more pieces of Ovid and Chaucer, an original poem to the memory of a Fair Maiden Lady, and a paraphrase from Boccaccio, all since distributed to various chambers in the complicated works of John Dryden. Of all these, one, and one alone, is familiar to every educated person, the " Alexander's Feast." Most literary men luive read or know they ought to have read the poem to the Duchess of Ormonde, and, of the paraphrases, " Palamon and Arcite," " Theodore and Honoria," and " Cymon and Iphigenia." The rest is familiar only to those few who read every- thing in the English literature of the past. Let us quote a passage from what lies outside the selected pieces I have named. Here is a description of a delicate young girl, who died at the very threshold of her life :— So faultless was the frame, as if the whole Had been an emanation of the soul, Which her own inward symmetry revealed, And like a picture shown, in glass annealed j Or like the sun eclipsed, with shaded light, Too piercing, else, to be sustained by sight. Kach thought was visible that rolled within, As through a crystal case the figured hours are seen j And heaven did this transparent veil provide, Because she hail no guilty thoughts to hide. Here is a courtly and cordial piece of compli- ment :— No porter guards the passage of your door, To admit the wealthy, and exclude the poor; For God, who gives the richos, gave the heart, To sanctify the whole, by giving part; Heaven, who foresaw the will, the means has wrought, And to the second son a blessing brought; The first-begotten had his father's share, But you, like Jacob, are Rebecca's heir. Each of these passages suffers by excision, for Dryden's beauties are those of sustained substance and extended form, so that to judge his poetry by a fragment is almost like trying to appreciate a marble Venus by examining one of her broken lingers. Yet which of the essential qualities of U  ## p. 264 (#668) ############################################ 264 THE AUTHOR. poetry is missing even in these brief quotations? Here are elevation of thought, felicity of expression, life approached from the dignified and imaginative side, versification that is as strong and as buoyant as a wave. What is wanted? The wilful modern reader says,—the charm of Spenser and of Shelley. What the particular charm is which seems lacking, not merely in Drydcn, but to a still greater degree in Pope, is, I think, mainly a technical one. It is not romantic subject, for nothing in English poetry is more romantic than "Theodore andHonoria"; it is not sweetness of verse-music, for the whole of this huge folio is ringing with a sober and majestic melody. It is rather the lack of preciousness in the details, the wide sweeps of the brush precluding all minute foreground work, the absence of pre-Raphaclite touches, which disappoint us in this manly body of poctrv. Wc expect, in our age, to have the entire canvas covered with delicate handicraft, and we find that where the painting poets of the Eliza- bethan age succeed their pictures have the same peculiarity. In Dryden's age a great effect was sought for, a poetical bravura, bold sweeping lines of narrative. It was expected that poetry should be seen from a distance, not pored over with a lens, as we treat our favourites. Doubtless our con- ception of the art gives us a more varied and a more vivid pleasure, but a perusal of this folio, Dryden's farewell gift to his country, may serve to remind us that the other, the simpler, plainer art also exists. Our taste should be catholic, and to those who would insist on our preferring one style to another, and putting Marlowe in a class above Drydcn, we may reply— "Kach heaven's alternate beauty well displays." Edmund Gosse. A HINT FOR BRITISH MUSEUM READERS. ON the 13th of July last, a register, open to the public, was placed in the hall just at the entrance of the Reading Room of the Dibliotheque Nationale in Paris, the object of which is explained in the following notice placed against the wall beside the register: "Conforme- ment an desir cxprime par des lecteurs, le present registre est mis a leur disposition pour l'inscription des deinandes on des offres de collaboration (re- cherches, copies, dessins, etc.) portant sur les collections de la Bibliotheqne Nationale. L'ad- ministration demeure absolument ctnmgere mix indications contemiei dans ce registre." Up to the present date (January 6) 109 pages of the register have been filled, or an average of nearly four entries per day, the nature and variety of which are quite interesting. It is to be noted that nearly all the entries are by ladies and gentle- men who seek literary employment, not by i>ersoiis in search of assistants. There are a few investi- gators in foreign countries who sent their names to lie entered for the purpose of finding co-workers, chiefly for gathering statistics. The numl>er of languages in which researches are proposed to be made, or lessons given, is astonishing. Let . me quote a few specimens of the entries, namely :— Demande recherches historiqnes, scientifiques, et techniques .... recherches en tons genres, transcriptions, documents de la noblesse, etc. . a faire des copies et a mettre des manuscrits au net .... a se mettre en rapport avec personnes s'occupant de la question juive . a faire traductions de russe en francnis, lecons et copies .... des travaux qnelconqiies (prix ties doux) .... s'oecupe de recherches heraldique .... desire donner des lecons d'anglais .... voyagerait avec une faniille on une. personne senle .... preceptorat on emploi de secretaire .... offre de vendre le manuscrit d'un roman .... collabomteiir avec petit capital pour fonder un journal .... place ile comptable .... ecritnres diverses . a changer conversation de francais contre conversation d'allemand .... place de redac- teur .... lemons de coniptabilite .... lecons de violin et de piano .... apprentisage d'un metier artistique .... place de gerant . . . . place de garde champetre. The supply in all these fields of labour is enor- mously greater than the demand. Would such a condition be materially different in the British Museum—in England, where education is not so free as in France? I doubt that there would l>e much difference. The fact is that we live in an age of research, and that the business is vastly overdone. An age of research is followed by a period of destruction, and the question of the XXth Century is, Can we utilize the results of our researches for the purpose of saving civilization from collapse? C. S. THE DAY SHALL COME. The day shall come—surely as time rolls by— When true strong souls to heights of God will reach— Aye, kiss His feet and hearken to His speech, The distance vanquished between earth and sky; As they draw nigh to Him, will He draw nigh  ## p. 265 (#669) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 265 To them, and bend His face a little down That glory from His eyes their beads may crown, Their hearts may strengthen to sueh tension high, But sometimes, too, I think that now and then, (Leaving some garment, lest they lonely cry, For them to hold, so, peaceful, childlike lie) God will withdraw a little from these men; And in far reaches out of ken and sight Will live awhile in awful lonely light. Sidney Caxton. NOTES PROM PARIS. ICALLED at Dr. Blanche's this afternoon to hear the latest news of Guy de Maupassant. He is only allowed to see very few people, amongst these being his publisher, M. Ollendorff, who visits him every day. De Maupassant, I was glad to hear, is very much better. His wound is healed, and he is very much calmer. A dav or two ago he expressed a desire to resume the writing of his novel, so tragically interrupted, but yielded to the advice that it would be better for him, as for the work, to rest a little longer. He is, hovever, allowed to write letters to his friends, anil one, which I saw yesterday, certainly showed no signs of having been penned by a man whose intellect is in any way deranged. His new novel "La Debacle " is killing Emilo Zola. Usually delighting in his work, he is loud in complaint at the enormity of his task. "I do not think that I would ever have begun it, had I known. . ." he said to me. Still he is making progress, and is now well on with the second part of the book, which, composed of eight chapters, is entirely taken up with a description of the battle of Sedan. He hopes to have it finished by the end of April. I called on Zola the other day on a very dis- agreeable errand. It was to ask him to put Ins autograph in a birthday book. This book belonged to a friend who is an ardent collector of autographs, and also a great admirer of the chief of the naturalist school. To oblige my friend I did what I would not have done for myself. Still, I did not care to face M. Zola with the request. I feared an "Et tu, Brute," but sent up, as ambassador, a note in which I explained my purpose. Zola came running downstairs, cordial as usual, and had me up to his study. "Have you the instrument of torture with you ?" he asked. Then opposite April 2nd, wrote his laborious signature. "I hate giving autographs," he said, "when the request reeks of coininereiality. I am constantly receiving circulars, chiefly from America, but never answer them." That birthday book contained the last signature Victor Hugo ever wrote. I obtained it a few davs before his death. It was pathetically feeble and illegible. An amiable eccentric is travelling in the south of France as Paul Bourget. He has allowed himself to be interviewed several times on various literary subjects. Bourget published a letter putting people on their guard against him, as it was thought he might be a swindler. But it appears all that he seeks to obtain by his false pretences is the satisfaction of vanity. He pays his bills anil behaves properly. Bourget ought to seek him out. He should be worth analysing. The last meeting of the Societe des Gens de Lettres was held on Sunday, the 17th, at the Hotel Conti- nental. Two hundred and ten members attended. M. Zola presided. The meeting was a lively one. It was divided as to the question whether the old system of admitting members on the rejwrt of a rapporteur, elected by the committee, should lie maintained, or whether Article 5 should be modified so that in future the claims of every would-be member should 1« examined by a special committee of three, who, after writing three several reports, should elect a rapporteur to make a final report on the admissi- bility of the candidate. The old system was main- tained by a large majority. The next meeting will be held on the 3oth of the month. I have seen M. Rodin's rough model of the statue of Balzac, which is to be erected in Paris by public subscription. It premises a remarkable work of art. Balzac is represented in the monkish dressing-gown which he used to wear when writing, and which, it will be remembered, was always kept spotlessly white. The face is an excellent likeness, and the pose bespeaks the wonderful vitality and energy of the Goliath of the pen. Rodin is staking his great reputation on this work. Is " avid " English? It is an adjective that I should often have had a use for, but the dictionaries ignored it. Of late I have seen it frequently used, as recently as last Sunday by a man of no less U 2  ## p. 266 (#670) ############################################ 266 THE AUTHOR. authority than T. P. O'Connor in one of his masterly reviews in the Sunday Sun; and I am anxious to know quo warranto. In France the Academy settles the y randes and the yetites entrees of words into the national vocabulary: in Germany the Kaiser decides in these matters, but who or what in England? Is the Englishman inde|>endent, of an official Word-Mint, or is it coining to invent words? There are many words which, like "avid," seem tout indiques, and I am curious whether a writer incurs n charge of lesS- lanyuc in introducing them as occasion warrants. Oscar Wilde's " Salome " is to be produced at the Theatre d'Art here next month. It is in one act and in prose, a highly poetical dramatization of the story of John the Baptist. Oscar Wilde wrote in French from the beginning. It is very much ad- mired by those who have read it, and the production of a French play of considerable literal')' pretension is being eagerly looked forward to by artistic Paris. Robert H. Shehakd. Paris, January 20th, 1892. ♦■>•-♦ LIKE THE AUTHORS, or A REFORMED PROFESSION. "TTTATT a minute," said the man at the table, VV looking up. "Sit down. Take a pipe. * T I shall not be long." His visitor took a chair—there were only two in the garret—and sat down. It was a cold day in January, but there was no tire. The man writing at the table had a rug wrapped round his legs. The furniture was scanty and shabby. Presently the writing man collected his papers, numbered them, and looked over the last two or three pages in his hand. "There !" he cried, "It is finished, and now I think that old humbug Sir George will sit up and look round about." "Oh! they are all made to sit up every week," said the other wearily. "What good does it do?" "I've shown that he knows no law; I've shown that he never did know any law; that his eloquence is twopenny froth; that he is a hack and a . . . ." "That will do. You have written one of the usual beastly things, I suppose. What good will it do if it is true? Besides, you know that it isn't true, or only half true. He is what circum- stances have made him." "It will mean a few guineas in my pocket to begin with." "And to end with. Nobody will think anything the better of you, or any the worse of Sir George, for your article, or a dozen articles like it. Never a number of any magazine comes out in which there is not some article by » clever young fellow like yourself"—the speaker was at least eight-and-t went v, and his friend was perhaps three years younger—" 011 the Decay of the Legal Profession. The magazines must be filled somehow. Formerly it was the Decay of Literature, and the pipers were filled by the young men who wanted to show their superiority bv down-crving favourite authors. I was looking the other day at some magazines of 1892. How- stale and dull they were—the articles written by the men of the Higher Criticism, as they called themselves! And how dead and forgotten are the writers of those papers! I think people got tired of the thing, if they ever liked it, which one cannot believe. Fortunately the reform of the professions and the destruction of our old corporations set us free to abuse each other. Well, we have got our liberty, and the result . . . ." He looked about the emptv garret. His eye fell upon the empty fireplace and his friend's shabby coat. He stopped and sighed. "Yes," cried the other hotly, "we have our liberty and we use it. What? Why should we remain in silence when such a humbug as old Sir George keeps all the business to himself? Humbug or not he is fifty years of age; it is time for him lo retire in favour of the younger men." "Quite so. Envy of success; jealousy of age; but Sir George is a great advocate; juries think so." "What do juries know altout law? But you are always carping at things as they are. I don't believe they were ever any better. Why should not barristers, physicians, preachers—everybody— criticise each other just as literary men have always done?" "Rather, why should authors have been allowed to set the evil example of knifing each other? Bemeinber that the best men—even the second- rate men—have seldom, if ever, done it. The personal abuse, the misrepresentations, the envious sneers that went on under the name of literary criticism, all this was done by men who notoriously had created or invented nothing, and were jealous of the men who had. The pipers which filled up the monthly magazines fifty years ago with lamen- tations 011 the Decay of Art and Literature were not the work of the craftsmen, but of the men who wished to be taken as critics. Their papers were sometimes accepted by editors because they could be had for the asking and at a prettv low figure, and because they filled up his paper. Nolwdy  ## p. 267 (#671) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. wanted them; nobody read them; they hud no influence; the things they cried down went on flourishing just the same. Nobody whs hurt by them, except the profession of letters. That was very much hurt, I suppose; it was made contemp- tible as far as it. can be made contemptible. What could the world, as then constituted, when pro- fessions were guilds, think of a calling in which every man's hand was turned against his neighbour, and abuse, depreciation, envy, and spitefulness were suffered without rebuke or power of remedy, except action for libel?" "By which you would infer that we our- selves" "Let us see. Fifty years ago the profession of the law was a closely guarded corporation. Those who belonged to it were governed by laws; if they broke those laws they were liable to be disbarred. For instance, they could not canvass, tout, adver- tise, or beg for work; tliey could not bargain with solicitors; they could not haggle and be beaten down; they could not sue for fees; they could not attack each other, as authors did—and as von do—had your grandfather written that paper in your hands he would have been most certainly disbarred. In fact, fifty years ago a barrister was, before all, a gentleman, according to the good old meaning of the word." "Whatever has happened, we have our liberty. Freedom before all!" "Freedom? Look out of window. Who is that great fat man swelling along like a turkey cock? A rich solicitor, is he not? He is to us what the publisher was to the author. He lavs the money; he gives out the work; he pays us. Formerly he paid ns at rates fixed by ourselves. We sat here and the work came to us. Now his chambers— that man has got a whole set of stairs in Stone Buildings—are besieged by barristers waiting to receive the work, begging for it, humbly receiving what he will give, hoping for his generosity. "Look at that fellow taking off his hat in the court. He is a great lawyer—a great scholar— a man of immense powers. Yet he has to take off his hat to the solicitor who has got the money, and he has to so himself to the man's chambers to ask for work." "Our liberty—Our liberty "—said the other man more feebly. "Your liberty! stuff and rubbish! wc had your liberty and we threw it away ; we were indepen- dent, and we made ourselves slaves. We imitated the authors—we cut the painter and east the boat adrift. Lil>erty is only to be achieved by combina- tion. As authors were fifty years ago, afraid of publishers, dependent on their so-called 'gene- rosity,' snarling at each other, so are we now, because we have destroyed our corporation. That splendid great hall, over there; it is used, you know very well, by the solicitors for their banquets —they sometimes ask us to sit down with them— it was ours once; the library next to the hall—ours —but we threw all away when we destroyed our corporation. As for the physicians, you know what they are now—think of what they were fifty years ago. •' Do you mean to say that we are not to speak the truth when a humbug ." "My dear fellow, reflect. Why should you speak the truth? How do you know that it is the truth? Have you shown that you could do any l>etter? Have you shown that you can do anything at all? Who constituted you a judge? Why should (he world accept your verdict? How much envy is there in this paper that you have written, and how much pure love of justice and yearning after excellence? How much knowledge of law—principles of criti- cism—do you show in this article of yours?" The other hung his head. "They all do it," he said; "my dear fellow, I should starve if it were not for the chance of making a little money this way." "Well, it is a bad way. In the old times, before the men and women of letters saw a way to combine, and to regidate the former license, the same kind of talk went on about criticism and the pricking of wind bags. Every little prig who offered his precious contribution was allowed to pad out the pages of the magazines with the newest jargon al>out Art, and with his crude and impudent judgment on men he never even took the trouble to read. They were just like you, my dear l>oy. They had never been tried; nobody knew whether they could do anything or not. Mostly they could do nothing. Mostly they no more had the critical than the creative faculty. In fact, the former is much the rarer of the two. And they were mostly consumed with spite and envy. Just like you, my dear lwy. Now you have got your knife into Sir George. That was the way the would-be man of letters generally began. You do not tell us, you sec, because you do not know, what you would do if you were in Sir George's place. He has to convince the jury; to please his employer the solicitor; to win his case. What is the use of saying that he knows no law? He has to win his case. What is the use of saying that he plays to the gallery? He has to win his case." "Is there to Ik' no criticism at all, then?" "Let us distinguish. A man in practice desires the favourable judgment of his employers, the solicitors. That is all the criticism he wishes, Most of your criticism is directed, and intended, to prejudice him in the eyes of his employers, Next, he desires to be thought a persuader cf  ## p. 268 (#672) ############################################ 268 THE AUTHOR. juries. If the world accepts Lim as such, he is, to a certain extent, independent of the solicitors, because they must employ him. Therefore a great part of your criticism is intended to prejudice him in the eyes of the; world. If a man is jwpular von deride the -world for liking him—just us the unsuccessful and the. untried writer used to do. You invent a thousand reasons why the world should despise him. But there is only one reason— envy. You want to take his place. That is, while you are young. At your present age you hate the men who have got on, because you wish to be in their place. When you grow old you will hate them worse, because you have failed to get on. That is about the sum of vour criticism, my dear friend." The other man did not reply. There was no reply possible, because it was all true. "When all is said," the speaker continued, "wo remain the slaves of the solicitors; we belong to the men who have money and can give out the work; we have to take what they choose to dole out we have no protection against them. They have cut our fees down to vanishing point; they have found out a thousand ways to rob us and beat us down. If we grumble they put on men like yourself, my dear Jack, hard up, envious, and j>erhaps incompetent— which is not like yourself—to call attention to our sordid and money grubbing spirit when we ought to be contented with the honour and the. glory of the spouting. These hacks talk about the dignity of the profession, and ask if law is to be measured by the guineas it will bring in. We are in rags, and our miseries and our helplessness bring upon us the contempt of the world. Why, men are ashamed to call themselves barristers, just as they were formerly ashamed to call themselves authors, l>ecause they were so helpless, and so poor, and so very much sat upon and robbed!" "There are too many of us," said the other. "Yes, we have abolished examinations, you see. Well—we live in garrets, like this j solicitors live in stately clubs; they have robbed us of all the good things that used to be ours. They are now Chancellors, Law Officers, Judges, Masters, Re- corders—everything. Why? Because, for the sake of the miserable freedom which you prize so much —the power of hating and deriding and abusing each other, we have given up the independence which was ours by combination and ours by disci- pline." There was a step on the stair and a knock at the door. A man marched in with his hat on, fussy and important. "Messrs. Vellum and Sheepshanks," he said, pulling out a bundle of papers, " Mr. Sheepshanks sends compliments and brief. You must call to- morrow morning at u.3o, when he will see you. Case set down for hearing. Documents in the case. Junior counsel, brief endorsed four-and-six. With you, Sir George. Here you are—want your money- down, I suppose, like all of 'em. Got sixpence change?" He threw the papers and the silver on the table and marched out again, slamming the door behind him. "There!" cried the young lawyer, jumping up, "My chance has come at last." "It used to come, fifty years ago, with a little more respect to counsel. And the fee! Four-and-six! Good Heavens! To what are we reduced? Well, it may be your chance. Meantime, this precious article! Will you add one more name to the long list of envious and malignant articles written by the young and the unsuccessful against their elders and their betters? "Let me keep it," he said. "If the case leads to others I will tear it up. If not . . . ." "And as for me," said the other, " I shall go on with the impossible task of trying to persuade this scattered company of barristers to unite, to associate once more, and to return to the old order. The older men cannot; it is too late for them. They have been too long accustomed to fight, every man for his own hand. They cannot understand the independence of the former order; senility to solicitors is in their blood; they have grown up to think it the finest thing in the world to slate and scarify each other. But with the young men it may be different. Jack, tear up this filthy rag," —he chucked the article into the empty fireplace— "and join me. Let us work together, let us try to restore the Inns of Court, let us try to bring back the old order, the old discipline, and the former independence." A MAGNIFICENT STORY.* EVERYONE has been reading "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," and Mr. Hardy's splendidly pathetic story has cominanded the outspoken praise of all competent to judge of its merits. It is a curious comment upon the attitude of the English reader—for this, of course, dictates the attitude of the editor who caters for him--that it should have been thought expedient to mutilate this perfectly restrained and delicate book in its original production lest it should give offence. To us it seems that if blind people will walk ulwut, they must take the chance of bruising their shins * Tess of the D'Urbervilles, a pure woman, faithfully presented by Thoma9 Hardy. 3 vols. Osgood, Mcllvnine, & Co.  ## p. 269 (#673) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. ngiiinst stumbling blocks. The world is to the clear-eyed. "Teas of the D'Urbervilles" is the faithful pre- sentation of a pure woman. This is on the title page, where it was easy to put it—the printer could have done it—but it is also in the text, where not another living writer could have put it, under the difficulties which Mr. Hardy has created for himself, that he might move us to admiration by overcoming them. For Tess is twice a guilty lover. As a child she is deceived by a man, and as a woman she is sacrificed to circumstances, but throughout her terrible story there is no doubt whatever that she loathes the sin that has lost her, that she is an absolutely pure woman faithfully presented. She starts as a healthy hoyden, soon to be a dishonoured mother, and she ends on the gallows, the mad murderess of her paramour, but from end to end she shows no trace of levity, no smear of sensuality. There is but one passionate time for her—her brief life as a bride. The story depends wholly upon the method of its telling. Throughout her misery Tess is always within a few feet of happiness, throughout her sin she is always within a few feet of virtue. She walks to her doom along one of two parallel piths. The other, separated from her by only a little hedge, would conduct her to happiness. She never sees over the hedge. Her first lover would have married her had she "resisted him longer. Her mother placed her in his power, and ignorance completed her ruin. But she is not ruined for ever. She lives down her fault. She is betrothed to the man she loves. Surely now she is on the other path! No. The man who married her would have lived out a life of happiness with her, if she had told him all her story before their marriage, or told him nothing afterwards. Her mother prevented the first course, her honour prevented the second, and at once she is back on her path of sorrow. She could have kept her husband by her side if she had put out her seductive powers. Her delicacy prevented her from doing this, so his delicacy urged him to desert her. She has one more chance. Her husband's parents would have helped her had she appealed to them. She starts to do so, and a trivial accident prevents her from accomplishing her purpose. Once again she was on the path to happiness, and once again she is forced away to her allotted track. The pretty generosity of Marian and Izz Huett might have saved her, but it was not to be. With complete fidelity to his conception of the girl and to his knowledge of life, the author hurries her to her doom. She has never known how near she has been to happiness. Tragedy is not the caterwauling of a Princess in a burlesque castle, and sensation is not a question of undiscovered crime. For those who can understand it this book is most tragic and most sensational, but it is not a book for house- maids. Tess is a very simple creature. She luis very little reasoning power and no religious convictions whatever. Therefore, stayed neither from within nor from without, she easily falls a victim to cir- cumstances, and her cruel fate becomes logical. But she is a pure woman. Mr. Hardy justifies his title by his book. Read it and see that the book justifies our title. It is a magnificent story. »■«■♦ NOTES AND NEWS. NO English paper, so far as I have seen, has noticed the very remarkable case brought before the Sydney Court, under Sir Frederick Darley, a few weeks ago. It was in the New York Nation that I saw the note upon it, which will be found in another part of this paper. A certain firm of Australian publishers had brought out a book called "Australian Men of Mark." The judge ruled that all contracts entered into on account of the book should be null and void, because it did not contain biographies of men really remarkable, but only of local importance. The Nation calls attention to certain dangers rising out of such a judgment. Others may be suggested. Thus, "Claribel: a Romance of the Day." (3 vols. Washington Jones. 1892.) What is to prevent a judge from ruling that the publisher is not bound to give the author any of the royalties stipulated for on the ground that there is nothing romantic in the book at all? Again, what is to prevent a judge from ruling that the publisher of a periodical called Noble Thoughts is not entitled to claim his rights because the Thoughts, in the opinion of the judge, are not all Noble, or that he who guides Little-Bits can enforce no claim )>ecause the "Bits " are not " Little," or that the Spectator does not spec tale and therefore has no rights? What with the decision in the Piunock case and this of the Sydney judge the law, as regards both author and publisher, is becoming confused and miscellaneous. The foundation of the American Society of Authors should prove an event of the highest importance to American literature. Elsewhere will be seen a longer notice of this event. It is hoped tliat they may follow our leading in certain particulars, viz., in the accumulation of all the facts  ## p. 270 (#674) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. connected with the management of literary property, the reform of the law as regards literary property, the creation of jealousy and suspicion as regards literary property. It is also hoped that they will show us an example in public spirit, clearness of action and union. Not to move too quickly, but to he always moving, has been our aim. There are some who think we do not move quickly enough. There are others who cry out to us that we are moving far too quickly. It. is neither helpless crying nor a wrathful strike that is wanted; it is steady increasing education and creation of public opinion, and the publication of the actual facts. There is one point in which I hope that the new American Society may be distinguished over our own. I hope that we shall hear that the whole body of honourable publishers have joined in support of the Society. In this country they have not. Partly, of course, it is the difference between a trade and a profession, that the former is not careful and jealous about its name and honour, and the latter is. What a barrister cannot do if he wishes to remain a barrister is well known. What a publisher can do and remain a publisher should be by this time very well known to our readers. Yet one might have expected that personal considerations, self-respect, dignity, even self-interest, should have caused those publishers who have given these hostages to fortune would have pressed forward to the support of an association whose principal object is the protection of property against those who live by pillage of that property. The case of the State and men of letters has been summed up by Mr. Earl Hodgson in the National Review. The spirit of the paper we cannot but commend. To begin with, Mr. Hodgson treats the question of the exclusion of literature from national recognition quite seriously, which is the first thing wanted j in fact, it is the only thing wanted. That the question is serious is the one tiling asked for. The proper answer will follow Very naturally. Mr. Hodgson, however, goes wrong at the outset by asking whether there is among literary men such a desire for titles that the Patronage Secretary of the Treasury would be "justified in ignoring the custom that the brewing interest has a practical monopoly of new peerages." And he points to the fact that men of letters have not come forward to complain that they have not received the titles which are freely given to everybody else. How should a man complain almut himself? It would make him on the spot ridiculous for ever. Even I, from my humble corner, when I began to speak on the subject, did so in the full knowledge of the cheap sneer that woidd certainly follow. A man of letters, asked if he would like a title— asked if he considers the withholding of national recognition from literature a scandal—must put the question aside or fence with it. Can a poet write in reply that he ought to have been a K.C.B. long ago? Of course he cannot. Mr. Lecky expressed this very well when he said that it is hardly for literary men to take the initiative in asking for distinctions. Most of the objections advanced by men of letters take the form of fear that the wrong men would be distinguished. But that objection applies to all professions. Some, as Lord Selborne, write the conventional talk about the "greatest honour of literary men is the power they exercise over the minds of men "—a phrase which may be used of lawyers, artists!, engineers, physicians, architects—all the liberal professions. Lord Selborne, observe, docs not object to the conferring of distinction upon lawyers. The only serious objection hitherto advanced is that literature should have a special order of distinction, and at present there is none. Certainly one would not wish that literary men should be knighted—a distinction pour rire when we consider the men who arc thus decorated. What, then, is Mr. Hodgson's solution of the question? He says that the answer is only matter of time. No class will ever have titular distinctions conferred upon its prominent members merely l>ecause it demands recognition. Yet it is inevitable that the distinctions will come to men of letters by-and-byc. There is to be, at last, a selection from the old and, to me, familiar pages of the Athenian Oracle. Mr. John Underbill has made the selection; Mr. Walter Scott will publish it. The book is simply invaluable to everyone who wishes to study the mind of the middle class at the beginning of tlic last century. The thing cannot Ihj found anywhere else in its entirety. Some of it is in Pepys. If we had the whole of Pepys without any omissions, we should doubtless find a great deal more, because Pepys was not at the outset in the very l>cst society. "For my own part," he writes, " I never did think my own family anything considerable- There is some of it in Defoe, but then Defoe was « strong self-contained man, whose ideas were very far in advance of his friends. Besides, Defoe was a Bohemian, and Defoe was a Dissenter. There W none of it in Tom Brown and Ned Ward, for the bourgeois mind has always been rojmtablc *D" decorous, if dull. There is very little of it i» Essayists, because Addison & Co., though 'hey might sit beside the smug cit at the coffee-house,  ## p. 271 (#675) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 27 r did not go homo with him and sit with his wife and daughters. The Athenian Oracle, with its succes- sor, the British Apollo, is the only place where the middle mind stands revealed. "God save the mark!" What does it mean? The words are now used at random; as often as not they mean nothing, unless it is a mild depreciation. "He calls himself a poet—Ciod save the mark!" There has been a little talk in the New York Nation on the origin of the phrase. It occurs, with its identical "God bless the mark !", four times in Shakespeare. It has been conjectured to refer to the mark in archery, or to the cross instead of signature. But the explanation explains nothing. Now, one of the four places is in Itomeo and Juliet, where the Nurse says: "I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes—God save the mark !— here on his manly breast." She touches her own breast while she speaks. The writer in the Nation, Mr. W. Hand Browne, thus comments on the passage and the phrase: "We know that in superstitions times men believed that they lived in a perpetual beleagnerment of malignant powers or demons, always on the watch to harm them in body or soul; and a careless act, word, or gesture might give a disastrous opening. Against such mishaps Christians were taught that the handiest prophylactic was the sign of the cross, which put all demons at once to flight. So I con- ceive that when the Nurse touches her breast she makes a cross upon it—' God save (he mark!' being equivalent to 'God protect from harm the place I now cross'; and this custom I surmise to have given origin to the phrase. As the English gave up the habit of crossing themselves, the original significance was gradually forgotten, until the phrase was used much as writers and speakers of the present day occasionally use it, without any idea of what it means or what they mean by it. "A curious passage in Petronius seems to support this view, and indeed gave me the notion of this explanation. Trimalchio is telling a story of witches veiling around a house in which a youth lias just died. One of the family, a bold Cappa- docian, draws his sword, rushes out of the house, 'et mulierem, tanquam hoc loco (salrum sit quod tango), medium trajecit.' Here Trimalchio evi- dently touches his own or his neighbour's body to indicate the spot where the witch was pierced, and uses at the same time a protective, or avermucine, formula to avert possible mischief." In another page will be found part of an address by Mr. Andrew Lang on Burns and Scottish poetry, filled with patriotic pride in the great and vol. n noble literature that is purely Scottish, on which nobody can—or does—speak so well as Mr. Lang himself. But is it the case, as he thinks, that the age is not " ending in song "? Only yesterday we were all asking each other where was the poet under forty? It had become a commonplace to lament that poetry attracts no longer the keener spirits. One worries through a good many commonplaces in the course of this pilgrimage; they are born; they live; they die. Sometimes they are nearly true, and die only when the conditions change; sometimes they are only half true; sometimes they present a small fraction of the truth. The history of the commonplace has yet to be written. Of this one commonplace, at least, I hope we shall hear no more. Mr. Traill, himself a poet of no mean repute, has shattered it. He enumerates sixty poets—real poets—to whom the title cannot be refused; sixty, not including himself, purposely omitted, the author of "Ioniea," Dr. W. C. Bennett, and Mr. Gerald Massey, accidentally omitted. There is going to be a fresh outburst of song, if I read the signs aright. They are the signs of serious attempt of serious reception, of awakening love for verse, of improved form. In America, if study and practice and perseverance can make poets, there ought to be many poets already. Mr. Howells, the parochial, I believe, claims all the leading poets of the age for his own parish. This is an age which, I venture to think, will end with the warbling of multitudinous songsters. The whole world will be a tuneful choir, and each bosky grove will be melodious. Whether there will be any great poet among them all, 1 know not; but I am fond of listening to songs, and I shall listen with the greatest pleasure. We may expect before long a great invasion of American literature. It must come, in fact, unless the American papers are far more kindly to their writers than our own. The invasion will, I suppose, ruin us all. Who can stand up against such writers as Paul Hamilton Hayne, "greatest of all southern poets," Celia Thaxter, J. T. Turbridge, Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson, Mrs. Henson, Miss Edith Thomas, and Miss Helen Gray Cone, of whom we read that they have very often surpassed the remaining lines of Sappho, Danske Dandridge, "the West Virginia poetess," Miss Malt Crim, the "new southern novelist," Lafcndio Ilearn, and others who are revealed to us in the pages of the American journals? Seriously, how- ever, there is a great, a vast, increase in the United States of literary endeavour of all kinds, and they are attempting excellence with a newly born, but much fuller, recognition of form and style than we see in this country. If study and perseverance can X  ## p. 272 (#676) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. make poets, novelists, and dramatists, then will the United States speedily lead the way; the whole country, from highest to lowest, is full of respect for literary achievement; there is the stimulus of the highest national honours—such as the representation of the Republic at the courts of St. James's and Berlin; there are, available for literary art of every kind, inexhaustible materials within their own frontiers; it seems to me almost safe to prophecy an outburst before long of genius in the United States such as we ourselves have not seen since the time of Elizabeth. All the conditions are favourable—encouragement, honour, ambition, study, confidence, materials— everything is there waiting for natural aptitude or genius, and this will not be long before it shows itself in a full and flowing Hood. The book of the month—i.e., the book which lias attracted the greatest interest, during the month —is undoubtedly Mrs. Humphrey Ward's "David Grieve." There will be great diversity of opinion as to the place in literature which this work will occupy. Meantime, apart from opinions as to the development of mind here portrayed, there can be no doubt that the judgment of the Times, in reviewing the work, was sound when it pronounced the novel to l>e impressive. No other adjective could so completely sum up the book. One would like—this has nothing to do with the worth of the book—that the people who talk so glibly .about writing to a three-volume length on the assumption that all three-volume novels are of the same length, would kindly consider this three-volume novel as to length. It is very nearly twice as long as the ordinary novel. Of course the cry about Procrustean length belongs to that prattling bird the parrot, but it is seldom that its absurdity is so readily noted as here. Walteb Bksant. ERIC AND ROBERT, OR REVENGE IS SWEET. ILIKE these old titles. Out on your "Some Ideas and their Exegesis," a plague on your "Developmental Evidences," your "From Prig to Prime Minister," your "From Bookmaker to Bishop." Under such a title as I have chosen all can guess what sort of story they may expect. Eric and Robert were at school together. They were neighbours at home, and so far friends at school, that they walked together and talked to- gether more than a little, although they did not like each other much. I knew them both, and it always seemed to me that they kept up consider- able semblance of friendship, and some of its practice, because each distrusted the other; but I may have wronged them, and |K>ssibly they were a.s fond of each other as school friends usually are. This, at least, was notorious—they were desperately jealous of each other. And circumstances gave them cause, for circumstances constantly pitted them against each other. Robert, the son of an officer in Her Majesty's Army, would occasionally adopt a condescending tone towards Erie, the son of a solicitor. Eric, the sou of a thriving business- man, would at times show an obtrusive symjiathy for Robert, the son of an impecunious half-pay major. When Eric got a scholarship, for which Robert had competed, Robert congratulated him with a long face. When Robert was selected to represent their school at cricket, in the place that Eric had confidently expected for himself, Eric's interest in the national game waned, and he took to lawn-tennis. Both entered the same University, but availing themselves of the increased liberties of college life, they took different courses and saw little of each other. And this was the easier that they had but few common friends. If a man knew Eric he somehow did not care to meet Robert. If a man was on confidential terms with Robert he would get an impression that Eric was rather a person to be avoided. But they remained "Eric" and "Robert"' to each other. The University worked changes upon them. Eric grew idle, but read promiscuously, and adopted a didactic and critical tone. Robert grew diligent and became bitten with Orientalism. The result of this was to make him the only examinee in certain unpronounceable dialects, while it took seven savants to examine him. With a not unnatural generosity they awarded him a first-class in the tripos. It was about this period in their lives that the affair with Edith took place. I can say but little about it, for I know but little. Probably Edith would have married Robert, if Eric had not interfered. Probably she would have then married Eric, if Robert had shown a proper dignity and taken his refusal as final. He continued, as Eric said, to pester the girl. Now, she was a peaceful lass, and for the sake of peace she married the local brewer. With a University career and the regulation love affair brought to their definite conclusions, each young man felt that the business of life was now before him. Robert took pupils in the Cashmere dialects and began to make a reputation for himself as a Numismatist. His Oriental studies bad  ## p. 273 (#677) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 273 infused a certain enthusiasm into a school-boy trick of coin-collecting, and had thrown over it a glamour of classic learning. At two or three public sides he gave the highest prices on record. From the newspaper notoriety which he thus acquired to public recognition as an expert in his subject was but a short step. Next came rumours of his for- tunate bargains. The British Museum cut Robert's own records, by giving him more for certain coveted bits of metal than he had given himself. Then the museums of New York and Melbourne followed suit, and in course of time he acquired a second reputation, as big as the first, by the sales from his collection. He was chosen with acclaim the Librarian and Curator of the New Institute of a northern town, became a serious candidate for election to the Royal Society, and was believed to be writing an exhaustive book on the enthralling hobby that he had made his own, and lifted into the position of a science. Meanwhile, Eric had also fallen upon his legs. Shortly after leaving college he had entered a well- known publishing firm, and as time went on he became the presiding genius of the business. He was very modern. He republished certain Eliza- bethans' poetry in numbered copies on hand-made paper. He ran a serious magazine, entitled " The Mirror of Contemporary Thought," to which he obtained contributions from an archbishop, a prize- lighter, and Mr. Gladstone. Of course he had his series. It was called the Victorian series, and consisted of little manuals stuffed with home-truths about the Great People of the reign. It had a certain vogue, chiefly among the little people of the reign, but that is a very respectable public to appeal to. Soon after the establishment of " The Mirror of Contemporary Thought," there were hints in various literary periodicals that the coming book of re- search—a book from which amusement and artistic pleasure were to be derived as well as mere infor- mation—was Robert's Manual of Numismatics. With an impartial spirit, hardly to be too highly commended in these log-rolling days, Erie lent the pages of his review to Mr. Mortimer Watson, who essayed, firstly, to dispose of Numismatics as a science for ever, and, secondly, to indicate that Robert's Numismatics presented that foolish science in a more contemptible light than it had ever pre- viously appeared. Mr. Watson was thorough and his work was very creditable, for he only had three little stray articles from Robert's pen and a few annotated catalogues to guide him to his conclu- sions, but those who read the article could scarcely fail to see that Robert was a vicious, ignorant, and pretentious man. Eric said in more quarters than one that he was deeply sorry that Robert should have been exposed. It was about this time that Eric came on for election at Robert's club. Robert was so busy in the matter, that more might have been expected from his efforts in behalf of his old friend, than actually came of them. Eric was not elected; and Robert said in more quarters than one that he was deeply sorry that Eric should not have been more fortunate. To his inner self each owned that he hated the other. The position between them would have been clearer to all of us, had not Robert's appointment kept him far from London. As they never met, a formal agreement not to meet seemed superfluous to both. Yet, oddly to say, at the very time when it seemed most clear to us all that they could never pretend to friendship again, business brought about a rapproehement. Eric wrote to Robert and asked him if he would give him the publication of the book, allusion to which lind appeared in the papers. He would like so much to publish it, he said, iirstly because he felt sure that it would be a good book, one—not to make too great a pretence to disin- terestedness—that would bring him in a certain amount of money; and, secondly, because he wished to dissociate himself for ever from Mr. Mortimer Watson's vile attack on Robert. "Why should not Robert," he asked, "run up to town, dine, and talk the matter over?" So they dined and they talked, and they jHirtcd dissatisfied with each other. For Robert had been exacting; of this there could be no shadow of doubt. He had also been exasperating. He had spoken of his book as the only work that had ever l>een done on the subject that could be worthy of serious consideration. He boasted that it would not only open to him the exclusive portals of the Royal Society, but that it would cause him to be quoted as a pioneer in Numismatic circles for ever. "It has taken me ten years to write, sir, and two more to illustrate," said he, banging the table, "but it will pay me with ten lifetimes of fame. The book is unique." Eric listened to these gasconnades without interrupting. The next day- lie made Robert an offer for his book. It was accepted. It was boundlessly generous—at any rate by comparison with the offers that had been made by other publishers. The brief conditions were that Robert was to deliver the MS. by a certain date, and that he was to assign absolutely ami for ever all his rights in the book to Eric, in return for a thousand pounds. • * • • On the morning of the day upon which the MS. was to be delivered Robert received a letter from Eric, laudably anxious to keep his share of the contract, reminding him that the work was due and hoping that Robert would bring the original illustrations, and leave their reproduction to him, X 2  ## p. 274 (#678) ############################################ 274 THE AUTHOR. as he could make bettor arrangements for their reproduction than the author. "Fidgetty fool!" said Robert, who had already tied up the illustrations, and into whose mind no idea of interfering in the details of publication had ever entered. "Fidgetty fool !" he repeated. Suddenly a thought occurred to him that made him shiver. "Oh! that's it, is it? That's why you pay a thousand pounds," said he, and sitting down he telegraphed to Eric that the work could not be ready for a day or two. He spent those days, assisted by his pupils, in making rough imi- tations and tracings of all the original illustrations in his work, while he sent the text to be type- written. Two more days saw him in London, with a parcel in each hand, one containing the original illustrations and the type-written text, the other the rough imitations of the. pictures and the original MS. The first parcel he left with a well-known publisher, asking for an appointment later on in the day, and the second he took with him to Eric. Eric was very white, and received him affectionately. Kobert spoke in friendly tone, but, with the greed of authors, suggested business, putting his parcel on Eric's desk. "I am quite ready for you," said that excellent publisher, " Here is the agreement for your signat lire, assigning to me all your rights in your work, on consideration of my giving you a thousand pounds, and here is a cheque for that sum." Robert looked at the cheque. "When shall you bring the book out?" he asked. Eric had in the meantime untied the parcel, and was running his eye hastily over the MS. He seemed satisfied with the perusal. "I can tell you at once what I am going to do with it," he said, " but I wish first to put it in safety," and he walked into a little room behind the ollice, carrying the precious MS. "This is a joke," said Robert, and, staid Orient- alist as he was, he actually capered. And then there was the sound of fire-irons from Eric's retreat, whereat he capered again, and with more nbandon. Eric came back in two or three minutes and his face was now a vivid crimson. "As I have bought your book right-out," he said, " of course I can do what I like with it." "Of course," said Robert. "Well," said Eric, " I have paid you, and I have burnt your book." Said Robert, "You've burnt the work of my life?" Then he added, after a moment's silence, "Aren't you afraid that I shall kill you?" "No," said Eric, putting his hand in the drawer of his desk, whence a click immediately proceeded. "Melodrama ?" said Robert. "Oh no! Tragedy," said Eric, " It's loaded." "I suppose you really have burnt it," said Robert. "I hope so," said Erie. "Are you sorry ?" said Robert, looking at the cheque. "Not in the least," said Eric. "Then there's nothing more to be said?" "Nothing." Robert cashed the cheque. He then went to the publishers with whom he had left the other parcel. "Print it regardless of expense," he said. <: I am prepared to spend a thousand pounds, if necessary, on its production and advertisement." * • * • Six weeks afterwards the book appeared, and in a short preface Robert bore eloquent testimony to the generosity of Eric, who had crowned a life- long affection by an act of splendid munificence, in making a noble contribution to the cost of his old friend's work. Eric wrote a letter to the publishers, threatening to take proceedings to restrain them from publishing the book, but Robert pointed out that he had better, for the sake of his own reputation, keep quite quiet. "About the burning of the thing," he said, "I don't know that people would think so much. After all, many would say it was only a MS., meaning that it was only two shillings' worth of paper. And many more would consider your malice so ingenious, so mediaeval, so pic- turesque, that they would almost forgive it, even though the author did not. What no one would ever forgive you, if the matter came out, is the fact that you were fooled. My dear old schoolfellow, my open-handed patron, dry up." And, as the reporters say, proceedings then terminated. O. J. *~~-+ "CRITICISM AND FICTION." THIS little book, written by Mr. W. D. Howells, and published in London by Messrs. Osgood and Co., seems to have received much less attention from the English papers than it deserves. For to sum up, at the outset, it is a book helpful to the novelist of everv age and of every degree; it is suggestive, en- couraging, kindly; it is full of wise saws; it is admirably written, and abounds with unexpected happinesses in phrase and word. For English readers, however, everything that Mr. Howells  ## p. 275 (#679) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2/5 writes is marred l>y that anti-English warp of his mind which amounts to an actual craze. He belongs to the irreconcileablcs; his ancestors kicked ours out of America after we had spent immense treasures and thousands of lives in making their home secure from foreign invasion; he, with the other American irreconcileables, can never forgive us for the benefits we conferred upon his forefathers and for the gratitude with which these benefits were repaid. Consequently, he cannot allow any good thing, whether in literature or in anything else, to England or Englishmen. Then he is afflicted with a most pestilent self-consciousness, which compels him to be perpetually measuring himself, or some immortal genius of his own country, with Thackeray and Dickens. Indeed, when you have cut down Thackeray by a head and shoulders and deprived Dickens of his legs, Mr. Howells and tliat other immortal do really stand much about the same height with these two Britons. In this little volume, for instance, the English writer is continually spoken of with open or veiled contempt, while Mr. Howells's warm heart and real admiration are reserved for that world-widely known lady, Mrs. Rose Terry Cooke, who "now carries the art of story telling to its highest" (page 169), or to that other illustrious favourite of the Muses, Miss Jewett, whose sketches are "perfectly satisfying." For this singular feature in Mr. Howells's criticism, and for one or two other points, which need not be pointed out here, a writer of his own country—one of those whom he has not measured beside Thackeray—compared Mr. Howells, as u critic, to a socialist in a dress coat, pretending that he did not know the taste of beer. It is, besides, a parochial method, and must make people on the other side laugh, while it makes ]>eoplc on this side a little irritated and a great deal contemptuous. It is unfortunate when such a form of madness is allowed to appear in such a book as the one before us. We all have our weaknesses and our crazes. These cannot be helped; but when they would injure the quality of work, they should be kept carefully apart and bestowed upon some other piece of work. Now, in a well-known case—a leading case—quoted by a tenth-rate writer named Charles Dickens—far, far below Rose Terry Cooke, and not to be compared with Miss Jewett—there was a man who used to get mixed al>out Charles the Blessed Martyr. It was arranged by his friends that this man should keep two desks whenever he sat down to write; one for his thoughts concerning King Charles, the other for the work in hand. This settled, he got on very well indeed. If Mr. Howells had only kept two desks, one for England, English institutions, and English literature, and the other for his own prope r work, how delightful this book might have l>een! For instance, that little passage on page 125 clearly belongs to the other desk :— "There can belittle question that many refine- ments of thought and spirit which every American is sensible of in the fiction of this continent, are necessarily lost upon our good kin beyond seas, whose thumb-fingered apprehension requires some- thing gross and palpable for its assurance of reality. This is not their fault, and I am not sure that it is wholly their misfortune: they are made so as not to miss what they do not find, and they are simply content without those subtleties of life and character which it gives us so keen a pleasure to have noted in literature. If they perceive them at all it is as something vague and diaphanous, something that filmilv wavers before their sense and teases them, much as the beings of an invisible world might mock one of our material frame by intimations of their presence. It is with reason, therefore, on the part of an Englishman, that Mr. Henley complains of our fiction as a shadow-land, though we find more and more in it the faithful report of our life, its motives and emotions, and all the comparatively etherealizcd passions and ideals that influence it." This little trouble about Charles the Martyr apart, the book is as good a treatise on the Art of Fiction as has ever appeared; written in a perfectly clear style by a man who knows what he means. There is nothing woolly in his utterances. He lets us see clearly what he means. He is intelligible. The young novelist could do nothing better than to buy and study the book. Beneath the parochial view there is wisdom and there is guidance. The author has forgotten the index and the table of contents, so that, though the work is divided into chapters, which are not even headed, there is nothing to guide the reader. This is a singular omission for so practised a hand. Let us justify our appreciation of this little work by two or three extracts—for our limited space— perhaps as much as should be taken from so small a volume. What is Guxirs. "In fact, the whole belief in 'genius' seems to me rather a mischievous superstition, and if not mischievous always, still always a superstition. From the account of those who talk about it, 'genius' appears to be the attribute of a sort of very potent and admirable prodigy, which God has created out of the common for the astonishment and confusion of the rest of us poor human beings. But do they really believe it? Do they mean anything more or less than the Mastery which comes to any man according to his powers and diligence in any direction? If not, why not have an end of the superstition which has caused our  ## p. 276 (#680) ############################################ 2j6 THE AUTHOR. race to go on so long writing and reading of the difference between talent and genius? It is within the memory of middle-aged men that the Maelstrom existed in the belief of the geographers, but we now get on perfectly well without it; and why should we still suffer under the notion of 'genius,' which keeps so many ]>oor little authorlings trem- bling in question whether thev have it, or have onlv 'talent'?" On Standards. "If I were authorised to address any word directly to our novelists, I should say, Do not trouble yourselves about standards or ideals, but try to be faithful and natural: remember that there is no greatness, no beauty, which does not come from truth to your own knowledge of tilings; and keep on working, even if yoiu- work is not long remembered." Fiction, Present and Future. "Fiction is now a finer art than it has ever been hitherto, and more nearly meets the requirements of the infallible standard. I have hopes of real usefulness in it, because it is at last building on the only sure foundation; but I am by no means certain that it will be the ultimate literary form, or will remain as important as we believe it is destined to become. Oi: the contrary, it is quite imaginable that when the great mass of readers, now sunk in the foolish joys of mere fable, shall be lifted to an interest in the meaning of things through the faithful portrayal of life in fiction, then fiction the most faithful may be superseded by a still more faithful form of contemporaneous history." ♦■»■♦ — OXFOED AND THE ENGLISH SCHOOL. (From an article by Mr. F. York Powell in the Educational Review, by permission of the Editor.) MP HE Hebdomadal Council (which alone lias I the power of initiating University legislation at Oxford) has rejected, by a division of 10 to 9 the proposal to introduce a "statute" for the establishment of a final school of English language and literature. The University has, by this extraordinary decision, been prevented from discussing and deciding a question of the utmost importance. Yet the memorial which Council was thus replying to was one of the most weighty that has been before it for years—no less than 108 persons, comprising nearly every Master of Arts interested in or really qualified to give an opinion u]K)ii the brandies of knowledge for which thev desired to secure the ad- vantages of University patronage and organisation. No reason was given by Council for the rejection of the memorial, and naturally, because the memorial was rejected bv a combination of persons for various reasons and very different motives. It will be remembered that on a big division of 94 to 94. in Convocation, the regular Parliament of the University only a few months ago, the casting vote alone decided against a final school of modern language and literature. According, therefore, to all constitutional ideas, the present denial of discus- sion to a project neither so ambitions nor so novel as a complete modern literature and language school can onlv be regarded as a cunning, but not very credit- able, attempt to burke a measure which would mast probably have been carried had the University assembly been allowed to vote iqioii it. The real opposition comes from two bodies of persons who believe that their interests are at stake, and who will therefore fight bitterly. The first an' those who think the beloved "college system" will be compromised by the demands for instruction which can onlv be met by the creation of fresh college lecturers (to which course, for various reasons, they are opposed), or by allowing their pupils to go to University officials for instruction— a natural proceeding one would have thought, but a proceeding they very cordially dislike. The boarding-school interest, as it has been called, is therefore against the new school. Their companions are persons to whom the college is less important, but to whom the very name of philology is a word of fear. They detest a science thev wot not of; thev are too old or too obstinate to look into the matter for themselves; but they are firmly persuaded that philology spells ruin, and that the proposed school for English literature and language would be nothing more than a mask for the insidious advances of new gram- marians and phoneticians upon an ancient and respectable University. This race of opponents will die out, and that before long; their number lessens rapidly every year. Next come the eccentric people who vote against a school of literature because "you can't examine in literature," and therefore, in order to prevent people trying the experiment, cast out the whole project. Of course, most of the very people who use this argument are examining every year in Greek and llonian literature without difficulty. We may leave them to be converted by facts (as they possibly will be), or to persist in their Partingtonian position. Lastly, among the opponents of the teaching of English at Oxford comes that well-known and  ## p. 277 (#681) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Z77 not unloved type, the Oxford paradoxist. When lie says literature is such a beautiful thing that he cannot vote for encouraging anyone to learn or teach English literature, that it is really too beautiful for use, one knows he will probably go home contentedly to his college and lecture on Homer or Euripides or Lucretius or Juvenal, who have managed to survive some centuries of hard use in .schools and places where they teach. The paradoxist is, at least, amusing and disinterested. To sum up the situation. It is the wrongly called "college interest" and the foes of philology that really stop the way at Oxford. Their opposi- tion must be counted upon and fought down. This need not take very long. A final school of English language and literature is needed by teachers of all grades and by learners of nil classes in this country. The University needs it as much as any place in England. A reasonable demand supported both inside ami outside the University must soon be granted. ♦•»•♦ TO "BUSY MEN IN GOOD POSITIONS." THERE is si bookseller, librarian, and pub- lisher, who seems, if the slang may be pardoned, to "have got a soft thing on." Tbc following remarks will not, it is hoped, spoil his market. An eminent and popular novelist, a really eminent novelist, and a really popular novelist, whose work is valuable as well as good, received a request from this gentleman that he would do a tiny volume for him. The subject mentioned was one on which the novelist had special knowledge, and this, as the publisher allowed, had dictated tlie choice of author. A most reasonable dictation! Fifteen guineas were offered for 2,5oo words. A most reasonable proposal! And a specimen "tiny volume" was enclosed. Undoubtedly this volume was tiny, and so was the type in which it was printed. In fact, it contained 25,ooo words instead of 2,5oo. The novelist wrote to ask for an explanation. Was the wage offered for the larger number of words contained in the "tiny volume," or for the smaller number of words suggested in the letter? The publisher allowed that it was the larger amount that he required, "and the copyright for his little series." The novelist in expressing his inability to comply with the publisher's request, took the opportunity to point out that it was hardly a compliment to him to have l>een selected as a specialist upon a subject, and then invited to work for six weeks or more at the rate of seven and six- pence a day or less. He also pointed out that, in his opinion, if cheap books could not be produced without sweating the author, they had better not be produced at all. The publisher was hurt. He answered and said that all he wanted was a sketchy thing that could have been put clown in a week. But, O man of business, why apply to a good workman if you wanted bad work? He also said that half the number of words mentioned would have satisfied him. But, again, O man of business, why enclose a s|>ecimen of work, if you do not want an article similar to the specimen? And in justification of his proposal, and in repudiation of the author's remark aliout sweating, he said "the sum I offer is double what I was asked for by the specialist who wrote my other stories .... he is a busy man in a good position." Now, a word of adv ice to this "busy man in a good position" on the chance that it may catch his eye, and the advice applies to all who, ignorant of the value of their work, or con- temptuous of its money returns, accept the first mean offer that is made to them. Quadruple your price. Why divert proper pay from those who want it? Why put money in the publisher's pocket which he ought not to have? If you want to give money away, why not take from the publisher your legitimate pay, so that you may dictate for yourself the direction in which your alms shall go? Of money, Sir, you may lje indifferent, but you should not be indifferent to the power of doing good. BURNS AND SCOTTISH POETRY, "nPHEY were not a people of one poet only, I though that was an impression which some tried to give to the world. They neglected Lindsay and Dunbar. If using poetry for school- books were not the best way to disgust children with poetry, he could wisli that Dunbar and Lindsay were read in Scottish schools as Chaucer was used in English education. The ballads might certainly be so read, for nothing could spoil 'Kinmont Willie ' and 'Jamie Tclfer of the Fair Dodhead.' There was not such a body of ballad poetry so noble, so pathetic, so spirited, so weird in any lan- guage in the world As for the songs— humorous, amorous, Jacobite—songs by ladies who, perhaps, sang only once; by peasants whose names are forgotten, but whose strains are immortal, be did not think it was too characteristic to Bay that no country, except perhaps France and England in  ## p. 278 (#682) ############################################ 27S THE AUTHOR. the Elizabethan age, bad their equals. They might make a Scottish anthology which, considering that they had but five, centuries to choose from, and the Greeks had near 2,000, would rival that of Greece—would be the golden treasury of the North. They bad but to listen a moment, in this din of an age which was not ending in songs, and they beard those sweet, piercing, and melancholy notes from the dead years, eclioes of the horns blown in raids and reivings; echoes of the shep- herd's pipe, of the wedding festival, of the dirge and (lie lament; minstrel Burns grieving for— 'Many a place in evil case, 'Where bhthc folk kenned no sorrow; 'Of Humes that dwelt in Leader braes, 'And Scotts that dwelt in Yarrow.' Tradition wailing for— _' The flowers o1 the forest arc a'wede awa'.' As to the greatest of till, it was needless to speak. In the Odyssey the returned wanderer tells one of bis people that be was come, and 'no other Odysseus will come again for ever.' No other Homer, no other Shakespeare, they might have said, would come again, but both came together in Walter Scott. Verily they were not a people of one lonely poet, though in one Nature combined many of the voices of the past, much of the music of the future, in the good, the generous, the tender, the kindly, the homely, the impassioned Burns, the brightest of our lyrists, the most human of our satirists, the most perfervid of the perfervid Scots. They sometimes lamented that be fell on evil days and evil tongues, they regretted his narrow fortunes, thev blushed for till the reward that bis country gave him. But the Maker and the Master of poets knew best, perhaps, what was fitting, and, had Burns not been lwrn to labour and poverty, be could not have been the poet of poverty and labour. As to his later profession, in the life of Mr. Joseph Train—himself a writer of verse spirited and sincere—they learned how happy and bow bene- ficent, how valuable to letters and to society the life of a Galloway ganger might be. Had Burns been living to-day, would the world that lay around him have been so lit to inspire him with song? The mirth, the sport, the tradition are 'a'wede nwaY London would inevitably have sucked him into its dingy and disastrous Corrievreckan. He would have buttered at the. door of the theatre, be might have scribbled articles for the Press and drunk in Fleet Street, and contributed verses to the magazines. His magnificent genius would luivo licen frittered away in the struggle for life. He was not happy; no man with bis passionate nature could be happy; few men of genius, indeed, have been happy, 'even as mortals count happiness.' They might not be more miserable than others, but oue heard more of it. Whoever represents hu- manity, as Burns represents it, whoever was to utter its voice, as Burns utters it, must know its sufferings in his own heart, and endure them in bis own life. Some bear them belter, as Virgil— 'For gently comes the world to those 'That are cast in gentle mould.' Some carry them more fiercely, as Burns, but endure them all must, who would utter their com- plaint. In the Scottish phrase they were not there as 'doon-heartit loons' to 'make a poor mouth' over Burns, nor greatly to blame the world for its treatment of him. He bad received what lie would have valued more than wealth, or ease, or inglorious life: lie had added renown to the country lie. loved, anil for himself had gained that immortal garland, which was not to lie run for without dust and sweat."—From an Address by Mr. Andrew Lang, reported by the Times of January 26th, 1892. PERIODICAL LISTS OF NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS PUBLISHED ON THE CONTINENT. THE Author has from its commencement contained a monthly list of English "New Books and New Editions," and if the writer of these lines may judge from bis own experience, this list must have been found convenient and helpful, in different ways, by a great many authors, who will not need to be here reminded how useful the catalogue of "New Books mid New Editions" has on occasions proved, or how much labour of searching it lias sometimes saved them. The nim of the present article is to inform those authors who, having found this English list of use, would like to be provided with a similar periodical register of new publications in such European languages as they may happen to read, where they may procure regular periodical announcements of new books and new editions published in most of the countries of the continent. A word, in parenthesis, 011 the use of biblio- graphies and carefully compiled catalogues. The great assistance afforded by such publications to workers in every department of literature is so well understood by all who have served their apprentice- ship to letters, that experienced authors will probably consider any allusion to the subject superfluous. The case, however, is not quite the same with begin- ners. The literary tyro is generally ceasing to be a tyro when be wakes up to a consciousness of the enormous number of books that have, been already written and are at the present moment being  ## p. 279 (#683) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 279 written, and when ho realises that what other people are writing is n matter of importance to everyone who writes. Then he hegins to see that bibliographies and catalogues are indispensable to some, guides for many, and useful to all. No scientific work can l>e done without the assistance of bibliographies; no solid acquaintance with the belles-lettres of any language can exist apart from them. They save the beginner from undertaking work that has been already done. They discover to those engaged in increasing the sum of human knowledge the firm foundations already laid, upon Which others may securely build. They keep the busy contemporary author informed of all that is going on in the wide world of letters around him. This last service is especially performed by such periodical lists as appear in each number of the Author, anil in the works about to be mentioned below, and it is therefore hoped that the information here offered may be found of service to many. If it l>e found so, the following list may appear again, augmented, the compiler trusts, in a manner that will render the record less imperfect than it now necessarily is, in consequence of the small literary enterprise at present existing in many parts of the continent. In offering this list of periodical announcements of continental publications to the readers of the Author, the compiler begs to call their attention to the following points. The catalogues and bibliographies here enume- rated are not all of the same character. Some arc official publications, sonic trade circulars of various booksellers' unions, some simply announce- ments of new books sent out by leading houses for the convenience of their customers. Some are much more trustworthy than others. Some mention every publication that has appeared within a given period, so far as that is possible. Others record only the, books thought likely to be popular. The list is sadly imperfect. A good deal of trouble has been taken to obtain as far as possible bibliographies of each country, and the list is as complete as it has been found possible to make it. Unfortunately, several countries and several modern literatures have, at the present date, no regular {K>riodical announcements of new publications. This incidentally throws some interesting light upon the present literary activity and inactivity of certain countries. Thus Wallachia has a brave little monthly "catalogue" of new publications, Portugal none, ltussia and Poland have good monthly lists, and Bohemian books appear in the Austrian Booksellers' Correspondence. Put regular announcements of works in the other Slavonic languages are, just at present, lacking. Both the Slovansky Katalog, which contained all Slavonic literatures except Itussian, and the quarterly Anzeiger fitr Slavische IJtemtur, which contained works in all the Slavonic languages, have ceased to appear. Something that would take their place is a desideratum with Slavonic scholars. The literatures of the most unini]>ortant European languages, whose few publications are carefully recorded in learned periodicals, supported by scholars interested in special studies, are in better case than the literatures of Portugal, Servia, and Bulgaria. It has seemed, as a general rule, best to give the titles and addresses in the language of the periodical, and the rest of the information in English. In some cases a few notes, in square brackets, have been added, conveying information which appeared useful but was not contained in the periodical itself. The prices named arc those announced as the prices of the periodicals at the places of publication. Many mention a second higher price charged abroad or in the provinces. But in any case the purchaser in London will expect to \my considerably more. In the case of gratuitously circulated cata- logues too much reliance must not be placed upon receiving them, even when the postage is lor wan led. Most of the catalogues here named may l>e seen at Mr. D. Nutt's, 270, Strand. Bound volumes (not current numbers) of those marked * will be found in the British Museum Beading Boom. Press BB.B. Continental Literature in General. Monthly list of new books published in Germany, France, England, America, Italy, Spain, Scandi- navia, Bussia, and other countries. London : David Nutt, 270, Strand. [Annual subscription, is. A catalogue of selected works of a very handy sort. It may be fairly said to contain all recent foreign books of any real and general importance.] Scandinavia. Nordisk Boghandletertidende. Editor: E. Jes- persen. Published by the " Boghandlerforeningen." Copenhagen. Quarterly subscription, y5 ore [equal al>out lod. Published every Friday. Con- tains Danish, Norse, and Swedish publications]. Germany. Allgemeine Bibliographic fiir Deutschlaud. A weekly catalogue of all novelties in the German l>ook trade. Leipzic: J. C. Hinricbs. [Animal subscription, 7 marks 5o.]  ## p. 280 (#684) ############################################ z8o THE AUTHOR. Monutlickes Verzeichniss der Neuigkeiten und Fortsetzungen des Deutschen Buchhandels. [Same publisher. The contents are the .same as those of the " Allgemeine Bibliographic," but alphabetically arranged under authors' names. This catalogue is supplied only to subscribers to the "Borsenblatt fiir den Deutschen Buchlmndel."] Vierteljahrs-Catalog aller neuen Erscheinungen im Felde der Literatur in Deutschland. Wissen- schaftlich geordnct. [Same publishers. A quar- terly compendium of the contents of the "Allge- meine Bibliographic" Annual subscription, 9 marks.] •Verzeichniss der neu erschienen und neuauf- gelegten Biicher, Landkarten, etc. [Same pub- lishers. Appears half-yearly, and contains a Subject Index, as well as complete bibliography of the German publications of the previous .six months. Price of the volume (bound) varies; about 6 marks.] The following bibliography may also b? found useful to scholars :— Bibliographischer Monatsbericht iiber neu crschieuene Schul-und Universitiitsschriftcn. (Dissertationen. — Programmabhandlongen. — Habilitationsschriften, etc.) Leipsic. Gustav Fock, publisher. [Appears monthly. Annual subscription, 2 marks. Contains Classical Philology and Antiquities, Orientalia, Theology, Philosophy, Educational works, History and cognate subjects, Law, Political Economy,' Medi- cine, Natural Sciences, Exact Sciences, Chemistry.] Holland. Nederlandsche Bibliographic. Catalogue of new books, maps, etc. published in the Netherland and its foreign possessions. The Hague. Mart in us Nijhoff, publisher. [Apj>ears monthly. Annual subscription, 1 florin.] Belgium. ♦Bibliographic de Belgique. Journal officiel de la librarie paraissant le ier et le i5 de chaqne inois. A. Manceaux, editeur. Bue des Trois-Tetes, 12, Bruxelles. Abonnement annuel 4 francs. [Contains French, Flemish, and "Walloon publi- cations. An annual index of authors' names.] .France. Bibliographic de la France Journal general de l'imprimerie et de la librairie. Publid sur les Documents fournis jwir le Ministere de l'Intericur. Paraissant tous les Samedis. Au Cercle de la librairie, boulevard Saint Germain, 117. Paris. Abonnement: un an, 20 francs. [Annual indexes. Alphabetical index of titles. Alphabetical index of authors. Alphabetical index of new periodicals. "Table systematique," arranged under subject headings. This publication is the queen of periodical bibliographies.] Catalogue mensuel de la Librairie Francaise. Publisher, K. Nilsson. 8, Rue d'Alger. Paris. [Api>ears monthly and contains the principal works published in France, and in the French language in other countries. Annual subscription, 2 francs 5o. An alphabetical list of authors is published at the end of the year. Price, 2 francs.] Switzerland. •Bibliographic et chronique litteraire de la Suisse. Parait un fois par inois. Editeur, H. Georg. Bale. Prix par an, 4 francs. [Contains French, German, and Italian publications, and has a short annual index of authors' names.] Italy. •Giornale della Libreria della tipografia e delle urti e Industrie aflini. Published by the Associa- zionc Tipografico-Libraria Italiana. Milan. Via S. Giuseppe. No. 5. Published every Sunday. Annual subscription, 6 lire = 6 francs. The Bibliographia Italiana is published every fortnight, and not sold separately, but with the above journal. Annual subscription, 20 lire = 20 francs. [Two indexes every six months; one, alphabetical, of authors' names; the other arranged under subject- headings.] Novita della Letteratura Italiana. Published monthly by Ubrico Hocpli. Milan. Galleria De- Cristoforis, Nos. 59-63. These catalogues are distributed gratuitously to customers. Spain. •Bolctin de. la Libreria. Published monthly by M. Murillo. Madrid. Calle de Alcala, No. 7. Annual subscription, 20 reales = about 5 francs. [Two annual indexes: one of new works; authors' names, and titles of books alphabetically arranged together: the other of old works, similarly arranged.] Austria. Oesterreichisch-ungarische Buchhaudler-Corre- Rpondenz. Editor, A. Einsle. Published every Saturday. Vienna. Bieinergasse, No. 11. Annual subscription, 8 florins =16 marks. [Contains German, Bohemian, and Slovakian publications.]  ## p. 281 (#685) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 281 Hungary. Corvina. Organ of the Hungarian Booksellers' Union. Published on the 10th, 20th, and 3oth of every month. Editor, Aigner Lajos. Proprietors, The Hungarian Booksellers' Union. A Magyar Konyvkereskedok egylete. Budapest. Zsibarus Ulca, No. 1. [No price mentioned; appears to Ik? circulated amongst members of the union and their customers.] Wallaciiia. Catnlogu Mensual al Librfiriei Romaue. Pub- lished by Sosecu & Co. Bucharest. Calea Victoriel. No. 21. This catalogue is distributed gratuitously to customers. Russia. HnHXBbia IIoboctii. A monthly extract from the "Literary Messenger." Published by K. L. Rikker, St. Petersburg. Nevsky Prospect. No. 14. [Annual subscription, about 2s.? This catalogue contains Russian and Ruthenian = Little Russian publications. It is unique in mentioning in every case the number of copies constituting the edition.] Poland. Przewodnik Bibliograficzny. Published on the 1st of each month by G. Gebethner, Cracow. Annual subscription, 1 florin 25 cents. Greece. hi^XtoyfoupiKw AcXtuv. Published monthly by G. Kasdones. Athens. Bi/3Xiott&>X€i<>v tij$ 'Eor/af. Distributed gratis. [Contains, besides bibliography, occasional scraps of literary intelligence. Recent numbers have failed to reach Loudon, and the publication may, perhaps, have been abruptly discontinued.] As the publications above mentioned will be of use principally to students of foreign languages the following most valuable bibliography of all philo- logical and linguistic publications of all countries may be mentioned by way of conclusion. •Bibliotheea Philologica oder vierteljiihrliche systematisch geordnete Ucbersicht der auf dein Gebiete der gesainmten Philologie in Deutschlaud und dem Auslande neu erschieneuen Schrifteu und Zeitschriften-Aufsiitze. Herausgegeben von August Blau. Dr. phil. Giittingen. Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht. Annual subscription, 5 marks. [British Museum Reading Room. BB.T. c. 6.] Henry Cresswei.l. CORRESPONDENCE. 1. Illustration. To the Editor of the Author. Sir, It has been suggested that the observations you permitted me to make in the November number of the Author, on the "misuse of processes," would have been more practical if I had given any examples from lx>oks lately published. To do this at all thoroughly would take up too much space, and lead too far into technicalities. But it may be interesting, and useful, to take from the shelves of an editor's room two small books waiting for review; one with the fascinating title of " The Stream of Pleasure," the other " The Blue Poetry Book," by Andrew Lang. The illus- trations to "The Stream of Pleasure" are by that well-known artist Mr. Joseph Pennell, and are reproduced, for the most part, by mechanical (photo- relief) processes. They are interesting in a high degree as showing how an artist of great ability and experience can go wrong. I know of no book published last year in which so many drawings have been injured in reproduction. (See pages 72 and gg as examples in two different methods, tone and line, of "how not to do it,"—given a clever artist and the adjuncts of good paper and printing); and yet, if there is one man who should l>e able to show the way to draw for reproduction, it is the author of Pen and Pencil! All this is very hard upon the makers of "process" blocks. Turn from "The Stream of Pleasure" to "The Blue Poetry Book," illustrated by Mr. Lance- lot Speed, an artist whose work, from a purely artistic point of view, cannot be compared to that of Mr. Pennell, but who has a knowledge of technique,—and of the possibilities and limitations of the art of drawing for " process,"—equal, if not superior to, anyone in England. Some of your readers—artists, publishers or reviewers—may be "surprised to learn," on turning over the pages of "The Blue Poetry Book," that all the illustrations are reproduced by the same cheap processes as the line drawings in Mr. Pennell's lxx>k, and the latter artist's Russian drawings in the Illustrated London News of December 12th! I could quote other instances, but the above may serve. The serious side, as it seems to me, is not so much the mystification of reviewers as to methods of illustration, as the misleading and disheartening effect on students when they see the work of experts going so very wrong. I am, yours faithfully, Henry Blackburn. 123, Victoria Street, Westminster, 12th January i8g2.  ## p. 282 (#686) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. n. The New American Society. A correspondent writes to us concerning tliis new Society. "Our Association is growing in a surprising degree in the face of opposition arising, on the one hand, from persons whose self-interest is jeopardized, and, on the other, from a class too timid or cowardly or supine to demand a right. In addition to these two there is, perhaps, a third force operative against the progress of the measure; but combined, or singly, they will not prevail. "In this country, favourable to swift growth, conditions are auspicious to advancement, if there is this resolution to advance; and there is swift response to appeal for fair play, if that appeal is loud and broad enough to reach the people. "Already our Society has vice-presidents and auxiliaries in almost every State and territory of the United States, and will soon have them in all. It is not true that publishers who rob authors are rare in this country; on the contrary, they are so many that it may be said that the honourable men in the business are the exception, not the rule. Heretofore every whisper of this condition was carefully suppressed. The knowledge of it once diffused, it is greatly mitigated, if not abolished, in America, for it is against the spirit of the nation— the whole nation—to favour a wholesale pitiful thieving of that kind after it has been thoroughly made known Our Society will do a grcflt work. It is bound to demand nothing but the right." III. Press Copies. A correspondent calls attention to the fact that popular religious books as well as little story books are sometimes sent about broadcast to the papers. And another suggests that educational books are sent out in large numbers. Both statements are, doubtless, quite true. My own statement is also quite true. When one speaks of serious literature one does not exactly mean little story books or popular religious works. The "Lux Mundi," for instance, would not be sent out broadcast, but to a small and carefully chosen list of papers. As for educational books, they are sent out in large numbers, not to the papers, but to head masters. Sonic publishers are getting very chary of their books. I know a ease in which one book only—it was by a well-known author—was sent for review. It was to the Times. And the publisher always said that the absence of any other notice made no difference whatever to the book. W. B. IV. A Plea fob the Mild Domestic Novel. The feminine reading public owes the Author a debt for gently protesting against Mr. Andrew Lang's desire to witness a massacre of that poor innocent, " the common, mild, middle class domestic novel." If Mr. Lang's wish were carried out, lamentation and weeping would certainly lie heard in the land. I myself do not read the mild domestic novel, but I know many women who do, and I believe it is a mistake to suppose that " ladies in these cases are apt to let the supply regulate the demand." In what way is a taste for the mild domestic novel more reprehensible or regretable than a taste for the shilling shockers and three volume thrillers, which try to make up by wild improbability of scene and incident for slipshod writing and vacuous silliness? Is the mild domestic novel inferior in workmanship or good sense to the society novel flavoured with a little "sport," which delights the soul of the ordinary male novel reader? The ladies who make from fifty to a hundred pounds a year by supplying the mild domestic article—they have no monopoly of the trade, and gentlemen compete with them—deserve congratulation rather than reprobation, and when that happy day comes when the publisher no longer "sweats" the author, their incomes will increase astonishingly. Mr. Lang is frankly contemptuous of the femi- nine reading public, towards which Mr. Besant shows himself kindly condescending. We note the kindness, but the condescension also. Yet both these gentlemen owe a heavy debt of gratitude to "the ladies." Could they make inquiries they would probably find out that for every male reader they have ten female ones, or should 1 say twenty? The novelist or writer of literary essays who estranged tin; feminine reading public would indeed find his "occupation gone." Is the literary taste of the average (non-literary) Englishwoman less critical or at all inferior to that of the ordinary (non-literary) Englishman? I believe it to be on tin? whole superior. One wonders what Mr. Lang would projiose to give us in the place of the " common, mild, middle- class domestic novel," and there are indications which lead one to suppose that he would substitute unlimited "adventure stories," and the works of Dumas jiere. Well, thousands of Englishwomen have doubtless taken pleasure in " Treasure Island" and also in "Solomon's Mines," but a woman's taste for what are, strictly speaking, " boy's books" usually dies out before she is far on in her teens. A taste for Dumas should be cultivated early, and his works are not often to be found in girl's schoolrooms. The pai»cr covered volumes of the forcigu library are a more tempting substitute.  ## p. 283 (#687) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. The writer of this letter takes refuge alike from the mild domestic novel and the tale of the wild and wonderful in foreign fiction, which she believes to be quite harmless to her personally, but which certainly is not mild. But should those Indies in "deperately dull houses" of whom Mr. Besant speaks so feelingly (plenty of desperately dull houses, by the way, may l)e found in London), take to reading one hundred and thirty French novels a year, she would hesitate to regard the change as an improvement, and so she imagines would Mr. Lang. S. P. [I hope that the condescension attributed to me by the author of this letter was not observed in my remarks by any other reader.—W.B.] V. HOW? "I, myself, and I think a great many others would be very glad to get some information on two points which have always interested me. 1 want to know how a book gets read, that is, in what way the general public living all over the world gets to hear of a book, and is stimulated to read it? Next, I want to know how a book gets sold, that is to say, who buys the book, and how it is supplied? In the old days there were booksellers' shops. These exist still, but in number and importance quite out of proportion to the vast increase of the book trade. The Author is always insisting that we should learn all we can about the management of our property. Here is a branch of the management about which I, for one, know nothing." A Member. VI. Gerald Massey. "In the list of minor poets enumerated the other day by Mr. Traill, I observe a very curious omission. The name of Gerald Massey is not among them. Surely this is accidental. Gerald Massey's verse has been so long before the world, he has so many fine qualities, and so many admirers, that a list of living poets is incomplete without his name. The same may be said for Dr. W. C. Bennett." T. FROM THE PAPERS. I. Modern Poets. THERE are plenty of facts which warn us how difficult it is to generalise safely about lite- rature, and especially about poetry. At pre- sent we live under high pressure, as Mr. Lang, like so many other critics, has reminded us. We live among railways and telegraphs, and under conditions of instantaneous communication which enormously increase what Sir Arthur Helps used to call social pressure. Nothing less favourable to poetry, as the world used to believe, could be imagined; and yet we have around us a volume <Jf good poetical production greater, perhaps, than England ever saw before. Perhaps we have no Burns, but we have a crowd of excellent writers of verse, the least of whom would have been thought much of had he lived in Burns's day and written as he writes now. A critic in one of the recent magazines has taken the trouble to enu- merate quite sixty English writers of the present day, to whom, without any great indulgence, the name "poet" may be applied. There are major and minor among them, of course, and we may safely cut out half as not really important. But, even so, that leaves a larger numl>er than were ever to be found before producing work of that quality. Some of the names arc obvious, and every constant reader of poetry endeavours to keep up with whatever conies from the hand of our three chief poets—idas ! they were five before Browning and Matthew Arnold died. But beyond this small circle, how many writers of pure vein there are! How perfect are some lyrics of Stevenson; how noble the l>est order of Coventry Patmore; how tender and gracious the muse of Aubrey de Vere; how finished is Robert Bridges; how gem- like are the "vignettes" of Austin Dobson; how original, under their borrowed form, are the "ballades" of Mr. Lang himself! It may be that the highest poetry, which grows from seeds that are sown no one knows how, or when, or where, is best developed in a less crowded and less com- petitive society than ours; but it would at least appear that the mnnysidedness of modern life anil the width of modern culture bring their compen- sations with them. The greatest poet, whose home is "the general heart of men," may, perhaps, Ixdong only to a simpler world; though the question cannot be solved till either a Burns arises in modern London or till the world comes to an end. But, on the other hand, it does not seem probable that of literary poets, charming, elegant,  ## p. 284 (#688) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. and masters of their craft, there will ever cease to l>e a copious supply.—From the Times, January 26th, 1892. II. Names and Wokk. A wail comes from New England. The true literary worker, says he who waileth, is pushed aside to make room for the millionaire, the society woman, actresses, English lords and ladies, and "asinine royalties." He goes on to explain that the English nobilities have the pleasure of paying for their productions, which nobody buys or reads. In that case the English nobilities cannot do any injury to American or English litterateurs. We, therefore, on our side are blameless in this matter. Again, as we on this side do not read the feeble lwoks produced by American millionaires, we are not harmed by them. In fact, I am quite certain that l)oth here and across the water the production of feeble books, whether written by well-known people or not, does no harm either to literature or to men of letters. They are produced; they fall; they die; they are forgotten; they are more ephemeral than the day's paper, which does get read and produces its effect; and as nobody buys feeble books the true worker is not hurt. I have never been able to feel any sympathy with wratli— which seems to me simulated—over harmless little blocks of paper in guise of books. Let them be printed; they make work and jmiv for publishers, printers, paper-makers, book-binders, and adver- tising columns. And nol>odv reads them; and nobody is a bit the worse for them, except the author, who pays. However, this American writer, Mr. W. B. Harte {New England Magazine), seems to think he has a real grievance, and this is what he says. His remarks about certain noble English authors are omitted, not so much because they are uncom- plimentary as because they are superfluous. "We are told by the publishers that to-day is the day of 'big things' in literature. The ordinary old-fashioned means of achieving success are no longer adequate. This means book-making, not writing. The ' big things ' are books by men who have become famous or notorious—more often the latter—in finance, in politics, or on the turf, whose names, publishers say, attract the attention and pique the curiosity of the public. It is not big things by big literary men, but little things by men with big names, and usually an amazing illiteracy. "The late Admiral Porter's novels found pub- lishers because he was Admiral Porter, and for no other reason, William Waldorf Aster is a novelist too, and of course, being the head of the Astor family, he experiences no difficulty in finding a publisher, and perhaps less difficulty in obtaining the highest praise in the press. If James G. Blaine could 1x3 persuaded to write a novel, and draw his hero sitting before his own mirror, he would probably realise a million dollars for it. All the world would like to know what Mr. Blaine thinks of Mr. Blaine. Chauneey M. Depew, I am told, was offered a salary of one hundred thousand dollars a year for five years, if he would write editorials for one of the big newspapers. He probably thought his stock of old stories would not last as long as the contract demanded. He de- clined the offer. Senator Ingalls is credited with having refused two offers—one of ten thousand dollars a year, and another of twenty-five thousand dollars a year, to furnish three editorials a month to one of the leading periodicals of the country. This is probably a fish story, for it is said that Mr. Ingalls lives principally u]>on his literary work, now that he is not busy at Washington, and a man that lives by literary work would not be likely to refuse twenty-five thousand dollars a year for thirty-six flimsy editorials. There are other rumours that Mr. Thomas Piatt and Mr. Thomas B. Heed, and Mrs. Harrison, the President's wife, are also pes- tered with invitations to l>ecome literary lights. Mrs. P. T. Barnum has already made her debut in literature, and a startling debut it was. In Boston, every woman you meet in society has written at least one novel, and in New York the per-centage is abcut every other woman." III. Copyright in Lectures. THE forthcoming volume of hitherto unpub- lished lectures by Carlyle "On Successive Periods of European Culture" appears likely to give rise to some rather subtle questions of literary property. Practically the " Lectures Copy- right Act, 1835," has been a dead letter owing to its vexatious conditions. Where the lecture, how- ever, has not been given to the world, save by word of mouth, equity has been more kind, and Lord Eldon, in Abernethy's case, and Mr. Justice Kay, in the case of Nichols v. Pitman, eight or nine, years ago, laid it down that, whether the lecture had been committed by the lecturer to writing before delivery or not, a member of the audience would have no right to publish it for profit from shorthand notes. The contents of the forthcoming volume seem to have been obtained in this way when the lectures were delivered in 1838 at an institution near Portraan Square. Possibly they  ## p. 285 (#689) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. were read by Carlyle from an existing manuscript, in which case the right of his personal represen- tatives to restrain publication would be unques- tionable. It is possible, on the other hand, that they were mere orations that were never committed by the author to wiling either before or after delivery, in which case there would be nothing wherewith to compare the forthcoming book on the question of infringement. It is a curious feature in the case that if the representatives of the reporter, who was probably the only pei^on who took these lectures down, cannot be restrained, they will, though they are neither the author nor the assignees of the author, virtually have secured a copyright in the book running for forty-two years; because though the original source may have been open to all, one man may not copy another man's report. These are the lectures of which Leigh Hunt said that it seemed "as if some Puritan had come to life again, liberalised by German philosophy and his own intense reflections and experience j" but a Scotch gentleman, who was also present, was only moved to exclaim, "Can any living man point to a single practical passage in these lectures? and if not, what is Mr. Carlyle himself but a phantom ?"— Dally News, January 6th, 1892. IV. A New Tkerob. Again does English law come forward with a decision calculated to develop the bump of caution in publishers. A firm in Sydney issued a sub" scription work in two volumes, entitled "Aus- tralian Men of Mark." A certain subscriber declined to take the books, on the ground that his own biography did not appear therein, although the promise had been made him that it should so appear. The publishers brought suit to compel performance of contract, but the Chief Justice of New South Wales, Sir Frederick Darley, threw them out of court. His decision took a wider range than the contention of the defendant that a private understanding had been violated, and was based upon the broad ground that the contents of the book did not correspond to its title. He declared that the biographies it contained were of merely local celebrities, who had no right to lie considered as Australian men of mark. In view of this fact, the Chief Justice decided not only that the defendant should be acquitted, but that, in general, all contracts entered into on account of the book were null and void. This certainly adds a new difficulty to the traditional ones of an author in choosing a title for his writings. Of what avail to select a taking name, when it may only result in a prosecution for obtaining money under false pretences? Particularly ominous is this decision for the publishers of such works as "The Best Books" or "The Greatest Thing in the World." A buyer with a different standard of judgment from the author's may hereafter throw such books back on the publishers with a demand for a refund. The principle must apply to sub-titles also, and this suggests tin; danger of appending "a poem" or "a farce " to an otherwise legally unobjectionable title.—The Nation (New York), January 7, 1892. V. Literature and the State. "He has l>een loudly blamed for his insensibility to literary merit; so far, at least, as such sensibility is shown by distribution of the funds and patronage of the Crown. We do not know what were his principles as to such matters, for during his 20 years of government he was, though assailed by Mathias and Montagu, never taken to task in Parliament on that subject. This fact, while it deprived us of his explanation, throws so remark- able a light on contemporary opinion as possibly to illnstrate his own. If he was convinced that literature, like war, thrived l>est upon subsidy, he was culpable indeed. But it Ls conceivably possible that he may have thought differently. He may have lielieved that money does not brace but relax the energies of literature; that more Miltons have remained mute and inglorious under the suffocation of wealth than under the frosts of penury; that, in a word, half the best literature of the world has been produced by duns. Pension- less poetry may at least bear comparison with that which has flourished upon bounties. Under the chill rays of Pitt, we had Burns, Wordsworth, Cowper, Southey, Scott, Coleridge, Canning, Cralle, Joanna Baillie, Rogers; and even under the tropical effusion of twelve hundred a year, dispensed in heat-drops of fifty or a hundred pounds apiece, we have had nothing conspicuously superior. It is not easy at any rate to cite the names of many eminent men of letters who have received material assistance from the State since the time of Pitt, Hook, and Moore had reason even to curse the ill-judged bounty of their country, and yet they were provided with lucrative offices. Nothing, Pitt may have thought, is so difficult as for a Parliamentary Government to encourage literature. It may begin by encouraging a Shakespeare, but it is far more likely to discover a Pye. You start with a genius and end with a job."  ## p. 286 (#690) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. The above is from Lord Rosebcrv's "Pitt." It is a jMissage wortli reading. But the author is not probably aware that all sueeessive Governments have followed the example of Pitt in his insensibility to literary claims. It is true that they get every year £1,200 for literature, science, and art, but as they always give it away to widows and daughters of men in the Army, Navy, and Civil Services, literature remains where it was in the days of Pitt. VI. The Commonest Delusions. Beginners in literature nurse one delusion with singular persistence. Next to the confidence that they have in their own genius, the strongest basis of all their hopes of success is the imaginary" friend at court," whose interposition in their behalf is one day to launch them into the full tide of fame and fortune. The most pathetic part of every well-established writer's experience is connected with the letters he receives from ambitious young people, who fancy that all they need is a note of recommendation. The covert meaning of these letters is that the beginner has extraordinary talent, against which all the editors have studiously set their faces. Of course, such a theory is known to be preposterous by every competent writer who easts a glance back over the road by which he lias come to success in his profession. No amount of friendly recom- mendation can advance the interests of an aspirant for literary rewards. The editor cares not a lig for any man's "influence"; the publisher depends upon his well-paid literary advisers. This is so, and it is right tliat it is so. The vision of a " friend at court" is at best a dishonest vision. The writer who indulges it loses self-respect with every glance, every thought, every calculation connected with it. A friend at court is a lobbyist, who is to work the writer's manuscripts into the favour of editor or publisher by means of a powerful influence not inherent in the manuscript itself. In the first place, the man or woman who would accept any success in literary life, save that com- pelled by the intrinsic value of art and thought, could never feel a clear right to what is highest and best in that life. Doubtless young persons whose imaginations have become inflamed by literary ambition do not fully realise the shame of contem- plating any means of forcing accomplishment save simple desert. From America. ■ "AT THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." Who wrote the poem called "The Children," ascribed to Charles Dickens? Mr. Douglas Sladen sends an interesting note on the subject to the Atherueum of January 16. When in New York in i88g he was introduced by Mr. E. C. Stedman to Mr. Charles M. Dickinson as the real author of the ]K)em. In his book called "Younger American Poets," Mr. Sladen has included the }>oem with the name of Mr. Dickinson as author, on that gentle- man's own authority. He then received a letter from a lady in Australia stating that the real author of the poem was a certain man named Zachariah Sutcliffe, who died in Melbourne in 1891. This Sutclifte, the lady stated, possessed an auto- graph letter from Charles Dickens, thanking him for sending a copy of the poem, and expressing admiration of it. Where is that autograph letter, and what can Mr. Dickinson tell us of the circumstances attendant upon the birth of the poem? Mr. Justin Huntly McCarthy has in the press a volume of Selections from Hattz. The book will be published by Nutt. Mr. Eugene Field in the Chicago News attacks those who use the word wended. He says there, is no such word. "Infinitive, To wend; \ti\si, went." Yes, but there is nothing to exclude the other form of the past. One would rather sin with Scott than be correct with Mr. Eugene Field. A lady of San Francisco, Mrs. Flora Haines Longhead, has begun the publication of her novels, with the simple assistance of a bookseller. John Ituskin has long done the same thing with his works. There is no reason at all why, with some simple machinery of an agent or salesman, authors of standing should not imitate this example. Is the time ripe for such a step? That it will be taken before long no one who can read the temper and spirit of the times can possibly doubt. Mr. Joseph Hatton has in the press a volume of reminiscences called "Cigarette Papers." Mr. Hatton's experience has been so wide and varied that the work ought to be most interesting. It is when such a book as Mackail's " Epigrams from the Ci reek Anthology" (Longmans) appears that we regret not having space to give for such a review as would do justice to a volume produced by a scholar for scholars. When our members are numbered by the thousand instead of by the hundred, the Author will be able to do justice to such books as these—rare and few and far between.  ## p. 287 (#691) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 287 Mr. Brander Matthews has published (Chatto and Windus) in London his "Dramatic Essays of Charles Lamb." There is an introductory essay of his own which is well worthy of the subject. Mr. Matthews is one of the very few English speaking writers who can speak about the theatre and thinjr* dramatic. A pamphlet entitled, " Intemperance: its Causes and Remedies," by Mr. W. Beatty-Kingston, is about to be published by Messrs. Routledgc & Co. Mr. C. J. Wills has in the press "His Sister's Hand," a novel in three volumes, to be published in January, and, to be published in March, "In and about Bohemia," a collection of short stories. The publishers of both books are Messrs. Griffith and Farran. Professor Middleton has in the press :— 1. "The Lewis collection of Engraved Gems," with an introductory essay. One vol., 8vo. Clay and Sons, Cambridge. 2. "The Remains of Ancient Rome." Two vols., 8vo. A. and C. Black, London. (This month.) 3. "The Art and Technique of Illuminated MSS." One vol., large 8vo. Cambridge University Press. (In press.) Mr. Thomas Macquoid's new novel is to be published by Messrs. Innes & Co. It will be in two volumes. The title is "Maisie Derrick," and the work will be ready shortly. The Clarendon Press will shortly issue a thin quarto volume, containing twelve facsimiles of pages of important Old English MSS., from the Ninth to the Fifteenth Century, accompanied by transcriptions and a palasogrophical introduction by Professor Skeat. This is, in some degree, a new departure. There is no reason why reproductions from old manuscripts should not become familiar to all who care for them. A little monthly journal—the youngest and the smallest—has been sent to me. It contains, on four pages, nothing at all but songs written for music. The writers of these songs pay so much for insertion of their productions, which are classified under the heads of Nautical, Amatory, Martial—is it without meaning that the love songs stand between the Nautical and the Martial, between the Sailor and the Soldier?—Sacred, Pathetic, Humourous, and Tragic. Each poet affixes the price of his verses for the information of the happy composer who may secure them. In the Humourous, one remarks, we do not excel. The Editor promises to post the paper to as many composers as he can find. Why not? The verses are not a bit worse than most of those which form our popular ditties. The rhymes are our dear old familiar ones: The wavelet gleams and the maiden dreams: the Pilgrim sings his Song of Faith and the Matin Bell awakes: the reaper touches his brow and angels bear him home: when the lilies bloom again, my love, when the lilies bloom again. For thou art the star of night, and I am a shadow apart, longing for one ray of light to gladden the shade of my heart. Let us wish every success to the song writers. Perhaps they have got their chance at last. Vol. V. of "Bible True from the Beginning," by the Rev. E. Gough, B.A., is just issued. It deals with early portions of the Gospels. Mr. M. Powis Bale's book on Steam Pumps and Pumping (Crosby Lockwood and Son) is going into a second edition. It will be ready early this month. Mr. Charles T. C. James's new novel, entitled "Holy Wedlock," will appear almost immediately in a single volume (Ward and Downey). A fourth edition of "Nature's Fairyland," by Mr. H. W. L. Worsley-Benison (Elliot Stock,5*.), has been issued. The following books, by Miss Seliua Gaye, have been recently published by T. Nelson and Sons: "Dickie Winton, or Between Gate and Front Door," "All's Well that Ends Well," being a reprint of "A Storm in a Tea-cup," "Ilka, the Captive Maiden, and other Stories from Hungarian History." Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson has in the press a volume of Essays, which will be published by Messrs. Chatto and Windus next month. We learn from the Athenaum that Mr. Steven- son has also ready a volume on Samoa, and the novel written in collaboration with Mr. Lloyd Osborn, which has l>een running in Scribner. Mr. Walter Besant will bring out in April, in volume form (Chatto and Windus), the papers which he has contributed to Harpers' Magazine during the last nine months on London. The papers, which had to be cut down to meet the limited space of the magazine, will be published as they were 'written, with additions. Mr. John Underbill has in the press (Walter Scott & Co.), a selection from the Athenian Oracle. There will be an introductory essay by Mr. Underhill, and a letter by Mr. Walter Besant.  ## p. 288 (#692) ############################################ 288 THE AUTHOR. Mr. Wilfred Meynell has in press a monograph on Cardinal Manning. No one is more fitted for the task, if long friendship can constitute fitness. When an author arrives at the dignity of being the subject of critical essays and a bibliography, it is a sign that there is not much left between him- self and the top of the tree. This is the case with Mr. Thomas Hardy. The first number of the Albemarle is pre- mising. To say that some of the articles are good because they are short may sound hardly com- plimentary, but it is the case. For example, the head master of Haileybury's little essay makes us all understand the Greek question at schools. We may agree, or we may not, with his answer, but at any rate we know what the question is. And that, we take it, is a distinct advance for most of us. Mr. Oscar Browning's article on the Primrose League is witty and pretty, and Miss Mabel Robinson's Storicule—to poach from Punch—is a very clever and pathetic sketch. One of the later volumes of the Pseudonym Library, " Some Emotions and a Moral," by John Oliver Hobbes, has just fallen into my hands. It is a brilliant little book! There is no story —that is to say, not much—but it is brilliant. And who is John Oliver Hobbes? You swear first that it is a man, and next, from a touch, a word, a way of presentment, that it is a woman, but you can never be quite certain which it may be. The writing is so good that it suggests the influence of many summers and much experience; yet I think the author is young. There is a curious sort of contempt for all that so many frail mortals find fascinating, running through the whole story, and this, I think, is more likely to have sprung from early cleverness than from later disillusion. But, I repeat, a brilliant little book! FOR DISPOSAL. Two £5o shares in a well-known leading Review. Apply to J.N., care of Secretary. NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS. Theology. Alexander, Wm., D.D. The Leading Ideas of the Gospels. Macmillan. 6s. Alford, B. H. Nutford Place Sermoni. Preached in St. Luke's Church by. David Stott. Bird, Rev. J. J. L. The Homilist. A Magazine for all who are engaged in preaching, teaching, or studying the Word of God. Edited by. Volume LXII. Houlston, Paternoster Buildings, E.G. 7s. 6d. Bevan, A. A., M.A. A short Commentary on the Book of Daniel, for the use of Students. At the Cambridge University Press. Brooke, Kev. S. A. "Short Sermons." Macmillan and Co. 6s. Church, Dean. Village Sermons preached at Whatley by the late. Macmillan. 6s. Hughes, Rev. H. Price. Ethical Christianity: A Series of Sermons. "Preachers of the Age " Series. With Portrait. Sampson Low. 3s. 6<f. Hugh-Games, Vex. Archdeacon. The One Book. A Treatise on the unique character of the Bible. Hunt, Paternoster Row. 3*. 6<f. Jamieson, George, D.D. Revised Theology: the Church as it ought to be compared with the Church as it is. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. Julian, John. A Dictionary of Hymnology, setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations, with special reference to those contained in the hymn books of English-speaking countries, and now in common use; together with Biographical and Critical Notices of their Authors and Translators, and Historical Articles on National and Denominational Hymnody, Breviaries, Missals, Primers, Psalters, Sequences, &c. Edited by. John Murray. zl. is. Kitchen, Rev. J. A. On the Use of Models and Objects for Scripture Teaching. Church of England School Institute, is. id. Religious Systems op the World: a Collection of Addresses delivered at South Place Institute. Second Edition, with several new Articles. Swan Sonnenschein. Warren, Right Hon. Robert, LL.D. The Kingdom of Christ and the Church of Ireland. Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. History and Biography. Burnblana: a collection of literary odds and ends re- lating to Robert Burns. Compiled by John D. Boss. Round Burn's Grave: the pecans and dirges of many bards gathered together. By John D. Ross. New and enlarged edition. Alexander Gardner. Ellis, Rev. J. J. Thomas Cromwell. "Men with a Mission" series. Nisbet, Berners Street, is. History of Art in Persia, from the French of Georges Perrot and Charles Chipiez. Illustrated. Chapman and Hall. 21s.  ## p. 289 (#693) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 289 Kate, Walter J. The Leading Poets of Scotland from early times. Illustrated. Simpkin, Marshall. Lawbon, Sir Wilfrid, M.P. Wisdom Grave and Gay, being select Speeches of, chiefly on Temperance and Prohibition. With biographical sketch. Selected and edited by R. A. Jameson (by permission). Partridge and Co. is. net. Langhorne, J. and W. Plutarch's Lives of Alexander the Great and Julius Ctesar. Translated by. Cassell's National Library. Cloth, 6d. Leckt, W. E. H. A History of England in the Eighteenth Century. New edition. Vol. L Longmans. 6s. Life of Archibald Campbell Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury. By Randall T. Davidson, D.D., Bishop of Rochester, and William Benham, D.D., Honorary Canon of Canterbury. Third edition, in two volumes. Macmillan. 10s.net. Longmobe, Surgeon-General Sir T. Richard Wiseman, Surgeon and Sergeant-Surgeon to Charles II., a bio- graphical study. With portrait and illustrations. Longmans, ics. 6d. Medhurst, Rev. C. E. The Rev. Samuel Strong Forster, M.A., for 19 years Head Master of the College for Blind Sons of Gentleman, Worcester. A brief account of bis life and work on behalf of the higher education of the blind. Deighton, High Street, Worcester, Paper covers. Morris, Mowbray. Montrose. English Men of Action Series. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. Moule, H. C. G., M.A. Charles Simeon. English Leaders of Religion Series. Mcthuen and Co. 2s. 6d. Wood, Rev. Theodore, F.E.S. The Rev. J. G. Wood: a Naturalist's Life and Labours. Popular edition, with portrait. Cassell. 5*. Fiction. Alexander, Mrs. Mammon: A Novel. 3 vols. William Heinemann. 3is. 6d. Ahstey, F. The Talking Horse, and other Tales. Smith, Elder. Armstrong, Jessie. From Out the Past: A Story. Houlston, Paternoster Square, is. Cameron, Mrs. Lovett. Weak Woman: A Novel. 3 vols. F. V. White and Co., 3i, Southampton Street, W.C. 5*. Combe, T. Jonquille: or, The Swiss Smuggler. Translated from the French by Beatrix L. Tollemache. Percival and Co. 6s. Cbes8well, Henry. Fairest of Three: a Novel. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. FooERTY, J. Mr. Jocko: a Novel. 3 vols. Ward and Downey. Giberne, Agnes. Tim Tcddington's Shoes. Home Words Office, Paternoster Square, is. Griffith, Cecil. Corinth in Marazion. A Novel. 3 vols. Chatto and Windos. Haggard, H. Rider. Beatrice. A Novel. Fourth edition. Longmans. 3s, 6d. Hbwett, Georgb. In Nelson's Days. Wells, Gardner and Co. James, C. T. C. Holy Wedlock: a Story of Things as they are. Ward and Downey. Krikorian, Jessie. A Knave and a Fool. A Novel. Second Edition. Eden, Remington. Leith-Adams, Mrs. A Garrison Romance. Eden, Remington. Lytton, Lord. Kenelm Chillingly. The Caxton Novels. Author's Copyright edition. Routledge. Paper covers. M'Lennan, Malcolm. Muckle Jock, and other Stories of Peasant Life in the North. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. Martin, Emily. Even Mine Own Familiar Friend. A Novel. 2 vols. Sampson Low. 12*. Mercier, Mrs. Jerome. Arum Field: or, Life's Reality. Wells, Gardner and Co. No Rent. By the Author of "Society's Verdict," " The Family Story-Teller." Stevens, Strand. Peard, F. M. The Baroness: a Dutch Story. 2 vols. Bentley. Phillips-Wooley, C. Snap: a Legend of the Lone Mountain. With Illustrations by H. G. Willink. New edition. Longmans. 3». 6d. Roberts, Morley. King Billy of Ballarat, and other Stories. Lawrence and Bullcn. New Bond Street. Russell, W. Clark. Mrs. Dines' Jewels: a Mid-Atlantic Romance. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. Scarron, Paul. The Comical Romance and other Tales. Done into English by Tom Brown of Sbifnal, John Savage, and others. With an introduction by J. J. Jusserand. Illustrated from the designs of Oudry. 2 vols. Lawrence and Bullen, New Bond Street. Sergeant, Adeline. Under False Pretences. A Novel in 3 vols. Ward and Downey. Tasma. L^ncle Piper of Piper's Hill. A Novel. W. Heinemann. 3s. 6d. Tourg£e, Albion W. A Son of Old Harry. A Novel. Illustrated. Breutano's, Agar Street, Strand. 6s. Ward, Mrs. Humphry. The History of David Grieve. 3 vols. Smith, Elder. Wassrrmann, Lilias. The Daffodils. A Story. Chatto and Windu;. WurrcOME-RiLEY, James. An Old Sweetheart of Mine. Gay and Bird. 10s. Wilford, Florence. Vivia: a modern Story. Wells, Gardner and Co. Yonge, Charlotte M. Mothers in Council. Edited by. Vol. I. Wells, Gardner, Darton. General Literature. Allen, M. L. Luncheon Dishes. Kegan Paul. Paper covers, is. Almanack, 1892. Embossed in the Braille type by the British and Foreign Blind Association, Cambridge Square, Hyde Park. Anderson, Capt. L. Among Typhoons and Pirate Craft. With illustrations. Chapman and Hall. 5s. Bailey, Welleslet C. The Lepers of our Indian Empire; a Visit to them in 1890-91. J. F. Shaw, Paternoster Row.  ## p. 290 (#694) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Bastable, C. F., LL.D. The Commerce of Nations. Methuen & Co. is. 6d. Beerbohm Tbke, H. Some Interesting Fallacies of the Modern Stage. An Address delivered at St. James's Hall. William Heinemann. 6d. Browne, Sir Thomas. Heligio Medici, and other Essays. Edited, with an introduction, by D. Lloyd Boberts, M.D., F.E.C.P. The Stott Library. David Stott. Burdett, Henry C. Hospitals and Asylums of the World: their Origin, History, Construction, Administration, Management, and Legislation. In 4 vols. Vol. I., Asylums—History and Administration; Vol. II., Asylums Construction, with plans and bibliography. Churchill, New Burlington Street, W. 4/. 10s. Defok, Daniel. Kohinson Crusoe. Cheap illustrated edition. Griffith, Farran. Paper covers. 6d. Denning, David. The Art and Craft of Cabinet-making. With illustrations. Whittaker, White Hart Street. 5*. Ehrenfechteb, C. A. Technical Study in the Art of Pianoforte-playing (Deppe's principles). With illus- trations. Beeves, Fleet Street. FiTzoEBALD, Percy. The Art of Acting. Swan Sonncn- schein & Co. Gatehouse, T. E. The Strange History of a Dynamo. Alabaster, Gatehouse & Co., Paternoster Bow. 1*. Grekn, J. L. The Old Yeomen of England and Small Holdings in Land. Marlborough, Old Bailey. Paper covers. Hailstone, H. The Clergy List, 1892. Edited by. Kelly, Great Queen Street, W.C. Hasluck, P. N. Milling Machines and Processes. With engravings. Crosby Lockwood. Heoderwick, T. C. H. The Parliamentary Election Manual. Stevens, Chancery Lane. 7*. 6d. Howe, W. F. Classified Directory to the Metropolitan Charities for 1892. Seventeenth annual edition. Longmans, is. Jenktns, C. Carlyon. Hard Life in the Colonies, and other experiences by sea and land. Now first printed. Compiled from private letters by. Illustrated. Ad- venture Series. Fisher Unwin. 5s. Johnson, V. E., B.A. Egyptian Science, from the Monu- ments and Ancient Books, treated as a general intro- duction to the History of Science. Griffin, Farran & Co. 3s. 6d. The Journal ok the Boyal Agricultural Society ok England. Third scries. Vol. II., Part IV., No. VIII. John Murray. Paper covers. 3s. 6d. Keene, H. G. The Literature of France. University Extension Manuals series. John Murray. 3». Keene, J. Boddely. Power and Force, Spiritual and Natural, their discreted differences, mutual inter- relation, and specific atmospheres. Fisher LTnwin. 3s. 6d. Laveleye, M. Kmilk de. Letters from Italy. Translated by Mrs. Thorpe and revised by the author. Popular edition. Fisher Unwin. 3s. 6d. Lean, Lt.-Col. Francis. The Boyal Navy List, January 1892. Witherby & Co. 7s. 6d, Lloyd, W. W. P. and O. Pencillings. Published for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company by Day and Son, Berners Street, W. Losing, G. B., M.D. A Year in Portugal, 1889-90. G. P. Putnam's Sous. Marshall, Mrs. A. B. Larger Cookery Book of Extra Becipes. Dedicated to Princess Christian. With portrait and illustrations. Simpkin, Marshall. Meredith, George. The Tragic Comedians. A study in a well known story. New edition. With introductory note on Ferdinand Lassalle by Clement Shorter. Ward, Lock, Bowden. 6». Mill, H. K., D.Sc. The Bealm of Nature, an Outline of Physiography. With mai>s and illustrations. Uni- versity Extension Manual Series. John Murray. Ocean Steamships: a Popular Account of their Construc- tion, Development, Management, and Appliances. By F. E. Chadwick, U.S.N., J. D. J. Kellev, U.S.N., Kidgely Hunt, U.S.N., J. H. Gould, W. H! Kideiug, and A. E. Seaton. With illustrations. John Murray. 12s. Ochorowicz, Db. J. Mental Suggestion. With a preface by Charles Bichet. Translated from the French by J. T. Fitzgerald, M.A. Gay and Bird, King William Street, W.C. 10s. 6d. Payne, A. G. Vegetarian Cookery: a Manual of Cheap and Wholesome Diet. Cassell. is. 6d. Beeves, Edward. Homeward Bound, after 3o years. A Colonist's Impressions of New Zealand, Australia, Tangier, and Spain. Illustrated. Swan Sonnenscheiu & Co. Boss, Bonald. The Deformed Transformed. Chapman and Hall. 3s. 6d. Bussell, Henry. The Kuiu of the Soudan: Cause, Effect, and Bemedy. A Resume of Events, 1883-1891. Assisted by William Gattie. With maps and illustra- tions. Sampson Low. Bussell, Stuart A. Electric Light Cables, and the Dis- tribution of Electricity. With illustrations. Volume of the Specialist Series. Whittaker. Bussell, T. B. Last Year: the Events of 1891, with a Chronological Table, Obituary, and Appendix. With portraits and maps. Foxwell, Temple Chambers, is. Stables, Gobdon, M.D., B.N. The Girl's Own Book of Health and Beauty. Jarrold, Paternoster Buildings. 2s. 6d. Stuart, Villiers. Adventures Amidst the Equatorial Forests and Rivers of South America; also in the West Indies and the Wilds of Florida; to which is added "Jamaica Revisited." With illustrations and maps. John Murray. Skating. By J. M. Heathcote and C. G. Tebbutt. Figure Skating. By T. Maxwell Witham. With Contri- butions on Curling (the Rev. John Kerr), Tobogganing (Ormond Hake), Ice-sailing (Henry A. Buck), Bandy (C. G. Tebbutt). Illustrated by C. Whymper and Captain B. M. Alexander, and from photographs. Volume of the Badminton Library. Longmans. 10s. 6d. Stepniak, S., and W. Westaxl. lu Two Moods. From the Bussian of Korolenko. Ward and Downey. Taylor, J. Traill. The Optics of Photography and Photographic Lenses. Illustrated. Whittaker. 3s. 6d Tollemache, Beatrix. Grison's Incidents in Olden Times. Percival & Co. 2s. 6rf.  ## p. 291 (#695) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Toller, T. Nortiicote. An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. Based on the Manuscript Collections of the late Joseph Bosworth, D.D., F.li.S. Edited and enlarged by. Part IV., Section i. Clarendon Press. 8*. 6rf. Tyndall, John1, FJ5.A. New Fragments. Longmans. 104. 6ll. Vkee, Aubrey de. The Legends of Saint Patrick. Cassell's National Library. Cloth. 6d. Wardle, Thomas. Tussur Silk, a paper read at the Society of Arts on May 14th, 1891, by. Trounce, Gough Square, Fleet Street. West, B. B. Half Hours with the Millionaires. Arranged and edited by. Longmans. 6». Educational. Babtholomew, J. G. The Globe Hand Atlas. Nelson, Paternoster Row. 2s. 6d. FitKAM, W., LL.D. Elements of Agriculture: a Text-book, prepared under the authority of the Royal Agricultural Society of England by. John Murray. 2s. 6d. Gabdineb, S. R. A Student's History of England. Vol. III., 1689-1885. Longmans. 4*. A Student's History of England; from the earliest times to 1885. Complete in 1 volume, with illustrations and index. Longmans, izs. Gawthrop. A Manual of Practical Instruction in the Art of Brass Repousse for Amateurs. Artificer in brass and iron. Illustrated. Sutton, Drowley, Ludgate Hill. Paper covers, is. Harrison-, W. Jkromk. Guides to the Science and Art Department Examinations in Magnetism and Electri- city, and answers to questions, 1883-91. Blackie, Old Bailey. Paper covers. Manual of Horticulture and Agriculture, 1891. Published by Kelway and Son, Langport, Somerset. Paper covers. i.t. Half's Rapid Road to Spanish. Parts I. and II. Second edition, revised and enlarged. George Philip, Fleet Street. 5s. each. Sullt, James, M.A. The Human Mind: a Text-book of Psychology, 2 vols. Longmans. 21s. Tobbend, J. A Comparative Grammar of the South African Bantu Languages. Kegan Paul. Poetry and the Drama. Bell, Mrs. Hugh. Nursery Comedies. Twelve tiny plays for children. Longmans, is. 6d. Bbadshaw, John. The Poetical Works of John Milton. Kdited by. 2 vols. Aldine Kdition. George Bell, u. 6d. each. Butler, A. Gray. Harold: a Drama in Four Acts, and other Poems. Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press Warehouse. 5s. Cooksox, Lt.-Col. Fife. A Dream of Other Days: a Romantic Poem. Kegan Panl. Davidson, John. In a Music Hall, and other Poems. Ward and Downey. Dobson, Austin. Poems and Plays of Oliver Goldsmith. Edited by. J. M. Dent and Co. Lang, Andrew. Selected Poems of Robert Bums, with an introduction by. Kegan Paul. Lovat, Lady. Seeds and Sheaves: Thoughts for Incur- ables. With prefatory verses by Aubrey de Vere. Kegan Paul. Matthews, Brander. The Dramatic Essays of Charles Lamb. Edited, with an introduction and notes by. Chatto and Windus. Scully, W. C. Poems. Fisher Unwin. Siiarpe-Younos, Ella. Khartoum: a Lyrical Drama in five acts. Published at San Remo. Paper covers. Sinclair, May. Essays in Verse. Kegan Paul. Tynan, Katharine. Ballads and Lyrics. Kegan Paul. Yolande. The Church's Seasons, and other Verses. Longmans. 4s. 6d. Science. E. H. A New Departure in Astronomy: the Revolution of the Solar System. Chapman and Hall. Paper covers. 2*. Wagner, Rudolf von. Manual of Chemical Technology. Translated and Edited by William Crookes, F.R.S., from the 13th German edition as remodelled by Dr. F. Fischer. With illustrations. Churchill. 32». Waite, A. E. The Occult Sciences: a compendium of transcendental doctrine and experiment. Kegan Paul. Parliamentary Papers. Calendar of the Department of Science and Art for 1892, is. 6d.; Return as to Hours of Closing in Scotland, id. j Return—County Boroughs (Rates and Receipts from Local Taxation Account), $d.; Return (in part) as to Alien Immigration during December, \d.; Return as to the National Debt, 3d. The Annual Local Taxation Returns, 1889-90; Part II., $\d. List of Parliamentary Papers for sale, with prices and postage affixed, 1890-91. Kyre and Spottiswoode.  ## p. 292 (#696) ############################################ ADVERTISEMENTS. THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE. THIS Association is established for the purpose of syndicating or selling the serial rights of authors in magazines, journals, and newspapers. It has now been at work for more than a year, and has transacted a very satisfactory amount of business during this period. It has also entered upon a great number of engagements for the future. The following points are submitted for consideration :— 1. The management is voluntary and unpaid. No one makes any profit out of the Syndicate, except the authors who use its services. 2. The commission charged on the amounts received covers the expenses of clerks, travellers, rent, and printing. As work increases this may be still further reduced. 3. Only the serial rights are sold for the author. He receives his volume rights and copyright. 4. The Syndicate has an American agent. 5. The Syndicate will only work for members of the Society. 6. Its offices are on the same floor as those of the Society, and its assistance and advice are always at the service of the Society. 7. Authors are warned that no syndicating is possible for them until they have already attained a certain amount of popularity. 8. The Syndicate acts as agent in every kind of literary property. W. MORRIS COLLES, Honorary Secretary. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.  ## p. 293 (#697) ############################################ ADVERTISEMENTS. 293 Cfje i?wtetg of gutfiors (EncorporatrtO- PRESIDENT. Thk Right Hon. the LORD TENNYSON, D.C.L. Sie Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E. Alfbkd Austin. A. W. k Beckett. Robert Bateman. Sir Henry Berone, K.C.M.G. Walter Besant. Augustine Birrell, M.P. R. D. Blackmore. Rev. Prof. Bonnet, F.R.S. Lord Brabourne. James Bryce, M.P. P. W. Clayden. Edward Clodd. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Marion Crawford. Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G. COUNCIL. The Earl of Desart. A. W. Dubouro. John Eric Erichsen, F.R.S. Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S. Herbert Gardner, M.P. Richard Garnett, LL.D. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Rudyard Kipling. Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. J. M. Lely. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. F. Max Muller, LL.D. George Meredith. Herman C. Merivale. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake, F.L.S. Hon. Counsel—E. M. Underdown, Q.C. J. C. Parkinson. The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., LL.D. Walter Herriks Pollock. A. G. Ross. George Augustus Sala. W. Baptiste Scoones. G. R. Sims. J. J. Stevenson. Jas. Sully. William Moy Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. Baron Hknby de Worms, M.P., F.R.S. Edmund Yates. A. W. a Beckett. Hon. John Collier. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—Walter Besant. I W. Martin Conway. 1 H. Rider Haggard. I Sir Frederick Pollock. I Edmund Gosse. | J. M. Lely. | A. G. Ross. Solicitors—Messrs. Field, Roscoe, & Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. Secretary—S. Squire Sprigge. OFFICES. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Report. That for January 1891 can be had on application to the Secretary. 2. The Author. A Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary Property. Issued to all Members. 3. The Grievances Of Authors. (The Leadenhall Pres9.) 2s. The Report of three Meetings on the general subject of Literature and its defence, held at Willis's Rooms, March 1887. 4. Literature and the Pension List. By W. Morris Colles, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C.) 3*. 5. The ffistOiy of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigge, Secretary to the Society. I*. 6. The Cost Of Production. In this work specimens are given of the most important forms of type, size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books. Henry Glaisher, q5, Strand, W.C. 2*. 6d. 7. The Various Methods Of Publication. By S. Squire Sprigge. In this work, compiled from the papers in the Society's offices, the various kinds of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreements. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 3*. 8. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord MonkswelPs Copyright Bill now before Parliament. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely. Eyre and Spottiswoode. i*. 6d.  ## p. 294 (#698) ############################################ 394 AD VERTISEMENTS. MISS IFt. GILL, MRS. GILL, TYPE-WRITING OFFICES, 6, Adam Street, Strand, W.C., and 5, Air Street, Piccadilly, W. TYPE-WEITIHQ OFFICE, ST, PAUL'S CHAMBERS, 19, LUDGATE HILL, E.C. (ESTABLISHED 1883.) Authors' and Dramatists' Work a Specialty. All kinds of MSS. copied with care. Extra attention given to difficult hand-writing and to papers or lectures on scientific subjects. Type-writing from dictation. Shorthand Notes taken and transcribed. Authors' MSS. carefully copied from is. per j,ooo words. One additional copy (carbon) supplied free of charge. Instruction given in Pitman's System of Shorthand and in type- writing. References kindly permitted to Walter Besant, Esq. FUETHER PARTICULARS ON APPLICATION. MISSES E. & S. ALLEN, MISS PATTEN, TYPE AND SHORTHAND WRITERS. TYPIST, 44, Oakley Street Plats, Chelsea, S.W. TRANSLATIONS and Scientific Work a Special Feature. Authors' MSS. Carefully Transcribed. References 39, Lombaud Street, E.C. KINDLY PERMITTED TO GEORGE AUGUSTUS SaLA, Esq. Office No. 59 (close to Lift). Particulars on Application. AUTHORS.—The New York Bureau of Revision aids Authors in completing their books; gives competent and unbiassed criticism of Prose or Verse; and offers MSS. and proofs in the American Market. Address— Dr. TITUS MUNSON COAN, 20, West Uth Street, Neiv York. TOE ORIGINAL AUTHORS' AGENCY. Established 1879. Proprietor, Mr. A. M. BURGHES, 1, PaternOSter ROW. Tlic interests of Authors capably represented. Proposed agreements and estimates examined on behalf of Authors. MS. placed with Publishers. Transfers carefully conducted. Twenty-five years' practical experience in all kinds of publishing and book producing. Consultation free. Terms and testimonials from leading Authors on application to Mr. A. M. Burghes, Authors' Agent, i, Paternoster Row. It Makes Writing Easy. Leave the drudgery of the Pen—Soiled Fingers—Blotted and Obscure Manuscript, to those who prefer darkness to light. Quick, up-to-date writers use The Bar-Lock Type-Writer. Why Easiest Managed; Soonest Learned; Most Durable; Writing Always Visible; does best work, and never gets out of repair. Chosen, by Royal Warrant, Type-Writer to the Queen. Only gold medals—Edinburgh (1890) and Jamaica (1891) Exhibitions; is used in principal Government Depart- ments, and greatest number of English business houses. We send interesting supply of further information free. THE TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, LIMITED, IS & w, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C. ; 25. Market Street, Manchester; i, South John Street, Liverpool 22, Renlield Street, Glasgow; 35. Charles Street, Bradford. London: Printed by Etke and SroTTiswooDE, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. 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. 02 Issue 09 (February 1892) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 02 Issue 09 (February 1892) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1892-02-01-The-Author-2-9 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/261/1892-03-01-The-Author-2-10.pdf e105fde168b241125d5d64ab4bdec94a PDF Text Text ������������������������������������������������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1892-03-01 Volume 2 Issue 10 Pages Page range in volume 295–342 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18920301 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin ZIbe Hutbot\ (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. io.] MARCH i, 1892. [Price Sixpence. CO NT PAGE Warnings »" Notices J97 Literary Property— I.—Registration 300 II.—Transfer of Books 3°' Swindells v. Morgan and Others— I.—Report of the Case 3°i II.—On the Case 3°' The Output—Past and Present 3°3 Notes from Paris 3°4 An Old Pirate Song. By C. G. Lcland 3°* Titles of Honour 3<>7 Red Clover 3°8 A Fine Plav 3°9 Notes and News. Bv Walter Besant 3" Men and Women of tho Time—1788 3'3 The Dance of Death 3"S Without a Publisher 3'5 Scott on the Art of Fiction 3"s ENTS. International Copyright— I.—Annual Meeting of the Copyright League .. ..311 II.—Canada and the United States 3» Author and Editor 3" The Letter H. By William Westall 3*4 Correspondence— I— Mr. Traill's List of Poets 3»S II.—Useful Books i'S From the Papers— I.—" One who knew Him" I'S II—Mr. Edmund Gosse on Reading S'b III. —On Literary Collaboration. By Waltor Besant .. jj» IV. —The Critic 3»8 V.—Do Publishers read MSS. submitted? 3*9 VI.—Arc Women Creative 33° VII —An American on American Literature 33' VIII.—Swindells v. Morgan and Tomkins 33» "At the Author's Head" 33» New Books and New Editions • ■ 33S EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE. INVESTMENTS. A List of 1,600 British, Colonial, and Foreign Securities, with the highest and lowest prices quoted for the last twenty-two years. 2a. bd. "A useful work of reference."—Money. PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES ON BOTANICAL SUB- JECTS. By E. Bonavia, M.D., Brigade-Surgeon, I.M.D. With 160 Illustration'*, as. bd. BEAL ARMY RKFORM, THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDA- TION OF. By Igkotus. bd. MY GARDENER (Illustrated). By H. W. Ward, Head Gardener to the Right Hon. the Earl of Radnor, Longford Castle. Salisbury. M. bd. "The book is replete with valuable cultural notes indispensable to the millions who are now turning to gardening as a source of pleasure and profit."— Gardener's Chronicle. STATE TRIALS, Reports of. New Series. Vol. III., 1831—40. Published under the direction of the State Trials Committee. Edited by Joitx Macdoneli,, M.A. 101. PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, 1891. Red Cloth, 3*. Contains all the Public Acts passed during the year, with Index, also Tables showing the clft'ot of the year's Legislation, toget her with complete and classified Lists of the Titles of all the Local and Private Acts passed during the Session. REVISED STATUTES. (Second Revised Edition.) Royal 8vo. Prepared under the direction of the Statute Law Revision Committee, and Edited by G. A. R. Fitzgerald, Esq. Vols. I. to IV. now ready, price 7». bd. each. FORECASTING BY MEANS OF WEATHER CHARTS, Principles of. By the Hon. Ralph Aberckohby, F.R. Met. HoC. 23. Monthly Lists of Parliamentary Papers upon Miscellaneous Lis Every Assistance given to Correspondents; and METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, Instructions in the use of. at. td. THE LITERATURE RELATING TO NEW ZEALAND. A Bibliography. Roval Rvo. Cloth, is. bd. POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY AND ANCIENT TRA- DITIONAL HISTORY OF THE NEW ZEALAND RACK. BvSirGKOROKGKEY.K.C.B. Illustrated. Koyal 8vo. Cloth, j». COPYRIGHT LAW REFORM: an Exposition of Lord Monkswcll's Copyright Bill. With Extracts from tho Report of the Commission of 1878. and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. is. bd. KEW BULLETIN, 1891. Issued by the Director of Kew Gardens, ys. (Ready shortly.) KEW BULLETIN, 1892. Monthly, 2d. Appendices, 2d. each. Annual Subscription, including postage, 3*. qd. DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF MUSICAL INSTRU- MENTS recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition. Compiled by Capt. Day. Oxfordshire Light Infantry, under the orders of Col. SnAW-llELLIEE, Commandant Royal Military School of Music. Illustrated by a series of Twelve artistically executed Plates in Heliogravure, and with numerous Wood Engravings, hi, "Unique, as no earlier work exists in English dealing exhaus- tively with the same subject A very important con- tribution to the history of orchestration."—Atheneeum. PUBLIC RECORDS. A Guide to the Principal Classes of Documents preserved in tho Public Record Office. By S. R. Scargill-Bibd, F.S.A. is. £ "The value of such a work as Mr. Scargill-Bird's can scarcely be over-rated."—Times. Application. Quarterly Lists Post Free, arf. t on Application. Books not kept in stock obtained without delay. GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL PU11MSHERS. EYRE and SPOTTISWOODE, Ber Majesty's Printers, East Harding Street, London, E.C.  ## p. 296 (#700) ############################################ 2g6 ADVERTISEMENTS. %\yt &ockty of 9utI)ors (EncorporatrtD, PRESIDENT. The Eight Hon. the LORD TENNYSON, D.C.L. Sir Edwin Arnold, K.C.l.E. Alfred Austin. A. W. A Beckett. Robert Bateman. Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G. Walter Besant. Augustine Birrell, M.P. R. D. Blackmore. Rev. Prop. Bonnet, F.R.S. Lord Brabourne. James Beyce, M.P. P. W. Clayden. Edward Clodd. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Marion Crawford. Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G. COUNCIL. The Earl of Desart. A. W. Dubourg. John Eric Erichsen, F.R.S. Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S. Herbert Gardner, M.P. RicnARD Garnett, LL.D. Edmund Gos.se. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Rudyard Kipling. Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. J. M. Lely. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. F. Max Muller, LL.D. George Meredith. Herman C. Merivale. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake, F.L.S. Hon. Counsel—E. M. Underdown, Q.C. Pembroke and J. C. Parkinson. The Earl of Montgomery. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., LL.D. Walter Berries Pollock. A. G. Ross. George Augustus Sala. W. Baptiste Scoones. G. R. Sims. J. J. Stevenson. Jas. Sully. William Moy Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. Baron Henry de Worms, M.P., F.R.S. Edmund Yates. A. W. a Beckett. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. J. M. Lely. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—Walter Besant. I Sm Frederick Pollock. | A. G. Ross. Solicitors—Messrs. Field, Roscoe, & Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. Secretary—S. Squire Sprigge. OFFICES. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Report. That for January 1891 can be had on application to the Secretary. 2. The Author. A Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary Property. Issued to all Members. 3. The Grievances Of Authors. (The Leadenhall Press.) 2*. The Keport of three Meetings on the general subject of Literature and its defence, held at "Willis's Eooms, March 1887. 4. Literature and the Pension List. By W. Morris Coixes, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher, g5, Strand, W.C.) 3*. 5. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigge, Secretary to the Society, is. 6. The Cost Of Production. In this work specimens are given of the most important forms of type, size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books. Henry Glaisher, q5, Strand, W.C. 2s. 6d. 7. The Various Methods Of Publication. By S. Squire SrRiGGE. In this work, compiled from the papers in the Society's offices, the various kinds of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreements. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 3s. 8. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord MonkswelFs Copyright Bill now before Parliament. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lelt. Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1*. 6d.  ## p. 297 (#701) ############################################ ^Ibe B u t b o t\ (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. io.] MARCH i, 1892. [Price Sixpence. For the Opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. WARNINGS. Readers of the Author are earnestly desired to make the following warnings as widely known as possible. They are based on the experience of six years' work upon the dangers to which literary property is exposed:— (1.) Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. (2.) Never enter into any correspondence with publishers, especially with those who advertise for MSS., who are not recom- mended by experienced friends or by this Society. (3.) Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to any one firm of publishers. (4.) Never accept any proposal of royalty until you have ascertained exactly what the agreement gives kto the author and what to the publisher. (5.) Never accept any pecuniary risk or respon- sibility whatever without advice. (6.) Never, when a MS. has been refused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. (7.) Never sign away American rights. Keep them. Refuse to sign an agreement con- taining a clause which reserves them for the publisher. If the publisher insists, take away the MS. and offer it to another. vol. n. (8.) Keep some control over the advertisements by clause in the agreement. If you arc yourself ignorant of the subject, make the Society your agent. (9.) Never forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Society's Offices:— 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. NOTICES. THE Americans have committed a very graceful and complimentary action. They have allowed the piece of plate presented by the Society to Mr. R. U. Johnson, Secretary of the American Copyright League, to be admitted to free entry on importation. We submitted the case to Mr. Rol>ert Lincoln, the American Minister, who kindly pro- mised us his good offices in the matter, with the result that a copy of the following letter from Mr. Spaulding, the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Blaine, has been forwarded to us. It will be observed that this is only the second concession of the kind made by the States. "Sir, "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, enclosing, for the consideration of this Dejwirtmeut, a De- spatch, No. 587, from the Minister of the United States at London, inquiring whether a piece of silver plate, to be presented by the Incorporated Society of Authors of Great Britain to Robert U. Johnson, Esq., Secretary of the American Copy- right League, as a testimonial of recognition of Y 2  ## p. 298 (#702) ############################################ 298 THE AUTHOR. the services of himself and his Society in the esta- blishment of the International Copyright Law now existing, can be admitted to free entry on importation. "In reply, I have to state that, under date of 5th May 1887, free entry was authorised for certain vases imported for presentation as testimonials to members of the American Committee who super- intended the installation of the Bartholdi Statue of 'Liberty enlightening the World,' and that, in accordance with the practice of admitting to free entry, under paragraph 648 of the Tariff Act, cups and plate as prizes and trophies, it would seem tliat the piece of plate in question would be exempt from duty on importation. "Respectfully yours, "O. J. Spaulding, "Acting Secretary." "To the Hon. F. G. Blaine." The following letter appeared in the Times of February 24th:— Sir, To-day is the birthday of James Russell Lowell, and I understand that a commemorative ceremony is being performed in his honour at his native place. It has occurred to me that English- men might be glad to show their respect for a man who was one of the most eminent writers in the common language of England and America, and who, as Minister in this country, did so much to promote goodwill between the two nations. A monument is erected in Westminster Abbey to Lowell's friend and fellow-countryman, Long- fellow. It seems to me that it would not be out of place to give in some similar way a proof of our national regard for Lowell himself. If anyone who agrees with this would communi- cate with me, I should be very glad to co-operate in taking the necessary steps for giving effect to the proposal. Yours, <fcc. Leslie Stephen. 12, Hyde Park Gate, S.W., Feb. 22nd. This proposal should be supported by every member of our Society, not only because Lowell was one of the most eminent writers of the century, but also because he fought manfully and all his life long for the cause of International Copyright, and because he was, in a very especial sense, the friend of this Society, whose aims he cordially approved and whose growth he always watched with interest. It is hoped that every member will hold himself in readiness to support Mr. Leslie Stephen in the promotion of this monument. The Authors' Club has now passed from the preliminary stage to that of actual existence. The Club is to be founded upon a Limited Joint Stock Company, already established and registered, the possession of a single share in which will serve in lieu of entrance fee. The shares in the Company- are limited to 600 of £5 each, of which it is not anticipated tliat more than £3 will ever be called up, and the shares will be allotted upon application in the usual form by the directors. The Company is not a commercial one, its Directors will receive 110 fees, and all profits will accrue to the Club. When the first 600 shares are applied for and allotted, the election of members will be according to usual club-land law, by proposer, seconder, payment of entrance fee and election by the general committee; the shareholding members, therefore, will possess an advantage over ordinary members. The annual subscription is fixed at four guineas, and the entrance fee at ten guineas; the usual facilities and remissions being extended to country members. The number of members is fixed at 600; and the Club house will be as near that centre of the civilised world, Piccadilly Circus, as possible. A great many names of men at once eminent (and clubbable) in every branch of letters—scientific, informatory, or recreative—and in the ranks of the higher journalism, are already upon the list of the general committee of the Club. Its first Directors are Lord Monkswell, Mr. Walter Besant, Mr. H. Tedder (the secretary and librarian of the "Athenanini "), and Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G. (Chairman). The qualifications for membership are that a man should be a British subject, or a citizen of the United States; an author, in the widest acceptance of the term; a contributor to a leading periodical; or a journalist of established position. It will be gathered from these lines that the main objects of the Authors' Club are: first, the union of authors as such, which makes the Club a natural outcome and offshoot of the Society, and (2) the consolidation of literary interests of all kinds. Application for shares can be made to the Company's linkers, Messrs. Barclay and Co., No. 1, Pall Mall, or to the Chairman, who may also be applied to for any general information at the temporary office of the Authors' Club, Queen Anne's Mansions, S.W. An advertisement has appeared in several of our papers, dated from New York, inviting MSS., and promising a circulation of hundreds of thousands. The Secretary answered the advertisement, asking what machinery the advertiser possessed by which he could insure so enormous a circulation. A reply has been received in which the advertiser states that he is editor and proprietor of an illustrated American paper, whose subscription list numbers  ## p. 299 (#703) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 299 200,000, and which has 3o branch establishments in the principal cities of ihe Union. The circu- lation promised is the publication of the works accepted by this advertiser in the pages of his magazine. Nothing is said as to the price paid to authors, but those who think of answering the advertisement would do well to submit a question on this point before parting with their perhaps valuable American rights. The advertiser affects surprise at being asked to give references and explanations. Does he really believe that we should advise authors to despatch MSS. to a foreigner in a foreign country, solely on a vague promise made in an advertisement? One has not been accustomed to attribute to American men of business this guileless innocence. Our advice, which we repeat, is to get the business arrangements placed on a satisfactory footing before sending out the MS. A case was recently tried before one of the inferior courts, in which it was held by the judge that the publishers had no right in sending in an account, based upon a share of profits, to charge for "production" more than the sums actually expended by them. The publishers attempted to justify charges which gave them a profit on items forming cost of production on the wording of the agreement signed by the author, but the judge held that this did not justify the charges, and he was evidently of opinion that for a publisher to entitle himself to a profit on the cost of production in such cases he must clearly stipulate for it beforehand. It was hoped that the publishers would appeal to a higher court, but this they have not done. Meantime the decision is a step in the right direction. We have the notes and report of the case. The chief weapon of offence in the return of accounts is the item of advertisements. The pub- lisher advertises in his own magazine if he has one, by exchanges for nothing with other maga- zines, or, if he does not exchange, he pays and expects a return of the same kind. He charges for inserting the book in his circulars and lists. He charges, in fact, what he pleases, and advertises what he pleases, and as often as he pleases, in organs which cost him nothing. In this way he can, and often does, sweep the whole profits of a tolerably successful book into his own pockets. This is done every day; it is the commonest, the most specious, and the most impudent form of swamping profits. Of course, the pretence set up is that the sale was entirely due to the publisher's own organ and the advertisement in it. For instance, an author, some time ago, re- ceived an account in which a considerable sum was charged for advertising. He went to the publishers and informed them that he would pay for none but advertisements for which they would produce vouchers. They sent an amended bill for a sum less than one-eighth the original charge! The meaning, as between publisher and author, of the so-called "Royalty System "—where there is no system—was explained in the Author for November 1891. Writers are entreated, in their own interests, to study the facts and figures there set forth. Communications intended for the Authors' Syndi- cate should be addressed to W. Morris Colles, the Honorary Secretary. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of this Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly understood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, under- take the publication of MSS. The official directions for the securing of American copyright by English authors were given in the Author for June 1891. Members are earnestly entreated to take the trouble of reading those directions. Members are earnestly requested to forward agreements to the Society for inspection before they sign them. Once signed, the mischief is generally irreparable. A correspondent writes to ask for information as to the "loss" of copyright. A few elementary points arc, therefore, advanced. Copyright is the right to copy or reproduce. It must not be parted with, except for a consideration fair and reasonable. Most publishers' agreements contain a clause which  ## p. 300 (#704) ############################################ 3°° THE AUTHOR. assigns to thorn the copyright. It is called some- times by its own name, sometimes it is called the right to first and all subsequent editions, some- times it is called the right to produce future editions at cheaper prices, should the publisher think fit. Then follows the consideration for which the author is asked to surrender his property. Writers who sign this agreement in too many cases do not even know what they are giving or selling, and in some instances are too inexperienced in business matters to understand plain English. Let them before signing any agreement ask themselves these questions: 1. Does the agreement assign the copyriglit to the publishers? 2. If no, for what consideration? 3. What does that consideration leave to the publishers on the sale of the first and all subsequent editions? LITERARY PROPERTY. i. Begistration. (From the Law Quarterly Review.) BEITISH subjects will be well advised not to publish foreign literary or artistic works in England because they cannot find them registered at Stationer's Hall, or to defend actions for piracy because the plaintiff was not registered at Stationer's Hall before the issue of the writ, in reliance on the judgment of Stirling J. in Fishburn v. Hollingshead ('91, 2 Ch. 371) cited without dissent in the last number of the Law Quarterly Review, at p. 3oi. In that case Stirling J. un- doubtedly expressed an opinion that the foreign author of a painting could not sue in England without registering under the English Copyright Acts; but this opinion was clearly obiter, as the learned judge also decided that the work before him was properly registered in England. It has since been doubted by Smith and Grantham J J. in the argument in Moul v. Groenings, 'g 1, 2 Q.B. 443 (though the doubt is not reported), and Judge Martineau has felt himself justified by that doubt in declining to follow it in the case of Moul v. Devonshire Park Co. {Law Times Paper, Sept. 19th, 1891). The point is one of great importance, as, if Stirling J. is right, the British Legislature has failed to carry out the intention of the Berne Con- vention, which was that an author who complies with the formalities required by law in the country where he first publishes his work should thereby obtain copyright in the foreign countries, parties to the Convention, without also having to comply with the formalities in each of such countries (Article 11 of Berne Convention). This benefits the British author equally with the foreigner; the only person aggrieved is the pirate, and the great feature of the Berne Convention is that for the first time it treats copying other people's work as at the risk of the copyist, instead of impeding the author by technical restraints. The Copyright Statutes on the point are, as the Law Quarterly Review observed, an "ungodly jumble," but the point admits of being shortly- stated. 1. The Act of 1842 (5 & 6 Vict. c. 45, § 24) required registration of copyright as a condition for bringing an action for its infringment. 2. The International Act of 1844 (7 Viet. c. 12, § 19), provided that copyright in a work first published out of Her Majesty's dominions should only be obtained under the provisions of that Act; and provided that the Queen might by Order in Council confer on authors of countries named therein the same benefits as they would have under the English Copyright Acts. The Act further required (§ 6) every such foreign author to comply with certain formalities of registration, differing from those of the Act of 1842, as a condition of obtaining the benefit of the Act of 1844. Pausing here for a moment, it has never been suggested that a foreign author before 1886 ought to register both under the Act of 1844 and under the Act of 1842, though it might be argued that as the benefits of the English Acts were conditional to English subjects on their registering under those Acts, a foreigner taking the same benefits as an Englishman must also register under the English Acts. 3. The Art Copyright Act of 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. c. 68, § 12) included the provisions of the International Act of 1844, while providing that English authors of paintings, &c, must register at Stationer's Hall, and that any proprietor should not be entitled to the Ixmefit of the Act until registered, and could not sue for anything done before registration. Tho Act of 1844 had included provisions for tho registration of works of art. 4. The International Copyright Act of 1886 (49 & 5o Vict. c. 33, § 4) provided that when any Order in Council was made by Her Majesty under the International Copyright Acts, the provisions of those Acts as to the registry and delivery of copies of works should not apply to works under the Order in Council, except so far as provided by the order. 5. The Order in Council of November 28th, 1887, made under this Act, contains no provision as to registration and delivery of copies, and incorporates  ## p. 301 (#705) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 301 the Berne Convention of September 5th, 1887, which in Articles 2 and 11 appears to show an intention that the "accomplishment of the conditions and formalities prescribed by law in the country of origin of the work" shall give an author copyright throughout the countries of the Convention. It seems fairly clear, therefore, that the provisions of the International Copyright Acts as to registry and delivery of copies do not apply to foreign works, by reason of section 4 of the Act of 1886. But it is suggested that, as the foreign authors take the same benefits as they would have had under the English Acts, they are liable to register and deliver copies under the English Acts. But if this were so, foreign authors before the Act of 1886 would have been liable to register both under the English and the International Acts, and, still worse, to deliver copies both under the English and Inter- national Acts; and authors of foreign books at the present time are liable to deliver five copies to certain libraries as an English author is. This consequence is so startling, and, as regards the practice before the Act of 1886, so contrary to the facts, as almost to prove its error. But it would seem clear that the provisions of the International Act of 1844. supersede instead of supplementing the provisions of the English Acts of 1842 and 1862; and that the effect of the Act of 1844 being in its turn superseded by the Act of 1886, is not to revive the old provisions, but to leave the foreign author to register in his own country, obtaining thereby copyright under the Convention throughout the countries under the Convention. And apart from the construction of statutes, the hardship would appear to be if Mr. Justice Stirling's decision is right. Under the Art Copyright Acts an author cannot sue for infringements which have preceded registration; registration is to that extent a condition of the right as well as of the remedy. It is said that there is a hardship on the "innocent copyist," who has had no notice of copyright. I may be permitted to doubt the existence of the "innocent copyist," whom I have not'yet met in my experience of copyright cases. I have met the tradesman who desires to get his wares cheap, without too scrupulous inquiry as to the cause of their cheapness, and in many cases with direct knowledge that he is copying someone who he thinks has omitted to technically protect his rights, but I do not feel much sympathy with him. In any case this class of person will be well advised not to place too much reliance on Fishburn v. Hollingshead, '91, 2 Ch. 371. T. E. S. II. Transfer of Books. TO YOUNG PUBLISHING FIRMS or others commencing a publishing business. —A firm of publishers, having more MSS. of novels in their possession than they can for some time publish, are ready to part with the contracts relating to several MSS. by good authors. Some of these are already in the press and almost ready for publication. Some of the MSS. are subject, on publication, to a royalty, others have been paid for in full. This is an admirable opportunity for a young firm who want to start with a good lot of publications without any loss of time. For parti- culars apply by letter to ... . Address and Inquiry Office, The Times Office, E.C." The above advertisement appeared in the Times of February 24th, 1892. We have always been of opinion that a contract by one author with one publisher, except in the case of sale, could not be passed on to another publisher without the author's consent. For instance, in a royalty agreement, it is with out; certain publisher that the author makes his contract, not -with all or any publishers, good or bad. This, however, is a question for lawyers, to whom we intend to submit the case. SWINDELLS v. MORGAN AND OTHERS. The Report of the Case. (Before Mr. Justice Grantham and a Common Jury.) fl^HIS action was brought under somewhat 1 peculiar circumstances. The plaintiff, James Swindells, sued William James Morgan, Joseph Sydney Tomkins, the City of London Publishing Company, and the Authors' Alliance (Limited) for the return of some literary MS., and also damages for their detention, fie further sought to recover £40, which he had paid on account of nn intended publication. The Authors' Alliance entered no appearance to the action, but certain pleas were raised by the other defendants. Mr. Bethune was for the plaintiff; the defen- dants did not appear personally, nor were they represented. In opening the case Mr. Bethune said the plaintiff claimed the return of the MS. of "Ballads and Poems," and a drama called "Charles I.," which he had delivered for publication. The  ## p. 302 (#706) ############################################ SQ2 THE AUTHOR. plaintiff was about fifty years of age, and he was employed at Manchester in the position of ware- houseman. Notwithstanding this, however, he succeeded in educating himself, and he had written various works which had appeared in Manchester local papers. In June 1885, he received a com- munication from Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins, which was headed "City of London Publishing Company, in succession to the Charing Cross Publishing Company." This document said that they would be glad to receive MS., and would offer special facilities for publication. The learned counsel said that Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins were two men who had for years been defrauding unhappy authors. Mr. Justice Grantham said that as the defendants did not appear, the matter need not be gone into at length. Mr. Bethune answered that he would not be long, but as the jury would have to assess damages, he should have to inform them of some of the circumstances. These men had from time to time registered limited companies for a short period, and one limited company was succeeded by another. In the meantime, they sent out circulars like the one in this case, and then, when they got MS. for publi- cation, they said that there was a favourable report from their reader, and they asked that money should be sent on account of publication. The money having been sent them, the poor author never heard any more of the matter. Such authors were generally poor, and, therefore, their case was a particularly cruel one. Having got Mr. Swindell's MS., they suggested that he should get his friends to subscribe for copies of his works, and he did in fact get from Lord Selborne, Lord Derby, and others very kind letters, which he, in his turn, sent to the defendants; and he also sent them £40, which he had received in subscriptions from his friends. Now he was in the unfortunate position that he could not produce his book, for he had not the MS. He could not return his friends their money, and, his name being Swindells, he had had a most uncomfortable of it, and he therefore came to the jury for redress. In 1884, Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins were in possession of premises in Friar Street. They traded under the name of a company, and they said that whatever they did was as servants of the City of London Publishing Company. He (Mr. Bethune), however, said that the company was Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins only, and he should ask for an order against them for the return of the MS. The learned counsel said that he would refer to some of the correspondence which had passed. Mr. Justice Grantham: There was no necessity for reading those letters to show that they were swindlers, for the nature of the claim had been shown, and the defendants did not appear. Mr. James Swindells, the plaintiff, was then called. He said that he was a warehousemen at Manchester, his wages were 24*. a week, and he had a wife and family. In June i885, he sent the MS. of " Ballads and Poems " and " Charles I." to the defendants. He did this because he had received a letter from them. He had not had that MS. back again. He collected money by sub- scriptions, as he was to find £40 on account of the risk of publication. He mooted the matter to his friends, and they liberally subscribed to the extent of £40. Lord Derby subscribed £5, and the late Mr. Peacocke, M.P. Mr. Justice Grantham: You need not tell us all that. Witness continued: He remitted £40 in various sums to the publishing company, and from that time to this he had not had his £40 nor his MS. back. He got receipts for all the money he sent, except for the amount of a postal order for 25$. sent in 1887. Mr. Justice Grantham said that the jury had heard the case. It certainly was a very bad one, and he had no doubt that it was not the first time that unfortunate authors had been robbed in this way, and particularly those who were poor. Of course, the plaintiff was entitled to have back his £40, and he would advise the jury to give him a considerable sum in addition. It was impossible to know the value of these MSS.; but the defendants were not here, and they would be justified in estimating them at the highest price possible, to mark their view of the conduct of the defendants in not giving them back. The jury at once gave a verdict for the plaintiff for £5oo. In reply to questions of the learned judge, the jury said they found that the plaintiff was entitled to the return of the £40, and that if the MSS. were returned, the defendants should pay £200 for the detention. If they were not returned, their verdict would be for £460, in addition to the £40. Judgment was entered accordingly. — Daily News. II. On the Case. The case Swindells v. Morgan and Tomkins, tried before Mr. Justice Grantham, on February 17th, 1892, has, one hopes, effectually disposed of these gentlemen. The case, which we have copied from the report in the Daily Telegraph of February 18th, is one the particulars of which had already been brought before the Society. It  ## p. 303 (#707) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. was the old, old story; money paid in advance for the production of a book; manuscript for- warded; the book not produced; the money kept; and the manuscript not returned. The verdict of the jury was simple, for the plain- tiff, with 40/. for retention of manuscript, and damages, 200/., with costs. One fears that the money will not be paid, but the defendants will be effectually blown upon. There was, in fact, no defence at all, and the parties did not appear in court. We have been for six years calling atten- tion to the bogus publishers, of whom the man Morgan was eminently a representative. The Charing Cross Publishing Company, the City of London Publishing Company, the Authors' Alli- ance, and the International Society of Literature, Science, and Art, were four of the attempts of Morgan to catch the inexperienced author. His method, however, was always the same. It has been exposed over and over again in the columns of Truth. Only a month ago, on January 3oth, the editor of Truth exposed his last attempt, the so-called " Society of Literature, Science, and Art." This, says Truth, is a " bogus learned society, the promoters of which obtain fees averaging from two to fifteen guineas, by offering people ' membership' and 'fellowship,' with privilege (!) of writing 'M.S.L.' or 'F.S.L.' after their names. These payments are obtained by the pretence that a 'Council' of the ' Society' has passed a resolution, pursuant to which the invitation is sent. . . . The promoter and moving spirit of the 'Inter- national Society of Literature, Science, and Art' is one W. J. Morgan, who has appointed himself 'Curator ' and a member of the Executive Council. . . . He now carries on business as a publisher under the name of James Longman & Co., in an office opening out of that of the 'International Society'." It is a constant subject of amazement to watch the ease with which the author is deluded. The silly sheep is a miracle of wisdom compared with him. A swindler advertises; the author jumps at the chance; he sends his manuscript; he sends his money; he asks nobody's opinion or advice; he believes implicity whatever is told him; he trusts his property to a perfect stranger in the blindest confidence. In no other business, in no other relations of life, would he be such a fool. Would he lend his gold watch to a stranger met in the crowd? Woidd he lend that stranger a ten pound note? It is exactly the same thing. The man Morgan is is only one of many. There was another man who stole manuscripts and money in exactly the same way; there was a man who pretended to belong to a very well-known London firm; he went off to America with waggon loads of manuscripts; there VOL. 11. are people who are advertising for manuscripts at this moment with the same intention. They will go on advertising and catching their victims. The would-be author's desire to see himself in print overrides everything; his reason; his prudence; even such exposures as those of Truth; even such revelations as those of this action in the High Court of Justice. Morgan will die a rich man; very likely a member of a west end club. THE OUTPUT-PAST AND PRESENT. BETWEEN the years 1700 and 1756 the pro- duction of books from the London Press, according to Charles Knight, amounted in all to 5,280 new works. That is to say, to an average of 94 books for every year. There were not wanting those who held up their hands in astonishment at this prodigious annual increase to literature. Now, in the first half of the eighteenth century, it is quite certain that none of the country gentry bought books, that in the country towns there were no bookshops, that the great mass of the country clergy were careless of new literature, and that the only place, outside London, where new books could be procured were the university and the cathedral towns. Johnson's father, we know, was a bookseller of Litchfield, a cathedral town, and he used to attend markets and fairs at country towns with a bookstall. Among other places, at Birmingham, already an important town. For how many readers were these ninety new books issued? The population of England and Wales was then about six millions. Deducting children, rustics, working men, and those who, like the country squire, confined their reading to books on farriery and the like, we shall certainly not be far wrong in estimating the number at half a million. Consequently there was, roughly, a new book for every 0,000 readers. This, however, does not mean 5,ooo readers for every new book. Between the years 1792 and 1802, there were issued 4,096 new works, or an average of 372 every year. The population of England and Wales was then ten millions, with a greatly in- creased proportion of readers, say two millions in all, so that we had then a new book every year for every 4,000 readers. Between 1802 and 1827, there was an average of 588 new books every year. The population at the latter date, without counting Ireland, was four- teen millions. Education was greatly extended, and, not including children, there were probably six million readers, or a new book to every 10,000 readers. But, among these so-called readers, there Z  ## p. 304 (#708) ############################################ 3°4 THE AUTHOR. were many who never read anything at all, except the newspapers. Perhaps, however, children ought not to be excluded, because the branch of children's books, which was only commenced towards Un- close of the last century, had already assumed considerable proportions. In the year i8gr, according to the Publishers' Circular, the number of books issued was 5,706. The population of the British Islands is now 08,000,000, of whom all, or nearly all, can read. That is to say, there is now issued, every year, one new book for every 6,000 readers. But of course we ought to deduct young children and all those rustics and poor people who never read a book at all. Let us deduct ten millions. There remain 28,000,000, and, according to the estimate, a new book is provided every year for every 5,ooo readers. Surely that does not represent any extra- ordinary eagerness for new literature. The modern 'output of books, which seems so enormous when it is written down in its thousands, comes, briefly, to this. From 1700 to 1756, there was every year one book for every 5,ooo readers; from 1792 to 1802, there was every year one book for every 4,000 readers; from 1802 to 1827, there was every year one book for every 10,000 readers; and there is now every year one book for every 5,ooo readers. So that, taking these islands alone, there is no greater literary activity in pro- portion, and, as shown by the production of literature, than there was nearly two hundred years ago. But there are other considerations which very greatly lessen the proportional output. Those who every year.deplore the enormous production of books take a narrow parochial view of English literature. They cannot get beyond Fleet Street, daily journal and weekly review land, club land. They can under- stand, perhaps, something of the vastness of London itself, but of the vastness of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham—the crowded north—they understand nothing. Nor do they gauge the demands of the millions who are now demanding books. And if they cannot take in the needs of their own country, how can they understand those of the Empire? Australia, New Zealand, India, Burmah, South Africa, Ceylon, the far East, the West Indian Islands—and where there is a great market for new books as well as old. Again, beyond the Atlantic, there are sixty millions who read our books as we read theirs. Shall we try to grasp these things? If we can succeed, only partly, to understand how great is the area covered by the English language, how enormous is the demand for books, how the area occupied by readers becomes every year greater, how thickly populated, better educated, so that the demand is increasing by leaps and bounds, and yearly more and more, we shall then begin to understand the influence, the power, the force, of that thrice fortunate man who succeeds in being listened to by the whole of the English speaking race at once. Other things, too, will become more plain to us, of which the first is the necessity of using every effort to make the calling of literature independent, and to maintain that independence. NOTES FROM PARIS. IN my last I recorded that the next meeting of the Societe des Gens de Lettres was to be held on the 3ist ultimo. So it had been arranged. But on the 3ist not sufficient men of letters put in an appearance at the Hotel Conti- nental to constitute a quorum, and the meeting had to be postponed. Emile Zola, the president, did not like this, and on returning home sat down and wrote personally to each one of the hundreds of members of the Society present in Paris, urging him to attend. The result was that the meeting which was held yesterday was very well attended indeed, and a quantity of business being got through before the men of letters se]>arated. Con- sidering the amount of writing Zola has to do, it was simply heroic of him to write all those letters, but Zola takes his presidency of the Society in earnest, and is thorough in this work as in all he undertakes. Maupassant's state continues as it was. This is bad, and, to a certain extent, justifies the evil rumours that are afloat. In mental maladies the stationary state is as bad as retrogression. I am afraid from what I have heard from the very best sources that, as a writer at least, we may speak of de Maupassant in the past. What a pity for literature! Some weeks ago I noticed in an American paper a foolish paragraph anent Jules Verne, in which" the writer professed to describe the life of this remarkable novelist. Amongst other things a description of Mr. Verne's cabinet de trarail was given which was as imaginative as all the rest. Verne was described as working surrounded by electrical instruments and other scientific para- phernalia. I have a particular joy in watching the canard's flight, and that particular canard winged its way across the columns of quite a number of papers. The last I saw of it was in the columns of the Sunday Sun. As a matter of fact,  ## p. 305 (#709) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Jules Verne does all his writing in a small bedroom at the top of his house in Amiens. The room contains a lx'd, a table, and a chnir, and a couch, as bare as room well can be. Neatness is the characteristic. The paper on the table is methodi- cally arranged. There is no waste-paper basket. Verne writes very deliberately and rarely erases. When not at home he spends his time at the Literary and Scientific Institute of Amiens city, where he reads up the scientific facts that he requires for his stories. We read in the Author, month by month, a good deal about the sweating of authors by publishers. I suppose all of us have in our day been so ex- ploited. I can remember receiving from the proprietors of a well-established London magazine a cheque for one guinea for a story of seven thousand words, the said proprietors being rated very high amongst London publishers. But the sweating of authors by brother authors seems to me a very much worse affair, and I am cognizant of numerous cases of it. There is something particularly hor- rible about Ishmael turning on a brother Ishmael, but he does do it. Here in Paris there are many reputed authors who employ hacks to do their work for them. I know of a feuilleton that appeared not long ago in the Petit Journal, which was signed by one of the best names in the literary market. The presumed author received fifteen hundred pounds for this story. Every line of it, however, was written by an unfortunate youth, who was promised eighty pounds for his work. That was some time ago. Up to the present he has received in small sums about a third of what was promised him. Occasionally the reputed man of letters gives him a five-franc piece towards the balance. I know of many similar cases in England also. Madame Marinoni, the wife of Marinoni, the well-known inventor and director of the Petit Journal, reads all the manuscripts sent in for publication in feuilleton in the Petit Journal, and, what is more, enjoys doing it. It is she who selects the stories for that publication. They are the making of the paper. The Petit Journal publishes two concurrently, and there is no literary work better paid. A fairly well-known writer gets about lod. a line for a serial in this paper. It is to the interest taken in its fiction columns that the immense success of the paper is due. Renan's " Souvenirs" is the book of the month. Everybody is reading it. As a contribution to philosophy it is a decided failure, but the writing is beyond praise. The people, however, for whom Ecnan specially writes consider the philosophy very pretty indeed, and, accordingly, all are satisfied. Zola's " La Debacle" is appearing in feuilleton in the Vie Populaire, although the author has not finished more than two-thirds of the book. The reason of tliis is that serial rights in case of such an author are of considerable value. For the French publication, for instance, Zola gets a thou- sand pounds. Had he waited till April, when he expects to have finished the manuscript, before authorising the publication in serial form, the publication of the book in volume form would have had to be delayed until long after the Grand Prix. Now no book issued after the Grand Prix in Paris has anything like the sale that a book issued earlier in the season obtains. Zola is a good business man, and, though he spends money lavishly, has always about 15,ooo francs to his credit at Char- pentier's. Daudet, on the other hand, has always an account on the wrong side with the same publishers. Doctor Jacques Bertillon, the statistician, is bringing out a table of statistics, or rather a statis- tical map, to show what books are read and in what pro]x>rtions, at the Paris municipal free libraries. Books are lent out at these libraries or may be read in the libraries themselves. In one year the public of these libraries borrowed 1,115,800 books to read at home, and read 161,636 books in the library reading-rooms. More than half the books read were novels, Zola being most asked for, indeed there are always eight or nine people waiting for every volume by this author. Verne comes next. Sue and Dumas continue very popular. George Sand is little wanted, and Balzac, our master, the father of us all, is but rarely asked for. Poetry, and notably that of Victor Hugo, is a great deal read. Geographical works and travel come third in popular demand, and then science and the arts. Women, however, never ask for any books belonging to either category. Historical works come fifth, musical books sixth, and last of all books in and on foreign languages. The demand for the latter is very small indeed. Oscar Wilde has numerous friends in Paris, and the delight at the great success he has obtained with his new play at the St. James's is universal Z 2  ## p. 306 (#710) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. in Paris. His "Salome" promises to be equally successful, and a run is assured on the translation of the "Portrait of Dorian Gray," which is being undertaken by a leading man of letters of this city. Tons les succes, alors. Some years ago, a Mr. Jogand, writing as Leo Taxil, made himself vastly notorious as the author of a number of grossly blasphemous anti-clerical and irreligious works. The time came, however, when Mr. Jogand, otherwise Leo Taxil, recognised the error of his ways and became as fervent a son of the Holy Church as he had one time been a rebel against it. Rome opened her arms to the penitent sinner, and Leo Taxil, destroying all the anti-clerical and irreligious books he had written, put his really fluent pen at the service of the Church. His blasphemies and cure-baiting lite- rature had, however, an excellent market value, and in spite of the author's interdiction, a firm of publishers, Messrs. Letouzey and Ane, who had published for him while a heretic, considered it good business to go on issuing his books and brochures, interdiction or not . . . Leo Taxil sued them for the fraud, not for profit, but with a view to stopping them from publishing works which, by his later lights, he saw as unclean things ... A few days before the trial came on at the Ninth Chamber of Correctional Police, the publishers offered to "square" the matter with a sum of sixty thousand francs (£2,400), but this Leo Taxil refused, and ordered the prosecution to proceed. The verdict of the court was in the favour of the publishers, who have got off scot-free. This judgment has been condemned by every paper in Paris as a piece of sheer nonsense, and Leo Taxil has appealed, determined to carry his case before the jury of the Paris Assize Court. It is more than probable that the Assize jury will reverse the illogical judgment of the police court magis- trates. The hearing of the appeal is being anxiously looked for by all interested in letters in Paris. RoBEBT H. ShEBABD. Paris, February 23rd. The following is the brief report given in the Intransigeant:— Tribdnatjx. Auteurs et Editeurs. Le proces intente aux editeurs Letouzey et Ane par M. Jogand, l'auteur de divers ouvrages clericaux, s'est terinine bier par un jugement qui le deboute. L'auteur reprochait aux editeurs d'avoir, sans le prevenir, tire de ses livres plusieurs editions dont ils ne lui avaient pas tenu compte. Une enquete judiciaire et une expertise etablirent le bien-fonde de ses reclamations, et les editeurs qui, lors des premieres plaintes de l'ecrivain, lui cepondaieut qu'il etait leur debiteur d'une centaine de francs, lui offrirent, a, la veille de l'audienco 60,000 francs, pour se desister. Apres de longs debats, malgre les aveux et les offres des prevenus, la neuvieme chambre a declare qu'il n'y avait pas lieu d'accueillir la demande du plaignant, attendu que les mensonges, Paugmen- tation frauduleuse des benefices, la dissimulation des tirages ne constituent pas, de la part d'editeurs, le delit d'abus de confiance. Voila qui serait rassurant pour les hommes de lettres, si la cour confirmait cette jurisprudence absolument insensee.—Intransigeant. AN OLD PIEATE SONG. INHERE is a quaint legend of the Church of Saint Aleswill super mare—I do not swear to the name—that after it had utterly vanished from the face of the earth, an entei prising young rector restored it in all its entirety, whole- ness, plenitude, integrity, yea, and even in all its antiquity, out of the remnants of the "restoration" of three churches in the neighbourhood—on the principle by which ingenious men in America often construct a "bank note" out of three, leaving four—which process, as it paid largely at little risk, was before the modern era of entire greenbacks, a sure dependence for "a world of honest fellows who get their living by stealing and cheating." On the method employed by the young rector of Saint Aleswill and the American financiers referred to, I have put together the fragments of song gathered from three separate sources, making thereof a new one. But whether these fragments were originally portions of one and the same ballad, or whether the ballad in question is like some Chinese plays, or Spenser's "Faerie Queene," an endless series of parts, which like a polypus are continually dismembering and uniting, I cannot swear, aflirm, or declare. An American ex-sailor, who gave me a few of the verses, called it a mutineer's song, adding that if an officer should hear a man sing it, the vocalist would be sure of receiving 26 lashes with a rope's end, by way of reward. This was all long ago, when slavers, who were all pirates on occasion, swarmed in New York city, glorying in their  ## p. 307 (#711) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. calling, and no man made them afraid, and Senor Guare/. had his offices there for "the Guinea traffic" in bozalcs, or "sacks of charcoal," i.e., negroes; and the United States Marshal (whom I remember as one of the keenest and "spryest" little men whom I ever met), was wont to go on board the slavers, and accept their hospitality, and aid them to get away in safety, his sworn duty being to intercept them. Let it be remembered to the credit of Abraham Lincoln that his very first act on coming to power was to break up this infernal nest of Guarez & Co.; in fact, he hung one of the gang. In those days I knew many men who had been slavers, and they are not all dead as yet. There were, of course, among the English- speaking seamen who were in " the ebony trade," songs, some perhaps which had come down from the days of the Buccaneers, and I believe that some of the verses which I here give are of this antiquity. But to the lyric. The reader of Scott's " Pirate" will recognise the opening verse: Hold Itohin Rover Said to his crew, Up with the Mack flag, Ami down witli the blue. Up with the black boy All men to show: And over the water And off let us go! A man-of-war he hailed us "Come under my lee!" "See you damned," said the pirate, "For I'd rather sink at sea. In the blue water, Far out and free, Cruising down on the shore By the coast of Bar-ba-rce!" We met the Flyiug Dutchman, To windward he came. His hull was all of hell-fire, His sails were all of flame, Fire in the maintop, Fire on the bow. Fire on the gun-deck. Fire down below. Four and twenty dead men, Those were the crew, The devil in the bowsprit Fiddled as she flew. We gave her n gun shot Kight in the dip. Puff, like a candle, Out went the ship! We met a gallant vessel A sailing on the sea; For mercy, for mercy, For mercy she did plea, But the mercy we gave her We sank her in the sea; Cruising down on the shore By the coast of Barbarcc. Four and twenty Spaniards Mighty men of rank With their scfioras Had to walk the plank, Over the gunwale Into the sea; Cruising down on the shore By the coast of Burbaree. Oh, devil take the captain! And devil take the ship! And devil take the cargo! And devil take the trip! And devil take the first mate! And devil take the call! And devil take the doctor! And devil take 'cm all. Over the quarter. Over the rail, Into the water Dead as a nail, Flung like a biscuit Hot as a coal Where the sharks may take the body. And the devil take the soul! Truly not a song for the piano, or for young ladies; indeed, there are not many men who can understand the grim and terrible, yet intense relish with which these ditties of the devil were sung in the olden time. Yet there is a scent as of cold salt water in them—a rocking of the vessel in the waves in their metre, and a fierce ml gleam as of sunset lasting into the black night perceptible in the scenes which they recall. Should any of my renders be able to give any further information as to, or contribute additional verses to, or show what the ballads were from which these fragments came, I—and perhaps the. Editor as well—be very much obliged for the information supplied. Charles Godfrey Leland. Florence, February 5th, 1892. TITLES OF HONOUR. ISHOULD like to say very shortly why I agree with Mr. Lang rather than with Mr. Besant in the matter of conferring titles, orders, or other official State honours on the sole ground of literary or artistic merit. First, we have already the honorary degrees of our universities. Is it likely that any corresponding honours given by the State would l>e as highly esteemed, or more wisely conferred? Next, the proper object of official honour in this country, it seems to me, is official service, public service in the strict sense. Of the value of such services the State (that is, in the concrete, the head  ## p. 308 (#712) ############################################ 308 THE AUTHOR. of the department concerned) is or ought to be not only a competent, but the most competent judge. In so far as literary and artistic institutions are under State direction or control (as the National Gallery, the Theatre Francais) this principle applies to persons who serve the State as directors or officers of such institutions, but not farther or otherwise. General literary or artistic reputation, on the other hand, must depend in the long run on the general opinion of persons of knowledge and taste; an opinion which often is not settled for a genera- tion or more. I see no reason to think that an official judgment in these matters would l>e specially competent, or even free from danger of being incompetent. I am quite aware that the existing distribution of official honours could be reduced only with difficulty, if at all, to uniform principles, and that it does not invariably give satisfaction. This, I think, rather strengthens my argument. Also my purpose is to suggest what I believe to be the true general rule, not to deny that exception may fitly be made in singular cases. That of Lord Tennyson will occur to every reader. To discuss how far it is really exceptional would involve careful consideration of the relation of the peerage to other "titles of honour," and would exceed both the Author's space and my time. F. Foixock. My own case, as I endeavoured to set it forth, was, if I may state it once more, as follows :— 1. The service rendered to the State by the poet, the dramatist, the historian, the novelist, the essayist, is service as real and as impor- tant as the service of a great general, a statesman, or a great lawyer. 2. It is right and fitting that the State should recognize all kinds of State service with the same kind of distinction and honour. 3. The stock arguments against granting distinc- tions to art and letters—as, that distin- guished authors should be satisfied with the reward of their own success—apply equally against granting distinctions to any other profession. For instance, what could pos- sibly be a greater honour in itself than the winning of a great victory? Yet no one says that we should tell the successful general to be content with that honour. 4. The exclusion of any branch of the higher work of the world from national honour lowers that branch in the eyes of the general mass of the nation. The exclusion of literature tends to make literature in the eyes of the nation contemptible. To the official eye, everything that is excluded from national distinction is contemptible. As, for example, when five years ago, on the occasion of the greatest national function of the century, not a single man or woman of letters was invited to be present, as such. 5. The most formidable objection is that raised above by Sir Frederick Pollock, among others. It is the danger that the official judgment would prove, in art and letters especially, incompetent. Is it not incom- petent in other branches? But the in- competence of officials in the way of literary distinction would very soon be challenged and remedied, because the whole question of titles and their bestowal will be raised and discussed, as soon as the literary class becomes concerned with it. At present, nobody ever discusses the subject, and the most ridiculous persons receive the national distinctions without a protest. 6. In short, my case is that to exclude literature from the national distinctions means either that such distinctions are worthless, nnd not to be desired by any class; or that the production of worthy literature is not a special service to the State. W. B. BED CLOVER. Call me new born thy worshipper, sweet flower, Soft laughter of the meadows! I have seen Thy pink spheres shake away the dewy screen From night's caress to greet the dawn's glad hour. I feel the rich wTeight of thy blossoms cower When wild winds sweep across the wastes of green, Startling the bees, who, restful wings a-sheeu, Steal thy sweet riches for their queen's bright dower. Thou seem'st to all pure things allied, and so Thy blossoms touched no stranger when they lay So proudly 'neath that rose-tipped chin of hers. For she, though bred in cities, yet doth know The finer thoughts of nature. Her soul stirs To greet thee as thine own to greet the day. Habkiet Monroe.—New York Critic.  ## p. 309 (#713) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3°9 A PINE PLAY. HAS a dramatist done his duty towards the public, when he tells a good story in such a way as to thoroughly interest and amuse his audience? Some persons think so, and as one of those who do, I venture to congratulate Mr. Oscar Wilde upon having done his duty, though so commonplace and middle-class a performance as duty-doing may appear to this brilliant and para- doxical author a poorish subject for congratulation. "Lady Windermere's Fan" is brilliantly and audaciously funny—upon that everybody seems agreed—but certain objections have been urged against the story :—that it is improbable, that it is old, that it is told the wrong way, and so on. Here is the story:—Lord Windermere in attempt- ing to help Mrs. Erlynne, his wife's dishonoured mother, back into good society, manages so indis- creetly that he is considered by society to be the lady's protector. The audience, like society, is kept in ignorance of this lady's relationship to Lady Windermere. Lady Windermere is told that her husband is devoted to an adventuress, and the husband, at the same moment, insists that the woman in question shall receive a card to his wife's ball. This she will not send. Her standard of morals is a very high one, and her ideal is the mother whom she believes to have l>een deail for twenty years. Lord Windermere sends the card himself, and his wife declares that when Mrs. Erlynne is announced, she will strike her across the face with her fan. And so the curtain comes down oti a capital first act. In the second act, Mrs. Erlynne appears at the ball, to the malicious astonishment of Lady Windermere's guests, all of whom believe that she is playing the part of the complacent wife, in spite of her claims to the before- mentioned high standard. The blow is not struck, for Lady Windermere's courage fails her. But enraged at the public insult which she con- ceives to have been put upon her, she flies, on impulse, from her home to a man, whose dishonourable proposals she had put aside a few minutes earlier. The curtain rises for the third time upon the two women in the rooms of the would-be seducer, for Mrs. Erlynne has followed her daughter with the intention of persuading her to return to Lord Windermere. Just as Mrs. Erlynne's appeals have their proper effect upon Lady Windermere's heart, steps are heard outside the chamber and a party of men enter, among whom is Lord Windermere. Mrs. Erlynne takes refuge in an inner room, and Lady Windermere hides in the window-alcove behind the curtains. But Lady Windermere leaves her fan on the sofa. It is found. Lord Winder- mere demands from his host an explanation, threatening to search the place if it is not a satisfactory one. Mrs. Erlynne appears from the bedroom and owns to having brought the fan by mistake, and while all the men are absorbed in Mrs. Erlynne's confession, Lady Windermere escapes from the room unnoticed. Her reputation is saved, and Mrs. Erlynne's chances of returning into society—so frail and so carefully built up—are disposed of at once. Curtain, upon a very strong situation. In the fourth act we have a sort of reverse of the opening position. Lady Winder- mere, who knows that Mrs. Erlynne's act has saved her reputation, wants to see her again in order to thank her, but cannot of course say why. Lord Windermere, who believes that Mrs. Erlynne is a disgraceful woman, will not hear of his wife seeing her, but also cannot explain why, or reconcile his refusal with his expressed wishes of the night before. Mrs. Erlynne gets them out of the dilemma. She comes to say that she is leaving England for ever. She does not reveal herself to her daughter, and exacts from Lord Windermere that he also will respect her secret. _ The last curtain falls on the announcement that she is going to marry an unintelligent and amiable nobleman, to whom she has " explained everything." Such is Mr. Oscar Wilde's story, and there is much in it which, thus baldly put, stamps it as rather improbable. Now it must be admitted that even in the play all the improbabilities do not dis- appear. Lady Windermere is willing to "exchange in a trice the lilies and languors" for "the roses and raptures," but the reasons for her conversion —impulse and pique—are not quite convincing. The fact that the villain was inefficient, and thus rendered particularly unpersuasive, must not, how- ever, be counted as a fault to the story. Again, society's ignorance of Mrs. Erlynne's real identity, and Lady Windermere's ignorance of her mother's existence, are both a little difficult to believe in. Still the story is not wholly improbable; it only has that amount of improbability which stage representation has made a necessary factor in story-telling for dra- matic purposes. All plays that are truly interesting have a more or less improbable story, or have a story in which more or less improbable incidents occur. The skill of the dramatist is shown in making these improbabilities of no particular account in his story, or in hiding them behind the strong interest which he creates in his characters. In reality probability has as little to do with making a play good as has morality. An immoral play can never be a good play, because it can never give general pleasure. It is outside the limitations which the necessity of giving general pleasure imposes. The very skilful man can say more than the clumsy man, but each  ## p. 310 (#714) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. alike is bounded by respect for his audience's self- respect. It is the same with probability. A splendid story-teller can bo improbable, because the last thing that the fascinated recipient cares about, when listening to what his author has to say, is how far the incidents could really have happened. He believes in the impossible, because it is pre- sented to him as the inevitable, and all he wants to know is—what is going to happen next. If he finds that he is pulled up in his stride to consider the probability of the story, he is irritated with the author, and he is right to be so. It means that the story has been too big for the author, who has been unable to create illusion. There is no difficulty of this sort in Mr. "Wilde's case, and thus probability does not matter at all. Many people have said that it is an old story, and it seems to have suggested several French origins to several critics. But in almost every case the novel or play suggested was a different one, so that the story may be said to be one whose central idea has always been floating about among the dra- matically-minded. Mr. Oscar Wilde, to his im- mense credit, appears to have used a complication which previously had struck Messrs. Balzac, Dumas, Augier, and Sardou (among others) as good. It is to his credit, because the new treatment is dis- tinguished, adequate, and personal. He treats the theme of the erring mother and innocent daughter most delicately and reasonably. Although the characters are so superior to sentiment, and although Mr. Wilde has devised so happily cynical an end to the story, cynicism never forces mother and daughter into any position where the daughter is forced to act towards her unknown mother in a way that the audience might find horrible. The author would be the first person, we are sure, to admit that he has not made the theme his own because he has treated it from one point of view. He has only added one to the difficulties of the next dramatist who attempts to treat of the subject, by subjecting all successors to a comparison with another brilliant treatment. It would be as reason- able to say that Mr. Hardy might write no more strong bucolic stories, because of the wide circula- tion of " Ruth," as to try to prevent dramatists from treating of unrevealed mothers because " Odette" was a popular play. With regard to the way the story is told, Mr. Wilde originally decided that he would not reveal the identity of Mrs. Erlynne until the last act, and at its brilliant reception on the first night the story was played in that way and seemed to us quite intelligible. Neither Lord Windermere or Mrs. Erlynne would have acted exactly as they did, had not the connexion between them been what it was. "If I am a good story-teller," said the author, "deduce from the behaviour of my characters what relations they must bear to each other." This, however, though a sensible attitude, is against the critical canons, which demand that the audience should not be asked to reason. Your audience, says the unwritten law, must know what the motives of action are, so that they may judge of the way in which the resulting actions are rendered. To me it seems that cither method is quite capable of being the right method, and that, as in the amount of improbability that can be made to look probable, the personality of the author decides the question. If early in his story the author can show such good sense and reasoning power, that his listeners can trust him not to be making his characters say and do things without a reason, then he is right to keep the secret back, and the pleasure of gradually guessing the motive will be added to the pleasure of hearing the story. If, on the other hand, the author excels more in showing how a thing is done than why it is done, he must not leave his public in doubt about anything. Mr. Wilde now takes the audience into his entire confidence in the first act, which seems to me to be a concession to the sluggish, although it is in accord with generally expressed opinion. Having settled to one's own satisfaction that the story is probable enough and new enough, because the author's skill and individuality of treatment have made it both, it remains only to add that the dialogue must have been a revelation to most present—to all, in fact, who had not read "The Decay of Lying." No such witty dialogue has been heard on our stage for many a long year. Paradox and epigram followed each other thick and fast. Too thick and too fast; but what a pardonable mistake! In "Lady Windermere's Fan," Mr. Oscar Wilde has given us a strong and dramatic story, and has set it in brilliantly witty words. I hope—and believe—that his play will meet with its deserts. O. J. —■ NOTES AND NEWS. IHAVE religiously published a mass of corre- spondence on the treatment of contributors by editors. At the same time, I think that many of the complaints against editors are ground- less. It is a great pity that, when contributions arc invited, editors should not show every conside- ration to those who respond. In the high class magazines and papers, I am sure that they do. In my own case I have frequently, in old times, received my papers back, but never without courtesy. Further, I am bound to say, that when time had passed and I could read the MS. in cold blood, I always approved of the decision of the  ## p. 311 (#715) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. editor. Next, one must consider the frightful mass of ImuI work that is every day submitted to an editor. I do not think it is possible for any editor to read all that is sent him. The most he can do is to select, according to subject, and after reading the first page or two, a few for more careful consider- ation. I was once shown a pile of MSS. covering half the wall of a room. "Have you," I asked the editor, " read all these things?" He sighed wearily—"But," I urged, "there must be some beautiful work in this heap." "There may be," he replied, with another weary, weary sigh," " Would you like to sit down and pick out the beautiful work?" In fact, every magazine ought to have a large staff of readers—some of the great American magazines have. It is the only way to insure the reading of MSS. If every magazine cannot afford it, then, as Mr. Justice Stareleigh observed, every magazine ought to be able to afford it. The over- worked editor, with the best goodwill in the world, cannot possibly without assistance read all that is heaped upon his table. I have often wondered what has become of that mass of MSS. which I saw on the occasion referred to. The journal is now extinct, and the MSS.—where are they? Where are they? What becomes of the immense piles of MSS. which are refused and not sent back? It is sad to think of these brilliant works of genius going back to the paper mills. -**— - In another part of the paper will be found a passage, quoted from the Pall Mull Gazette, on the reading of MSS. by publishers. The story told is not pleasant reading, especially to myself, localise I am one of those who have always main- tained that publishers do read MSS. I do so, first, arguing from the fitness of things, because it is their interest to read everything .submitted; second, because with all the publishers—not a few —who have talked to me about the conduct of their business, I have found them anxious not to let a good chance slip out of their hands; thirdly, l>ecause I have known men who read and advise for publishers, and I have known them to be men of honour, who would not take pay for work scamped; and, lastly, because; I have myself read MSS. and advised, and I declare honestly that I always did read them and gave the best advice in my power. Of course I do not speak of so-called publishers who, whenever a MS. is sent in, write back to say, in stereotyped terms, that" their reader has reported so favourably of the work that they are prepared to offer the following favourable terms, viz., the author to pay half the cost of production" —naming rather more than the whole cost—and so on—and so on. The last passage in the extract that we print (see page 33o) furnishes VOL. II. another illustration of my reiterated assertion that publishers very seldom incur any risk at all. Hence it is becoming increasingly difficult for a new writer to make a beginning. Of course there are masses of MSS. which can be dismissed by the most conscientious reader at once, after reading the first ten pages, and without the least hesitation. On page 3o6 there will be found a very astonish- ing case. A firm of Parisian publishers named Letouzey and Ane, deliberately falsified their figures to prevent paying royalties. When proceedings were commenced they offered to pay 2,400/. down, if the complaint would be withdrawn. The police court ruled that though the publishers had robbed the author in this wholesale way, their acts do not legally constitute the crime of "abuse of confidence." What a very remarkable law must be that which obtains in France! And what a very remarkable confirmation of the justice of our claim that authors have a full right to have accounts audited! How does a book get read? The question is asked in the February Author (p. 282). The correspondent explains that he wants to know in what way the general public, living all over the world, gets to hear of a book, and is stimulated to read it. Formerly, he says, there were the book- sellers' shops, but these have certainly not increased in proportion to the vast increase of the book trade. That is very true: booksellers have gone down instead of up. In the old days the country book- seller had all the new books on his counter; he was often a person held in great esteem for his reading anil his knowledge, especially in Cathedral towns. But there is now one shop which has in- creased and multiplied, and spread itself until it has well nigh swallowed up all the rest. This is the rail- way bookstall. Look at the great Iwokstall at the Great Western, for instance; or at any important station on that line, Swindon, Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth. All day long the buying goes on; before every train goes out; from morning until evening. And this at all the stations over the whole country. That is the principal way in which books are sold in the country. Who tells the people what to buy? Partly, the Sidesman; partly, the name of the author; partly, the advertisements; partly, the reviews; partly, the title of the book; partly, the subjects. The great mass of readers do not read reviews, they are moved by some of the other considerations referred to above. And, perhaps, more than all, by that whisper, which, directly a book attracts attention, runs like light- ning over the whole country. In the train, in the A a  ## p. 312 (#716) ############################################ 312 THE AUTHOR. omnibus, at dinner, wherever people meet and talk, a book is recommended and at onee ordered, if only of the library. How to attract that attention? Well, the only known way—the only way yet discovered—is to present attractive work. The questioner goes on to ask how the publisher sells his books? Some do not. There is the greatest possible difference between publishers in this respect. Some seem not to know how to sell books at all. Some sell their books rapidly and easily. The difference is so great, that in some cases we have deliberately sent authors to publishers whose agreements we know to be unfair and one- sided, because, in spite of this fact, the author will do better with them than with other houses where they will give him a better agreement. As to the methods of sale, they have travellers for town and country; they get their books subscribed at Smith's and Mudie's; they get them taken for the .stalls; they have them sent to India and the colonies; they advertise them; they send out copies to the press; they print their, titles in their lists and circulars; they watch the press notices. Some publishers are also very elastic in their prices, and, to make a deal, will often lower the price very materially. This fact must be borne in mind when the question of equitable royalties is considered. And it must be remembered that while a careless publisher or an incompetent publisher may grievously damage a book, not the most zealous publisher in the world can make the world buy what. the Avorld does not want. We were talking of literary collections. We discussed the hunter after first editions, the collector of rare books because they are rare, the haunter of book auctions, the man who eagerly turns over "all this lot at fourpence," the man who has stories of how he picked up a rare bargain, and the man who buys and keeps books which he thinks will become valuable. Thus, "Payne's translation of Villon," and Burton's " Arabian Nights," have been bought and kept on the chance of the price going up. Again, as any second-hand catalogue shows, there are the first editions of Louis Stevenson and Andrew Lang, at the present moment first favourites with the collectors of new first editions. Then there are the collectors of books about places and people. I could name one man who has all the Wordsworth editions; another a nearly exhaustive collection of books on Coleridge. I have myself a goodly lot of books on London; another man has n great collection of books connected with the navy. All these belong to the serious—the literary —collections. There are again the autograph collectors, whose name is legion, and whose im- pudence is colossal. Then there are the lighter and more frivolous collections. Of these then- are endless varieties. Ami here the other man came out strong. One man, he said, lias col- lected election squibs for the last three or four general elections. Another collects penny song- sters; another, halfpenny ballads; another, shilling shockers; another, chap books; another—'who must have a library as big as a barn—dramatic- posters. "But the cream of the fancy collections," he concluded, " is the most curious and the most valuable, to wit. a collection of those editions of contemporary plays, so familiar to the dramatic world, which are ' printed as manuscript, not pub- lished.'" They invariably differ from the copy deposited with the Lord Chamberlain (or with whomsoever they be deposited now), for that copy represents the play as about to be performed, these its shape after it lias gone through the fire of the "first night," and has been invariably modified somewhat by experience, or in conformance with public taste. The copies, printed to save the labour of type-writing " parts " and copies for prompters, are distributed only among performers and persons closely connected with the theatre, and not only are they not to be bought, but the authors guard them very jealously. A man who could collect them would have collected about as uncollectable a species of literature as exists. And he must make haste. If the copyright laws once make the printing and publishing of plays safe—these un- published "printed as manuscript " curiosities will disappear. Here is a bibliographical description of the edition of the popular farcical comedy "Jane " :— Jane: a farce in three acts. By Harry Nichols and W. Lestocq. First played at. the Comedy Theatre, London, 18th December l8qo. David Allen and Son, Belfast. [No date," 16" [?].] Printed as manuscript. Not published, and not for sale. The book is printed on one side of the paper only, recto. Title page, characters, and a diagram of scenery form three separate leaves inserted before sig. A. Only there is no sig. A, the first sheet being without signature. Then follows sigs. B, C, D, in 16" of, I think double-post; but the book has been ait. After sigs. D, one leaf is inserted without signature. Our correspondent, C. S. Oakley, shows how a book mav, by taking a vast deal of trouble, be introduced to the public without a publisher at all. It is true that it would be at a disad vantage to begin with, but it is possible that, in the case of a fairly successful book, the author might really do better for himself by dispensing  ## p. 313 (#717) ############################################ THE A UTHOR. with an agent, Ruskin tried it, with the result that he has created a publisher. A lady in Cali- fornia, however, well known as an effective story- teller, has started a venture of her own. She brings out a monthly magazine containing one story of her own, and nothing else, every month. The enterprise has begun with what promises to be an action at law. A paper in one of the Eastern States has deliberately stolen the work of her first number. Meantime, the experiment seems to be attracting a good deal of attention in literary America. The lady's name is Flora Haines Longhead; her stories are called the Gold Dust Series. I was asked last December by Mr. Archibald Grove to give hiin a paper for the Neio Review on literary collaboration. I took as my text an essay written by Mr. Brander Matthews, introductory to his new collection of collaborated stories. In another part of this journal will be found the conclusion of my little paper. But I very particularly invite all who contemplate col- laboration to read that essay by Mr. Matthews, and, in order to do so, to get his book. Mean- time, it is right to own that the experience of some men makes rather against than for collaboration. I have myself been exceptionally and greatly for- tunate in my own ventures into the field of collabo- ration. But all are not so fortunate?. I have known examples where the work has been simply ruined through the partners being either unsuited to each other or ignorant of the proper methods of colla- boration. In any case let the partnership be tentative at first, and, if successful, let it be carried on from book to book. But the best collaboration, as I have endeavoured to point out, is that gained by talking a thing over. If I were younger I would make a most valuable little library by cutting out all the really good articles from the magazines and all the really good short stories. There is, on an average, one article in every month's pile which one woidd like to keep, and one or two stories every month which one would like to cut out of the magazines and the collections. For instance, I should cut out, for this month, Dr. Benjamin Ward Richardson's paper in Longman's on the "Mastery of Pain," as an article whose subject goes straight to every- one's heart, while the story which it tells is of extraordinary interest. Then there is Frederick Anstey's little story in his new book of collected tales, called "Shut Out," which I recommend to those youthful critics who arc always informing the world that we cannot write short stories. And there is, perhaps—I am not sure whether it would last—Andrew Lang's nightmare in the same number of Longman's. The author of an excellent little story called the "History of a Failure," which appeared in the pages of Longman's—say, rather shone in the pages of Longman's—last October, is going to be repro- duced in volume form by the same publisher. The book will be entitled "The History of a Failure and other stories, by E. Chilton." I have not the honour of E. Chilton's acquaintance, but if the other stories are on the same level with the first, the book ought to receive the warmest of welcomes. Walter Besant. ♦■»■♦ MEN AND WOMEN OF THE TIME-1788. IT is called a catalogue of "Celebrated authors now living." There are 472 of them—actually 472, in the deadest period of English letters! The catalogue contains a complete list of their publications with "occasional strictures." Such a catalogue in these days enumerates the works with- out the strictures, and, indeed, presents features of suspected autobiography. It is in these occasional remarks that the interest of the volume chiefly consists, though it is also interesting to note how long the memory of many indifferent writers may survive, and how generous are the bounds of limited immortality. The animus of some of the remarks upon, and the space assigned to, certain persons, now utterly forgotten, shows that there were then, as there are now, some who made as much noise as they possibly could, hoping that people would mistake noise for prophecy. For instance, who now remembers Stephen Addington, D.I).? He lived, however, and he talked; and he must have been greatly pleased to find himself described in the following remarkable terms: "With specious abili- ties, he is reported to have carefully modelled those abilities to the meridian of a coterie of canting old women, and has published several pious pamphlets full of grace and edification. He is also concerned in a presbyterian hotbed for the instruction of grown gentlemen in all sciences in the course of a twelve month." Again, John Andrews, LL.D., is said to be an author of moderate abilities, who appears to have taken some pains for the improve- ment of mankind. Again, one Miles Andrews is A a 2  ## p. 314 (#718) ############################################ 3'4 THE AUTHOR. said to have produced plays, " each of which has taken its station in the region of mediocrity." Charles Anstcy's "New Bath Guide" is spoken of as "that exquisite poem "—but. t hen the use or custom of adjectives varies. Of Samuel Ayscough, assis- tant librarian to the British Museum, who made catalogues and indexes, it is cruelly written : " Per- formances of this sort have their use, though they should happen, as in the present instance, to be extremely incorrect." Mrs. Brooke is "a female writer of very distinguished merit." Up to that year in her distinguished career she had published a tragedy, three novels, and a farce,besides translat ions. Now, unless Mrs. Brooke was a personal friend of the compiler of this catalogue, the praise l)cstowcd upon her shows that she was a woman with a following of disciples. Is there any single person now living who has read a work by Mrs. Brooke? One name, which we omit, because it would be cruel to quote it, is given in connexion with a "tragedy never performed." Heavens! If "Men of the Time" of 1892 were to include authors of plays never performed, novels never published, poems declined with thanks, how rich and splendid would be the literary army of the day! Of "Geoffrey Gambado" we have all heard, but who knows its author's "most admired drawing," called Lord's Day Evening Amusements? It is, however, pleasing to learn that his wife "is much admired for her personal charms and mental accomplishments." In the career of General Buvgoyne, again, we all remember a most unfor- tunate day at Saratoga, but do we remember that this gallantly incapable officer was also incapable in other directions, especially in playwriting? Of Frances Burney it is sadly stated that since her appointment as keeper of the robes, "the hours of this celebrated genius have been chiefly occupied in the folding of muslins." Here is a somewhat cold reception to the first of (then) living poets. "Burns, Robert, a ploughman in the, county of Ayr, in the kingdom of Scotland. His poems were published in the year 1787." George Canning "is a young gentleman of the kingdom of Ireland, late of Eton College. He was the most approved writer in a periodical called the Microcosm." Of Clarkson, we learn that his efforts against slavery dated from a prize essay gained at Cambridge in the year 1780. William Cooke is the "author of the 'Life of Doctor .Johnson,' which appeared about three days after his death, and has very worthily been bound up with a jest book." William Cowper "has taken a turn to Methodism, is of a serious and melancholy humour, and spends his whole time in rural retirement. His works are poetical . . . they are greatly deformed and obscured by the total neglect of method. He is best known by a kind of rhyming romance, entitled John Gilpin's Journey to Edmon- ton, which is the most indifferent of all his per- formances." Lady Craven is a person of extreme grace and vivacity in private life, who has successfully transferred these qualities to paper. Among her productions is one which ought not 1o be forgotten, if only on account of its title, "The History of the Baron Kinkvervankotsdarspruken- gotchderns." Thomas Day is the author of a work of "more reputation than merit," called "Sandford and Merton." Of Catherine Macaulav, the historian, we are told that her style is "loose, incoherent, and ungrammatical," and that "her present husband is said to entertain such a fondness for money as to oblige her to live without a servant, and to officiate himself in the character of cook and chambermaid." Of Samuel Horsley, D.D., Bishop of St. David's, "Dr. Horsley married his maid- servant, and is editor of the 'Principia of Sir Isaac Newton,' "—the two events being considered equally remarkable. Of Hannah More, we learn, after the examination of her works, that she has lately been celebrated for her animated patronage, and still more animated quarrel, with Mrs. Anne Yearsley, the "poetical milkwoman." What were the circumstances of this historic quarrel? Anne Newry, whom we seem to have forgotten, is harshly called "one of the mob of writers who have lately undertaken to produce books for the instruction of children." Of John Nichols, whose "Collection of Poems" is now rather rare, it is said that his characteristic qualities are "industry without taste, and the faculty of col- lecting a vast quantity of materials without discrimination." Here is a sad episode in the life of a man of genius. It occurred to O'Keefe, actor, dramatist, and poet. He had to leave the Dublin stage and his native country owing to "the accident of having demolished his wife's nose in a fit of jealousy." Was there ever a more untoward event in the history of a poet? Mrs. Thrale is treated kindly. She "had long borne with the moroseness and petulance of Johnson for the sake of his great respectable qualities, but her second marriage occasioned an open and violent rupture between them, and produced several angry and ill-bred letters from her former preceptor." John Potter—a clergyman—wrote "luscious" novels—he is now rightly punished for his lusciousncss by oblivion. Pratt—without a Christian name—a bookseller of Bath, who called himself Courtney Mchnoth, Esquire— that a bookseller should dare to call himself Esquire!—wrote a quantity of books, and, says the catalogue sarcastically, "there are people now living who believe that they possess a degree of , merit "! Of one Stockdale, who wrote sermons and poems, it is said that "lie is  ## p. 315 (#719) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3lS paradoxical without being ingenious, even without the faculty of invention; and lie possesses the true poetic melancholy without one of poetic imagination." Of another clergyman we are told that he wrote a tragedy which he could not get acted; he therefore engaged a company of actors himself and produced it. The work " is reported to have produced all the effects of a genuine comedy." And of yet another clergyman it is said that " his writings are not good prose, because they are tagged witli rhymes; and they are not good poetry, because they are cold, insipid, pleonastic, and prosaical." Mrs. Trimmer—our own, our pro- verbially admired Trimmer!—is said to be "a devout lady who dedicates her slender talents "— slender !—" to the instructing from the press of the rising generation. Her works are a Sacred History, in four volumes, 121110, and a spelling book, price sixpence." She was fated to do even greater things. One Waldron published an edition of Hen Jon- son's " Sad Shepherd." He "appears by no means deficient in that sort of industry which leads a man to peruse all such writers a3 were never read." Poor Ben Jonson! Of Horace Walpole, that great authority on manners, it is actually said that "an acute and refined sensibility is not the strong side of Mr. Walpole's character." It will be seen that even so far back as the year 1788, authors had acquired the elements of the art of saying extremely disagreeable things about each other, in fact, those very things which were well understood to be the most disagreeable. It must also bo acknowledged that the "occasional strictures " of this critic are for the most part well deserved. It is difficult to ascer- tain what amount of vogue had been obtained by the writers whom he ridicules or censures, but in every age there are reputations undeserved and popularities ephemeral. And it must also be acknowledged that this list, which does not contain half-a-dozen names worth preserving, does yet contain a great number—a surprisingly great number—of mediocre writers whose names, and even their works, have somehow survived to the present day. ♦■»■» — THE DANCE OP DEATH! Shrouded in white, ami with dishevelled hair A strange wild dance the awesome woman flung Atween the ebon coffins lying there, While a weird ditty to herself she sung:— "' The Dance of Death t' 'Twas thus she said, That's the Donee for me! Flouting round the coffined dead Softly, silently." A tiny silver lamp, a niche within, Upon the Dancer threw a sickly gleam, Showing the features of this child of sin; And still she chanted ou as in a dream :— "The Dance of Death amid the dead! That's the Dance for me! Gliding round the coffin head, Softly, silently." 3. From out the depths of night her spectral bird, The ghostly owl did send its chilling cry; No other sound in that dim vault was heard, Save the poor maniac's ghastly monody :— "The Dance of Death amid the dead! That's the Dance for me 1 Floating round the coffin head, Softly, silently." F. B. Doveton. — - WITHOUT A PUBLISHER? MANY years ago Mr. Herbert Spencer pointed out "that in the present state of the evolu- tion of society it would be perfectly possible, if people would only help themselves and look at things as they are, for an author to do without a publisher. But if we try to examine the manner in which publishers probably arose, we may take for granted, I think, that originally the author did so, and that the gradual differentiation of the publisher was simply a natural working of the law of distribution of labour. When a man had written a book he set about to get it printed, and the man who printed it also had a shop where it was sold. And since he made terms with the writers who came to him he gradually became a publisher; and the publisher, as publisher, became differentiated from the bookseller and the printer by the growth of trade. But in those days (and in the next two sentences I go back to the substance of what Mr. Spencer has said) travelling was difficult, and advertisement was difficult, and distribution was dillieult, and without the occult machinery of the middleman it was impossible for the writer to obtain a market. Railways, newspapers, the penny post and the telegraph have created n different order of things, but the writing man has been the last person to perceive it practically. He still insists on employing a very expensive middleman to do things which, in very many instances, he would be perfectly capable of doing himself. First of all, let us take the case of a perfectly unknown author, and let us suppose him to liavs written a political or social pamphlet, such as would naturally be sold in paper covers at a shilling. He  ## p. 316 (#720) ############################################ 316 THE A UTHOR. may have a well-founded belief in the usefulness of his ideas. If he takes this pamphlet to a dozen publishers in succession, he will meet with the reply that it is not in their line, and that nothing but a notorious name on the cover could make any- body ask for it. He may send it to reviews, but, unless it is trimmed to catch more than one breeze it will come back to him.* Again, supposing a publisher to take it on commission ; he may furnish (as a sine qua non) an estimate which more than covers the actual expense, and may insist on 750 copies being printed, though having a shrewd suspicion that not more than 5o will ever be wanted, and most of these for presentation. Furthermore, he may just conceivably fail in interest in the matter after the cheque has been paid. But if the aspiring writer went to a printer and asked for the price of so much printed matter in paper covers, and at the outside of 5o copies, and paid his bill, which would be but a trifling sum, he could then insert in two newspapers the announcement that such and such a pamphlet coidd be obtained at such and such a private house on payment of one shilling by the passer by, or of one shilling and twopence to include postage paid. Not much response would come to this, but what came would be all profit to the writer. Meanwhile, he would simply go and ask at certain journals' offices that the thing be noticed; asking no unworthy favour, be it remarked, but making an honest request, as an honest traveller might leave samples of his goods with a country firm. If there were anything in the book some favourable notice would very likely come, and all the money returns would be profit. With the profit the wise author would slightly increase his machinery, as by leaving it with certain booksellers on commission, or nego- tiating directly with W. H. Smith & Co. to place it on every bookstall. He would have parted with no right, and profit would probably come to any man who was originally justified in his under- taking. Next, let us take the case of an established and successful author. He, of course, can do as he likes; he is really entirely independent of his publisher. The immense occult machinery of the publisher, of course, offers him great advantages; but are they not too dearly bought? No one really knows this in its entirety but the publishers themselves. What may be called shrewd sus- picions point to the conclusion that they are. The successful author would, of course, have to appoint an agent, and the being such an agent would grow- up into a trade, but employing one man who was his servant and private secretary, and making * I make this statement on the supposition that the name nf the author is not eminent. always his bargain with his printer, there is little, doubt he could make immense savings on the pub- lishing system. I admit that what I say operates less in favour of well-got-up pretty-looking books, especially those in which illustration plays a part, and more in favour of books in which the subject- matter is all in all. But this again is a con- summation devoutly to be wished, and the market is at the moment perhaps over-flooded with publi- cations in which secondary accessories really determine the sale. However, the case of the unknown author is really the more important of the two; and the matter to be insisted on in his case is, the advantage of beginning with nothing more than that which vou actually want. If you are forced to commence by paving for 750 copies, there is a strong proba- bility that you will be asked to take back about 707 copies as waste paper at the end of 18 months, and an incidental advantage to the publisher of the insistence on at least this number, has been that the general estimate can be made more impenetrable. But if a man goes himself to the printer and asks the price of 5o copies, and sells them himself, he has no unnecessary expenses for a problematical result. In this way he makes the thing pay itself. The next time he goes to his printer he can almost pay him out of results. And then pure profit (or almost pure) begins to set in. An analogy may be suggested in the case of a private tutor, who is asked to pay t,ooo/. for a connexion, but who has a belief in himself and declines. What does he do? He sits down in a single room next door to the man who wishes to be bought out; he knows that one or two privately know his worth, that pupil will bring pupil, and that the small actual profit will pay for gradual increase of accommodation. This illustrates that side of the difficulty which touches on expense. The question of distribution is illustrated by what often happens in the case of ladies who live in the country and want to sell flowers. They advertise that by sending a shilling or two shillings to a certain address, the sender will receive in return small boxes of early flowers. The senders of money finding that the flowers honourably arrive tell their friends, and profit ensues. Meanwhile experience grows to tin1 flower- producer; and the mingled experience and profit then justify a small shop at the west end. Courage and limitation of actual expenses come to repay themselves. All this is thrown out for the benefit of any untried author who believes in himself; and it is thought that such people exist. But there is a way in which all this affects the Authors' Society. The Authors' Society has an office, it has a few clerks, and most of all it employs its readers men very competent to give opinions as to what has merit in it among manuscripts  ## p. 317 (#721) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3*7 submitted. Merit in itself I mean, apart from commercial value from the publisher's view of the probable existing demand. The Society may feel called upon to recommend the authors of such manuscripts to publish at their own expense, ami may even suggest their having the courage, to be their own distributors. But these authors may lack the means for the initial expenses, and they may on o'her grounds be unwilling. There is no reason why the Authors' Society should not say to these men, "We recommend you to be your own pub- lishers, and you should see your own printers immediately; but you may refer the public to this tifjiec by your advertisements. We will undertake the storage and the details of distribution, and our charges will be only sufficient to recoup expenses of distribution and management. It is obvious that this privilege will only be given to the deserving; that is, to those only of whose manuscripts the Society's readers shall have so reported as to cause the Society to say that they are people entitled on public grounds to a fair hearing. The Society therefore says to them that if they should be refused by publishers, or if they prefer to brave the market in their own way, they do so with the great advantage of bearing to this extent the imprimatur of the Society, and the growing know- ledge on the part of the public that this imprimatur will be extended only to those whose manuscripts seem in their several ways excellent, independently of any existing demand in particular directions to the exclusion of other directions equally good in themselves, will cause probably a larger number of manuscripts to be submitted to them. Now, as the charge for reading will be given partly to the reader and partly to the Society, the Society will itself profit by its public-spirited effort. But the subject does not stop here. The moment the Society has assumed this position, another aspect of the matter shows itself, and this is the most important aspect perhaps of all. There are certain matters of intellectual development in which it is good for competent people to create an artificial market. At least Chantrcy thought so in matters of pictorial or sculptured art, for he left a sum out of what he had gained by his genius to enable his successors to buy what they felt to be good, and felt that it was unlikely that the public would buy. He wished that a painter who paints his best, independently of the market, should feel that he had the chance of one purchaser, namely, a body which contained the best opinion on art obtainable, and that this body, by purchasing his work for the nation, should give him a position he could not otherwise obtain. In literature, of course, there could be no question of purchasing for the nation. Nevertheless it might be good not so much to create an artificial market, because in literature only the public can ultimately decide that, as to give those a chance of a hearing to whom the chances of the market would probably deny it, therefore the Authors' Society should at once be taking steps towards setting aside a sinking fund, which should become the nucleus of a capital destined to act the part of the Chantrey Bequest. This could be done in various ways:—(1.) To begin with, authors who hud in this way been helped to publish might be compelled to make it part of the bargain that they should set aside a per-centage out of the first year's or two years' profits of their aided work towards such a fund, or that they should contribute their three guineas or so, directly the aided work hail yielded them more than a certain sum of profit. So a schoolmaster who has obtained a place through an agent is compelled to pay commission on the first year's salary. (2.) Members of the Authors' Society who are well off, or those generally interested in literature, should be asked to contri- bute a guinea a year to the fund. (3.) Men who have really made money by literature, or who love literature on inde|>endeut grounds and have wealth, should be invited to larger subscriptions, or to leave sums in their will to such a fund. (4..) This matter is more important to literature than an Authors' Club, because all authors who have vitality will feel that to mix with the general world is more important to them than to mix with authors. Walter Scott in an authors' club would have only partially enjoyed himself. But the Authors' Club will have many advantages in giving solidarity to those who use the pen, and it can be made to sub- serve this very point. Great luxury of residence and style would be out of place in an authors' club, and therefore by a self-denying ordinance a per-centage of all actual profit on the ultimate working of the club might be set aside for the fund, and thus well-to-do authors would be com- piled, unconsciously as regards many of them, to help the possible coming man, and to secure an independent position to really worthy effort as against the prevailing market of the hour. I think I am not wrong in saying that the Burlington Fine Arts Club has published engravings, and so the Authors' Club, independently of the formal examination of manuscripts, might be the means of discovering where to assist. This capital, when obtained, would be intended to be drawn upon that the Society might contribute to, or [jay all, the expenses of the first book published by an author, or of his first book on an unpopular subject, and it might be accompanied by a stipulation that where the profits were considerable the expenses should be repaid. The policy of such a stipulation woidd be matter for consideration. The use of the fund might apply to poems or novels as well as to any other form of literature. But, as  ## p. 318 (#722) ############################################ 3*8 THE AUTHOR. an instance of the way in which considerations of the market may hamper the publication of what might he beneficial in itself, 1 will instance that only the other day I heard of this. An essay dealing with social improvement, which was thought to have some strong points, had been offered to a publisher. This essay criticised prevailing senti- ments, both social and political, which have their probable foundation in religion. The answer given by the publisher was that it was useless to put such a book on the market, unless it bore on its title- page the name of an F.It.S. or a bishop. Now, it is obvious that if a well-directed attack on such sentiments was to come it would be more likely to come from one who had not yet attained the dignity of F.R.S., and certainly it would be more likely not to come from a bishop. This subject is not wholly alien to that of the miserable little pensions to survivors which are fought for, as a piteous spectacle for the world, when men who have done service in literature die. Personally, I am inclined to deprecate any State patronage of literature, and I think it is of very doubtful advantage that authors should ever use this fund to take the place of the State in this matter; yet, if they thought otherwise, there would, in what I suggest, be the nucleus of a fund for doing so. The actors provide for the weaker brethren; and they at least show authors that a body of men can value themselves, and not come to the State for aid. My remarks amount to this, that I propose a trades' union for authors; and indeed it is high time that they had one, for it is a profession that is essentially weak in the individual members of it, except in the two or three who have "arrived" and more than arrived. And having used the word trades' union, I may add that there is no reason why the Authors' Society should not do yet one or two things more. There is no reason why they should not fight actions. The law of "mainte- nance" is formidable on paper. One of its sources may have been a fear lest the poor should combine. But in so far as it still exists it may be defeated, and it is not dishonourable to defeat it. Pub- lishers, in so far as they are a hostile bod}-, should be made to feel that they have to fight the whole purse of the society over agreements, or the absence of them. Again, there is no reason why it should not be an entirely honourable and moderate loan office. There is no creature who is more in need of it than the honourable man with ideas, that cannot be put upon the market in a moment. 1 mention this because, of course, such a development is entirely dependent upon the creation of the suggested fund. I will illustrate this idea first of all by one of the best known passages in literary history, which the pencil of Frith has made familiar to many whom a charming book would not appeal to. It happened to a shiftless person, and literature has escaped from Bohemia; but without Bohemian ways, many a man could fairly ask for a loan on work accomplished, at the present day. When Goldsmith or Goldsmith's landlady sent round for Johnson, Johnson found the com- pleted " Vicar of Wakefield " as an existing asset. His quick eye saw there was money in it in io minutes. But what was he to do? A loan would have been accompanied by exorbitances and delays unimaginable. Moreover at that day it would not have been entertained. Nor woidd it now, by the publishers, except, on terms which are equitably unfair. Johnson was obliged to sell out- and-out; and nothing but his authority and unselfishness could have obtained the 6o/. that he did obtain. But an Authors' Society, with a reading staff, a lawyer, and a cash fund, could have given Goldsmith a few pounds at the moment, which would not have tempted him to invite the land- lady to drink, could have subsidized him with a few more pounds when matters had been examined, and could have retained for him his full interest in a remunerative work. There are no few men here and there who could satisfy an Authors' Society of the existence of accumulated material of a certain value, and when credentials of character and intention had been obtained, they could be sub- sidized in such a way as to enable them to continue useful work without distressing sacrifices. Five per cent., and the payment of necessary investiga- tions, is all the Society would ask. They would oidy be doing what a solicitor will do for land. There must be a slightly greater risk, for literature is intangible. This slightly greater risk can be measured in a practical way by lenders whose aims are public ones, and who have no private ends to serve. C. S. Oakley. — OBSERVATIONS ON "THE TALE-TELLING AET" IN SIR WALTER SCOTT'S INTRODUCTIONS TO THE "WAVERLEY NOVELS." - —- fl^HE aim of the following paper is to collect f together the scattered hints and observations on "the tale-telling art" that occur in the various "Introductions," "Introductory Epistles," "Prefaces," and "Advertisements," which Sir Walter Scott at one time or another prefixed to the different editions of the "Waverley Novels." The number of such hints and remarks is not small.  ## p. 319 (#723) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3*9 But they lie almostperdus in this heap of prefatory essays of various kinds. Students of Scott are, of course, well aware of their existence. Prefaces, however, are things which a great many people— including some authors, who certainly ought to know better—do not read. "Whilst even, in the case of those who do read them, the casual and frequently almost accidental manner in which some of the most pregnant and most valuable of these observations arc introduced renders it easy to over- look their importance, and difficult to remember them. Respecting their value there cannot be too opinions. They represent conclusions about fiction, and about the writing of fiction, to which one of our greatest novelists had been led by his own experience. And it will be readily admitted that, if anyone ever lived competent to speak with authority on such matters, it was "the Wizard of the North." His various Introductions are also included in all copyright editions of the " Waverley Novels "—books that ought to be in every English house—and everyone will, therefore, be in a position to compare the extracts here presented with the context in which Sir Walter Scott himself offered them to the world, and to supplement the contents of these brief articles with his own reading; and observation. It maybe well, first of all, to remark that two of Sir Walter Scott's introductions contain much more information respecting his views on the art of fiction than any others. These two are the " Intro- ductory Epistle, Captain Clutterbuek to the Rev. Dr. Dryasdust," prefixed to "The Fortunes of Nigel," and the "Introduction to the Monastery." In the former, as everyone will remember, the imaginary Captain Clutterbuek relates how, having called upon his bookseller in Edinburgh, he chanced to penetrate into a certain "labyrinth of small dark rooms," and at last, all unexpectedly, came upon the "Eidolon of the Author of Waverley." The "Vision" bade him be seated, and then he and the author of Waverley discussed various topics, including the "Waverley Novels," (he captain stating a good many of his own views about these works pretty freely, and the author making reply. The Introduction to "The Monas- tery," is of on entirely different character. In it Sir Walter Scott himself relates how the romance was by degrees built up from his first conception of a motif, adding, as he goes on, a considerable number of criticisms upon the work, which, as he plainly says in another place, he considers "some- thing very like a failure." (Introduction to "The Abbott.'') There is so much in both these intro- ductions that defies quotation, that (though extracts from them will Ikj given l>elow) the reader win; desires to see what kind of lesson Sir Walter Scott's prefaces have to teach, cannot do better than give both of them a careful perusal from end to end. Every line of the Introduction to "The Monastery" (though Sir Walter Scott did consider the tale "something very like a failure ") will be read with interest, revealing, as it does, the whole genesis of the romance, and offering a fuller and more elaborate criticism of the author's own work than any other of his Introductions. In the second place it is self-evident that the greatest lesson of all to be learned from Sir Walter Scott's prefaces is how a legend, a ballad, or a simple tale is converted into a long romance. It is not necessary here to point out how large a propor- tion of Sir Walter Scott's novels are built upon a foundation of this sort. But every reader who has perused the simple narrative as given by Sir Walter Scott in his Introduction, and the romance he has constructed out of it, must have reflected upon how vast a treasure of legend and ballad, and piquant tale, historical and domestic, still exists untouched, whilst a cry is being raised that all the stories have been told, and whilst some authors are casting about them anxiously for any kind of new theme. How the lesson of Sir Walter Scott's example is to be taken to heart, how the magical transforma- tion of a tale of a couple of pages into a romance of some i3o,ooo words (that is about the length of "The Bride of Lammermoor") should be effected, it is not for the writer of these lines to say. But this is evidently one of the biggest lessons which the author's introductions and the "Waverley Novels" themselves, taken together, have to teach. In the various prefaces preceding the tales, and in the notes added at their conclusion, the reader is put into possession of the artist's studies. In the novel itself he has the completed work. No one will be so foolish as to suppose that, because he has both set before him, he will be able to rival the magic with which Sir Walter Scott changed the one into the other. Neither, on the other hand, can anyone be so obtuse as not at once to perceive that in this open presentment of the tale and of its elements, a great master is offering lessons of price- less value. If it is pardonable to offer (very diffidently) an opinion respecting which tales might be first studied in this way with the greatest advan- tage, perhaps "Guy Mannering," "The Bride of Lammermoor," and "The Heart of Midlothian" might be selected. Or should "Kenilworth" be preferred to "Guy Mannering," because, in the case of the latter, Sir Walter Scott broke away from his original design? Only the very fact of his having broken away from that original design, and his reason for so doing, and what he substituted in its place, seem all to be pints of the lesson his work offers. He tells us :— "The author of 'Waverley' had imagined a possibility of framing an interesting and, perhaps,  ## p. 320 (#724) ############################################ 3 20 THE AUTHOR. not unedifying tale out of the incidents of the life of a doomed individual, whose efforts at good and virtuous conduct were to be for ever disappointed by the intervention, as it were, of some malevolent being, and who was at last to come off victorious from the fearful struggle." But he adds below— "It appeared, on mature consideration, that Astrology, though its influence was once received and admitted by Bacon himself, does not now retain influence over the general mind sufficient even to constitute the mainspring of a romance. Besides, it occurred that to do justice to such a subject would have required not only more talent, than the author could be conscious of possessing, but also involved doctrines and discussions of a nature too serious for his purpose, and for the character of his narrative." But, to continue, Sir Walter Scott does not leave us altogether without information respecting how the conversion of a short story into a long one was effected by himself. Many hints, which must be read in their proper context, are scattered amongst his prefaces and notes, and something more general is said in the "Prefatory Letter: Dr. Dryasdust to Captain Clutterbuck," preceding "Peveril of the Peak." "A poor fellow like myself, weary with ran- sacking his own barren and bounded imagination, looks out for some general subject in the huge and boundless field of history, which holds forth examples of every kind—lights on some personage, or some combination of circumstances, or some striking trait of manners which he thinks may be advantageously used as the basis of fictitious narrative—bedizens it with such colouring as his skill suggests—ornaments it with such romantic circumstances as may heighten the general effect—invests it with such shades of character as will best contrast it with each other, and thinks perhaps he has done some service to the public if he can present to them a lively fictitious picture, for which the original anecdote or circum- stance . . . only furnished a slight sketch." To proceed next to particulars. First of all, the people who think that fiction is an art have Sir Walter Scott on their side. In the "General Preface to the ' Waverley Novels '" he calls this art the "craft of romance writing," and in " The Introduction to the Betrothed," "the tale-telling art." Whilst in his imaginary conversation with Captain Clutterbuck in the '' Introductory Epistle" preceding the "Fortunes of Nigel," already men- tioned, the captain having quoted " Tom Jones" as a novel that satisfies the highest conceptions of a romance, the author of "Waverley" replies, "True, and perhaps ' Amelia' also. Fielding had high notions of the dignity of an art which he may be considered as having founded." This immediately suggests the question—what constitutes a good novel? We find these replies :— "To describe manners minutely ... to arrange an artificial and combined narrative these two requisites of a good novel." ("Advertisement" preceding "Antiquary.") And, as a description of a perfect novel,— "Natural and probable—commencing strikingly, proceeding naturally, ending happily—like the course of a famed river, which gushes from the mouth of some obscure and romantic grotto—then gliding on, never pausing, never precipitating its course, visiting, as it were, by natural instinct, whatever worthy subjects of interest are presented by the country through which it passes—widening and deepening in interest as it flows on; and at length arriving at the final catastrophe as at some mighty haven, where ships of all kind strike sail and yard." ("Introductory Epistle" preceding "Fortunes of Nigel.") Tu quid ego et mecum populus desideret audi! Only, where is the poor author to find the materials for these paragons of tides? The inspira- tion of some happy moment is the good fortune upon which many would-be authors are content to build their hopes. Such was not, however, Sir Walter Scott's method. "No, captain, the funds from which I have drawn my power of amusing the public have been bought otherwise than by fortuitous adventure. I have buried myself in libraries, to extract from the nonsense of ancient days new nonsense of my own. I have turned over volumes . . . which might have been the cabalistic manuscripts of Cornelius Agrippa. . . . From this learned sepulchre I emerged ... to mingle in the crowd, and to elbow amongst the throng, making my way from the highest society to the lowest, undergoing the scorn, or, what is harder to brook, the patronising condescension of the one, and enduring the vulgar familiarity of the other, and all, you will say, for what? ... to write a successful novel." (" Answer to letter from Captain Clutterbuck" preceding " The Monastery.") So much for what a good novel should be, and whence an author may hope to procure one. What Sir Walter Scott has to say concerning motifs and plots shall be reserved for the next paper. Henky Cressweli..  ## p. 321 (#725) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 321 INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT. r. Annual Meeting of the Copyright League. ri^HE adjourned annual meeting of the American I Copyright League was held at the rooms of the Authors' Club, on Tuesday afternoon, December 29th, Mr. Edmund C. Stedman in the chair. The Treasurer's report showed a cash balance on hand of $469.02. The following memorial resolution on the death of Mr. Lowell, written by Mr. Stedman, was adopted by the league:— "Resolved, That in the death of Mr. Lowell, not only the League, but his country and the entire republic of letters, have lost the scholar and writer upon the whole most eminent in various branches of learning and literary pro- duction, and confessedly at the head of his guild throughout the English-speaking world. In common with all Americans, the members of the League grieve for the loss of the i>oet, the patriot, the firm, eloquent, and gracious adjuster of national and international affairs. As writers, we shall feel the absence of the best equipped, the most subtle, witty, pene- trative master of our English tongue. "As a League organized to restore the American good name for integrity, to protect the rights of authors without distinction of nationality, and to foster the growth of our native literature, we have sustained the most grievous blow that could befall us. In our late President we have lost one who cheerfully, and with the purest sense of duty, lent his great name and his earnest personal labours to the movement for International Copyright. He took the place assigned him at the head of our column, and remained there until the victory was won. We owe to him the advance- ment of our cause on the principle of abstract right. We owe to him the most brilliant and incisive elucidation before Congress of the difficult problems involved. We owe to his epigrams, and to his attitude, that legislative comprehension which finally enabled us to obtain an effective recognition of our claim. Even in the hour of bereavement, and while there is yet much to do, the League rejoices that he was not taken until after the principle of International Copyright had been legally established by Congress, and not before the common gratulation in view of its reduction to practice had reached his knowledge. Ani- mated by his example and monitions, the American Copyriglit League can never retract its course; it must steadily move towards the full attainment of his own high ideal of what in the end shall constitute a true literary federation of enlightened Powers." On motion of Mr. R. W . Gilder, seconded by Mr. It. R. Bowker, the following resolution was adopted :— "Resolved, That the American Copyright League desires to place on record its especial obligation to Dr. Edward Eggleston, as the originator of the idea of the League, one of its first promoters, and one of the most arduous and effective workers in the cause. While not present in the final campaign, owing to ill-health, largely the result of his exertions in the interests of the League, we recognize that his continuous and intelligent labours at an earlier date led up to that great victory. Dr. Eggleston was esi>ecially active, and of paramount use in the establishment of relations between the League and the publishers, and in carrying on the most delicate and difficult negotiations between the Publishers' and Authors' Leagues. He also took the initiative in the negotiation with the typographical unions; and in general served the League and the cause of copyriglit with enthusiasm, devotion, and initiative, which make his part in the long conflict one of peculiar honour, and deserving of the gratitude of all who have at heart the interests of literature, and the honour of our country." On motion of Mr. Bowker, seconded by Dr. Eggleston, the Chairman was requested to write to Mr. P.. U. Johnson, Secretary of the League, and to express the regrets of the League at his illness, and wishes lor his speedy re- covery: also to put on record the sense of the League as to his great services to the cause of International Copyright. It was stated that Mr. Johnson was convalescing from the attack of yellow fever by which he had l>ecn prostrated, but would not bo out and about again until February. The following members of the council were re- elected, with the addition of the name of Mr. Frank Millet, in the place of Mr. Lowell, deceased :— Henry M. Alden, Charles Barnard, It. It. Bowker, H. H. Boyesen, Noah Brooks, II. C. Bunner, George W. Cable, Titus Munson Coan, the Itev. Robert Collver, Alfred R. Conkling, Samuel L. Clemens, George William Curtis, Edward Eggles- ton, Richard Watson Gilder, George Walton Green, Bronson Howard, W. I). Howells, Laurence Hutton, Robert Underwood Johnson, Thomas \Y. Knox, Brander Matthews, Albert Mathews, Edward Mm iroe Smith, 1 liorv.ild Solln/rg,Kdniuinl Clarence. Stedman, Frank K. Stockton, the Rev.  ## p. 322 (#726) ############################################ .322 THE AUTHOR. Dr. Henry Van Dyke, Gen. Lew "Wallace, Chas. Dudley Warner, and James C. Welling, LL.D. At a meeting of the Council which followed, Mr. Stedman was elected President, Dr. Eggleston, Vice-President, Mr. Johnson, Secretary, and Col. Thomas W. Knox, Treasurer. II. Canada and the United States. It is stated in Ottawa (the Times'1 correspondent says) that Lord Salisbury has sent a despatch to Lord Stanley which joins issue with the Canadian Government on the refusal to allow to citizens of the United States the privileges of copy- right in the Dominion without domicile. Canadian action is based on the existing Dominion law, under which registration is only permitted to foreigners whose Government has a copyright treaty with Croat Britain. But Canada contends that the United States Copyright Act of 1891 and the President's proclamation of July last granting certain privileges to British subjects do not constitute a copyright treat)', and that, therefore, the citizens of the United States cannot be regis- tered under the Dominion Act. The Canadian legal authorities affirm that the Canadian view is correct. The present difficulty lies in the fact that Lord Salisbury assured the Washington Cabinet that all the British possessions would grant copy- right to Americans—an assurance which Canada repudiates. It is hoped that the difficulty will soon be settled, although it is feared that the public sentiment of the Dominion is clearly in favour of the right to legislate for herself on the subject. This right so far the Home Government has not admitted. — AUTHOR AND EDITOR. Advice to Contributors. ~1"*EF011E sending a contribution to any maga- I'm zinc or journal the author should observe the following simple rules, which, if they are olnsyed, will sweep away most of the complaints against editors :— (1.) He should write to the editor offeriug his paper, describing its subject and its length; he should also state his own special quali- fications for treating that subject, and his experience and record as a writer. (2.) If he is satisfied with the position and stand- ing of the paper, he should say that he will accept the scale pay. If he has any reason for doubt on these ]n>int he should name the minimum price he will accept. (3.) If the paper is on a subject interesting only for the moment, he should ask for its return, if it is not accepted, by a certain date. (4.) Before sending to any editor, he should first look at the announcements made in its pages. Some papers state that they do not ask for outside contributions. In that case, a writer cannot expect his MS. to be considered, or returned, or noticed in any way. (5.) In any case he should keep a copy of his MS. A draft of the above notes was submitted to the editor of a well-known journal. He suggested certain changes which have been made in the third clause; he says that the advice is, on the whole, "entirely reasonable," and on the last clause he writes, "This is his only way of insuring himself against its loss, though if an editor says he will return the paper, the chance of its being lost is presumably small." Value of a Pseudonym. I l>eg to bring under your notice the following unfair procedure of the editor of a well-known journal, the name of which I give below. For some years I had been a contributor to the journal in question, having run a serial and several short stories in it. Quite suddenly, and without any apparent reason, the editor fell into the habit of rejecting each and all my MSS., without, as I suspected from the promptitude with which they were returned, even taking the trouble to read them. As the MSS. were afterwards accepted by journals of as high, if not higher standing, I could not think it was lack of merit which threw them out of the journal just mentioned. I acted on the advice of a friend, and had one of my short stories copied by a relative, assumed a pseudonym, and another address, and sent it to the editor. It was at once accepted. About a week before, I had sent the same MS. to the journal, without even a different title, and it was promptly returned, with- out being looked at, I am forced to conclude. Since then, MSS. sent under my pseudonym have been, with one exception, accepted; those sent under my own, as invariably rejected. I consider that such conduct, which an unlucky author is forced to submit to, is subversive of all the confidential relations which ought to exist between editor and contributor. I may add that  ## p. 323 (#727) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 323 this particular editor, not knowing me personally, could have no personal animus against me, and I cannot account for his acting in so unfair and arbitrary a manner. H. B. M. [This case seems purely accidental. If the editor has no animus against this contributor, why should lie send hack her work? Probably the paper accepted under the ps.'udonym pleased him so much that he readily looked at other work by the same hand. H. B. M. had better stick to her new name.—Ed.] A Far too Common Case. In January of last year I offered the editor of a certain monthly to "do" an article upon a subject that was just then attracting a consider- able amount of public attention. A journey to town (100 miles) and an interview with a specialist upon the matter in hand, resulted in an article which was accepted "upon the terms named in (my) letter." In due course, the contribution was published. After a lapse of several months, as I had received no remittance, I wrote to the editor, who ignored that and two subsequent communica- tions. In December (after waiting, threatening legal proceedings) I placed the matter in my solicitor's hands. He succeeded in getting firstly a denial of the debt; secondly, an inquiry as to how much was claimed; and lastly, a statement that the editor understood that the remuneration expected (although he had my letter distinctly stilting the sum I was prepared to accept) was io«. The article was only 10 columns in length, and had only involved a journey of a hundred miles to London and back, and the best part of four days to write. The editor, a more or less well-known person, is now stated to be away. Surely, sir, an editorial black list, in which such men could be pilloried, should be started in the Author. I have more cases for a future occasion. C. H. Editorial Etiquette. I am glad to find in the current number of the Author some indication of the treatment which editors accord those who send them MSS. on approval. I once forwarded, by request, to the editor of a monthly review an article on a current political topic. Weeks after, when the subject discussed had died out, and my "copy" could not be used elsewhere, it was returned to me. Has not every writer, famous or obscure, expe- rienced the sweets of .editorial etiquette? Has he not sent MSS. to editors to find them unacknow- ledged; written to editors to find his letters ignored; sent stamps to editors to find them appropriated without a word? When one merchant sends samples and quotations to another, his letter is replied to, or at least preserved. You may write to a pork-butcher and be sure of getting a civil reply. You may write to architects, builders, surgeons, and lawyers, and receive courteous treatment; but when you write to an editor your communication is as sent to the dead. The chances are that the waste paper basket receives your letter, and the office boy pockets your stamps. Editors are now endeavouring to elevate their calling to the dignity of a profession. They have founded a Journalist's Institute, and incorporated it by Royal charter. Is it, then, too much to ask that they should acknowledge some common and humane standard of professional etiquette? E. H. Stamps for Return. A correspondent calls attention to a very curious difficulty. He calls it, indeed, by a stronger name, but the thing can hardly be designed. He says, in effect as follows. He has sent MSS. to a certain journal. The only address of the editor is that of the publishers. He always carefully encloses stamps in case of rejection. Now in one case he sent a paper on which he set some value. Not getting it back or accepted, he wrote again and again for it; he obtained no reply. At last, after a very sharp letter, he received a note from the editor saying that the stamps had been used in forwarding the MS. from the publishers to his private address, and that, as there were no more stamps, the MS. could not be returned. Now, it is quite certain (1) that if a magazine asks contributors to forward stamps for return, they are lx>und to return rejected MSS.; in which case the editor's place of residence is a private consideration for himself and the pub- lishers. But (2) if the magazine does not invite contributions, MSS. must be sent to take their chance. Should members of the Society fall into such a difficulty as this, a letter to the secretary, with the particulars of the case and the name of the paper, would probably lead—if that paper invites contributions—to the return of the papers. Accepted and Kept. A correspondent, not a young writer, but well known in the world of letters, scuds us particulars of treatment to which he has recently lwn subjected.  ## p. 324 (#728) ############################################ 324 THE AUTHOR. He offered m certain paper to a certain magazine. The editor, writing in November, said "I am quite willing to use your article in , but every page is arranged for so far ahead that I see little chance of being able to use it till the January or February number. If you are willing to wait until I find room for it, I shall be very glad to keep it." In January he writes again, "I am obliged by your note, and shall send proof as soon as ready to the Club, unless I hear from you to the contrary." In February he writes again, "As it is evidently of importance to you that your article should appear soon, I return it to you herewith, as it is quite impossible for me to promise any date for its appearance in and I may not be able to find room for it until the Mav or June number." Here we have an article deliberately accepted, and kept for three months, when it is uncere- moniously sent back to the author. Suppose a fruiterer, who buys of a grower fruit which must be eaten within a week or two or it will spoil, were to keep that fruit for a week, and send it back rotten, saying that he could not use it. This is exactly a similar case. Nearly all the papers pub- lished in the magazines belong more or less to the day. Suppose the contents of the current Contem- porary, for instance, were kept for six months. How flat' and stale and unprofitable they wotdd appear! Editors who are open to receive unsolicited contributions might, at least, remember that the wares offered them belong for the most part to the day, and not to this day ten years. They should, therefore, be sent back at once, if they cannot be used within a reasonable period. In this case, however, there was a definite promise. Unless the author himself released the editor, he seems to have boiind himself to produce the paper in January or February. ♦*•»♦ THE LETTER H. AFTER the great catastrophe in " Vanity Fair" —the downfall of Becky, the departure of her husband and the debacle of the house- hold—Haggles addresses Mrs. Rawdon Crawley thus: "Har you a goin' to pay mo? You've lived in this 'ouse four year. You've 'ad my substance: my plate and linning. You ho me a milk and butter bill of two 'undred pound, you must have noo laid eggs for your homlets, and cream for your spaniel dog." It will be observed that Thackeray makes Raggles reverse his aitches—put in the aspirate where it ought to be omitted, and omit it when it ought to 1)0 put in—and novelists generally soem to take it for granted that the illiterate and imperfectly educated talk in the same fashion. As a matter of fact, they do not, and thoro is no reason why they should. Without deliberate intent and much practice nobody could consistently reverse his aitches. I daresay Raggles said "Har you?" by way of being emphatic. He probably omitted the aspirate from " house" because ho knew no better; but why, if he omitted it from "house," should ho take the trouble of saying "heggs" and " homlets." If you listen attentively to the talk of the uncul- tured, you will find that though they may mix their aitches they never consistently reverse them. There are people so fond of the aspirate that they not only never drop it but sound it before every word beginning with a vowel. Others never sound it at all, while many use it only when they desire to l>e emphatic. Lancashire folks, like cockneys, make a great hash of their aitches. I have heard a Lancashire man of good education say that ho was too busy to bother about aitches; and I once knew a Lancashire lawyer who intentionally omitted the aspirate—except in words preceded by the indefinite article. For instance, though he would say, "Give me my 'at," he would say, "That is a hat," on the ground that it is easier to say " a hat " than "a 'at." On the other hand, Scots who use the aspirate incorrectly are as rare as cockneys and Lancas- trians who use it according to rule. The moral of all which, as I take it, is that in writing dialogue you should follow no conventional rule nor merely imitate your betters, but observe for yourself, and make your characters talk and mispronounce as people talk and mispronounce in real life. It is a curious, and not an irrelevant question why so much importance is attached to the proper use of the, aspirate; why it is considered a more heinous offence to drop an aitch than commit any other solecism. The very writer who pokes fun at one of his puppets for saying " 'ouse " or " homlot," will employ " constant" as a synonym for " often" and "always"; and write "if" when he means "though" or "whether." But of all errors in writing and speaking, the commonest and most grotesque is that of using the perfect form of the infinitive, after a perfect verb, for the simple or indefinite form, e.g., "I intended to have scon him " for " I intended to see him." "It would have been impolitic to have refused the invitation" for "It would have been impolitic to refuse the invita- tion." This mistake is committed by our best writers and speakers. You find it everywhere—in the Times, and the Saturday Hcvietc, and the works of John Ruskin and Charles Reado, not to mention loss shining lights. Why I wonder,  ## p. 325 (#729) ############################################ THE A UTHOR. 325 should so gross an error Ik' more leniently regarded than the occasional dropping of an aitch, or tlie aspiration of a word which begins with a vowel? William Wkstall. CORRESPONDENCE. 1. Mr. Traill's List of Pouts. "fW^" is quite right in calling attention to the I omission of Mr. Gerald Massey and Dr. W. C. Bennett. But he has forgotten to take note of several other omissions, which are equally, if not more, remarkable. A list of living poets is indeed incomplete which does not include women like Mrs. Hamilton King, Isa Craig Knox, and B. Nisbet (Mrs. Bland), and men like Philip James Bailey, author of "Festus," <fcc, Dr. George Mac- douald, Professor John Stuart Blackie, Dr. Walter O. Smith, author of "Hilda, or Broken Gods," &*>., the Rev. T. E. Brown, author of "FoVslc Yarns," and Mr. Rudvard Kipling. Mackenzie Bell. II. Useful Books. The Author does not, I believe, admit "notices" of new publications. Criticism, I am sure, none of us wish to see in its pages. Enough of that iv to be had anywhere. But I think that the Author ought somehow to bring before our notice books either especially designed to assist literary men, or of very great service to them. I mean, for ex- ample, works such as the more important English lexicons, or books like Dr. Roget's "Thesaurus," or Dr. Hodgson's "Errors in the Use of English." Works of this kind are not very numerous. The notices of them in the ordinary literary journals are very brief, and are often, also, inserted in places where they are liable to be overlooked. Here the Author might help us. Could the authors them- selves be invited to send paragraphs, simply mentioning the character and scope of any new publication of this kind? Or could any that may appear be announced in the Author fairly con- spicuously, say, always in some particular part of the journal where we might look out for them, and easily afterwards refer back to the announcement? I wish something of the kind was possible, for my own experience is that very useful books of this sort often escape my notice until someone chances to tell me of them. And, whilst I am writing this, it occurs to me that if a few experienced authors would draw up and send to the Author a little list of books of this description, which they have them- selves found useful, and would therefore recommend others to have on their shelves, the information would be valuable to many of us. A Member. [Will the "Member" kindly begin with a list and description such as he proposes?—En.] FROM THE PAPERS. I. "One who knew him." {By One Who Knows Him.) fl^HE breath has scarcely left the body -when I "One Who Knew Him " takes pen and paper, in profoundest grief, and proceeds to earn a guinea by describing, with the greatest unction,trivial details as to the dead man's manner of existence, picked up, as the fruit of vulgar curiosity, at a few chance meetings. The less the acquaintance of the writer with his subject—and, generally speaking, it is evidently a good deal less—the more "chatty" and "readable" is the resulting article. If the poor man who was unfortunate enough to be "known" drank coffee after dinner, with or with- out sugar, there is material for an article. From this fragment of truth the new journalist who knew him will build up a memoir with far greater . ease than that with which an Owen can reconstruct the frame of an extinct beast from its jawbone, and, of course, many miles further away than the original. When caution in the invention of facts is advisable, imaginary conversation dishonouring to the subject's intellectual capacity, and the auto- biography of the writer, make up the necessary column of matter. Autobiography, in fact, is indispensable, and has been so this long time. It is in this department that "One Who Knew Him" is really at home, and can let fly something that is warranted to interest the reader—as, for instance, "He gently glided from business into general topics, knew all about my career, congratulated me on some recent success, had known some of my belongings, inquired about my school and college, was delighted to find that I had been, like himself, at Harrow and at Oxford, and, when an hour's pleasant chat was ended, said, 'Now you must stay and have some luncheon.' From that day I was a frequent visitor at the Cardinal's house, and, as long as he was able to go down stairs to meals, at his table." There is none among the living who can know that he will be exempt from this new and terrible  ## p. 326 (#730) ############################################ 326 THE AUTHOR. scourge when (load, there are many who must be sure that their friends will have to undergo this additional horror in their death. No matter who it be, prince, cardinal, politician, criminal, or nonentity, everyone is fair game for the author of "Imaginary Conversations with the Demi; to which an; added Notes on their Idiosyncrasies in the Payment of their Washing Bills.'' There is always "One Who Knew Him "—generally several more—who is ready to reel off an endless string of trivialities, imaginary or otherwise, as to his habits and manners, which, even if historically true, are the last things to be remembered or brought up against the dead. There would be no objection to these journalistic memoirs if they took the form of respectful tributes to the memory of those who have done something for the world or their fellow-men; but this is the very last shape they take. They are calculated to belittle their subjects, to reduce them to the standard of the narrowest life, of which the most remarkable incidents are the appetite for meals and the hour of going to bed. The ordy possible effect is to place the whole world in the position of a valet to the mighty dead. And the worst of it all is, that there is no one who can rid us of this insolent pest.—Satitrdoy Review. II. Reading as a Recreation. By Mr. Edmund Gosse. (From an Address given at the College for Men and Women. By permission of the Author.) There is at the present day a certain danger of our taking the act of reading, as so many other of the daily acts of our little desultory life, too pompously. It is one thing to set up a high general standard of literature, and another thing to allow ourselves to be bullied by the best hundred books. In this matter our liberties—the right of the British citizen to amuse himself with what he finds amusing —are threatened by two enemies whose hands are usually at one another's throats, but who on this occasion have joined arms against our peace of mind: I mean the Rev. Dr. Prig and Professor Pococurante. Dr. Prig, who has no conception of the need of pleasant things in life and no sense of proportion between our plain capacities and the cravings of his own erudition, wants us to master the classics of the world before we presume to be entertained. He marches round, with his cane behind his back; and if he finds us grinning in our corner, with "Treasure Island" or "Little Lord Fauntlcroy" on ,our knees, he snatches it from us and bids us be studying the "Mahabharata." He tells us the awful tale of Sir William Jones, who in the brief leisure of a busy career, invariably rends through, every year, the entire works of Cicero. But Dr. Prig is really not very dangerous. He is so lumbering and so unpractical that we laugh at him and his hundred best books, and run away to read what we like best. Professor Pococurante is a far more insidious enemy. He pretends to sympathize with us; he has not read the "Mahab- harata " any more than we have, and laughs at the idea of reading it. But, of the two, I think I like poor old Dr. Prig the best, for he has a sort of superstitious respect for literature, while the whole essence of the Professor is that ho comes to sneer at the charming illusions of the book world, to toll us that he has tried them all and found them dust and ashes. If I remember rightly, it was Mrs. Pipchin who told Miss Pankey that she would never go to heaven if she sniffed. I am sometimes afraid that, in spite of all his gifts and graces, the heaven of literature will bo closed to Professor Pococurante. He advances sniffing to the rank of the fine arts. He has little offensive and defensive formulas, taking in vain the names of one or two authors whom he patronises—Dumas's, Thackeray's, Scott's—that he may from behind these ramparts fire down contempt upon all other novelists, as though ginger were not still hot in the mouth in spite of our virtuous partiality for roast saddle of mutton. In the course of sniffing the Professor reaches the world of old books, and would fain forbid us to read any genial-hearted brown quarto that attracts us, because, forsooth, wo might be spending our time letter in reading " Rob Roy " for the eighth time, or chewing the lamentable cud of Thackeray's least inspired fragment. The strength of the Poco- curante position is that it conceals its listlessness, its radical contempt for literature, under the shelter of one or two noble names, so that he who ventures to denounce this evil trick of sniffing may be charged at once with disrespect to Scott or Homer. But I risk this danger, and I urge you not to be the dupes of this cynicism. Do not despise the day of small books, nor believe that you can restrain a genuine taste for literature within the narrow limits of a handful of accepted classics. It is amusing to find that the very writers on whom cynics of the Pococurante school base their scorn of second-class literature were themselves, without exception, indulgent to and enamoured of little books. Nothing in the shape of a volume was too obscure or too old-fashioned to amuse and attract Sir Walter; Thackeray's fondness for dumpy twelves amounted to a passion. What a pretty letter is that of Scott's to Terry lamenting that he cannot buy all the rarities he desires  ## p. 327 (#731) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 327 because of the expense that the building of Abbots- ford is putting linn to. Yet there are two books which, poor as lie is, he must secure if possible. What are these? One is the " Mahftbharata," you will be bound; and the other a copy of "Rob Boy "? By no means. The books that Scott so much longed to amuse himself with were a "Treatise on Dreams, by the author of the New Jerusalem," and a volume of "Loyal Poems, by N.T."—no more illustrious a person than Nahum Tate, who wrote such afflicting hymns in company with Brady. For this latter curiosity Sir Walter was willing to give a guinea or thirty shillings. Turn away your face, Professor Pococurante. To limit our sympathies in books to those which are the best-accredited and the most classical is like refusing to know anybody whose movements are not. chronicled in the Morning Post. It is not an enviable social aim to be always trying to know none but the "best" people. EveryIwdy who is worth his salt has seedy friends, friends who have been failures, friends who possess some uncontrol- lable foible which prevents them from being universal favourites. Each of us, I hope, under- stands the weakness of loving some one who does not seem loveable to all the world. So it should be with our book friendships. In idle moments, when one is tired or dispirited, one finds one's fingers drumming on the panes of one's bookcase, and one asks one's self, " What shall I read?" I know that, in my own case, some rascally old comedy often gets taken down, although "Paradise Begained " is austerely frowning at the side of it, or else Sterne glides naturally into hands which know they ought to be engaged on Gibbon. Is it that if some one suddenly came up and said, "Do you seriously prefer the lax frivolities of Vanbrugh to Milton's noble appeals to the sanctified imagination," I could answer "Yes"? Certainly not. But why should I pretend to be always "seriously preferring" anything? There are moods in which it is our privilege not to be serious; and then the second-rate and the third- rate literature has its dav, all the queer books and the silly books, the books that run too far ahead of their age and the books that lagged too far l>ehind. I positively refuse to be always reading "Bob Boy" for the eighth time. I would rather read over again "Count Bobert of Paris" and "St. Bonan's Well" than do that; while, in point of fact, as soon as Professor Pococurante's back is turned I blaspheme the name of Sir Walter in a whisper, and I take up Smollett, or Leigh Hunt, or some yellow book of tales by poor M. de Maupassant. Anything for liberty and sympathy, and to assert the right of a free Englishman to read what he likes to read. Away with the "Mahabharata!" Away with the "Sheking!" If I want to be bored, I will be bored with what I choose. I will read "Polexander" or the "Leviathan" of Mr. Hobbes. Who, that is a real lover of books, does not ac- knowledge the charm of a squat volume that has had its day. It makes no demand upon us. It is so thankful to be read at all that it does not insist upon a rigorous observance of the rules of reading. If I take up the "Essay on Man" I feel that a great deal is required of me. "Awake, my St. John," says the poet, and you must not merely awake, but, in the frivolous language of the day, you must sit up. No skipping to the fourth page, no dipping here and tasting there, are permitted. You have an intellectual task before you, a very inspiriting and improving one; but you must give your unbroken attention to it. "Awake, my St. John," says the bard, and unless he is ready to make an effort, St. John had better put his classic volume back on the shelf again. But let me remind you how another poet suggests that you should read his verses, and perceive in it the accent of the man who knows what sympathetic reading is. This is how Herriek wishes us to approach those golden apples of his western orchard, his rich "Hesperides": In sober mornings, do not thou rehearse The holy incantation of a verse; But when that men have both well drunk and fed, Let my enchantments then be sung or read. When laurel spits in the fire, and when the hearth Smiles to itself, and gilds the roof with mirth; When up the thyrsc is raised, and when the sound Of sacred orgies flics around, around, When the rose reigns, and locks with ointments shine, Let rigid Cato read these lines of mine. In short, it is only needful to recall once more that happy phrase of Lucas do Penna, and re- member that a book should be lumen cordis, the light of the heart. No one can lay down rules or draw up lists which can help us much to discover what kind of lantern or candlestick will hold this light with most convenience. The heart must choose the book that shines on it. Experience alone can teach us where we shall find the sym- pathy of which we are in need among those silent servants " within whose folding, soft, eternal charm we love to lie." But the more we are thrown upon the sympathy of books, and acquire the habit of appealing to them in every mood, in every nervous vicissitude, the more we shall become convinced of the truth of what Isaac Barrow says, "that he who loveth a hook, will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counsellor, a cheerful companion, or an effectual comforter."—St. James's Gazette. January 28th, 1892.  ## p. 328 (#732) ############################################ 328 THE AUTHOR. nr. On Literary Collaboration. (From the New Review of February 1892.) To sum up, the chief advantage of collaboration is that it is tolerably certain to produce clear- ness of purpose, a well-defined plot, and distinct characters. There is the danger that there may be too much distinctness—a loss of atmos- phere — not enough left to the imagination. Living men and women are not always distinct; tbey change from day to day; they possess more than one characteristic; the miser is not always paring the cheese; the man of science is not always in his laboratory; the shrew is sometimes good tempered; the wanton is sometimes serious and chaste. That is a real danger—and it is only to be avoided by giving, as I have demanded, the final revision to one of the two partners. As for collaboration being a saving of labour, it may be so sometimes, but I would not press that point. From my own experience, I should say that it is not, especially when it results in the improvement of the work, any saving at all. Discussion, you see, is far less rapid than thought. Meantime, let it be remembered that the dramatist or the novelist can find nothing more helpful to his work than to talk over it. When a plot, an incident, a situation, a character, is discussed, a thousand combinations occur and rise up in the conversation. Those which are useless, inartistic, or unnecessary are most easily picked out and thrown away in conversation. Those which remain are most easily passed in review in conversation. The great—the very great—objection to literary partnerships is the difficulty of finding your partner. Mr. Brander Matthews has been so happy as to find several: I have only been able to find two. To take a man into partnership, even for a short story or a short play, is a step attended with great risks; it may lead to certain failure, with certain quarrels, recriminations, and preten- sions. Why did the novel fail? Because of the other man. Or, if it was not a failure, why did the thing succeed? In spite of the other man. Of course, one knows men who could not possibly say such things. Unfortunately, there are men who could and would. Therefore, one would advise a young literary man not to attempt partnership until he has proved his own strength. Perhaps not even then: it is not always that an artist can admit another man to work upon his canvas. But let him not hamper himself at the outset. When he has had a few years' experience, the man whom he would now willingly accept as his partner may be far, very far below him. Reputations in literature are made sometimes very suddenly and very unexpectedly. Let him, there- fore, wait. In any case, a literary partnership, though it may result in many volumes when the partners are happily able to work together evenly and harmoniously, without jealousy, without measuring each other's share, can only, from the nature of the case, be one from book to book— from play to play—from one fable to another. There is, however, one kind of collaboration not put forward by Mr. Brauder Matthews, which may be recommended very strongly to every young literary workman. I would advise him to find among his friends—cousins—sister's friends—a girl, intelligent, sympathetic, and quick; a girl who will lend him her ear, listen to his plot, and discuss his characters. Perhaps he would like to get engaged to her—that is a detail: if he does it might not injure the collaboration. She should be a girl of (puck imagination, who does not, or cannot, write—there are still, happily, many such girls. When he has confided to her his characters all in the rough, with the part they have to play all in the rough, he may reckon on presently getting them back again, but advanced—much less in the rough. Woman does not create, but she receives, moulds, and develops. The figures will go back to their creator, distinct and clear, no longer shivering unclothed, but made up and dressed for the stage. Merely by talking with this girl, everything that was chaotic falls into order; the characters, which were dim and shapeless, become alive, full grown, articulate. As in every day life, so in imaginative work, woman should be man's best partner—the most generous—the least exacting—the most certain never to quarrel over her share of the work, her share of the kWoj, her share of the pay. Walter Besant. IV. The Critic. The critic is the Ishmaelite of the literary family. No one sympathises with him. The people he criticises, of course, will have none of him. His fellow readers, or playgoers, as the case may be, regard him as a wet blanket. Even the "serious intellects," with whom he thinks he may at least claim something in common, treat him with good-humoured contempt. Indeed, the wayward attitude of the "serious intellect" in these days is one calculated to stagger the critics. He never reads the books, or sees the plays, which call for the critic's keenest powers. He cannot be got to read "Eobert Elsmere," or "The Wages of Sin."  ## p. 329 (#733) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 329 Nor will he turn out at night to see Shakespeare, or Ibsen, or Mr. Henry Arthur Jones. He in- finitely prefers burlesque, or a broad farce. It is only the intellects of the second rank who revel in the analytical novel or psychological drama; and the poor critic, realising all this painfully, feels himself out in the cold. He is compelled to write to an audience he cares little about, while those whose ear he would fain reach will not take him seriously. "There is nothing," says an eminent scientific man of the day, "that serious intellects hate so much as an intellectual treat." People whose brains and bodies are systematically under- worked may care about them. But men who have done a hard day's work take more kindly to some- thing frivolous, and prefer—as Darwin did—a trashy volume from Mudie's to Shakespeare him- self. It baulks the critic to find people who will insist that fiction and the drama are intended, not for education, but for relaxation. His trade is to detect and measure the serious purpose which underlies most of the important work, both of novelists and playwriters, in this day. Both have ceased to be merely recreative. The onward march of education has absorbed them as factors in the moral development of the ago. The pulpit has admitted them amongst its coadjutors. They have ljccome, like the jam that envelops the powder, vehicles for truths, and lessons of the gravest kind. It is, therefore, heartless of the person of serious intellect to eschew them all, and addict himself to the lewd fellows of a baser sort, who aim at nothing beyond raising a laugh, or lulling the brain with drowsy nonsense. Happily for the critic, the second-rate intellects, who do concern themselves with fiction "with a purpose," still constitute the bulk of the British reading public. With them he is, or might be, a King supreme. For, without his help, they would be drowned in the floods of books and plays which pour in from every side. On him they depend to keep their heads above water, to guide them through the torrent, and bring them within reach of the few spots of foothold on which they may stand secure. It is rare indeed for anyone to-day to buy a book of one's own motion. It must previously have passed muster with the critic before we pay hard cash for it. It is conceivable that our judgment may not jump with that of the critic when the book is read. If so, the discipline to which long liabit has reduced us will probably lead us to assume that the mistake is ours, not his. More frequently we know what we are to think about a book before we take it up, and, to do us justice, we rarely fail to think accordingly.—Leeds Weekly Mercury, February 6th, 1892. V. Do Publishers Bead MSS. Submitted? Writing in the Western Daily Mercury on "Money - Making in Writing," as a phase of "Women's Questions," Miss S. F. Latimer says :—The idea that publishers do not trouble to read all the MSS. submitted to them is generally ridiculed. We are told that this is an essential part of their business, and if they were to neglect it they would soon go the wall, for the competition among them is now very keen. Nevertheless, I am inclined to believe their readers are not so keen as their employers may be, judging from two in- stances that have been given to me by a couple of my friends during the past week. The first lady did not take the matter much to heart, as she had met better fortune in a previous attempt; but she detailed the keeping of her MS. by a firm for over six months, from whom, despite various letters, she could get no response nor learn of the safe arrival of her copy into their hands, until a cousin made a personal call of inquiry, when the following day the MS. was returned to her—never having been apparently read or glanced through, as it came back done up just as she had sent it away. The second account of the fortunes of a novel that is still awaiting the fiat of a publisher is one that is none too encouraging to the chances of its establishment, nor gratifying to the amour propre of the wearied author. It started on its travels in a box made to fit and to keep its sheets clean. It came back minus the box after an absence of suffi- cient duration to have enabled the mastering of its contents. On removing the outer paper covering, the precious volumes proved never to have been opened. Each had been tied up separately and numbered to save the reader trouble; each pre- sented precisely the same appearance as when laid with expectation within the missing box. "I thought," said the narrator, "when I received their opinion of the novel, that they had evidently no idea of the work at all beyond my brief descrip- tions that accompanied it." It was next sent off, packed in a fine wrapper. A MS. soon.shows signs of having been through the post if not well pro- tected, and the trouble of rewriting, of course, is great. It was kept exactly the same time, and then returned with the communication that the reader's opinion was so unfavourable that the firm could not publish it. The wrapper no longer enveloped the sheets, but the pages bore equally plain evidence that they had not been looked through. The third attempt was to write to the publishers in advance, to ask if they would con- sider the novel if forwarded. After the lapse of a  ## p. 330 (#734) ############################################ 33° THE AUTHOR. fortnight a letter of the usual stereotyped form came from the house, saying " that they had given their best and careful attention to the work, and regretted that they tlid not see their way to its publication." The fact of its not having been sent had been forgotten. They waited the usual time, and returned the usual answer. And the hapless novelist sums up by saying, " I am at present just where I was a lew months ago, save being a loser to the amount of ios., MS. sent to and fro, one deal box, and one wrapper. Sore and downcast with disappointment, she exclaims, "It is very provoking to feel the time going past when the novel might take, and not be able to get a publisher to read it fairly and honestly I know that there is good matter in it, and that I have laboured hard to make it worthy of being read, and I am not given to over-value my own work." The lady has for years practised her ]x>n. The firms she has tried are influential ones, but there is such a tendency to deal with writers known to the public, and thereby save trouble and risk, that unless some favourable introduction or happy chance comes to the rescue among the flood of offers, the rejected find themselves in the majority. — Pall Mall Gazette. VI. Creative? A daring lady named Molly Elliot Seawell has excited the literary circles of New York. She has written an article in the Critic, and, with relent- less impartiality, has denied that her own sex has ever been great in creative literary genius. Readers of the Critic have withdrawn their subscription, by way of proving that Miss Seawell is wrong. Right or wrong, she has called from an opponent named Sidwell N. Breeze by far the most amusing of all exhibitions of literary patriotism. We know how good Americans insist that Emerson and Mr. Whittier have better chances of immortality than the Laureate. We know it, but we do not argue about it. We maybe prejudiced, and besides prophecy is a frivolous exercise. If humanity develops more people who admire Mr. Whittier than people who admire the author of the "Lotus Eaters," then the American patriots are right. We may hope that they are wrong, rather in the interest of humanity than of Lord Tennyson, but no one can be certain. However, this is a digres- sion. In the game of literary poker, Mr. or Miss Sidwell N. Breeze "bluffs" a much stronger hand than we hold in the Laureate, though that is a strong hand too. She (she must be a woman) "bluffs " the hand which ancient Greece holds in the case of Sappho. Miss Sidwell N. Breeze is ready to " see Sappho, and go two better "—two at least. Now the whole opinion of the world has recognized in the Lesbian lady Who with the deathless Muses, hand in hand, Sang side by side, the one great woman poet of the world. The fragments which remain, those wonderful fragments never to be translated even by poets, suffice to show the unapproached genius of Sappho. But Miss Breeze avers that these fragments "can easily be surpassed by Miss Helen Gray Cone or Miss Edith Thomas," whose rhymes we may have observed in the magazines. This delightful observation simply leaves patriots like Mr. Higginson nowhere in the race, and adds two to the Muses who are now twelve, including Sappho. No other vaunt can match this vaunt. But, if we examine the general Question, we may think that Miss Seawell has been too hard on her sex. They never created, she says, a Panta- gruel, a Becky Sharp, a Micawber, an Ivanhoe, a Don Quixote, a Faust. Well, we do not exj>ect them to produce Pantagruels. Ivanhoe, as Miss Breeze remarks, is no creation at all. Poor Wilfred is a lay figure; perhaps Scott would have called him, as he called Edward Waverley, "a sneaking piece of imbecility." "I am a bad hand at drawing heroes," he added, and Ivanhoe is a hero. As to the others, it is certain that no woman (unless it. be Miss Cone or Miss Thomas) has created a poetic figure like Faust, or Satan, or Don Quixote, or Lear, a humorous figure like Falstaff, or Mrs. Gamp, or anybody that is good in Shake- speare or Dickens. No woman (not even Miss Mtirfree nor Miss Wilkins) has designed a Captain Costigan, or a beauty and a Queen of Hearts, like Beatrix Esmond, or Rosalind, or Di Vernon. Women have created no great characters of any sort, and very few good ones, few whose names are household words. * * * It was a woman who gave us Mr. Collins and Anne Elliot, and all the immortal family of Bennets —Lydia and Kitty, their father and their mother George Eliot also created Mrs. Poyser and Caleb Garth, and the girl whom Mr. Gilfil wooed. But it is certainly curious, when we think of George Eliot, to consider how few of her people hold their own—how few of them are household words. When Manse Headrigg remarked that she would cease testifying for nae painted brick o' the Tower of Babel that's coloured scarlet and ca's itself a corporal, she quite, outshone Mrs. Poyser by mere native eloquence. Take away Mrs. Poyser, and who is there? Tito Melema is only the " Awful Example " of a sermon. Adam Bode is a stage-  ## p. 331 (#735) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 331 carpenter. These people do not wear, they do not last, like true and living creations. The name of George Sand is also invoked. But whom do we remember, or what do we remember, in George Sand's work? We remember descrip- tions, sentiment, a charm of style, such as never other woman wrote, and perliaps we remember Consuelo. Indiana is just a passionate Creole; Valentine is hardly more actual than Aurora Floyd. George Sand drew living people in her memoirs, much more than in her novels. It is really the humourous women who create characters, not the clever women, the learned women, the audjicious women. A woman (who might conceivably have been better employed) gave us Xaintrailles, Paillette, Madame de Flirt, and scores of others. Miss Broughton's people—not her heroes, but her chil- dren, her casual coquettes, her vulgar, good-hearted girls—are creations; they live, and move, and are remembered, simply by dint of humour. As to speaking "immortal words," in verse, passages that live as familiar quotations, we do not, unluckily, remember any of the many with which Miss Helen Gray Cone and Miss Edith Thomas have enriched the world. But the real prize would have to be given to no lady who writes in magazines, but to the women who composed "Auld llobin Gray," "The Flowers of the Forest," "And were na my heart light I would dee," and so forth. They were not profession^ poets, they struck the lyre but once or twice, yet still the notes are ringing.— Daily A'ews. VII. An American on American Literature. (From the Times, January i5th, 1892.) There has been a deal of talk back and forth across the water as to the bigness or littleness of our American literature. We talk about the bigness of it, you about the littleness of it, and the real truth concerning it is altogether ignored, or else it is not understood. By your gracious leave I would say what seem to me the facts in the case. We have had no creators of literary sentiment, or more truly discoverers, such as Wordsworth, who found for us the spiritual life in nature; like Browning, who has taught us the deeper, truer, meaning of love as a life passion of the human heart; like Carlyle, who knew more concerning the energy of life that wins results in the world than all his predecessors. We have not these. Let us frankly admit it. There is nowhere in our lite- rature the thoughtful substance that the Englishman thinks of when he thinks of even his modern literature. Our poet is Longfellow, a man of musical rhythm, sweet fascinating phrases—in short, a man of art in verse. But you have this, too, say you, in Tennyson, the poet of form, and a man of more substance than Longfellow. Let me distinguish. Tennyson is a creator of form, a dis- coverer of every possible new form in musical verse, a man who racked his brain from youth to find an exquisite phrase, a perfect word, a striking and enduring figure. Tennyson's eye was on the form itself, just as much as Browning's eye was on love, or Wordsworth's on the spirit of nature, while Longfellow touched the little nature, the little life, the little human passion that lay about him, with his eye on the human heart, not on his form or on his substance of thought. It is this wonderful adaptation of Longfellow's simple, sweet, beautiful verse to the common heart of man that makes it as significant as it is popular. Tennyson has done some bad work, shocking work; he has written verses that jar as well as verses that sooth to sleep or fill with life; so all the English poets, in their efforts to discover what was good, were unable themselves to distinguish the good from the bad in that which was to the world altogether new as it was new to them. Browning has written a considerable body of work which would not inspire even his own soul, let alone that of anyone else, and Wordsworth seemed utterly unable to tell his good work from his dry, meaningless verbiage, as Matthew Arnold him- self says. So it is with Mr. Arnold's own work, and with Keats and Shelley and Clough and Mrs. Browning and the rest. Even the popular Macaulav in his effort to be striking fell into serious blunders, and Carlyle is full of irregularity. Glance over such a book as Lowell's " From my Study Windows " and you will see plainly some of the chief characteristics of our literature. Lowell does not say anything of great moment, but what he does say is gracefully addressed to the heart and thought of us all; we can all enjoy it, we can all understand it, and we all are the better for his having written it. Browning and Shelley confess that they did not write their poetry for you or me or anybody else, but for themselves, for their own relief, to satisfy their own passion of ex- pression. If we get any good out of their work it is localise they were good men and worth some- thing, and we are free to borrow what we can from all good men. But that is not art in its true sense; that is accident. Conscious art writes for somebody, aims at a definite effect on a definite audience. The germ of that art we have and you have not. In us it has not yet borne very great  ## p. 332 (#736) ############################################ 332 THE A UTHOR. fruit, but it is sure to do so in the near future, as you yourselves admit when you incline to the view that the great novel of the future will come from America. We have not yet gone very deep, we have not yet even fully comprehended the thoughts that you have laid before us, but we are coming to just that, and we have the power—perhaps a power of youth—to put all thought, all feeling, all dis- coveries of the heart into a form which will be useful and will endure, as you have not at all. The mass of England's nineteenth century literature will be dead and buried within two centuries unless wo Americans rescue it from the mass of vagueness and verbiage in which it already languishes, and put it into the setting of the gold of the human heart—the common heart, the common intelligence —by which I mean the intelligence common to all humanity, high and low, and not the vulgar herd merely. The common human heart is your heart and my heart and yonder blear-eyed fellow's heart, and that common heart is dull of comprehension, weary it knows not why, and like a child must be fed by a trained nurse if it is to thrive. We are eoniinsr to be the trained nurses of future life and growth throughout the world, we have learned our business, and we are rapidly putting it into prac- tice. From you we get our materials to work with, our appliances, our food, our drink. We own our mother; we are not disloyal; England has as much right to be proud of us as we of ourselves, and perhaps more right, and the great novels which I fully believe we will soon send forth will perpetuate her name quite as surely as it will ours. But please, cultivated Englishmen, let us not hear any more about the lack in substance from which our literary art suffers. We may not have substance yet, but our literary work is adapted to the human heart more widely, more certainly, than anything of the best you can boast, and we will not be slow to utilize all the substance you have laid open to us. A. S. Cody. Boston, Mass., U.S.A., Jan. ist. VIII. Swindells v. Morgan and Tomkins. The business of Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins, who appear to be indifferent whether they transact it under the style of the " City of London Publish- ing Company " or that of the " Authors' Alliance, Limited," should be considerably curtailed by the revelations made yesterday in the Queen's Bench Division. These ingenious persons appear to derive much of their income from the remittances they receive from aspiring authors, among whom they appear to sow their circulars broadcast, other- wise it is hard to understand why they sent one to the plaintiff in the action just tried. Their anxiety to receive MSS. for publication led Mr. Joseph Swindells, employed in a warehouse at Manchester, to send a sbeaf of verses entitled "Ballads and Poems," besides a drama called "Charles I." Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins, with a frankness which must have won the author's heart, admitted that a most favourable impression had been created by the perusal of the MSS.; but they required a sum of money towards the expense involved in the intended publication. . . . Under the circum- stances there was little which was remarkable in this request, and Mr. Swindells expressed his willingness to comply with it. In short, he forwarded to the moving spirits in the undertakings we have named, and others, £40, some of which seems to have been raised "by subscription " from persons willing to take copies of the work. But, alas! the promised book has never been issued, nor have the MSS. ever been returned. Upon the whole the jury showed their sympathy with the troubled author in a manner which should do much to console him. He was awarded £500 damages, and in the event of his having the MSS. returned he must receive £200 for their detention. We can only hope that the order of the Court may be complied with, but, judging from the caustic remarks of Mr. Justice Grantham on the system of business pursued by Messrs. Morgan and Tomkins, it may be doubted if they will respond to all the demands involved iu yesterday's verdict.—Daily News. "AT THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." AMONG the more noticeable books of the month may be specially mentioned Carlyle's "Lectures on the History of Literature" (Ellis and Elvey), Aitkin's "Life of Dr. Arbutli- not" (Clarendon Press), Miss Gordon Cumming's latest book of travels (Blackwood), H. G. Keene's "Literature of France" "(Murray), Saintsbury's "Political Verse" (Percival), Earle's "Deeds"of Beowulf" (Clarendon Press), Watson's Poems (Macmillan), Lyon's "Colonial Furniture" (Houghton and Mifflin), Lord Selborne's "Facts and Fictions concerning Churches and Trees." The new novels include the " Duchess of Powys- land," by Grant Allen; "Nevermore," by Rolf Boldrewood; "A Strange Elopement," by Clark  ## p. 333 (#737) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 333 Russell; "Denzil Quarrier," by George Gissing; "The Bo's'un of the Psyche," by Claude Harding; fi Eagle Joe," by Henry Hermann; "A Partner from the West," by Arthur Paterson; and "Memoirs of a Mother-in-Law," by George Sims. A new literary paper is about to appear. It will be called the Library Review. The editor is Mr. Kineton Parkes, Librarian of the Nicholson Institute, Leeds. The publishers are Messrs. Hutchinson & Co., 25, Paternoster Square. There are promised (i) critical notices, "chiefly of an expository character," written by experts and signed. There are some subjects, one would suggest to the editor, which are best reviewed by persons who are not experts. The tendency of every expert is to find out something omitted, and to give undue prominence to that omission. However, the signature will have some effect in restraining the experts from too much contempt; (2) condensed estimates from the leading critical papers; (3) bibliographical details; (4) publica- tions of the month; (5) statistics of sales from booksellers and publishers—a promise difficult to keep—and of issues by libraries; (6) general notes; and (7) a library calendar. Nothing new in these features, except as regards the library intelligence. Signed criticisms are found in the Academy. Lists of publications in the Athenceum and in the Author. Notes and news everywhere. But we must not judge by a prospectus. Meanwhile we wish the Library Review every success. The Author cannot choose but welcome every new attempt to create and maintain an interest in literature, especially if it be remembered in each new venture that literature belongs to those who make it, not to those who sell it. The Publishers' Circular shows that the number of books published in England in 1891 was 5,706 —4,429 new books and 1,277 ncw editions. These figures show a slight decrease from those of the pre- vious year, a larger decrease from 1889, and a still larger when compared with the number in 1888, which was 6,5gi. Since 1880 the number of novels (new and old) published in a year has increased from 58o to 1,216, while " miscellaneous" (including pamphlets) has increased from 353 to 731. Books relating to the arts and sciences, and illustrated works, have decreased from 479 to 116, and theology from 975 to 627. The increase in the number of novels during the last ten years, so that there are now produced annually double the numl>er of the year 1880, is very remarkable. But in considering this increase we must remember that the Board schools have given us new readers by the million. This is shown in many ways, but especially by the immense circulation of the popular weeklies. We hope it is not libellous to say that Tit-Bits is reported to circulate 600,000 every week, while Pearson's has 3oo,ooo. At the same time the old favourites, such as Cliambers's, the Family Herald, and others maintain the position which they liave held for so many years. Then the increase of story books for school prizes and presentation becomes greater every year; and every year the demand for books from the colonies and India becomes greater. Nor must it be forgotten that of the novels intended for adult readers and those of the better class, a large proportion are actually paid for by the authors, while the better class politely decline to read them. Houghton, Mifflin and Co. will publish in March the first number of the Neio World, "a quarterly review of religion, ethics, and theology." It will be under the charge of an editorial committee consisting of Profs. Charles Carroll Everett and Crawford Howell Toy of Harvard; the Rev. Orello Cone, D.D., President of Buehtel College, and the Rev. Nicholas Paine Oilman (managing editor). The new periodical will have 200 pages in each issue, a fourth of which will be given to the careful review of important books in its field. A new magazine has appeared in America called the Philosophical Review, the first number of which, for January of this year, now lies before us. It is edited by Prof. J. G. Schurman of Cornell, and is supported in part by funds in the control of the same institution. "It will aim," says the editor, " at the organization, the diffusion and the increase of philosophical knowledge and activity in America." It will deal with all subjects that have hitherto been embraced by the term philosophy. A new weekly, literary and artistic in its aims, the Mahogany Tree, appeared at Boston with the new year. The first few numbers of such a venture rarely afford grounds for an exact and infallibly just appreciation of it. More criticism! The prospectus of another new venture, this time a quarterly review of very high aspirations, is now being sent out. It is to be called the Knight Errant, and devoted to criticism of all the arts, " working to this end without hope or, indeed, desire of pecuniary return." The expenses of the first year are assumed by forty guarantors.  ## p. 334 (#738) ############################################ 334 THE AUTHOR. Under the title "Some Aspects and Tendencies of Current Fiction," Mr. J. Stanley Little will contribute a series of articles on contemporary fiction to the Library Review, a journal for librarians and general readers, the first number of which appears this month. The Leadenhall Press has l>een turned into a limited liability company, with Mr. Andrew W. Tuer as managing director. No prospectus is issued. Who is " John Oliver Hobbes," author of " Some Emotions and a Moral "? There have been guesses and suggestions. Mr. Oscar Wilde has been con- fidently proposed as the probable author of the 1xk)1c. But it is not given to many to discover the author from internal evidence alone. It is not Mr. Oscar Wilde. Then many have thought that it was the work of a woman. They are quite right. John Oliver Hobbes is a woman. Further than that I am not allowed by my informant to go. Meantime, in the hope that these lines may reach her—since I have not been told her address—I venture to express, very humbly, the hope that we may, before long, enjoy more Emotions with or without a Moral. Mr. W. A. Gibbs is about to bring out a con- tinuation of his " Idylls of a Queen" in April, as an "Easter Offering to a Princess." The book will be published by Sampson Low and Co. In the last number, "Maisie Derrick" should have been announced as the work of Mrs. Katharine S. Macquoid. Mrs. Leith Adams (Mrs. Laffan) has just brought out her latest volume with Eden, Remington & Co. It is in one volume, and is called a "Garrison Romance." Bright, lively, natural, true, and womanly. One cannot use all these adjectives at once for many books. The serial current in House- hold Words, "Estelle," is also by Mrs. Laffan. Mr. W. Carlton Dawe's new Australian romance, "Mount Desolation," will be issued by Messrs. Cassells early in this month. Lady Fairlio Cunningham's new novel, "A Wandering Star,"—3 volumes—will be published about the 20th of March (Ward and Downey). D. Appleton and Co. are bringing out the third volume of McMaster's " History of the People of the United States." It covers the period from the Louisiana purchase down to the beginning of the War of 1812 and Hull's surrender at Detroit, and thus includes Burr's conspiracy, the Embargo and it effects, and a review of the social, economical, and political development of the people since 178+. Scribner's for March will contain the last poem written by James Russell Lowell, and "the only one of consequence that ho left in manuscript." It is called "On a Bust of Gen. Grant." One of the stanzas will be given in facsimile. A selection of Moltke's letters to his mother and to his brothers is promised by the Harpers. Mr. T. P. O'Connor, M.P., has translated Pierre Loti's work, "The Book of Pity and of Death," and it will be published by Messrs. Cassell. Mr. Joseph Knight, perhaps the l>est-kno\vn of London critics, is about to publish a volume of reminiscences of the stage. Fiction is to have a magazine all to itself. Under the title the Long Quarterly Mr. Elliot Stock will publish every three months a new novel. The Long Quarterly will be published at half-a- crown. The first number will be entitled " Until My Lord Returns," by Admiral Hinton. A new translation of the "Memoirs of Mar- guerite de Valois, Queen of Navarre." (Ninnuo.) The book will be provided with an introduction and notes by the translator, Violet Fane, and will be illustrated by portraits from contemporary en- gravings. It is dedicated to the Due d'Aumale. Mr. Fronde's masterly papers on the Spanish Story of the Armada, with other essays, are to be published in book form before long. (Longmans.) Mr. Charles Booth has ready for publication a book called "A Picture of Pauperism, with some remarks on the Endowment of Old Age." (Macmillan.) Sir Edwin Arnold's new volume will be called "Potiphar's Wife and other Poems." (Long- mans.) Lord Lytton's last Poems will probably appear this month. (Longmans.) The volume is entitled "Marah." The last poems of Philip Bourke Marston will be published in Boston by Roberts Brothers, with a preface and biographical sketch by Mrs. Louise Chandler Moult on.  ## p. 335 (#739) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 335 Mr. Lowell's "Lectures on the English Dramatists" will be published in book form next autumn by Messrs. Houghton, Mifliin and Co. Professor Karl Pearson has almost ready a book willed " The new University for London." (Fisher Unwin.) David Wingate, the poet, is dead at the age of sixty-four. Mrs. Spender's last three-volume novel "Lady Hazleton's Confessions" will be published imme- diately by Messrs. Sonnensehein. Her new novel, originally called " For better, for worse," has been run by a newspaper syndicate. That title has been already used, and it is now called "A Waking." The author of a "Game at Bluff" is getting steadily to the front. A man is always at a dis- advantage who has an elder brother in the same line and already successful, but Henry Murray is like Henry Kingsley. He cannot be mistaken for his brother, and he has a following of his own. The " Song of Sixpence," just out, is distinctly "clever," in the best sense of the word—dex- terous in construction, and possessed of the "grip" which the bad novelist toils after in vain, and the real novelist has by nature. NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS. Theology. Eyton, Preb. Robert. The Lord's Prayer. Sermons. Kegan Paul. Fleming, Rev. James, B.D. Recognition in Eternity : a Sermon preached before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in Sandringham Church on Sunday morning, January 24, 1892. Printed by command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Skeffington and Son, 16 3, Picca- dilly, is. Kempis, Thomas X. Meditations on the Life of Christ. Translated and edited by Archdeacon Wright, M.A., and the Rev. S. Kettlewell, M.A., with a preface by the latter. Parker and Co. MacLaughlin, Rev. J. Is one Religion as Good as Another? 27th thousand. Hums and Oatcs. 2». Magee, the late W. C., D.D. Christ the Light of all Scripture. Edited by Charles S. Magee. Isbister, Tavistock Street, Covent Garden. ys. id. Maurice, F. D. Sermons preached in Lincoln's Inn Chapel. In 6 vols. Vol. IV. New edition. Macmillun. 3«. 6d. Metropolitan Tabernacle PoLrrr. Sermons preached and revised by C. H. Spurgeon during 1891. Vol. XXXVII. 7*. Metrics:, Frederick, M.A. The Church in Spain. With Map. The "National Churches" Series. Wells, Gardner, Darton. Rawlinson, Canon. The Pulpit Commentary—Job. Ex- position. Homilectics by the Rev. T. Whitelaw, D.D. Homilies by various authors. Kegan Paul. Robertson, James, D.D. The Early Religion of Israel. The Baird Lecture for 1889. Blackwood. Taylor, Rev. E. H. Messages from the Cross to the World. Griffith Farran. is. 6d. Voysey, Rev. Charles. The Bible and Modern Criticism: Three Sermons preached at the Theistic Church. Williams and Norgate. Paper covers, $d. Wickham, Rev. E. C. The Church Catechism. Notes and Questions intended to help towards its teaching in the middle forms of public schools. Percival and Co. History and Biography. Adam, G. Mercer. The Life and Career of Sir John A. Macdonald. Based on the work of Edmund Collins j revised, with additions to date. Sampson Low. i6». Aitkin, George A. The Life and Works of John Arbuthnot, M.D., F.R.C.P. With Portrait. Clarendon Press. 16s. Beesly, E. Spencer. Queen Elizabeth. "Twelve English Statesmen" Scries. Macmillan. is. 6d. Carlyle, Thomas. Lectures on the History of Literature. Delivered by, April to July, 1838. Now printed for the first time. Edited, with preface and notes, by Professor J. Reay Greene. Ellis and Elvey. 5*. Lectures on the History of Literature, delivered in i838 by. Now first published from the Anstey MS. in the library of the Bombay Branch, Royal Asiatic Society. Edited, with an introduction and notes, by R. P. Karkaria. Johnson, Times of India Office, Fleet Street. 12J. Cotton Smith, Rev. H. A History of Spilsby in Lincoln- shire, with notes on Ercsby and other places connected therewith—" The Town of Sir John Franklin." The Spilsby Printing Company. Dunbar-Ingram, T., LL.D. England and Rome: a History of the Relations between the Papacy and the English State and Church from the Norman Conquest to the Revolution of 1688. Longmans. 141. Fyfe, H. Hamilton. Annals of Our Times, a record of events sccial and political,home and foreign. Vol. III. Part II., 1891. Macmillan. Paper covers. 1*. Also in cloth boards.  ## p. 336 (#740) ############################################ 336 THE AUTHOR. Hosmer, .Tames K. A Short History of German Literature. Itevised edition. Sampson Low. 7s. Sd. Keene, H. G., CLE. Mddhava Rao Sindhia, otherwise called Madhoji. "Rulers of India" Series. Edited by Sir W. W. Hunter. Clarendon Press. 2s. 6d. Lecky, W. E. H. A History of England in the Eighteenth Century. New edition. Vol. II. Longmans. 6s. Oxdcastle, John. Memorials of Cardinal Manning. Arranged and edited by. Bums and Oates. Old England: Sketches of English History. By E. A. W. Hunt and Co., Paternoster Row. 3s. 6d. Oliphant, Mrs. Jerusalem: its History and Hope. With wood engravings from drawings by Hamilton Aide, and photographs by F. M. Good. Macrnillau. 5os. Pike, Godfrey H. The Life and Work of Archibald G. Brown, preacher and philanthropist. With an intro- duction by Sir S. A. Blackwood, is. 6d. Passmore and Alabaster. Praeger, F. Wagner, as I Knew Him. Longmans. 7s. 6d. Rousset, Camille. Recollections of Marshal Macdonald, Duke of Tarentum. Edited by. Translated by Stephen Louis Simeon. 2 vols. Bentley. Saunders, Wm., L.C.C. History of the First London County Council, 1889, 1890, 1891. National Press Agency, Whitefriars street, E.C. Schwabe, Ludwio. Teuffel's History of Roman Literature, revised and enlarged. Authorised translation from the 5th German edition, by George C. W. Warr, M.A. Vol. II. The Imperial Period. George Bell. iSs. Stow, Elizabeth. Stories from Ancient History, from the Earliest Records down to B.C. 363. David Stott. Symonds, Mrs. J. A. Recollections of a Happy Life, being the autobiography of Marianne North, edited by her sister. 2 vols. Macrnillau. 17s. net. Fiction. Allen, Grant. The Duchess of Powysland: a Novel. 3 vols. Chatto and Windus. A Woman's Victory. By the author of "Ludley's Widow." Family Story-Teller. Stevens, Strand. Baring-Gould, S. Margery of Quether, and other Stories. Methuen and Co. Boldrewood, Rolf. Nevermore. 3 vols. Macmillan. 3 is. 6d. Braunston-Jones, W. Mithazan: a Secret of Nature. 3 vols. Fisher Unwin. 3 is. 6d. Cambridge, Ada. Not all in Vain. 2 vols. Heinemann 3 is. 6d. Chronicles of Westerly: a Provincial Sketch. By the author of " Culmshire Folk." 3 vols. Blackwood. Clark-Russell, W. A Strange Elopement. Illustrated by W. H. Overend. Macrnillau. 3s. 6d. Cobb, Thomas. Miss Merewether"s Money. 2 vols. Ward and Downey. . The Westlakes. Griffith, Farran. 6s. Crim, Matt. Adventures of a Fair Rebel. Chatto and Windus. Gerard, Dorothea. Orthodox. Cheap edition. Eden, Remington. 3s. 6d. ■ On the Way Through, and other Tales. Eden, Remington. Gissing, George. Denzil Quarrier: a Novel. Lawrence and Dullen, New Bond Street. Grein, J. T. Eline Vere. Translated from the Dutch of Louis Conperus by. Chapman and Hall. 5s. Harding, Claud. The Bo's'un of the Psyche. 3 vols. Fisher LTnwin. 3 is. 6d. Herman, Henry. Eagle Joe: a Wild-West Romance. Griffith, Farran. 3s. 6d. Hewson, J. J. This and my Pipe. Illustrated. Second Edition. Paper covers. Simpkiu, Marshall, is. 3d. In Tent and Bungalow. By the nuthor of "Indian Idylls." Methuen. Jones, Charles. The Solicitor's Clerk. Second and revised edition. Effingham Wilson. 2s. 6d. Leigh-Fry, E. N. A Scots Thistle. 2 vols. Bentley. Lytton, Lord. A Strange Story. Caxton Novels. Routlcdge. Marryat, Florence. There is no Death. Griffith, Farran. 3s. 6d. Mitfobd, Bertram. Golden Face, a Tale of the Wild West. Trischler. 2s. 6d. Nibbet-Bain, R. Pretty Michal. A free translation of Maurice Jokai's romance, "A Szep Mikhal." Autho- rised version. Chapman and Hall. 5s. Paterson, Arthur. A Partner from the West. Chapman and Hall. 5s. Pendleton, Edmund. One Woman's Way: a Novel. Appleton and Company, New York. Phillpotts, Eden. Folly and Fresh Air. Trischler. is. 6d. Pidwell, Ellen. Condemned; or, In the Dark. King, Sell, and Railton, Bolt Court, Fleet Street. Paper covers, is. Rose, F. W. "I Will Repay." Eden, Remington. "Rox." Through the Mill, or Rambles in Texas. Sampson Low. Paper covers, is. Schallenbergeh, V. Green Tea: a Love Story. Vol. of the Pseudonym Library. Fisher Unwin. Paper covers, is. 6d.  ## p. 337 (#741) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 337 Sims, Gkorgk B. Memoirs of a Mother-in-Law. George Newnes (Limited), is. 6d. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin. Illus- trated by E. W. Kemble. 2 vols. Sampson Low. 16s. Terrell, Thomas. The City of the Just. Illustrated by Everard Hopkins. Trisehler. is. 6d. Yorke, Curtis. Two on an Island. F. V. White. Paper covers, is. General Literature. Annandale, Charles, M.A. A Concise Dictionary of the English Language. New and enlarged edition. Blackie and Son, Old Bailey. Cloth, 5s.; half morocco, 9s. Anstey, E. Mr. Punch's Young Reciter, with Introduc- tion, Remarks, and Stage Directions. Enlarged and illustrated edition. Bradbury, Agnew. Armatage, George, M.B.C.V.S. Every Man His Own Horse Doctor, in which is embodied Blaine's Veterinary Art. Eourth edition, revised and enlarged. E. Warne. 2 is. Arnold, Sir Edion. Seas and Lands. New edition, with illustrations. Longmans. 7s. 6rf. Attwood's Volunteer Artilleryman's Handbook. Re- ports of the Shoeburyness meetings from 1865 to 1892. Truelove and Shirley, Oxford Street, is. 6d. Ancient Facts and Fictions concerning Churches and Tithes. By Roundell, Earl of Selborne. Second edition, with a Supplement containing remarks on a recent history of tithes. Macmillan. 7s. 6d. Bennett, A. R. On the Telephoning of Great Cities, and on an Electrical Parcel Exchange System. Papers read before the British Association. Revised, with notes. Whittaker & Co. Paper covers, is. Brown, Dr. Robert. The Story of Africa and its Ex- plorers. Assisted by eminent African travellers. In monthly parts. Part I., with may and illustrations. Cassell. Paper covers, yd. Bullock, Charles. Temperance Talks. Home Words Office, Paternoster Square. Paper covers. $d. Britannic Confederation. A series of Papers by Admiral Sir John Colomb, Professor E. A. Freeman, G. G. Chisholm, Professor Shield Nicholson, Maurice H. Hervey, and Lord Thring. Edited, with an intro- duction, by Arthur Silva White. Published by the authority of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Reprinted from the Scottish Geographical Magazine. With a new map of the British Empire. George Philip, Fleet Street. 3s. 6d. Cobb, A. Stanley. Metallic Reserves and the Meeting of Parliament. Effingham Wilson. Paper covers. 6d. Cochrane, Patrick, R. W. Mediaival Scotland: Chapters on Agriculture, Manufactures, Factories, Taxation, Revenue, Trade, Commerce, Weights and Measures. James Maclehose, Glasgow. 7s. £></. net. Craie, Alexander, F.S.A. America and the Americans. A narrative of a tour in the United States and Canada, with chapters on American home life. Gardner, Paternoster Square. Dilke, Sir Charles and Spenser Wilkinson. Imperial Defence. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. Dredge, James. The Columbian Exposition of 1893. What to see, and how to get there. Part I., The City of Chicago and her Exposition. Part II., The Poly- technic Cheap Trips to Chicago. The Polytechnic, Regent Street. Paper covers. 6d. Edwards, F. A. Early Hampshire Printers. Hampshire Independent Office, Southampton. Paper covers. Florence, W. J. The Handbook of Poker. Routledge. Flugel, Dr. Felix. A Universal English-German and German-English Dictionary. Supplementary part. Asher, Bedford Street, Covcut Garden. Goschen, Rt. Hon. G. J., M.P. The Theory of the Foreign Exchanges. Fifteenth edition. Effingham Wilson. Harper, Charles G. English Pen Artists of To-day. Examples of their Work, with some Criticisms and Appreciations. Percival and Co. 3/. 3s. Hessels, J. H. Archives of the London Dutch Church. Register of attestations or certificates of membership, confessions of guilt, and other papers preserved in the Dutch Reformed Church, Austinfriars, London, i568 to 1872. Edited by David Nutt. Hodgkins, J. E., and Edith. Examples of Early English Pottery, named, dated, and inscribed. Printed for the authors, by private subscription, by Cassell & Co. Hoffmann, Prof. Card Tricks with Apparatus, and Card Tricks without Apparatus. With illustrations and diagrams. E. Wanie. is. each. Huish, Marcus B. The Year's Art. Compiled by. With full-page illustrations. J. S. Virtue. Ignotus. The Essential Foundation of Real Army Reform. Eyre and Spottiswoode. Paper covers. 6d. The India Office List for 1892, containing an account of the services of officers in the Indian service, and other information. Harrison and Sons. 6s. The India List, Civil and Military. January, 1892. W. H. Allen, Waterloo Place. 10*. 6<f. Journal of the Leprosy Investigation Committee. Edited by Phiueas S. Abraham, M.A., M.D., Medical Secretary to the Committee. No. 4. December, 1891. Published for the Committee by Macmillan. 2s. 6d. Kalm's Account of ins Visit to England, on his way to America, in 1748. Translated by Joseph Lucas, with maps and illustrations. Macmillan. 12s. Keene, H. G. The Literature of France. University Extension Manual Series. John Murray. Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed, and Official Classes for 1892. Kelly & Co., Great Queen Street, W.C. 16s.  ## p. 338 (#742) ############################################ 338 THE AUTHOR. Kennedy, Admiral. Sporting Sketches in South America with map and illustrations. E. H. Porter, Princes Street, Cavendish Square. Lang, Andrew. Books and Bookmen. A new edition. Longmans, u. 6d. Loeing, G. B., M.D. A Year in Portugal, 1889-1890. G. P. Putnam's Sons, King Willian Street, Strand. Lyon, I. Whitall, M.D. The Colonial Furniture of New England: A Study of the Domestic Furniture in use in the 17th and 18th centuries. Illustrated. Houghton and Miffin, Riverside Press, Cambridge. "M." A Prosperous Kingdom : or a Vision of the Possible. The problem of pensions for old age discussed, and how to empty the workhouses. Slater, Strand. Paper covers. 6d. Macquere, T. Miller, LL.D. A Summary of the Powers and Duties of the London County Council. Second edition. Simpkin, Marshall. Paper covers, id. Mew, James, and J. Ashton. Drinks of .the World, with illustrations. The Leadenhall Press, it. is. Morris, Rev. M. C. F. Yorkshire Folk Talk, with characteristics of those who speak it in the North and East Ridings. Henry Frowde, Amen Corner: York, John Sampson. 7s. dd. net. Nottklle, L., B.A. The French Peasantry since the Revolution of 1789. Simpkin, Marshall. Paper covers, is. Picot, M. Georges. Self-Help for Labour: an Address. Some French solutions of working-class problems. Published by the Liberty and Property Defence League. Victoria Street, S.W. Paper covers, id. Priestley, Neville. Distance and Route Tables, India: showing the shortest distance and route between any two stations in India, also alternative routes between them. Indian State Railways. Second edition, revised and corrected. Printed at the Education Society's Steam Press, Bombay. Reeves, Edward. Homeward Bound, after Thirty Years. A Colonist's Impressions of New Zealand, Australia, Tangier, and Spain. With illustrations. SwanSonnen- schein. Richards, H. C., and W. H. C. Payne. The Metropolitan Water Supply: a compendium of the history, the law, and the transactions relating to the Metropolitan Water Companies from earliest times to the present day. Collected and collated by. Argus Printing Company, Temple Avenue. Saintsbury, George. Specimens from Defoe's Minor Novels. Edited by. Volume of the Pocket Library of English Literature. P ercival. 3s. 6d. Sayce, Professor A. H. Records of the Past: being English Translations of the Ancient Monuments of Egypt and Western Asia. New series, edited by. Vol. V. Samuel Bagster, Paternoster Row. Schaffer, D. A. The Impossibility of Social Democracy: being a supplement to "Quintessence of Socialism." Authorised English edition, with a preface by Bernard. Bosanquet, M.A. Swann Sonnenschcin. Scidmore, E. R. Westward to the Far East. A guide to the principal cities of China and Japan. Issued by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Smith, Arthur H. Chinese Characteristics. Kegar. Paul. Smith, H. Gkeenhough. The Romance of History. Bentley. Teegan, Thomas H. Technical, Industrial, and Commercial Education in France. Simpkin, Marshall. Tegetemier, W. B., F.Z.A. Poultry for the Table and Market versus Fancy Fowls. With an exposition of the fallacies of poultry farming. Horace Cox, Field Office, E.C. Tredwell, Daniel M. A Monograph on Privately Illustrated Books: a Plea for Bibliomania. Privately printed at Lincoln Road, Flatbush, Long Island, U.S. Verga, Giovanni. The House by the Medlar-Tree. Translated by Mary A. Craig, with an introduction by W. D. Howells. Red Letter Stories Series. Osgood, M'llvaine. 3s. 6d. Walters, Alan. Palms and Pearls; or, Scenes in Ceylon. Bentley. Webb, W. S. California and Alaska, and over the Canadian Pacific Railway. Second edition. Illustrated. Put- nam's Sons. White, W. H. The Architect and his Artists: an essay to assist the public in considering the question, Is archi- tecture a profession or an art? Spottiswoode and Co., New Street Square. Wilkinson, J. Fhome. Pensions and Pauperism. With Notes by T. E. Young, B.A., Vice-President of the Institute of Actuaries. Mcthuen. is. Wright, H. C. Children's Stories in English Literature, from Shakespeare to Tennyson. Fisher Unwin. Ss. Educational. Baker, Major Eden, R.A. Preliminary Tactics: an introduction to the Study of War for the use of junior officers. Kegan Paul. Bkndall, H., and C. E. Laurence. Graduated Passages from Greek and Latin authors for first sight translation. Selected and supplied with short notes for beginners. Part II. Moderately easy. Cambridge University Pres... Cameron, D. A. An Arabic-English Vocabulary, for the use of English Students of Modern Egyptian Arabic Compiled by. Bernard Quariteh. Harrison, W. Jerome. Guides to the Examinations in Chemistry and Geology, and Answers to Questions. Blackie's Guides to the Science Examinations. Blackie, Old Bailey. Paper covers. 6d. each. Hughes, Wm., and J. F. Williams. Advanced Classbook of Modern Geography, Physical, Political, Commercial. George Philip, Fleet Street. 6s.  ## p. 339 (#743) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 339 Jaschke, Richard. Nutt's Conversation Dictionaries, English-French. Compiled by. David Nutt. Pellissier, Eugene, M.A. French and English Passages for Unseen Translation and Composition, with Exami- nation Papers in Grammar and Idioms. Senior course. Edited by. Practical Abithmktic Exercises for Senior Pupils, con- taining upwards of 6,ooo Examples, with Answers. Blackwood. Rotal Atlas op Modern Geography. Part IV. W. and A. K. Johnston. Paper covers. Stanford's Handy Atlas op Modern Geography 3o coloured maps. Stanford, Cockspur Street, S.W. 10s. 6d. Wormell, Richard. Plotting, or Graphic Mathematics, is. Arnold's Mathematical Series. Edward Arnold, Bedford Street, W.C. Wright, Joseph, Ph.D. A Primer of the Gothic Lan- guage, with Grammar, Notes, and Glossary. Clarendon Press. 4«. 6d. Poetry and the Drama. "A." Sonnets and Poems. John Flack, High Holborn. Blakeney, E. H., and D. M. Panton. Poems by Two Friends. Palmer, Little Queen Street, W.C. Paper covers. I*, net. Dennis, John. The Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott. Edited, with Memoir, by. In 5 vols. Vol. I., with portrait. Aldine Edition. George Bell. is. 6d. Earle, John, M.A. The Deeds of Beowulf: an English Epic of the Eighth Century, done into modern prose. With an Introduction and Notes by. Clarendon Press. is. 6d. Lamb, Charles and Mary. Poetry for Children, i vols. The Leadenhall Press. Leather binding. Ross, Ronald. The Deformed Transformed: a Play. Chapman and Hall. 3j. 6d. Saintsbury, George. Political Verse. Edited by. Volume of the Pocket Library of English Literature. Percival. 3s. 6d. Shorter, C. K. Lyrics and Sonnets of Wordsworth. Selected and edited by. The Stott Library. David Stott, Oxford Street. Towndrow, R. F. A Garden and other Poems. Fisher Uuwin. 2S. 6d. The Professor and other Poems. By the author of "Moods." Kegan Paul. Watson, Wm. Poems. Macmillau. Ss. Law. Crawley, Charles. The Law of Husband and Wife. Clowes and Sons, Fleet Street. ios. The Law of Mcstcal and Dramatic Copyright. By Edward Cutler, Q.C., Thomas Eustace Smith, and Frederick E. Weatherly, Barristers-at-Law. Revised edition. Cassell. 3s. 6d. Oswald, J. F. Contempt of Court, Committal, and Attachment, and Arrest upon Civil Process in the Supreme Court, with the Practice and Forms. Clowes. us. 6d. Practical Hints on the Preparation and Registration of Joint Stock Companies' Forms. With prece- dents, table of fees, and stamp duties, and an index. Waterlow and Sons, London Wall. u. 6d. Piooott, F. T. Exterritoriality: the Law relating to Consular Jurisdiction and to Residence in Oriental Countries. Clowes, lit. Warbhrton, Henrt. A Selection of Leading Cases in the Criminal Law (founded on Shirley's leading cases), with notes. Stevens, Chancery Lane. 9*. Science. Bell, Robert, M.D. Tuberculosis and its Successful Treatment. David Bryce, Glasgow. i«. 6d. Bcbddicker, Otto. The Milky Way, from the North Pole to 10 deg. of south declination. Drawn at the Earl of Rosse's Observatory at Birr Castle. Longmans. 3os. Meyer, Lothar. Outlines of Theoretical Chemistry. Translated by P. P. Bedson, D.Sc, and W. Carleton Williams, B.Sc. With a preface by the author. Longmans, qs. Shaw, John, M.D. Epitome of Mental Diseases. For practitioners and students. Simpkin, Marshall; and Wright, Bristol. Parliamentary Papers. Analysis of the evidence taken before the House of Lords Committee on Metropolitan Hospitals (i«.). Agree- ment between Great Britain and Tonga relative to the Trial of British Subjects by the 'J'ongan Courts (£</.). Protocol between Great Britain and Uruguay amending the Treaty of March 26, 1884, for the Mutual Extra- dition of Fugitive Criminals (J</.). Treaty between Great Britain and Spain for the Suppression of the African Slave Trade (id.). Declaration between the Governments of Great Britain and Belgium respecting the North Sea Fisheries (id.). Declaration between the Governments of Great Britain and France for the execution of the agreement signed last year for the re- gulation of the Telephonic Service between the two countries (id.). Return of Tramways (Street and Road) Statistics for the year ended June 3o last (3d.). Consumption of Opium in India. Letter from the Government of India (is.). Annual Report of the Educational Endowments (Ireland) Commissioners for 1890-91 with abstract of the minutes of the Commis- sion, minutes of evidence and appendices (3s. qd.). Foreign Office, miscellaneous series. Netherlands, report on the evidence taken at Rotterdam and Amster-  ## p. 340 (#744) ############################################ 34° THE AUTHOR. dam by the Dutch Labour Commission (i|d.). further Correspondence respecting the Egyptian Exiles in Ceylon (i£d.). Comparative statement of Pauperism for December, 1891 (2d.). Return as to Alien Immigration for January (jd.). Report by the Board of Trade upon all the Railway, &c. Bills of Session 1891 (5jd.). Foreign Office—Miscellaneous Series, Nos. 209 to 219, reports of the subjects of general and commercial interest. Foreign Office—Annual Series, Nos. 938 to 978, Diplomatic and Consular reports on trade and finance. Annual Report on the instruction carried on at the School of Musketry, Hythe, during 1890, and on the progress of musketry instruction iu the Army during the year ended March 3i, 1891 (63.), Report on the Strikes and Lock-outs of 1890, by the Labour Correspondent of the Board of Trade (2s. 1 id.). Return as to Licensed Premises in Scotland (2s. 3d.). Reports of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies for the year ending December 3i, 1890, Part O, Appendix (L), Trade Unions (2^/.). Comparative Statement of Pauperism (England and Wales) for November, 1891 (2d.). Foreign Office Annual Series. Report for 1891 on the Trade of France (i^d.). Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom for January, 1892 (4^/.). Ten Years' Sunshine in the British Isles, 1881-1890 (ts.). Harmonic Analysis of Hourly Observations of Air, Temperature, and Pressure at British Observatories (12s.). Hourly Means of the Readings obtained from the Self-recording Instruments at the Four Observa- tories under the Meteorological Council, 1888 (20s.). Post Office Telegraphs (Capital Account) (id.). Chelsea Hospital, account 1890-91 (id.). Imperial Defence Act, 1888; Ports and Coaling Stations, account 1890-91 (id.). Irish Land Commission, report on sales completed within the six months ended June 3o, 1891 (id.). Post Office Contract as to the Portsmouth and Ryde mails (id.). Military Forces Localization, Account 1890-91 (id.). Official Paper: Agricultural Returns of Great Britain, with Abstract Returns for the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and Foreign Countries (nd.). Census of Ireland, 1891. Part I., vol. I, Leinster. No. 2, County and City of Dublin (is. 8d.). Report of the Irish Laud Commissioners for the period from August 22, 1890, to August 22, 1891 (7jd.). Statistical Tables and Report 011 Trade Unions for the years 1889 and 1890 (5*. ijd.). Barracks Act, 1890, Account 1890-91 (id.). Supreme Court of Judicature, Account 1890-91 (3Jd.). Report to the Home Secretary on an Explo- sion of Gunpowder at Kaines Factor}' on September 11, 1891 (id.). Army (Ordnance Factories) Appropria- tion Account, 1890-91 (2^d.). Church Temporalities (Ireland)—Report upon the account for the year ended March 3i, 1891, with the account for that period, and that from July 26, 1869, to March 3i, 1891 (2^d.). Duchy of Lancaster—account for the year ended December 21 last (id.) Bank, of England—annual accounts of Exchequer Bills, &c. (id.). Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act, 1877—amendment to the statutes of Peterhouse College, Cambridge (^d.). Reports, &c., respecting Peterhead Harbour Works (id.). Returns showing particulars relating to Im- migration of Indian and Chinese Coolies into Trinidad since 1871 ($d.), and into British Guiana since the report of the Commission of Inquiry in 1871 (id.). Annual Local Taxation Returns for 1889-90 (3s. 4§d.). Return as to Licensed Houses in England and Wales (id.). Return of the Proceedings of the Irish Land Commission during August, December, 1891 (3d.). Scheme for the Union of the Benefices of Upper Chelsea and St. Jude, Upper Chelsea (id.). Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General upon the account of the Irish Land Commission for year ended March 3i, 1891, with the account for the period from August 22, 1881, to March 3i, 1891 (2d.). Royal University of Ireland—accounts for year ended March 3l, 1891 (Jd.). Abstract Accounts of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, 1890-91 (2^d.). Foreign Office Annual Series Report for 1892 on the Finances of the Netherlands (ijd.). Report for 1891 on the Trade of Patras (Greece) (id.). Report for 1891 on the Trade of Zanzibar (zid.). Report of Experiments conducted by the Irish Land Commission (Agricul- tural Department) in testing the value of Applications of Sulphate of Copper to the Potato Crop, and ap- pendix to the report. Thorn and Company, Dublin. Eyre and Spottiswoode.  ## p. 341 (#745) ############################################ ADVERTISEMENTS. 341 THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE. HIS Association is established for the purpose of syndicating or selling J_ the serial rights of authors in magazines, journals, and newspapers. It has now been at work for more than a year, and has transacted a very satisfactory amount of business during this period. It has also entered upon a great number of engagements for the future. The following points are submitted for consideration :— 1. The management is voluntary and unpaid. No one makes any profit out of the Syndicate, except the authors who use its services. 2. The commission charged on the amounts received covers the expenses of clerks, travellers, rent, and printing. As work increases this may be still further reduced. 3. Only the serial rights are sold for the author. He receives his volume rights and copyright. 4. The Syndicate has an American agent. 5. The Syndicate will only work for members of the Society. 6. Its offices are on the same floor as those of the Society, and its assistance and advice are always at the service of the Society. 7. Authors are warned that no syndicating is possible for them until they have already attained a certain amount of popularity. 8. The Syndicate acts as agent in every kind of literary property. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln'8 Inn Fields.  ## p. 342 (#746) ############################################ AD VERTISEMENTS. Not Work, but Play. Leave the drudgery of the Pen—Soiled Fingers—Blotted and Obscure Manuscript, to those who prefer darkness to light. Quick, up-to-date writers use THE BAR-LOCK TYPE-WRITER. Easiest Managed; Soonest Learned; Most Durable; "Writing Always Visible; does best work, and never gets out of repair. Chosen, by Royal Warrant, Type-Writer to the Queen. Only gold medals— Edinburgh (1890) and Jamaica (1891) Exhibitions; is used in principal Government Departments, and greatest number of English business houses. We send interesting supply offurther information free. THE TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, LIMITED, 11*14, Queen Victoria Street. London. E.C.; 2J. Market Street. Mnnrliester: i. South John Street, Liverpool; 32, Rcntield Street. Glasgow ; a, Charle* Street, Mrndford. MISS H.. V. GILL, TYPE-WRITING OFFICES, 6, Adam Street, Strand, W.C. TYPEWRITING OPPICE, ST. PAUL'S CHAMBERS, 19, LUDGATE HILL, E.C. (ESTABLISHED 1883.) Authors' and Dramatists' Work a Specialty. All kinds of MSS. copied with care. Extra attention given to difficult hand-writing and to papers or lectures on scientific subjects. Type-writing from dictation. Shorthand Notes taken and transcribed. Authors' MSS. carefully copied from i*. per 1,000 words. One additional copy (carbon) supplied free of charge. Instruction given in Pitman's System of Shorthand and in type- writing. References kindly permitted to Walter Besant, Esq. FURTBER PARTICULARS ON APPLICATION. MISSES E. & S. ALLEN, ilVEISS PATTEJT, TYPE AND SHORTHAND WRITERS. TYPIST, 44, Oakley Street Flats, Chelsea, S.W. TRANSLATIONS and Scientific Work a Special Peatnre. Authors' MSS. Carefully Transcribed. References 39, Lombard Street, E.C. KINDLY rERMITTKD TO GEORGE AUGUSTUS SaLA, Esq. Office No. 5!) (clou to Lift). Particulars an Application. AUTHORS.—The New York Bureau of Revision aids Authors in completing their books; gives competent and unbiassed criticism of Prose or Verse; and offers MSS. and proofs in the American Market. Address— Dr. TITUS MUNSON COAN, 20, West lith Street, New York. THE ORIGINAL AUTHORS' AGENCY. Established 1879. Proprietor, Mr. A. M. BURGHES, 1, PaternOSter ROW. The interests of Authors capably represented. Proposed agreements and estimates examined on behalf of Authors. MS. placed with Publishers. Transfers carefully conducted. Twenty-five years' practical experience in all kinds of publishing nnd book producing. Consultation free. Terms and testimonials from leading Authors on application to Mr. A. M. Burghes, Authors' Agent, I, Paternoster Row. London: Printed by Kyrk and SrOTTiswooiiE, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. Why? 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. 02 Issue 10 (March 1892) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 02 Issue 10 (March 1892) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1892-03-01-The-Author-2-10 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/262/1892-04-01-The-Author-2-11.pdf 9a16a0d63dfceab5b7b3f5b776eb7e76 PDF Text Text �������������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1892-04-01 Volume 2 Issue 11 Pages Page range in volume 343–380 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18920401 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Hbe Hutbor* (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESA1TT. Vol. II.—No. ii.] APRIL i, 1892. CONTENTS. [Prick Sixpence. TAQE Warnings 345 Notices 345 Literary Property— I.—Transfer of Contract 347 II.—Literary Agents 348 11L—The supposed Increase of Magnalnra 348 IV.—The Output 349 The Authors' Syndicate 349 American Authors— 1.—The American Society of Authors 3S» II—The Book of the Authors' Club 35' The Report of 1891 352 The Story or Anita 354 Notes from Paris 35s Spring. Bv F. Bayrord Harrison 300 T^../..l D««l... .. .. 3OO 361 Useful Books Notes and News. By Walter Besant PAOB An Old Master 3<>4 Scott on the Art of Fiction 365 Author and Editor— I.—" Advice to Contributors" 367 II. —No Use in Writing 3*8 III. —A Kindness and its Sequel 30S IV. —Returned Unread 3'9 V.—With no Name 3('9 VI.—Long Kept, and then Returned 369 Correspondence— I.—Novels on Commission 3&9 II— The Library Stamp 37° III. —How Books are not Read 37° IV. —Mr. Traill's List of Poets 37< V.—The Great Use of a Table of Conteuts 37 > VI.—Compositors' Errors 37' "At the Author's Head" 371 New Books and New Editions 373 EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE. INVESTMENTS. A List of 1,600 British, Colonial, and Foreign Securities, with the highest and lowest prices quoted for the last twenty-two years. 25. 6(7. "A useful work of reference."—Money. PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES ON BOTANICAL SUB- JECTS. By E. Bonayia, M.D., BrigadeSurL-eon, I.M.D. With 160 Illustrations, a*, 6(7. KEAL ARMY REFORM, THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDA- TION OF. By Ioxo-rra. 6d. "Those who would understand the general argument of those who favour conscription cannot do better than read this pamphlet." —Army and Navy Gazette. MY GARDENER (Illustrated). By H. W. Ward, Head Hardener to the Right Hon. the Earl of Radnor, Longford Castle, Salisbury, zs. t>d. "The l>ook is replete with valuable cultural notes indispensable to the millions who arc now turning to gardening as a source of pleasure and profit."—Gardener's Chronicle. STATE TRIALS, Reports of. New Series. Vol. III., 1831—40. Published under the direction of the State Trials Committee. Edited by John Macdonell, M.A. io». PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, 1891. Red Cloth, 3s. Contains all the Public Acts passed during the year, with Index, also Tables showing the etfeot of the .year's Legislation, together with complete and elassitied Lists of the Titles of all the Local and Private Acts passed during the Session. REVISED STATUTES. (Second Revised Edition.) Royal 8vo. Prepared under the direction of the Statute law- Revision Committee, and Edited by G. A. R. Fitzgerald, FORECASTING BY MEANS OF WEATHER CHARTS, Principles of. By the Hon. Ralph: Abeeceomuy, F.R. Met. Soc. as. HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. Transactions of the Seventh International Congress of. To be published in thirteen volumes. Vol. XII. (Municipal Hygiene and Demography). Now ready, as. (id. List of the Series on application. METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, Instructions in the use of. a«. 6<7. THE LITERATURE RELATING TO NEW ZEALAND. A Bibliography. Royal 8vo. Cloth, 2*. (id. COPYRIGHT LAW REFORM: an Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission or 1S78. and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lelv, Esq., Itarrister-at-Law. i*. 6(7. KEW BULLETIN, 1891. Monthly, id. Appendices, ad. each. Annual Subscription, including postage, )s. gd. Volume for 1S91, 3s. yr/.. by post. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. Descriptive Catalogue of the Musiral Instruments exhibited at the Royal Military Exhi- bition. 1S90. Compiled by Capt. Day, Oxford Light Infantry. Illustrated. 21s. "Unique, as no earlier l»ook exists in English dealing exhaus- tively with the same subject A very important con- tribution to the history of orchestration."— Athenaum. PUBLIC RECORDS. A Guide to the Principal Classes of Documents preserved in the Public Record Office. By S. R. Scaegill-Birp. F.S.A. 11. "The value of such a work as Mr. ScargillBird's con scarcely be over-rated."— Times. Esq. Vols. I. to IV. now ready, price 7*. 6(7. each. TEN YEARS' SUNSHINE. Record of the Registered Sunshine at 46 Stations in the British Isles, 1881-1890. a«. Monthly Lists of Parliamentary Papers upon Application. Quarterly Lists Post Free, an". Miscellaneous List on Application. Every Assistance given to Correspondents; and Books not kept in stock obtained without delay. GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL PIHLIKHERS. KVKK awl SPOTTISWOODE, Her Majesty's Printers, East Harding Street, Loudon, E.C.  ## p. 344 (#748) ############################################ 344 ADVERTISEMENTS. Cfje ^orietg of 8utfiora (finrorporatelO. PRESIDENT. The Right Hon. the LORD TENNYSON, D.C.L. Sir Edwin Arnold, K.C.I.E. Alfred Austin. A. W. a Beckett. Robert Bateman. Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G. Walter Besant. Augustine Birrell, M.P. R. D. Blackmore. Rev. Prof. Bonney, F.R.S. Lord Brabourne. James Bryce, M.P. P. W. Clayden. Edward Clodd. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Marion Crawford. Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G. COUNCIL. The Earl of Desart. A. W. Dubourg. John Eric Erichsen, F.R.S. Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S. Herbert Gardner, M.P. Richard Garnett, LL.l). Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Rudyard Kipling. Prof. E. Ray Lankkster, F.R.S. J. M. Lely. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. F. Max Muller, LL.D. George Meredith. Herman C. Merivale. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake, F.L.S. Hon. Counsel—E. M. Underdown, Q.C. Pembroke and J. C. Parkinson. The Earl of Montgomery. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart. LL.D. Walter Herries Pollock. A. G. Ross. George Augustus Sala. W. Baptists Scoones. G. R. Sims. J. J. Stevenson. Jas. Sully. William Moy Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. Baron Henry de Worms, F.R.S. Edmund Yates. MP., A- W. k Beckett. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. J. M. Lely. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—Walter Besant. Sir Frederick Pollock. A. G. Ross. Solicitors—Messrs. Field, Roscoe, & Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. Secretary—S. Squire Sprioge. OFFICES. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Report. That for January 1891 can be had on application to the Secretary. 2. The Author. A Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary- Property. Issued to all Members. 3. The Grievances Of Authors. (The Leadenhall Press.) 2*. The Keport of three Meetings on the general subject of Literature and its defence, held at Willis's Kooms, March 1887. 4. Literature and the Pension List. By \V. Morris Colles, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C.) 3s. 5. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigge, Secretary to the Society, is. 6. The Cost of Production. In this work specimens are given of the most important forms of type, size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 2s. 6d. 7. The Various Methods of Publication. By S. Squire Sprigge. In this work, compiled from the papers in the Society's offices, the various kinds of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreements. Henry Glaisher, 95, Strand, W.C. 3s.' 8. Copyright Law Eeform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill now before Parliament. With Extracts from the Keport of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely. Eyre and Spottiswoode. i*. 6d.  ## p. 345 (#749) ############################################ ^Ibe Hutbot\ (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. n.] APRIL i, 1892. [Price Sixpence. For the Opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. WARNINGS. Readers of the Author are earnestly desired to make the following warnings as widely known as possible. They are based on the experience of six years' work upon the dangers to which literary property is exposed :— (1.) Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. (2.) Never enter into any correspondence with publishers, especialli/ with those who advertise for MSS., who are not recom- mended by experienced friends or by this Society. (3.) Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to any one firm of publishers. (4.) Never accept any proposal of royalty until you have ascertained exactly what the agreement gives to the author and what to the publisher. (5.) Never accept any pecuniary risk or respon- sibility whatever without advice. (6.) Never, when a MS. has been refused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the productionjofjthejwork. (7.) Never sign away American rights. Keep them. Refuse to sign an agreement con- taining a clause which reserves them for the publisher. If the publisher insists, take away the MS. and offer it to another. VOL. 11. (8.) Keep control over the advertisements by clause in the agreement. Reserve a veto. If you are yourself ignorant of the subject, make the Society your agent. (9.) Never forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Societi/'s Offices:— 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. NOTICES. THE Secretary will be much obliged if any members who have kept the Report for 1890 will kindly send their copies to him. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of this Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly understood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, under- take the publication of MSS. B b 2  ## p. 346 (#750) ############################################ 346 THE AUTHOR. The official directions for the .seeming of American copyright by English authors were given in the Author for June 1891. Members are earnestly entreated to take the trouble of reading those directions. Members are earnestly requested to forward agreements to the Society for inspection before they sign them. Once signed, the mischief is generally irreparable. Communications intended for the Authors' Syndi- cate should be addressed to W. Morris Colics, the Honorary Secretary. An American Success. "There are," writes an American author, "in our country as in yours, various kinds of success. Thus, the late Mr. E. P. Roe has obtained a success ; Mr. Howells is successful; and a certain writer, whom we will call Mr. Smith, to prevent jealousies, is also successful. But Mr. Hoe's success, if it is measured by sales, compared with Mr. Howells', and that again with Mr. Smith's, may be represented in the continued proportion of 1,000 : 7 : i. "The general method of publication with novels, by which the greatest successes are obtained, has hitherto been to bring them out at a dollar or a dollar and a half at first, and afterwards in paper at i*. or 2s., as a cheap edition. Let me give you one or two experiences. A novel was published two or three years ago by one of our most successful men. It was his most successful work. He published it first in serial form, for which he obtained the price of a thousand pounds, or perhaps more. His English publishers set it up in this country, and gave him—for sole remunera- tion—the plates, which he handed to his American publishers, who allowed him a i5 per cent, royalty, in consideration of having the plates given to them, which saved composition. There were sold 2,000 copies at 4s., or one dollar, and 16,000 at I*. You may easily calculate the royalty to the author. He got £180 only. His publisher, for his share, supposing the returns to have been honest, of which there was no proof, made about £260. And this with a man who stands in the front rank of American writers. "Here is another experience. A novel was brought out by a new writer. Here was risk, it may be said. But the publisher owned that he had sufficient prestige to plant at least 1,200 copies of every work he produced. And in this case the book was heralded by a letter of praise, written by one of the best known and best trusted critics in the country. The author was to receive 10 per cent, on all copies after the first 5oo. There were subscribed 7,000 copies at a dollar, and 20,000 copies at is. The author obtained £240 for his work. The publisher, for his share, netted £480 or £5oo—just twice as much. This with a book about which no risk at all could be pretended. You English authors will do well to be on your guard when you deal with our publishers. "But, above all, do not expect too great results. A circulation of 2,5oo copies of a dollar book is a remarkable—a noteworthy—success. That of 5,ooo copies is a most unusual success. One of 10,000 is phenomenal. Tilings may alter in accordance with the new Copyright Bill, but let your antici- pations be moderate and you will not be dis- appointed. For you, as for us, the serial right will remain the most valuable," The Pantheon. This is a gratis advertisement for the man Morgan, for the International Society of Literature, Science, and Art, and for the official journal of that institution. Undismayed by repeated exposure, this precious Association still sends out numberless circulars, and perhaps still receives a fair proportion of guineas in return. Blue Books and Bed Books, Clergy lists, and Calendars have all been ransacked, with the result that everyone of the slightest official position has been assured, that by a special resolution of the Council he can become a Fellow of the Society, without further formula, upon payment of one guinea. And now the Pantheon has arrived, the official organ of the Society. We reproduce from this sheet part of the article headed, " the Literary Department." "The Department under- takes the whole cost of the revision, production, and publication of Fellows' and Members' work, where more than usual merit is apparent (even though it be the Author's//'«Y work), paying to the Author an agreed share of the profits. In other cases the Author will be required to pay one-half of the estimated cost" (whose estimate ?) " taking one-half of the net proceeds arising from the Sides, but in no instance will the entire estimated cost of an accepted Work be required of the Author, as demanded by ordinary publishers. Works that are likely to prove a failure will not be undertaken. Arrangements have been made whereby all Works published will be reviewed by the press. Thus Authors will secure the two essentials to success too often denied them, viz., production of their first works and publicity." (Italics are the Pantheon's.)  ## p. 347 (#751) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 34; To anyone with the least idea of what a bona fide publishing offer looks like, these suggestions form a very clear case. But probably many people will be caught by them. "Here," will the aspirant siiy, " is my chance. Production and advertisement secured, with only half the risk to lie run! And to be dubbed an Author with a capital A ! and to see my MSS. called Work with a capital \V!" Of course the Secretary of the Literary Department will receive MSS. by the thousand. The particular method is so obvious to readers of the . tut/tor, and to all who know, that we refer to it apologetically. A Novel Book Club. A new kind of Book Club has been started at Bridgwater. It is designed partly to furnish new books for the Free Library in that town. A small library has been founded, consisting of about 400 volumes, selected with some care. Those who use the library find in every volume one of the deposit forms used in the Post Office. Every member affixes a postage stamp before returning the book. If, therefore, a l>ook is kept for four days and is then taken out, it will earn, not counting Sundays, 78 pence in the year. Now, with 78 pence, or 6*. 6d., certainly two, and possibly three, books can be bought for the library. And if there is a steady circulation of 3oo out of the 400 books on the shelves, the amount realised would be nearly £100 a year. Everything depends upon the honesty of the reader. In these little things honesty may perhaps be expected, especially pro- vided the readers feci a certain assurance that they may be detected in dishonesty. Here is a circular which runs as follows :— "Of Paramount Importance, and should be Bead by every Author! HINTS TO AUTHORS and LITERARY ASPIRANTS, by Liber. Cr. 8vo., 6d. a copy, sent post free on receipt of 7 stamps. Contents:— Advice to Authors and Literary Aspirants, Publisfters and Publishing, on makin;/ a Booh, Poetry, MSS., Proof-correctimj, SfC, Remuneration." It was with an expectant eye that we glanced over the pages of this little work, for the contents, as advertised, ought to interest us much, if they were properly done, and should be of much service to authors. We give an introductory sentence, which rendered it unnecessary to read more. "No one can write poetry, unless they have the poetic vein or gift, and most assuredly they cannot write books, or for the press, <$c, unless they have those natural endowments which ensures an ap- preciative public." We did, however, read a little more. The rest of the work is full of vague encouragement to all who have MSS. to print them, and in an accom- panying letter, Messrs. Alder & Co., "who have twenty years of experience in publishing," offer to revise MSS. and to generally assist the fortunate author. We give the firm this credit—it is not likely that their pamphlet will bring even the youngest of aspirants to them for advice. Their wording is too clumsy. When we remember the letters of the London Literary Society, of the City of London Publishing Company, of Mr. MeGuire, and of Messrs. Bevington and Co., and recall the fact that these letters secured applicants by the score, it is hard to believe that any lwit can be too coarse. But " Liber's" utter freedom from syntax would shake a baby's confidence in his advice. ♦•»••♦ LITERARY PROPERTY. 1. Transfer of Contract. "fTMIE Author calls attention to a recent advet*- I tisement in the Times, in which a firm of publishers, having more MSS. of novels in their possession than they can for some time publish, offer to part with the contracts relating to several MSS. by good authors (some being subject on publication to a royalty), and point out 'this is an admirable opjwrtunity for a young lirm who want to start with a good lot of publications without any loss of time,' the adver- tisement being addressed to 4 Young Publish- ing Firms or others commencing a publishing business.' The Author 4 has always been of opinion that a contract by one author with one publisher, except in the case of sale, could not be passed on to another publisher without the author's consent,' but thinks that the question is one for lawyers to consider. The general rule as to assignability of contracts is that all contracts are assignable by either party on notice to the other, but without the  ## p. 348 (#752) ############################################ 348 THE AUTHOR. consent of the other, except in cases where the individual skill or other personal qualifications of the assigning contractor were relied on by the party contracting with him, and the modern ten- dency of the Courts appears to be in favour rather of extending than narrowing the assignability of contracts (see 'Chitty on Contracts,' 12th edit, at p. 862, citing The British Waggon Company v. Lea, 44 Law J. Rep. Q. B. 321). In two cases, however—that of Stevens v. Benning, 6 De G. M. & G. 2 23, and Hole v. Bradbury, 48 Law J. Kep. Chane. 673—contracts between author and pub- lisher have been held not to be assignable. In Stevens v. Benning, a complicated case arising out of 'Forsyth on the Law of Composition with Creditors,' it was held that an agreement on the half-profit system was of a personal nature on both sides, so that the benefit of it was not assignable by either party without the other's consent. In Hole t\ Bradbury, another half-profit agreement between Canon Hole and Messrs. Bradbury and Evans for the production of 'A Little Tour in Ireland, with Illustrations by John Leech,' was held also to be personal, and to be put an end to by a complete change of partnership in the publishing firm. From the language of Lord Justice Fry in delivering judgment, it is clear that that learned and literary judge was of opinion that, except where the copyright passes, the contract between author and publisher is personal and not assignable, but that there is a great distinction arising if the copyright is sold to the publisher, and in such a case we cannot but think that as a copyright is assignable ad infinitum, a contract to produce copyright must be assignable ad infinitum also, but assignable by the publisher only, and not by the author also. At any rate, authors would do well, in contracting to produce a work of which they sell the copyright and receive no further re- muneration, to restrain the assignability of the contract in some reasonable manner, as it is obvious that publishers must differ very much from one another in capability to get a book sold.'' In ordinary cases, therefore, publishers' contracts are not assignable, and those authors who find their works passing into the hands of publishers others than those with whom they originally contracted, will do well either to consult their own solicitors or to apply to our secretary forthwith. It seems also to be worth while to restrict assignability in cases where the copyright is sold, otherwise an author who expects to be published in London may suddenly find himself published in Cornwall, and in Cornwall only.—Law Journal (March 19). II. Literary Agents. Two or three letters have been received on the subject of literary agents and their use in the literary world. A good deal of doubt and of mis- understanding exists on the subject. For instance, those, who think that an agent can succeed in placing work that has l>een already refused by editors and publishers arc certain to be disap- pointed. They may get the agent to make the attempt; in the end they will grumble at paying for services which have proved useless; they may suspect that these services have never been rendered at all. No one—not a literary friend, not a well- known man of mark, not an agent—can succeed in getting editors to accept MSS. unsuitable, or pub- lishers to produce work of no commercial value. No one can help the author but himself. He alone has to besiege the fort. Very often he has to retire; in some few cases the fort presently sur- renders. Of what use, then, is the agent? Of every use to the writer tcho has already created a demand. The agent undertakes his work, esti- mates his market value, keeps him out of mischief, and leaves him free from money worries. There are so few, comparatively, who have succeeded in creating this demand for their work, that they may reasonably Ijc siipj>osed to know the agents who can be trusted. A bad ageut—one who plays into the hands of fraudulent publishers—audits and passes fraudulent accounts—is a worse shark than the most dishonest of publishers. Beware of him! In a word. Let no one go to any agent on the faith of an advertisement. And let no one who is not already on the ladder of popularity go to any agent at all. III. The supposed Increase of Magazines. On the subject of magazines, we are always ready to cry out at the increase in their numbers of late years. The following, however, is a list of monthly magazines published in the year 1807, with their prices. It will be observed that, com- paring the population of Great Britain in 1807 with that of 1892, there were many more magazines in proportion to population than there are now; and comparing the proportion of reading classes, very many more. And if we consider the Colonies and India, there is no comparison possible. Then iu 1807 the population of England alone was 9,000,000. In 1892, it is 27,000,000, or three times that of  ## p. 349 (#753) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 349 the former year. Now, consider the magazines of 1807. They were :— Athenaeum, 2*. Monthly Repository, Agricultural, is. 6d. is. Britannic, 1*. Methodist, 6d. Botanical, 3s. Monthly, is. 6d. Christian Observer, is. Monthly Mirror, is. 6d. Evangelical, 6d. Naval Chronical, is.Sd. European, is. 6d. Naturalist's Miscellany, Gentleman's, is. 6d. 2*. 6d. Gospel, gd. Orthodox Churchman, Literary Recreations, is. 6d. is. 6d. Philosophical Mining, Literary Panorama, 2s. 6d. 2s. 6d. Philosophical, 2s. 6d. Ladies', is. Repertory of Arts and Ladies'Museum, is. Manufactures, 2s.6d. La Belle Assemblee, Records of Literature, 2S. 6d. 2 s. 6(7. Le Beau Monde, 2s. 6d. Sporting, i». id. Medical and Physical, Theological and Bibli- 2s. 6d. cal, 6d. Universal, is. 6d. Besides these there were the reviews:— The Annual, £1 is. Literary, 2s. 6d. Anti-Jacobin, 2s. 6d. Monthly, 2s. 6d. British Critic, 2s. 6d. Medical and Surgical, Critical, 2s. 6d. is. 6d. Eleetric, is. 6d. Oxford, 2s. 6d. Edinburgh, 5s. In short, there were in 1807,40 magazines to 9,000,000 people. But, at the very least, five-sixths of these, rustics, children and the working classes, read nothing. That makes one magazine for every 40,000 people. Observe again that these magazines touched only the better class. At the same rate we ought now to have 700 magazines of the higher class. IV. The Output. The autumn harvest of books is followed by a spring gathering almost as rich. The Laureate, our President, contributes his new drama, advertised for the last day of March. Lord Lytton's posthu- mous volume " Marah " is out. Sir Edwin Arnold has produced his " Potiphar's Wife "; Dr. Abbott, his book on the "Anglican Career of Cardinal Newman"; Mr. Molesworth, his "Stories of Saints for Children "; Prof. Earle, his "Deeds of Beowulf "; the Dean of "Winchester, his " History of France "; Prof. Jebb, the " Fifth Part of his Sophocles"; Archdeacon Farrar, his new Volume of Sermons; Grant Allen, his new novel, the "Duchess of Powysland"; a popular edition of Mrs. Oliphant's "Life of Laurence Oliphant"; Mr. S. Baring Gould, his new novel, " Margery of Quether"; Mr. Dubourg, whose silences are too prolonged, is ready with his romantic drama "Angelica"; "Melmoth the "Wanderer" is revived once more; Mr. George Gissing produces his "Denzil Quarrier"; Churchill's "Rosciad" is reprinted. And when we consider the long lists which are not advertised in the ordinary channels and never appear in the Saturday, the Spectator, or the Athaneum, there is little reason to doubt that the output of 1892 will equal that of the preceding years. All the more reason to keep hammering into the minds of those who are terrified at this output the fact that it is intended for an enormous multitude of readers, every day growing greater and more greedy for literary food. Wc need not l>e afraid about the quantity; that concerns the purveyors only; as for the quality, let us remember that it is what our educators make it. If the quality is low, raise the standard by education—or by example. Meantime, let us do our Iwst to prevent the publishing of books worth- less and not wanted. THE AUTHORS* SYNDICATE. THE progress of this offshoot of the Society has already fulfilled the expectations of those who are responsible for its formation and management. An Honorary Council is now formed, and the work is being put on an extended basis, so that it may now undertake the management of all forms of literary property. The difficulties which had to be overcome at the outset were not inconsiderable. The natural distrust of a new and unknown organisation, the active competition of rivals, and the overt or covert opposition of a few who regarded the association as " superfluous " were so far successful that they prevented progress from being as rapid as could be desired. Much time was occupied in establishing business relations with publishers and with the periodical press in all parts of the world. Our agents and travellers have been actively engaged in introducing the association and explaining its method of working. The result so far is as satisfactory as could be wished. A large number of publishing houses in this country and in America have not only expressed their willingness to co-operate but have entrusted tlx? Syndicate with negotiations on their behalf. It is not perhaps putting it too high to say that we have the ear of the British Press throughout the world. We are efficiently represented in  ## p. 350 (#754) ############################################ 35° THE AUTHOR. America by agents of tried integrity. From this it will be seen that the encouragement which the association has received is highly promising. Many publishers, nearly every journal of standing in the kingdom, many journals in the colonies, and in India, and either directly, or through our agents, a large number of established journals in the United States have requested that we will keep them constantly informed of the rights we have to offer. In addition, a large number of periodicals have expressed their willingness to deal through the Syndicate, provided it can supply them with the material they require. Only two journals and one magazine have expressed any unwillingness to do business, in each cast; simply on the ground that their conductors object to the intervention of such an intermediary. The applications which reach the Syndicate for the work of the best writers are steadily increasing. There is, too, a small but growing demand for work on its merits, apart from name, and the Syndicate has even been asked to send out work of all kinds with its imprimatur. When the necessary arrangements have been completed a reading staff will be esta- blished, whose recommendation shall be given with as much jealousy as that of a publisher's reader. It is obvious that work which secures so valuable a recommendation is certain to receive favourable attention. Again, the knowledge possessed by the advisers of the Syndicate of the markets for literary property will be, at least, instrumental in sparing members much disappointment. It must bo understood that this department is quite distinct from the reading department of the Society. The Syndicate does not give an educa- tional opinion, but passes judgment upon the commercial value of a MSS. submitted to it.* The Syndicate, it must lie repeated, acts merely as the agent of members, and its e.\j>enses are met by a commission charged upon moneys received. It is now in a position to look after all rights that may be entrusted to it. The information accumulated in the archives of the Society is at its service, and it is simply impossible to exaggerate the value of that information. Its conductors are by means of this knowledge acquainted with the methods of business of every publishing house in the trade. The future of the Syndicate now depends only on the support it receives from the members of the Society, and it is hoped that they will, in their own interests, strengthen the hands of its conductors. Members who receive applications for work from the manager will materially advance the interests of the Syndicate if they will endeavour, as far as possible, to meet its demands, although these must, necessarily, * No MSS. whatever must be sent to the .Syndicate without previous communication with the secretaries. often be somewhat peremptory. None of the work of the association is more important than that it should, as far as possible, satisfy the needs of its clients. It has been objected that the Syndicate is designed to sow distrust between authors and editors or publishers. Nothing could be further from the fact. The jiersonal relations of publishers and editors with authors will most certainly con- tinue cordial so long as their business negotiations are conducted for them by means of such an asso- ciation as our own. Nothing is so conducive to a rupture of the entente cordiale as those misunder- standings which constantly arise when an author conducts his own business for himself. The history .of literature is full of such misunderstand- ings and quarrels. It is a preposterous condition to insist that a distinguished author shall do his own "marketing." And it must be remembered that the only way in which authors can act with each other, and for themselves, is by means of such an association as this, in which they are not e.rploites for the advantage and interests of one |>erson. It is the interest of the Syndicate to advance the position of everyone who takes advantage of its services. There are no traps or secret profits. W. M. C. AMERICAN AUTHORS. I. The Amekican Society of Authors. Prospectus: PltOTECTION of authors and of literary property. First. By advice before publishing; by arbi- tration or by appeal to law in all cases where members have been swindled or oppressed by publishers. Second. By enacting here the French statutes in regard to!literary property; in particular that one which compels the publisher to affix to each book printed by him a stamp furnished by the author of said book and inflicting legal penalties if he neglects or refuses to do so. (A law which would do away entirely with the wholesale cheating of the author by the publisher in the return of books sold.) Third. Extension of the present term of copy- right to the lifetime of the author, or fifty years.  ## p. 351 (#755) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 35* Fourth. Carriage of literary property (MSS.) through the mails at the same rates charged for property not literary. Fifth. Co-operation with the British Society of Authors for needed amendments to the present International Copyright Law. Sixth. Cultivation of a fraternal spirit among writers by monthly meetings for discussion and the reading of papers on literary topics, and by the publication of a monthly journal devoted to the interests of authors and of the Society. Seventh. Reading of MSS. for authors, and opinions as to its value, &c. Membership. All persons, male or female, who have written a book, or are engaged in writing for the press, to be eligible to membership. Annual Dues. Limited to $5 (the dues of the British Society), in return, each member to be entitled to legal and expert advice gratis, and, if wronged, to have his case prosecuted by the Society; also to one year's subscription to the Society's journal. Officers. A President, Secretary, and Board of Managers, to be elected by members at an annual meeting, the Secretary to be executive officer, the Board of Managers to control the affairs and shape the policy of the Society. The above prospectus is followed by a letter, of which the following is an extract:— "We ought to have in America a society of at least 5,ooo members. If such a society did nothing more than force Congress to enact the French statutes (noticed above), it would prove abundantly its "raison d'etre." But it could do much more. Will you join us in creating such a society, by pledging your name as a member when organised, and, if convenient, by attending a meeting for organisation, to be held privately in New York not later than May 1 st? If 100 favourable replies to this circular are received, it is proposed to organise such a society at once. "To those who fear to incur the resentment of publishers by joining such a society, we would say that its proceedings and lists of members could be kept secret, if desired, but no publisher would be so foolhardy as to antagonise such a body, since with the British Society (whose co-operation is VOL. 11. pledged by their Committee) and the French Society, it would control nearly the entire literary output of the world. "Charles Burr Todd," Author of "Life and Letters of Joel Barlow." "Story of the City of New York." "Story of Washington, D.C." II. The Book of the Authors' Club. An erroneous account of a project recently entered upon by the Authors' Club appeared in several of the New York daily papers a few days since. The enterprise has proceeded so far that its success is no longer problematical, but the Club was not quite ready to announce it. Now, how- ever, the Critic is authorized to set forth the matter as it is. The Club will publish a sumptuous volume, made up of stories, poems, essays, and sketches, written specially for it by 100 or more of the members. One hundred and six have definitely promised to contribute. The length of the con- tributions will vary from one page to a dozen pages. Those contributors who are artists as well as authors arc asked to illustrate their articles. The volume will be as handsome typographically as the De Vinne Press can make it. The head of that establishment, by the way, is himself an author and a member of the Club, and will contribute to the book an article on " Typographic Fads." But one edition will be printed, and that one limited to 251 numbered copies, 25o of which are to be sold to subscribers. In every copy of the book, each article will be signed, in pen and ink, by its author. The subscription price is 8100, and the Club may reserve the right to raise the price after the first 100 copies have been sold. Type-written copies of the articles are prepared for the printer; and the original manuscripts, clean and whole, are to be bound up by themselves and sold to the highest bidder. About 5o of the contributors have already placed their articles in the hands of the Committee. These include, among others, essays by Poultney Bigelow, James Howard Bridge, Andrew Carnegie, George Cary Eggleston, Henry R. Elliott, George H. Ellwanger, Parke Godwin, Laurence Hutton, Rossiter Johnson, Albert Mathews, Brander Matthews, Oscar S. Straus and Charles Dudley Warner; poems by Henry Abbey, Elbridge S. Brooks, John Vance Cheney, Richard Watson Gilder, Arthur Sherburne Hardy, Henry Harland (" Sidney Luska "), John Hay, James B. Kenyon, Walter Learned, William Starbuck Mayo, James Herbert Morse, David L. Proudfit, Clinton Scollard C c  ## p. 352 (#756) ############################################ 35* THE AUTHOR. and "William Hayes Ward; stories by William H. Carpenter, John D. Champlin, Jr., Maurice F. Egan, Harold Frederic, Charles Ledyard Norton, Horace Porter, Theodore Roosevelt and George E. Waring, Jr.; sketches by Samuel L. Clemens (" Mark Twain "), Moncure D. Conway, Thomas W. Knox, James M. Ludlow and Horace E. Scudder. The intention is to carry the book through the press during the spring and summer, and have it ready for delivery next autumn. The Club has not yet formally opened a subscription list, but a good many subscriptions have been sent in. Letters re- lating to it should be addressed to the Secretary of the Club, Mr. Rossiter Johnson, i, Bond Street, New York. The money to be raised by this publi- cation will be held as the nucleus of a building fund; but as the Club has never been in debt, and its finances have always been managed remarkably well (belying the popular dictum that literary men do not understand business), it is not probable that a clubhouse will be erected very soon.—New York Critic. THE REPORT OF 1891. f | ^HIS Report is, in every respect, the most i satisfactory that the Society has had to show. There is advance in every direction. First, as regards numbers. The election of over 200 during the year; the loss, by death or retirement, of no more than 3o or so; the increase of members to 800; these are very satisfactory figures. They have not, as yet, assumed the proportions which we desire, but a list of 800 means a very consider- able advance in power. We now have among our members nearly all the best known writers of the day. The opposition which we formerly received has, in great measure, disappeared. It still pleases certain journals persistently to misrepresent the aims and the work of the Society. They have, no doubt, their motives and their inspiration. Meantime, it is now generally understood that our chief raison d'etre is the definition and the maintenance of literary property. With this end in view, we have investigated the exact meaning of the various systems of publication—" half-profits," royalties, &c.—and have shown what these mean to publisher and to author, and have exposed the various frauds practised under their methods. Wc therefore continually and earnestly entreat everyone who has nn agreement submitted to him to ascertain, before he signs it, what proportion in the returns of his own property is offered him, and what is reserved for the publisher. If he has any doubt on the point, let him ask the publisher for an estimate of this proportion on the supposition of certain results. Or, which is simpler, let him refer the agreement to the Secretary, remembering to forward not only the agreement, but the length of the MS. and the kind of form in which it is to appear. There has been, from the beginning of the Society, a persistent attempt made to represent it as hostile to publishers. This is, of course, the trick of the fraudulent publisher in order to cover his own iniquity. He pretends that not only he himself, but all the fraternity, are attacked. We will repeat, if necessary, with every number of the Author, that the Society fully recognises the necessity and the justice of allowing the publisher his just fees and share of the property whose rents he collects and which he manages. Like the solicitor, too, he must be paid first- But he must not make secret—which are fraudulent—profits. And in every agreement it must be clearly understood what share he is to receive, without any other secret—and fraudulent—profits. What is this share? Is it possible to arrive at a method of publishing which can be applied to every form of book alike, whether cheap or dear, large or small? Perhaps. Let us try. We will state the problem in plain language, and refer it to our members. Perhaps between us all an answer may be found. Suppose that answer will not be accepted by publishers? Well, in the present competitive condition of business no method based upon fair play is in the least likely to be refused by the better houses. If it were refused, the next step would be easy. In point of fact, men and women of letters have their independence in their own hands, if they choose to accept it on the only possible terms. They must cease, absolutely and at once, from believing that the material side of literature is a branch of gambling; they must cease from prating nonsense about publishers' generosity—a jargon as degrading to letters as it is mischievous and false in fact; they must regard their work as property for the administration of which they must pay; they must regard those who want to administrate it as they regard solicitors, of whom some are good and honourable, some indifferent, many dishonest and incapable; and, above all, thev must desist from talking as if the material side was beneath their dignity. The material side is everything; properly treated it gives indepen- dence and freedom to the artistic side; it must be watched jealously, closely, continually. Where wealth is gathered, thither flock the thieves; where property is to be administered, thither flock the rogues who hope to steal that property. Not to watch over property is the attitude of a madman;  ## p. 353 (#757) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 353 to drop contentedly into the nttitudc of a mendi- cant is the act of a slave. What literature—what art—comes from the bondsman? What—where —of what quality—are the fruits of Grub Street? All this is very different from clutching greedily after guineas. One does not desire that literature should be followed as a means of acquiring immense fortunes, nor does one envy in the least a successful publisher who honourably accumulates an immense fortune. But we must no longer ask what a publisher will give; the question henceforth must be what the book will bring in—if anything—on a definite system. That this will be the attitude—this the question—of the future admits of no doubt. That it will become immediately the attitude of all writers is matter of considerable doubt. Let those begin, at least, who have already achieved such a measure of success as will make that attitude possible. Consider, for a moment, the change which will be effected by the adoption of a common and recognised method of publishing. The author will have no trouble in bargaining; he will simply offer his book; he will understand his own popularity— if ho has any; the extent and nature of his own following; he will be in true partnership with his publisher; be will be under no delusions; ho will suspect no tricks; the accounts which concern his work will be his own, for inspection whenever he pleases. There will be no affectation of generosity on the one hand, no attitude of mendicancy on the other; there will bo no suspicion of trickery; both parties to the agreement will stand upright, man with man. Compare this independence, this openness, with the sullen suspicion, the jealousy, the smouldering wrath, the outspoken accusations which prevail at the present day. Listen to the talk of authors among themselves; listen to the stories they whisper or suggest of fraud and treachery ; some of them get into these columns, but not a fiftieth of what arc told. Are they all true? Those that we give are true, not all the rest; but they are all founded on suspicion, or on cases that are, unhappily, true to the letter. One would have thought that men engaged in this business would catch at anything—anything—that promised to relieve them of this atmosphere of suspicion. This, however, has not generally proved to be the case. Everything is in the hands of men and women of letters. But they must learn to act together, with common objects and that amount of confidence which springs from the possession of common interests. The Society has from the outset re- garded common action as one of the most inq>ortiint objects to be realised. Understand. No con- cession of individual freedom is desired. In the world of letters, foolishly called a Bepublic, where there is no equality jwssible, every man must stand apart and individual. But every man is not necessarily the enemy of every other man. There are common interests. Where these are concerned let us be friends; where they are not concerned, we need not be deadly enemies to each other, even though there may be disagreements. It is time that the old brutal slogging and hammering of author by author should cease—most of it, indeed, has ceased; it is more than time that men of letters should adopt those outward forms of respect towards each other which are enforced in the professions of the law and medicine. This does not preclude criticism. When a man sends his book to be criticised, he invites a judgment; he has no right to complain if that judgment is harsh; he has invited an opinion. But for a man to go out of his way in order to attack, wantonly, spitefully, and maliciously a man of the same calling, deliberately to sit down unasked, unprovoked, in order to stab a member of the same calling; deli- berately to besmirch a reputation by throwing mud, like a dirty little schoolboy; deliberately to insult another writer for the mere enjoyment of insult—■ all this is plainly and simply brutal and black- guard. A barrister who should dare to do such a thing would be disbarred; a physician would be expelled the college; in private life a man who should wantonly insult another man at a club would have his name removed. There ought to bo —there must be—found some way in which such men shall be made to feel that they arc exactly in the same position as those lawyers, physicians, or club men who have been expelled from the society of their brethren. Who, it may be asked, does such things? Perhaps, no one. The question may be answered by any reader for himself. The dependence of writers is, no doubt, greatly increased by the continual influx of those who have no business to take up literature as a profession, and no capacity to do more than the production of books which are not wanted, and of literary work which is purely hack. There must always be such writers. Let us do our best to urge and persuade those who would swell the unhappy ranks that in any other line—any other—a more easy living, with more money, more independence, more self- respect can be obtained than in the lowest walks of literature. If they must and will write—the impulse is sometimes as strong for the incompetent as for those who have the gift—let them take up some other position and give to writing their spare hours. Every member who sends his yearly guinea enables the Society to act for other members. This is the first step towards common action in matters connected with law and property. The creation of public opinion as regards literature as a calling has yet to be achieved. It may prove C c 2  ## p. 354 (#758) ############################################ 354 THE AUTHOR. difficult, but so much has been done already, owing to the efforts of the Society, that it does not seem impossible. And we look for the co-operation of editors in the enforcement of these outward forms of respect. Without them, indeed, the profession of letters would long since have been an arena of maddened gladiators. The newly formed Authors' Club will also prove of assistance in this respect. The club, even if it does nothing more, will make it difficult for men who meet in friendliness to go away and stab each other in spite and malice. The newly formed Writers' Club should exercise a similarly beneficent effect upon ladies. We have spoken of the work already effected by this Society. It. has already taught those who have work to produce what it will cost to produce; it has enabled them to understand, for the first time in the history of literature, what agreements mean. And it has made publishers far more care- ful in the agreements which they submit to authors. The old cynical impudence with which arrange- ments, ridiculously unfair, used to be offered, has almost vanished, while certain firms which a year or two ago were remarkable for barefaced trading on the ignorance of their clients, are now offering agreements which leave little to desire. The Society does not propose to arrogate to itself the functions of a judge; it neither protends to punish, nor does it bear malice; where fair agreements are offered, the past may be forgotten. But it does its best to keep away from fraudulent houses as much work as it possibly can. This course it has pursued for seven years with satisfactory success; it. has mulcted certain houses in many thousands of pounds; it has taken out of their hands authors by the dozen j and this course it will still continue to pursue. «~*-» THE STORY OF ANITA. IT became ridiculous; it became proverbial; it became maddening. What was there in the commonplace work of this commonplace girl —they liked the double use of the adjective- commonplace, they said—that caused her work to be taken by magazines—paid for properly, mind, with good sound substantial cheques—to be accepted by publishers and issued in series which included some of the very biggest names? Other maidens with similar ambitions, curiously turned over the leaves of her stories and tossed them contemptuously one to the other. Some said, " Well!" and it was as if there were rivers and lakes dammed up behind. Others said, " Ah!" and it was as if a cataract was ready to leap and bound. Others again looked round them and asked of the silent heavens, the patient earth, and the unsympathetic ocean, " Can anyone tell me why?" For it could not be denied, even by Anita's worst enemies, to say nothing of her most bosomly friends, that her tales were commonplace in the conception, slovenly in their execution, and vulgar in sentiment; that her plots were old, feeble, and ridiculous, and the style was what is commonly called that of the school girl. "Anita Palaska has got a story in the Chcapside this month!" It was in one of the halls of the British Museum. There were half-a-dozen girls talking together. She who spoke had the dis- cordant tones of envy. "She had one in the Hat/market last month!" With a wail of pain. "And one in the Regent Street the month before!" The voice was that of one who prefers an accusation against fate. "And she is doing a weekly fashion letter for the Young Ductess!" This in a minor key, as of one reciting a Penitential Psalm. "And oh !" cried another, "Mr. Cyril Muckle- more is announcing a new novel by Anita Palaska. 'Preparing. Will be ready in a month.' Ah! Can anyone—will anyone—anyone tell me why?" It was as the cry of a Lost Soul, antl along the sonorous ceiling of that vast hall rolled the notes, echoing as they rolled, " tell me why—why—hy—y —y—y." "I have read everything Anita has ever written," said one, " and there is not a lino, or a sentence, or a character—not a situation or a thought—which is not feeble and commonplace. Not one. All as commonplace as her appearance." "Well, my dear," murmured a bosom friend, "you certainly ought to be a judge of the commonplace." But she said aloud, "I have tried to read our Anita, and I confess that I cannot." They all had desks and drawers and chests and boxes full of MSS.—these inky Graces. They were all mad—insatiably mad—for literary fame. They were all poor, badly dressed, and insufficiently fed; they wanted dollars almost as much as they wanted literary fame. And here was Anita—one of themselves—who twelve months before had been in the same quagmire of neglect and contempt with themselves, now blossoming into a popular author. The thing called for a universal sniff to begin with—wrath could come after, but the sniff came first—a thing so absurd, so foolish, so unjust—a popular—popular—Hear! Oh Heavens! Anita Palaska was already a popular—popular—popular author, while they— they—they—the unsuccessful—those of the inky  ## p. 355 (#759) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 355 fingers—were as much on the outside as the Foolish Virgins! What did it mean? By what magic did Anita persuade editors to take her stuff? Let the truth be told plainly—her skimble skamble, foolish, futile, commonplace, weary, dreary, languid, miserable, copied, imitated, second-hand, humbug- ging stuff—while her sisters had their works—far better—everyone knew it, and was not ashamed to say it—better? Gracious! Comparison was out of the question.—Their lovely work returned, hurled back in their faces, with a slap of contempt, so that all the cheeks of all these maidens were always red and glowing, and their eyes aflame with rage, and their tongues like forked serpents charged with venom and hatred, and spite, and all uncharitablcness. There is nothing in the world for these cpialities like a disappointed literary woman, unless it is the disappointed literary man. It will be readily understood tiiat whenever these angry and defeated ladies met together the conversation speedily turned on the success— tenqwrary only — everyone agreed upon that— of their more fortunate sister. And the talk always assumed such a character as that indicated above. One day, then, while three or four of them were gathered together in the luncheon room of the Museum, that Tavern with the sign of the Inky Finger, the Spirit of Envy being in their midst, the subject of their discourse appeared. She opened the door and stood there for a moment smiling. By the quick snap of all the mouths; by the quick glance of all the eyes; by the little shudder which ran round the group; by the little blush of shame; by the sudden silence, it was plain to Anita, being a woman of at least ordinary intelligence, that they were talking about her. At this she was not surprised; she knew even the kind of discourse they would be holding about her. In such matters a girl has but one rule of judgment. She puts herself in the place of the others. Anita Palaska was a tall and rather fine-looking girl — her friends said that her real name — but that matters nothing. She looked English and had a foreign name—a Servian name? A Polish name? A Czetch name ?—what does it matter? Almost a handsome woman, large and generous in her proportions, and about 24 years of age. "Commonplace in her appearance," said her friends. Not quite. These ladies were not, perhaps, the best judges of what is attractive in a woman where man is concerned. Nor did they understand in the least—certainly they had never had an oppor- tunity of observing—the latent power in Anita's eyes. They could not even guess how those eyes could dilate; how they could tremble; how they could fascinate; how they could flicker; how they could mean wonderful inexpressible things; how they were, as she pleased, persuasive, coaxing, innocent, limpid, loving, fresh, candid, sincere, alluring, promising, saintly. Her friends never even suspected the magic, and said she was as commonplace in her style as in her manner. Poor deluded girls! As for literary style, that may be conceded. For her manner, however— "I have been correcting my new proofs," she said, addressing the assemblage. "My story is going into the Cheapside this month." "So we see," said the eldest of the damsels, with a little prolongation of the sibilant. "We were just asking each other if you would be kind enough to tell us the secret of your success, which, indeed, we cannot understand. Your stories, of course, are taken on their merits. . . ." She tossed her head. Anita laughed softly. "Outside the profession I should say, ' Send in good work and it will be taken.' To you I cannot say that." "No, no." They all hastened to exclaim assent. Had they not all—to a female—sent in good work which had been sent back to them? And Anita had sent in bad work and it was accepted. "No. To you I say this: There are just a few living writers who really have got the art of writing attractively. They are very few. Everybody wants their work, and there isn't enough to go round. Then there are a great many who all write up to a certain level, and that a low level. Now do you begin to understand?" They did not. They shook their heads. Each one felt that she, in fact, was a good bit above the level achieved by her sisters. "Well, it is so, however. And the great diffi- culty of editors is to select from this vast expanse of commonplace something a little better than the rest. Now do you see?" She spoke very sweetly, and they began to see, and the gleam of that new light brought fire into their hearts which burned them up, internally. "I am not a ltudyard Kipling nor a Barrie," Anita went on, modestly, " I don't pretend to such great ness. But I may be—you see—a little—just a wee bit—above the general level of those who send in contributions. That is why I am accepted. Only ever so little above the commonplace. The expla- nation is quite easy. You have only to be a little, very little, bit above the average level." She nodded pleasantly, and took a table by herself, where she taxed the resources of the establishment for her selfish gourmandise. And the rest felt themselves—all—all—lying on the low, cold, watery, despised levels of incompetence. They crept back to their work, one after the other, unhappy, crushed, trodden upon.  ## p. 356 (#760) ############################################ 356 THE AUTHOR. Anita, luncheon despatched, took a MS. out of her hand bag, and run through it hurriedly. "I think it will do," she said. "At all events, if it won't do he must make it do. If it is not good when he's dressed it up, it is his fault, not mine." She put it back—rose—and walked away. The editor of the Ilaymarltct sat in his room at work. It was a cosy room, with one or two comfortable chairs and a bright fire and the appear- ance of seclusion, with a window which looked out upon a quiet churchyard, not yet turned into a playground. A boy brought him a card. He read it; he changed colour; he put it down. "I am busy," he said. "Lady says she can wait any time," replied the boy. "She's taken a chair and a book." "In that case—show her up," replied the editor desperately. She came in smiling sweetly. She gave him her hand; nay, she pressed his hand tenderly with her softly gloved fingers. For purposes of pres- sure, the persuasive cover of a Swede is better than the nudity of bony and knuckly fingers. "Best of editors," she murmured. "What can I do for you, Miss Palaska?" "Fie! last time it was Anita—so—now we are friends again. Between friends everything is easy. I have brought you—" she opened her bag and af- fected not to hear his groan—"a MS. This is really very, very much better than the last. Oh ! I know there were weak—terribly weak—points about that tale, though your beautiful touches improved it so wonderfully. This, however, is much better. It is quite, quite an original story. I will tell it you in brief. There are two most charming lovers—girl like me, you know—and the man—vain creature! you look in the glass! They are separated by a horrid lack of money. There is little hope, but when things arc desperate, her long-lost uncle comes from India. Oh! it is beautifully original and full of pathos. I know you will like it. I wrote it on purpose for you—for you—my best of editors. She laid the MS. on the table, and touched his hand with her's accidentally. Were there ever such eyes, so full of admiration, of respect, of humble handmaidenly devotion? Was there ever a face so full of tender interest and sympathy? "You are quite well?" she asked, "Quite— quite well? Do they watch you enough? You are not working too hard or anything? You are not in love, are you?" She laughed softly and consciously. Now this wretched man had a wife— but he trembled and he reddened, and he murmured, "Except with you, Anita? Impossible." He leaned his face; he kissed her forehead. She held his hand, and her eyes lay upon his face like sunshine, filling it with glow and radiance. Then she rose. "You will put it in the very next number? Dear friend! make any altera- tions—any. Farewell!" She left him. The moment after she left the room, the spell of those eyes died away. He took up the MS.—looked into it—fell into a blind rage over it—hurled it on the floor and jumped upon it. Then he picked it up and smoothed it out, and spent the rest of that day and the whole of the next in correcting it and re-writing it. But it still remained, after his corrections, about as bad a paper as the magazine had ever seen. And he knew that unkind things would be said about it, and perhaps the proprietor might .... Anita went away with a dancing step and a laughing eye. This time she was going to see the publisher of her new novel, Mr. Cyril Mueklemore. He was an aged gentleman whose brows had long been frosted. As for his reputation, it was like unto that of the nether millstone. Anita possessed an agreement-signed by Mr. Cyril Mueklemore—the beautiful Christian name inspired confidence—in which the firm agreed and bargained to give her a deferred royalty. She was to receive 16s. a copy after the first 500 had been sold. It was a noble offer. No other house, Mr. Cyril Mueklemore assured her, would possibly make such an offer. In fact, as the libraries did not give him so much for a copy, it was what the world would call princely. Mr. Mucklemore's record is full of such princely episodes. But the good and generous patron of literature could very well afford these noble terms, because, you see, he knew very well that 3oo copies would be the very utmost that he could cram down the throats of the libraries, and nobody outside the libraries would buy one single copy. Therefore he had had an edition of 35o, and no more, printed, and he had already distributed the type. But this he did not tell the author. When the proper time came, he would be the first to lament the failure of the work, and to express regrets more on the author's account than on his own. As a matter of fact, he proposed to make a nice little profit of £100 and more, to the author's double duck's egg. "You think," said a certain adviser of Anita—a male novelist—" that old Mueklemore mains to let you have any money? Not he. I know his tricks and his ways. Not a penny will you ever get out of him." In fact, this good old man had the warm heart and the kind word of every author who had ever gone to him. Hence his princely fortune; hence, too, or closely connected with the warm heart and the kind word, was his eminent piety, for he was of a very advanced and stalwart form of Christianity, and in his will he has endowed a college for decayed—but this is anticipating the charitable intentions of a good and great man. "I think," said Anita, "that Mr. Mueklemore will  ## p. 357 (#761) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 357 be persuaded to give me a cheque on account." Her adviser laughed scornfully. Anita smiled darkly, mysteriously. "If you are a witch, Anita . . ." She smik'd again, and she sallied forth. "Dear Mr. Mucklemore !" said Anita, sinking into a chair and holding the hand of this Christian person in her own. "You are well? You look anxious. Do they consider you enough? Do they watch over you? You are not worried about anything? Have wicked men written you angry letters? You are not—Oh! you are not—anxious about my little book, are you? Dear Mr. Muckle- more! I could never forgive myself if I thought you were going to lose money over my little venture." "No, I shall not lose much money," said Mr. Mucklemore. A benevolent smile stole over his countenance. "Not more than I can afford, over your little book, Miss Palaska." He looked down upon her with a certain growing interest. The damsel was comely, and she met bis wrinkled old eyes with looks so full of sympathy, that he began to forget his seventy years. She certainly did show for him a tenderness and a consideration—and, could he be seventy? Those eyes—those eyes—" I feel your kindness so much, dear Mr. Mucklemore —Oh! so very, very much. I feel almost like a daughter to you." "Yet I can never feel like a father to you," replied the Inflammatory Old. "No? Well you are quite as kind as a father to me, anyhow. You may call your kindness what you please, dear Mr. Mucklemore." They were quite alone. Mr. Mucklemore melted. He felt less and less like a father. He told her that she reminded him of his young days, and that she made him lament his youth, and that he thought such an interest in a girl as he now felt had long since gone, and presently he had his benevolent old arms round her slender waist. Nobody would have recognised at that beatific moment the saintly Mr. Mucklemore. Presently Anita drew herself slowly away from this glimpse of Eden. "Dear Mr. Mucklemore," she murmured, "you must not take advantage of woman's weakness. But you will always be young in heart." "Um—urn—urn," murmured the Inflammatory over her fingers. "And oh!" continued Anita, "How good it is when one no longer—quite—so young is so young." "To you, Miss Palaska—Anita "—he became poetical with passion—the Passionate Publisher— "Methusalem would be young, and old Parr himself a boy in buttons." "Flatterer! But why did I call here this morning? You make me forget everything, even that I am wasting your most valuable time, and outside—outside," she said this without a ghost of a smile, "there are a dozen people at least waiting to bless your generous heart." Ho caught her by the hand, again murmuring his " Um—um —um." "What I came to say is only this, dear Mr. Mucklemore. You have given me an agree- ment by which you promise me a royalty—a most generous royalty—of 16s. a copy when ooo have been sold. You are the only man in the profession, everybody tells me, who would ever make such a splendid offer to a novelist. How can I ever sufficiently thank you? Meanwhile sit down, my dear friend, and write me a cheque for a £100—a little £i5o — that will do—in advance, and on account of those royalties." He did it. He did it without a word, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, and yet, as you have heard, he had only printed 35o copies, and the type was already distributed. Now you understand the secret of Anita's success, and yet they said she was as commonplace in appearance as in style. Something has happened, however. No one knows how these things do happen. Some one must have communicated the thing under promise of secrecy; then it got whispered in a club smoking- room—but nobody knows. Only one day, when Anita called with a new MS. upon one of her editors, she was coldly received, and was presently informed in plain words that her work could no longer be received in exchange for the pressure of a hand, and the kindly light of pretty eyes. She went away, feeling sad, and called on another editor. The same reception awaited her, almost in the same words. And good old Mr. Cyril Mucklemore has gone, and his heir has discovered that Anita's last novel resulted in a real loss. "I am going"—Anita was sitting with her friends, the Children of Defeat, in the Tavern of the Inky Finger at the British Museum—" I am going very soon to New York. I have been very much disgusted of late about several little things. I thought that editors were gentlemen. Well, you will hardly believe it, but I have met once or twice with things—things, you know—one of them once actually wanted to kiss me." "Imposs sible," cried the young lady who had called Anita commonplace. "True—and another—and another. What is the world coming to? Well, of course I cannot any longer offer to contribute when such insults have been attempted, and I have been considering. Now, I find that the American magazines are far better, richer, and finer than our own; that they welcome good work ." Everybody coughed slightly.  ## p. 358 (#762) ############################################ 358 THE AUTHOR. "Work above the average, when they can get it —they pay four times as well—and their editors are high-souled gentlemen, incapable of insulting a lady. Oh! America is fast becoming the only country in the world for a gentlewoman. Chivalry has a new and a better home in Broadway." She got up and went away, conscious that she could not make a better exit. Yet they had called her as commonplace in style as in manner! "Oh!" cried one of them, who spoke for all, "what does it mean? Can anyone—anyone—tell me why?" Along the lofty walls and along the cornice of the panelled ceiling rolled, and rang, and echoed her question, "Tell me—tell me—why—why—by —hy—y—y—y—." ——-—♦-♦-« NOTES FROM PARIS. SEVERAL paragraph-writers, commenting on what I wrote last month about Ishmael sweating Ishmael, have asked me why I did not give the names of the " reputed author " who sweated, and of the " unfortunate youth" who was sweated in the case I cited. My principal reason was to avoid giving offence to the latter, who, being now a successful feuilletonist on his own account, would hardly have; liked the record of his early struggles made public. A secondary reason was that the "reputed author" would certainly have sent me a challenge, and I have had all the duelling I care for. It is not dangerous, but each duello cost you—for landau, refreshments, doctor's fee for attendance, and lunch to one's seconds at the Cafe Anglais after the affair—a matter of £i5, and, what is worse, obliges you to rise at the unearthly hour of half-past live. Now I do not think I could get up at half-past five even to be guillotined. Apropos of duelling, it is perhaps to be regretted that the fashion of it has gone out so completely in England. I fancy if it existed still the critics of one's works and persons would be more civil. I could not help thinking this as I read the notices about Mr. John Gray's translation of " Lc Baiser," produced at the beginning of this month at the Independent Theatre, and the abominably offensive personalities which were indulged in against him. I understand that he has commenced one suit for libel, but the majority of the critiques were not such as could be attacked in a court of law, and in this way would very summarily have been dealt with. English literary criticism, by the way, is a thing which French men of letters are totally unable to understand. I remember reading some of those malevolent critiques, for which a particular paper has gained a reputation and a sale amongst our splenetic fellow citizens, to a very prominent novelist here. He said, "If a Paris newspaper were to publish such critiques, everybody would be convinced that it was attempting to blackmail either the author or the publisher." I had con- siderable difficulty in persuading him that these notices were written with a certain amount of bona fides on the part of their authors. There is little or no criticism of general literature in Paris. In sending you a book for review the Paris publisher also sends you his card, and—with a priere (Tinserer-—a small printed notice of the book. If one can find room the notice goes in, if not it does not. One would never think of reading the book for the sake of writing a few lines about it, unless the author were a friend and one wanted to oblige him. It would not pay to do so. Three hours is the least one would spend in gaining an honest opinion of a book, and there are very few books on which, in justice to one's journal and to one's public, one could write a critique of more than, say, twenty lines. Fourpenee a line is the maximum rate for articles in a leading Paris paper, so that the remuneration for three hours of such labour would amount at the utmost to eight francs. Three francs would, however, be nearer the average. With coals at 5os. the ton in Paris, men of letters cannot work at those rates, and so literary critiques are not supplied to the Paris papers. Of course, when any big novel or book— a Daudet or a de Maupassant, a Zola or a Dumas —appears, all the papers review it. It is the actuality and is dealt with in the leading article or premier Paris. But the minor authors do not get reviewed at all and seem none the worse for it. Spiteful criticism of the kind which helps to sell a number of moribund publications in England is practically unknown here. It would soon be put a stop to were any innovator to introduce it. That innovator would have to be getting up early most days in the week, to have an excellent balance at his bank, or to have a very tough hide. The only man of letters here who is attacked in the British fashion of attack is George Ohnet, who is a cripple and cannot defend himself. It is all the more cniel that he feels it deeply. I have often found him almost prostrate with mortification at spiteful  ## p. 359 (#763) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 359 tilings which have appeared against him. I remember his once pathetically exclaiming to me, "I wonder why they so hate me, I am sure I have never done anything wrong. I never stole any spoons, and am a decent lived man as a whole." I suppose it is the phenomenal success of his books stirs the gale. It is fair to say that the attacks are made by nonentities, the same class, I presume, who harass the British author. George Ohnet works three hours a day regularly, during which time he writes four pages of small MS., amounting to about one thousand words. He then revises carefully, and, having finished his corrections, hands his MS. to his wife, who makes a beautifully neat fair copy for the printer. She is an immense admirer of his talent, but never allows herself to make any suggestions. A thing which always astonishes French men of letters is to hear a British author talking about the number of words his novel is to consist of. When you tell him that custom has it that a book to be sold at such a price has to contain a minimum of so many words, incredulity first, and then pity comes into their eyes. The commercial side of literary production is what they never can and never want to grasp. It may be accepted as a general rule that all lwoks, other than those of authors who have made a name, which are published in Paris are produced at the author's cost. A French publisher would never dream of risking a farthing in a publication. When Charpentier settled a small income on Emile Zola, to enable him to have leisure to write, he did a most unusual thing. On the other hand, I have never heard of any Parisian publisher practising the frauds by which most British amateur authors are victimised. An ordinary French novel or volume of poems will be produced in good style at from £20 to £32. As soon as a man gets a little known the best he can hope for is a sum of £10 on account of royalties for a novel or a volume of poems. The author in Paris who wants to make money tries for the newspaper serial stories. These are splendidly remunerated. The majority of French authors and poets, however, write for glory. It would be considered lunacy on a man's part to look for a living to the production of books. Those here—barring a few exceptions—who live by their pens are engaged in journalism or in writing for the stage. Many well-known writers VOL. II. follow commercial or professional pursuits. Huys- mann, for instance, is employed at one of the Government offices, and is partner in a bookbinding business. Alexander Dumas is tired of life in Paris. He is selling his mansion in the Avenue Villiers, and all the art treasures it contains, and is about to retire definitely to the country. Most enviable Alexander, tired of worlds to conquer. The catalogue of the books in the French National Library has at last, after years of labour, been completed. Some time, however, must elapse liefore this most interesting work can be published. It appears that the money for its publication is not forthcoming, and cannot be hoped for for some time. Yet France spends £40 a minute on her army. I wonder if ever we shall succeed in getting the author's rights to the benefit of his work as fully recognised in England as they are in France. Here is an instance of this recognition in France. A friend of mine, who is just now collaborating with Catulle Mendes on a play, told me a night or two ago that he receives annually a few sous as heir of his grandfather, who many years ago wrote the libretto of a certain operette, of which Offenbach, I think, wrote the music. Of this operette only one air has survived the change of taste, and it is constantly being fitted to fresh words of topical interest. During the Exhibition, for instance, it was to this tune that a song about the Eiffel Tower was set. The original libretto in general and the song to this air in particular have long since been forgotten, but French justice holds that the writer of the libretto to some extent suggests the music to the composer, and is therefore entitled to a certain share in the proceeds of the music, even if his words are no longer used. Accordingly, when- ever that song is sung, the heir of the man who wrote the original words to it is credited by the agencies with a certain per-centage of the composer's droits cTauteun I hear from Madrid that the widow of de Gonzales has just died in an almshouse. Gonzales was the Dumas of Spain, and his works are still immensely popular. He received very large sums from his publishers, but was a sad spendthrift, and would only work when need pressed him. At last his publishers agreed to give £12 a day against so much copy to be delivered daily. He used to fetch D d  ## p. 360 (#764) ############################################ 36° THE AUTHOR. his money every evening at six, then hasten off to a cafe and keep it up all night till five in the morning. Then he would begin dictating to a couple of secretaries, and his task lx'iug finished, would go to bed until the time came for fetching a fresh supply of doubloons. As a rule, he never had enough money left to pay the cab that took him to his publishers. These, by the way, are all millionaires, chiefly thanks to the Gonzales copy- rights. Why did they let his widow die in a work- house? It may not be generally known that Mr. Oscar Wilde is by maternal descent the grand-nephew of Charles Maturin, where " Melmoth the Wanderer" is at List attracting attention in England. I say "at last," inasmuch as it has been a classic for nearly sixty-five years in France and Germany. It won for its author the admiration of Balzac, and was a livre de chevet of Baudelaise. It contributed greatly to the literary movement in France in i83o. In the course of a conversation I had the other day with Mr. Ernest Renan, I happened to ask him his opinion about Emile Zola's work. These are his own words: "Zola! Nay, Monsieur, you must not ask me about him, for I have no opinion on him. It is low, far away, beneath. It is the mud, and a pity for French literature. I have a horror for what is coarse. At Pompeii, all that was coarse was secreted and hidden away. It is a pity we do not do the same in these days. I confess that I cannot understand how the French, so lettered, so scholarly and so full of taste, can tolerate such horrors as are the modern French novels." I must now ask Zola what he thinks of Mr. Renan's work. SPKING. Oil! to wake at early morning, and to hear the thrushes sing, To watch the steady sunshine stealing over everything. And to know that now, at last, is come the first wann day of spring! Oh! to open wide the window, and to taste the scented bree/e— Sweet and pungent from the breathing of the flowers and tlie trees, And to listen to the humming of the discontented bees! Oh! to step out on the grassplot and to note the sprinkled dew, To look above the lurk's song at the deep unfathomed blue, And to feel the world is still the same as springs ago we knew! Oh! to sit at noontide idle in the chestnut's flickering shade, To hear the cuckoo calling from every knoll and glade, And to catch the perfect harmony by Nature's discords made! Oh! to wander in the evening, with the pink clouds over- head, To listen to the nightingale when his song is freely shed, With one companion by my side, one dear friend, long since dead! Oh ! to tell out all my thoughts to her, my loneliuess and pain, Pale hopes and glowing memories, the toil of heart and brain, And all my deep delight and grief that Spring is come again '. Oh 1 to lie at night and listen to her solemn whispering, While I strain my soul to try and hear what tidings she may bring, And to learn if I may dare to look for everlasting Spring! F. Baykord Harrison. USEFUL BOOKS. It is reported that the Parisian publishers are organising an immense lottery by means of which to rid themselves of huge accumulations of unsold stock. The prizes will lie assortments of reading with a work of art (cruel distinction) thrown in. One publisher declares himself ready to contribute one hundred thousand volumes. And still the pens run on Robert H. Shekard. Paris, March, 20th, 1892. ACORRESPONDENT recently suggested the formation of a list of useful books, i.e., books useful to those engaged in literary work. Here is a contribution to such a list. No doubt others will help to swell the list and to make it really serviceable :— P. M. Roget. Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases. (Longmans.) T. Stormonth. Etymological and pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language. (Black- wood.) Webster's Complete Dictionary of the English Language. Authorised and unabridged Edition. New Edition. (Bell and Sons.) T. Walker. The Rhyming Dictionary of the English Language. (Routledge.)  ## p. 361 (#765) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 361 W. B. Hodgson. Errors in the use of English. (Edinburgh. Douglas.) E. A. Abbot. How to write clearly. (Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday.) Chambers's Encyclopaedia. New Edition. (Chambers.) E. C. Brewer. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Cassell. E. C. Brewer. The Header's Handbook. (Chatto and Windus.) W. J. Lowndes. Reference Catalogue of Current Literature. (t. K. Portescne. Subject Index of Modern Works added to the Library of the British Museum from 1880 to 1885. W. J. Stead. Annual Index of Periodicals and Photographs. E. B. Sargeant and B. Whitshaw. A Guide Hook to Books. NOTES AND NEWS. THE literary event of the month, the appear- ance of the President's Drama, occurs just as these proofs have been ptssed, too late for notice here. American rights, long sighed after, have now become American expectations. We have been accustomed to think of the United States as the author's land of milk and honey. Every- body who produces a book now looks to its reproduction and a wide popularity in America. With this view every publisher and most editors in the States are deluged with offers, and books are given to newspapers for nothing in order to get copyright. -Time will, of course, bring its experiences and its disappointments. It will be discovered that it is not enough to lie a British author in order to command success; but that one must also write what the American public want, anil that will be done very largely for them by their own authors. In the. case, however, of the men thev do want, an American author, on p. 346, shows pretty clearly what they may expect. The figures will come to some of us as a revelation. I commend for our very serious consideration certain passages in Mr. Itoliert Sherard's Notes from Paris in this number. French men of letters are, he says, wholly unable to understand the criticisms, spiteful and cruel, which appear in cer- tain English papers. The love of insult is kept in check by the fear of the duel. No French publisher ever dreams of risking a farthing in the production of a book. Strange! Every English publisher is vol.. n. always dreaming that he risks immense sums. Perhaps Mr. Sherard will give us more information on this side of French literature. Here is a very curious and complete coincidence. One day last year an unfortunate girl connected with one of the theatres in London committed suicide on account of some love disappointment. Just, before this event a story was given in at the office of the New York Herald, for the London Sunday edition, in which the life of this girl—of whom the author had never heard—her love business, and her suicide were all faithfully pour- trayed, anil her very name, with one vowel wrong, was also used. This curious coincidence happened to Mr. Joseph Forster. It was mentioned in the New York Herald—in the American edition—nt the time, but seems not to have attracted any attention. The New York Critic, referring to a certain paper on the work of the Society of Authors in the Forum for March, sums up the situation by saying that "the cases brought forward against certain publishers could very easily be parallelled in every other branch of business." That is very likely. Does that, however, concern us? Do a thousand wrongs justify one other wrong? But there are certain considerations which make our position different from that of other producers. We are for the most part robbed under the guise of friendship; the fraudulent publisher will not, if he can help it, allow the business to be treated as business; he must be considered as the confidential adviser and friend—the generous, disinterested, large-hearted friend. If these things, and things like them, go on in all other lines of business, then a time will come when the whole edifice of cor- ruption will fall to pieces; and if these things are done in the holv name of religion, then it is the worse for that, religion, and for the people who should be guided by that religion. Walt Whitman is dead. It is a long time since we heard that he was paralysed, though he has gone on working almost to the end. When, many years ago, his earliest volume came over here, it was handled at first by critics and by readers with disgust and contempt. Then came a reaction: the book so gross, so coarse, so misshapen, was found to have great thoughts in it. The reaction pre- vailed; the reputation of Walt Whitman has been growing steadily higher. He is said to have, now, more readers in this than in his own country. E e  ## p. 362 (#766) ############################################ 362 THE AUTHOR. On Wednesday, March the 9th, a bust of Richard Jefferies, executed by Miss Margaret Thomas, was unveiled in Salisbury Cathedral by the Bishop in the presence of the Dean and a small company. The inscription on the bust is as follows :—" To the memory of Richard Jefferies, born at. Coate, in the Parish of Chiseldon and County of Wilts, 6th November 1848. Died at Goring, in the County of Sussex, 14th August 1887. Who, ob- serving the works of Almighty God with a poet's eye, has enriched the literature of his country, and won for himself a place among those who have innde men happier and wiser." The Bishop made a short speech, followed by the Dean, who spoke; at greater length. It is very much to be regretted that not one of those who had promoted the acquisition of this monument, nor a single man of letters, except Mr. Lcith Derwent, who resides in Salisbury, was present, on this occasion. Not even the sculptor was in- vited to be present or informed of the time at which the ceremony would take place. The committee were absolutely ignored. This discourtesy, or neglect, was the sole cause of the absence from the ceremony of those who would otherwise have marked their respect and affection to the illustrious author by their presence. The chief credit for the idea of this bust must be assigned to Mr. A. W. Kinglake, of Haines Hill, Taunton. He it was who conceived the idea and would have carried it out single handed, but for ill-health, which obliged him to hand over the matter to a London committee. It is not the last, one hopes, of the many acts of national recognition which have been instituted by the creator of the Somersetshire Valhalla. The placing of the bust of Jefferies in Salisbury Cathedral reminds us of the great increase of interest in everything connected with the world of Fields and Hedges. To be sure, he was only one of a succession—Gilbert White of Selborne, Thomas Burrows, Jefferies—a very fine procession, not to speak of the scientific explorers, Romanes, Lubbock and others. But the succession has not ceased, it is carried on by more than one diligent and peacef ul lover of nature. One of the new books, by one of Gilbert White's successors, is in my hands. It is " Nature's Fairy Land," by H. W. S. Worsley-Benison, already in its fourth edition; a book that one may take up in the evening for a quiet hour; which carries you away into country scenes, and to lovely places; on the sands; among the gorse; in the garden. If one who is not a student of nature, yet a humble reader of books on nature—may name with commendation such a book, I venture to do so. It is never tedious; nor is it a catalogue, as some of Jefferies' earlier books were cruelly said to be; it is always pleasant, and always instructive. The late Lord Lytton died, pen in hand, correct- ing and finishing the verses which, under the name of " Marah," have just been produced in a collected form, and in a daintily bound volume (Longman). One more poem still remains to be published, after which there will be no more of Owen Meredith. Perhaps many of the readers of the Author may like to possess this volume as a memento of a man who valued the Society so highly, and hoped so much for its future. The following lines are from the Epilogue :— 1 My songs flit away on the wing; They are fledged with a smile or a sigh; Anil away with the songs that I sing Flit my joys, and my sorrows, and I. 2. For time, as it is, cannot stay, Nor again as it was, can it be; Disappearing and passing away Are the world, and the ages, and we. 3. Gone, even before we can go, Is our past, with its passions forgot, The tears of its wept-away woe, And its laughters that gladden us not. 4- The builder of heaven and of earth Is our own fickle fugitive breath; As it comes in the moment of birth, So it goes in the moment of death. 5. As the years were before we l>egan Shall the years be when we are no more; And between them the years of a man Are as waves the wind drives to the shore. 6. Back into the Infinite tend The creations that out of it start; Unto every beginning an end, And whatever arrives shall depart. 7- But I and my songs, for awhile, As together away on the wing We are borne with a sigh or a smile, Have been given this message to sing.  ## p. 363 (#767) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 8. The Now is an atom of sand, And the near is a perishing clod; But Afar is as Faery Land, And Beyond is the Bosom of God. In a talk on things literary, one chanced to say, "I am convinced that an uncomfortable pen, or paper of a kind to which I am not accustomed, makes twenty per cent, difference in the quantity I write under ordinary circumstances in a given time. I know that it is absurd to be affected by such trifles—but that is so." "It is not absurd at all," replied the other, a man of science, " but perfectly natural. You speak of the point of a pen, or the degree of rugosity of the surface of the paper as small things. Have you ever considered how very much smaller things are the molecules of the brain, and the infinitesimal changes taking place in them that are all the time guiding your hand and thought? It is only reasonable to suppose that living fibres of a delicacy so infinite would bo very much affected by finding their operations hindered by objects comparatively so large as the point of a pen, or the grain of the surface of a sheet of paper." Those who have visited the Shakespeare house at Stratford-on-Avon of late years will regret to learn that the curator who did so much to give interest to every object preserved there, Mr. Joseph Skipsey, has resigned the post. He has returned to his native country, and now resides at Newcastle. A volume of his collected poems has just been pub- lished by Walter Scott . Many of the pieces have, no doubt, been seen already by the poet's friends. The whole form a collection of singular interest. The charm of the verse lies chiefly in its simplicity and purity. The source of inspiration is the village, the country, the coal mine, the village beauty. For instance—there are certainly poems of a higher flight than this, but everybody will recognise the sweetness and simplicity of the following lines :— Coal black are the tresses of Fanny; But never a mortal could see The coal-coloured tresses of Annie, And be as a body could be. White, white is her forehead, and bonnie; And when she goes down to the well, The beat of the footsteps of Annie, The wrath of a tiger would quell. Bed, red are her round cheeks, and bonnie; And when she is knitting, her tone— The charm of the accents of Annie, Would ravish the heart of a stone. Nay, rare are her graces and many; But nothing whatever can be Compared to the sweet glance of Annie, The glance she has given to me. At the dinner held in aid of the Booksellers' Provident Institution, Mr. F. Macmillan, the chair- man, in support of his contention that MSS. are really read and considered, made an interesting statement. Out of 166 books, including new editions, issued by his firm last year, no fewer than 22, he said, were printed from 3i5 MSS. sent in without being invited. I have always stated my own conviction that in the more important houses all MSS. are fairly read and honestly considered, and it is satisfactory to obtain this confirmation of my view. There are, of course, only some people can never be persuaded of this, houses and houses, publishers and publishers, just as there are lawyers and lawyers. From informa- tion received one is quite certain that in some firms MSS. are not properly considered. The per-cent- age of books accepted, 22 out of 315, or 7 per cent., is much higher than that which other publishers have reported as the result of careful reading. Mr. F. Macmillan is reported to have dwelt with some emphasis on the identity of interests of author, publisher, and bookseller. It was rather dangerous, unless the chairman was willing to accept the logical consequence, to dwell too strongly on identity of interests, though no one in this Society has ever questioned this identity. For, if we are all agreed, as we should be, alxwt this identity of interests, we must therefore be agreed upon the necessity of a mutual understanding as to a just division of these interests. At present things are so constituted that the publisher knows the share of interest which goes to the bookseller, but the bookseller does not know the share that goes to the publisher. In the same way the author knows his share, but has l)een hitherto care- fully prevented from knowing the publisher's share. What recognition of identity of interests is that in which the publisher stands in the middle and says to the bookseller, "Here, my identically in- terested friend, is your share," and to the author, "Here is your share out of our identical interests. Mine? Oh '. mine is my own affair to myself."  ## p. 364 (#768) ############################################ 364 THE AUTHOR. Here, for instance, is a little sum for booksellers and authors alike to consider. For book, our old friend the 6s. novel. A successful book. Cost of production, say iod., in order to be liberal. The bookseller gives, say, 3s. ^d. for it, and sells it for 4.S. 6d. The author gets, say, 2d. in the shilling, or is. a copy. The publisher pays iorf. for it to the printer, binder, paper maker, and advertisements. lie gives the author is., and he gets 3s. \d. The interest of all three parties are identical, says Mr. F. Maemillan. Quite so. Identical must, I apprehend, be taken to mean equal. If not, what does it mean? Here, then, are the actual shares of the three persons concerned in the publication of that book :— The publisher gets 15. 6d. The bookseller gets 1*. zd. The author gets 1 s. Suppose it were agreed—no fraudulent cost of production being allowed, no charging for adver- tisements where nothing has been paid—to make the interests of all three actually identical, then each would make is. 3d. by every copy on a large sale. Shall we "go" for a real identity of interests? But in many cases the trade pays more than 3s, $d., and in many cases the author does not get so large a royalty as a sixth. Walter Besant. AN OLD MASTER. AMONG the best books of this season is "Melmoth the Wanderer," of which Messrs. Bentley and Son have just issued a new edi- tion, together with a portrait of the author, a very interesting account of his life, a chronology of his work, and a scholarly estimate of his literary position. "Melmoth the Wanderer" has been known to most readers by name, and many attracted by the chance mention of the work in the writings of— among others—Scott, Thackeray, and especially Balzac, have promised themselves that at some time or another they would read Maturin's masterpiece. Few, however, have carried out this resolution, for the book has been very hard to come by. One or two incomplete versions have been presented to the public in cheap form, hut for most of the people whose curiosity had been stimulated by Balzac, such editions have no existence, and for many years " Melmoth the Wanderer" has been rather a book-collector's prize. It has never fetched any maniacal price, but its rarity has l>een sufficiently pronounced to make it a stimulating object for a collector, and to preclude any wide knowledge of the story. And now that the story is offer*! to the public in a complete, convenient, and hand ome form, it will be interesting to see in what spirit it is read, and, indeed, if it is widely read at all. For undoubtedly "Melmoth" l>elongs to an old- fashioned class of books. It is one long record of horror and mystery, and the author's designs to produce thrills are such as are now-a-days likely to have but little effect. Satanic compacts and the crimes of the Inquisition have had their day, with the terrors of oubliettes and of madhouse cells. The latter have been pictured for us now so often, that they have not only lost through familiarity their power of shocking, but they have actually become forbidden subjects for an author, taking their place in the category of rescues from mad- bulls or rapidly incoming tides, of the heroine's sprained ankle, and of mistakes in the identity of twin-brethren. And of treaties with the devil, what is to be said? Does the consideration of these blood-signed contracts cause the skin to tighten or the scalp to lift? No longer. It is to be feared that our growth in wisdom has led to serious dimi- nution of our happiness in many ways, notably, that what we have gained in solid knowledge we have lost in airy illusion. A story of diablerie, to be successful as such, must at this time have something of the sad, cynical, humourous, extravagant touch, for as a l>ogey-man Satan has got behindhand. "Melmoth the Wanderer," though it is extravagant enough, is certainly not sad, humourous, or cynical. Yet it is very possible that the book will be a popular success, though its subject is rococo, its incidents familiar, and its treatment not too artistic. Then the Reverend C. Robert Maturin is about to enjoy at the end of the century some little measure of the fame that he enjoyed at its commencement. For the hare-brained Irish parson has a magnificent power of story-telling. His romancing is consistent and spontaneous, and the action of his drama is so quick that the absurdities pass unnoticed in the whirl of events. Though the mysterious appearance of the "Wanderer" may not bring terror to our souls, nor the baleful glare of his eyes seem to us to gain in malignity by the origin that is suggested for it, yet the note of horror is struck—even for us. And it is the author's triumph that this should l>e, for our own horror is a direct tribute to his skill in telling the story. It means that the reader has been convinced that what frightens all the bold bad men in the book so really and so terribly, must have its real and terrible side. He takes this for granted, and hurries on to see what is going to happen. It is something in the nature of an experiment to issue such a book in these davs, but it is more than  ## p. 365 (#769) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 365 possible that the excellence of the story will outweigh its absurdities, and will secure for it a big public. The cheap mutilated editions seem to have had a vogue, and was certainly directed rather to meet the demands of an uncritical public, asking only for a good interesting story, than to supply cultured taste with a curio to speculate over, or a text upon which to hang essays in celebration of the improve- ment of fiction. This new issue, with its elaborate and trustworthy editorial additions, should secure for Maturin a fresh crop of admirers.* O. J. OBSERVATIONS ON "THE TALE-TELLING ART" IN SIR WALTER SCOTT'S INTRODUCTIONS TO THE "WAVERLEY NOVELS." 11. HAVING learned what, in Sir Walter Scott's opinion, constitutes perfection in a romance, and in what quarters an author should seek for the elements of his stories, it will be natural next to enquire what Sir Walter Scott has to say respecting the choice of subjects. Here, may well be placed first an observation, which, though it says no more than Horace's— Sumite materiam vestris, qui scribitis, scquam Viribus.f and indeed, contains but a very trite truism, still expresses happily a fact with which all authors must reckon. "It is not sufficient that a mine be in itself rich and easily accessible; it is necessary that the engi- neer who explores it should himself, in mining phrase, have an accurate knowledge of the country, and possess the skill necessary to work it to advantage."—(Introduction to St. Ronan's Well.) In several passages bearing generally upon the choice of subject, Sir Walter Seott insists upon attaching paramount importance to novelty. This is not novelty in the sense of some theme or motif never before attempted. That kind of novelty, indeed, many would assert to be impossible of dis- covery: though it seems more temperate to doubt whether all the possible combinations of human existence could ever be exhausted; whilst La Fontaine has pertinently remarked— La feinte est an pays plcin de terres desertes, Tons les jours dos autcurs y font des decouvertes.J * Maturin, Charles Eobert. "Mclmoth the Wanderer." Bcntley. A new edition from the original text with n memoir and bibliography of Maturin's works. Frontispiece. 3 vols. t Ars Poetica, 38. J Fables, Livre 3, 1. The novelty, however, upon which Sir Walter Scott insists, consists in the choice by an author of subjects of a sort that he himself has never pre- viously treated. This the great novelist seems to hold indispensable to success. It would be inte- resting to know how far the experience of the living novelists of the present day corroborates or goes against Sir Walter Scott's view. Do they really find that they recruit additional readers, and increase the circulation of their works when they quit the particular kind of romance in which they have hitherto laboured, to attempt a story of an entirely different description? Or is their ex- perience quite the contrary? Certainly, it is a very common thing to hear the enthusiastic readers of a well-known author cry out at once, when he quits the themes with which be has hitherto dealt to break some new ground. "So-and-so's new book," they promptly declare, " is not a bit like any of the others. It is just like a tale by such-an-onc." And the speaker almost always goes on to say that he hates such-an-one's books. This seems to indicate that to continue to excel in stories of the type an author has found most congenial to his taste should lie his aim, rather than to attempt novelties. And that is what most of our present authors appear to do. But Sir Walter Scott very distinctly expresses his opinion, that no author should write many books of the same kind, and that, if he wishes to maintain his popularity, new departures are indispensable. So, after the publication of his Scotch novels, commencing with "Waverley," and ending with "The Bride of Lammermoor," Sir Walter Scott writes in the preface to " Ivanhoe "— "The author of the 'Waterley Novels' had hitherto proceeded in an unabated course of popu- larity, and might, in his peculiar district of lite- rature, have been termed L'Enfant Gate of success. It was plain, however, that frequent publication must finally wear out the public favour, unless some mode could be devised to give an appearance of novelty to subsequent productions. Scottish manners, Scottish dialect, and Scottish characters of note being those with which the author was most intimately and familiarly acquainted, were the groundwork upon which he had hitherto relied for giving effect to his narrative. It was, however, obvious that this kind of interest must in the end occasion a degree of sameness and repetition. . . . Nothing can be more dangerous for the fame of a professor of the fine arts than to permit (if ho can possibly prevent it) the character of a mannerist to be attached to him, or that he should be supposed capable of success only in a particular and limited style." In his very next novel, " The Monastery," he is again in quest of something new.  ## p. 366 (#770) ############################################ 366 THE AUTHOR. "There was a disadvantage ... in treading the Border district, for it had already been ran- sacked by the author himself, as well as others, and, unless presented uuder a new light, was likely to afford ground to the objection of crambe bis cocta. To attend the indispensable quality of novelty, something, it was thought, might be gained by contrasting the character of the vassals of the Church with those of the dependants of the Barons."—(Introduction to " The Monastery.") And again, in the "Introduction to St. Ronan's Well ": "This style of composition was adopted by the author rather from the tempting circum- stance of its offering some novelty in his com- positions, and avoiding worn-out characters and positions." It seems, therefore, that, in Sir Walter Scott's opinion, novelty in choice of subject is indis- pensable. Some general remarks upon how Sir Walter proceeded in the construction of his plots, con- tained in the "Prefatory Letter—Dr. Dryasdust to Captain Clutterbuck," preceding "Peveril of the Peak," have been already quoted in the previous paper. To these may be added a con- siderable number of hints and passages, some of them too long to be here quoted at full length, bearing upon several different sorts of romance. Historical romance may be first mentioned. On this important kind of fiction, in the opinion of many the highest form of which romance is capable, Sir Walter Scott has written a complete short treatise in the "Dedicatory Epistle to the Rev. Dr. Dryasdust," preceding "Ivanhoe." In the "Introduction to Ivanhoe" this letter is mentioned as a formal statement of the author's views respecting historical romance—"expressing the author's purpose and opinions in undertaking this species of composition." It is full of remarks of the highest suggestiveness, but the reader must be referred to it. The "Letter" is too long to be quoted in extenso, and the connection of the whole so close that the value of the remarks it contains would be seriously impaired by the separation of selected passages from the context. The " Letter" deals with most of the difficulties of historical romance, and, whilst replying to many of the ob- jections that have been raised against this form of fiction, enunciates those general principles which now seem to be pretty widely accepted as rules of the legitimate treatment of historical facts in fiction. Respecting stories whose date is, to quote the dramatist, "the present," Sir Walter Scott nowhere offers any particular suggestions, saving a few remarks upon " St. Ronan's Well," in the Introduc- tion to that story, which will be again mentioned presently. In the first chapter of "Waverley," however, he makes a remark which shows his opinion to have differed from that of more recent authors, who have found themes for successful fiction in every epoch. "A tale of manners, to be interesting, must, either refer to antiquity so great as to have become venerable, or it must bear a vivid reflec- tion of those scenes which are pissing daily before our eyes, and are interesting from their novelty." We seem to possess no English equivalent for the expressive German term Tendcnz-Roman. "The novel with a purpose" is undeniably an awkward phrase. Of the value of "the novel with a purpose" opinions differ widely. Not even Horace's dictum— Ouine tulit punctual, qui miscuit utile dulci.* can persuade some people to like powders in their jam. And it would seem that these may claim Sir Walter Scott as a supporter of their opinion. In the "Introduction to the Fortunes of Nigel " he writes, "I am, I own, no great believer in the moral utility to be derived from fictitious composi- tions." In the "Introductory Epistle " preceding the same work, he says frankly, " I write, I care not who knows it, for the general amusement." Romance with a supernatural element is at present extraordinarily popular. Respecting this supernatural element Sir Walter Scott has a good deal to say in the " Introductory Epistle—Captain Clutterbuck to Dr. Dryasdust," placed before " The Fortunes of Nigel" (dated 1822; "The Monas- tery" was published in 1820), and in the " Intro- duction to the Monastery " (dated 183o). All has reference to the " White Lady of Avenel," of whom he writes, "There is a general feeling that the AVhite Lady is no favourite." "The formidable objection of incrcditltis odi was applied to the White Lady." In the "Introductory Epistle" Sir AValter Scott makes rather merry over his unsuccessful introduction of the supernatural, confessing the White Lady " too fine drawn for the present taste of the public," and promising that his next novel shall contain "no dreams, or presages, or obscure allusions to future events. Not a Cock-lane scratch, my son—not one bounce or drum of Jedworth—not so much as a poor tick of a solitary death-watch in the wainscot. All is clear and above board—a Scots metaphysician might believe every word of it." Writing the "Introduction to the Monastery" eight years afterwards, Sir Walter Scott enters into a more serious discussion of his "White Lady," concluding by saying — "Either . . . the author executed his pur- pose indifferently, or the public did not approve of * Ars Poetica, 340.  ## p. 367 (#771) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 367 it. For the White Lady of Avenel was far from being popular. He does not now make the present statement in the view of arguing readers into a more favourable opinion on the subject, but merely with the purpose of exculpating himself from the charge of having wantonly intruded into the narrative a being of inconsistent powers and propensities." This certainly reads as if Sir Walter Scott would have liked to find his supernatural incidents acceptable to the public, even whilst he keenly felt the force of Horace's terrible incredulus odi. Indeed, the tone of the "Introduction to the Monastery" contrasts strongly with the scathing satire which Henry Fielding, in the first chapter of the eighth book of " Tom Jones," pours upon " that species of writing which is called the marvellous." The "Introduction to the Pirate " contains an interesting remark on "the explained super- natural." It refers to Morna. "The professed explanation of a tale, where appearances or incidents of a supernatural character are explained on natural causes, has often, in the winding up of the story, a degree of improbability almost equal to an absolute goblin tale." To come to the plots of particular novels. Four prefaces present features of more interest than others. The "Introduction to the Monastery" relates the whole genesis of that romance from the selection of the first elements upon which it was built. The "Introduction to the Fortunes of Nigel" is much more brief, but of a similar character. Sir Walter Scott himself says that it presents " the materials to which the author stands indebted for the composition of the . . novel." The short "Introduction to the Pirate" plainly shows that romance to have been principally sug- gested by a locality and its scenery, whilst some of the dramatic elements the author has worked into his tale are contained in the "Advertisement." Finally, the short "Introduction to St. Ronan's Well" affords a few hints of how the elements of Sir AValter Scott's one tale of contemporary man- ners were selected. It is impossible to present the substance of these Introductions in any form better than that in which they stand, and the reader is therefore referred to them. The result of a novelist's labours in shaping his plot is his scenario. Sir Walter Scott only twice alludes, incidentally, to any kind of sketch or plan of his romances. Waverley was written without a scenario. "I must frankly confess that the mode in which I conducted the story scarcely deserved the success which the romance afterwards attained. The tale of " Waverley " was put together with so little care that I cannot boast of having sketched any distinct plan of the work."—(General Preface to the Waverley Novels.) In the " Introductory Epistle " preceding " The Fortunes of Nigel" Sir AValter Scott speaks of finding a great difficulty in keeping to the scenario after he had made it. "You should take time at least to arrange your story," observes the captain. "Author. That is a sore point with me, my son. Believe me, I have not been fool enough to neglect ordinary precautions. I have repeatedly laid down my future work to scale. . . . But I think there is a demon who seats himself on the feather of my pen when I begin to write, and leads it astray from the purpose. Characters expand under my hand; incidents are multiplied; the story lingers, while the materials increase; my regular mansion turns out a gothic anomaly, and the work is closed long before I have attained the point I proposed." Some remarks of Sir Walter Scott's on characters, titles, and a few other matters remain, and shall form the subjects of another paper. Henry Cbesswell. AUTHOR AND EDITOE. 1. "Advice to Conthiijutors." THE " advice to contributors " published in the March number of the Author, although good, is not, in my opinion, the best that could be given to the ordinary or casual contributor, for (i) if you, a comparatively unknown writer, suggest a good subject to the editor of a magazine or news- paper he probably knows someone who will treat the subject in a manner which will surely commend itself to him, whilst with your treatment of it he may not be satisfied, consequently it often happens that the only reply received to a suggestion or offer of this kind is that the same subject is being treated by one of the regular staff, or that an article upon it is already in hand. (2.) To put any price on your contribution is a sure method of obtaining its prompt return unread and without thanks. To the third and fourth rules no objection can be raised, but with respect to the fifth, whether you keep one copy, or fifty, of your MS. is nothing whatever to do with the editor, although some editors assume that you do keep a copy, and, consequently, take less care of MSS. sent in. The best advice that can be given to intending contributors is that they obtain a personal intro- duction to the editor of the magazine to which they  ## p. 368 (#772) ############################################ 368 THE AUTHOR. wish to contribute. To produce good work, readable work, marketable work, is not to obtain the open sesame of the market, the entrance to which can be effected easily by the intervention of one of the select few in possession of it. This method is that usually followed, and is the plan adopted by many now successful writers; an entrance may be forced, but in this few succeed. Why should editors treat MSS. so badly? What right have they to scrawl hieroglyphics and ciphers of their own upon a neatly named and signed manuscript? What right have they to scribble "Declined with thanks upon paper which is not theirs? Is it editorial etiquette or sheer careless- ness that results in MSS. being returned stained with coffee and porter; torn and creased, and without a wrapper; with the author's name scrawled by an office lx>y on the back thereof, and a postage stamp of the lowest denomination affixed thereto, although the correct postage for return was forwarded? Publishers of the highest standing and editors of the most successful periodicals are the worst offenders: the second-rate men cannot afford to be rude: those wonderfully kind letters which the great literary men are said to write when they are forced to return a manuscript are things we never receive, but of which we frequently read. As often as not MSS. are returned without a word, printed or otherwise, sometimes with a stereotyped refusal, still less frequently they are refused by postcard; a most reprehensible method, although practised by at least one London quarterly and one London monthly. At the Authors' Club there should be an album for the original " D. W. T." forms of all periodicals; the future generation of editors may then learn which to avoid. There is enough and to spare of editorial etiquette in London, but the home of editorial courtesy is, at present, north of the Tweed, as the place aVhonneur will be accorded to the Scotch firms. G. W. If. No Use in Writing. "I have had so much trouble to get my MSS. stories out of the Family Hearthrug that I must give you my experience, and beg you, if you have not had yours back, to act somewhat as I did. First, I wrote and called in all five times. Then I wrote saying I should be obliged for an answer, 'Yes' or 'No' as to whether they had the MSS. or had lost them, and enclosed a stamped envelope. Still dead silence. Then I sailed down to the office with a new novel—not in MS.—under my arm, and said I had come to stop until my packet was found, or till the editor could give me an explana- tion. The man in charge was exceedingly rude, but I did not care in the least. I sat down on a shelf in front of the counter (not at all uncom- fortable if you get your back against the window), pulled out my book, and read steadily from 11.4.5 till 2 o'clock, without speaking or stirring, except to cut the page. At 2 p.m., the man in charge, who had spent the time in staring at me, and shuffling in and out of a back hole (where presumably the editor was hiding), suddenly found my story and handed it to me, but with no explanation. I thanked him, and begged him to request the editor to accept the stamped envelopes I had showered on him, as a slight recognition of his trouble, and caine off triumphant. I tell you all this, because I am convinced that you will not get your story back by writing for it." [The lady to whom this letter was written sent it on to us, and we are happy to reproduce it for the benefit of other people who may be thinking of sending manuscripts to the Family Hearthrug, so that they may consider before doing so, if they are of the temperament to stand such treatment, if they can afford to give stamps away by the hand-full, and to spend half a working day in recovering their own property from a person who proposes to keep it. There is also another point on which we must add a few lines of warning. When the MSS. have once been despatched, we arc often powerless to help the author. If they have been destroyed we cannot recover them. If it should be denied that they have ever been received, we cannot prove the opposite. If they have been lost we cannot find them. But if the author will only consult us before sending his MSS. to the editor at all we can advise him as to the course he should pursue.] III. A Kindness and its Sequel. Here is a case of kindness not often met with and worthy of record. Years ago I sent a MS. to an editor, who, declining it for his own paper, told me he had sent it on to a friend who would print it, and pay the same price per column. This was my first entrance into a periodical which has printed a number of articles during some 10 or 12 years. The periodicals were published respectively in New York and Boston; the editors were, or rather are, both Americans. Is such kindness only to be found across the ocean? Such certainly is my experience. S. B.  ## p. 369 (#773) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 369 IV. Returned Unread. "I should like to relate my recent experiences with MSS. I was careful to observe the rules of the magazine to which I sent them. I had them type-written, so that they should be clear to read. I then started the MS. on their travels, forwarding in my letter an addressed postcard to acknowledge the arrival of the parcel. One editor used the postcard to state that the work was not suitable, und sent it back without opening the parcel. Most editors stated that they were flooded with con- tributions, and unable to consider anything for months. Only two attempts were made to read the MS. Now, I conduct a provincial journal. Whenever I put in work of my own the circulation increases. My work, therefore, suits my readers. Why not the general mass of readers? How can I, however, get editors to consider it?" V. With no Name. May I call attention to a fact in my literary exi>erience which has puzzled me a good deal, but which some of your readers may be able to explain. Here it is. I have contributed verse of a lyrical type to a certain high class, well-known London journal. I was most liberally and promptly paid by them. But—and here the shoe pinches— they would not append either my name or initials to the poems. This omission, to a poet feeling his way, as it were, amid the labryinths leading to Fame's Temple, is a fatal one. The increase of reputation was the desideratum in my case, even more than the "jingle of the guineas," and I may safely say, my reputation would have been increased materially, owing to the high standing of the journal in question, had only my name appeared. The omission seems to me rather "rough" on the contributor. What should we think of a pub- lisher who accepted a volume of poems from a young author, conditionally on his name not appearing on the title page? The author might tell his friends, of course, but the world at large would be in the dark, unless he turned egotist, and wrote to all the papers avowing the authorship! His reputation would not be increased one jot, at any rate, for some time. The puzzle for me lies in the reason the editor in question had for omit ting my name or initials. I cannot conceive any possible reason. If good enough for insertion, why conceal the writer's name. B. VI. Long Kept, and then Returned. Here is a case in which a writer was invited by the editor of a certain magazine to send him a paper on a definite subject. This he did. The paper was kept for three years and a half (!) and then returned with a curt note to the effect that the editor could not use it "this year," and there- fore returned it. What is to be done in such a case? Obviously, a claim for compensation, for the editor was bound, having invited the work, to return it if it was not suitable within a reasonable time. CORRESPONDENCE. I. Novels on Commission. Sir, You have advised many an author on the production of his own books, and by far the most frequent advice that you have felt it your duty to give him has been—do not do it. "Our first impulse," says the Author of January last, "has always been to try and turn him (the would-be author) from his project, because it is our general experience that these undertakings end in dis- appointment." But although you thus make it your usual rule to dissuade authors from publishing upon commission you allow that in more than one special case it is to the author's advantage to bear the cost of production himself, and, indeed, in the article from which I have just quoted you pointed out—to me convincingly—that this was the right course to pursue with regard to certain scientific and professional books. I should like to persuade you to go one step further, and admit that it may be the right course to pursue when an author's first novel is the work under consideration. I recognise that it would be a dangerous ad- mission for our Society to make, and that once made it would expose the Society to the insinuation that it was ready to encourage incompetency— for a consideration. Now, Sir, as this is exactly what I understand we do not do, and as for one person who wants to publish a scientific treatise there must always be 20 who want to publish a romance, I venture to think that some steps might be taken to assist them in this object—some- times. Not generally, but sometimes. In fact, I think there should be added to the classes of books where the author is encouraged by you to take the actual cost upon himself—scientific books and trade books—a third class, viz., first novels. At the  ## p. 370 (#774) ############################################ 37° THE AUTHOR. risk of taking up too much of your valuable space, I have set clown a few facts which appear to iue to support my proposition :— (i.) It is extremely difficult for a new author— good, bad, or indifferent—to get an immediate hearing. (2.) Yet every distinguished author—good, bad, or indifferent, and some distinguished writers are by no means good writers—must have been a new author at the beginning.- (3.) It is a fact that more than one master-piece of fiction, in more than one language, has been rejected by publishers, and only readied the public after much delay, with infinite mortification to the author. (4.) At the present day a work of fiction does not require to be a masterpiece at all, to be a very saleable piece of property: certainly more copies have been sold of The Mystery of a Hansom Cab in five years, than of Rhoda Fleming in over twenty years. I think it must appear from those that there are arguments in favour of occasionally relaxing your rule, and of occasionally encouraging the new author to publish his own romance for himself. If a book is not good enough for a good publisher, it may be urged that it is not good enough for the public. But the public is not as critical either as the young critic would have it, or as the first-class publisher seems to consider it, and surely our society must beware, lest in attempting to act as a check upon the excesses of the incompetent, we withhold from the public, matter that it would have welcomed. And more care will have to be exer- cised on this point from day to day, as more people begin to wield a facile and fluent pen, and, as by the spread of education a larger public is provided, whose hunger for fiction is not attended with an over-critical palate. I believe that many a story-teller—no great genius, no possessor of a Vanity Fair or a Jane Eyre—but still able to write as good a book as many that are in print, might with advantage be encouraged to try his luck for himself. There is much against him, but if he does not do this, how is be to start, yet, once started, though, as I have said, no great genius, he may fill a want and make nn income. And what matter that two or three people fail, if the Society should be the means of one such success. I would respectfully urge that every new author's MS., when it has been read by one of our readers, and has met with some commendation, should be looked at by our secretary, or by a sub-committee appointed for the purpose. If on such scrutiny the work appeared saleable—not, perhaps, a work of high genius, if I may be excused the repetition, but saleable—the author may be encouraged, nay, helped to publish at his own risk, if no publisher could be found for him. Again, if such a com- mittee proved instrumental in placing on the market one or two good books, there are many publishers who would seriously consider MSS. vouched for by people who had shown their discrimination. A Member op the Society. [The Syndicate can always find for such a work an honourable publisher, who will take it on com- mission. The warning offered every month against paying for publication is directed against the ac- ceptance of the terms proposed by low-class firms, who delude their victims with hopes of great returns when failure is certain. In the case suggested by our correspondent, of a work well thought of by readers, yet refused by good houses, prolwbly on the ground of risk, and also refused by editors of magazines, it might be the best thing possible for the author to get it—with the advice and help of the Syndicate—printed at his own expense, and placed in the hands of a publisher on com- mission. This, for example, is exactly what was done by myself twenty years ago with my collaborateur in our first novel, with admirable results.—Ed.] II. The Library Stamp. A number of copies of my first book were taken on approval by a certain library, but as some of them failed to be sold, they were ultimately returned. All these were stamped with the ineffacable name of the library. Now, sir, when a person buys an old library book from this firm, an additional stamp is made on the fly-leaf, " Sold." Anyone, however, who now buys these returned copies of my book finds nothing but the name of the library embossed inside, and to all intents and purposes it would appear as though they had purloined them. I do not think it fair on the part of the firm thus to deface the books. It may be of interest to note, perhaps, that I have just had an article accepted by a magazine to which I forwarded it twenty-two months ago. Everything comes to him who waits. A Waiting One. III. How Books are not Read. The last number of the Author contained an interesting reply to a correspondent who wished to know "bow books get read." Recently I met with an amusing instance of how books come not to be read.  ## p. 371 (#775) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 371 I was witli a young lady, a great novel reader, in the chief circulating library of a large and fashionable watering place. My fair companion was complaining that she could find nothing new to read, and I suggested a recent novel, in my opinion a very good one, by a well-known author. "What, one of So-and-so's books!" exclaimed the lady indignantly. "As if I would read anything written by that man! Why, he lircs here!" IV. Mr. Traill's List of Poets. To my note of omissions in Mr. Traill's list of poets I would now add Mr. Joseph Skipsey " the poet of the coalfields," Mr. Alexander Anderson, "the railway surface-man," and, may I be per- mitted? Mr. Traill himself. Presumably Mr. Traill does not intend his list to include, living hymn writers, however excellent their work, or it would be easy to mention the Rev. Sabine Baring- Gould, Dr. Walsham How, the Rev. H. R. Haweis, and others. Mackenzie Bell. V. The Great Use of a Table of Contents. Permit me to congratulate the Author on the very good example it has set in having a good table of contents printed on the page which soonest meets the eye. Why do not all newspapers, magazines, and reviews do this? Some of them come out with no tables of contents at all, with the result that an author who wishes to consult some back number for information valuable to him may have to expend an hour on a search which ought not to take up more than a minute. I suppose the reason for placing a table of con- tents either in a bad place or in no place at all is that the best place is wanted for advertisements. But surely advertisers might fairly be asked to pay a little more for space in a page to which readers would be so much more frequently sent by a good table of contents. SCRIPTOR IgNOTUS. VI. Compositors' Errors. In the "long ago," before I had ventured to tread the thorny paths of authorship, or to commit my "flights of fancy" to the public gaze, I was accustomed, in all good faith, to attribute whatever mistakes or absurdities appeared in story or article to the carelessness or ignorance of the author, and many were the derisive epithets and contemptuous criticisms launched, in consequence, at his unconscious head. I no longer make that mistake; experience, aggravating and reiterated, has taught me to "saddle the right horse," which is (in nine cases out of ten) the compositor. Not, I hasten to add, in wholesome dread lest the present philippic should never see the light, your compositor in particular, Mr. Editor, but everybody's compositor. For from all quarters of the scribbling world the cry goes up. Even across the sacred pages of the Author itself is seen the "trail of the"—again discretion stays my hand. Now, in accordance with the axiom, old as the hills—older—that "where there is smoke there must bo fire," so, for a practice thus widely extended, there must be a reason. What is it? "The reason is soon given," replies the cynic, "you authors write so execrably that the unfortu- nate compositor, in despair of deciphering, makes a dash at the nearest word." Well, "I'm no denyin'," as Mrs. Poyser says, that some authors do write execrably, and some— do not—yet the result in print, is so nearly the same that there is no difference. My own cali- graphy, for instance, has frequently been " awarded honourable mention "; yet, when in a praiseworthy endeavour to be abreast of the times, I ventured to transform an ancient "spook" into a "Kama Rupa," Mr. Compositor swooped down upon the (presumably) unknown word, and promptly changed "Ka " into' " Ye "! By what peculiar obliquity of mental or physical vision he " mistook" such utterly dissimilar letters I do not pretend to say, but "Icama Rupa" the unfortunate ghost appeared —and remains. Should it meet the eye of any wandering tlicophist, I shall get the credit of having discovered (or invented) a new denizen of the " Astral Plane " !" You expect too much of the genus compositor," urge other apologists," they do not profess to be highly educated men, nor to lie gifted with an intuitive perception of the ortho- graphy of strange and obscure words." Granted. Then why not, in doubtful cases, act on the supposition that possibly the author may be the best judge of what he intended to convey, and just content themselves with copying the letters of the text? To illustrate once more from my own experience—it is nearest to hand, wherefore the egotism—I am addicted to the (from a compositor's point of view) reprehensible practice of occasionally using out-of-the-way words. People say 'tis "characteristic," which may be intended as a compliment—and may not. Anyway it is slightly  ## p. 372 (#776) ############################################ 372 THE A UTHOR. disconcerting when reading over one's productions in print, to find the word upon which one had relied to give a touch to the picture, or point to the story, transformed into something altogether different. "Homey," for instance (meaning home- lihe), invariably appears as "homely"; a good enough word in its way, but not at all carrying the meaning I wished to convey. Again, why should a compositor when "setting up " a chatty descrip- tion of a country ramble, substitute "lump" for "tump "(my "Is" and "ts " are not identical)? "Tump" means, as even his attendant imp could have told him, a " hillock"; while " lump" might be anything (from putty to pudding), but one would scarcely choose to sit down upon it! Then why, oh why, should the well-known process of expelling an obnoxious member from clubland be transformed into " blackmailing," suggesting Hounslow Heath rather than Piccadilly. But now the apologist waxes wrath and demands, "Did it never strike you that compositors often discharge their duties under extreme pressure, especially in newspaper work, which renders mistakes unavoidable? You would substitute a wrong letter now and then with the ' devil' waiting importunately at your elbow." I should—more than one! And doubtless hurry has much to answer for. I am sure it had when a devout old lady, who figures in a story for which I am respon- sible, was represented as indulging in "irreverent (irrelevant) remarks "! But, Inn ing conceded so much, I return to the charge, and, on the strength of accumulated evidence, culled from observation no less than experience, I assert (sealing thereby the fate of this article !) that " compositors' errors" are not chiefly due to bad writing, to ignorance, nor to haste, but to the compositor's overweening conceit. He thinks he knows better than the author, and "acts accordin'." On what other possible supposition could that unfortunate "spook" have been re-christened? Sylvia Neun. -c->oc "AT THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." "rpHE ^aw of the Press," by Joseph E. Fisher, I B.A., and James A. Strahan, LL.B., is a most valuable work, and editors and proprietors of newspapers are strongly recommended to keep a copy by them. The whole of the law relating to the press in this country has been gathered into a single volume, and the result is not only a compre- hensive but a lucid digest. The book contains the answers to numerous questions that have been put to us at this office, different chapters being devoted to the registration of newspapers, to the postal regulations, to lottery advertisements, to copyright of articles, to contributors' piracy, to libel as a civil injury, to criminal libel, i-.nd to the foreign press laws. The want of such a book must often have been felt by persons connected with the press, to whom a knowledge of their legal rights and of the responsibilities incurred in their business must be very valuable. The book is published by- Messrs. Clowes and Sons at 27, Fleet Street. A volume of short stories by the late Mr. Bales- tier, "The Average Woman," is to be issued, with a memoir by Mr. Henry James. Mrs. Edmonds has translated another Greek novel, which will be published by Fisher Unwin. Its title is "The Herb of Love," and it is a tale of peasant life laid in Eubcea. The customs and superstitions of that district form the groundwork of the story. Mr. Horace Victor's novel "Mariam" has been issued by Macmillan & Co. simultaneously in England and America. A Colonial edition has also been prepared. Messrs. Bentley and Son have done the lovers of old books and old fashions of sensation a veritable kindness in reprinting Maturin's "Melmoth the Wanderer." It is the book of the month, and its anonymous editor must be heartily congratulated on his prefatory notes. Mr. Evelyn Ballantyne contributes a paper on "Some Impressions of the Australian Stage" to the April number of the Theatre. An article on "The Milky Way," by Mr. J. E. Gore, F.R.A.S., appears in the Gentleman's Magazine for March; and another on " New and Variable Stars," with especial reference to the new star which recently blazed out in the Milky Way in Auriga, will appear in the same magazine for April. Messrs. Jarrold and Son have published "A Charge to keep," by Mr. P. A. Blyth; and the Religious Tract Society have published "The Inheritance of Little Amen," and "A Tale of a Sign Post," by the same author. Mr. Alfred H. Miles, editor of "The Poets and Poetry of the Century," is about to issue a new volume. It will discuss the women poets from Joanna Baillie to Mathilde Blind. The principle contributors of articles are Dr. Garnett, Mr. Ash- croft Noble, Dr. Japp, and Mr. Mackenzie Bell.  ## p. 373 (#777) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 373 .Mrs. Grimwood's first novel begins this week (April 2ii<l) in Mrs. Stannard's periodical, Winter's Magazine, as a serial. The profound impression created by the heroism of Mrs. Grimwood at Manipur, and the immense success of her book "My Three Years in Manipur," will doubtless cause her first effort in fiction to be read with unusual interest and curiosity. The story will afterwards be issued in volume form by Messrs. F. V. White & Co. John Strange Winter's latest shilling story has just made its appearance under the title of "Mere Luck." This is the twenty-first novel published by Messrs. White & Co. for this author. During the present month the same publishers will bring out .her long novel, which is now running in Lloyd's News under the title of "Justice." It will be remembered that Mr. Herbert Spencer produced a book under this title a few weeks before John Strange Winter's story began in Lloyd's New. Mr. Spencer very courteously waived all objection to the title being retained—thereby avoiding the great expense and inconvenience a change of title at the last moment would have involved. When the book appears in two-volume form next week it will bear the title of "Only Human." A new work of fiction by Mr. J. A. Steuart will appear during the present month. It will be published in the "Whitefriars' Library of Wit and Humour " under the title of "Life's Medley: or the Order of the Jolly Pashas." Mr. Steuart's last novel, " Kilgroom: a Story of Ireland," besides being very favourably received by the press, attracted the attention of Mr. Gladstone, who wrote to the author that " The praises deservedly given to Miss Lawless for her ' Hurrish' " were due to him," but in a higher degree for a fuller and better adjusted picture." Mr. Gladstone adds that he finds the story " truthful, national, and, highly inte- resting." The book is receiving attention abroad too. The Allr/cmcine Zeitung, in reviewing it the other day, called it a "striking romance," and, speaks of "the fine flow of the narrative, and the delicate characterization of the individual person- ages," adding that it gives an "unusually vivid picture of the Ireland of to-day." A new edition of "Kilgroom" will shortly be issued. ♦-»•♦-— NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS. Theology. Davidson, Rev. A. B., D.D. The Book of the Prophet Eiekiel. With Notes and Introduction. "Cambridge Bihlc for Schools and Colleges." At the University I'ress. 5*. Ellicott, C. J., D.D. A New Testament Commentary for English readers. Edited by. Part I. Cassell. Paper covers, yd. Fleming, Canon, D.D. The Clcud of Witnesses. A Sermon preached at Windsor Castle on Sunday morn- ing, Feb. 28. Lamer ;md Stokes, Chester Square. Paper covers. 6d. Fowler, Rev. G. H. Things Old and New. Sermons and Papers by the. With a Preface by the Rev. E. S. Talbot, D.D., Vicar of Leeds. Percival. 5s. Huntingdon, Rev. S. P., and Metcalf, Rev. H. A. Tho Treasury of the Psalter. An aid to the better under- standing of the Psalms. Compiled by. With a Preface by the Bishop of Central New York. Third edition, revised and enlarged. Eyre and Spottiswoodo. Cloth, 7.5. 6d. Leather, lot. 6d. James, Rev. C. C. A Harmony of the Gospels, in the Words of the Revised Version, with copious references, tables, &c. Arranged by. C. J. Clay, Ave Maria Lane. 5s. Lewis, W. Sutherland, M.A. Festival Hymns. "Church Monthly " office, New Bridge Street, K.C. Lias, Rev. J. J. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians. With Notes and Introduction. "Cambridge Greek Testament." At the University Press. Liddon, H. P., D.D. Sermons on Some Words of Christ. Longmans. 55. Mollot, J. F. The Faiths of the People. Ward and Downey. 2 vols. 21*. Moore, Canon Aubrey L. From Advent to Advent. Sermons preached at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. Percival. 6s. Percival, Henry R. The Doctrine of the Episcopal Church so far as it is set forth in the Prayer Book. Digested and arranged by. G. P. Putnam, is. Scott-Holland, H., M.A. Sermons. The Contemporary Pulpit Library. Swan Sonnenschein. Vauohan, C. J., D.D. The Faith and the Bible and Tho Sympathy of Jesus Christ with Sickness and Sorrow. Sermons preached in the Temple Church on February 7, and on January 514 (the Sunday after the funeral of the Duke of Clarence and Avondalc). Macmillan. Paper covers. Wakefield, Bishop of. The Knowledge of God and other Sermons. Preachers of the Age series. With Portrait. Sampson Low. 3*. 6d. Whitehousk, W. F., M.A. The Redemption of the Body. An examination of Romans viii. 18-23. Elliot Stock. History and Biography. Abbotts, Evelyn, M.A. A History of Greece. Part II. From the Ionian Revolt to the Thirty Years' Peace, 500-445 B.C. Longmans. 10s. 6d. Browning, Oscar. The Flight to Varcnncs, and other Historical Essays. Swan Sonnenschein. Cassell's History of England. The Jubilee Edition. Vol. V. From the Peninsular War to the death of Sir Robert Peel. Text revised throughout and illustrated. Cassell. 9s.  ## p. 374 (#778) ############################################ 374 THE AUTHOR. Cook, Theodore Andrea, B.A. Old Touraine: the Life aud History of the famous Chateaux of France, z vols. Percival and Co. 16s. Fane, Violet. Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois, Queen of Navarre; written by her own hand. Newly trans- lated into English, with an Introduction and Notes. With Eight Portraits from contemporary engravings. John C. Nimmo, King William Street, Strand. 211. net. Graetz, Prof. H. History of the Jews, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. Specially revised for this Euglish edition by the Author. Edited, and in part translated, by Bella Lowy. Vols. III., IV., and V., concluding. David Nutt. Griffith, Rev. H. A History of Strathfield Sayc. Com- piled by. Murray. 10*. 6d. net. Jessofp, Kev. Augustus. The Coming of the Friars, and other Historic Essays. Fifth Edition. Fisher Unwin. 3s. 6d. TiEckv, W. E. II. A History of England in the Eighteenth Century. New edition. Vol. III. Longmans. 6*. Lydk, L. W. A History of Scotland, for junior classes. Percival and Co. Matthew, James E. Manual of Musical History. With Illustrations, Portraits, and Facsimiles of rare and curious works. H. Grevel, King Street, Goveut Garden. 10s. 6</. Oliphant, M. O. W. Memoir of the Life of Laurence Oliphant and of Alice Oliphant, his Wife. New edition. Blackwood. 75. 6<i. Sharp, William. The Life and Letters of Joseph Severn. Sampson Low. Shindler, Kev. K. From the Usher's Desk to the Tabernacle Pulpit: the Life aud Labours of Pastor C. H. Spurgcon. Passmore and Alabaster. 25. 6d. Sienkiewiez, Hkxry K. With Fire and Sword: an Historical Novel of Poland and Kussia. Translated from the Polish by Jeremiah Curtin. Osgood, M'llvaine. Sutherland, J. Middleton. William Wordsworth: the Story of His Life, with critical remarks on his writings. Second edition, revised and enlarged. Elliot Stock. Worthy, Charles. The History of the Suburbs of Exeter. Henry Gray, Leicester Square, W.C 8s. Fiction. Adair-Fitzgerald, S. J. The Wonders of the Secret Cavern: an original fairy whimsicality. With illus- trations. Sutton, Drowlcy. 2s. 6d. Barrie, J. M. The Little Minister. 1 vol. Cassell. 7s. 6d. Barr, Robert (Luke Sharp). In a Steamer Chair, and other shipboard stories. Chatto and Windus. Carpenter, Edward. Towards Democracy. T. Fisher Unwin. 5s. Chilton, H. H. Woman Unsexed: a Novel. Foulsham and Co., Pilgrim Street, Ludgate Hill, E.C. Conway, Hugh. A Cardinal Sin: a Story. Eden Remington. Corelli, Marie. The Soul of Lilith. 3 vols. Bcntley. Cregan, Conway. A Strange Case of a Missing Man: a Romance. Gale and Polden, Amen Corner. Paper covers, is. Dickinson, Evelyn. A Vicar's Wife: a Story. Methuen. Doyle, A. Conan. The Doings of Raffles Haw. Cassell. 5s. Francis, Francis. Eternal Enmity: a Novel. 2 vols. F. V. White. Foster, Hanna. Zululu, the Maid of Anahuae. G. P. Putnam. Glyn, A. L. Fifty Pounds for a Wife. Arrowsmith. 3s. 6d. Gordon, J. E. H. Eunice Anscombe: a Story. Sampson Low. Grken, Anna K. The Old Stone House, and other Stories. G. P. Putnam, is. Hale, Edward E. Sybil Knox j or, Home Again. Cassell. 7s. 6d. Harland, Marion. His Great Self. F. Warner. 6s. Harris, J. Chandler (" Uncle Remus "). A Plantation Printer: the Adventures of a Georgia Boy during the War. Osgood, M'llvaine. Howard, B. W., and W. Sharp. A Fellow aud His Wife. Osgood, M'llvaine. 6». Hungerfohd, Mrs. Nor Wife, nor Maid: a Novel. 3 vols. Ileinemann. James, Fred. Fred James under a Spell. Illustrated. Tin; Lcadenhall Press. Lawless, Hon. Emily. Grania: the Story of an Island. 2 vols. Smith, Elder, and Co. Lib, Jonas. The Commodore's Daughters. Translated from the Norwegian by H. L. Brcekstad and Gertrude Hughes. Volume of the International Library. William Heinemann. Paper covers, 2s. 6d.; cloth, 3s. 6d. Lucas, Reginald. Dunwell Parva. F. Warne. 3s. 6d. Maartens, Maarten. The Sin of Joost Avelingh. 1 vol. Beutley and Son. 6s. MacDonald, George. Castle Warlock: a Homely Romance. New edition. Kcgan Paul. Macquoid, K. S. Maisie Derrick: a Story. A. D. Inncs and Co. 21s. Manville Fenn, G. King of the Castle: a Novel. 3 vols. Ward and Downey. Marks, Mr. Alfred. Dr. Willoughby Smith. 3 vols. Bentley. Mathers, Helen. T'Other Dear Charmer: a Novel. F. V. White. Paper covers, is. Maturin, C. R. Melmoth the Wanderer. A new edition from the original text, with a memoir and bibliography of Maturin's works. 3 vols. Bentley. 24s. Meredith, Owen. Marah. Longmans. 6s. 6d. Mouat, James. The Rise of the Australian Wool Kings: a Romance of Port Phillip. Swan Sonneuschein. Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds. By the author of "Sponge's Sporting Tour." The "Jorrocks" edition. Bradbury, Agnew.  ## p. 375 (#779) ############################################ THE A UTHOR. 375 Naillen, A. Van der. On the Heights of Hiinalay: a Theosophical Novel. Illustrated edition. Gay and Bird. 3s. 3d. Oliphant, Mrs. The Marriage of Elinor. 3 vols. Mac- millr.ii. Page, Thomas Nelson. Elskct, and other Stories. Osgood, M'llvaine. 3s. 6d. Philips, F. C. Jack and Three Jills: a Novel. New edition. Griffith, Farran. Paper covers. is. Boss, Clinton. Improbable Tales. G. P. Putnam. is. M. The Adventures of Three Worthies. G. P. Putnam, as. 6d. "Boy Tellett." Pastor and Prelate: a Story of Clerical Life. 3 vols. Blackwood. Warden, Florence. Balph Byder of Brent: a Novel. 3 vols. Bcntlcy. Wills, C. J. His Sister's Hand: a Novel. 3 vols. Griffith, Farran. 3 is. 6rf. Winter, John Strange. Mere Luck : a Novel. F. V. White, is. General Literature. Adams, Francis. Australian Life. Chapman and Hall. Aknold-Forstkh, H. O. Our Home Army. A reprint of letters published in the Times in November and December, 1891, with a preface and notes, to which are appended suggestions for remedying some of the existing defects in the condition of the British Army on the Home Establishment. Beprinted by permission of the Editor of the Times. Casscll. Paper covers. IX. The Badmington Library.—Skating. By J. M. Heath- cote and C. G. Tebbutt. Figure Skating. By T. Maxwell Withaui. With contributions on Curling (the Bev. John Kerr), Tobogganing (Ormond Hake), Ice Sailing (H. A. Hack), Bandy (G. C. Tebbutt). Illustrated. Longmans. Large paper. i5o copies only. Beattt-Kingston, W. Intemperance: its causes and its remedies. Second edition. Boutledge. Paper covers. 6d. Buckland, F. O. Health Springs of Germany and Austria. Second edition. W. H. Allen. Burke, Edmund. Thoughts on the Present Discontents, and Speeches. Casscll's National Library. Cloth. 6d. Buxton, Sydney, M.P. A Handbook to Political Questions of the Day, and the arguments on either side, with an introduction. Eighth edition, revised, and with new subjects. John Murray, 10*. 6d. The Clergy Directory and Parish Guide for 1892. J. S. Phillips, Fleet Street, E.C. 4s. 6rf. Coohlan, T. A. The Wealth and Progress of New South Wales, 1890-91. Petherick and Co., Sydney and London. The Complete Annual Digest of every Beported Case in all niE Courts for 1891. Edited by Alfred Emden, compiled by Herbert Thompson, M.A., assisted by W. A. Briggs, M.A., all of the Inner Temple. Clowes. 1 5j. Davies, D. C. A Treatise on Metalliferous Minerals aud Mining. Fifth edition, revised and enlarged by his son, E. H. Davies. With illustrations. Crosby Lock- wood. Dowsett, C. F. The Ground Values Delusion. Dowsett and Company, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Paper covers. 3rf. Engels, Frederick. The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844. With a preface written in 1891. Translated by Florence Kclley Wischncwetzky. Swan Sonnenschein. 3s. 6d. The English Catalogue of Books: an alphabetical list of works published in the United Kingdom, and of the principal works published in America, with dates of publication, indication of size, price, edition, and publisher's name. Vol. IV. January 1891 to December, 1889. Sampson Low. Falkneh, Edward. Games Ancient aud Oriental and How to Play them. With photographs, diagrams, &c. Longmans, lis. Greville, Lady. The Gentlewoman's Book of Sports. I. Edited by. Henry, Bouverie Street. 6s. Harrison, Mary. Cookery for Busy Lives and Small Incomes. Longmans, is. Heales, Major A. The Architecture of the Churches cf Denmark. Kegar. Paul. Heron-Allen, E. I)e Fidiculis Bibliographia: the basis of a bibliography of the violin. Part II. Book sections and extracts, (■rillitli, Farnin. Paper covers. Hultzsch, E. South Indian Inscriptions. Edited and translated by. Vol. II., Part I. (Archaeological Survey of India.) W. II. Allen. Four rupees. Hyndman, II. M. Commercial Crisis of the Nineteenth Century. Swan Sonnenschein. 2s. 6d. Inglis, Hon. Lady. The Siege of Lucknow. A Diary. Osgood, M'llvaine. 10s. 6<l. Lowndes, F. W. Beasons why the Office of Coroner should be held by a Member of the Medical Profession. J. and A. Churchill, New Burlington Street, W. Paper covers. 6d. Marsh, John B. St. Paul's Cross, the most famous spot in London. Baithby, Lawrence, and Company, Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, E.C. Middletok, J. H. The Lewis Collection of Gems and Bings, in the possession of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; with an Introductory Essay on Ancient Gems. C. J. Clay, Cambridge University Press. Millais, J. G. Game Birds and Shooting Sketches. Illustrating the Habits, Modes of Capture, Stages of Plumage, and the Hybrids aud Varieties which occur among them. Containing coloured plates, woodcuts, and autotypes, with frontispiece by Sir J. E. Millais, B.A. Henry Sotheran, Piccadilly. SI. 5s. net. Morley, Henry. English Writers—an Attempt Towards a History of English Literature. VIII. From Surrey to Spencer. Cassel. 5s. Mi nro, JonN H. M. Soils and Manures. With chapters on Drainage and Land Improvement by John Wright- son, M.B.A.C. Casscll's Agricultural Text-book Scries. 2s. 6d. Nicknames and Traditions in the Army: the most complete record ever published. Third edition. Gale and Polden, Amen Corner. Paper covers, is.  ## p. 376 (#780) ############################################ 37$ THE AUTHOR. Pensions for all at Sixty and an Eight Hours Day. By the Chairman of a. Yorkshire School Board. Sampson Low. Paper covers. 6c/. Pickard, A. S. The Labrador Coast: a Journal of Two Summer Cruises to that Begion. With maps and illustrations. Kegan Paul. Pott, Mrs. Henry. Francis Bacon and His Secret Society: an attempt to collect and unite the lost links of a long and strong chain. Sampson Low. Public Opinion on hie Intended Interference with the New Forest, under the Ranges Act, 1891. Issued by the New Forest Association (Morton K. Peto, Hon. Sec., Littlecroft, Lyndhurst). Paper covers. Bansome, J. S. Capital at Bay. Articles reprinted from the Globe. S. II. Cowell, Ludgate Hill. Paper covers. 6rf. Begistkk of Weather. (Forms for daily registration of thermometer and barometer readings, remarks, &c.) Duncan Campbell, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow. Kunciman, James. The Ethics of Drink and other Social Questions: or Joints in Our Social Armour. Dodder and Sloughton. 3s. (id. Eye, Walter. The Bights of Fishing, Shooting, and Sailing 011 the Norfolk Broads. Considered by. Jarrold, Paternoster Buildings, is. Salford, Bishop of. A Catechism on the Bights and Duties of the Working Classes, arranged by the. Burns and Oates. Paper covers, id. Shore, Lt. the Hon. H. N. Smuggling Days and Smug- gling Ways, or, The Story of a Lost Art. With plans and drawings by the author. Cassell. 7s. Oil. Sinnett, A. P. The Rationale of .Mesmerism. Began Paul. Smith, A. H., M.A. A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities—British Museum. Vol. I. Printed by order of the Trustees. Snei.l, Simeon. Miners' Nystagmus, and its relation to position at work and the manner of illumination. Sinipkin, Marshall. Spender, J. A., M.A. The State and Pensions in GUI Age. With an introduction by Arthur H. D. Acland, M.P. Swan Sonnenschein. 18. 6d. Stevenson, E. H. and Borstal, E. K. Metropolitan Water Supply, considerations affecting its adequacy and control. King, Bolt Court, Fleet Street. Paper covers, is. Streeteu, E. W. Precious Stones and Gems: their History Sources, and Characteristics. Illustrated. Fifth edi- tion, revised and largely re-written, with chapters on the Ruby Mines of Burma. George Bell. 15s. 6d. The Statesman's Year Book, statistical and historical annual of the States of the World for 1892. Edited by J. Scott Keltic, Librarian to the Royal Geographical Society. Bcvised after official returns. Macniillan. 1 os. fid. Ward, H. Marshall. The Oak: a Popular Introduction to Forest Botany. "Modern Science " Series. Edited by Sir John Lubbock. Kegan Paul. Warner, Charles Dudley. The American Italy (Our Italy). With illustrations. Osgood, M'Hvaine. Warner, G. F. The Nicholas Papers: Correspondence of Sir Edward Nicholas, Secretary of State. Edited by. Vol. 2. January i653—June 1655. Printed for the Camden Society. Wiixson, Heckles. Harold: An Experiment. Fifth edi- tion. Globe Publishing Company, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane. Paper covers. Wintringham, W. II. The Birds of Wordsworth, Poeti- cally, Mythologically, and Comparatively examined. Edition limited to 2S0 copies. Hutchinson & Co. I os. 6d. Yorke-Davies, Dr. N. E. Foods for the Fat : the Scientific Cure of Corpulency. Fourth edition, 14th thousand. Chatto and Windus. Educational. Crellin, Philip. Hook-keeping for Teachers and Pupil:-. Whittaker and Co. Davis, J. F. Army Examination Papers in Mathematics, with Answers. Whittaker and Co. Enc.i.emann, Dr., and Anderson, W. C. H. Pictorial Atlas to Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Illustrations from works of ancient art, with descriptive text and an epitome of the contents of each book, for the use of schools and students of literature and art. H. Grevel, King Street, Coveut Garden. 7s. 6d. Goodyear, W. H. A History of Art, for classes, art students, and tourists in Europe. 3rd edition revised, with new illustrations. Sampson Low. G res well, Eev. W. P. Geography of Africa, South of the Zambesi. With Notes on the Industries, Wealth, and Social Progress of the States and Peoples. With three maps. Under the auspices of the Royal Colonial Institute. Clarendon Press. 7s. 6d. Lockie's Marine Engineers' Drawing-book, adapted to the requirements of the Board of Trade examinations. By John Lockie, C.E. (Whitworth Scholar). Crosby Lockwood. 3s. 6rf. Marshall, Alfred. Elements of Economics of Industry, being the first volume of Elements of Economics. Macniillan. 3s. 6</. Oughton, Frederick. Students' nnd Amateurs' Note- book on Oil Colour Technique, &c. Moffatt and Paige, Warwick Lane, Paternoster Bow. is. Pruen, G. G., M.A. Latin Examination Papers. Specially adapted for the use of Army Candidates. Whittaker and Co. Storb, F., B.A. The School Calendar and Handbook of Examinations, Scholarships, and Exhibitions, 1892, with a Preface by. George Bell. is. Swan, H. Travellers' Colloquial Italian. Idiomatic Italian phrases with the exact pronunciation, represented on a new system, based upon a scientific analysis of Italian sounds. David Nutt. is. Tisdall, Bev. W. St. Clair. A simplified Grammar of the Gujarati Language, with a short Beading-book and Vocabulary. Kegan Paul. U.nderhill, G. E. Plutarch's Lives of the Gracchi. Edited, with introduction, notes, and indices by. Clarendon Press. 4s. 6d.  ## p. 377 (#781) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 377 Poetry and the Drama. Aizlewood, J. W. Warbeck: an Historical Play, in two parts, partly founded on "The Perkin Warbeck of Ford." Kegan Paul. Arnold, Sib E. Potiphar's Wife and other poems. Long- mans. St. net. Buchanan, Kobkkt. The Buchanan Ballads, old and new. Haddon and Co., Salisbury Square, K.C. is. Gipps, L. M. Jael and other Poems. David Stott. 3«. 6d. Leioh-Joynes, James. On Lonely Shores and other Rhymes. Printed for the Author at the Chiswick Press. Ss. Old English Drama, Select Plays: Marlowe, " Tragical History of Dr. Faustus ": Greene, "Honourable History of Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay." Edited by Adolphus William Ward, Litt.D., Principal of the Owens College. Third edition, revised and enlarged. Clarendon Press. 6s. 6d. Pinero, A. W. The Hobby-horse. A Comedy in three Acts. Heinemann. Paper covers, is. 6d. Cloth, is. id. The Song op Dermot and the Earl, an old French Poem. From the Carew Manuscript, No. 596, in the Arehi- episcopal Library at Lambeth Palace. Edited, with literal Translation and Notes, a Facsimile and a Map, by Goddard Henry Orpen, late Scholar of Trinity College, Dublin, and of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at- Law. Clarendon Press. 8s. 6d. Law. Anson, Sir William R. The Law and Custom of the Constitution, Part II. The Crown. Clarendon Press. 14s. Bodkin, A. H. Wigram's Justices Note Book. Sixth edition. Stevens and Son. 12s. 6d. Forbes, Urquhart A. The Statutory Laws relating to Savings Banks (1863-1891), with the Treasury Regu- lations and the scheme for the appointment of the Inspection Committee of Trustee Savings Banks. Stevens and Haynes, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. Paper covers, Ss. Lely, J. M., M.A. Wharton's Law Lexicon, forming an Epitome of the Law of England. Ninth edition. Stevens, Chancery Lane. 38*. Manson, Edward. The Law of Trading and other Companies formed or registered under the Companies Act, 1862. Clowes. Neale, J.A., D.C.L. An Exposition of English Law by English Judges. Compiled for the use of layman and lawyer from the most recent decisions (1886-1891). Clowes. 12*. 6d. Smith, J. W., B.A. A Handy Book on the Law of Banker and Customer. 22nd thousand. Effingham Wilson. Ss. Wheeler, Percy F. Partnership and Companies: a Manual cf Practical Law. A. and C. Black. Ss. Science. Carns, Dr. Paul. Homilies of Science. Edward Arnold. 6». bd. Douglas, W. D. The Geometrical Problem Solved. A manual for scientists and students. How to trisect or divide any angle into any number of equal parts or fractions of parts. Davis, Douglas, aud Co., Cardiff. Parliamentary Papers. Supplement to the 20th Annual Report of the Local Government Board, 1890-91—Report of the Medical Officer for 1890 (4s.). Report of the Meteorological Council to the Royal Society for the year ended March 31, 1891 (5\<l.). Summaries of the Statistical Portion of the Reports of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Mines for 1891 (6d.). Civil Service Estimates, 1892-93, Class III.—Law and Justice (is.). Irish Land Commission—Return of Judicial Rents fixed during August, 1891 (is. Sd.). Ordinances made by the Scottish Universities Commissioners with regard to Degrees and Examinations. Army, Appropriation Account, 1890-91, with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon (is. 6</.). Report of the Emigrants Information Office for 1891 (id.). Duchy of Cornwall—Account for 1891 (id.). Royal Irish Constabulary Return as to Free Quota and Extra Force for the year ended March 3i, 1891 (Jd.). Copy of Rule by Secretary for Scotland as to Jedburgh Police Cells (id.). Agricultural Statistics, Ireland- Tables showing the Extent in Statute Acres and the Produce of the Crops for 1891 (3id.). Reports of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies for 1890—Part B, Industrial and Provident Societies (8|d.). The Annual Local Taxation Returns, 1889-90—Parts 4 (8d.), 5 (5Jd.), and 6 (yd.). Post Office Telegraphs- Accounts for the year ended March 3i, 1891 (id.). Report on a Journey in the Me-Kong Valley, by- Mr. J. W. Archer, of the Consular Service |in Siaiu (6d.). Report of the Committee appointed by the Secretary of State for War to consider the Terms aud Conditions of Service in the Army. Scotch Education Department Code of Regulations, with Appendixes (3d.). Roll of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal (i^d.). Alphabetical List of the same. Greenwich Hospital (Age Pensions) Correspondence (2d.). Eyre and Spottiswoode. Returns of Evictions from Agricultural Holdings (Ireland) (id.). Twenty-seventh detailed Annual Report of the Registrar-General for Ireland (is. 6d.). Betuni of Particulars of Relief Works in certain parts of Ireland in 1890 and 1891 (6d.). Alex. Thom and Co., Dublin. Census of Ireland—Part I., Vol. II., Munster, No. 5, Tip- perary (is. 6d.). Supreme Court of Judicature (Ire- land—Accounts in respect of the Funds of Suitors in the year to September 3o, 1891 (Jd.). Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the I'nited King- dom for February (6d.). Consolidated Fund. Abstract Account, 1890-91 (2d.). Irish Land Commission (Tithe Rentcharge and Instalments in lieu of Tithe Rentcharge) (id.). Rule as to the Visiting Committee of Cambridge Prison (^d.). Reports of the Board of Trade on the Great Western Railway (Neath River Crossing, &c.) and the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Bills (id.). On the North-Eastern Railway (Hull Docks) Bill (Jd ). On the Southampton Docks Bill (id.). And of the Proceedings of the Board as to Piers aud Harbours (1 id.). Amendment to Statute 13 of Corpus Christi College, Oxford (Jd.). Navy Esti- mates for 1892-93 (is. Sjd.). Estimates for Civil Services for the year ending March 3i, 1893 (2d.).  ## p. 378 (#782) ############################################ 3;8 THE AUTHOR. Civil Service Estimates, 1892-93, Class L, Public Works and Buildings (7(1.). Memorandum of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury relating to the Civil Service Estimates, 1892-93 (2d.). Alien Immi- gration Return for February (id.). Accounts of the Russian, Dutch, Greek, and Sardinian Loans (id. each). Reports on the Malago Vale Colliery Explosion (jd.). Imperial Defence Act, 1888 (Naval Section), Austral- asian Agreement, Account, 1890-91 (\d.). Report of the Hoard of Trade on the Cork Harbour Pilotage Dill (id.). Amendment to the Statutes of Corpus Christi College, Oxford (id.). Further Correspondence respecting Anti-Foreign Riots in China (is. Sd.). First Report from the Select Committee on the House of Lords Offices (id.). Civil Services, 1890-91, .Statement of Excesses (^d.). Eastbourne Improve- ment Act, 1885 (Prosecutions for Open-Air Services, &c), Return of Charges under the Act between June 1, 1891, and February 18, 1892 (iJ.). Trustee Savings Hanks Inspection Committee Scheme (id.). Nationality in Brazil—Article 69 of the Brazilian Constitution (id.). Census of Ireland, Part I., Vol, II. Minister. No. 4. Limerick (is. id.). Return as to Schools in Ireland (3s. id.). Census of Ireland, Part I., Vol. 2, Minister, No. 3, Kerry (n.). Returns as to Loans raised respectively in India and in Kugland, Chargeable on the Revenues of India out- standing at the beginning of the half-year ended September 3o, 1891 (id. each). Petitions of Univer- sity and King's Colleges, praying for the grant of a charter for the "Oresham" University, with the draft of the proposed charter (2d.). Local Taxation (England) Account, 1890-91 (z\d.). Returns of the number of Agrarian Outrages reported in Ireland during the third and last quarters of 1891 (id. each). Naval Manoeuvres, 1891—The Partial Mobilization of the Fleet and the Manoeuvres of Last Year j Civil Services and Revenue Departments, Appropriation Accounts, 1890-91 (4s. Sd.). Civil Services Estimates, 1892-93, Class II., Salaries and Expenses of Civil Departments. Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Redemption of Tithe Rentcbarge in England and Wales (i^d.). Colonial Reports, Annual, Victoria: Digest of Statistics for 1890 (3id.). Jamaica j Report for 1889-91 (20!.). Income Tax: Return of assessments by Counties from 1884-90, and of other particulars (10!.). Estimates for Civil Services and Revenue Departments, 1892-93 ; Votes on Account (id.). Deer Forests, Scotland (return substituted for that previously circulated) (id.). Supreme Court of Judicature (Circuit Allowances, &c.) (id.). Education Department Code of Regulations for 1892, with Schedules and Appendices (6d.). Glebe Lands (Sales) (^d.). Mr. Hastings—Record of his Trial (id.). Teachers Pension Fund (Ireland), Memorandum on the Position of the Fund on December 3i, 1890 (Jd.). Statistical Tables of Corn Prices for 1891, with comparative tables for previous years (3</.). Report of the Committee on Questions connected with the Royal Naval Reserve (gd.). Return as to Medical Officers of Health appointed by County Councils (i|d.). Return as to Courts Martial in 1890 (id.). Civil Service Estimates, Class IV., Education, Science, and Art (7<Z.). Foreign Office, Annual Series—Trade of Tonga (1890) (id.). Trade of Zanzibar (1891 sup- plementary) (i^d.). Trade of Suakin (1891) (\d.). Miscellaneous Series—Netherlands; Report on the Effects of the Law of 1889 for the Protection of Women and Children engaged in Factory and other Work (2d.). Contracts entered into by the Admiralty by virtue of the Naval Defence Act, 1889, section 7 (id.). Civil Sen-ice Estimates, 1892-93, Class V., Foreign and Colonial Services (4$d.). Class VI., Non- effective and Charitable Services (3|d.). Parcel Post (United States of America and Great Britain), Corre- spondence (2d.). Foreign Office, Annual Series—Trade of Galveston (1891) (lid.). Miscellaneous Series— The Aloe Fibre Industry of Somaliland (Egypt) (id.). Report on the Administration, Finances, and Condition of Egypt, and the Progress of Reforms (4|d.). Report to the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the Explosion of Fireworks on a Floating Magazine below Gravesend (i.'.d.). Index to the Estimates for Civil Services, 1892-93 (2d.). Further Papers relating to the Malay States. Reports for 1890 (lojd.). Revised Instructions to Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools and Applicable to the Code of 1892 (4d.). Elementary Education (Schemes of Charity Commis- sioners applying funds to, since 1870) (3d.). Return of Railways comprised in the Railway Rates and Charges Orders Confirmation Bills, 1 to 26 (id.). Accounts of the Lighthouses maintained in British Possessions Abroad (id.). Bank of England, applica- tions made for Advances to Government from January 5, 1891, to January 5, 1892 (jd.). Return of the Court Martials on Non-Comniissioned Officers for Gambling in 1888-89-90 (id.). Foreign Office, Mis- cellaneous Series; Report on Legislation for Protection of Women and Young Children Employed in Factories in the Netherlands (id.). Mr. Magan, Correspondence (2id.). Board of Agriculture—Report of Proceedings under various Acts, 1891 (l\d.). Yeomanry Cavalry Training Return, 1891 (id.). National Debt (Military Savings Banks)—cash account ({d.). Return of Proceedings under the Augmentation of Benefices Act, from February 21, 1891, to February 18, 1892 (id.). Intermediate Education (Ireland)—Rules (|d.). Ordnance Factories Estimate, 1892-93 (id.). Army Estimates of Effective and Non-Effective Ser- vices for 1892-93 (2s.). Statistics of the Colony of New Zealand for 1890. Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington, N.Z. Census of Ireland, Part I., Vol. 2, Munster; No. 2, Cork—County and City (2s. 3d.). Returns of licences for the Sale of Opium and Intoxicating Liquors issued in Upper Burma since January i, 1888 (6<f.). Foreign Office, Annual Series, Trade of Mozambique (Portugal), 1891 (ijd.). Trade of Guayaquil (Ecuador), 1891 (id.). Budget of the German Empire for 1802-93 (id.). Trade of Galatz (ltoumanin), 1891 (ijd.). Miscellaneous Series.— Roumanian Trade, Agriculture and Danube Navigation from 1881 to 1890 (id.)—Eyre and Spottiswoode.  ## p. 379 (#783) ############################################ 379 THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE. THIS Association is established for the purpose of syndicating or selling the serial rights of authors in magazines, journals, and newspapers. It has now been at work for more than a year, and has transacted a very satisfactory amount of business during this period. It has also entered upon a great number of engagements for the future. The following points are submitted for consideration :— 1. The management is voluntary and unpaid. No one makes any profit out of the Syndicate, except the authors who use its services. 2. The commission charged on the amounts received covers the expenses of clerks, travellers, rent, and printing. As work increases this may be still further reduced. 3. Only the serial rights are sold for the author. He receives his volume rights and copyright. 4. The Syndicate has an American agent. 5. The Syndicate will only work for members of the Society. 6. Its offices are on the same floor as those of the Society, and its assistance and advice are always at the service of the Society. 7. Authors are warned that no syndicating is possible for them until they have already attained a certain amount of popularity. 8. The Syndicate acts as agent in every kind of literary property. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. W. MORRIS COLLES, Honorary Secretary.  ## p. 380 (#784) ############################################ 380 ADVERTISEMENTS. Not Work, but Play. Leave the drudgery of the Pen-Soiled Fingers—Blotted and Obscure Manuscript, to those who prefer darkness to light. Quick, up-to-date writers use THE BAR-LOCK TYPE-WRITER. Why? Easiest Managed; Soonest Learned; Most Durable; Writing Always Visible; does best work, and never gets out of repair. Chosen, by Royal Warrant, Type-Writer to the Queen. Only gold medals-- Edinburgh (1890) and Jamaica (1891) Exhibitions; is useil in principal Government Departments, and greatest number of English business houses. We send interesting supply of further information free. THE TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, LIMITED, 12 & 14, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.; 25, Market Street, Manchester; 1, South John Street, Liverpool; 22, Renfield Street, Glasgow ; 35, Charles Street, Bradford. MISS R. V. GILI, MRS. GILL, TYPE-WRITING OFFICES, TYPE-WRITING OFFICE, 6, Adam Street, Strand, W.C. 35, LUDGATE HILL, E.C. (ESTABLISHED 1883.) Authors' and Dramatists' Work a Specialty. All kinds of MSS. copied with care. Extra attention given to diíficult Authors' MSS. carefully copied from 1s. per hand-writing and to papers or lectures on scientific subjects. 1,000 words. One additional copy (carbon) Type-writing from dictation. Shorthand Notes taken supplied free of charge. Plays, &c., 18. 3d. per and transcribed. 1,000 words. Carbon copies 18. per Act. Refer- FURTHER PARTICULARS ON APPLICATION. ence kindly permitted to Walter Besant, Esq. MISSES E. & S. ALLEN, MISS PATTEN, TYPE AND SHORTHAND WRITERS. TYPIST, TRANSLATIONS and Scientific Work 44, Oakley Street Flats, Chelsea, S.W. a Special Feature. AUTHORS' MSS. CAREFULLY TRANSCRIBED. REFERENCES 39, LOMBARD STREET, E.C. KINDLY PERMITTED TO GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA, Esq. Office No. 59 (close to Lift). Particulars on Application. MESDAMES BRETT AND BOWSER, TYPISTS, Selborne Chambers, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. Authors' MSS. carefully and expeditiously copied, 1s. per 1,000 words. Extra carbon copies half price. References kindly permitted to Augustine Birrell, Esq., M.P. THE AUTHORS' AGENCY. Established 1879. Proprietor, Mr. A. M. BURGHES, 1Paternoster Row. The interests of Authors capably represented. Proposed agreements and estimates examined on behalf of Authors. MS. placed with Publishers. Transfers carefully conducted. Twenty-five years' practical experience in all kinds of publishing and book producing. Consultation free. Terms and testimonials from leading Authors on application to Mr. A. M. Burghes, Authors' Agent, 1, Paternoster Row. LONDON: Printed by EYRE and SPOTTISWOODE, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty.  ## p. 381 (#785) ############################################ ^Ibe Hutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. ij.] MAY 2, 1892. [Price Sixpence. CONTENTS. PAGE • 3«3 ■ 3*3 • 3«.< . 386 . 3H6 Warnings Notices The Authors' Syndicate The Lnirrolliad "Porta Nascitur, Noli Fit" Literary Property— I.—Literary Theft 3»6 II.—Mr. James Knowles 3»7 III. —Anthony Trollope's Life 3J7 IV. —" Baby Lifting extraordinary 3*7 V.—American Piracy 3j>-j Tho American Society of Authors »» Agencies Editing and Reviewing:— 1.—The Value of a Favourable Review II.—About Reviewing III.—Magazines and Editors 3*9 S90 391 391 3t> 393 Hew .192 VII.—With no Name 393 TJneut Leaves 391 The Literary Agent 393 IV.—( V.—I-ong kept and then returned VI.—From the Editor's Point of Vie I'scTnl Books Author and Publisher Generosity, Litienility, and Equity .. Young anil Old Notes and News. By Walter Besant Feuilletou Notes from Paris PAGR • 394 • 395 ■ 39« • 398 • 398 • 399 401 iierature in the Miwnizines 404 Scott on the Art of Fiction Walt "Whitman From America "At the Author's Head 4°J 410 410 4" From the Papers :— I.—The Lowell Memorial 415 II.—The Glorious Traditions of the Book Agent .. .. 41 j 111.—The Chief Use of the Society 41 j IV.—American Fiction '.. .. 41 j V.—Newspaper Copyright 416 VI.—From America 416 VII.—The Education of Opinion 416 VIII.—An Outside Opinion on the Society 417 New Books and New Editions.. 417 EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE. INVESTMENTS. A List of i,6oo British, Colonial, and Foreign Securities, with the highest and lowest prices quoted for the last twenty-two years, is. bd. "A useful work of reference."—Money. PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES ON BOTANICAL SUB- JECTS. By E. B05AVIA, M.D.. Brigade-Surgeon, I.M.I). With 160 Illustration*. a«. bd. KEAL ARMY REFORM, THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDA- TION OF. By Ionotus. bd. "Those who would understand the general argument of those who favour conscription cannot do liettcr than read this pamphlet." —Army and Xavy Gazette. MY GARDENER (Illustrated). By II. W. Ward, Head Gardener to the Right Hon. the Earl of Radnor, Longford Castle, Salisbury, is. bd. "The book is replete with valuable cultural notes indispensable to the millions who are now turning to gardening as a source of pleasure and proiit."—Gardener's Chronicle. STATE TRIALS, Reports of. New Series. Vol. III., 1831—40. Published under the direction or the State Trials Committee. Edited by Joii.v Macdonell, M.A. km. PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS, 1891. Red Cloth, 3*. Contains all the Public Acts passed during the year, with Index, also Tables showing the etl'rct of tho yenr's legislation, together with complete 111 id classified Lists of the Titles of all the Local and Private Acts passed during the Session. REVISED STATUTES. (Second Revised Edition.) Royal svo. Prepared under the direction of the Statute Law Revision Committee, and Edited by G. A. R. Fitzoerald, Esq. Vols. I. to IV. now readv, price 7*. bd. each. TEN YEARS' SUNSHINE. Record of the Registered Sunshine at 46 Stations in the British Isles, 1881-1800. 2*. FORECASTING BY MEANS OF WEATHER CHARTS, Principles or. By tho Hon. Ralph Abbecromdy, F.R. Met. SOC. 2.1. HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. Transactions of the Seventh International Congress of. To be published in thirtivn volumes. Vol. XII. (Municipal Hygiene and Demography). Now ready. 2*. btl. List or the Scries on application. METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, Instructions in the use ot. 2t. bd. THE LITERATURE RELATING TO NEW ZEALAND. A Bibliography. Royal Svo. Cloth, is. bd. COPYRIGHT LAW REFORM: an Exposition of Lord Monksw ell's Copyright Bill. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1S78. and nn Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely, Esq., liarrist«r-at-Law. i». bd. KEW BULLETIN, 1892. Monthly, 2d. Appendices, id. each. Annual Subscription, including postage, 341. 9*/. Volume for 1891, is. id., by |>ost. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. Descriptive Catalogue of the Muural Instruments exhibited at the Royal Military Exhi- bition, 1890. Compiled by Cnpt. Day, Oxford Light Infantry. Illustrated, lis. "Unique, 11s no earlier liook exists in English dealing exhaus- tively with the same subject A very important con- tribution to the history of orchestration."— Athcnamm. PUBLIC RECORDS. A Guide to the Principal Classes of Documents preserved in the Public Record Office. By S. R. Scaucill-Bird, F.S.A. is. "Tin- value of such a work as Mr. Scargill-Bird's can scarcely lw over-rated."—Tiuvts. Monthly Lists of Parliamentary Papers vpon Application. Quarterly Lists Post Free, id. Miscellaneous List on Application. Every Assistance given to Correspondents; and Books not kept in stock obtained without delay. GOVERNMENT AIVD GENERAL PUIIEISIIERS. KYUK and SPOITISMOODU, Her Majesty's Printers, East Harding Street, London, H.C.  ## p. 382 (#786) ############################################ 383 AD VERTISEMENTS. Cfje Jswtetg of gutljors (fincorporatrtO* PRESIDENT. The Kight Hon. the LORD TENNYSON, D.C.L. Sib Edwin Arnold, K.C.l.E. Alfred Austin. A. W. a Beckett. Robert Bateman. Sir Henry Berone, K.C.M.G. Walter Besant. Augustine Birrell, M.P. R. D. Ulackmore. Rev. Prof. Bonnky, F.R.S. Lord Brabourne. James Bryce, M.P. P. W. Clayden. Edward Clodd. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Marion Crawford. Oswald Cbawfurd, C.M.G. COUNCIL. The Earl of Dksart. A. W. Dubourg. John Eric Erichsen, F.R.S. Prof. Michael Foster, F.R.S. Herbert Gardner, M.P. Richard Garnett, LL.D. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. Thomas Hardy. Rudyard Kipling. Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. J. M. Lely. Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. F. Max Mullee, LL.D. George Meredith. Herman C. Merivale. Rev. C. H. Middleton-Wake, F.L.S. Hon. Counsel—E. M. Underdown, Q.C. Pembroke and J. C. Parkinson. The Earl of Montgomery. Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart. LL.D. Walter Herries Pollock. A. G. Ross. George Augustus Sala. W. Baptists Scoones. G. R. Sims. J. J. Stevenson. Jas. Sully. William Moy Thomas. H. D. Traill, D.C.L. Baron Henry de Worms, M.P., F.R.S. Edmund Yatks. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Chairman—Walter Besant. A. W. a Beckett. Hon. John Collier. W. Martin Conway. Edmund Gosse. H. Rider Haggard. J. M. Lely. Sir Frederick Pollock. A. G. Ross. Solicitors—Messrs. Field, Roscoe, & Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. Secretary—S. Squire Sprigge. OFFICES. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 1. The Annual Report. That for January 1891 can be had on application to the Secretary. 2. The Author. A, Monthly Journal devoted especially to the protection and maintenance of Literary Property. Issued to all Meml>ers. 3. The Grievances Of Authors. (The Leadenhall Press.) 2*. The Report of three Meetings on the general subject of Literature and its defence, held at "Willis's Eooms, March 1887. 4. Literature and the Pension List. By W. Morris Colles, Barrister-at-Law. (Henry Glaisher, g5, Strand, W.C.) 3*. 5. The History of the Societe des Gens de Lettres. By S. Squire Sprigge, Secretary to the Society, is. 6. The Cost Of Production. In this work specimens are given of the most important forms of type, size of page, &c, with estimates showing what it costs to produce the more common kinds of books. Henry Glaisher, g5, Strand, W.C. 2s. 6d. 7. The Various Methods of Publication. By S. Squire Sprigge. In this work, compiled from the papers in the Society's offices, the various kinds of agreements proposed by Publishers to Authors are examined, and their meaning carefully explained, with an account of the various kinds of fraud which have been made possible by the different clauses in their agreements. Henry Glaisher, g5, Strand, W.C. 5s. 8. Copyright Law Reform. An Exposition of Lord Monkswell's Copyright Bill now before Parliament. With Extracts from the Report of the Commission of 1878, and an Appendix containing the Berne Convention and the American Copyright Bill. By J. M. Lely. Eyre and Spottiswoode. is. 6rf. 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. 02 Issue 11 (April 1892) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 02 Issue 11 (April 1892) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1892-04-01-The-Author-2-11 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/263/1892-05-02-The-Author-2-12.pdf 66130398c839d97aa3ca93afaefd9b51 PDF Text Text �������������������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1892-05-02 Volume 2 Issue 12 Pages Page range in volume 343–380 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18920502 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin TLhc B u t b o t\ (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. Vol. II.—No. 12.] MAY 2, 1892. [Prick Sixpence. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. WARNINGS. Readers of the Author arc earnestly desired to make the following warnings as widely known as possible. They are based on the experience of seven years' work upon the dangers to which literary property is exposed :— (1.) Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. (2.) Never enter into any correspondence with publishers, especially with those who advertise for MSS., who are not recom- mended by experienced friends or by this Society. (3.) Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. Never accept any proposal of royalty until you have ascertained exactly what the agreement gives to the author and what to the publisher. (5.) Never accept any pecuniary risk or respon- sibility whatever without advice. Never, when a MS. has l>een refused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. (7.) Never sign away American rights. Keep them. Refuse to sign an agreement con- taining a clause which reserves them for the publisher. If the publisher insists, take away the MS. and offer it to another. (+•) (6.) (8.) Never sign a receipt which gives away copyright without advice. (9.) Keep control over the advertisements by clause in the agreement. Reserve a veto. If you are yourself ignorant of the subject, make the Society your agent. (10.) Never forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Society's Offices 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. NOTICES. T HE Secretary will be much obliged if any members who have kept the Report for 1890 will kindly send their copies to him. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of this Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly understood that, the Society does not, under any circumstances, under- take the publication of MSS. K f 2  ## p. 384 (#788) ############################################ 384 THE AUTHOR. The official directions for the securing of American copyright by English authors were given in the Author for June 1891. Members are earnestly entreated to take the trouble of reading those directions. Members are earnestly requested to forward agreements to the Society for inspection before they sign them. Once signed, the mischief is generally irreparable. Communications intended for the Authors' Syndi- cate should be addressed to W. Morris Colles, the Honorary Secretary. The Authors' Club, whose foundation has been so long delayed and obstructed by one accident after another, is now making a real start. It already numbers a very good roll of original members, and it is taking temporary premises in St. James's Place, St. James's Street. The position is rather more to the West than is desired for a permanent location. The Committee, however, have time to look about them, and it is best not to be in a hurry. Mean- time readers will please observe that the Club is .starting. It will be remembered that at the outset, every kind of prophecy was uttered about its certainty of failure, its impossibility of success. A trick of some importance has been brought before us on several occasions of late. A writer agrees with an editor to contribute papers to his magazine. He is perhaps a writer whose work is of more than ephemeral value. He has been accustomed to place his work subject to the con- dition that he sells serial right only. When the cheque arrives it is accompanied by a form of receipt which contains the words " for the copy- right," or words to that effect. He often signs without noticing the clause, and finds out too late what he has thrown away. Let, therefore, every one guard carefully against signing such a receipt, and let him, for better security, stipulate before- hand that it is the serial right alone which he assigns to his editor. There has been remonstrance. The editorial worm has turned. In the short space of three months one paper has borrowed from another to the following extent. Two important leading articles; three sketches of living characters; six- teen reviews of books; and various short notes. In each case the "conveyance" was accompanied by the words, "the — says." At last the proprietors of the paper have remonstrated, and the thing is slopped. The use of articles taken from other papers is a thing that concerns the Author, because so many of our members arc; journalists as well as authors. Surely some rules can be arrived at. It is very good in most cases, both for the contributor and the paper, to have articles quoted with due acknowledgment. On the other hand, it cannot be claimed that there is no copyright in the daily or the weekly paper. But in any case of reproduction it ought to lie made conspicuously clear where the article first appeared, and in common fairness the author of the article in question should receive some more substantial recognition than the honour of being reprinted in al) cases in which he has reserved his copyright. Perhaps the Institute of Journalists would see a way of takin<* up the matter. With the ratifications of the Literary Convention exchanged between Germany and the United States on the 15th ultimo, and President Harrison's proclamation extending the benefits of the Ameri- can copyright to Germany, German authors enter into the enjoyment of such advantages as they may be able to secure under the American statute. It is to be. feared, however, that the experiences of French authors will be repeated. The conditions of the American copyright requiring a foreign author to be simultaneously printed and published in his own country and in the States, have so far proved in a large number of cases practically prohibitive. In the result, American publishers are practically able to make their own terms, so that, so far as France, and, it is to be feared, Germany is concerned, with the exception of 11 favoured few, the American Copyright Act leaves matters much where it found them. There is a prevalent idea that the death of a holder of a pension on the Civil List creates a vacancy. That is not the case. The number of those on the List is not limited. A grant is made every year of £1,200. This is spent for the most part, as we all know, on persons for whom the grant is not made, and for whom the Reso- lution of 1837 was not passed. When any person on the List dies, that portion of the annual £'1,200 which he has received is no longer paid. But there- is no vacancy to fill up. The amount actually expended every year is about £27,000.  ## p. 385 (#789) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 385 The death of the Rev. Dr. Allon removes one who was a member of this Society from its very commencement, who cordially sympathised with its aims, and was most hopeful of its success. This alone should ensure his memory a grateful pre- servation among us all. But there was more. In his capacity as editor of the British Quarterly he conducted for many years a review which was a formidable rival—say, rather, an equal—to the Quarterly and the Edinburgh, lie was always eager to welcome good work. There are many— the writer of this note among others—who can bear testimony to his kindness and his sympathy. That he was also a Prince of Israel in his own Church, that he was a personal friend of all who were the wisest and the best in his own generation, to what- ever Christian community they belonged, are things which ltelong to the part of him outside literature. Another original member has passed away. Mr. Samuel Lee, M.A., Barrister-at-Law, of Lincoln's Inn, the translator of Virgil and Horace, with Professor Lonsdale, died suddenly on Thursday, April 14th. A constitutional indolence prevented him from doing justice to his own abilities. He did nothing but those two books. But with him has perished a wonderful mass of scholarship and information. He was, in addition to his classical attainments, a wide reader in Spanish, Italian, and French literature. Of a retiring disposition, he was seldom to be seen outside his two clubs, the Athenaeum and the United University. His col- laborateur, Professor Lonsdale, only survived him by a fortnight. Fiction and Egyptology have sustained a loss in Amelia B. Edwards. It is, however, several years since Miss Edwards wrote her last novel. It was with her Egyptian researches much more than her novels that Miss Edwards has been recently before the world. She was on the Civil List, but lived to enjoy her pension a very short time. It is not an uncommon thing in the case of disputed accounts or agreements taken up by the Society for the publishers to attempt to ignore the Secretary by writing to the author. The motive is evident. First, they wish to complicate the settlement of the question by dealing with one whom they have already found to be ignorant of the practical side of literature, or wanting in business capacity. Next, they would, if they could, bring about a division 1 Kit ween the Society and its members, In such a case the duty of the author is clear. He must not answer the letter, but send it on to the Secretary. In no case;—under no circum- stances— must he hold any independent correspon- dence with the publishers. Should he do so, the Society will return his papers at once, and refuse to take any further steps. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether thev have paid their subscriptions for the year? If they will do this, and remit the amount or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secre- tary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. The present number of the Author concludes the second volume. Readers are reminded that though the paper is sent to every member free of charge, every member is also free, if he pleases, to remit a year's subscription of 6s. bd., and that if every member would do so, the paper would cost nothing to the Society. Members are earnestly requested to forward any- thing that may be of interest or value to literature, whether news, comments, questions, or original contributions. The short space at the command of the editor forbids any attempt at reviewing, but books can always be noticed if they are sent up. Members are entreated to attend to the warning numbered (3). It is a most foolish and a most disastrous thing to bind yourself to anyone for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether In; was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign themselves into bondage for three or live years? In the April number of the Author, the name of Sylvia Pens ([1.372) wrongly appeared as Sylvia Nein. THE AUTHOES' SYNDICATE. MR. Colles desires to inform readers of the Author as regards the Syndicate— 1. That he undertakes to work for none but members of the Society. 2. That his business is not to advise members of the Society, but to manage their affairs for them if they please to entrust them to him.  ## p. 386 (#790) ############################################ 386 THE AUTHOR. 3. That when ho has any work in hand he must have it entirely in his own hands; in other words, that authors must not ask him to place certain work, nnd then go about endeavouring to place it by themselves. 4. That when a MS. has been sent from pub- lisher to publisher, and from editor to editor, in vain, it is most likely impossible to place it. 5. That in the face of the present competition, authors will do well to moderate their expectations. To this it may be added, that where advice is sought, the Secretary of the Society, and not the Syndicate, must be consulted. On his behalf members are requested— 1. To place on paper briefly the points on which advice is asked. 2. To send up all the letters and papers con- nected with the case if it is a case of dispute. 3. Not to conceal or keep back any of the facts. ■— THE LOGROLLIAD. SOME months ago I wrote for the students' paper at St. Andrew's—College Echoes— part of a satire called the Logrolliad, supposed to be the work of an envious failure, named McStimey. The lines were preceded by a prose explanation, telling how McStimey had died of envy on reading a favourable review of someone else. By an accident at the printing office, or through the discretion of the undergraduate editors, the explanation did not appear in the College magazine. As the little paper has the very most limited circulation I thought the omission of no importance. I learn, however, that the verses have been published with my name attached to them, in one or two newspapers, and that they have been sent to the persons satirized by McStimey, one of whom was myself. Whether intentionally or not, the persons who published and circulated the lines have caused mis- apprehensions, which I now endeavour to remove. I did not suppose anyone capable of believing that I would make serious assaults on writers, some of whom are my personal friends, and to all of whom I owe gratitude for instruction and enter- tainment. Nor would my natural modesty urge me to remark with seriousness that I teach "by precept and example how to fail," as alleged by McStimey. A. Lang. "POETA NASCITUR, NON FIT; At niihi jam puero ccelcstia Sacra placebant: Inane suum furtira Musa trahebat opus. Sacpe pater dixit: "Studiura quid iuutile tentas? Moonides nullaa ipse reliquit opes." Motus eram dictis: totoque Helicone rclicto, Scriberc couabar verba soluta modis. Sponte sua carmen numcros veniebat ad aptos, Kt, quod tentabam scribere, versus erat. P. Ovidii Nasonis Trist., Lib. iv., El. 10. vv. 18-16. Me Harmony delighted from a boy As the Muse drew me on to her employ: "Why toil for nothing ?" oft my father cried, "Homer himself a very pauper died." His chiding! moved me: Poesy I left, And sought to write some words of song bereft. Put still ray lines flowed, apt to rhyme and scan, And as I wrote my thoughts, in verse they ran. J. M. Lely, [with apologies to P.O.N.]. LITERARY PROPERTY. I. Literary Theft. THE question of literary theft by means of reprinting newspaper articles, either in other newspapers or in books, now being brought into prominence by the Times is a very important one, ami it is to be hoped that it will not be allowed to drop without some practical remedy being discovered and applied. It is notorious that much valuable literature first appears in newspapers. Thackeray's "Snobs" first appeared in Punch; Sala's "Twice Round the Clock" in the Daily Telegraph; while Mr. Russell, Mr. Forbes, and other war correspon- dents innumerable have republished their letters in book form. For payment and without risk, the author (perhaps hitherto unknown) by this mode secures a publication which otherwise he might have to pay for and lose money by, and he also gains the advantage of being able to correct and revise after newspaper publication, and before re-issue, by the light of such criticism, and with the encouragement of such admirers, as newspaper readers may bring. The enormous and increasing output of literat ure in the present day gives every ground of expecta- tion that this mode of publication will become more and more general.  ## p. 387 (#791) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 387 The points of law to be borne in mind are three :— (1.) The copyright belongs to the newspaper proprietor, not the author, for 28 years if, and if only, the articles are written and paid for on the terms that the copyright shall belong to the newspaper proprietor. (2.) The newspaper proprietor cannot sue for breach of copyright without first " registering" his newsj>aper. (3.) To a certain extent, very difficult to define, copying is legitimate. By way of cure for these inconveniences to all concerned in the production of literature, it was proposed (amongst other things) by Lord Monks- well's Copyright Bill, which was read a second time in the House of Lords last session (on the curious condition, imposed by the Lord Chancellor, that it should not be further proceeded with), that— (1.) In the case of any article, essay, or other work whatsoever, being the subject of copyright, first published in and forming part of a collective work for the writing, composition, or making of which the original copyright owner shall have been paid, or shall be entitled to be paid, by the proprietor of the collective work, the copyright shall belong to the proprietor of the collective work for 3o years from publication. (2.) Except in the case of an Encyclopedia, the original copyright owuer shall have the right to republish the article in a separate form at any time after 3 years from the first publication. (3.) Copyright in respect of newspapers shall extend only to articles, paragraphs, communications, and other parts which are compositions of a literary character, and not to any articles, paragraphs, communications, or other parts which are designed only for the publication of news, or to advertise- ments. It is, we believe, a not uncommon practice for the proprietors of magazines to ask their contri- butors to sign receipts containing assignments of copyright as well as acknowledgments of payment. This we think the contributors should decline to do. The contract to assign the copyright can only be made when the article is arranged for. Any contract made after the article has been published is made " without consideration " and void. II. Mb. James Knowles. Two letters on this subject, written by Mr. James Knowles, editor of the Nineteenth Century, are published in the Times of April 29th and in the May number of Mr. Knowles's magazine. In the second letter Mr. Knowles defines what he considers legitimate criticism. He says—we hope that our own interest in the diffusion of these views will excuse our reproducing the lines— "I can of course make no objection at all to 'legitimate' criticism, supported by fair and moderate extracts of anything which is published in my review. "What I cannot recognise as 'legitimate' is extracting the substance of an article or quoting from it merely as a notice and apart from proper criticism of it. "That practice must be stopped by the pro- ducers and owners of literature, just as the practice of taking all the best cherries out of a basket without paying for them — under pretence of obtaining a sample—would be stopped by the law, if necessary, at the instance of the producers and owners of the cherries. "Your common sense and fairness will see the force of the distinction between criticism and pillage, and you will doubtless act accordingly without further pressure." III. Anthony Trollofe's Life. A correspondent writes: "I remember a case which very well illustrates the reckless way in which extracts are made. It is that of the post- humous 4 Recollections of Anthony Trollope.' The publishers were good enough to present me with a copy. For some reason, I had no time to look at it for three months after it appeared. I read during this interval the usual reviews and news- papers. When I at last cut the pages, I found that I knew every single thing of any interest. All had been picked out. What was left was rind and pulp." IV. "Baby" lifting extraordinary. The editor of Baby: the Mothers' Magazine calls attention to the following barefaced theft:— "Imitation is said to be the sincerest flattery; but when it takes the form of a gross piracy and wholesale robbery of ideas from a publication of which one is the originator, editor, and pro- prietor, it cannot be said to be acceptable to the person imitated. I may say that my feelings with regard to a new American publication, en- titled Baby: a Journal for Mothers, the first number of which was published in New York in January 1892, are of unqualified dissatisfaction and disgust at the colossal impudence of the proprietor and editor, whoever they may be. In  ## p. 388 (#792) ############################################ 388 THE AUTHOR. the words of my own prospectus, this magazine professes that its several departments are edited by "well-known writers, and articles will be obtained from the highest authorities on the bringing up of children." It would seem that no extraordinary expense will be incurred in carrying out this programme, as the editor evidently proposes to "annex" from my magazine all that may be required for the purpose. I have only seen the second number of this magnificent speculation as yet, but it is evident from this that the editor has had the four volumes of Baby: the Mo/hers' Magazine open during its preparation, although no acknowledgment is made of the fact. On p. 18, for example, there is a paragraph about the care of the eyes, which I wrote myself, and a hint about teething, taken from my third volume. On p. 19 is a drawing modified from one in my first volume; on p. 20 is the paragraph which forms the heading of my " Nursery Cookery" department; on p. 21, that from the heading of my "Parents' Parlia- ment"; and, on the same page, a whole article called "Hints about Teething," by Dr. T. L. Browne, stolen bodily from my fourth volume, p. 220. Such a production as this is a dishonour to journalism, and that it is possible to produce it is a disgrace to international law." V. American Piracy. There are two kinds of piracy: that, of new books and that of old books. A correspondent, a well-known novelist, writes that the New York Sunday Xeics has been presenting its readers with a complete story by himself, which was published in this country about five years ago. Another complete novel by another well-known writer is announced for the next week. The piracy of new books may be considered pretty well ended, but the piracy of old books will go on unchecked so long as the books which do not possess copyright continue to have any freshness. As regards Mr. Collier, whose correspondence and advertisements have attracted more attention, it is now stated that he has been "laying hands" as well on stories whose copyright is uncertain. A novel written for Tillotson and Son exclusively has very recently figured in three successive issues of the American Once a Week. We can only repeat our former caution. Do not entrust MSS. to any advertiser without careful business agree- ments beforehand and proper guarantees. . ■»-••♦ THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OP AUTHORS. AN important feature in this Society is the appointment of local secretaries in various centres of the country. Thus, at a meeting lately held at "Washington, a local auxiliary society was formed, at which Mrs. M. D. Lincoln was elected Vice-President. At the meeting certain plain truths were spoken. Mrs. Katherine Hodges, the general secretary, said :— "This is certainly one of the most vital subjects for consideration More the country to-day. It is a. question, not of war upon any man, or class of men, but it is one of principle, upon which the constitution of this Republic is founded—the principle of justice and fair dealing to all." Mr. George Smalley, of the iVeio York Tiibunc, was quoted in reference to the complete protection insured to authors by French law. "Why should we sit down contented with 11 position of inferiority to a nation whom we are not in the habit of thinking our superiors in civiliza- tion, or in that branch of it which consists in protecting the weak against the strong?" Mrs. Hodges also read a passage from a letter written by Mrs. Potter Palmer, President of the Board of Lady Managers of the Columbian Exposition, in which she said :— "I sincerely trust that the authors of this nation will be able to make such a showing of their wrongs, and of their inherent rights to the product of their own brains, and so arouse public sentiment on the subject, that the Columbian Exposition shall be recorded in history as the point beyond which such a robbery was made impossible." Continuing, Mrs. Hodges said: "Chaunccy M. Depew made a speech on the occasion of a celebration 011 the passage of the International Copyright Law, in which he said, as nearly as I can now quote it from memory: 'Piracy on the high seas has been abolished for a century, and burglary has been under control of the police for a hundred years, but it remained for a llepublican Congress to abolish the piracy and burglary of the human brain.' "But this has not been done," continued the lady, "as we can prove conclusively, and by unimpeachable testimony of prominent authors, who are victims of the piracy and burglary of human intellect now in full power in America. There is no limit to this practice of piracy, because there is no statute to forbid it under the present laws, and it is for the abolition of this wrong that the American Society of Authors has been orga- nized, confident that this enlightened Government and people will heed a demand for the protection of writers, which other civilized nations of the  ## p. 389 (#793) ############################################ THE AUTHOR 3% earth has already accorded to the authors of various countries. Every branch of trade and traffic has protection under our Government and laws except this one. And why should this form the sole exception?" "What plan do you propose to bring about the desired change? " Mrs. Hodges was asked. "Organization, as Mr. Smallcy suggests. An organization reaching from sea to sea, and through every part of the United States. We shall have at everv prominent point speakers on the topic, who will convey to the people the true situation as it has and does exist. At the Columbian Exposition, we shall have the world for an audience, as from every nation we mean to have those who will tell us the means employed for protection of their writers, and who will help us to perfect plans for the best method of protection here. Please be particular to observe that this movement is not a war on publishers as a class. Honest publishers express themselves as friendly to the cause. Such men have nothing to fear from the organization of authors for their own protection. It is purely a movement to establish the principle of just treatment to authors in this country, to protect them in their right of literary property in commerce, and to defend that right." "Docs not the International Copyright Act protect the American author?" "Abroad, perhaps, to an extent, but not here. The International Copyright Act does not yield the least protection to the native author against the native publisher. And it is quite as great a hard- ship to be robbed by a native as by a foreign publisher." ♦•»•♦ A&ENCIES. I. The Agency Bureau. INHERE is an institution called the "Agency Bureau." Apparently they—or he—advertise "for MSS. A certain lady sent them a paper, or a book, in MS. She received the following reply :— "Dear Madam, "I beg to acknowledge receipt of your favour enclosing MSS., and- should advise you, before proceeding further with them, to have a fair copy made of them on a typewriter, as our ex- perience has taught us that typewritten MSS. is greatly favoured by hard worked editors and publishers. Rejections are, without exception, eaused by MSS. being badly written. "Should you entertain this idea, I shall have great pleasure in having same executed in our vol. n. office at the low charge of 3s. (about 3,5oo words), including paper. "Should this fail to influence you, I will put your writings forward without further delay. Please state by return what you think a fair price for same. "Awaiting your favoured reply, "I am, Dear Madam, "D. Tomasin, "Secretary." The above shows resource. Even if a MS. cannot be placed, it may be typewritten. Fifty MSS. a week at 3s. would not be such very bad business. We have not seen the prospectus of the "Agency Bureau." When we do see " same "— to imitate the excellent style of the secretary—we may have a word or two to say to "same." Meantime, we shall be glad to learn what special powers this person has—what machinery—to place any MS. for anybody? Why will people persist in thinking that an agent can do for their MSS. what they cannot do by themselves? II. The Literary and Art Agency. (Before Mr. Ji/stice Grantham and a Common Jury.) Harington r. the Star Newspaper Company (Limited). This was an action for libel brought by the Rev. T. R. S. Harington, who was descril>cd as a Congregational minister and a journalist, and who for many years had been associated with various religious papers as chief and assistant editor, against the Star for publishing the following article. It was in the form of a letter, addressed by " An out- of-work journalist" to the editor of the Star, and headed, "The Literary Art, the Royal Road to Getting a Living in the Literary Line" :— "Yesterday morning, on the strength of a circular which has been pretty widely distributed, 1 called upon the Rev. T. R. S. Harington, at 2 2, Furnival Street, Holborn, W.C. The reverend gentleman calls himself the London Literary and Art Agency, and sends round an invitation to all and sundry, couched in the following terms :— 'Ladies and gentlemen seeking high-class appoint- ments as governesses, tutors, private secretaries, journalists, artists, &c, may have their names registered by paying a fee of 5*. For this fee they will not only l>e entitled to our services at all times, but will have their individual require- ments advertised in the Times, Mornitiy Post, Standard, Daily Xexcs, or some other influential G g  ## p. 390 (#794) ############################################ 39° THE AUTHOR. and suitable paper. . .' The Literary and Art Agency I found was a very small hack room, up two flights of stairs, and besides the Rev. T. R. S. Haring- ton boasted a desk and a couple of chairs. The rev. gentleman welcomed me sympathetically and listened with the shrewd air of a consulting philanthropist to my tele. ... I thanked him and regretted that it was not convenient for me at the moment to hand over the 5s. registration fee. Well, well, that did not matter. There was a half- crown fee, which entitled the applicant to some portion of solicitude of the London Literary and Art Agency. I regretted that it was not in my power to pay that small sum, hut said I would bring it round in the morning. . . The rev. gentleman in appearance is tall, sandy haired and sandy bearded ... It is to be hoped that the agency will proves of more use to private secretaries than to journalists; meanwhile it would perhaps be as well for 'gover- nesses, tutors, private secretaries, journalists, artists, &c.,' to suspend payment of their 5.?. until the rev. principal proves his bond fides and the practical usefulness of his agency." Mr. Lincoln Reed represented the plaintiff; Mr. Lankester the defendants. In the course of the case the plaintiff admitted he had not been a Congregational minister, but considered he had a right to call himself one, because he had been called to preach in a Baptist chapel in 1862 for two years. Since that date he had been sub-editor of the Christian World, but had given that up a short time ago, and had started this agency for the purpose of introducing people who wanted situations in the literary line to those who wanted to employ literary men and women. When asked by the judge if his scheme was of a philanthropic character, the plaintiff said of course he expected to be paid fees for his labour. He had received £i3 or £14 in fees of 5*. and is. 6d. each, but had only obtained two situations for people, one as tutor for three months, and the other as secretary to the Association for Preventing the Immigration of Destitute Aliens; and he had received 24s. in one case, and 3os. in the other as a commission on the salaries obtained. The plaintiff also said that the article in question had ruined his agency, which had only been started about a month, as his landlord had refused to let him continue the hire of his rooms. He did not remember the individual coming to him who purported to be the writer of the article. On a gentleman being asked to stand up, the plaintiff said he did not, remember the faces of ordinary-looking people; all he could say was, he looked and acted in such a way as to induce several Oxford and Cambridge men to pay him a fee. For the defence, it was submitted that the article in question was not published falsely or maliciously, that it was not libellous, was true in substance and in fact, and was a fair and bond fide comment on the plaintiff's conduct. The learned judge having summed up, the jury retired to consider their verdict, and after a long absence returned into court with a verdict for the defendants.— Times. III. The International Society. Here is another case of an unfortunate confusion of names by the " Society " with which the man Morgan, already exposed in these columns and elsewhere, is connected. (To the Editor of the Newcastle Daily Journal.) "Sir, I find that invitations are l>eing extensively sent to gentlemen resident in the North of England to join a society styling itself the International Society of Literature, Science, and Art, and I have received several letters making inquiries respecting its status. I should be obliged, therefore, if you would allow me to state through your columns that I neither have, nor desire to be supposed to have, any connexion with this society, and that the name printed among its honorary members, the « Rev. Canon Norman, M.A.' is not that of yours, &c, A. M. Norman, F.R.S., Hon. Canon, Durham Cathedral. Burnmoor Rectory, April 12, 1892." EDITING AND REVIEWING. 1. The Value of a Favourable Review. IT may be laid down as a general rule that it is not possible for an unfavourable review to kill a good book. It may retard its progress; it may inflict a heavy pecuniary loss upon it; but it cannot kill it. On the other hand, what can a favourable review do for a book? Here are two instances from the private history of a literary man :— Ten years ago he produced a book anonymously. For six weeks or so the book hung fire: no one noticed it; there was no demand for it. Then there appeared a notice, not. only favourable, bat highly laudatory, in the Saturday Review. Instantly the  ## p. 391 (#795) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 39i book sprang into popularity. Before many months there was a demand of something like i3,ooo copies. Again, the same writer produced a three-volume novel which has had as great a success as falls to the lot of most novels. For a time, however, it lay unregarded, the demand for it almost stagnant. Then there appeared a review in the Times—a long one-eolnmn, review—speaking of it in the highest terms, and then the demand began and continued, advancing daily, and the fortune of that book, as of the other, was made by that favourable review. II. About Reviewing. "To-morrow," says Mr. Phoebus in Lothair, "to-morrow the critics will begin. And who are the critics? Persons who have failed in literature and art." Dramatically, of course, this is very good. The criticised no doubt is the man to find out the weakest points in the armour of the critic. Nor is it without a germ of truth in itself, for the disap- pointed man is naturally more quick to find fault. But it is a little curious that some critics who have not themselves failed or are likely to fail write just as if they had. Who amongst us has not now and then suffered from the criticisms of such? The selection of the one misspelt word, or of the one line of poetry which will not scan, and complete silence about all the rest of a work, the crushing dctractation of a first effort in literature, the steady determination not to see the author's view; these and faults like these will not (infrequently be found in those who may themselves be; amongst the very favourites of fortune. And yet, perhaps, even such criticism is less really unjust than that of the lazy* penman who scarcely reads a line of a Iwok, but dismisses it with fluent generalities (whether of praise or blame) strung together to conceal his ignorance of it. On the other hand, many authors arc absurdly sensitive, thinking themselves ill-used if their reviewer deals out any blame at all, while here and there we find the man who has been so unduly puffed by his friends that a little undue scarification is positively welcome. Macaulay's celebrated review of Montgomery is a well- known case in point. Macaulay's name brings to my mind a bit of his biography well worth the notice of every critic. Into the hands of the great reviewer fell a friend's book, with, I think, a request from somebody or other that he would say some- thing good of it. He saw at once that it would not do, and declined to review it at all. Should not a reviewer always be anonymous? I rather think so. If solicited for a "notice," should he take it ill, and either review unfavour- ably or not review at all? Certainly neither. Soliciting is, of course, bad, but it may be after all a mere harmless form of bringing a book to an editor's recollection. Should an editor hand over a book written by one specialist, to be reviewed by another? I think yes, for the risk of unfairness and partiality of view is quite compensated by the certainty of knowledge of the subject. Should not all books which cannot be reviewed be returned? I know of a case where a book worth about ten pounds was courteously returned by one editor, and kept, but not even reviewed, by another editor. The cost of supplying copies for review is very great, and the sale of such copies, if sold (though I have heard that some editors destroy them), seems to compete somewhat unfairly with the sale of the ordinary copies. Why should not, at least review copies be machine cut, to help the reviewer, and why should not publishers always state the prices and dates of their books, and reviewers re{>eat this useful information for the benefit of the public? J. M. Lely. III. Magazines and Editors. In the early part of 1888, I wrote an article on "Dorothy Jordan," and sent it to the English Illustrated Magazine. About nine months later, proofs were forwarded to me, corrected and returned by me. Months passed, and the article did not appear. In February 1889 I applied for payment, and received £i3 iqs. Soon after, the magazine changed editors. In March 1890, I saw the new editor, and asked when would the paper be in- serted. He knew nothing of it, nor did his secretary. In 1891 I again made inquiries con- cerning the article, but received no satisfactory reply, nor did I bear of it again until I saw it in the April number just published. It was then reduced to about half its original size, and the private information regarding Mrs. Jordan's life and earnings, which 1 had obtained after much trouble, was left out. It was four years in the office of the magazine before being published. A story of mine appeared in another monthly. Three letters requesting payment received no answer, nor did a solicitor's letter. The proprietors were then sued for the amount, and the case was* set down for hearing on the 3ist of March. The day previously the debt was paid, and the solicitor's costs. FlTZCiERAI.l) MOLLOT. GK 2  ## p. 392 (#796) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 392 IV. Query. If an editor chooses to keep my MSS., sent for n magazine or weekly paper, and neither return it nor accept it, how can I enter into possession of it again so as to feel free to send a copy to a fresh editor? Would it be sufficient to send a stamped envelope for reply—" Sir—You have kept my MSS. a month (6 weeks). I have no news of it. I am going to try a fresh editor?" Peregrine. Does it not require an editor made wondrous kind by fellow feeling for young authors to get all tins literary property safe home to Us owners? Editor. V. Long kept and then returned. Under this heading in the last number of the A uthor a case was stated of a MS. kept for three years and a half. The contributor writes to say (l) with regard to his first statement that he was invited to write a paper on a definite subject, that the exact facts were these: "I submitted to Mr. A., at his own request, I having been introduced to him as a specialist by the secretory of a certain society, six short stories on approval." (2) That the editor has sent him a certain sum for compensation. This, as the Editor was not in the least obliged to do so, is extremely honourable in him. VI. VII. With no Name, With the complaint of " B " who has contributed "verse of a lyrical type to a certain high-class London journal," has been "most liberally and promptly" paid, but cannot get either his name or initials appended to his contributions, every author must fully sympathise. Only two possible reasons for the editor's refusal to print the name suggest themselves:—Either he fears that "B," when known by name, will be drawn away to rival prints, or that the poetry will go unread with an unknown name at the bottom of it. But whether his reason be good or bad or even none, he is of course within his legal rights. "B" however should forthwith insist on his name being printed under pain of his ceasing to contribute. SCRII'TOR IGNOTCS. From the Editor's I'oint of View. May an editor offer a few suggestions as to why the MSS. of young authors are occasionally absorbed by the Family Hearthrug, and other kindred publications? Reading the directions printed in the magazine is the last thing that appears to occur to contributors. A type-written MS. arrives with no stamps en- closed, no name or address written on it. Some time afterwards a letter arrives, asking why " my MS.," omitting the name of the paper, has not been returned? How is the editor to know which MS. is referred to? Stamps arrive separately, with apologies for having omitted to enclose them, but no mention as to the MS. for which they are intended. As for the number of the MSS. that appeared stamplcss, with requests for immediate publication and payment, these do not always come, from the young and inexperienced. The acrostic editor receives articles on the Rights of Woman; belated " lights " for the acrostics are thrown upon the chief editor, while the manager, under a nom de plume of some special department, is pestered with inquiries about serial stories. UNCUT LEAVES. AREMARKABLE association exists in Boston, U.S.A., whose members assemble at stated intervals for the purpose of hearing, not reading, new articles before their appearance in the magazines. Here is part of the programme for the season :— "The Boston Readings of Uncut Leaves, the imprinted magazine conducted by Mr. Lincoln, of the Deerfield School of History and Romance, will take place on the third Wednesday evenings of January, February, March, April, and May. Among the contributors will be Richard Henry Stoddard, Edmund Clarence Stedman, George W. Cable, Elizabeth Stoddard, Agnes Repplier, Mar- garet Deland, Sarah Orne Jewett, Kate Douglas Wiggin, Alice Wellington Rollins, Arlo Bates, Hamilton W. Mabie, Clyde Fitch, Annie Payson Call, Edwin D. Meade, and other well-known writers. "The magazine will not be published, and can only be heard at the readings. Many of the articles will be read by their authors. Nothing will be included which has been previously printed. The entire reading of any evening will not exceed two hours.  ## p. 393 (#797) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 393 "The first reading will begin promptly at 8 p.m., January 20th, at Dr. Chas. P. Putnam's, 63, Marlborough Street. No one will be allowed to enter during the reading of an article. Sub- scribers will pledge their good faith to observe entire secrecy as to the nature and contents of these magazines, in order to protect the rights of authors. No notes nor press reports can be permitted under any circumstances. "Subscription for the season, Five Dollars. "Three tickets for each reading, Ten Dollars. '' Names of subscribers must be submitted to Miss A. C. Putnam, 63, Marlborough Street, on or before January 16th. As the meetings will be in private parlours, only a limited number of names can be accepted." This is the nearest approach to a Private View Day in literature that has yet been made. There is a certain luxury in having one's articles read aloud, especially if they are articles in whose subject one is interested, and by writers whose; style has a charm for us. Mr. Lincoln, the Director of this society, suggests that we might find room for a similar organisation over here. This is doubtful. The difficulties, though not insuperable, would be grejit. For, first, it is a new thing, and editors and pro- prietors might think that such a reading would in jure the Side of the journal in which the paper after- wards appeared. The contrary would be the effect, just as a good novel is helped in its volume form by its serial form. Then, still because it is a new thing, the writers might object. These objections would, however, be removed in a very simple manner out of the subscriptions. The last objec- tion is the most serious. The essential for success is the inexorable observance of the clause pro- hibiting notes or reports of the pa[K?r. London is so vast a place, that there is no way at all of keeping out people who would disregard the most solemn promise of secrecy, and every lecture would be, somehow, fully reported in every paper. But, again, suppose the papers were not so anxious to anticipate the magazines, then this objection would not hold, and it must be confessed that, in the ease of most magazine articles, there is no such breathless eagerness to read them. The Contemporary and the Nineteenth Century, for instance, lie on the table awaiting their turn. How might such an association be formed and worked? Obviously, as a course of lectures is organised. The readings would be in the afternoon, from four to five. There should be no more than six in each of two sessions. They must be given by well-known writers, and the number of sub- scrilRTs must be sufficient to give a handsome honorarium to every reader. If, for instance, one guinea were the subscription for each course of six lectures, there should be enough subscribers to pay for the rooms and the service, and to leave two guineas at least for every reader. Should the Society follow the example of the Americans, and organise for the next winter one course, at least, of Uncut Leaves on the Literary Life from its various points of view? Will our meml>ers consider this suggestion? Of course, the proposed subscription may be very much smaller in case of a sufficient number of subscribers. THE LITERARY AGENT. ACORRESPONDENT writes about the lite- rary agent, evidently under a false impression as to the use and the nature of the services rendered by the literary agent. To one who has already succeeded, he says, a literary agent is of no use. His services are only required by one who has not succeeded. This creed is entertained by a good many people. They think that a literary agent is able to persuade publishers and editors to take work that they would otherwise refuse. Why should he? Is his opinion better than the opinion of the publisher's reader? But the agent does not, as a rule, read MSS.—he has not the time. Writers must learn for themselves—the earlier in their career they learn it the better—the truth that the only way to get on is to produce good work, or, at least, work that the world accepts as good work and reads and goes on reading. No agent, no private influence, can do any good at all to anyone. There is not, and there never has been in the history of literature, any case of a writer being perma- nently helped in this way. There has been perhaps log-rolling, but those few who seem to have been assisted by their friends have really done good work which by itself commanded success. They were, in faet, independent of log-rolling. It is when a man has reached a certain stage of success that his agent comes in. Then he takes over all the business arrangements of that writer, agrees with editors and publishers for him, places his work, and, in fact, relieves him of all trouble. To such a man a good agent is invaluable. But let the writer beware! He must not, on any consideration, go to the first man who offers. He must take advice. What, then, is the young writer to do? He should first get an opinion from one of the Society's readers as to the merits and chances of his book. It may be that certain points would be suggested for alteration. It may be that he finds himself recommended to put his MS. in the fire. He should then offer his MS. to a list of houses or of magazines recommended by the Society. There is  ## p. 394 (#798) ############################################ 394 THE AUTHOR. nothing else to be done. No one, we repent, can possibly help him. If those houses all refuse him it is not the least use trying others, and, if he is n wise man, he will refuse to pay for the production of his own work. If, however, as too often happens, he is not a wise man,but believes that he has written a great tiling, and is prepared to back his opinion to the extent of paying for his book, then let him place his work in the hands of tha Society, and it shall be arranged for him without greater loss than the actual cost of production. At least he will not be deluded by false hopes and promises which can end in nothing. ■ — ■ USEFUL BOOKS. I. DEAR Author,—I cull from my own Reference Library Catalogue the titles of just a dozen really useful books. When I have a little leisure I will send some more. I may mention that the " Sailor's Word Book " and " Old Sea Wings" will be found very valuable to maritime storytellers yearning to follow in the footsteps of Clark Russell; and I may further hint (at the risk of provoking the men of supercilious MSS.) that lady novelists might advantageously add to their shelf of reference books a "Newgate Calendar" (Knapp and Baldwin's), and an up-to-date edition of Blackstone's " Com- mentaries." The " Calendar " is full of intensely dramatic plots and characters; while occasional consultation of Blackstone would set the ladies right on many legal points, touching which, in their novels, they frequently blunder. G. A. Sala. M. Scheele De Veee, LL.D.—Americanisms: The English of the New World. (New York: C. Scribner and Co.) Mrs. Cowden Clarke.—The Complete Concord- ance to Shakspere. (London: Bickers.) Cruden's Concordance to the Holy Scriptures. (Any bookseller.) , Beeton's Great Book of Poetry. (Ward and Lock.) Smyth, W. H., Admiral.—The Sailor's Word Book: An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms. (London: Blackie and Son.) Leslie, Robert C.—Old Sea Wings and Words. (London: Chapman and Hall.) Jennings, G. H.—Anecdotal History of the British Parliament. (London: Horace Cox.) McCarthy, Justin, M.P.—A History of Our Own Times. 4 vols. (Chatto and Windus.) Lanciani, Rodoi.fo, Prof.—Ancient Rome in the Light of Recent Discoveries. (Macmillan.") Phillips, Lawrence B.—Dictionary of Biogra- phical Reference: containing 100,000 names. (Sampson Low.) Wheatley and Cunningham.—London Past and Present. 3 vols. (Murray.) Heaton, J. Hennikek, M.P.—Australian Dic- tionary of Dates and Men of the Time. (G. Robertson, Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide.) II. Scientific. Quain's Human Anatomy. (Macmillan.) Young's General Astronomy. (Ginn and Co.) Sach's Text Book of Botany. Now published in three parts. (Clarendon.) Roscoe and Schorlemmer's Treatise on Chemistry. (Macmillan.) Foster and Balfour's Elements of Embryology. (Macmillan.) Geikie's Text Book of Geology. (Macmillan.) Giinther's Study of Fishes. (A. and C. Black.) Mill's Logic. (Longmans.) Lauder Brunton's Pharmacology. Therapeutics and Materia Medica. (Macmillan.) Darnell's Principles of Physics. (Macmillan.) Foster's Text Book of Physiology. (Macmillan.) Nicholson's Manual of Zoology. (Blackwood.) Bain's Mental and Moral Science. (Longmans.) Be van Lewis's Text Book of Nervous Diseases. (Griffen.) Herbert Spencer's First Principles, Principles of Biology, Psychology, and Sociology. (Wil- liams and Norgate.) Ueberweg's History of Philosophy. (Hodder.) Carpenter's Microscope. (Routledge.) Dictionaries. Smith's Latin. Spier's French. (De Baudry, Paris.) Grieb's German. (Sampson Low.) Baretti's Italian. (Dulau.) Quain's Medicine. (Smith Elder.) Heath's Surgery. (Smith Elder.) Fleming's Vocabulary of Philosophy. (Gritlin.) Men and Women of the Time. (Ca&sell.) Hazell's Annual. F. Howard Collins.  ## p. 395 (#799) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER. With .some New Points for the Society of Authors and for an Eminent Publisher. (From tin; New York Tribune by permission.) J piHE report of the Executive Committee of I the Society of Authors has the following paragraph: "Among those members whose loss by death we deplore are (i) Lord Lytton, always one of our greatest supporters. He took the chair at one of our public meetings, and at all times showed the warmest interest in the work and success of the Society. (2) Mr. James Russell Lowell, not only the American who had endeared himself to all hearts, but very specially the friend of this Society, and the advocate of international copyright. Those who were present at the dinner of the Society in 1888, and heard his brilliant and eloquent address, since printed in the Author, will want no reminder of his interest in our work and in the well-being of literature on this side of the Atlantic." The report is signed by Mr. Walter Besnit, chairman of the Executive Committee. He does not say too much of Lowell's interest in the Society. Nothing that concerned literature could lie indifferent to Lowell. I can imagine that the great American author had in his long career known moments when the advice of such a Society would have been useful to him, and would have meant money to him, as it now means money to many others. Lowell was, in truth, careless about such matters, and had a childlike faith in men; even in publishers, and even in second-hand book- sellers. I used to think he took pleasure in being their victim, and his easy good-nature forbade him to seek redress even when he had found out that a —well, that a mistake had occurred. Lowell once bought a copy of a scarce book for which he paid, I need not say, a long price. When the book arrived at Elmwood, it proved to be an imperfect copy; a number of leaves missing. The bookseller had not thought it worth while to mention the defect. "Of course you returned the book," I said. "Well, no," answered Lowell, with n dry look in his eyes. "I know the l>ook is often imperfect." The fact that he had paid a perfect price for his imperfect copy made little or no impression on him. The book is now, I presume, in Harvard College Library, to which Lowell meant his treasures to go. Unless the missing leaves have been supplied, that rather miscellaneous col- lection of books has therefore one more miscellaneous copy. There is but one golden rule for the collector: either a perfect copy or none. It is interesting to hear that the Society of Authors is growing at a great pace. Never before, Mr. Besant says, has so much work poured into their hands. Authors are at last awake to the benefits offered them. "They are bringing their agreements before accepting them; they are also— a thing without precedent in the history of author- ship—actually asking what their agreements mean for either side." Then comes this characteristic and most sensible passage: "The passing of the International Copyright Acts makes it doubly important for writers of success and position to know how to protect their property. It is not too much to say that never until the Society began was it possible for writers to realize, as at last they are learning, (1) that they possess property over which they should be as careful as over fields and houses and (2) that the mere administration of this property really does not entitle the agents to take over all the rent to themselves." To the publishers this last proposition will seem startling indeed. To others than publishers it may seem startling that there should l>c need of stating such a proposition and of dwelling on it. But there still is. The publisher himself still looks askance at the Society of Authors. Not all pub- lishers, perhaps, but some. Look at the tone of the leading trade organ, the Publishers Circular. Always a sneer at the Society, and always the suggestion that the author and publisher would naturally constitute a happy family but for the interference of outsiders. Look at the seventh case in the Appendix to this Report, where an author, unable to get either money or answer to his letters from a certain publishing firm, put his claim in the hands of the Society. There was a colonial house and a London house. The London house was very dignified. The intervention of the Society was, in its opinion, uncalled for. Their friends abroad would certainly deal honourably with the author. Notions of honour anil honourable dealing vary. The publisher's notion in this case might be thought peculiar. The author had sent his MS. to the colonial house. Six mouths later came a letter saying: "We hoped to have sent you a copy of your book by this mail, but regret it is not quite ready. We propose to style the book ." The author replied that as no terms had been submitted for his signature, he should like to know what lie was to get. No answer; and then it was that the Society intervened in the way which to the publish- ing mind seemed so uncalled for, pointing out that the honourable colonial house had appropriated the author's work and had offered no terms. The honourable colonial house was as much surprised as the London house at hearing "from a Society  ## p. 396 (#800) ############################################ 396 THE AUTHOR. calling itself a Society of Authors." It had been "too busy" to write the author, though not too busy to print and publish his book. "Finally they proposed certain terms and, subject to changes made by the Society, these proposals were accepted." Eight or nine of these sample cases are given. "Can anyone doubt," asks the rei>ort, "that almost all these authors would have been robbed had it not been for the vigorous intervention of the Society?" Now let us listen to a voice, I will not say from the other side but from among the publishers, Mr. Frederick Macmillan. No house stands higher than his. He presided last week at the annual t radedinner of the Booksellers' Provident Institution, and made a speech in the course of which he quoted a remark, author of it apparently unknown, that "the interests of booksellers and authors are highly antagonistic." Bookseller here means publisher, as it used to in the last century; so that the remark seems an old one. Old or new, Mr. Macmillan thinks that he who made it has a great deal to answer for. Why? Because "the antagonism between author and publisher is a foolish and mis- chievous fancy." Such is the answer of an honourable and success- ful publisher; the best he can offer. "It would be as reasonable," adds he, " to talk about the natural antagonism between the man who builds an engine and he who drives it." He might have drawn his analogy closer. It would he as reasonable to talk about the natural antagonism between the man who builds an engine and he who buys it. That would be perfectly reasonable. There is a natural an- tagonism. The man who builds the engine wants to sell it as dear as he can ; he who buys wishes to buy as cheap as he can. It is the natural antagonism which exists the world over in all commercial transactions. The interests of the buyer and the interests of the seller are not the same; they are hostile. So are the interests of the author who has a book to sell and of the publisher who buys it. True, as Mr. Macmillan says, both wish it to be successful; so far their interests are common. But in the division of the profits of the successful book the interests of the author and publisher are no longer common; they are antagonistic. Each wants as large a share as he can get. Thus do we. come back to the old point, and to the real grievance which the publisher keeps steadily in the background, namely, that the pub- lisher is a man of business dealing with the author who is not. The publisher draws up the contract, imposes his own terms, fixes his own proportion of profits, renders no accounts or imperfect accounts, avails himself of a hundred advantages under the plausible title "the custom of the trade," all un- known to the author; does, in fact, as a rule, by help of his business advantages and of the want of them in the author, take the lion's share of the profits. Therefore it is that a Society of Authors is needed which shall protect the interests and property of the author just as the publisher protects his own. Let Mr. Macmillan read the commentary on his speech by the editor of the trade organ al>ove mentioned: "Whatever may have been the state of affairs in the remote past, it certainly is not true to-day that publishers drink champagne from the skulls of unhappy writers. In the present era only amateurs imagine that the publisher is a sort of ghoul who appeases a diabolical appetite with innocent and confiding men and women of genius. The interests of authors and publishers, as Mr. Macmillan pointed out, must be, and are, identical. In the nature of things there can be no antagonism between the man who writes a book and the man who publishes it. If there were, both would speedily go to the wall, the publisher probably going first." Such is the attitude of a publisher of whom I will say nothing except that he must know lx-tter. The rancorous tone of his comment on a good- tempcred speech from his own side is only too marked. Ho represents, like the London branch of the colonial house quoted a moment ago, the class of publisher who resents the interference of the Society of Authors, resents its existence, and would, if he could, restore the good old days when the publisher settled for the author as well as for himself the terms of the contract between them. But. those days are going, if not gone. The number of members of the Society has risen from 25o three years ago to 780; its business has in- creased in a still greater ratio. If an author now makes a bad or stupid bargain with a publisher, he has only himself to thank, for here is a society which, without pay, will be delighted to help him make a good and wise bargain. O. W. Smalley. ♦■»■♦ GENEROSITY, LIBERALITY, AND EQUITY. "TTIS liberality is highly praised; and though we do I I not know precisely why authors should expect liberality from publishers any more than designers expect it from builders, it is certain they do, and that publishers who fulfil the expectation are the publishers whom literature reckons as friends. The publisher who was also a patron is passing away; and perhaps it is better so, and that the publisher should be merely the author's collecting agent. Hut there was something gracious and fine about the old position."  ## p. 397 (#801) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 397 These lines are taken from a short note in the Spectator of April gth. It is in some respects a remarkable utterance, because it reveals a mind still leaning towards the old and cherished delusions, but forcibly attracted by the new ideas—say rather, the new discoveries,—and, against its will, recog- nising them. It is not, perhaps, disrespectful to regard the editor of the Spectator, who has im- pressed upon his paper in a very remarkable manner his own very remarkable personality, as no longer a very young man. He was brought up in the belief that the good publisher is " generous" and "liberal" towards authors; that the true patron of literature is the publisher—the public mean well, but the publisher is the only friend; that he, and he alone, is the stay and prop of those who write; that his life is wholly spent in advancing the higher interests of literature; that in publishing books he is guided solely by those higher interests, and in most cases loses his money on every book. And he now learns the new discovery and is dis- turbed. "There is something," he says, regretfully, "fine and gracious about the old position." Yes, the old position of his own imagination. Did it ever exist in actual fact? Was the publisher ever, at any time, "generous" and "liberal"? Was he ever, at any time, a patron of literature in the only true sense? Was he not always and always a man of business pure and simple? What is it that authors should expect from these pub- lishers? Liberality? Generosity? But theirs is the property—their own—their creation, as much as a desk, a picture, a piece of machinery. The publisher administers it. What is meant by "liberality" on the part of the agent who ad- ministers the property? And what kind of respect can ever lie paid to literature while the world per- sists in regarding the author as standing, hat in hand, before his publisher, crying, "Oh! sir. This is, indeed, generosity! This is liberality indeed! What? Another half-crown? Another? Oh! My children will bless thee! Oh! Princely — Kingly—Generosity!" Of course, as we now know, the real fact is that no publisher ever gave any man anything at all for unsaleable work, unless in those cases where he did not know his own business, or where it was for his own advertisement and his own advantage to publish an unsaleable book. At no time has the author of such work ever experienced any "generosity" from any publisher whatever. Why should he expect it? A cabinet maker does not expect to be paid for a piece of work so bad that no one will buy it—why should an author? Why should a publisher be praised for paying for bad work? It is folly; it is madness; unless on the assumption that in this or that case to do so serves his interests. But publishers have at different times paid large sums VOL. II. to successful authors. Certainly. But at no time have they allowed those authors to see their books. What "generosity" is that which says, "My friend, I will give you £200 for your book. But I am not going to tell you what I get for it." There may be "something gracious and fine" about the old position, but the graciousness loses a good deal of its beauty when we remember that it degraded men of letters, even the most successful, to the position of humble dependents on the "bounty" of their publishers. Of course it is a very gracious and fine" thing to pretend to be a patron of literature; it is very fine to be accepted as a patron. Therefore, they all claim to be the patrons of literature — every little impecunious clerk who starts as a publisher by persuading silly people to pay for production; they all put on the airs of the man who nobly throws away his thousands in the advancement of literature; they all pretend that they take fearful risks; they all make the terms they offer a favour instead of a right. By such shallow pretences the fraudulent gentry whom we have exposed have been enabled to carry on their tricks and their frauds. This is the mere jargon of the craft. We are beginning to scoff at it. In the course of time respectable people will be ashamed to use this jargon; it will be forgotten. We shall all agree that business t* business, and has to be conducted according to the rules of all business. Meantime, we rejoice that the editor of the Spectator thinks that the new order may be better than the old, and that the publisher should be "merely the author's collecting agent." But that " old position "—one returns to the question— that time when publishers were patrons of litera- ture—when did it flourish? It is like the age of chivalry; it is a thing dreamed of and written about, but it never existed. Those who dream of it still are for the most part the camp followers of literature—not critics—who sometimes produce books of their own, literary books, biographies of literary men, mild essays on literary subjects, which the world does not care for, and takes in minute quantities. For such a book, a ten pound note—and publication—seems to the author gene- rosity unparalleled. To them their publisher is a patron indeed. But, for the successful author— why—let us see the ledger; let us look into the printer's account; let us examine the cash book; let us ask what proportion the author should receive in equity. We will then decline to take doles in the name of "generosity" and will demand our rights. Generosity! Liberality! Do not the very words degrade and insult the man of letters? —■ H h  ## p. 398 (#802) ############################################ 398 THE AUTHOR. YOUNa AND OLD. WjlEN I WAS YOUXO. When I was young, tlie stars then told n tale Of love beyond the grave, and worlds to prove, When we have never longer cause to wait, But only to explore and love, and love. When 1 was young, my friends then seemed so true, I was a hero in their eyes, and could J)o nothing wrong. Like flowers steeped in dew, My hopes were fresh, my impulses all good. When I was young, I hail not doubts, but took Each smile as meant, and gave it back the same, The world spread out as open as a book, I then felt confident of wealth and fame. When I was young, gold seemed an idle toy, Not worth the striving for; a higher goal Lured my hopes on, a greater, god-like joy, A something worthier of man's deathless soul. When I was young, I thought each woman fair And like an angel sent to lift up lips To God j so like a knight 1 thought to wear My coat of mail and guard them in the strife. When I was young, to make a sacrifice Seemed great and noble, so I sought the field With tender thoughts of humid tender eyes Reaming upon me as my knight's best shield. When I was young, I thought if heroes died Fighting for duty, this was best of all; To leave behind them, with a people's pride, Some kindly hearts to weep their early fall. When I was young, this world was fair and pure, And sin was of another world, while I Might fall and perish, still my soul was sure To reach those stars, that glisten in the sky. Now I in Old. Now I am eld and have gone through the fight, How do I view this fresh'ning world of ours? The stars arc only glimmering sparks of light, The friends but like the fleeting, vanished hours. Each speculation is a doubt, each dream A gourd which withers; fame a breath, and gold The only thing of earth w hich does not seem A fallacy on earth, now I am old. Hume Nishkt. NOTES AND NEWS. IT would be astounding that a work by no less a person than our illustrious President should appear without a note in the pages of the Author. But "The Foresters" was played just too late for the April number, and during the interval there has been sueh a chorus of notices, reviews, criticisms, and appreciations that anything at this late hour would be superfluous. Let us only congratulate ourselves on the master touch which shows as yet no feebleness, the voice that shows no touch of age, the hand as true as ever, the ear as delicate. A disquieting rumour has come across the Atlantic. We have more than once referred to the American Authors' Society; the prospectus of (as we thought) the only American Authors' Society- has been published in this Journal. It now appears that Mr. Charles Burr-Todd wishes to be the founder of -an association called the "Society of American Authors," while Mrs. Katharine Hodges is already the Secretary of the "American Society of Authors," an association which contains 200 members already, and is daily increasing. As Mr. Todd uses my name, I may explain that I was in ignorance that a second—a rival—society was contemplated by Mr. Todd. I naturally thought that he was writing in support of the society already established. Nothing could be more fatal to the interests which we seek to defend, than the existence of two rival societies. Let us trust that the Americans, who have the reputat ion of clearness at least, and common sense in all their relations of business, will be swift to understand that either the second society must not be attempted, or that the two societies may be at once merged into one. The "tyranny of the novel" exercises a good many minds at the present moment. Everything takes the form of a novel. We are didactic in a novel; we are political in a novel; we expose our enemies in a novel; we show what certain theories mean in a novel; we even illustrate our own lives, our sorrows, and our disappointments in a novel. The last illustration of the " tyranny of the novel" is the interesting case of Mademoiselle Helene Vacaresco, the young lady who had to break off her engagement with the Crown Prince of Rou- mania. It is said that she has written a novel, in which she tells her unfortunate love story. Eight years ago the New York Critic published a list of forty "Immortals." Of these, fourteen have now passed away. Their names are as follows :— Richard Grant White, died 5th April 1885, aged 63. Edwin P. Whipple, died 16th June 1886, ae;ed 67. Henry Ward Beecher, died 8th March 1887, aged 73. John Q. Saxe, died 3ist March 1887, aged 76. Mark Hopkins, died 17th June 1887, aged 85.  ## p. 399 (#803) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 399 Asa Gray, died 3oth January 1888, aged 77. A. Bronson Alcott, died 4th March 1888, aged 88. James Freeman Clarke, died 8th June 1888, aged 78. Theodore D. Woolsey, died 1st July 1889, aged 87. George Bancroft, died 17 th January 1891, aged 90. Alexander Burchell, died 19th February 1891, aged 66. Jiiines Bussell Lowell, died 12th August 1891, aged 72. Noah Porter, died 3rd March 1892, aged 80. Walt "Whitman, died 26th March 1892, aged 72. Out of these fourteen, how many are there whose principal works could be enumerated by the average reader, or even by the student of litera- ture? Not that one would scoff at their Immor- tality. Such an English list would probably show as many blanks after eight years; the voice of the living is always listened to before the voice of the dead, and posterity will have its own favourites. Immortality, in fact, is limited, save for the very, very few. Happy is the man who can please or instruct his own generation; happy he who can make them listen to him; more happy still if he does not in the least trouble his head about posterity. "A week or two ago reference was made in these columns to two articles which appeared in a recent issue of the Forum on the grievances of authors and the sins of pub- lishers. Roth were written from the author's point of view, and the unhappy publishers had it hot and heavy. But they have found an unexpected champion. An American author comes gallantly to the rescue. Here is part of his testimony: ' I believe their methods are strictly honourable. Now, for example, in spite of the fact that my last book is not selling nearly so well as I think it ought to sell, I would not for a moment question the integrity of my publishers. As to the suggestion that publishers should open their books for the inspection of authors—it is absurd. If authors were permitted to look at the books they would not understand them. No; I am satisfied that our publishers are not only honest in their dealings with authors, but that they offer us a fair proportion of the returns from our books.'" The above is quoted from the Publishers' Circular of March 26th last. The editor in pub- lishing the extract surely credits the world with a very, very great deal of credulity. The American author who conies "gallantly" (!) to the rescue knows nothing, and pretends to know nothing, about the thing of which he writes. He believes —honest soul! He believes. That is all. He says that authors would not understand accounts. True. That is the reason why we send accountants for the purpose. He is "satisfied" that his publishers are honest, and fair, and virtuous, and holy. No doubt. We do not for a moment say that they are not. Only—let us treat each other in this, as in every other kind of business, openly and fairly, and above board. And—which is an axiom—a man who refuses to let his partner in any joint enterprise see the books must be—what? Let this confiding American letter-writer answer the question. I venture to express the universal good wishes of all who know Mr. George Augustus Sala, either personally or by his work, for the success of his new magazine. As these lines are written news comes of a second large edition. So far I have not been able to get it at any of the bookstalls— "waiting for more copies." Walter Besant. ♦■»■♦ FEUILLETON. The Wish of His Heart. I. THE young man sat in the suburban garden; it was a very little garden about i5 feet wide and 25 feet long; only a scrap of a garden behind a little semi-detached house in the suburb of Forest Gate. Like most houses of the kind, there was a kitchen, with a room over it, built out at the back; things were hanging out to dry in the little area between the kitchen and the garden wall; a Virginia creeper climbed over the house. In the garden were two or three lilacs, a strip of grass, a narrow bed of flowers, now gay with the blossoms of the annuals, and a garden seat, where this young man sat. He was about nineteen, and in his hands was a book. He held it before his short-sighted eyes; he seemed to be reading it; his cheek glowed; his eyes brightened; his hand trembled. If we could put down in lame, slow, halting words the thoughts that filled the mind of that young mar., there would be read a series of ejaculations. For instance, "Oh! It is splendid! It is wonderful! It is splendid! It is wonderful!" What was so splendid? What was it that glorified the world in the eyes of that young man? Nothing but a dream. He was dreaming that he had written the book in his hands. In his imagi- nation he was already a novelist, delighting the whole world, read by all the English-speaking people in this realm of ours; in the kingdom of Man; across the Western seas; in the Isles of the II h 2  ## p. 400 (#804) ############################################ 400 THE AUTHOR. East; in the Austral continent. He heard his own name shouted to the very end of the world; he heard the trumpet of Fame; he actually saw that lovely, benevolent, generous, kindly goddess Hying over his head—over that suburban little garden at Forest Gate; in one hand a scroll—the scroll of his achievements, and in the other a trumpet; and her lips parted while she proclaimed his name—his noble name—the name of the Im- mortal Author—the Darling of the Muses—the admiration of the world—the despair of his rivals— his own name— "Tommy," cried a voice from the open window of the house, " Come in to supper." II. Tommy, or Tom, Crump sat in his bedroom—the little room over the kitchen, generally assigned to "the girl." The other residents of the house were in bed and asleep. He sat up and wrote. Yes, he wrote, for that vision was always with him, and he had begun to do his utmost to make it real; he wrote at night, from ten o'clock till midnight, or even till one and two in the morning. Tommy was a clerk in the City; he received already £60 a year: he was in a big House, and might be considered as having made a very good start: he was steady, wrote a good hand, was intelligent, and gave satisfaction. What more can be desired of such a young man at the outset? He had no secret vices; he did not desire strong drink; he did not play billiards; he did not frequent music halls; he was quite a good young man. When he had time, he read all the books he could borrow; every evening he had this vision of himself as a great writer and of the wonderful Fame that he would achieve; every night he spent two hours in writing stories. He would be a novelist. There was no one to advise him as to the qualifications that go to make a novelist; he knew nothing about style, dramatic effect, or construction; he was entirely ignorant of the elementary requirements of the Art; he did not even know that it was an Art; had he known it would not have helped him. Therefore, he ap- proached the business in complete ignorance how it should be managed. As for other qualifications, such as the possession of materials, observation of life and manners, knowledge of the social machinery, knowledge of society itself—he had none. He was a little clerk who had been at a school where all the boys were intended to be little clerks; his people belonged to a little Nonconformist chapel; he lived in a very quiet little suburb; he went to the City every morning .and came home every evening. He knew nothing; V did not even know that he was ignorant. And this unfortunate boy, so ignorant, so ill-equipped, so poor, so helpless, proposed to himself to become a novelist! What could happen to such a boy? HI. It was just before his twenty-first year that his success came to him. A story was accepted; it was taken by a certain weekly; the editor sent him a guinea for it and told him to call. He called. The editor was a kindly person—his kindliness lasted just so long as his authors were ready to accept a guinea for a story of six columns. He received the blushing, stammering young clerk with a shake of the hand and invited him to sit down. "I have taken your story," he said, "because there is promise in it. I shall get it altered a little. You may, if you like, send me some more. Bui you must take more pains "—Alas! The thing had been written and rewritten half-a-dozen times —"and you must try not to be so amateurish. Here! Take this bundle of the paper—read the stories—analyse them—study them—see how they are written—observe particularly how the attention of the reader is fixed from the outset. Very well. That will show you what we want. If you are clever enough to understand we may do a good deal of business together." Tommy was clever enough to understand. The editor did a good bit of business with him. But Tommy was not, unfortunately, clever enough to understand that without bricks or stone or wood one cannot build a house, and he had neither bricks, nor stone, nor wood. IV. It is fifteen years later. Tommy Crump is now Mr. Lancelot Cory, a name which looks a great deal better upon a title page. He lives in the same house, of which he is now the tenant, vice his father, deceased. But he goes to the City no longer. Tommy is what he so ardently desired to become— a writer of stories. Nobody, I suppose, of five-and-thirty, has written so many stories. No novelist that ever lived has written so much as Mr. Lancelot Cory. He writes all day long and every day. He knows no Sabbath. He takes no rest. He hardly ever goes outside the house. He sees no society. He remains as ignorant of the world as when he first began to write. He sits in the little room over the kitchen where he has always written. He has a wife and four children, and for their sakes his pen keeps driving—driving—all day long. He keeps the wolf from the door—but with difficulty—by these labours unceasing.  ## p. 401 (#805) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 401 He is pule and thin. He has become prema- turely bald. His eyes, which now wear spectacles, are red and watery. That solace of the hard- worked hack, the gin bottle, is not unknown to him. He stops from time to time and grasps his right wrist with his left hand. Yes—it is coming. There are convulsive movements of the fingers; there are shooting pains up the arm. He knows, with a sinking of the heart, that writers' cramp is coming. Presently he gathers up his papers. Some writers linger over their work, correcting here and adding there. Mr. Lancelot Cory does not. He knows hetter. He puts them together, and numbers them, and rolls them up. Then he takes his hat and disappears. "Well, Mister," says his employer, a gentleman with a red face, and a certain something in his look that would have made all the Muses together shiver and shake and tremble— " It's take it or leave it. There's plenty who'd jump at my terms. It used to be three pound ten for thirty thousand words. It's gone down now to two pound ten. And here's the money." "But, good God, sir, how am I to live?" "Don't know, I'm sure. That's not my business. Look here, I can got novelettes by the dozen — thirty thousand words—for two pound ten apiece. What is it — thirty thousand words? About fifty of your pages. Only fifty pages. You're all so infernally lazy. And mind — prices are going down — I shouldn't be surprised, at the rate things are moving, if we don't get the price down before long to fifteen bob the thirty thousand words. Ah! and we will, too—with the help of the girls." Mr. Lancelot Cor)'—Tommy Crump—took the money meekly and crept away. It was the pay for a fortnight's hard work. The work was not worth anything to be sure, regarded as work, but it was all he could do. This is the end of that noble dream. He sees it no more. Fame, with her trumpet and her scroll, has changed into a Fury with a scourge, driving— driving—driving—his pen as fast as it can fly across the page. Soon will come writers' cramp in earnest. Soon the price of the penny novelette will go down, as the large-hearted proprietor foretold, to fifteen shillings the thirty thousand words. And then— then—alas! Poor Tommy! His brothers, who have remained clerks, are drawing their four, five, or even six pounds a week, while he—Alas! Poor dreamer! NOTES FROM PARIS. MR. Walter Besant invites me to give some more information on the financial side of the relations between French publishers and authors. I should say that not in more than one case out of a thousand does a French publisher purchase an author's copyright outright. If the author is unknown the publisher will not run the risk. If the author has any reputation, it is he who would not part with his property, which, thanks to the French custom of continuous republication, may be an unceasing source of revenue to him. The system adopted by authors and publishers is the royalty system, the royalties varying, according to the status of the author, from 25 cents, to 1 franc per volume. The French volume, published at 3 francs 5o cents., is generally sold at 2 francs 75 cents., though the country booksellers and some old-fashioned Parisian retailers refuse to allow any discount to the public. The bookseller earns 5d. per volume, leaving for cost of production and for author's and publisher's profits the sum of twelve-thirteenths of 2 francs 20 cents. Where a royalty of 1 franc per copy is given, the author's remuneration is higher than the publisher's profits, but such a royalty is very exceptional. Zola, Daudet, de Maupassant, and a few others get it. Many first-rate men have to content themselves with a royalty of 5d. Some get 7^d., but the vast majority of writers do not receive more than 3\d., which is a very favourite figure with the publishers. Absolute beginners receive i\d., anil than this there is no lower royalty. Ten pounds on account of royalties is considered liberal, entail- ing as it does the obligation on the publisher to sell from live hundred to a thousand copies. That is where royalties are from 5d. to 2\d. a copy. Four pounds is the best a poet can hope for on account of a volume, and thinks himself liberally treated. An edition in France is supposed to consist of 1,000 copies. But publishers here are not without guile, and to whip up a sale a book may be issued in editions of 5o copies, so that by the time 1,000 copies have been disposed of, the book is in its twen- tieth edition. This is considered, rightly, foul play, and one Paul Bonnetain- once niade a fuss about it. "If my book has reached such an edition, bona fides, you are swindling me," he wrote to his publishers, "for you have only accounted to me for so many copies. If the editions arc imaginary, then the public is being swindled, inasmuch as you lead people to believe in a success and a demand which do not exist. In either case I object to your conduct." vol. it.  ## p. 402 (#806) ############################################ 402 THE AUTHOR. On the other hand, in the caw of one or two very popular authors, the first edition usually con- sists of many more copies than the regulation 1,000. I am told that of the first editions of Zola's books, 20,000 copies are always issued. The second edition then appears as "Twenty-first thousandth." This is because everybody wants a first edition of Zola's books. Formerly his books were issued in first editions of 1,000 copies, and such copies are now worth from 3o to 100 francs a piece. I saw a first edition of "L'Assommoir" marked io5 francs in the window of a shop where only rare volumes are sold. Since "La Terre" however, owing to the new arrangement, such larger first editions have been issued, that no copies of first editions of any of his later books are quoted at a premium. In the case of men of small popu- larity, it is usual for a publisher not to issue more than 5oo copies of a book as a first, often last, edition. If he sells all the 5oo he is quite satisfied, and the author also. If I had a wishing-ring, I think that one of the first twenty wishes that I should express, would be to possess an album giving portraits of the faces of all the readers of a recent issue of the National Observer, as they perused Mallarme's article in French on "Vers et Musique en France," in that number. The face of him who has always prided himself on his knowledge of French, as he puzzled over that prose, would have been delightful to see. I showed the article to two leading French jour- nalists here, and asked them if it was comprehen- sible, and they both said that, with their heads on the block, they could not make sense of it. One said it was pure charabia (Anglice: Double Dutch). Such, however, is Mallarme's invariable style. I have seen and possess letters from him on trivial matters, which are couched in prose as precious and as obscure. As a talker, however, Mallarme, being comprehensible, is exquisite, and I know few rarer delights than to pass an hour or two at one of his Tuesday evening receptions in the dining room of his little fourth floor apartment in the Kue de Rome, and to listen to the master's discourses on literature and art. He stands leaning against the tiled stove, with his disciples closely packed sitting round the long table. Cigarettes are smoked and in the winter the host serves excellent rum grogs. Few speak except the master, though now and then a suggestion will be made or a question asked. Mallarme is here at his best, and it is a pity his words are not taken down for the delight of the -larger world outside the little room. It is •:ademy in a fourth floor back. But Mallarme' has \ a contempt for the larger world, by reason of the Philistines, and prints with great luxury for the very few. He will not publish. I thought his name was derived from words meaning "The Man of Poor Armour." That was the idea of a roman- tique. The master holds it that his name means "The Man of Sad Tears." If English authors, who having achieved some success in England, are anxious to have their works and their names introduced to the Freuch public, would follow the counsel of a Kempis and limit their desires, they would know peace. At least, they would save themselves from much disappoint- ment. As a general rule, the French public does not care for translations of English literature any more than it would care for English lxmnets. Sensational novels have the best chance here, as there is always a public for such fare. But the prices which are paid for French rights are always very small, and it may bo. well for English authors who think of attacking the Freuch publishers, to grasp this fact. Hachette, the great publisher, who does the most publishing or French trans- lations of English books, whenever he is asked, as he often is asked, some "long" price for French rights, will produce, as his answer, the receipt signed by Charles Dickens for the right of pub- lishing the translation of "David Copperfield." It is for £20. An English author who can persuade a French publisher to give him £10 for the French rights of a novel, may con- sider himself very lucky. But it is bringing coals to Newcastle to bring foreign fiction into the most glutted literary market in the world. I should say the chances an English author has of finding a French publisher to translate and publish his book are about one in one hundred. Notoriety is in England so much considered a pass to commercial success in authorship that if a man, who might never have tried his hand at lite- rature before, could manage to stand on his head on the point of Cleopatra's Needle, for, say, 24 consecutive hours, he would very probably be asked to write for some of the most important magazines, and as probably would receive offers from enter- prising publishers of books. In America, he would be asked to undertake a series of lectures. In France, however, the best he could hope for, would be an engagement either as a waiter in some brasserie or eafd, or as a "number" in the pro- gramme of the Folies-Bergeres. Literature is, in France, considered as much a metier, requiring training and apprenticeship, as the craft of the locksmith or of the jeweller.  ## p. 403 (#807) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 4°3 French publishers do little advertising, as a rule. Unknown authors are never advertised, except at their own cost, and do not seem to care to incur the expense. Christinas and New Year's books are advertised, but I do not know of any publisher who advertises all the year round. Some pub- lishers believe in the value of puffs or reclames, the prices of which vary from 4*. to 3os. a line. Xavier de Montepin has, perhaps, made more money out of literature than any living author in France, and though he has been twice ruined, is once again in an excellent situation of fortune. He never knew the hardships of the craft, for his first book, which he published at the age of 20, was a great success, and his good fortune has never since deserted him. He has produced considerably over 400 novels, and hopes, though an old man, to produce as many more. He lives in fine style in a mansion at Passy, which is filled with modern pic- tures, but otherwise decorated and fitted to recall the feudal days, for de Montepin attaches great importance to the fact of his being a count of old family. He is very proud of his riding, and prefers to talk on horses and horsemanship than on any other subject. He works steadily, producing one feuilleton instalment of about 1,600 words a day, never missing a day. His feuilletons are published in the most important Paris journals, though most frequently in the Petit Journal. Though im- mensely popular with a certain public, his confreres complain that once he begins a story in a paper, he carries it on to interminable lengths, and so reduces their opportunities of an innings. He receives a number of insulting anonymous letters weekly. It is in this way that the spiteful, having no reviews or journals—as in England—in which to vent their jealous rage, revenge themselves for his success and fortune. Emile Bichebourg, another feuilletonist of the same school and of almost equal success, lives at Bougival on the Seine, where he has a lovely villa called La Charmeuse. His income cannot be much less than £5,ooo a year. He lives and dresses simply, and his great delight in life is to arrange dances and fetes for the villagers in his district, in which fetes he always takes a very active part. He is as democratic as de Montepin is aristocratic in his ideas. This is how a novel by a successful writer in France is such a gold mine to its author. In the first instance, it is published as a feuilleton in a newspaper, for which the author may receive as much as £3,ooo. Then it is published in volume form. Then Bouff, or some other publisher of the same class, brings it out again in weekly penny parts, paying the author at least as much as was paid for the original serial rights. Such publishers spend immense suras on advertising their publi- cations, both by coloured posters all over France, and by displayed announcements and puffs in the papers. Later on it is republished in book form, the illustrated weekly parts being bound up into a cheap volume. Then after a while, the smaller Parisian journals, or provincial papers, whose proprietors cannot afford original feuilletons, arrange with the Society of Authors for the use of it, so that in ten years, the same serial may have appeared in fifty different papers in various parts of France. The author gets a large share of the "boodle " in each transaction, so that it will easily be understood why French people say that a successful novel is worth a good deal more than a farm in Beauec. Was not George Augustus Sala a little hard on the typewriter in one of his recent letters in the Sunday Times? As a pastmaster in the craft, all that Mr. Sala says is worthy of the closest consideration. Still, I hope that young writers will not be dissuaded from the use of the writing machine by his attack upon it. It may not be as suitable for the production of the higher grades of literary wares as the pen, but for turning out good medium qunlities, it is as good, and so much more rapid. And there is, I should say, more demand for good medium, or even medium wares, than for fine work, for it is a Brummagem age we live in. It is money in a man's pocket—if it be true that time is money—to use a typewriter in the manu- facture of copy, which it produces at at least three times the speed of the pen. Of course, if a man can command his own prices let him use a pen, or even a peacock's quill, like the divine Sarah, but in the case of the writer who stands towards the purchasers of literary wares as a simple producer, whose goods are judged by quantity and actuality, and not by brand, let his argument be to such as object to "machine-uiade copy," "My prices for this quality are so much, but for fine work so much more." "Them as wants titivating"— was not it Mrs. Gamp who said so ?—" must pay according." But even for the professional producer of fine work the typewriter is useful. I fancy that a good way of writing a novel would be to write it off, a jet continu, on the machine, and then to re-write it from this ebauche as often as need be with a  ## p. 404 (#808) ############################################ 404 THE AUTHOR. view to stylo. The MS. would then be once more put on the machine, and the final fair copy turned out. TurgeniefE used to suggest re-writing a book at least six times, but then Turgenioff had a large private income, and could afford to " titivate" his readers at his own expense. Personally, I find it easy to turn out from six to ten thousand words of marketable medium wares per diem on the typewriter. At a pitch, I have produced double that quantity. A typewriter will yield three thousand words an hour easily. By its help I was once able to furnish a publisher in three (lavs, and without interfering with my routine work, with a translation of a French book of over fifty thousand wonls, which the publisher hud hoped I could let him have in a mouth. For the production of "shockers " the typewriter is simply grand. And the machine is pleasant to use if you keep it clean, and give it an occasional drink of oil, and will gallop you over the fields of fancy like a rollicking Pegasus. In speaking to a French author of standing, you address him .as "maitre." In writing to him, you begin your letter, "Sir, and most highly honoured Muster." Actors address the author of a play they are rehearsing as "maitre" also. In both cases maitre means "postmaster" in his craft. Literature is a craft not a trade in France. A man may be a " maitre," and be addressed as such, although his sleeves are out of elbow, and he has not twopence to his credit at either the Society or the dramatic agents. Everybody calls Verlaine "maitre." Nobody would dream of calling certain writers, who earn in half-an-hour what poor Ver- laine earns in a year, by this title. In England, the doubloons earned, not the pastmastership, command respect. It is sickening to read para- graphs in so-called literary papers in which the incomes and earnings of men of letters are dis- cussed. Whose business is it? Such a thing would be considered in France an insult to the whole craft. "What shopkeepers we are! The <SV. James' Gazdtc criticises Mr. Besant's editing of the Author for allowing my note on Itenan's opinion of Zola's novels to pass. A reference to the first paragraph in this magazine, printed in italics, would have shown the St. James' Gazette that the responsibility of all signed articles which appear in the Author lies with their writers. It was therefore very unnecessary to drag Mr. Besant's name into a discussion as to the good or bad taste of one of my notes. As to this particular "•ote, its justification may be found in the very <ls of the St. James' Gazette, which describes itself as " awaiting with unholy impatience" Zola's answer to llenan. Argal, the note was to certain persons interesting and newsy. As to its being calculated to damage " good fellowship and good feeling" amongst the authors alluded to, Mr. Zola's DO' reply to the French interviewer on this note is the best refutation thereof. Zola delights in battle and is the first to desire to know who is his foeman in the arena of letters. My remarks on a certain class of British criticism have been extensively commented upon, and, as I think, unwisely. One journal represented ine as writing—apropos of the deed—that "because a critic says that so-and-so writes indifferent English he deserves to have his brains blown out." Another remarks that" In France, according to our authority, critics are civil because they fear the duel, and show themselves unjustly kind, not from charity, but from cowardice." Now it has been said that a few lines of a man's writing are always sufficient to hang him, that is, that anything one writes can always be misconstrued. How much easier to make it sufficient to cover him with ridicule. Of course, the critics I referred to are those who indulge in offensive personalities, personalities about the writer's character, appearance, habits, dress, and so on, a class which is daily becoming more numerous in England. A favourite form of impertinence with these individuals is to make pleasantries about a young author's name, by repeating it over and over again, provided it have the slightest ring of pretentiousness about it. Such persons are in France kept in check by a sense of direct personal responsibility, and I regretted, and still regret, that the same check does not exist in England. As to the critics who confine themselves to one's works, nobody has greater admiration for, and cause for greater gratitude to them than myself. KOBKKT H. SUERARD. Paris, 20th April, 1892. LITERATURE IN THE MAGAZINES. THE journals which are generally accepted as illustrating the opinions, expounding the theories, and explaining the work of our scholars and philosophers are the Quarterly, the Edinburgh, the Contemporary, the Nineteenth Century, the Fortnightly, the National, and Macmillan. (Their enumeration in this order means nothing.) During the years 1889-1891, there appeared in these journals about 800 articles. They are dissertations on every subject that  ## p. 405 (#809) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. occupied the attention of the world during that time; they cover the whole ground of human thought, human enterprise, human investigation; nothing that belongs to the time but is treated in these magazines. All sides of politics are discussed; all forms of religion; all branches of science; every philosophic school is represented; art, literature, medicine, and trade; the many difficulties and the ever varying questions which belong to a great empire; the prospects of the future; the tendencies of the present; the lesson of the past: for everything room is found by editors whose chief difficulty in this busy age, in which new forces are continually producing new changes, is selection in accordance with the needs and the inte- rests of the day. Of writers willing to discourse on every conceivable subject there is ample choice, the only difficulty being to find a man who at once understands his subject and knows how to set it forth in a striking and iiiterestin<i manner. Of such men there is no great plenty, and there never will be. If, therefore, we are to tabulate the articles according to subjects, we should perhaps arrive at some idea of the relative importance that the subjects treated seem, in the eyes of the editors, to obtain with the public. Should the subject most often treated be polities—finance— art—science—hygiene—the component parts of the Empire—trade disputes—the spread of socialism— the condition of the army? It is, in fact, none of these. An examination of these magazines, conducted for the Author, has revealed the very extraordinary faet that out of the 800 articles published during the last three years in these magazines, 32o—that is to say, two out of every five—are devoted to literature. Does, then, literature occupy the attention of the instructed class in the proportion of two fifths of their whole thinking and reasoning moments? It would seem so from these figures. Yet one certainly knows a great many people who must be called instructed and cultured who read books, both new and old, but most certainly do not give much atten- tion to the history of literatiu-e, to literary move- ments and to the criticism of dead or living literature. In the same way there is an immense number of people who read a certain proportion of new books—those which interest them—and care absolutely nothing for purely literary jmpers. For these people, both the cultured class who read the best books in their leisure hours and the class which reads only for amusement, these papers are not written. They are written for that small scholarly circle which interests itself especially in nil literary subjects, delights in fine criticism, if haply that can be found, reads with avidity monograms on poets and novelists, and loves to hear of great writers and their private lives. It is by this circle that the Browning societies, the Shakespeare societies, and such associations are founded, and from this circle that they are kept up. The increasing extent of that circle is proved by the fact that there are five monthly magazines and two quarterlies which devote two fifths of their space exclusively to the inhabitants of this circle. Considering, next, the subjects treated in these articles we find, first, that the following authors have been passed in review : Mad. D'Arblay, Matthew Arnold, Roger Bacon, Marie Bashkirtseff, Balzac, Baudelaire, Theodore De Banville, Charlotte Bronte, Boswell, Browning, Byron, Carlyle, Chesterfield, Chaucer, Coleridge, Crabb, Cowper, Wilkie Collins, Victor Cousin, Dante, Davenport, Donne, Disraeli, Defoe, Edward Fitzgerald, Farrar, Gifford, Gold- smith, Goethe, Baring Gould, Anthony Hamilton, Thomas Hardy, James Hogg, Heine, Victor Hugo, Thomas Hood, Lessing, Lecky, Dr. Johnson, Ibsen, Rudyard Kipling, Lowell, John Locke, Massinger, Mirabeau, Maeterlinck, Montaigne, Mickiewicz, Milton, Prosper Merimec, Sir Thomas More, Motley, Pepys, Norris, Oliphant, Pope, Prior, Richardson, Renan, Sir Walter Raleigh, Rousseau, Rossetti, Shakespeare, Stent, George Sand, Scott, Spenser, Stendhal, Stevenson, Swinburne, Sedg- wick, Thackeray, Theocritus, Tennyson, John Wesley, Wiclif, Edwin Waugh, William Watson, Wordsworth, George Wither, Henry Vaughan, Vcrlaine, and Zola. Some, of less interest, have been omitted from this list. Among the contri- butors to the long series of critical articles are many whose names are well known in other fields. There are novelists, poets, and historians among them as well as critics. Against the name of Ibsen there stand those of William Archer, Oswald Crawfurd, Edmund Gosse, C. J. Herford, E. Lord, and Philip Wicksteed. J. M. Barrie, himself a novelist, writes on Thomas Hardy, Baring Gould, and Rudyard Kipling. Andrew Lang and Swinburne write on Wilkie Collins. Grant Allen writes on William Watson, and William Watson writes on Edwin Waugh. J. Addington Symonds writes on Theodore Dc Banville, on Dantesque Ideals, Zola, and Theocritus. Swin- burne on Victor Hugo, Wilkie Collins, Massinger, James Shirley, and Scott's Journal. George Saintsbury on James Hogg, Tom Hood, Crabb, De Quincey, Leigh Hunt, and Anthony Hamilton. Professor Dowden on John Donne, Coleridge, and Goethe; Andrew Lang on Robert Browning and Wilkie Collins; Dr. Abbot on Newman; Julia Wedgwood Laurence Oliphant on Shakespeare, receives an astonishing amount of attention. We have papers on Shakespeare's spelling; on his travels; on his Venice; on certain characteristics; on detached plays; on Macbeth as a Celt; on his  ## p. 406 (#810) ############################################ 406 THE AUTHOR. Ghosts; on his Religion and Politics, and on his stage. No writer, one supposes, has ever received so much study and attention as Shakespeare. Turning to articles on subjects and not on names, of which there are about a hundred and twenty, we find about twenty devoted to the con- sideration of fiction under various aspects. Here are some of the subjects: "Idealism in French Fiction "; "King Plagiarism," a very unworthy personal attack; "American Fiction "; "The Modern French Novel "; "Realism in French Fiction "; "Penny Fiction"; the "Light Reading of our Ancestors"; "Romance Realisti- cized"; "English Realism and Romance"; "Morality in Fiction "; "Irish Novelists in Irish Peasants"; "Fiction, Plethoric and Anremie"; "New Watchwords of Fiction "; the "Abdication of Mrs. Grundy "; the "Naming of Novels "; "Candour in English Fiction," and so on. Criti- cism is considered in "Critics in Court "; "Critics and their Craft "; in " Criticism as a Trade "; in the " Literary Criticism of France." Authorship is treated in "The Trade of Author"; "Literature Then and Now "; various papers on American copyright; the Story of the first Society of British Authors. Lastly, such papers as those called, "Children and Modern Literature "; "Poets and Puritans "; "Humour "; the "Poetry of Common Sense "; the "Savage Club"; "Poetry by Men of the World "; " Influence of Democracy on Literature "; "Chapters from the History of the Bodleian "; " Our Dramatists and their Literature"; "Hopes and Fears for Literature "; the "Future of American Literature"; the "Literature and Language of the Age," show that there are men and women always watching the changes and chalices of modern literature, and that there are other men and women —thousands of them—who never tire of hearing about these changes and chances. To those who find the literature of the day trivial and feeble, we may at least point to this extraordinary production of papers by scholars and critics dealing for the most part with the writers of the day. They read — these scholars — the writers of the day; they read their trivial and feeble work, compare them, weigh them. In fact, it may be laid down as a general rule that those who sneer at contemporary literature are either the elder men who now read none of it, or the younger men who as yet know nothing of it. The great fact remains, that while in these seven magazines, considered as the leaders from the critical and cultivated point, two-fifths of the articles are purely literary, the greater part of this fraction of two- fifths is devoted to contemporary writers and contemporary subjects. But we have only taken seven magazines. There remain others. Blackwood contains some excel- lent literary papers; so does Temple Bar; so does the Cornhill and Longmans'. There are others. We must not forgot the New Revieic, a paper quite as good as the Contemporary—written for, in fact, by the same men who write for the larger journal. Nor must we forget such papers as the Saturday Review, the Spectator, the Athenceum, full of literary papers, admirably written, and for the most part full of suggestion and instruction. The seven which we have examined, however, sufficiently establish the important point, that literature, ancient and modern, is a subject which interests very largely—more largely than any other subject —a very large number of people. The increase in these magazines and the apparent fact that they all flourish, prove that this class is largely on the increase. Yet it is not a very considerable class. Are there one hundred thousand men and women, in all, in these Islands, who read these papers with pleasure? Probably not nearly so many. They are, however, a very important class. Among them are the journalists of the better class, the more cultivated of the professions, professors, lecturers, and schoolmasters, a sprinkling of the clergy, and the critics, historians, poets, and novelists themselves. The influence of these people stretches out in all directions; no one can tell where a paper in the Contemporary may not be felt. Here is an opinion: it teaches, as from a recognized centre of authority, those who teach others; so it is spread abroad. Go into a country house; you will hear opinions expressed on the latest novelist, the latest dramatist; and you will presently learn that they are taken bodily—with or without acknowledgment—from a magazine. One more question is suggested by this list. Who are the men and women who write these papers? Their number is necessarily limited. If the editor wants a paper on a French or English writer, there are not many men whom he can a*k. Let us see, then, from this list who are the living writers who during these three years contributed the papers on Authors living and dead, and on the literary subjects we have mentioned. Their names are as follows:— Edwin Abbott. Prof. Blaikie. Canon Ainger. Walter Besant. G. Aitkin. Henry Blackburn. Grant Allen. Karl Blind. William Archer. Mathilde Blind. Alfred Austin. Madame Blaize de J. M. Barrie. Bury. Wyke Bayliss. Rev. Stopford Augustine Birrell. Brooke.  ## p. 407 (#811) ############################################ THE A UTHOR. Hall Caine. Dean Church. E. Courtney. Oswald Crawfurd, Prof. Dowden. Austin Dobson. A. Conan Doyle. R. Dunlop. Archdeacon Farrar. Edmund Gosse. P. Greenwood. E. Dirk beck Hill. Prof. Knight. H. A. Kennedy. H. G. Keene. * Andrew Lang. A. H. Lecky. W. S. Lilly. Mrs. Lynn Linton. Mowbray Morris. Gabriel Monod. Prof. Minto. P. Myers. George Moore. Wilfrid Meynell. Justin McCarthy. Canon MacColl. Walter Pater. E. E. Prothero. Kennell Rodd. Prof. Romanes. E. S. Shuckburgh. William Sharpe. George Saintsbury. A. Swinburne. . J. A. Symonds. Paul Sylvester. Prof. Tyndal. H. D. Traill. Stanley Weyman. William Watson. Dean of Wells. Oscar Wilde. H. B. Wheatley. Rev. Philip H. Wicksteed. Julia Wedgwood. Helen Ziminern. may be taken as whose opinion is likely to be asked. The number is 64. Of course, this list is not proffered as complete. Few of the specialists are here. One misses such names as, in Art, Middleton and Monkhouse; in Archaeology, Budge, Sayce, Loftie; in Architecture, Hayter Lewis; in Philo- sophy, Herbert Spencer, Sir Frederick Pollock, James Sully; in Science, the names of all the leaders. But the list is representative. It a first rough list of those most considered, and most Omissions will be discovered, and will be supplied by anyone who reads the list. And if one were to extend the research, to include a few other magazines—such as the Church Quarterly, the Lata Quarterly, Blackwood, Longmans', &c— and to take the last ten years instead of the last three, we should arrive at a complete list of those who are considered by editors, and accepted by the world, as having a right to speak. Shall the Author extend this research? It is, if one comes to think of it, no mean thing to become one of these accepted speakers to the world—these men are the select preachers to the English-speaking race. They speak to a vast audience of a hundred millions; not that all are listening; most have got the rake in their hands and are raking with deaf ears; but they may listen if they please. And round the select preacher's pulpit is gathered a little throng of a few thousands. These listen and go away and tell others, further off, who could not hear what the preacher has said. And these again toll others, until at last even the man with the rake lifts his head and pricks up his cars. OBSERVATIONS ON "THE TALE-TELLING ART" IN SIR WALTER SCOTT'S INTRODUCTIONS TO THE "WAVERLEY NOVELS." III. A few passages in Sir Walter Scott's introduc- tions still remain which may claim the attention of the novelist, who will regret that they are but few. Respecting too many of the details of the art of fiction, Sir Walter Scott does not in his prefaces Bay a single word. No remarks of any kind are to be found about description of scenery, no remarks upon portraiture, no remarks upon con- trast of characters, nor upon a number of those other details of the "craft of romance writing," in which Sir Walter himself excelled, and upon which it is evident that he must have bestowed no ordinary care and thought. Two passages, however, occur bearing upon the study of character. The study of character is, of course, scarcely a detail of the art of fiction; it is rather the very soul of good story-telling; and all that Sir Walter Scott says in both of these places deserves close attention, not only on account of the great suggestiveness of his remarks, but also on account of the high importance to the novelist of any hints he can gather upon the treatment of character. The first of these passages will be found in the "Advertisement" preceding "The Antiquary." It treats of the great value in romance of characters drawn from those ranks of life in which the passions are least restrained by cultivation, and the feelings are most frequently expressed without reserve :— "I have in the two last narratives ['Guy Mannering,' and • The Antiquary '] sought my principal personages in the class of society who are the last to feel the influence of that general polish which assimilates to each other the manners of different nations. Among the same class I have placed some of the scenes, in which I have en- deavoured to illustrate the operations of the higher and more violent passions, both because the lower orders are less restrained by the habit of suppressing their feelings, and because . . . they seldom fail to express themselves in the strongest and most powerful language."  ## p. 408 (#812) ############################################ 408 THE AUTHOR. The second passage deals with a point no less important, but much more difficult: the choice of such characters as the general reader's conception of life will enable him easily to comprehend. This restriction will bo felt by every author to be a hard one, for it narrows the range of the novelist, reducing him to something resembling the dra- matist's small stock-in-trade of characters, whom everyone can immediately understand. Upon reflection, however, it will probably be admitted that Sir Walter Scott's contention is in the main justified by the fact that everything which is intended to entertiiin, or, indeed, to instruct, must of necessity be perfectly intelligible. It was Sir Walter Scott's opinion that in Sir Percie Shafton the Euphuist, in "The Monastery," he had presented a character which was not in- telligible; and why not intelligible he is at much pains to explain in a long passage in the " Intro- duction to ' The Monastery.'" The whole cannot be quoted here, and should be read in its proper context. The chief points, however, are these "The author had the vanity to think that a character, whose peculiarities should turn on ex- travagancies which were once universally fashionable, might be read in a fictitious story with a good chance of affording amusement to the existing generation, who, fond as they arc of looking back on the actions and manners of their ancestors, might be also supposed to be sensible of their absurdities . . . He was disappointed . . . The Euphuist, far from being accounted a well- drawn and humorous character . . . was con- demned as unnatural and absurd . . . The author has been led to suspect that . . . his subject was injudiciously chosen . . . The manners of a rude people are always founded on nature, and therefore the feelings of a more polished generation immediately sympathise with them . . . It does not follow that the . . . tastes, opinions, and follies of one civilised period should afford cither . . . interest or . . . amusement to . . another. Let us take . . . Shaks- peare himself . . . The mass of readers peruse without amusement the characters formed on the extravagance of a temporary fashion . . . The Euphuist Don Armado, the pedant Holophernes, even Nym and Pistol, are read with little pleasure by the mass of the public . . .In like manner, while the distresses of Romeo and Juliet continue to interest every bosom, Mercutio, drawn as an accurate representation of the finished fine gentle- man of the period, and, as such, received by the unanimous approbation of contemporaries, has so little to interest the present age, that stripped of his puns and quirks of verbal wit, he only retains a place in the scene in virtue of his fine and fanciful speech upon dreaming, which belongs to no particular age . . . The introduction of a. humorist acting, like Sir Percie Shafton, upon some, forgotten or obsolete mode of folly ... is rather likely to awake the disgust of the reader, as un- natural, than find him food for laughter . The formidable objection of iucredulits odi was applied to the Euphuist, as well as to the White Lady of Avenel; and the one was denounced as unnatural, while the other was rejected as im- possible." In the first chapter of "The Bride of Lammer- moor," in the imaginary conversation with Dick Tinto, Sir Walter Scott has something to say upon the use and abuse of dialogue in romance. "Your characters," be [Dick Tinto] said . . putter too much . . . there is nothing in whole pages but mere chat and dialogue." "The ancient philosopher," said I in rejily, "was wont to say, ' Speak, that I may know thee'; and how is it possible for an author to introduce his dramatis persona to his readers in a more inte- resting and effectual manner than by the dialogue in which each is represented as supporting his own appropriate character?" The dangers of an excess of dialogue, and the value of descriptive narrative are a few lines below thus happily expressed :— "Description," he said, "was to the author of a romance exactly what drawing and tinting were to a painter; words were his colours, and, if properly employed, they could not fail to place the scene which he wished to conjure up, as effectually before the mind's eye, as the tablet or canvas presents it to the bodily organ. The same rules . . . applied to both, and an exuberance of dialogue, in the former case, was a verbose and laborious mode of composition which went to confound the proper art of fictitious narrative with that of drama, a widely different species of composition, of which dialogue was the very essence. . . . But as nothing can be more dull than a long narrative written upon the plan of a drama, so where you have approached most near to that species of com- position, by indulging in prolonged scenes of mere conversation, the course of your story has become chill and constrained, and you have lost the power of arresting the attention and exciting the imagina- tion, in which upon other occasions you may be considered as having succeeded tolerably well." The words are supposed to be addressed to Sir Walter, who here is again criticising himself. They suggest several questions. Do readers of the present day find their attention more arrested by the narrative portions than by the dialogues in the "Waverley Novels "? Does not fiction tend to use  ## p. 409 (#813) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. dialogue more and more, and narrative less? Was dialogue one of Sir AValter Seott's strong points? These are questions which the reader must answer for himself. One remark alone Sir Walter makes on romance style :— "Every work designed for amusement must he expressed in language easily comprehended." (General Preface to the "Waverley Novels.") The astonishing speed at which Sir Walter Scott wrote his novels must be considered one of the marvels of those marvellous compositions. Like a good many other authors he was advised by people, who certainly knew a good deal less about novel- writing than he did, to write more slowly, and to bestow more care upon construction and composi- tion. By these means, so his counsellors assured him, certain portions of his work which they found inferior to the rest would be vastly improved. Few lines that he has written will be more interesting to authors than his reply :— "The works and passages in which I have succeeded have uniformly been written with the greatest rapidity . . . the parts in which I have come feebly off wen; by much the more laboured." (Introductory Epistle, Captain Clut- terbuck to the Rev. j)r. Dryasdust, preceding "The Fortunes of Nigel.") When the "Waverley Novels" were collected into a complete edition, Sir Walter Scott subjected them all to a careful revision. A comparison of the texts of the first editions with the texts offered as final, might afford some curious points. Many of the alterations would, no doubt, prove trivial, but it is hardly possible to doubt that others might be of interest. Sir Walter says of his emenda- tions :— "These consist in occasional pruning where the language is redundant, compression where the style is loose, infusion of vigour where it is languid, and exchange of less forcible for more appropriate epithets." ("Advertisement," preceding General Preface to "Waverley Novels.") A single subject remains, about which Sir Walter Scott has a good deal to say: the difficult enterprise of choosing a title. On the one hand, he admits— "It is of little consequence what the work is called, provided it catches public attention." (Introductory Epistle, Captain Clutterbuck to the Rev. Dr. Dryasdust, preceding "The Abbot.") On the other hand, he was not at all blind to the fact that the title itself might much assist to "catch the public attention," and was very careful about the names of his books, "a good name being very nearly of as much consequence in literature as in life." (Introduction to "Rob Roy.") At the same time he was very shy of "taking titles." Of these he speaks in three different places, and all that he says is deserving of the consideration of everyone thinking of publishing a book:— "The publisher and author, however much their general interests are the same, may be said to differ so far as title pages are concerned; and it is a secret of the tale-telling art . . . that a taking title . . . best answers the purpose of the book- seller, since it . . . sells an edition not unfrequently before the public have well seen it. But the author ought to seek more permanent fame. . . . Many of the best novelists have been anxious to give their works such titles as render it out of the reader's power to conjecture their contents until they should have an opportunity of reading them." (Introduction to the "Betrothed.") "What is called a taking title serves the direct interest of the bookseller. . . . But if the author permits an over-degree of attention to be drawn to his work ere it lias appeared, he places himself in the embarrassing condition of having excited a degree of expectation, which, if he proves unable to satisfy, is an error fatal to his literary reputation." (Introduction to " Ivanhoe.") "A taking title is a recipe for success much in favour with booksellers, but which authors will not always find efficacious. The cause is worth a moment's examination. A tale . . . sure by the very announcement to excite public curiosity to a considerable degree ... is of the last importance to the bookseller. . . . But it is a different case with the author, since it cannot be denied that we are apt to feel less satisfied with the work of which we have been induced ... to entertain exagge- rated expectations." (Introduction to "The Abbot.") Sir Walter Scott received very large sums for his copyrights, and was so conscious of the money value of his work, that when he found himself, by no fault of his own, ruined and responsible for a gigantic debt, he courageously resolved to earn with his pen the sum Decessary to pay it. No author ever wrote with a more direct, or more laudable intention of obtaining money, and so the following lines from the Introductory Epistle preceding the "Fortunes of Nigel," may perchance, more fitly than any others close these brief notes on observations on the "tide-telling art" in Sir Walter Scott's introductions to the "Waverley Novels":— "No work of imagination, proceeding from the mere consideration of a certain sum of copy money ever did, or ever will, succeed." Hexhy Crksswell. ■  ## p. 410 (#814) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. WALT WHITMAN. I. An Interview. IT was in September 1881 that I had a personal interview with Wnlt Whitman. Accompanied by a well-known Boston journalist, I called in the forenoon upon the old bard. We set awaiting his arrival for some minutes. Then the door opened, and there walked into the room, with simple mien and unconstrained air, as out of an Ossianic poem or some ancient bardic lay, a veritable Brehon. Tall and slightly stooped, leaning on a stick and walking slowly (the effect of a stroke of paralysis), Walt Whitman, the poet of the American democracy, struck me as a very remarkable picture. His hair white and long, his eye a light blue, bright, intelligent, and brilliant, strongly marked nose, slightly blunted, over a white moustache, and the countenance framed all around with a long white beard and whiskers. Sui generis in dress as in literature, Walt Whitman was every inch an ideal poet to gaze upon, the open Byronic collar and loose coat and waistcoat, surmounted by his massive and venerable head, making an interesting and impressive picture. Whitman in conversation was measured and thoughtful, liked to hear about English literature, especially poetry, and had made up his mind very strongly upon the merits of modern bards. He was then beginning to be understood in Boston, and was acutely sensible of the change of opinion which was gradually coming over the American literary world with regard to his work. He himself has declared that the proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it. He was fond of young men. "It does me good," he said to me, "to see the boys and young men, and to have them about me." The grandeur of his personal presence, the calm thought enthroned upon his brow, impressed one with the idea that he partook more of the seer and the sage than of the modern poet. I shall always carry with me a memory of Walt Whitman as the First Brehon of the American race. P. H. Bagenal. II. Walt Whitman's Last Room. When I described, on Nov. 29, a recent visit to Walt Whitman, I did not say half I thought of the squalor and wretchedness of his surroundings. It is a wonder to me that he did not die long ago from the effects of the unwholesome atmosphere of the place. Whitman was a man who loved and needed the sunlight and fresh air. In that wretched room he had neither. It faced the north, and the little light that might have shone upon him was kept out by dirty windows and closed shutters. I doubt if the room had ever been swept, much less thoroughly cleaned. The dirty carpet, the piles of old newspapers, the unmade bed, the rickety stove that gave out enough heat to dry up a much more vigorous body than that of the old poet, all had the most depressing effect upon me when I came into the place from the crisp, clear air of a bright October day. I have read descriptions of old misers who have been found dead amid their miserable surroundings, but Walt Whitman's bed- room gave me a far more vivid sense of what such dens must be than columns of mere description. The pathetic thing about it was his contentment. I am well taken care of," he said; "the people, here are very kind." The latter statement was probably true; but I do not call such care as he received good care. I would not have left a favourite dog to live in such a place. I have been told that his friends who visited him in his last illness were greatly annoyed by the unclean wretchedness of the place, but, seeing that he was too far gone to make expostulation advisable, they held their peace.—The New Yokk Critic. ■ FROM AMERICA. ICAN assure you that the condition of the author in America, so far as I am qualified to judge, is even more lamentable than his English brother. You say that " the sweating of authors— chiefly ladies and small authors—that goes on is really terrible." I think that in America, although all authors suffer, the case of the women writers, especially the young authors, is worse, because women, as a rule, are ignorant of business methods, and are especially timid about standing up for their just rights. I greatly desire to see a " Society for the Pro- tection of American Authors" established on the lines ably laid down in the Forum article, and to that end I should be most grateful if you would mail me any printed reports of your Society that you are willing to make public, and especially the two pamphlets mentioned: "The Cost of Production " and " Methods of Publishing," together with a few sample copies of your Author, which I am unable to get in Boston, or even to learn its subscription price. \  ## p. 411 (#815) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 411 I am an author myself ou a small scale, and a contributor to the American Press, but have suffered severely from the methods of payment employed by most publishers, and by all but a few of the largest magazines. Almost all American periodicals "pay on publication," and an author's MSS. are frequently detained, say five years, without any compensation. The syndicate method also works a great injustice to young authors. For instance, one of the largest syndicates in New York city pays at the rate of about 610 per column of 2,000 words for a timely, newsy article, generally not wishing more than a column and a half. This same article is sold perhaps to forty newspapers throughout the United States, and each editor pays for it at the rate of about $5 per column, some- times more, if the author is noted. The syndicate, therefore, takes in about $200 to the author's §10; if this is not a case of "sweating" I hardly know what is. Young authors often endure this in silence, for they hope that the wide circulation given to their article and their name may sometime come back to them in solid cash, but the expecta- tion is often disappointed. For instance, I sent an article of nearly two columns in length that had taken me some time in careful preparation to the above-named syndicate. In my letter to the editor I said that the work thereon was exhaustive, and that I "should like" $20 therefor. No reply was made, and I presumed my terms were accepted. Some weeks afterwards, when the article was published, and I was without redress, I 'received a curt note from the editor saying that the article was only worth Si2 to them, and they therefore sent me a check for that amount. On asking an editor-friend in Boston about the justice of the case, he assured me that I had no legal claim, because I had merely said " I should like," instead of saying plainly " The price is 320." Another syndicate to which I sent a carefully written article on a subject pertaining to women, detained my article of 4,000 words some four months, then offered me a beg- garly price for about 1,000 words: I declined it, and wrote requesting the editor to return me the article. After some weeks' delay he did so, but one-quarter of it, the portion he desired, was miss- ing. I could not get it until a newspaper editor and personal friend called and got it in person. Some weeks after, a friend from the West sent me a cutting, which contained the portion of my article which the syndicate had retained, and never paid for, almost verbatim. I had no redress that I could find out for this case of downright robbery. In a third case I sold a magazine article on a topic of interest to women to a certain magazine for §3o. It was to be paid for on publication, but the month before the article was to appear the magazine failed, and everything was put into the hands of a receiver. I wrote for my unpaid article, but received the reply that it was the property of the magazine, and was now in the editor's desk, which was sealed up, together with about thirty dollars worth of fine pen and ink sketches, the work of an artist friend, also unpaid for. I finally recovered the articles, but their timeliness was gone; I had to wait another year for a publisher, and the pen and ink sketches, although made to order, were detained for months, and finally returned unpaid for, resulting in a total loss to the artist, who had kindly offered to illustrate my work. In still another case I sold a series of letters upon European travel to a prominent New York weekly, giving them the copyright. They, how- ever assured me that if I wished to reprint the articles in book form I was at liberty to do so, if I gave them the credit. Before I had time to do as I had intended, a Boston international steamer agency, without communicating either with me or the editor to whom I sold the work, reprinted nearly the whole of it, issuing it in book form, as an advertisement. Just enough was omitted to make it safe to reprint a copyright work, and, though my name was given anil credit assigned to the paper from which the letters were taken, I did not make a penny by the transaction. When I heard that the book had been so popular that a second edition was to be brought out this season of 2,000 more copies, making 4,000 in tdl, I addressed a letter to the enterprising publisher, suggesting that I might make some additions to the book and corrections making it more valuable, for which I would charge only a nominal sum; the publisher then concluded that, on the whole, he woidd not bring out a second edition this season. I am now negotiating with a second publisher, but fear that owing to the first publication and gra- tuitous distribution of so many copies I have lost all chance of a sale. On another occasion I wrote a timely article for "Thanksgiving" on the "American Cranberry," giving a number of facts which I had been at some pains to obtain. It was sent in ample season, two months in advance, to one of the largest Boston Sunday papers, and I was told by the city editor, whom I knew slightly, that " it had passed the first acceptance." But the MS. had disappeared from the face of the earth; I have looked for it for three years in the paper, but it has never been published, and though I have called a dozen times for it at the newspaper office it has never been found. Although I valued it at $20, and, unfortunately, had no copy by which to replace it, no offer was ever made of payment, and I am told that I have no legal redress, as the article was not specially ordered, and the paper to which it was sent adver- tises "that unsolicited MSS. will not be returned."  ## p. 412 (#816) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Still, previously that same paper had accepted and paid for a numl>er of my special articles, so I thought that I was safe in submitting this one. I met the loss of another article of equal value in a New York paper, and although I was assured several times that the New York .... always paid for an article if it lost it through its own fault, my modest little bill has remained totally unregarded. I know of a still worse case, where a well-known authoress of New York city sent a complete MS. of a child's book to a well-known Boston publishing house. The MS. was accepted; in some mysterious way between the time of acceptance and publica- tion the MS. disappeared. Although it contained about 8o,ood words, and represented the work of months, the poor author was forced to re-write it from beginning to end, without the offer of pay- ment of a single cent on the part of the. publishing house who lost the MS. Of course, apologies anil regrets were sent, but they did not pay for the loss of time and the double work. In the American newspaper work, especially, there is very sharp competition, and a special writer, like myself, not connected with any regular paper, often suffers severely, when he has an exclusive bit of news. For instance, some years ago, when I was less familiar with newspaper sharp practice than I am now, a new building of public importance was erected in Cambridge, near Harvard College, where I reside, I called ou the superintendent of this manual training school with a letter of introduction from a mutual friend, and he gave me an hour of his valuable time. I then prepared a very full and exhaustive report, of the new building, machinery, &c. The next morning early I called upon the managing editor of the largest paper in Boston, mentioned the fact that this building Was just completed, that no report of it had appeared, and that I had one prepared. The managing editor replied that they did not consider a single manual training school building of sufficient importance to warrant an extended notice; but that if I would visit all such schools in Boston and the neighbouring cities and make a general report they woidd probably accept it. I made my preparations to do so, but on returning for some additional data to the Cambridge school, I was told by the manager that early that morning, evidently directly after my visit in Boston, a special re[K>rter had been sent from the Boston Herald in hot haste to get all the facts, which the manager, knowing of my intention to write the article, out of courtesy to me, refused to give, so that only a maimed and unintelligent report appeared. I have taken the liberty to quote these personal cases to you, as there are thousands of a like kind, with which young writers are helplessly forced to grapple every day. You are at liberty to use these as you see fit, if you will not mention names. I am now a member of the New England Women's Press Association, which also includes a number of authors, and I should greatly like to get this association and the various authors' clubs throughout the country interested in the matter of a reform. E. T. — "AT THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." CITIES, as cities, rarely do honour to their citizens during their lifetime, even though such citizens may become world-famous ; but Bristol is about to break down the habit of letting men be only recognised as famous citizens after death, by acknowledging during his lifetime the valuable ethnographical work that Dr. John Beddoe has been enabled to accomplish, whilst acting also a.s a physician in the Bristol suburb, Clifton. A very representative committee, under Mr. Lewis Frv, M.P., as chairman, has been appointed to present Dr. Beddoe with a volume containing an address recognising his well known labours, that have made his name famous in the scientific world. Amongst the committee are the Earl of Ducie, Bishop Clifford, Canon Ainger, Canon "Wallace, Mr. Warren of Magdalene (a Bristolian); Pro- fessors Lloyd, Morgan, and Rowley of the Univer- sity College, Bristol; the headmaster of Clifton College, Mr. R. L. Leighton, head of the Grammar School, and certain members of the Town Council, in fact a representative, body. Mr. James Baker, acting as Hon. Secretary. The address is to be signed by all the official, literary, scientific, and artistic bodies in Bristol, and will be presented at a dinner during the month of May. Mr. Barry Pain's new volume, entitled " Stories and Interludes," will be published by Messrs. Henry and Co. and by Messrs. Harper & Bros, simul- taneously on May 3rd. Mr. Hall Cable's forthcoming storiette, entitled "Capt'n Davy's Honeymoon," which is to run in Lloyd's, will lie published al>out Midsummer by Mr. AVm. Heinemann. Mrs. George Augustus Sala's new volume, which bears the title " People I have met," has just been published by Messrs. Osgood, Macllvaine and Co. Mr. A. J. Balfour is to preside on the 29th anniversary of the Newspaper Press Fund, which is to be held at the Hotel Metroi>oIe on the 14th instant.  ## p. 413 (#817) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 4'3 Among the series of papers which will uppear in Scribucr's on the position of the great European cities is one by Mr. Walter Besant, dealing with the East London riverside. The parish chosen is that of St. James, Rateliff. Prize stories, with the notable exception of Mr. Goodman's " Only Witness," do not, it seems, catch on. It is reported that the Leadenhall Press have not made a success of their venture "Guess the Title." 10,000 copies were issued, and the Publisher's Circular reports that 9,000 still remain on hand. We are sorry that Mr. Tuer has not made a hit with this venture, but it is, perhaps, fortunate on the whole for the future of fiction that the dodge has not succeeded. We have the advertising fiend quite enough with us as it is, and the self-advertising story is an excrescence which we can very well afford to do without. Ben Brierley has a great popularity, both as a writer and as an entertainer, all over Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire, and has managed to main- tain himself in a frugal way up till within the last year or two. He was then attacked by illness which kept him confined to his bed for twelve months, and has left him partially paralysed, so that it is impos- sible for him to go on with his entertainments, upon which he mainly depended for a livelihood. A few Lancashire merchants proposed a tribute to him, and up to the present a sum of £25o has been collected in small sums. Among the subscribers were Lord Derby, Viscount Cranbourne, Sir W. H. Houldsworth, Mr. A. J. Balfour, Sir Ughtred Kay Shuttle\vorth,and other leading Lancashire men. It has now been arranged that the mayors of all Lancashire towns shall receive subscriptions for the fund, and it is hoped that it will attain suffi- cient proportions to enable Ben Brierley to be secure from want to the end of his life. If Mr. Gladstone attains to the somewhat doubt- ful honour of being "collected," his fondness for appearance in pamphlet form will lend an added interest to the hunt for complete sets of his works. The last addition to his brochures is a letter on Female Suffrage, addressed to Mr. Samuel Smith, the well-known Liverpool philanthropist, which has just been published by Mr. John Murray. Mr. C. F. Dowsett, F.S.I., has published (The Land Record Office) his promised work on " Land, its attractions and riches," by 57 writers. Principal Bond-deals with "Fruit Growing"; Mr. C. W. Heckethorn with "Investments "; Professor G. Henslow writes on "The Value of Botany to Country Residents"; the Rev. A. Styleman Herring on "Fresh Air for Poor London Chil- dren "; Professor Long on "Dairy Farming "; and the Rev. Compton Reade on "The Pleasures of a Country." Dr. B. W. Richardson deals with "Health in Relation to Land"; Professor A. H. Sayce with "Ancient Laws '*; and Professor R. Wallace with " Egyptian Lands." The death of John Hyslop at Kilmarnock, N.B., removes another of the true jwets of the people. Almost wholly self-educated, he left the machine- room to become a rural messenger something more than thirty years ago, and in the year of Burns' centenary became generally recognised by his tribute to the Ploughman Bard. We extract from the Pall Mall Gazette the concluding lines of his last poem, which was written on his death-bed for the Kilmarnock Standard— I hear the music in the upper rooms, My soul like pent hinl panteth to he free j When that has passed beyond life's prisoning bars, Then burn or bury, do what pleaseth thee With the worn cage that is no longer Me, l'"or I shall neither know, nor hear, nor see. ****** Sometimes, perchance, amid the hurrying years, With friends in shady nook or wooded glen, You'll say: "He coined his soul's best thoughts in words, And sent them rushing through his ready pen In songs of hope to cheer his fellow men." If any songs of all the songs I've sung Make any music where life's discord mars God's harmonies, and through the souls of men Goes echoing on to heal some hidden scars, Then I shall hear it from beyond the stars! The fifth and sixth volumes of Mr. C. G. Leland's translation of the works of Heinrich Heine, which have just been published by Mr. Win. Heinemann, contain the "Germany," the "Comments on Faust," the " Gods in Exile," and the " Goddess Diana." Mr. Leland claims that this is the first complete edition of Heine's "Germany," which, as he very justly contends, is a work of which no one can be ignorant who seeks sound or even superficial reading of modern literature. Mr. Hume Nisbet's new story, "The Bush- ranger's Sweetheart," has just been issued by Mr. F. V. White. M. Chedomil Mijatovich, formerly Servian Minister at the Court of St. James's, has issued an interesting book on the conquest of Constantinople by the Greeks, which embodies the result of great personal research. Messrs. Sampson Low anil Co. are the publishers. Hitherto, no single monograph on the conquest of Constantinople has existed in English, though as early as 1670 a tragedy entitled the "Siege of Constantinople" was published in London.  ## p. 414 (#818) ############################################ 414 THE AUTHOR. "Haunts of Nature," by H. W. S. Worsley- Benison, and illustrated by C. M. Worsley, is issued by Elliot Stock. Mr. Worsley-Benison is already very well known as the author of " Nature's Fairyland," and in his new book shows that he is not an unworthy successor even to Richard Jefferies. Mr. Edmund Downey (F. M. Allen) has ready a collection of Irish tales, which, under the title of "Green as Grass," will be published by Messrs. Chatto and Windus in a few days. Dr. S. P. Driver, the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Oxford, has concluded a volume of sermons, entitled "Old Testament Criticisms." Messrs. Methuen are the publishers. Mr. Rudyard Kipling's " Barrack Room Ballads" —Japanese paper edition—was published on April 3oth by Messrs. Methuen. Mr. Arthur Symon's new volume of verse, which is to bear the title of " Silhouettes," will be published immediately by Messrs. Elkin Mathews and John Lime. There is to be yet another Metropolitan literary society, the Irish Literary Society, which is to be inaugurated next month under the presidency of Sir Charles Gavan Duffy, K.C.M.G. The Rev. Stopford Brooke is to deliver the inaugural address. Mr. E. F. Knight, the author of the "Cruise of the Falcon," promises a book relating his adventures during the recent campaign in Hun/.a, in which he acted not only as special correspondent of the Times, but as a combatant. The Rev. Chas. Voysey has prepared, and Messrs. Williams and Norgate have published, a third edition of a Theistic Prayer Book, greatly enlarged, and containing new services and many new hymns. Mrs. Frank St. Clair Grimwood's story, "The Power of an Eye," is running in Winter's Weekly, and will Ik- published shortly by Mr. F. V. White. Mr. Mackenzie Bell contributes a poem on a religious theme to the Christian Leader. The May number of the Library Revieiv con- tains a further contribution by Stanley Little on "Current Fiction," in which he will deal with woman as a creator in fiction; an article entitled "Tennyson as Dramatist" by Cuming Walters; another by Graham Aylward on "Mr. Meredith and his Critics"; and one by Percy White on "Daudet and his Literary Methods." Mr. Eden Philpotts's new story "A Tiger's Cub" has just been issued by Messrs. Arrowsniith. "Mark Tillotson " is the title of the new novel by the author of " John Westacott," which appears this month. It is dedicated to the veteran poet, Frederick von Bodenstedt, the good friend of "George Eliot " during her Munich life. Mr. E. S. Purcell has written the authorised Life of Cardinal Manning. He has had not only the Cardinal's permission but also his assistance, with the right to read and use private diaries and letters. We learn from the New York Critic, that shortly after the appearance of "Vain Fortune," Charles Scribner's Sons made Mr. George Moore an offer for tho right of reprinting it in America. The author accepted, stipulating only that he should be allowed to re-write his novel. This he has done with such thoroughness that the first half of the narrative has been entirely changed, and the main interest transferred from the hero to the heroine. Messrs. Osgood, Mcllvaine, and Co. are to publish this month a book by Mr. Hamilton Aide, entitled " A Voyage of Discovery," a novel illustra- tive of American Society as Mr. Aide found it last year when travelling here with Mr. Stanley. Those readers whose attention has been attracted by the life story of Travers Madge, as told by the Rev. Dr. Brooke Herford in "A Protestant Poor Friar," will be interested to know that from this strangely pathetic life Mrs. Humphry Ward drew the idea of her Ancrum, the crippled minister in "David Grieve." In "The Gentleman Digger"—Sampson Low and Co.—the Comtesse de Bremont sets forth with a good deal of spirit and actuality pictures of Johannesburg life in 1889, that is to say, at about the period of the famine, the crisis, and the collapse of the feverish "boom"of 1888-89. The varied types of mankind—ill enough for the most part— tlie hideous scenes enacted daily and nightly at the great gold and diamond mining camps of South Africa; the unutterable squalor, glitter, drunken- ness, chicanery, and crime; all these things are displayed in a very realistic manner. As depicting true phases of life, as a very real warning, this book undoubtedly has a value. And it is to the author's credit that she has raised her voice against that vilest of all systems of murder, the poisoning of native races, body and soul, by the horrible drink traffic.  ## p. 415 (#819) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 4i5 FROM THE PAPERS. I. The Lowell Memorial. DEAN Bradley's refusal to find room for a memorial to Lowell in Westminster Abbey is an act of which no explanation is yet forthcoming. Want of space is no explanation, any more than when the bust of Matthew Arnold was hid away in an obscure corner where not one visitor in a thousand will ever see it. Lowell, of course, has no claim. No American has a claim, nor any Englishman either. It rests with the Dean of Westminster, for the time being, to grant or refuse admission to the Abbey. There is no appeal from his discretion, or indiscretion, except to public opinion, or to Parliament, where public opinion is sometimes crystallized into a concrete reform. It was Parliament which intervened to save the Abbey from the intrusion of Prince Louis Napoleon, whom Dean Stanley was resolved to admit. The present is no cause for invoking that supreme court of appeal. Nor do I know that Lowell's American friends need care much about the matter. It is Lowell's English friends who made the request to the Dean, which he somewhat churlishly, they think, has re- jected. Lowell, says one of them, is not thought good enough for the Abbey. Perhaps not. He was merely the foremost American man of letters of his time, long resident in England and beloved here; a representative who did invaluable service to his own country and to this; admittedly the first—it is the English who admit it—scholar of English literature. What has he to do with Westminster Abbey? That mausoleum of non- entities is dignified, no doubt, by the tombs and memorials of some great men, but the majority are no company for Lowell. To say that Lowell shall not find a place tliere is to say that no American shall in the future, and that the few now there had better come away; Longfellow first of all, who will hardly care to remain now that his friend is ex- cluded. If any Dean of Westminster of the future regrets the exclusion, he may chisel into some vacant stone the line in which the French Academy does penance for the absence of Moliere: "Nothing was wanting to his glory. He is wanting to ours." —New York Tribune. April 10, 1892. II. The Glorious Traditions of the Book Agent. Napoleon Bonaparte, when a poor lieutenant, took the agency for a work entitled " L'Histoire de la Revolution." In the foyer of the great palace of the Louvre can be seen to-day the great Emperor's canvassing outfit, with the long list of subscribers he secured. George Washington, when young, canvassed around Alexandria, Va., and sold over 200 copies of a work entitled " Bydell's American Savage." Mark Twain was a book agent. Longfellow sold books by subscription. Jay Gould, when shirting in life, was a canvasser. Daniel Webster paid his second term's tuition at Dartmouth by handling "De Tocqueville's America," in Merrimac County, New Hampshire. General U. S. Grant canvassed for "Irving's Columbus." Rutherford B. Hayes canvassed for "Baxter's Saints' Rest." James G. Blaine began life as a canvasser for a "Life of Henry Clay." Bismarck, when at Heidelberg, spent a vacation canvassing for one of Blumenbach's handbooks.— New York Critic. III. The Chief Use of the Society. I conceive the Society's most important function to be the establishment of that solidarity amongst literary folk, notoriously a race of units, which has hitherto been non-existent. It is a great thing that voting authors should be able to get advice and help from those who know better than themselves; but it is much more that the whole profession of literature should have a focus, a rallying point, a central representative body—call it what you will. And it seems to me that it is the plain duty of every author, of whatever posi- tion, to further the consolidation of the Society by joining it. Many of its members, of course, do not need help themselves; they should, there- fore, add their own strength to the weakness of their less fortunate brethren. And of its power of immediate usefulness, the best testimony is to be found in the list of the more important cases in which the Society has interfered during the past year. It is very interesting reading, and will certainly convince all sceptics of the real usefulness of the Society and the justness of the ideal relations between author and publisher which it holds up.— IVinter's Weekly. IV. American Fiction. American fiction has distinctly forsaken the expansive and the illimitable to run after the contracted and the limited. Instead of a national novel we now have a rapidly accumulating series of regional novels, or rather—so far as the sub- dividing and minimising process goes—of local tales, neighbourhood sketches, short stories confined to the author's Imck yard.— The New York Nation.  ## p. 416 (#820) ############################################ 416 THE AUTHOR. v. Newspaper Copyright. In the interesting discussion on newspaper copy- right now proceeding in the Times, no one has yet called attention to the very definite agreement on the subject embodied in the Berne Convention. Article VII. of that instrument runs as follows :—• "Articles from newspapers or periodicals pub- lished in any of the countries of the Union may be reproduced in original or in translation in the other countries of the Union, unless the authors or publishers have expressly forbidden it. For periodicals it is sufficient if the prohibition is made in a general manner at the beginning of each number of the periodical. This prohibition cannot in any case apply to articles of political discussion, or to the reproduction of news of the day or current topics." It will thus be seen that countries in the Copy- right Union have agreed, in so far as their relations with each other are concerned, to recognise no copyright under any circumstances in (i) articles of political discussion; (2) news of the day; or (3) current topics—a somewhat vague clause this last one.—Pall Mall Gazette. VI. From America. In New York City alone are nearly a dozen publishing "nouses of great wealth, and a score more in a highly prosperous condition. One rarely hears of a publisher failing, from the Cheap Johns and publishers of penny dreadfuls to those of a higher order. On the other hand, there can scarcely be pointed out an American author who is able to make even a decent living by his books. However, the vital question is: How can this state of things be remedied? A partial remedy could be found, no doubt, in the formation of an American Society of Authors similar to the Incor- porated Society of Authors of Great Britain, or the Societe des Gens de Lettres of France. The British Society is organised for the protection of literary property. It has been already of incalcul- able benefit to the British author. The organisa- tion of a similar society has been long mooted among American authors, and signs point to the present time as being ripe for it. The writer, in his inquiries among literary men, has found every- one in favour of it, and none opposed to it. Such a society should be organised on the most liberal basis. It should be open to everyone, young or old, male or female, who has written a book, whether published or not, and to recognised writers for the press. It should retain the best legal counsel; it should provide from its concentrated wisdom and experience a form of contract in which the author's right should be protected—such contracts having been hitherto drawn by the publisher for the pro- tection of his interests. It should have at least one executive officer, who should be an author of experience, and who should give information to all members applying for it, and take cognizance of all complaints, and who should have for counsel and assistance an advisory board composed of three of the ablest and most experienced members of the society. Finally, it should assume, and carry to the courts if need be, all clear cases of extortion and oppression of authors on the part of publishers. Such a society would save American authors thousands of dollars yearly, and chiefly to the young and inexperienced, who need help most.— Charles B. Todd in the Forum. VII. The Education op Opinion. Many publishers, especially the younger men, are gentlemen who have their clubs and their social positions. Social position is like marriage; the man who has it gives hostages to fortune. He cannot afford to have it said that in business trans- actions he systematically cheats. Cold looks greet him, club acquaintances avoid him; he finds the atmosphere of the club chilling. This has already happened in one or two instances; it is the first expression of public opinion in its infancy. What else can the Society attempt; I wish I could publish in these pages, in order to show its work, the letters of a single day. Agreements are sent up for examination, questions of difficulty about copyright in articles or books, questions as to cost, questions as to the trustworthiness of pub- lishers, questions of every kind. Our secretaries are supposed to know everything; hard by our offices are those of our solicitors, to whom are referred almost every day some points of difficulty. We keep authors out of the hands of dishonest publishers—this is a tremendous weapon. There are certain houses from which we have kept many thousands of pounds; we prevent authors from signing unfair agreements; we have readers to examine the manuscripts of young writers and to advise them. The newr American Copyright Law has introduced a whole sheaf of difficulties. In a word, we are the only body which has ever existed for the maintenance and defence of literary property for its creators and producers. What it has still to do. There remains before us one more service to literature. We desire above all things to formulate the broad principles upon which publishing should  ## p. 417 (#821) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 4i7 be conducted, so as to give the author the full share that belongs to him, and to recognise to their utmost the services of the publishers. I do not think that the problem will prove insoluable, once fairly tackled. I have myself a solution to offer, if I can only persuade other people to accept it. Whatever method is ndopted must depend entirely upon the success of a book, and therefore must be some form of royalty. Publisher and author must be interested in its success, each in his own fair proportion. In this place I can only point out the thing as one which must be attempted. For my own part I have seen, every day since the formation of the Society, fresh evidence of the necessity of such a corporation as our own.— Walter Bksant in the Forum. VIII. An Outside Opinion on the Society. Old and business-like authors gratefully acknow- ledge their gratitude? to this wonderful undertaking; but to the young and untried writers it is even more invaluable. It lias saved many youthful aspirants from ruin, by persuading them not to produce trash at their own risk, and has helped the more promising by kindly advice and suggestions in a way that has enabled authors to remodel a faulty MS. until it presented a readable and sale- able book. The Society has a monthly paper of its own, conducted by Mr. Besant, helped by many of our best writers, in which all means of publication, new methods, pitfalls to be avoided, &c, are fully discussed. The Authors' Club is an off-shoot of the Society, and bids fair to rival the Savilc. Unfortunately there are no lady members, so that the feminine part of the world of letters have to be content with the Albemarle or the Writers'. Nevertheless, the Society itself does not close its doors to women, who muster strongly among its members. There is an erroneous idea current that the Society acts as publishers. This is not so. It is practically an agent. It is also a lawyer, and al>ove all it is an able and willing adviser.—The Queen. ♦■»■♦ NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS. Theology. Baxter, Ukv. M. Forty Coming Wonders from 1892 to 1901. Eightieth thousand. Christian Herald Office, Tudor Street, Salisbury Square, K.C. Bell, Captain Henry. Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther. Translated by. Cassell's National Library. Cloth, 6d. CaLTHROp, Ukv. Gordon. St. Paul: a Study. Addresses given in St. Paul's Cathedral. Paper covers, is. 61/. The Church in Walks. Full report of the debate on Mr. Samuel Smith's Resolution in the House of Commons on February 23, 1892. Paper covers (bd.). Also Speeches by Mr. Balfour and Sir E. Clarke on that occasion (it/, each). Church Defence Institution, Bridge Street, S.W. Corbktt, Kkv. F. St. John. Echoes of the Sanctuary. Skeffington and Son. Cornpord, Kkv. James. The Book of Common Prayer, with historical notes. Edited by. Eyre and Spottis- woodc. Griffith, Ralph T. H. The Hymns of the Rigveda. Translated, with a popular comment-try by. Vol. IV. (The previous volumes were published in 1889, 1890, and 1891.) E. J. Lazarus and Co., Benares. Gkimthokpk, Loud. A Review of Prebendary Sadler's "Church Doctrine—Bible Truth " anil of Mr. Gore's Theory of Our Lord's Ignorance. 6d. Protestant Churchmen's Alliance. Hill, Rowland, and Spurokox, C. II. Remarkable Sermons Preached from the same Text—" Christ Crucified." Passmore and Alabaster. Paper covers, 3d. Maurice, F. D. Sermons Preached in Lincoln's Inn Chapel. Sixth and last volume. New edition. Mac- niillan. 3j. id. Rawson, Sib Rawson W , K.C.M.G. The Gospel Narra- tive, or Life of Jesus Christ, collated from the Autho- rized Text of the Four Gospels, with Notes of all material changes in the Revised Version, and Epitome and Harmony of the Gospels. 5». net. Reynolds, H. B., D.D. Light and Peace. Sermons and addresses. "Preachers of the Age " Series. With portrait. Sampson Low. 3j. 6<f. Spurgkon, Rev. C. II. Sermons. "Contemporary Pulpit Library." Swan Sonuenschein. Voysey, Rev. Charles. The Theistic Prayer Book. Third edition. Williams and Norgate. Williams, Rowland, D.D. Psalms and Litanies: Coun- sels and Collects for Devout Persons. Edited by his willow. New edition. Fisher Cnwiu. ys. 6d. Wordsworth, Charlks, D.D., D.C.L. Primary Witness to the Truth of the Gospel, a series of discourses; also a charge on modern teaching on the canon of the Old Testament. Longiuaus. 73. 6d. History and Biography. AunoTT, Edwin A. The Anglican Career of Cardinal Newman. 2 vols. Macmillan. 2 5s. net. Beniiam, Charlks E. Colchester Worthies: a biographical index of Colchester. Simpkin, Marshall. Boask, Frederic. Modern English Biography, containing concise memoirs of persons who have died since 18 So. Vol. I., A to H. Truro: Netherton and Worth, for the author (25o copies only printed). 3o.«. net. Brighton, J. G., M.I). Admiral of the Fleet Sir Provo Wallis. A Memoir. With illustrations, charts, &c. Hutchinson. Butler, Arthur John. The Memoirs of Baron de Marbot, late Lieutenant General in the French Army. Translated from the French. 2 vols., with portrait and maps. Longmans. 32*. Chetwtnd-Stapylton, H. E. TheChetwynds of Ingestre: being a history of that family from a very early date. With illustrations by the author. Longmans. 14s.  ## p. 418 (#822) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. Conway, Ri'sset.t. H. Life of C. H. Spurgeon. Illustrated. A. T. Hubbard, Philadelphia. Foster, Joseph. Alumni Oxoniensis: The Members of the University of Oxford, their parentage, birthplace, and year of birth, with a record of their degrees, being the Matriculation Register of the University, alphabetically arranged, revised, and annotated. In two series—from i5oo to 1714 (five vols.), and from 17iS to 1886 (three vols.). Parker and Co. Fowler, VV. Warde. Julius Cajsar, and the Foundation of the Roman Imperial System. "Heroes of the Nations" Series. G. P. Putnam's Sons, Bedford Street, Strand. 5s. Heron-Allen, Edward. I)e Fidiculis Hibliographia: being the basis of the Bibliography of the Violin and all other instruments played with a bow in ancient and modern times. (Part II., Rook Sections and Extracts (continued) and Second Supplement.) Griffith, Far- ran. Paper covers, is. 6d. Holcroft, Thomas. The Life and Adventures of Raron Trcnck. Vol. I. Translated by. Cassell's " National Library." 6,/. Hutton, A. W. Cardinal Manning. With a Ribliography. Metbuen and Co. Lecky, W. E. H. A History of Eugland in the Eighteenth Century. Vol. IV. New edition. Longmans. 6s. Mijatovitch, Chrdomil. Constantino, the Last Emperor of the Greeks; or, The Conquest of Constantinople by the Turks (A.D. 1453), after the latest historical researches. Sampson Low. Musson, S. P., and Roxburgh, T. L. "The Handbook of Jamaica for 1892." Published by authority, com- prising Historical, Statistical, and General Information concerning the Island. Twelfth year of publication. Compiled from official and other reliable records. Edward Stanford. Pike, G. Holden. Charles Huddon Spurgeon. "The World's Workers " Series. Cassell. is. Ri eman, Dr. H. Catechism of Musical History. Second Part—History of Musical Forms. With biographical notices of the most illustrious composers. Translated from the German. Augencr and Co., Newgate Street, E.C. is. 6rf. (Paper covers, zs. net.) Sorel, Albert. Madame de Stael. With portrait. Great French Writers Series. Fisher Unwiu. 3s. 6d. Symonds, J. A., and Daughter Margaret. Our Life in the Swiss Highlands. A. and C. Black. Verney, Colonel Lloyd. A Description of the Parish Church of Llangurig, Montgomeryshire. G. Pnlman and Sons, Thayer Street, W. is. General Literature. Acland, A. H. D., and Smith, H. Llewellyn. Studies in Secondary Education. Edited by Arthur H. D. Acland, M.P., and H. Llewellyn Smith, M.A., B.Sc. With an Introduction by James Brycc, M.P. Percival and Co. 7s. 6d. Anderson, John. The Colonial Office List for 1891. Compiled from official records, by permission of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 21st publication. Harrison and Sons, Pall Mall. ys. 6d. Ahcher, Frank. How to Write a Good Play. Sampson Low. Atkinson, Rev. J. C. Playhours and Half-Holidays, or Further Experiences of Two Schoolboys. Illustrated by Coleman. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. Atkinson, Rev. J. C. Walks, Talks, Travels, and Exploits of Two Schoolboys. A book for boys. New edition. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. "R" Brigadier-General. A General and his Duties. Gale and Polden, Amen Corner, E.C. is. 6d., post free. Reardmore, W. Lee. The Drainage of Habitable Build- ings. A reprint and revision of articles in the Plumber and Decorator and Journal of Gas and Sanitary Engineering. Whittaker, White Hart Street. Berry, James. My Experiences as an Executioner. By James Berry. Edited by H. Snowden Ward. Percy Lund, Memorial Hall, Ludgatc Circus, E.C. is. Booth, Charles. Pauperism—a Picture; and the Endow- ment of Old Age—an Argument. Macmillan and Co. Bottone, S. R. A Guide to Electric Lighting. Whittaker. Paper covers, is. Brody, G. M. Tennyson's " Queen Mary." A criticism. Simpkiu, Marshall. Paper covers, is. Butler, Samuel. The Humour of Homer. Metcalfe and Co., Cambridge. 6d. Chbal, J., F.R.H.S. Practical Fruit Culture. George Bell and Sons. Cheltnam, Charles S. The Dramatic Year Book and Stage Directory, 1892. Illustrated with portraits of popular actors and actresses. Edited by. Trischler and Co., New Bridge Street, E.C. Chilton, Young F. Work. An Illustrated Magazine of Practice and Theory. Edited by. From March 21, 1891, to March 12, 1892. Cassell. Clerke, Agnes M. Familiar Studies in Homer. Long- mans. 7s. id. Clouston, W. A. Literary Coincidences. A Bookstall Bargain and other Papers. Morison Brothers, Glasgow. Paper covers, is. Conder, Josiah. The Flowers of Japan and the Art of Floral Arrangement. With illustrations by Japanese artists. Sampson Low. Courtney, W. L. Studies at Leisure. Chapman and Hall. 6s. Distant, W. L. A Naturalist in the Transvaal. With coloured plates and illustrations. R. H. Porter, Prince's Street, W. 21s. Dowsett, C. F., F.S.I. Land. Its Attractions and Riches. By Fifty-seven Writers. Edited by. The "Land Roll " Office, 3, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Emiorants' Information Office Handbooks, 1892. Eyre and Spottiswoode. 2s. The Export Merchant Shippers; with their trading ports and class of goods shipped. Edited by a Custom House employ^, 1892-3. Dean and Son, Fleet Street. Fiskk, John. The Discovery of America. With some account of Ancient America and the Spanish Con- quests. Two vols. Macmillan. 18s. Forrest, G. W., B.A. The Administration of Warren Hast- ings, 1772-85. Reviewed and illustrated from original documents. (Government of India Record Office.) Office of the Superintendent of Indian Government Printing, Calcutta. Gates, E. Wilson. Hints to Emigrants. Self-Help Emigration Society, id. Gore-Browne, F., and Jordan, Wm. Joint Stock Com- panies: A handy book on their formation, manage- ment, and winding-up. 15th edition. Jordan and Sons, 120, Chancery Lane.  ## p. 419 (#823) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 419 Oork, Charles, M.A. Roman Catholic Claims. 4th edition, with new preface. Longmans. 3s. 6<l. Gowen, Rev. H. H. The Paradise of the Pacific. Sketches of Hawaiian Scenery and Life. Skeffington and Son, Piccadilly. Golf. A book for recording matches. Geo. Stuart and Co., Farriugdon Street and Edinburgh. Gullick, Thomas J. Oil Painting on Glass, including mirrors, windows, &c. With remarks upon the prin- ciples of painting and decorative art generally. Winsor and Newton, Rathbone Place, W. Paper covers, is. Hill, G. Birkbeck, D.C.L. Letters of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., collected and edited by. In two volumes. Vol. 1, Oct. 3o, 1731, to Dec. 21, 1776; vol. 2, Jan. i5, 1777, to Dec. 18, 1784. With a facsimile. Clarendon Press. 28s. Hubbell, Walter. Midnight Madness, Bingham Pub- lishing Company, Chicago. Paper covers, 25c. Hunter, Sin Wm. Wilson, K.C.I.K. Bombay, 188S to 1890: A Study in Indian Administration. Henry Frowde, Amen Corner, K.C. i5s. Irby, Lt.-Col. L. Howard. British Birds: Key List. 2nd edition. H. H. Porter, 18, Prince's Street, W. 25. 6d. Kelly's London Suburban Directory for 1892, with map engraved expressly for this work. Kelly and Co., Great Queen Street, W.C. 36s. Ksxnedy, E. S. A Tramp to Brighton. Simpkiu, Marshall, is. Kennedy, H. A. The Sunday Afternoon Song-Book: for "Pleasant Sunday Afternoons" and other gatherings. Compiled by. James Clarke and Co. zd. Knox-Little, W. J., M.A. Sketches in Sunshine and Storm, a collection of miscellaneous essays and notes of travels. Longmans. 7*. 6rf. Lanin, K. B. Russian Characteristics. Reprinted, with revisions from the Fortnighty Jicview. Chapman and Hall. 14s. Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. Edited by. Vol. XXX., Johnes-Kenneth. Smith Elder. Lurmolieff, Ivan. Italian Painters: Critical Studies of their Works. The Borghese and Doria-Pamfili Gal- leries in Rome. Translated from the German by Constauce Jocelyn Ffoulkes, with an introduction by Sir A. H. Layard, G.C.B., D.C.L. John Murray. i5s. "Mac and O'." The Parnell Leadership and Home Rule, from an historical, ethical, and ethnological point of view. Gill and Son, Dublin. Paper covers, 6d. Macdonell, A. A. Camping Out. George Bell and Sons. Mackenzie, W. M. The Poor Law Guardian; his powers and duties in the right execution of his office. Third edition. Shaw, Fetter Lane. The Making of Italy. By The O'Clery of the Middle Temple. Kegan Paul. The Medioal Register, 1892: and Tin: Dentists Re- gister. Spottiswoode, Gracechurch Street, E.C. Mivart, St. George. Essays and Criticisms. Two vols. Osgood, McIIvnine, and Co. 32s. Nansen, Fridtjo. The First Crossing of Greenland. Translated from the Norwegian by H. M. Gepp, B.A. A new edition, unabridged. With illustrations and map. Longmans. 7s. 6d. Nasmito, David, Q.C. Makers of Modern Thought; or, Five Hundred Years' Struggle (1200 a.d. to 1699 a.d.) between Science, Ignorance, and Superstition. Two vols. George Philip, Fleet Street. 12s. net. Noble, John. Facts for Politicians. A new and revised edition. Henry Good, Moorgate Street. Paper covers, is.; cloth, 2s. The Nursing Directory for 1892 (first annual issue). The Record Press, 376, Strand. 5s. Ormond, George W. T. The Barton House Conspiracy: a Tale of 1886. E. and S. Livingstone, Edinburgh. Cardboard covers, is. Ouseley, Rev. Sir G. The Compositions of the Rev. Sir F. A. Gore Ouseley, M.A., Mus. Doc. Compiled by John S. Bumpus. T. B. Bumpus, George Yard, Lombard Street. Paper covers, 2s. Owen, J. A. Within an Hour of London Town, among wild birds and their haunts. By "A Son of the Marshes." Edited by. Blackwood. Palgrave, R. H. I. Dictionary of Political Economy. Edited by. Second part, Beeke-Chamberlayne. Mac- niillan. Paper covers, 3s. 6d. net. Pascoe, Charles E. London of To-Day: an Illustrated Handbook for the Season. Eighth annual edition, revised and illustrated. Simpkin, Marshall. Payne, J. F. Lectures on the History of Education, with a Visit to German Schools. By the late Joseph Payne. Edited by his son. Vol. II. of the works of Joseph Payne. Longmans. 10s. 6d. The Popular Guide to the Second London County Council, with full particulars of the polls and portraits. Pall Malt Gazette Office. Paper covers, 6d. Powell, J. C. The American Siberia; or, Fourteen Years' Experience in a Southern Convict Camp. Gay and Bird, 27, King William Street, West Strand. 3s. 6d. Riding: The Use and Misuse of Reins and Stirrui-h. 15 illustrations. By a Horseman. Third edition. King, Booksellers' Row, Strand. Paper covers, id. Rimmer, Alfred. Rambles Round Rugby. With an introductory chapter by the Rev. W. H. Payne Smith, M.A. Illustrated by the author. Percival. Roma. Joys and Sorrows; or, Two of Life's Stories. Sutton, Drowley, and Co., 11, Ludgate Hill. is. Russell, W. An Invalid's Twelve Year's Experience in Search of Health. R. B. Marten, Sudbury. 10s. Saintsbury, George. Political Pamphlets. Edited by. Pocket Library of English Literature. Percival and Co. 3s. 6d. Salaman, M. C. Woman, through a Man's Eyeglass. With illustrations by Dudley Hardy. Heinemaun. 3s. 6d. Savile-Clarke, H. A Little Flutter: Stage, Story, and Stanza. (The Whitcfriars Library of Wit and Humour.) Henry and Co. 3s. 6d. Satce, George C. Twelve Times Round the World. By "A Globe Trotter." Arrowsmith. Schneider, George. The Book of Choice Ferns. Vol. 1. From Introduction to Athyrium. Illustrated. Upcott Gill, 170, Strand. Souvenir of Shakspeare's King Henry the Eighth. Presented at the Lyceum Theatre by Henry Irving, Jan. 5, 1892. Illustrated by J. Bernard Partridge, W. Telbiu, J. Harker, and Hawes Craven. Black and White Publishing Company, is.  ## p. 420 (#824) ############################################ 420 THE AUTHOR. Stables, Gordon-, M.I). Our Humble Friends ami Fellow Mortals. Vol. I. of Homestead and Farm. Vol. II. of Hearth and Home. Vol. III. In Wood and Field. With illustrations by Harrison Weir. Sinipkin, Marshall. — The Cruise of the Land Vaeht "Wanderer," or "Thirteen Hundred Miles in my Caravan." With illustrations. Popular edition. Hodder aud Stoughton. 55. Stanton, Albert J. Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Symptoms and Treatment and Outbreaks in Great Britain. K. W. Allen, Ave Maria Lane. Paper covers, bd. Stanton, Stephen ]!. The liehring Sea Controversy. Brcntano's, Agar Street, Strand. Stray Thoughts. From the Note Hooks of Rowland Williams, D.D. Edited by his widow. New edition. Fisher Unwin. 3s. bd. Stuart, J. S. S., and Stu.vkt, Charles, E. The Costume of the Clans, with observations upon the literature, arts, manufactures, and commerce of the Highlands and Western Isles during the Middle Ages, and on the influence of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries upon the present condition. With 37 full-page plates, illustrating the history, antiquities, and dress of the Highland clans, copied from authentic originals, and biographical introduction. John Grant, Edinburgh. ^ Bernard Quaritch, London.) Wallace, Alfred H. Island Life. Second and Revised edition. Macmillan. 6s. Whvmpkr, Edward. Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator. With maps and illustrations. Also a supplementary appendix to the same, with contribu- tions from various sources. John Murray. Williamson, William. Horticultural Exhibitor's Hand- book. Revised by Malcolm Dunn, gardener to the Duke of Buccleueh. William Blackwood. Wright, William Alois. The Works of William Shake- speare. Edited by. In nine volumes. Volume VI. Macmillan. 10s. id. Wrightson, John. Live Stock. Agricultural Text-books series. Cassell. 2.1. bd. Fiction. A Covenant with thk Dead. A Novel. By the author of "A Harvest of Weeds." 3 vols. Griffith, Farran. 3is. bd. Aide, Hamilton. A Voyage of Discovery: a Novel of American Society, 2 vols. Osgood, M'llvuine, aud Co. 2 IS. Bangs, J. Kendrick. Tiddledywink Tales. Griffith, Farran, and Co. Black, William. In Silk Attire. New and revised edition. Sampson Low. is. 6d. Bi anch, J. Tempest. "Our Hands Have Met." 3s. bd. Colmork, G. A Valley of Shadows. 2 vols. Chatto and Winuus. Crawford, F. Marion. The Three Fates. 3 vols. Macmillan. 31s. bd. Curtis, George William. From the Easy Chair. Os- good, M'llvaine, and Co. 3s. bd. Daudet, Ali'Honsk. Rose and Ninette: a Story of the Morals and Manners of the Day. Translated by Mary J. Serrano. Fisher Unwin. Donovan, Dick. In the Grip of the Law. Chatto and Windus. GiLKisox, Elizabeth. The Story of a Struggle : a Ro- mance of the Grampians. A. and C. Black. Graveniiill, Guy. Horsley Grange. A sporting story. 2 vols. Chapman and Hall. Griffith, Durham. An Arctic Eden. A tale of Norway. Skelfington. Paper covers, is. Hatton, Joseph. The Princess Mazaroff: a Romance of the Day. Hutchinson. 3s. bd. Hennikkr, Florence. Bid me Good-bye. Bentley. Hope, Anthony. Mr. Witt's Widow. A Frivolous Tale. A. D. limes and Co., Bedford Street, W.C. 6s. Horni ng, F. W. Under Two Skies, a collection of stories. A. and C. Black. Humphreys, Jennett. Some Little Britons iuliritt'iny: a Seaside Story. Sampson Low. Huntingdon, E. M., and A. The Squire's Nieces. Samp- son Low. LachSzyrma, Rev. W. Under other Conditions. A Tale. A. and C. Black. Lindsay, Lady. The Philosopher's Window ami other Stories. A. and C. Black. Lovett-Cameron, Mrs. A Daughter's Heart. A Novel. F. V. White. Lowry, James W. The Doll's Garden Party. Illustrated by J. B. Clark. The Leadenhall Press, 2s. bd. Maartens, Maarten. A Question of Taste: a Novel. Heincmann. 5s. Phillpotts, Edkn. A Tiger's Cub. Arrowsmith. 3s. bd. Robinson, F. W. A Very Strange Family. Heincmann. Spence, Edward F. A Freak of Fate: a Novel. Henry and Co., Bouverie Street. Picture boards, 2s. V. Betsy. Osgood, M'llvuine and Co. 3s. bd. Villars, P. The Escapes of Casanova and Latude from Prison, edited, with an introduction. Illustrated Ad- venture Series. Fisher Unw in. 5s. White, Roma. Punchinello's Romance. A. D. Innes, Bedford Street, Strand. 6s. Wiggin, K. D. Timothy's Quest. Gay aud Bird. 3s. 6rf. Winter, John Strange. Only Human. A Novel. In 2 vols. F. V. White. Poetry and the Drama. Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The Foresters: Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Macmillan. 6s. Dennis, John. The Poetical Works of Sir Walter SeolU Edited, with memoir, by. In 5 vols. Volume IV. Aldine Edition. George Bell. DunouRG, A. W. Angelica: Romantic Drama in Four Acts. Bentley. Paper covers. French Poetry for Children. Selected by Francois Louis. Sixth edition. Franz Thimm, Brook Street, W. 2s. bd. Hall, J. Lesslie. Beowulf: an Anglo-Saxon epic poem. Translated from the Hevne-Socin text by. Heath, Boston, U.S.A. Kipling, Rudyard. Barrack Room Ballads. Methuen. Low, C. Rathbone. Cressy to Tel-el-Kebir. A narrative poem descriptive of the deeds of the British Army. Mitchell and Co., Craig's Court, S.W.  ## p. 421 (#825) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 421 Rosetti. Dante G. Dante and His Circle, with the Italian poets preceding him (t 100-1200-13ooV A collection of lyrics translated in the original metres by. A new edition, with preface by W. M. Rosetti. Ellis and Elvey. 6s. Smith, G. Barnett. Illustrated British Ballads—Old and New. Selected and edited by. Part I. To be com- pleted in 24. Cassell. Paper covers, yd. Stevenson, It. L. A Child's Garland of Song, gathered from a Child's Garden of Verses. Music by Dr. C. Yilliers Stanford. Longmans. Paper covers, zs. WILSON, James H. Zahnoxis, and other Poems. Elliot Stock. The Works of Hkinrich Heine, translated from the German by C. G. Lelaud (Hans Breitiuann). Volumes V. and VI. Germany. Heinemann. 5*. each. Educational. Arnoi.d-Forster, II. O. The Laws of Every-day Life, for the use of schools. Cassell. zs. Ashford, Constance M. Latin Dialogues for School Representation. Swann Sonnenschein. Atlas ok Physical Geography. New, revised, and enlarged edition. W. and A. K. Johnston. Gambaro, Professor 11. Lessons in Commerce: a text- book for students. Revised and edited by James Gatilt, of the Middle Temple. Crosby Loekwood. Hay, IV. Shorthand Simplified and Improved. Swann Sonnenschein. Hoylk, W. T. Mental Arithmetic Problems. Standards I. to VII. 2''. or 3d. a volume. Answers to the same, 4<i. W. H. Allen and Co. Lund, II. "A Practical and Easy Method of Learning the Danish and Norwegian Languages." Eighth improved edition. Corrected according to the new Danish and Norwegian orthography. Franz Thimm and Co. 4s. REGULATIONS FOR MUSKETRY INSTRUCTION, 1892. Lee- Metford Rifle. Eyre and Spottiswoode. It. Royal University of Ireland: Examination Papers, 1891. Longmans. Savill, Stanley. The Civil Service Coach. New edition, revised. Crosby Loekwood. Schofield, A. T. Physiology for Schools. Cassell. II. 9</. Shaler, N. S. The Story of our Continent, a reader in the Geography and Geology of Noith America, for the use of Schools. E. Arnold. 3*. bd. Sweet, Henry, M.A. A New English Grammar, Logical and Historical. Part I. Introduction, Phonology, and Accidence. Clarendon Press. io«. bd. Tatiiam, M. T. Homer for Beginners. Iliad. Hook III. Edited, with introduction and notes, by. Clarendon Press, is. bd. Tolman, H. C. A Grammar of the Old Persian Language. E. Arnold. 41. 6d. Law. The Future Water Supply of Birmingham. Second edition. Simpkin, Marshall, is. net. Hewitt, Thomas. A Treatise on the Law relating to Corporation Duty, or the Duty on the Income of the Proper.'y of Bodies Corporate and Uncorporate. Butterworth, Fleet Street. Heywood, Judge. Courts Practice, 1892. Two vols. 2 5s. Sweet and Maxwell. MacLachlan, David. A Treatise on the Law of Merchant Shipping. Fourth edition, zl. zs. Paterson, James. The Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Acts, 1872, 1874, with introduction, notes, and index. Ninth edition. Shaw and Sons, Fetter Lane. 10s. Pollock, Sir Frederick. Leading Cases done into English, aud other Diversions. MacmiUan. 3s. bd. Rickards, A. G., and Saunders, R. C. Locus Standi Reports: Cases decided by the Court of Referees on Private Bills in Parliament during the Sessions 1890 and 1851. (In continuation of Rickards and Michael's and Clifford and Riekards's reports.) Butterworth and Co., Fleet Street. Royal 8vo., 18s. Whitehead, Benjamin. Church Law. A concise dic- tionary of statutes, canons, regulations, and decided eases affecting the clergy and laity. Stevens and Sons. I os. bd. Williams, James, B.C.L. FCdueation; a Manual of Practical Law. Adam and Charles Black. Science. Curtis, Charles E., F.S.I. The Manifestation of Disease in Forest Trees; the Causes and Itemedies. Horace Cox, the Field Office, Bream's Buildings, F].C. i«. Greene, Professor DasCOM. Introduction to Spherical aud Practical Astronomy. E. Arnold. 7s. bd. Kneipp, Sebastian. My Water Cure, tested for more than 35 years, and published for the Cure of Diseases and the Preservation of Health. Translated from the 36th German edition. II. Grevel and Co., 33, King Street, Covent Garden. Neumann, L. G. A Treatise 011 the Parasites and Parasitic Diseases of the Domesticated Animals. Translated and edited by George Fleming, C.B., LL.D., F'.H.C.V.S., late principal veterinary surgeon of the British Army. Bailliere, Tindall, and Cox, King William Street, Strand. 2 5s. Semple, C. F". A. Elements of Materia Medica and Therapeutics. Longmans. 10s. bd. Wormell, Richard, D.Sc. Mensuration, Lectures or. Sound, and Lectures on Light ; elementary text-books for Students. ¥.. Arnold, is. each. Parliamentary Papers. Correspondence relating to the Relief of Agricultural Distress in India in 1891-92 (td.~). Copy of the Report of the Committee on Grants to University Colleges in Great Britain (id.). Descriptive List of Standards of Weight and Measure deposited with the Board of Trade and of the Instrumental Equipment of the Standards Oflice(2f/.). Return as to Canals and Navi- gations under the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888 (id). Return as to Shipments of Coal, Cinders, &c. (id.). Treasury Minute relating to Army Votes (.^(/.). Report on the "Abyssinia" F'ire (1 }</.). Ordinances by the Scottish Universities Commissioners as to the Graduation and Instruction of Women (irf.). And as  ## p. 422 (#826) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. to Assistants ami Lecturers (id.)- Emigrants' Infor- mation Circulars for Canada, Australasia, and South Africa j Reports to the Board of Agriculture on the Plague of Field Mice or Voles in the South of Scot- land. Telegraphic Correspondence respecting Seal Fishing in Behring Sen during the season of 1892 (2d.). Copy of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, enclosing a Treaty between Great Britain and the United States for Arbitration concerning the Seal Fisheries in Behring Sea (id.). Minutes of Evidence taken before the Koyal Commis- sion on the Redemption of Tithe Rcntohaige in England and Wales (is. 6</.). Rule made by the Secretary of Stntc for the Dietaries of the Prisons in England and Wales (i<A). Copies of Reports by the Board of Trade upon the Birmingham Corporation and Swansea Corporation Water Bills (\d. each). Poor Relief, England and Wales, Amount expended during the half-year ended Lady-day, 1891 (3d.). Compara- tive Statement of Pauperism for January (ild). Rule by the Board of Trade under the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888 (3d.). Statement as to Sales and Leases of Foreshores by the Crown (2jd.). Annual Accounts of the Royal Army Clothing Factory for 1890-91 (9$d.). First Report from the Committee of Public Accounts (2id.). Irish Land Commission— Rules issued in August, 1891 (6d.). Annual Returns of the Volunteer Corps of Great Britain for 1891 (3\d,). Census of Ireland. Part I., Vol. III., Ulster, No. 6, Fermanagh, 6d. Declarations made by Great Britain with Belgium respecting North Sea Fisheries, and with France for the Regulation of the Telephonic Service; Treaty with Spain for the Suppression of the African Slave Trade; Protocol with Uruguay for the Mutual Extradition of Fugitive Criminals j Agreement with Tonga as to the Trial of British Subjects, and with Persia as to Telegraphic Communication between Europe and India (id. each). Agricultural Produce Statistics of Great Britain, 1891 (43d.). Return show- ing the working of the regulations made in 1886 for carrying out the Prosecution of Offences Acts, 1879 and 1884 (is.). Special Report from the Select Com- mittee on Railway Servants' Hours of Labour, with proceedings of the Committee and minutes of evidence, (is. ajd.). Further Correspondence respecting the Behring Sea Seal Fisheries (is. io|d.). Irish Land Commission, Return of proceedings during January (id.). Report of the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland for 1891 (4</.). Census of Ireland, Parti., Vol. III. Ulster, No. 3, Cavau (6d.). Naval Defence Act, 1889. Accounts, 1890-91 (li</.). Return as to Laws or Regulations affecting the Hours of Adult Labour in the Colonies, with particulars as to hours and wages in various industries (7'/.). Correspon- dence respecting Commercial Treaties and Tariffs 4s. id. Report of Mr. W. Bcattic Scott, Inspector of Mines for the South Staffordshire district under the Coal Mines Regulation Act, 1887, the Metalliferous Mines Regulation Acts, 1872 and 1875, and the Slate Mines (Gunpowder) Act, 1882, for the year 1891 (3d.). Census of Ireland, 1891, Part I., area, houses, population, &c.; Vol. II., Province of Munster, No. 6. County and City of Waterford (7s.). Memorandum on the Proposed Grant for Higher Education (id.). Diplomatic and Consular Reports:—(1) Russia: Agriculture of the Consular District of Taganrog (id.). (2) France: The Trade of Bordeaux (23d.) j (3) Austria - Hungary: Vine Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Jd.). Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom for March (6d.). Memorandum under the Naval Defence Act, 1889 (9d.). Account relating to National Debt Annuities ($d.V Seventh Report of the Trade and Treaties Committee, containing Translation of the French Customs Tariff Law of January 11, 1892, showing the duties now leviable under the new General and Minimum Tariffs of 1892 and those leviable under the Conventional Tariff of 1882 (6d.). Ninth Repoit of the Trade aud Treaties Committee, containing Translation of the Tariffs Annexed to the Treaties between Various Central European Powers, with a comparison between the old aud the new rates leviable on importations from the United Kingdom (7W.). Report from the Select Committee on the Plumbers' Registration Bill (id.). Pauperism (England and Wales) Return (A), Com- parative Statement (ijrf.). Diplomatic and Consular Reports on Trade and Finance:—(1) United States: the Trade of Baltimore and District in 1891 (ijd.); (2) Russia: the Trade of Riga in 1891 (2d.) j (3) The Netherlands: the Finances of Netherlands-India (1 3d.); (4) Paraguay: Finances and General State of the Republic (ijd.). Annual Accounts of the Ord- nance Factories for 1890-91, with Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon (is. %\d.). Irish Land Commission—Return of Proceedings during February (id.). Return of Proceedings under the Lord Chancellor's Augmentation Act from February si, 1890, to February 18, 1892 (\d.). Foreign Office Annual Series—Report for 1891 on the Agriculture of the Consular District of New Orleans (lod.). Diplo- matic and Consular Reports—(1) Finances of Turkey and the Administration of the Ottoman Public Debt (ijd.); (2) the Foreign Trade of Italy for 1891 (id.). Alien Immigration Return for March. Pier aud Harbour Provisional Orders. Monthly List of Parlia- mentary Papers. Correspondence respecting the Re- volution in Chili (2s. 35d.). Further Correspondence respecting the Condition of the Populations in Asiatic Turkey (9d.). National Debt (Savings Banks aud Friendly Societies) Accounts (2d.). Terms and Condi- tions of Service in the Army—Minutes of Evidence taken before Committee (5i. 6d.). Notes exchanged between England and France for the renewal of the Modus Vivendi in Newfoundland (4d.). Reports on the Cultivation of the Spanish Chestnut. Copy of the Annual Report of the Director of the National Gallery to the Treasury for the year 1891. Return of all Loans raised in England chargeable on the Revenues of India, outstanding at the commencement of the half- year ended March 3i, 1892. Return—County Courts Sittings (England and Wales) (is. 9:id.). Memorandum on the proposed Grant for Higher Education in Scot- land (id.). Government Insurances aud Annuities, Accounts made during the year ended December, 1891 (id.) Order of the Board of Trade creating the Milford Haven Sea Fisheries District (id.). Copy of the Report by Major Marindin on the Fatal Accident on October 16 at Weyhill Station, on the Midland and South-Western Junction Railway, uiul upon the Hours of Duty of the Company's Servants (34d.). Repoi t of Board of Trade Inquiry into Complaints against the Great Northern (Ireland) Railway (\d.). Return, Railways—Trams Passing over Single Lines (id.). Return as to Agra- rian Offences in Ireland in 1891 (lid.). Board of Trade Order creating the Devon Sea Fisheries District (ijd.). Report on Mines in West Scotland District (No. 2) for 1891 (9jd.). Foreign Office Anuual Scries—Report on the Financial Condition of the Argentine Republic (6d.)—Eyre and Spottiswoode.  ## p. 423 (#827) ############################################ ADVERTISEMENTS. 4 THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE. THIS Association is established for the purpose of syndicating or selling the serial rights of authors in magazines, journals, and newspapers. It has now been at work for more than a year, and has transacted a very satisfactory amount of business during this period. It has also entered upon a great number of engagements for the future. The following points are submitted for consideration :— 1. The management is voluntary and unpaid. No one makes any profit out of the Syndicate, except the authors who use its services. 2. The commission charged on the amounts received covers the expenses of clerks, travellers, rent, and printing. As work increases this may be still further reduced. 3. Only the serial rights are sold for the author. He reserves his volume rights and copyright. 4. The Syndicate has an American agent. 5. The Syndicate will only work for members of the Society. 6. Its offices are on the same floor as those of the Society, and its assistance and advice are always at the service of the Society. 7. Authors are warned that no syndicating is possible for them until they have already attained a certain amount of popularity. 8. The Syndicate acts as agent in every kind of literary property. W. MORRIS COLLES. 4, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.  ## p. 424 (#828) ############################################ 424 ADVERTISEMENTS. Not Work, but Play. Leave the drudgery of the Pen-Soiled Fingers—Blotted and Obscure Manuscript, to those who prefer darkness to light. Quick, up-to-date writers use THE BAR-LOCK TYPE-WRITER. Why? Easiest Managed; Soonest Learned; Most Durable; Writing Always Visible; does best work, and never gets out of repair. Chosen, by Royal Warrant, Type-Writer to the Queen. Only gold medals--- Edinburgh (1890) and Jamaica (1891) Exhibitions; is used in principal Government Departments, and greatest number of English business houses, and by the Society of Authors. We send interesting supply of further information free. THE TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, LIMITED, 12 & 14, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.; 22, Renfield Street, Glasgow. Local Agents in all Districts, THE AUTHOR'S HAIRLESS PAPER-PAD. (THE LEADENHALL PRESS, LTD., E.C.) Contains hairless paper, over which the pen slips with perfect freedom. Sirpence each : 58. per dozen, ruled or plain. MISS R. V. GILL, TYPE-WRITING OFFICES, 6, Adam Street, Strand, W.C. MRS. GILL, TYPE-WRITING OFFICE, 35, LUDGATE HILL, E.C. (ESTABLISHED 1883.) Authors' MSS. carefully copied from is. per 1,000 words. Plays, &c., Is. 3d. per 1,000 words. Reference kindly permitted to Walter Besant, Esq. Stickphast Authors' and Dramatists' Work a Specialty. All kinds MISS PATTEN, of MSS. copied with care. Extra attention given to difficult TYPIST, haud-writing and to papers or lectures on scientific subjects. 44, Oakley Street Flats, Chelsea, s.W. Type-writing from dictatior. Shorthand Notes taken and transcribed. AUTHORS' MSS. CAREFULLY TRANSCRIBED. REFERENCES KINDLY PERMITTED TO George AUGUSTUS SALA, Esq. FURTHER PARTICULARS ON APPLICATIO.V. Particulars on Application. MES DAMES BRETT AND BOWSER, TYPISTS, Selborne Chambers, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. Authors' MSS. carefully and expeditiously copied, 18. per PASTE 1,000 words. Extra carbon copies half price. References for joining papers and sticking in scraps : kindly permitted to Augustine Birrell, Esq., M.P. Sixpence and One Shilling, with strong useful brush. THE AUTHORS' AGENCY. Established 1879. Proprietor, Mr. A. M. BURGHES, 1. Paternoster Row. The interests of Authois capably represented. Proposed agreements and estimates examined on behalf of Authors. MS. placed with Publishers. Transfers carefully conducted. Twenty-five years' practical experience in all kinds of publishing and book producing. Consultation free. Terms and testimonials from leading Authors on application to Mr. A. M. Burghes, Authors' Agent, 1, Paternoster Row. LONDON: Printed by EYRE and SPOTTISWOODE, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. 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. 02 Issue 12 (May 1892) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 02 Issue 12 (May 1892) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031017927</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1892-05-02-The-Author-2-12 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/4/264/1895-The-Author-5-index.pdf 34c4c99c9cf00769b24bae9b46187e43 PDF Text Text ������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Society of Authors Publications Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context publications Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895 Volume 5 Publisher(s) When used for publications, publisher of the periodical or book. When used for people, list of publishers they worked with during their lifetime The Society of Authors Horace Cox Location The location of the event or organisation London 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 Index to The Author, Vol. 05 (1895) Subject The topic of the resource Index to <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 (1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Index Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-The-Author-5-index publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/265/1894-06-01-The-Author-5-1.pdf 2f6435581aeb2d669d6a4a4a489ff124 PDF Text Text �������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-06-01 Volume 5 Issue 1 Pages Page range in volume 1–32 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18940601 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESAN. T. VoI. V.-No. 1.] JUNE 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. Por the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. WARNINGS AND ADWICE, I , T is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTS. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party WOL. W. business men. refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.—Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CoST OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. I2. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. - 13. ADVERTISEMENTS. —- Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *~ * ~ * e- HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. B 2  ## p. 2 (#16) ############################################### 2 THE AUTHOR. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *-- ~ *-* a- - - THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, literary or artistic work are invited to communicate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. *- - --> NOTICES. EMBERS are informed : 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. The Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department” for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants' and Wanted ” has been opened. Members anxious to obtain 39 48. HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P. If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest ? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured ; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too  ## p. 3 (#17) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. 3. often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *~ * → g- -* THE AUTHOR, N the commencement of the fifth volume of the Author, it seems desirable that we should repeat the purpose for which the paper was founded and for which it exists. The fore words in the first number contain a state- ment of that purpose, which has always been kept steadily to the front. The Author is founded to be the organ of literary men and women of all kinds—the one paper which will fully review, discuss, and ventilate all questions con- nected with the profession of literature in all its branches. It will be the medium by which the Committee of our Society will inform its members generally of their doings, and it will become a public record of transactions conducted in the interests of literature, which have hitherto been secret, lost, and hidden for the want of such an organ. The chief aim of the Society—this has been advanced again and again—is to promote the recognition of the fact, hitherto most imperfectly understood, that literary property is as real a thing as property in every other kind of busi- mess: that it should be safeguarded in the same manner, and regarded with the same jealousy. Hitherto the mere existence of literary property even in the face of such patent facts as the enrichment of publishers, has been carefully concealed and even denied. Risks of publishing, costs of publishing, have been dangled before the eyes of authors, so that they should regard the subject as one of extreme peril and pure speculation. One can never even now read a leading article about publishing without being solemnly assured that the trade is one in which frightful risks are constantly run, and that the success of any book is pure speculation. - Now, as a matter of fact, there is very little speculation indeed in publishing, and there are very, very few publishers —only the leading houses—who ever run any risks at all, either by buying books or by bringing out books at a risk. Risks are run when a house starts a magazine, or when it embarks on illustrated editions of an expensive kind, or when educational books are published. The ordinary risk run in the production of books is, as a rule, next to nothing. For, first, the author is seldom paid except by results; next, the author, when a house consents to “take the risk,” is, for the most part, one who commands a certain sale. With the smaller houses books about which there is the slightest risk are always paid for by the authors in advance, either wholly or in part. And very, very seldom indeed, do the ill-advised authors who advance their money ever see it back again. . Again, as to the actual cost of production. By carefully keeping this a profound secret, interested persons have succeeded in establishing a kind of taboo, as of some holy, sacred thing which must not be so much as touched. We have, however, thoroughly investigated the whole question, and are now in a position to throw complete light upon the cost of producing any kind of book that can be named, in any type and in any form. This is a very important step. Its importance cannot be over-estimated. It enables the awthor, for the very first time in the history of literature, to know what it is he is asked to concede to the publisher, and what it is he reserves for himself. . We have also done more : we have collected together a vast amount of information as to publishers' agreements: especially as to what, in reality, is the meaning of the clauses contained in them ; we have ascertained what it is they ask the author to surrender and for what consideration. And we have acquired a knowledge of various frauds, made possible by the terms of these agreements, in the different methods of publishing. This knowledge is so beneficial to the author that its existence ought to be widely spread and made known to every person who is engaged in the production of literature of any kind. Again, the Society is constantly engaged in answering questions connected with every branch of literature and its practice. Many of these questions are answered by letter over and over again, taking up a great deal of the Secretary’s time. They would be answered much more effectively in a journal. It follows from these clauses that we may have a good deal to say about the seamy side of the publishing trade. It must, however, be borne in mind very carefully that the Society has not, and never has had, any quarrel with honourable publishers. It has always asked for one thing only—just and homest treatment, fair and open agreements, and honourable observance of those agreements. In further illustration of this programme let it be remembered that the Society, in its very first public utterance, and ever since, has always pointed out and repeated over and over again the fact that the literary and the commercial value of a book need not necessarily bear any relation to each other ; in other words, that the literary value of a book is not to be measured by its commercial success, and that the commercial success of a book is no gauge of its literary value. This, it would seem, is a self evident proposition, and would not need to be repeated but for the misrepresentations of those who wish to attack the Society and its organ. Let us therefore repeat one or two of the passages in which this distinction was clearly and unmistakably laid down. The same thing has been repeated over and over again : I. Literature, in all times, has had two sides—the artistic and the commercial kind. The singer expects to be paid, the poet is rejoiced at solid recognition of his genius. What is more, the artistic work of the highest genius in no way suffers from a careful attention to its material interests. Does anyone in his senses pretend that the work of Byron, Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot, Wilkie Collins, Charles Reade, lost anything in Art because these writers were good and careful men of business P - II. Let us not confuse these two sides of the literary pro- fession. They are equally important, because unless the latter is looked after, the artist perishes. Both must be guarded jealously, the one because Literature is Art, and the other because the artist must be a free man—not the slave of the man who has the money, nor a hack, nor one who drives his pen all day long for a daily pittance, nor a man continually fretted by a sense of wrong and injustice, real or fancied.  ## p. 4 (#18) ############################################### 4. THE AUTHOR. When, therefore, we insist continually upon the necessity of safe-guarding literary property, of understanding what is meant by an agreement before we sign it, we are working in the highest and best interests of literature. III. Consider again. In no other branch of Art is a voice ever raised against those who fight for its material interests. The sculptor, the actor, the singer, the musician, the painter —all alike are understood to be working honestly at their art, even though at the same time they are watching care- fully over their material interests. No one accuses Meisson- nier of bad workmanship, because every one of his pictures is worth a pyramid of gold. Yet, directly a serious attempt is made to put these interests on a proper basis as regards letters, there is raised at once an outcry about degrading Art, taking all the joy out of Art, destroying the nobility of Art, and the rest of it. We mix up these two sides of literature. It is absurd to suppose that George Eliot was thinking of her commercial value when she wrote “Romola..” Yet she thought very much of it afterwards. That is the way of it. The true artist thinks about nothing but his work while he is engaged upon it. The man who is not an artist cannot understand how he can ever think about the business side of his work at all. Yet he always can, and does, as soon as he is satisfied that there is a business side to his work. -s:crºcº- Three or four accusations are, from time to time, brought against the Society or the Author or both. I. We are charged with saying that all pub- lishers are dishonest. When this accusation was last made, in the Athenæum, the publisher who advanced it was challenged to produce his autho- rity. He found a statement in one of the pamphlets published by the Society to the effect that “fraud and corruption were widespread.” That was perfectly true; it was more true ten years ago than it is now, thanks to the action of the Society. “Widespread,” however, is very different from universal. Over and over again it has been repeated that the Society has no quarrel with honourable houses. Those, there- fore, who endeavour to distort a plain statement, proved to the hilt by our exposures, into a universal charge clearly betray themselves. One never hears a respectable solicitor trying to distort the perfectly true statement that his profession contains a great number of black sheep into a charge that all solicitors are black sheep. 2. The next charge is, that we say that pub- lishers take no risks. We say no such thing. Over and over again we have said that in dealing with authors publishers take as few risks as they possibly can. In other branches of business, as when a publisher puts forth a new magazine, an encyclopædia, a dictionary of biography, a new atlas, he may incur very great risks. Since we, as authors, are not generally proprietors or venturers in this kind of property, we need not inquire into the nature of the risks thus incurred. But, in the production of books, the risk in- curred very rarely exists at all. In any case it is the difference between the cost of production and the number of copies subscribed at first, a mini- mum of which may be approximately known. If by risk the publisher means chance of great gains, then we are talking of different things. 3. The third charge is that of sordidness in looking after literary property at all. This is answered by the passages already quoted. 4. The fourth charge is that we measure literary value by commercial success. We have just shown how the contrary has been clearly laid down in the Author. Other charges will doubtless be invented and brought against us, but, so far, the repetition of one or other of these four is the only weapon which has been found by the gentry who object to the light of day. - Perhaps the policy of the committee during the Society’s existence may be fairly stated as this: The present conditions which belong to the acquisition and the administration of literary property are chaotic. Even with the best houses, no one, not the greatest historian, the greatest man of science, knows when he sends a MS. to a publisher on what terms he should confide to him the administration of his property. Nor does he know what terms the publisher will propose. Nor has he hitherto known what any terms mean. It is, on the other hand, highly desirable that he should know what terms may mean, and that he should know as much as possible about the reality and the extent of literary property, and particularly that of his own kind of literary property. The committee therefore have acquired and published, partly in pamphlets and partly in their organ, the Author, a tolerably complete explana- tion of these points: I. The cost of printing, binding, and advertis- ing various kinds of books. 2. The meaning of the “published price ’’ to the publisher or manager of a literary property. 3. Some of the various pitfalls and traps laid to catch the ignorant and the unwary author. - As regards the first point, one or two publishers have alleged that our estimates were too low. They were silenced by the offer to get their print- ing done on those terms. On the second point nothing has been disputed, for the simple reason that the figures given in the Society’s papers were actually lower than the truth. As to the pitfalls and traps, experience shows that it is necessary to examine jealously every agreement offered to an author, not always, be it understood, to detect a way open to fraud, but generally to detect some  ## p. 5 (#19) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. 5 clause by which the author, through ignorance, is tempted to surrender rights and to give up an unfair proportion of his property. In other words, the man of business is always tempted to use his superior knowledge for his own benefit. We do our best to place the author on the same level as regards the facts of the case. To throw a flood of light upon every point con- nected with the management of literary property is, and has always been, the settled policy of the committee. The next step, that of arriving at a modus vivendi recognised as fair by both sides will be taken, it is hoped, before long, and when the ersons chiefly concerned, viz., the producers, shall have thoroughly learned the facts revealed by this light. *= a -º LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. HE question of Canadian Copyright has in the past few weeks again been brought into publicity, owing, in the first instance, to a rumour that the Canadians were once more pushing forward their claims. The question is naturally one of great importance to the English author on account of the great interests in- volved. As regards the present state of Canadian Copy- right, any member of the Society who is interested in the subject is referred to the November number of the Author, 1890, containing a very useful paper written by W. Oliver Hodges, honorary secretary of the Society's Copyright Committee, and to an opinion in the January number 1893, given at the request of the Society by J. Rolt, 3, New-square, barrister. With regard to the steps at present being taken, it will be as well to put forward a short statement. As soon as the rumour of the Canadian move had been substantially verified, the secretary of the Society, at the request of the chairman, wrote to the Colonial Office, and in due course received a reply, which was as follows: Downing-street, May 18, 1894. SIR,-Lord Ripon desires me to acquaint you that the Society is in error in supposing that there is any new Bill on copyright in Canada now before Her Majesty's Government. His Lordship presumes your letter refers to a clause in the Tariff Bill of the Canadian Parliament which is intended to remove the duty on foreign reprints of British copyright works. - I am to enclose a copy of the clause in question, which it is understood is not intended to come into operation until the end of the next session of the Dominion Parliament. In the meantime Lord Ripon has invited the attention of the Government of Canada to the effect which the second section of the Colonial Laws Walidity Act, 1865, may have upon this clause in the Tariff Bill. I am to add that a communication on the general question of copyright in Canada has been received, and will be sent to the Society when printed for any remarks they may have to offer.—I am, sir, &c. The following is the clause referred to : Books and Papers.-British copyright works, reprints of, six cents per pound, and in addition thereto 12% per cent. ad valorem until March 27, 1895, and thereafter six cents per pound. The importance, however, of the letter lies in the last paragraph. At about the same date the Secretary of the Society received a letter from the London Chamber of Commerce stating that a meeting of the copyright interests was going to be held, and requesting that the Society would appoint delegates to attend. At once a meeting of the committee was called, and Mr. Thring, the Secretary of the Society, together with Mr. W. Oliver Hodges, Hon. Secretary of the Society's Copyright Committee, and Mr. Emery, of Messrs. Field, Roscoe, and Co., the Society's solicitors, was appointed to attend. On Wednesday, May 23, the delegates met at the London Chamber of Commerce, where various copyright interests were represented, namely, the musical publisher, the photographer, the Copyright Asso- ciation, and the Society of Authors. Mr. Daldy, the Honorary Secretary of the Copyright Associa- tion, was voted into the chair, and, after a few preliminary remarks, he read through a series of letters written by himself to the Colonial Secretary and the replies from the Colonial Office. Mr. Thring, the Secretary of the Society, then read the letter he had received from the Colonial Office, which was dated later than Mr. Daldy's last letter from the same source, and which contained infor- mation with regard to the steps the Canadian Government were taking, which was not included in Mr. Daldy's letters. Then followed a discus- sion upon what was the fittest course to take, and it was finally decided to appoint a committee to hold as it were a watching brief upon the Anglo- Canadian copyright question. The following resolutions were then agreed to, placed before the meeting, and unanimously carried :— I. Proposed by Mr. Ashdown, and seconded by Mr. Thring (Secretary of the Society of Authors) : That a special committee representing all copyright interests be appointed to watch the question of Anglo- Canadian copyright, and to take such steps to protect that property as may to them seem best. 2. Proposed by Mr. Thring (Secretary of the Society of Authors), and seconded by Mr. Mendlesohn : That the said committee consist of two representatives of each of the undermentioned bodies and interests : The  ## p. 6 (#20) ############################################### 6 THE AUTHOR. Copyright Association, the Society of Authors, musical interests, fine art interests, photographic interests, dramatic publishers and authors, with power to add to their numbers from their own or other bodies as they think fit. The next step for the Society to take will be, of course, to elect delegates to attend upon the com- mittee. This committee, when formed, will care- fully go into whatever papers may be laid before them by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and will consider the advisability of sending a deputation to the Marquis of Ripon on the matter. Further information will be conveyed to the members of the Society through the Author, as the question and the steps taken are proceeded with. II.--THE WORKING OF THE COPYRIGHT IAw. I. Mr. George Haven Putnam's thoughtful article on “Results of the Copyright Law,” in the January Forum, was an excellent summing up of the situation as developed since the passage of the Copyright Act of March 4, 1891. To my mind, his opinion that, in spite of the law’s defects, “it would be unwise at this time to make any effort to secure amendments * is the correct one. At the same time, the fact that a petition has been brought into the German Parliament calling for the abrogation of the copyright agree- ment between the United States and Germany, and that this petition has been approved by the committee having it in charge, gives a serious turn to the copyright situation. Mr. Putnam, in his article, noted that “it is almost impossible for a French or German author to arrange to issue his book in this country (either in the original or in a translation) simultaneously with the publication abroad. The re-setting in the Original language, for such limited sale as could be looked for here, would be unduly expensive, while time is required for the preparation of a satisfactory translation.” The great trouble, Mr. Putnam tells me, is that to secure copyright in a work in a foreign language, it must be re-set here in the original language. The copyright of a translation protects that translation only, and if the book is not also published in the original, anyone is at liberty to issue a new translation. This state of affairs was brought about by the eagerness of the typographical unions to grasp every advantage. The French Society of Authors made this discovery some time ago, and now that Germany threatens to take the matter up, the result of the immense amount of labour per- formed by our copyright leagues is somewhat dis- couraging. After all, I presume that our copy- right relations with Great Britain are the chief issue at stake, and these are progressing in a fairly Satisfactory manner at present. It is curious to observe how closely the success of books by new English authors is watched by the American reprinters. Of course, the successful English author's second book at once finds an authorised publisher in the United States, and is copy- righted; but the way every new English success is pirated in this country shows plainly the need of a time clause in the Copyright Act as long as the printing clause remains. - Another vexatious copyright question has been raised in a recent interview with Mr. Spofford, Librarian of Congress. I have not the slightest doubt that ninety in a hundred of those interested will be immensely surprised to learn from that interview that in the United States the name or title of a book is not protected by copyright. “The law is, said Mr. Spofford, “that the sub- stance, the literary contents, of a book or publica- tion may be protected by copyright, but not the name—not the title.” The filing of title-pages of books in this country, which is required by law, is not, then, for purposes of protection, but for identification merely. This seems to be a great injustice, and I asked Mr. Putnam if a change in this respéct were not needed when the Copyright Act is next amended. Mr. Putnam assented, and gave me some interesting information as to the present condition of English copyright law on this point, and as to certain proposed changes. In England, Mr. Putnam said, the law as to book titles goes as far in the contrary direction as does ours, in that it permits anyone to copyright all the titles he can think of with or without any real intention to use them for actual books. This copyright in a title or titles lasts for the full English term of forty-two years, or seven years after the copyrighter's death. In many cases, authors of books have had to pay such copy- righters to relinquish titles on which they unluckily had stumbled. Mr. Putnam thinks that authors should be at liberty to copyright the titles of their proposed books, but that such copy- right should be completed by the publication of the book within a reasonable period (six months or a year), and that failing of this the copyright should become void. Also he thinks that copy- right in a title should lapse if the book which it represents is out of print for a long period. The proposed new English law, introduced by Lord Monkswell in the present Parliament, and still pending, covers these points very fully. Copy- right in a title must be perfected by publication of the book within six months, and is lost in the case of books which remain out of print over two years. - II. The copyright questions touched upon in my last letter have brought me further information  ## p. 7 (#21) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. . 7 as to the working of the Act of 1891. A sufficient time has now passed to enable publishers generally to understand what methods of procedure to follow in securing themselves and their authors here and abroad. Single stories, poems, and articles in English periodicals, which have not been “placed ” in the United States, are now sent over in advance to this country, put in type, and issued in pamphlet form on the day of the periodical's publication in England, thus securing copyright here for the same matter when subse- quently issued in book form. It is becoming more and more dangerous to reprint such articles from English magazines, especially if the authors are distinguished. All this has, of course, become the A B C of the trade among publishers, but it will be in the nature of information to many of the writing guild. Such copyrighted matter as that just mentioned is published here in three different ways: first, by the American branch of the English house; second, by an American pub- lishing house, which is the agent of the English firm; third, by the private agent of the English publisher. In any case protection is legally secured. So thoroughly do the English houses under- stand this question, and in so many cases have they established branch firms here for the publi- cation of their own books, that a leading Boston author was tempted to remark to the head of a large American publishing house that the chief effect of the International Copyright Act seemed to be to enable English publishing firms to establish branch houses here, manufacture dupli- cate plates, and flood the market with English books. This is only partially true, however, as most English publishers still prefer to issue their books through American houses, who manufac- ture the plates for both sides of the ocean. As to American authors, they no longer have to compete with five-cent. editions of current books by leading English authors, but issue their works in even competition with the latter. In view of the working of the Act, there may be a modicum of wisdom in requiring plates to be manufactured in this country, as otherwise we might be swamped by cheap English sheets in a way to shut off American authors and publishers from fair competition. These are the views of a protectionist, however, and I understand that those interested in copyright reform insist that protection and free trade ought not to enter into the question. International copyright is now secured between the United States and Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, and Italy. The American Copyright League, so its secretary tells me, is now working for copyright WOL. W. with Greece, Norway, and Sweden, Spain, and Austria. Russia is considered hopeless on account of the press censorship. Austria, I believe, objects to the printing clause. Oddly enough, the printing clause is not considered a grave objection by the Spanish authorities, but they do object seriously to the requirement that American editions of Spanish books be registered at Washington and the fee paid before copyright can be secured. In most international copyright agreements between European countries, regis- tration in the author's country is all that is necessary for protection in other countries. Our late Minister to Spain, the Hon. E. Burd Grubb, was unable to overcome this objection on the part of the Spanish authorities. It has been suggested that a certificate of copyright from the United States Consul at Madrid, or from the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, could be made to serve at Washington by a special Act of Congress. The benefit would accrue chiefly to Spanish authors, so that Spanish hindrance seems absurd. — ARTHUR STEDMAN in the Chicago Dial. III.-FoED v. SMITH. (Before MR. JUSTICE MATHEw and a Special Jury.) This was an action (May 30) by Mr. Thomas Murray Ford, a dramatic author and journalist, against Mr. Valentine Smith, a theatrical manager and actor, arising out of the produc- tion of an English version of Adam's opera. “Si j’étais Roi.” The plaintiff's case, as stated by counsel, was that in December, 1888, he was asked by the defendant to translate and prepare an English version of “Si j’étais Roi.” No remuneration was fixed for the work, as the plaintiff said he could not tell how long it would take, but it was agreed that a reasonable price should be paid. The original libretto was by MM. Dennery and Brésil, and this was handed to the plaintiff by the defendant. Dr. Storer and Miss Harte- Potts assisted him, and, when finished, the English lyrics were written into a full score of the opera, by Dr. Storer. The work occupied two months, and was of a difficult nature, as first a translation had to be made of the French verse, and then English lyrics fitted to the music. When the words were completed they were sent to the defendant, who sent plaintiff a sum of £5 some time afterwards in reply to an application for payment. Plaintiff, however, wrote back and said that such a sum was quite insufficient. He, however, heard no more for four years, when he heard that defendant was performing an opera C  ## p. 8 (#22) ############################################### 8 THE AUTHOR. entitled “King for a Day,” which he suspected was his work. He accordingly procured a book of the words, which were identical with his version, and found that the defendant had registered both the opera and the book. The defendant's case was that he had only asked defendant to “write up ’’ a music score; that the version the defendant used was written up and adapted by him and Dr. Storer from what he remembered of the American version; that he had never used anything that plaintiff had written; and that he was unaware the plaintiff had prepared any version at all. Evidence was given on both sides in support of these statements. Mr. Justice MATHEw, in summing up, said the questions for the jury were--(1) Was the plain- tiff employed to do the work? If so, he was entitled to be paid for doing it. (2) Was the manuscript sold to the defendant P If it was, he was entitled to register it. (3) Was the version the defendant used substantially the one prepared by the plaintiff P and (4) Had the plaintiff, in fact, accepted the £5 in full payment or was he entitled to anything more ? The learned Judge then proceeded to review and criticise the evi- dence in detail. The jury immediately found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 3850. ON ROYALTIES. INCE a great many of our members have S joined during the last four years—in 1890 the number of members was 4oo, at the present moment, May, 1894, it is nearly 1300– the facts and figures published in the early numbers of the Author are practically inaccessible to the younger members. But some of these are of the highest importance. Also, some of them require revision in consequence of slight changes. We purpose, therefore, to reproduce them. Per- haps the most important of all are those which relate to royalties. Nothing is more chaotic than the royalty system; but, since it is, for many reasons, the plan generally preferred by both authors and publishers, it is one that must be thoroughly understood. The figures given in the Author (Vol. I., p. 39, and Vol. III., p. 7) have been carefully revised. I. Cost of Production: As before, an ordinary six-shilling book is taken as an example. It may be a book of essays, a biography, a novel. Since a large circulation is contemplated, the figures will, in general, be found more useful for the novelist than for the essayist. But the latter will do well to consider the results on a single edition only. We take a very common form : it is one used for the greater number of six-shilling novels. The type is called Small Pica : there are twenty-nine lines in the page, and there are about 250 or 26o words to the page ; there are seventeen sheets, or 272 pages. The following is tendered as an approximate cost; that is to say, we could our- selves get the work done at these figures. It must be understood that a book of greater length will cost more; if, for instance, there are twenty-four sheets instead of seventeen, the cost of production would be increased, and the figures modified throughout. Illustrations would also increase the cost. I. A first edition of IOOO copies costs about £92 2. A first edition of 3000 copies costs g - about £180 3. A second edition of IOOO copies costs about £52 4. A second edition of 3000 copies costs about £135 In other words, in a first edition of S. d. ... IOOO copies, each copy costs about... I Io; 3OOO 25 5 x 2 3 » . . . I 2; , In a second edition of s. d. IOOO copies, each copy costs about... I o 3OOO 5 y 55 35 32 - - O The above is approximately the cost of produc- tion. The publisher now has IOOO copies in his hands—what does he get for them P. We reckoned in our last published figures 3s.6d. for an average price. We have since learned, on closer inquiry, that this is too low an average. There are slight variations with different firms, and sometimes special terms may be made. Thus, there are four or five firms who “subscribe’” their six-shilling books, i.e., issue them to the trade, on a first subscription at 4s., counting 13 as 12, and with 5 per cent. discount at the quarterly settlement. This is just over 3s. 6d. But a first subscrip- tion generally means a very small proportion of the whole afterwards taken in the case of a suc- cessful book. Other firms subscribe their 6s. books at 4s. 2d.; 25 as 24; or 13 as I 2 ; and 5 per cent. On the quarterly settlement. Thus we have, at 25 as 24, the price at 3s. 9%d., say 3s. 9%d. nd at 13 as 12 the price at 3s. 7+}d., or very nearly 3s. 8d. There are other variations. Some firms give a large discount for an order of so much. - - Stated generally, the average price to the trade 4. IO;  ## p. 9 (#23) ############################################### THE AUTHOR. - 9 of a 6s. book is 3s. 8d., and in all calculations as regards royalties this price may be taken as the basis of calculation. g - Thus with an edition of - IOOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... ... ... 3OOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... 2 5 Thus with a second edition of IOOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... ... ... 2 8 3OOO copies the difference between return and cost is ... ... ... ... 2 9% We can thus get an idea of what the royalty system means when an edition is completely exhausted. I. On the sale of an edition of IOOO only : - . Per cent. On a royalty of......... IO I5 2O 25 s. d. I 9 # # * smºs Publisher ........................ 360 ... 345 ... 330 ... 31.5 Author ........................... 383O ... 3845 ... 36O ... 3875 2. On the sale of a first edition of 30OO : Per cent. IO I5 2O 25 3O Publisher...... £280 ... 3240 ... 3190 ... 31.45 ... 38 IOO Author......... £90 ... 3135 ... 3180 ... 3225 ... 3270 3. On the sale of a second edition of IOOO : Per cent. IO I5 2O 25 3O Publisher............ £IOO ... 385 ... 370 ... 355 ... 3840 Author............... 483O ... 345 ... 386O ... 375 ... 3890 4. On the sale of a second edition of 3000: Per cent. IO I5 2O 25 30 Publisher...... £325 ... 3280 ... 3235 ... 3190 ... 31.45 Author......... £90 ... 3135 ... 3180 ... 3225 ... 3270 These figures show that for a half-profit system, supposing a book to be successful, a royalty of about 22% per cent. on such a work, of such a length, without illustrations, means half profits to author and to publisher. But it may be objected, very few books indeed attain to such a circulation as is here presented. As a matter of fact, many more books attain to wide circulation than we suspect. We are too much accustomed to think of novels alone as successful books. There are, however, educa- tional, religious, scientific, historical, biographical books which obtain very great success. We do not hear much about them ; of the novel we hear a great deal. Let us next, then, reserving this important fact, speak of books which cannot expect a large circulation. A philosophical treatise, for instance; a book of essays by a writer who is not popular; a book of poems by a poet not yet popular; can hardly expect a large WOL. W. sale. Indeed, in some cases, the writer is fortunate in getting published at all; and there are many cases in which a publisher has produced a book by which he cannot hope to do more than recoup his expenditure. Let us return to a book, of which a single edition of IOOO copies represents the whole. If it is a volume of essays it is generally longer than the example quoted. Suppose it contains twenty sheets. The cost of production, not counting moulding, would be about £1oo. This cost is covered with a sale of 550. If, however, it is saddled with a royalty of 15 per cent. to the author, the book is not covered until a sale of 723 copies. Now, the publisher may see his way to dispose of something like this number, but not of many more. Where, then, is his own share in the return ? It is manifestly impossible, with a sale so limited, to give so large a royalty. This consideration seems to introduce the deferred royalty; and, indeed, if the accounts are honestly presented, on an agreed understanding as to the proportion or share, a deferred royalty would seem the fairest. Thus with our figures a royalty would begin after 550 copies were sold. What should be the amount of the royalty P Clearly, the sale of every copy in the edition of Iooo, except the presentation copies, after 550 are gone, is so much profit. Therefore a royalty of 50 per cent. is only the old-fashioned half profit plan honestly carried out. Unfortunately the deferred royalty has been —and is—the easiest and the most common way of conveying the whole of the property into the publisher's hands. For instance, a case occurred some time ago in which such a book as we are considering was to be charged with a royalty of a shilling a copy after I 600 copies had been sold. Now, the book was of such a nature that its sale would probably never reach, or only just reach, I 600 copies. Suppose, however, an edition of 2000 copies were produced and all were sold. The cost of the book would be about 3130; the returns, at 3s. 8d. a copy, would be about £350. The author would receive Is. On 4OO copies, i.e., 32O ; the publisher would receive over £2OO. The figures are only approximate, but they are not far wrong. How does such an agreement as this strike the reader for equity ? Again, a very distinguished writer sought the advice of the Society sofme time ago on the following proposal. He was to give a certain firm a book—a little book which would cost a trifling sum to produce, and would be absolutely certain of success from the name alone of the writer. The firm proposed that a royalty of one-sixth should be given to the writer, to begin after 2000 copies had been sold / There • C 2  ## p. 10 (#24) ############################################## IO THE AUTHOR. is no need of figures in this case in order to show the beauty of the arrangement. A third case. It was concerning a three- volume novel. The author accepted terms which promised large returns after the sale of 350 copies. He never got anything. He found out afterwards that the publisher, guessing that there would be no demand for the book over and above 350 copies, had not only named that number as the starting point for the royalty, but had also printed that number and no more, and had then distributed the type. He gave away about twenty copies and the libraries took the rest, and he made the little profit of £150 or so on the trans- action. How does this strike the reader for loyalty and honour? Under these circumstances a proposal of a deferred royalty must be regarded with great suspicion. This paper does not advance any opinion as to the royalty which should be regarded as fair. It gives the facts, approximately, as regards cost of production and returns. Readers must remember that, though it is always neces- sary to consider the case of a great success, it does not by any means follow that their own books are going to be greatly successful. They must also remember that to recoup the cost of production alone is not exactly satisfactory to the publisher. These considerations belong to the application of the figures given above. *— — —” P- - -e TWO AFTER DINNER SPEECHES, N responding to the toast of the “Trade,” proposed by the Lord Mayor at the book- sellers' trade dinner, held on April 14, Mr. John Murray said: “As regards that section of the trade with which I am personally connected, I will say that we publishers get a great deal of abuse, but up to the present we have not perished under that abuse. I believe there are certain people writing against us frequently. I believe there is a periodical devoted more or less to our shortcomings. But you know an author would not be an author if he were not a man of brilliant imagination. Well, gentlemen, when I think of what has passed, I am reminded ºf a little inci- dent which may have come within your know- ledge. There was an American gentleman—one of those whose tendencies lead them to come to other nations and teach other people their busi- ness—who came to Scotland and addressed some tenants against the landlord, and, feeling he had the sympathies of his audience, he asked if any- one would like to ask him a question. An old farmer arose and said, ‘Well, Mr. George, I think you are an owner of land yourself?’ ‘No,' was the reply. “Never interested in one?’ said the farmer. “No ; I am neither agent or landlord, I have never had anything to do with land or landlords.” “No ; I thought so,” said the farmer and sat down. Now this is the way to treat our critics, and I offer them a hint not offered before. There were plans which in the long run would require the sanction of the courts to be enforced. I make a better sugges- tion: I say find me a man to write down in legal phrase, ‘Good feeling, mutual confidence, and friendship.' I say find me a man prepared in a right minded spirit to enter into an agreement honourably conceived, and I will show you the man who will draw up an agreement which will not require the courts to enforce it. That is the basis on which such a business should be made.” - It is fair to suppose that Mr. Murray directed these remarks against this paper—in fact, lest the audience should think that some other paper was intended, Mr. Macmillan afterwards explained that it was the Author. If so, one has to point out that the Author has never, at any time, or in any place, abused publishers. The Society of which it is the organ has pointed out most clearly and distinctly that it has not the slightest quarrel with honourable publishers. The Society has investigated and has exposed, partly in this paper, certain practices which make publishing in certain hands a mean and a dishonest trade. If Mr. Murray “has found certain persons writing against us,” I think he may fairly be called upon to explain more clearly what he TT168,1].S. - Next he relates a parable, by which he seems to imply that the Author tries to teach publishers their business. The Author does nothing of the kind; it does, however, try to teach authors their business. With this object in view it publishes the facts as to the actual cost of production, the trade allowances, the methods of advertising, the extent of copyright, the law of copyright, the meaning of royalties—all the points, in short, necessary to teach the author what the various clauses of an agreement may mean. Does Mr. Murray object to this kind of light? Finally, Mr. Murray offers to do the very thing which the Society most ardently desires and has always in view. I know not whether he was present at a meeting held in December, 1892, at which the chairman, Sir Frederick Pollock, stated plainly that it was incredible that honourable men could not meet and recognise some method or methods of publishing as fair and acceptable to both sides. That statement still stands unanswered—what is  ## p. 11 (#25) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I I In the way ? Frankly, the chief obstacles are the men who, being the leaders of the publishing trade, assume, at such meetings as the Book- sellers' dinner, that exposures—exposures which must be made—of over-reaching or sharping by the baser sort—are meant as attacks upon them- selves. If Mr. Murray will turn to page 9 of this number he will find there, as illustration, three agreements, not fraudulent, but sharp, recently offered to authors. One would ask him if they are such agreements as he approves. One would further ask him if he does not approve of the exposure and explanation of such agree- ments. I will show Mr. Murray, if he cares to See them, one or two other curious little agree- ments and accounts. And I will tell him, if he wishes, in confidence, the names of the firms concerned. The Committee, one is quite sure, will gladly consider any agreement which Mr. Murray may communicate in the very spirit which he desires. But, one would ask, how can there be any agree- ment which can be outside, and independent of, the law P Are publishers unique among mankind in being, as a body and individually, beyond reproach P Does Mr. Murray really believe this P For myself, I have always thought it a great misfortune for literature that such a publisher as Mr. John Murray does not welcome the Society with open arms. I have often said this privately. I now say it publicly. For—consider—if we tell a solicitor of standing that there are many black sheep in his profession; if we expose the tricks and sharpings of these black sheep, does that Solicitor get up in public and complain that certain people are always abusing “us?” Our experience of the methods of publishing is wide, and, in fact, unique. It is nothing less than a knowledge of the methods pursued by every pub- lishing house in London. And of certain houses —I must not say in this place which they are or how many they are—I declare that I cannot Conceive it possible that a single sentence in the Author (not counting correspondence) should be able to offend or irritate any member of any one of these firms. At the same dinner, Mr. Frederick Macmillan also spoke at greater length about the Author. He is reported to have said: “The relations between publishers and authors have always been satisfac- tory, and I believe the contrary opinion is chiefly due to the Author, which I believe has hitherto been thoroughly misunderstood. When this periodical first made its appearance before the world, and put before us preposterous statements based on elaborately collected information, varied by vague but offensive charges of dishonesty, there were many respectable persons who had passed their whole lives producing books who were much surprised, and some went so far as to be annoyed. I gave it some consideration, and tried to find what this periodical was. . In fact, if it is once established that the Author is a comic periodical, no doubt its circulation will very much increase. This is a digression merely suggested by Mr. Murray's reference to the Author.” I cannot agree that the relations of author and publisher are, or ever have been, satisfactory, for the simple reason that they are absolutely undefined, and that an author has to go and ask a publisher what terms he proposes. This is simple fact, and not an opinion at all. It is a fact in no way due to the Author, but is known and lamented among all authors whose work has any commercial value. As for the “preposterous statements,” one would like to know in detail, and with reference to page and volume, what these are. “Vague, but offensive charges of dis- honesty.” What are these ? Our charges of dishonesty are not vague, but perfectly clear and precise. For instance, he who makes a false return of accounts to his partner—how should he be described P. In general terms, what would the world call such a man? This is not vague. Will Mr. Macmillan explain how such a charge is Offensive P Or, since we cannot assume that he could be offended by such a charge as this, what and where are the “offensive ’’ charges? There are other practices which have also been quite clearly defined, and will be so again. As for the facts published, they chiefly consist of the facts as to the cost of production. Does Mr. Macmillan refer to these ? Does he object to this kind of light? One cannot assume that it is possible. In that case, what are the offend- ing statements P The part of Mr. Macmillan's speech which was directed personally against myself, I have taken out ; it does not concern our readers. He con- cludes with the soothing reflection that the Author is a comic paper. It is astonishing how much consolation has been obtained by persons who, for this or that reason, are angry with a paper by the consideration that, after all, it is only a comic paper. Since that is so, let us laugh and go on our way. There are many more little jokes coming along which will, we hope, preserve the comicality of our columns. Meanwhile, I repeat, what are those preposterous statements which have made Mr. Frederick Macmillan so very angry with the Author? EDITOR.  ## p. 12 (#26) ############################################## I 2 THE AUTHOIR. BOOK TALK, HE report in the newspaper London, of April 19, dealing with the metropolitan and suburban free libraries has received much attention from those interested in the free library movement, because statistics are there given which tend to show that the working of the Free Libraries Acts is not as successful as had been expected. To begin with, there are some parishes which will not adopt the Acts at all, and, whatever may have been their original reasons, it would be short-sighted and impolitic not to ask whether these statistics supplied in the article “What Londoners Read,” furnish these parishes with any new arguments for con- tinuing in the same course. The article states that the “free library move- ment in London seems to have come to a dead stop. It was late in starting, and only made satisfactory progress for a short period. Recently there have been discouraging defeats. It looks as if all the energy and enthusiasm thrown into the movement in 1887 and 1889 had been exhausted. . . .” Only half the people have yet the benefit of these valuable educational institutions. What is read in these libraries P Turning to the statistics themselves, there is only one thing to be said—readers of fiction are the class who have been able to find their wants most easily satisfied. Fiction in all the libraries has always the highest percentage. The writer of the article, who seems to think that people ought not to read novels, adds a special warning to show that the “conclusion that the public libraries are mainly used for the dissemination of fiction is erroneous,” for, and these are the three chief reasons: (1) Libraries possess more novels than other works quite as much because they are cheap as that they are often asked for. (2) Novels take a much shorter time to read than serious works. (3) Many novels borrowed and recorded in the per- centages are not read at all. And then follow three other minor reasons. The writer then goes on to make a comparison between the free library novel reader and the subscriber to Mudie, Smith, and the Grosvenor. Nothing, however, can be gained for the free library movement by such a course. If the free library readers have their weaknesses, they are not excused because the patrons of Mudie and Smith have theirs. In the next column the writer shows us what he considers the special weakness of the free library, for he gives us the names of the six most popular novelists. By a process of exhaustion it seems as though we could always find one of these libraries in which one or more of the novelists, popular elsewhere, received but little attention ; but we ning through them all. should find one name—Mrs. Henry Wood—run- If we proceed in the same way with particular novels, there is but one novel which seems to be read everywhere— Chelsea, Holborn, Bermondsey, Clerkenwell—they must have “East Lynne.” Saint Martin’s-in-the- Fields requires eight copies. “It is the demand for ‘East Lynne' which gives Mrs. Wood the first position. “East Lynne’ being the favourite, it is perhaps, after all, a fair comparison to say that the free library is to one class of people what Mudie and Smith are to another. How very unwise then it is to pit the masses against the classes in this matter of reading, when really their tastes overlap. The outcome of this clearly is that, judged as an educational institution, the education furnished by the free library is chiefly conveyed through the modern novel; a form of text-book which teaches history, manners, customs, religion, morals, taste, and a great many things besides. It must, of course, be very trying to the autho- rities of public libraries to see so many works, which would well deserve a place on their shelves, published at prices far beyond the reach of the free library resources. We have before us a small volume, “The Life of Fra Paolo Sarpi,” by the Rev. Alexander Robertson, which is enjoying a large sale, and which seems to us to be suitable in every way for our free libraries. It is the history of a very great man which is here brought into a small compass without losing sight of either the material facts of his life, or, what is the essence of biography the spirit with which he went about his own and his country’s affairs. It is not usual to find a manual of history and biography which can be recommended as a guide and a stimulus to our own people in their attempt to be perfectly clear minded on the two most difficult political ideas of our time—pro- gress and patriotism. It is just possible that those who have hitherto been content to take their knowledge of Fra Paolo Sarpi from Miss Campbell’s life will be disappointed with Mr. Robertson's monograph, because, except in the last chapter, he does not appear to give any very fresh information. The chief reason for recommending the book just Inow is that it brings out most clearly how English sympathies have hitherto been entirely on the side of true freedom, both in action and in thought, whenever the sup- port of England has been sought by States struggling against religious tyranny. If there are any who are inclined to question the support given by England to the formation of the Italian kingdom—a united Italy, catholic, patriotic, and anti-papal, will not fail to note how easily the struggle could be misrepresented by the misuse of our current political terms or Tories and Liberals.  ## p. 13 (#27) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I 3 It is almost impossible not to consider this volume as a political manual intended to show the triumph of the Liberals (using the word in a foreign sense) or constitutional party over the clerical party, the upholders of the absolute authority of the ruler of the then existing Papal States. Such an opposition of parties may seem strange to us who are, perhaps, accustomed to consider constitutionalism more as the property of Tories, or, let us say, Conservatives, than Liberals. Nevertheless, there is one reflection to be made, if we in England have not hitherto had a clerical party there are good reasons for believing that such a party may spring up and declare itself in the near future; and it will be interesting to see how the name Liberal, as we now use it, will have to be extended to include many who at the present time would style themselves Conserva- tives. It is from this consideration — the possibility of a clerical party arising in England —that Mr. Robertson's book will derive another element of popularity. He leaves us in no doubt whatever as to the vitality of the struggle. When we consider the varied literary and scien- tific achievements of our day, there is always a danger of overlooking the importance of pro- portion in time, especially in things political. For instance, we have here a conflict between liberty and tyranny which has been waged since the time of Dante. If we are considering the history of Man from Abraham to Darwin that is not a very long time, but if we are thinking only, as is here the case, of the development of con- stitutionalism, it is impossible not to contrast the quick growth of our free political institutions in England, after we had substituted the Sovereign for the Pope, with their growth in those countries which had still to reckon with the papal claims. To recognise that a constitution is a growth and not the creation of a minister—even a Sarpi–is the political lesson of this biography. It is shown that to be free to develop is the simple requirement of a constitutional commonwealth like the Venetian, or a constitutional monarchy like the kingdom of Italy. Mr. Robertson has written a most interesting book. As it is not our duty here to do more than find reasons for recommending its purchase to private buyers, and justifying the same by public ones, we may draw attention to the heads of the chapters showing the method adopted. We have three chapters dealing with Sarpi, as scholar, professor, and then provincial of the Servite Order of Friars. Chapter 4 describes him as scientist and philosopher, in which his position with regard to the discovery of the circulation of the blood and the amount of Harvey’s indebted- mess to him are noted. We observe that Mr. Robertson appears to take a somewhat different view of that question than Miss Campbell does. Up to this point Sarpi is shown rather as making preparation for the duties which afterwards devolved upon him; while the three following chapters are devoted to the noble and successful struggle of his political life. He is described as theological counsellor, as martyr, and as states- man-author. The last chapter, “In tomb and on pedestal,” tells how Sarpi's enemies tried to revenge themselves even on his remains, and gives their attempts—which were very successful—to prevent the statue decreed by the Senate and Doge On Feb. 7, 1623, being set up. This was not dome till 1892. Mr. Robertson writes: “In recognition of the fact that Fra Paolo embodied the spirit not only of the old republic of Venice, but also of the new kingdom of Italy, the day chosen for the unveiling of the statue was the auspicious one, Sept. 20.” The volume has a photograph from a picture of Sarpi, and another of the statue; there is also a fac-simile letter in Sarpi’s handwriting. * * * a- - -º CALIFORNIAN NOTES. HE following notes on two or three Cali- fornian writers, furnished by a Californian, may serve to infroduce them to the readers of the Author. The first is on Mrs. Margaret Collier Graham, whose stories in the Atlantic Monthly and in the Century magazine have attracted some attention during the past eighteen months. She is a California woman, having her home at Pasadena, in Southern California. Mrs. Graham first made her appearance in literature twelve years ago with a story which appeared in the California Magazine, a publication which after- wards became merged in the new series of the Overland. This story, “Jamie,” attracted much attention at the time, and was followed only by one or two fugitive efforts, after which the writer dropped into obscurity. The real cause for this suspension of literary effort was the prolonged illness of her husband, who died three years ago. The twelve years that intervened between Mrs. Graham's earlier and later work were filled with work and sorrow and love. But meanwhile the writer was unconsciously preparing for strong and purposeful effort in letters. This is why she seems to have sprung full fledged into literature. Her stories show the subtle discernment of cha- racter, and the happy sense of humour peculiar to Miss Mary E. Wilkins, whom she resembles without imitation. As Miss Wilkins belongs to the east, so Mrs. Graham belongs to the west. Where Miss Wilkins introduces us to the New  ## p. 14 (#28) ############################################## I4. THE AUTHOR. England sewing circle, Mrs. Graham tells us of the outdoor life of the Far West. While Miss Wilkins shows us the homely furrows ploughed on the stony hillsides of the Granite Hills, Mrs. Graham pictures the freshly upturned virgin soil, full of latent possibilities, bathed in sunshine. The pathos of life is in her tales, yet what most captivates us is their humour. She has a fine touch, and the little she has published has been talked about, thought about, and dis- cussed, like the work of few writers during these last two years. Yet one who knows her well, ventures the prediction that these exquisite pictures of western life that she has given the reading public, will seem but child's play when compared to the strong and serious work of which she is capable, and which she will yet accomplish. Another writer, as yet not popular with English readers, is Mr. Cromwell Galpin, a newspaper man of Los Angeles. chiefly by his contributions to the child-literature of the day. He has now nearly completed a novel whose scenes deal with the ancient life of the Pueblo Indians, of which he has made a special study. The subject is a unique one, and the novel is certain to have a literary and historical value. Mr. Galpin is the writer who conceived the very original undertaking of publishing a folk- lore tale of several thousand words, which should Tead pleasantly and with euphony, without the employment of a single word that was not of pure Saxon origin. This feat he accomplished successfully, and the result was published in Wideawake two years ago. The Overland Monthly, California's best known literary publication, and from which Bret Harte sprang from obscurity to fame, has lately changed hands, becoming the property of Mr. Rounseville Wildman, a consular representative and writer of some repute, who takes the editorial chair. It is understood that Mr. W. W. Foote, a San Francisco criminal lawyer of repute, will have a voice in the management, and will become a regular contributor to the magazine. *— - —” TO A DISCOURTEOUS BEAUTY. (From CoRNEILLE.) Although my features, fair marquise, A trifle weatherworn have grown, The day will come, remember please, When you’ll find furrows on your own Naught upon earth, however bright, Can brave the scathing touch of Time; My wreath, now wan with winter's blight, Had once, like yours, its April prime ! He has hitherto been known The same just stars in yonder blue, Life's course for both of us decree ; My past I gaze upon in you, Your future you behold in me ! Yet charms I own which, sooth to speak, When yours have perished, shall endure, Against the worst that Time can wreak, Proudly, impregnably secure : Tricked in mere beauty’s transient gloss, My charms in chill disdain you hold; Yet, when all yours are worthless dross Mine still shall gleam intrinsic gold ! They could preserve those lustrous eyes, Or bid their light extinguised be ; They could award you Helen's guise, Or hand you down as Hecate | Ay, with posterity, who'll lend Some slight regard to what I’ve writ, Your boasted beauty will depend On just what I may say of it ! Lay this to heart, then, fair marquise— When next with “hauteur’ superfine You’d fain some hapless oldster freeze, Choose one whose pen's less sharp than mine ! WILLIAM TOYNBEE. *-- ~ 2–? r—- * ~s NOTES AND NEWS. HE Report of the Dinner of the 31st ult. will appear in the July number. “Les éditeurs catholiques Letouzey et Ané com- paraissent aujourd'hui devant la cour d’assises de la Seine, présidee par M. Potier, sous l'accusa- tion de faux en écritures de commerce au préjudice de M. Léo Taxil. L'expertise aurait 6tabli que M. Léo Taxil avait été frustré, de la part de ses éditeurs, a propos du tirage de ses publications, d'une somme dépassant 38,000 fr. M* Pouillet et Georges Maillard assistent MM, Letouzey et Ané. M. l'avocat-général Van Cassel soutient l’accu- sation. - - - L'affaire a 6té renvoyée.”—Siècle, May 30. We are called upon to thank certain Americans for a graceful act. They have quite privately and secretly collected a sum of money. With this they have caused to be made a marble bust of Keats, which is to be placed in Hampstead church. Mr. Gosse was informed of the plan as soon as the bust was completed, and was permitted to communicate it to the Times of May 25. The bust has arrived. It was brought over by Mr. Day, the projector of the gift. I suppose we ought, long ago, to have put up such a monument to the poet; certainly no poet lives more surely and more lovingly in our hearts than Keats; yet, on  ## p. 15 (#29) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I5 the whole, it seems a good thing that we have left this offering to the Americans. We read in it a claim, or, if you please, an acknowledgment, that everything good and great written in our common language belongs to all who speak that language. We recognised this truth when we put up the monuments to Lowell and to Long- fellow in Westminster Abbey. I wish we could do more. We might present a statue of Haw- thorne to the pretty little town of Concord. We might put up a bust of Washington Irving in the City Hall of New York. We might give a statue of Oliver Wendell Holmes to the great hall of Harvard. Let us consider the subject. Mean- time we must welcome our American friends. The Weekly Sun has discovered a poet in a coal mine. That is to say, he has been in a coal mine, but ill-health keeps him in the light of day. He is quite young, about twenty-two years of age; his education has been slender; he is very poor. The Weekly Sun has published one of his poems, called “Life at Play.” The following stanzas, which seem to me graceful, simple, and promising, are taken from this poem :— The field-flowers rise from out their beds Of undulating green, And shyly lift their pretty heads To look upon the scene. All things are gay ! For earth has doffed her garb uncouth, And beauty crowns and kisses youth, And Life's at play. The breeze blows gaily o'er the land, And whispers in the trees, And tosses with a playful hand The corn to tumbling seas. All things are gay ! A thousand waves in concert run, And glare and glitter in the sun, While Life’s at play. The world looks young, as golden gleams Of sunshine wreathe her brow ; And Nature’s wealth of fruitage teems, And Age seems younger now. All things are gay ! The living rules the dead again, The dreams of youth pulsate the brain, While Life’s at play. An attempt is being made to raise a small fund for this young poet. It is to cultivate his know- ledge. The editor of the Weekly Sun, Tudor- street, E.C., is willing to receive contributions. Will the readers of this paper, who should, above all others, love poetry and poets, respond to the appeal? The man may be another Burns— another Keats. I read in the Westminster Gazette that there will shortly be issued a History of the Riving- tons from the year 1711. There have been VOI,. W. published from time to time several books on the history of publishers and booksellers, but never, so far as I know, any complete history of any one house. We want in such a record, not only an account of the books published, and the general success, enterprise, and glorification of the firm, but also a history of its relations with authors. In the year 1711, for instance, and for a hundred years afterwards, the men who lived by literature were a miserably poor and, for the most part, a despised race; they were called Grub-street poets, publishers’ hacks, starveling authors, and other agreeable names; the luckless tribe were game for everybody, and especially for their more successful brethren. Will the historian of the Rivington House tell us something of the actual conditions under which literature was then produced ? What, for instance, was the extent of the market for English books? Was there any export to America P. Were the poor scribes paid for their work in anything like a fair proportion to its marketable value P When Oliver Goldsmith got 2960 for the “Vicar of Wakefield,” what did the purchaser make out of it? When Pope received the sum of £9000 for his translation of Homer, what did his publishers make P When was the practice of buying a work outright changed to that of a profit sharing agreement P When and by whom was a royalty system introduced? What losses show the existence of the risks that were certainly encountered in the last century? I have in my possession a bundle of accounts showing how publishers associated for the pro- duction of one book, each taking a proportion of the expense of production. I believe that, until quite recently, the practice was common. Then one would like printers’ accounts of the last century; others of fifty years ago, and others of to-day, showing the changes in that respect. And there should be an account of dealings with the country bookseller. In this way the history of the Publishing House of Rivington might become a most important contribution to the history of the commercial side of literature. The proposals for a collected edition of Steven- son's works are before me. They have been issued by several publishers in varying forms, and it has hitherto been rather difficult to put together a complete collection. Arrangements have been made with all his publishers, and the result has been a general consent to the issue of a uniform edition. Mr. Sidney Colvin will super- intend the edition; Mr. W. Hole, R.S.A., will provide an etched portrait ; Messrs. Constable, of Edinburgh, will print the work—their name is a guarantee that the printing will be the best D  ## p. 16 (#30) ############################################## I6 THE AUTHOR. possible.; and Messrs. Chatto and Windus will distribute the books when they are ready. The edition is limited to 1035 copies, of which thirty- five will be reserved for presentation copies; the remainder will be offered to the public in twenty volumes, at 12s. 6d. each. Of the thousand, 300 have been subscribed for America and the colo- nies. It is evident that the desire of the editors is to produce an edition which will become scarce and costly from the very commencement. Any bookseller will receive an order. I shall be very much surprised if there are any left within a week of this date. The Ossianic problem is to be reopened. It is like the “Man with the Iron Mask,” or the “Letters of Junius,” always waiting to be re- opened and discussed over again. The world should be thankful to Mr. Macpherson for pro- viding one more subject for the discussion of every successive generation. This time it is Mr. Bailey Saunders who revives the dispute, with a life of Macpherson in which to set it. “An Oxford Graduate” sends his literary experience. He says that he has for many years attempted to obtain entrance into the magazines, but with very discouraging results. The best magazines always return his MSS. ; he some- times succeeds in the second-rate papers. But he says: “However bad my work may be, it is at least as good as one-half of the average articles published even in first-class magazines. There is the sting ; this the bitterness one cannot get over.” Here lies, as the Oxford Graduate puts it, the true bitterness of failure, that the writer who cannot get in is unable to discern in what respects his work is worse than that accepted. It is not enough to say that MSS. offered by unknown writers are returned unread. A vast number of writers, from Boz downwards, have begun by offering their unknown work. Nor is it enough to say that editors do not read what is offered them. Editors may sometimes make mistakes; they may not always have the time to read all the MSS. sent to them; but it is a certain fact that editors, as a rule, do read contributions sent in to them, and do try to get good work. Otherwise they would not be editors, but mechanical clerks. There seems no reply possible to the “Oxford Graduate,” except the suggestion that long-con- tinued and almost unbroken failure must mean something—it may be in the form or the style— which militates against his success. § A correspondent asks the following question: “Could the Society give any indication to young writers as to the character of publishing houses, so as to avoid the great waste of time in sending work & priori unlikely to suit them P’’ The Society cannot possibly do this. It can advise, and daily does advise, authors in all branches of literature what houses are likely to consider their work, and what houses are likely to treat them fairly if they are inclined to accept their work. So that, if the writer confines himself to these houses, and is careful not to sign agree- ments without advice, he is at all events kept out of harm. But our correspondent means more than this. He is of opinion that publishers have certain leanings in this direction or that. This is not generally the case. Those publishers who publish novels will publish novels of any kind, provided they are not contra bonos mores and are likely to be in demand. And the same may be stated of every kind of book, except technical works, e.g., a general publisher should not be asked to produce new books on Arabic Philology, or on Medicine, or on Law, or on Cuneiform Inscriptions. But history, poetry, fiction, voyages, travels, and belles lettres generally of all kinds fall into the work undertaken by any publisher. The Society has to deplore the death of Mr. Edmund Yates. He had been a member of our council since the formation of the Society. He always took a deep interest in the welfare of the Society. At the outset, when our future was uncertain and extremely dark, the adhesion of every single man or woman of letters was important, and especially of such a man as Edmund Yates, novelist, journalist, and editor. His literary career, which practically ended with- the success of the World, was wide and varied. He was editor, One after another, of half a dozen magazines; he wrote many admirable novels, some of which still keep their place, and will continue to live a great deal longer than the space generally allotted even to successful novels. And he was a man of most kindly heart. With him has gone one of the few links remaining to connect the men of the Nineties with the men of the Fifties. Edmund Yates was from his birth associated with literary and dramatic folk. He was a personal friend of men much older than himself—Dickens, Albert Smith, Frank Smedley, Anthony Trollope. He began to write very early, and some of his novels still retain their hold upon the public. To the younger generation he is known chiefly as the editor of the World, which he himself founded in 1874. When one considers that the World is always regarded as a “personal ‘’ paper; that he was almost considered as the sole writer of it, though his staff was large, and included many writers of the very first order, it is wonderful that he made so few enemies. There are papers,  ## p. 17 (#31) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 17 for instance, whose editors make more enemies in a single year than Yates made in twenty years. The crowd of mourners—representing all kinds of people — which filled the Savoy Chapel at his funeral, and the grief that was marked on every face, proclaimed the loss that his death has caused. It was perhaps in kindness of heart that he once opened the pages of the World to a couple of men who were trying an experiment in collaboration. That was in 1876, and the turning point in that experiment proved to be that appearance in the World. I have always regarded this event in my little literary history not so much a stroke of good fortune as a personal favour bestowed, out of sheer kindness, upon my collaborateur, whom he knew slightly, and upon myself, whom he did not then know at all. — Another loss to letters is the death of Henry Morley. No two men could be more opposite than Edmund Yates and Henry Morley. The former an artist of the true artistic temperament; the latter a worker, always at work—learning, writing, teaching, transcribing, editing, inditing, histories of literature. We want such men as Henry Morley; they are most useful in their generation. Literature is like an army always on review. First and foremost are the fighting men; they are represented by the authors them- selves, the poets, dramatists, novelists, essayists, historians; then there are the critics, who repre- sent the bystanders and lookers on ; then the commissariat, represented by the publishers — some of the soldiers complain that the uniform of the commissariat is much finer than their own, and that their mess is much superior to the regimental mess; then there are the men like Henry Morley, who are represented by the clerks and keepers of the regimental records. Henry Morley was not one of the regiment, a fighting man, an original writer; nor was he a critic ; his work was to keep the records of the regiment, and he kept them very well. As a professor, and as the Warden of University Hall, he was widely and deservedly popular. Yet a third. Dr. Richard Morris is dead. With the single exception of Professor Skeat, no man living or dead has ever done so much for the study of our own old literature. It was fortunate for us, as well as the Early English Text Society, that his services were available, as well as those of Professor Skeat, during the early years of its existence. Very few societies have been able to command the work—gratuitous work, I believe—of such eminent scholars and patient workers as those two contributors, who simply created the success of the Society. The book of the month is Mr. Conway's Hima- layan Exploration. There has been universal agreement in all the papers on that point. One thing, at least, may be said concerning critics. When they all agree that a book is good the verdict may be accepted without a question. WALTER BESANT. *—— — —” -*. FEUILLETON, A PIOUS FRAUD. - Y the railway system irreverently known as the “Flying Watkin,” two gentlemen, with whom we are about to become acquainted, were travelling down into Kent. One was a man in the prime of life; a well-made fellow, with a pleasantly obtrusive waistcoat, and an evidence of comfortable prosperity about him. He had a merry eye, with attachments of white crow's-feet, as though he had been for a long time past smiling and laughing in a strong sunlight. And yet in spite of all this lurking mirth there was something hard about his face. His mouth was scornful, and there was something of the cynic apparent in spite of his look of bonhomie. His companion—or rather his fellow traveller, for they were not acquainted—was a much younger man, not more than twenty-five; rather above the middle height, and with a fine pair of intelligent eyes in his head. He was not good looking, but yet he was undeniably attractive. How, it would be perhaps impossible to explain. Grim determi- nation was his chief characteristic, tempered with a quiet air of disgust and weariness. These two travellers had the compartment to themselves, for it was a midday train, and almost empty. The younger traveller had exhausted his paper before they had travelled many miles, and then, with a muttered curse at the line in general, he rose, put his hat in the rack, and taking down down from that altitude something rolled in brown paper, began to undo the string. “I wonder what is wrong now,” he said under his breath, as he opened a small note inclosed in the parcel. He read the note and laughed, while his vis-à-vis looked at him in some amazement. It was not a pleasant laugh by any means, and it was not good to hear. Next he unrolled the document contained in the brown paper roll, and, as the elder traveller saw at a glance, it was a type-written play. He turned over certain leaves, removing certain marks as he did so, and laughing each time—if possible more unpleasantly than before. He soon, however, resumed his accus- tomed looked of weariness, and, leaning back in his corner, proceeded to read again. But by this  ## p. 18 (#32) ############################################## 18 THE AUTHOR. time he had excited the interest of the elder man, who, putting on his glasses, read the name of the play on the cover. He became uneasy, and rather excited—why he did not quite know. At length he could contain himself no longer. “Allow me, sir, to congratulate you on the name of your play.” The younger man looked up curiously and suddenly. The elder continued, “Hope you don't think me rude, but I’ve been watching you ever since you undid your roll. I watched your disgust, I heard your laugh. I am well acquainted with that sort of thing. I’m a playwright myself. My card.” The young man took the pasteboard smilingly. Looked at it. His face immediately became serious. He was so astonished that he was momen- tarily incapable of any other remark than “Oh.” For he read “Herod Wingiffle,” and knew then that he was sitting opposite to perhaps the leading playwright of the day “It’s rather a formidable name I’ll allow,” said Wingiffle apologetically. “It is, indeed,” said the young man, “I haven’t a card with me, but my name is Herbert Grant.” “Thank you,” said the other simply. “Yes, it is rather startling, but I didn’t christen myself or I’d have managed differently.” “Oh, I wasn’t meaning that way,” said Grant, laughing; “I was rather surprised at finding a man in such a position as yours”—Wingiffle inclined his head—“taking any notice of a new hand.” “Inoticed the title of your play, and whether it is a good name for that play or not of course I can’t say, but it's an attractive title anyway.” “You are very good.” “Not at all. I suppose you have had it returned P’’ “Yes—that’s it.” “They don’t like it?” “So they say here,” putting hand on note, “but I used certain marks which have not been disturbed at all !” “You mean ?” queried Wingiffle. “That it can’t have been read at all. have changed the wrappers, and that is all “Ah, there are a lot of funny little ways con- nected with theatrical management. Er—How old are you, and when did you begin to write for the stage?” He asked these two questions very abruptly. “I’m twenty-five, and I began to scribble when I was nineteen.” “Oh,” said Wingiffle, rather heartlessly, as Grant thought. Wingiffle continued musingly, “I began at seventeen, and my first produc- tion happened when I was thirty-five.” They 122 It was Grant's turn to say “Oh,” and he said. it with considerable fervour. “I don't want to discourage you,” Wingiffle was going on when Grant laughed—that hard hopeless laugh of his. “Ah! I see,” said the sympathetic playwright, “you have had a good deal of it; perhaps I had better say no more.” “Oh, please do,” said Grant, stopping his laugh suddenly. “I have had a good deal of discouragement, and I have been robbed, but you are the first playwright I have ever met, and— and—please go on.” Wingiffle smiled at the ingenuous young man. “Robbed, eh?” he queried. “Aye, robbed. I sent a play—not this one— up to a certain manager, say in the late spring. I got it back in August with an intimation that it was unsuitable, as “women did not do such things.’” “You had made use of the eternal woman question?” asked Wingiffle. “I had and I hadn’t. I had used woman— oh, well then—as she never was yet used. But that wasn’t to say that she won’t be so used Some day. Can you, can any man, get up and declare that there is anything a woman will not do P” - “You mustn't put me on my oath,” said Wingiffle, laughing. “Anyhow,” continued Grant, smiling in spite of his indignation. “Anyhow I got my play back in August. In the following January was produced—at this very theatre—a play by a crack author—Ishan’t mention names—dealing broadly with my subject, with the difference that it placed women in an absolutely impossible light. And I know for a fact that this play was not commenced until the late autumn after the return of my MS.” “Possible,” said Wingiffle. “It isn't always the playwright's fault. Managers, you see, are un- doubtedly inundated with MSS.; those belonging to unknown authors are perhaps scamped through. There are details, say, in a play by a new hand that are not liked while the main idea is approved. Then, instead of writing to the luckless author, saying, “I like your play, will you make certain alterations, and so forth,’ the fellow calmly returns your screed while he gives out an order to a dramatist, whose work he knows is generally approved, for a play to be written round an idea and some scenes. Your idea and your scenes. It is the greatest fluke for a novice to gain a footing. Be his work ever so good, someone is sure to object to something. His dialogue, his characterisation, his dramatic action, his Scenes, his curtains—all can be attacked. If he’s  ## p. 19 (#33) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. I9 right in one, A. says he's wrong in another, while B. reverses A.’s verdict. I candidly tell you that I got my first footing by fluke; the story is too long to tell now. I’ve been snubbed just as you have been ; but I beat you in one particular ”— and he laughed heartily—“I have actually been criticised before production—the production was delayed at the last moment, but the criticism came out ; and so did the recompense—out of the rascal's pocket.” Here both passengers laughed in concert until Wingiffle spoke again, for Grant was altogether too fascinated to utter a syllable. Wingiffle continued, - “But all this talk of myself isn’t touching you much. I don’t know how you’ll take it—you may be suspicious, I couldn't express surprise at it—but if you like, as a practical, accepted play- Wright, I’ll read your play and see if I can give you any hints that might be useful.” Grant thanked his new-found friend very much for his kindness. Wingiffle took no notice at all of this except by a bow. He said, “Written much P” “A good deal,” Grant replied, “but it all comes back to me; but I know—(here he looked dreamily out of the window)—I shall get a hear- ing some day.” His companion gazed at him critically ; he seemed interested in the young man. “I believe you will,” he said rather impres- sively. “I couldn't tell you why I say so or why I believe it, but—I believe you will.” “Really, this is very encouraging,” said Grant, brightening up, “and I think I shall try again, after all.” “Of course you'll try again—you weren't going to give up P” “For a time I was. You see, I do a little hack work for a paper or two, and I was going to devote myself more to that. I manage to scrape together enough to live upon down in the village, but I want to be doing something better. Still, I must go back to it for a time.” “Give me your play,” said Wingiffle. Grant rolled it up and handed it over. It gave him a little pang to see his cherished play coldly set aside with newspapers and gloves, but Wºme chatted so kindly that he soon forgot that. Even a railway journey by the S.E.R. must come to an end at some time or other, and in due course Grant got down at his station. Wingiffle had to go some seven miles further, where he had taken a cottage for the summer. “Then I'll write you and let you know all about your play. Mind, I shall criticise it, I promise you, just as it seems to me, a practical dramatist. Good-bye, good-bye ’’ and the cheery fellow drew in his head after waving adieu to his late companion, on whom his ex- hilaration and heartiness had acted like cham- pagne. You may be quite sure that Grant passed a very pleasant evening with the remembrance of Wingiffle's comforting words for company. Of course he couldn’t sleep when at last he went to bed, thinking it a wonderful thing that he should have awakened sympathy in a man at the top of his profession ; and equally of course, when he awoke next morning he was disposed to take a rather gloomy view of his prospects, just by way of reaction. At eleven in the morning Mr. Wingiffle sur- prised him by a visit. - “Mr. Grant,” he said, “I was distinctly patro- nising to you last night.” This was a bold statement which could bear more than one interpretation, so Grant looked uncomfortable and said nothing. “Yes, I was,” said Wingiffle as though Grant had denied it, “and I have come to apologise for it.” “I assure you there is nothing to apologise for.” “My dear young fellow,” said the dramatist rising, “allow me to shake hands again.” Grant rose. “I patronise you ! Ha!, ha. It's laugh- able. Your play is a masterpiece.” “Good heavens,” ejaculated Grant, pale as a ghost. “Yes, a masterpiece. It's well conceived, interesting, absolutely novel in treatment and design, and—in short, my dear fellow, allow me to congratulate you on a most striking performance. I—well—I can't tell you much now, I’m feeling almost excited but—are you doing anything parti- cular to-day ?” Grant said he was not. “Then it will be a real pleasure to my wife and self if you will drive back with me to lunch —you'll come won't you?” - “I’ll come with pleasure,” then he laughed, this time pleasantly. “You must excuse me,” he added, “if I seem at all wandering in my replies, but I—this is rather a shock. It would be mock modesty on my part to pretend that I didn’t think it a real good play. I know it is. . But I didn’t know it was a masterpiece.” “You go and change your clothes,” said Win- giffle, “at once, and come along.” Away went the young man. He trod on no floor—he encountered no stairs. It was all cloudland to him, and as for his bedroom that was fairyland, and his change of clothes wishing- garments. He wasn't long you may be sure, and soon he was seated beside Wingiffle bowling along towards the latter's cottage.  ## p. 20 (#34) ############################################## 2O THE AUTHOR. “And now then,” said Wingiffle, after lunch, as they sat out under the trees, “will you put yourself further into my power? Ha, ha!” he exclaimed, in melodramatic fashion, “but I must dissemble or I shall frighten my prey,” and the odd creature took two or three long strides of the sort favoured by stage conspirators, while his wife and his visitor laughed at his antics. “Seriously now,” and he sat down again, “this is what I want. Will you let me have that play run out again in type ; will you put a new title to it, and will you let my name appear as the author of it?” - “If it's any use—-” Grant was beginning. “Any use ! Look here. Only my name, it is still your play, but my name appears. I will take it again to Magnus Maximus. He hasn’t seen anything but the title, and probably not that. I know it is just the play for him, and I know it will be the play of the year. I can make a better bargain, too, with him than you could ; and, upon the whole, I think we shall make Magnus Maximus look rather insignificant.” “I don’t know what to say to you, or how to thank you - “Don’t try it then—don't try it. Wait until it is launched, and then we’ll see what we shall see. You will place yourself unreservedly in my hands P” - “I will.” “T'is well; ha, ha!” About a month later Wingriffle looked in upon Grant again. He was in a great state of excite- ment. - “Taken P” cried Grant. “Taken; I should just think so,” almost shouted the other. - And then Grant, forgetful of all dignity, began to perform one of the wildest dances ever seen upon this globe. His landlady, looking out of window on hearing the turmoil, withdrew shud- dering at the prospect of having a madman for a lodger. “In with you,” cried Grant. “Now tell us all about it.” “Well, you know,” said his hardly less excited friend, “I dressed the part so to speak—culti- wated a haggard look—and then rushed him with blood-shot eyes—as though I had been up all night superintending something stupendous.” “Good heavens, my dear chap,” said old Maximus, “here sit down here, sit down—here drink this,” and so on. “Oh, I played well, Herbert’” (by this time, of course, they were on front-name terms). “I laid my hand on the play. Read that. I said, read that ; if it doesn’t stagger you—if it doesn't bring you a fortune— never produce another play that I bring you. With that I walked straight out, leaving him staring after me in amazement.”. Grant laughed heartily at his description. “It won't hurt him,” continued Wingiffle, “and it's only a pious fraud. Maximus is not a bad fellow in his way, but he—well, he should attend to business better.” “But after all this?” queried Grant. “Why, he sends round to me same afternoon, is coming to supper with me that night. Never had anything like it, and so on. Well, the long and the short of it is that the play is accepted, that I have stipulated that it shall be produced friend’s within three months, and that I’ve made such terms that I can only whisper them. Now, no thanks— you're to wait, you remember that. Wait until the production Maximus likes the name—he likes his part—though I’m glad you haven’t put all the fat into one part—and he likes himself generally, for he knows, and I know, that he is going to produce a success.” - # # *: #: $: The long-expected night arrived at last. A typical first-night house had gathered to witness Herod Wingiffle's latest masterpiece. Herod himself was there in front (everyone said how calm and cool he looked, and how unusual, &c., and everyone was very much surprised), with his wife and a young friend, Mr. Herbert Grant, who for some reason was looking rather wild-eyed and pale. - * “Your friend unwell ?” whispered a critic to Herod. - “No, oh no!” Herod whispered back, “sympa- thetic, intensely sympathetic.” The critic replied by raising his eyebrows to express his surprise, and just then the curtain went up. - “Keep cool,” said Herod to his young friend, and Mrs. Wingiffle added a few soothing phrases. It soon became apparent that it was a singularly interesting play. At the end of the first act people turned to congratulate Herod, but he had mysteriously disappeared, though he returned to his seat as the curtain rose on Act II. The same thing occurred at the end of each act, and at the close there was a perfect hurricane of applause. After obeying the laws of precedent governing similar proceedings, the manager stepped before the curtain, when the author was called, with a puzzled look on his face, and a slip of paper in his hand. As soon as he could speak he said: “Ladies and gentlemen.—I have just received this note from Mr. Herod Wingiffle.  ## p. 21 (#35) ############################################## THE AUTHOI?. 2 I “‘Dear Maximus, I have imposed upon you piously, and with the consent of the real author of this play. I did not write it. You haven’t hurt yourself, and you have done an act of justice. I may say that the author is in front.—Yours, FIEROD.’ “Does anyone know what this means ?” asked the manager of the astonished house. “Is the author in the house P” he added. And then there was a short pause. Everyone looking at everyone else. “Get up and speak,” whispered Mrs. Wingiffle, and Herbert rose. They were seated rather to the right in the last row but one of the stalls. “I am the author,” he said, and his voice, though he did not speak loudly, rang through the house. A thousand eyes were instantly bent upon him. He continued rather mercilessly, “I sent this play up to Mr. Maximus myself more than six months ago. It was returned to me by him as being unsuited to his theatre. How he knew that then it is not for me to say, for certain marks I had placed between the leaves were undis- turbed when the play was returned to me. It had not been read at all. Only the title of the play has been altered since. Luckily I met Mr. Wingiffle. He offered to read my play. He said that he liked it and would play a pious fraud upon Mr. Maximus (some people laughed here, but seeing the sternness on the young man's face they looked grave again). He took it for me to him as his own piece, and that very day it was accepted. I have only to apologise to you all for making you so long a speech.” And he bowed to the house and sat down, while cheer after cheer rose to the roof. The manager had disappeared. R. S. *-* -º ar- ~~ S0-SO-SOCIOLOGY. 167. ISEASE is a medium between weaken- |) ing cause and wasting effect. - I68. When mystery becomes a luxury, misery seems a necessity. I69. It is far easier to love the unlikely than to like the unlovely. 170. Ignorance of ignorance is bad; indiffer- ence, worse; insolence, worst. I71. Civilisation is a concord of cohesion, co- operation, and culture. 172. Were the human always the humane, Man would have no despairs. - 173. The present is more miraculous than the past, but less mysterious. I74. The blend or the breed is of more avail than the brand: - - 175. Education gives Man a greater chance: evolution, a higher choice. 176. From the common conflict of options emerges the consensus of opinions. - 177. The value of machinery depends on whether it ministers or masters. I78. Gratitude is an education as well as an expediency expedience. - 179. Discipline ceases to be a duty when it becomes a tyranny. * 18O. Love will always out, but few can always recognise it. * 181. Only the wisest can ever find the best in the worst. 182. Love and contempt, though ever least akin, seem often most alike. º, 183. Spite is one of the commonest simulators of sincerity. 184. Folly is the favourite child of ignorance and of Vanity. 185. Gift without grace is like knowledge without wisdom. -- 186. Truth is oftener a talent than an accom- plishment. 187. Lies complicate existence: love simpli- fies life. 188. Man makes myths, myths make mysteries, mysteries make miseries. - 189. Energy may sink with the sun, but fancy rises with the moon. . I90. The least sound too often makes the most sound. 191. Not all the godliest die young; not all the best miss fortune. I92. It is easier to convert taste than to con- trol tendency. - - 193. We wish more than we can, but will more than we may. I94. Love's shams appeal to self; its spirit to soul. I95. Men may know their own minds more than their own motives. - I96. Capacity far oftener fails than oppor- tunity. I97. Misfortunes have consolations than compensations. I98. Self-love has no scientific frontiers. 199. Man, of both sexes, is God’s best and Worst practical providence to Man. 2OO. History is the great-grandmother of prophecy. oftener PHINLAY GLENELG.  ## p. 22 (#36) ############################################## a. - THE AUTHOR. “LIFE IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE." “TT is the office and function of the imagina- tion to renew life in lights and sounds and (motions that are outworn and familiar. It calls the soul back once more under the dead ribs of nature, and makes the meanest bush burn again, as it did to Moses, with the visible presence of God. And it works the same miracle for language. The word it has touched retains the warmth of life for ever. We talk about the age of superstition and fable as if they were passed away, as if no ghost could walk in the pure white light of science, yet the microscope that can dis- tinguish between the disks that float in the blood of man and ox is helpless, a mere dead eyeball, before this mystery of Being, this wonder of Life, the sympathy which puts us in relation with all nature, before that mighty circulation of Deity in which stars and systems are but as the blood- disks in our own veins. And so long as wonder lasts, so long will imagination find thread for her loom, and sit like the Lady of Shalott weaving that magical web in which ‘the shows of things are accommodated to the desires of the mind.” It is precisely before this phenomenon of life in literature and language that criticism is forced to stop short. That it is there we know, but what it is we cannot precisely tell. It flits before us like the bird in the old story. When we think to grasp it, we already hear it singing just beyond It is the imagination which enables the poet to give away his own consciousness in dramatic poetry to his characters, in narrative to his language, so that they react upon us with the same original force as if they had life in them- selves.”—Low ELL in the Century. *- as as-º CORRESPONDENCE, I.—A STRANGE CorncIDENCE. ^{ONTRIBUTORS to the Author sometimes point out strange coincidences in relation to subjects treated by several persons. The French proverb, Les esprits forts se rencontrent, sums up the matter with French precision. Here is another curious instance. . . In the year 1891 I was travelling rather out of the beaten track upon the eastern frontier of Germany, and I heard of a curious religious pro- cession. Never before had I seen anything of the kind, and only the local guide mentioned it. Naturally it struck me that it would make a good subject for an illustrated magazine article. So when I returned I set to work. Early in 1892 my MS. and drawing trotted about in the usual manner, and I received the usual polite letters from the editors of many first-class magazines— I never trouble the second and third-class folk. Then I threw the MS. into a drawer, where it rested for some nine months. I Ought to say that I first made a wash drawing, from which to make another in pen and ink, to accompany the MS. in its walks about town; strictly speaking, I ought to say in its globe-trottings, for it crossed the ocean, and likewise the so-called silver streak. * . In the spring of ’93 I brought out my MS. again, and towards the anniversary of the fête day described therein, I sent it on its way once more, when alas! after many days and many voyages, the MS. returned without the drawing, which is quite “lost in the post,” although my name and address were written upon the back— showing the carelessness of the returned letter department of the Post-office. Oris a drawing not of sufficient value to be worth returning P Possibly, in the eyes of officials. Well, this year I made another pen and ink drawing from my original wash one, with the same result—refusal. Only here is the gist of the business; not only was my matter stale instead of new, as I thought, but in the words of the editor : “So far from the matter being ‘untouchei you will find it all described and illustrated in of May, 1893. More- over, the sketch you send me is actually copied from the illustration we then published l’” This was rather strong ! * . I represented to the editor that my work had been done in 1891-2, and that I did not relish being accused of purloining other people's work. Here is the half-hearted apology: “I had not the least idea of making any accusation against you” (observe above “actually copied,” and the “!” at end of sentence), “what at Once occurred to me was that your sketch was made from the same photo- graph which we reproduced—a photograph which I suppose is sold in the shops l’ But note, that beyond the two illustrations representing a pro- cession, a crowd, and the same street, they differ much in detail. However, that is not the ques- tion. Why I relate this little history is simply to show that les esprits forts se rencontrent, even in matters which have lain dormant for many years, and even with a short interval between the results of les esprits. In my case, my fortunate rival forestalled me (in print) a year after my work was completed; which shows that the spirit which wafted me to in 1891, and whispered to me to write an article thereon, like- wise spoke to another scribe in 1893 after the same manner. Mean little spirit, why not have let me earn the reward of my labours ? M. S. A.  ## p. 23 (#37) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 23 II.-ConsoDATORY. Will you allow me to say a few words in answer to “Experto Crede?” I have a very large experience of penny papers, and I have met from their editors and proprietors the greatest kindness, consideration, and courtesy coupled with fair prices and prompt payments. We cannot all be famous, and if long prices for a single story do not fall to our lot, modest cheques are not to be despised. I have for many years earned a very comfort- able income by my pen solely from penny papers. I never expect to be famous, or even to see my name on a three-volume novel, but I sell my tales as fast as I can write them. Unlike the more distinguished folks who publish on the royalty system, I know exactly what they will bring in, I have no anxiety and no suspense, and I do not possess a single rejected manuscript, so that I have no cause to grumble. I fancy the con- tributors who write to you and complain of failure, either expect to succeed in too great a hurry, or else write their stories and then expect them taken by the first paper they think of, instead of deciding on the paper first and adapting the story to its style. Their plan is a kind of putting the cart before the horse arrangement, which must ail. - f Girls tell me their tales are much better than many they see in print, but they can’t get on because they have “no introductions.” I don’t like to reply they are not impartial critics, but I can and do assure them that introductions are useless. My testimony is just that of an average woman worker, for I have had no advantages to help me on, I never had an introduction to editor or publisher, and I don’t even (after years of literary work), possess a single “famous.” acquaintance. - C. O. III.-GRAMMATICAL. Which is correct after not and no, or or nor 2 In some extra good writers, whom one might be tempted to consider authorities, you find nor; in others as good, or. . It did not rain nor blow. It did not blow or pain. There was no rain nor wind. There was mo wind or rain. Which are correct of the above ex, mples? Neither Murray nor Mason answers the question. I used to put or until I began to think about the matter. Then it occurred to me that, as it is right to put nor after neither (an abbreviation of not either), upon the same principle it must be right to put nor after no and not (either being implied). But the other day a more knowing person than myself, when criticising a careful writer's work, said: “He makes just the mistake that so many authors—including even so fine a writer as Marion Crawford—make; he invariably puts nor after not and no, which, whether or not absolutely incorrect, is hideous,”—or something to this effect. I agree with him that or sounds better, but if nor is incorrect after not, it must have been created simply to suit the convenience of neither, and as a means of breaking the rule against two negatives, where they would naturally destroy one another. Nor sounds better than or after neither, but why should it be more correct after neither than after not either ? . . However, apart from right and wrong, eupho- nious, or non-euphonious effects, there are so many uses for the word or, that a person who does not understand the English language might be puzzled by the use of it in lieu of nor. For instance, “He is not pious, or pleasant,” might be taken to signify “He is not pious, by which I mean pleasant.” Still, of course, the thing could be differently expressed without the use of nor; and I do not feel at all sure that the word nor ought to exist. - A MEMBER OF THE SocIETY OF AUTHORs. IV.-REMAINDERs. I am obliged for your note in response to Iſl11162. You did not say whether you considered that at the present time authors were satisfied with the ordinary way of disposing of their remainders. I wrote under the assumption that they were not, and would perhaps have discussed the matter under the auspices of your Society. At present a large number of provincial book- sellers have no inducement whatever to purchase the works of numerous authors. The publisher takes little or no risk, and wants little or no trouble. If a bookseller buys from a publisher any but those books in most demand there is no possible means of getting a profit, and every chance of making a loss. If publishers will not come to the rescue, why not the authors them- selves through their business agency the Authors’ Society P It ought to be to the author's interests to see that every bookseller is put into a fair way of making a profit if he cares to push the sale of the book. But as no attempt has been made in this direction, I assume that that is impossible, and that when a book does not go under ordinary circumstances at once that it must be sold as a remainder.  ## p. 24 (#38) ############################################## 24 THE AUTHOR. Then could not the loss be lessened on re- mainders ? Why could not you or your repre- sentatives create a central agency, invite book- sellers to take up authors’ works on sale or return terms, and issue a general catalogue P E. B. W.—ExPERIENCES OF A LITERARY BEGINNER. I have had many painful experiences of the MS. that goes a begging ; yet, strange to say, they do not belong to the period when I was a beginner with the pen. The very first article which I submitted to a strange editor was accepted and printed, and the same success attended my second venture, and so on till in the course of time I had contributed quite a respectable series. But I am speaking now of nearly a quarter of a century ago, when journalistic lotteries were unknown, when the prize-giving periodical was quite in its infancy, and when the sole end and aim of an editor was not to sell the paper by the tens of thousands, so as to put money into the purse of the proprietor. And I am also speak- ing of a time when there existed one of the most generous, discriminating, impartial, and pains- taking of editors who ever lived, and one, moreover, who was always ready to encourage young authors, and help them to success if he found any good in their youthful essays. The name of that editor was Charles Dickens, and the journal which I had the honour of con- tributing to was then called All the Year Round. After Dickens' regrettable death I continued to contribute to his popular periodical, and to a few others which, like his, did not refuse a manuscript simply because they were overstocked with litera- ture of all kinds, or because the article offered happened to be too long, too discursive, or too something else. But, unfortunately for myself, some of those journals came to grief, or were unable to pay the same fees as before, owing, perhaps, to the increased competition which the “new journalism,” as it is called, gave rise to. Then my troubles as an outside contributor began in earnest, for I was tempted to try my “luck” with the new papers which now com- pletely flooded the market, and in doing so I learnt what it was to send an MS. “the round.” Out often or a dozen articles which I “submitted to the consideration” of various editors only one was accepted and used, and that one had cost me so much trouble in reconstructing, or re-writing to suit the requirements of the different journals to which it was sent on approval, that the fee eventually received scarcely repaid me for the time and labour bestowed upon it, to say nothing of the time and labour bestowed upon the other nine or eleven articles which I had written and submitted before this last one was accepted. So, as I am wholly dependent upon my work for the bread and cheese of existence, I have been reluctantly obliged to abandon my literary labours, which began under such promising auspices, and to turn my attention to something far less congenial, but rather more profitable. ExPERTO CREDE. WI.-MoRE ExPERIENCEs. My first work was on the past, present, and future of a cause in which circumstances caused me to be deeply interested. I submitted the MS. to the committee of a society to which I purposed to give the profits, if any, of publication. Reply from chairman (lord-lieutenant of his county): “Committee feel honoured by being associated with such a production, and propose to be respon- sible for the cost.” This I declined. A large edition was sold, and a useful amount was paid to the society in about twelve months. This success led to my writing a larger work. It was published on the “mutual profit” system. Whole edition disposed of ; but small profit to the author, notwithstanding most flattering notices of the book. One popular author wrote to me, “I hope your inkstand will never be dry.” Then a magazine, edited by a well-known Cambridge man, came under my notice. I wrote a short tale with a purpose, which, being appre- ciated, was followed by a series, and when the editor retired, he thanked me warmly for what he was pleased to call my “valuable aid.” I next proposed to write a series of articles on various subjects, to a then popular shilling maga- zine. Reply was: “Being already acquainted with your former works (reviewed in our magazine), any contributions from your pen will be valued.” A small work on religious subjects was brought out by one of the oldest leading publishers in London, on his responsibility, and is still recom- mended in a leading journal to inquirers. My next venture was a one-volume novel (pub- lished on the “mutual profit” system). Well re- viewed in first-class journals; but financially a failure. I then competed with several authors, whos names were known to the public, for leading serial in a magazine, established over a quarter of a century. I was successful, and, of course, received the usual remuneration. I may mention, en passant, that I have received 32 for quite a short article. I continued to write for the above magazine, and my articles were favourably noticed. Meanwhile I wrote a pamphlet on a subject of  ## p. 25 (#39) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 25 public interest and importance ; took the opinion of an eminent man; sent the MS. to a publisher, who was manifestly anxious to secure the publi- cation; and it was issued quickly. The price, at the publisher's suggestion, was fixed at one shilling. In an incredibly short time, a friend said to me that he wanted a copy, and could not get one as they were all sold. I at once wrote to the publisher. He replied that he wished my information was correct. That, expecting a large sale, he had kept the type set for five weeks, and had then broken it up, as the pamphlet was not selling. I called upon him when I went to London, but could get no intelligible statement from him. I had paid him a fixed amount for publishing and advertising. Yet he intimated that if I had the unsold copies he must charge extra for advertising. So he kept all but two dozen, which I had, and the matter ended. I ought to have taken advice, but being afraid of law proceedings, I weakly, as I now think, gave up the whole affair. Some years after I showed the pamphlet to a man in London, who has some knowledge of the ways of the world as well as of letters. He read it, approved and praised it, and gave his verdict in few words, “That pamphlet was suppressed; there is too much truth in it.” w Since then I have been a constant writer for a leading journal, and my articles have been criti- cised at home and abroad. Of one recent work 2000 copies were disposed; and now my last work, which I venture to think is not inferior to what I have previously written, and which has been so highly praised, is in one sense a failure. By no means so complete a failure as the suppressed pamphlet was—and in this case no suspicion can attach to the publisher —yet I cannot understand why this novel should fail to be a complete success. I wrote it with a definite purpose, and some reviewers consider that I have fully accomplished that purpose. One ends his critique with “ Unlike most novels, this is a book to be re-read—in fact, it ought to have an index, there is so much for reference, as well as of so much besides.” Another critic says: “We have looked in vain for a single sentence that could justify these discussions being printed.” Since that was written a New York publisher has written about taking 250 or 500 copies if a cheap edition is published, as he says that they (the firm) consider it “a remarkable and inte- resting book,” and that the purpose of it is of as much value in America as in England. M. M. “AT THE SIGN OF THE AUTHOR'S HEAD." R. C. H. COOK (John Bickerdyke) has published (Constable and Co.) a small volume called “Thames Rights and Thames Wrongs, a Disclosure; with Notes Explanatory and Critical on the Thames Bill of I894.” He says, by way of preface, that he is not writing as a lawyer for lawyers, but for the merry crowd who take their pleasure On the river, and his desire is that the facts dis- closed will startle the public out of its apathy, and bring about that legislation which is urgently needed. “The Plays of Sir Richard Steele” forms the new volume in the Mermaid Series (Fisher Unwin). It is edited, with a critical introduction and notes, by Mr. G. A. Aitken, who in 1889 published a life of Steele. “Doctor Quodlibet, a Study in Ethics" (Leadenhall Press), is a new story by the author of the “Chronicles of Westerley.” In a note the author reminds his readers that “Bishop Quodlibet’’ was a subordinate character in the above-named novel, and that now he has ventured to give him a small book all to himself. - “The Ghosts of the Guardroom,” a story by Annabel Grey, forms the first volume of the Annabel Grey Library (G, Stoneham). According to the author's preface, “the story deals with military life, of the struggles and trials of an English lad, a young recruit; it is, moreover, true.” Miss Mary Colborne-Weel has published a volume of verse entitled “The Fairest of the Angels” (Horace Cox). As the title implies, some of the poems are religious, of which there are one or two—“Jael,” for instance—which seem to us to be more successful than the one the author has chosen as a title. “The Local Government Act, 1894,” has just appeared, with introduction, notes, and index, by J. M. Lely and W. F. Craies, Barristers-at- law. The publishers are Sweet and Maxwell, 3, Chancery-lane; Stevens and Sons, I 19, Chan- cery-lane. Is. 6d. Also “The Sale of Goods Act, 1893,” with introduction, notes, and index. By the same authors, and the same publishers. - The “Goethe-Jahrbuch" for 1894 will contain an account, by Dr. Suphan, of “Napoleon's Unterhaltungen mit Goethe und Wieland und F. von Müller's Memoire darüber für Talleyrand.”  ## p. 26 (#40) ############################################## 26 THE AUTHOR. Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sons announce “In Varying Moods,” by Miss Beatrice Harraden; “Red Cap and Blue Jacket,” a tale of the French Revolution,” by Mr. Robert Dunn ; and an “Autonym * series of stories by well-known writers. Mr. J. J. Haldane Burgess, M.A., the author of “Rasmie's Büddie”—a second edition of which was lately issued by Mr. Gardner, Paisley and London, and to which the Scotsman alluded as “a book which is likely to make a name for its author”—has just finished a romance of the Norse time, dealing with the Viking occupation of the Shetlands in the days of Harold Fair- Hair. A new novel, in 2 vols., by Mrs. Deith-Adams (Mrs. R. S. De Courcy Laffan) will shortly be published by Messrs. Jarrold and Sons. It is entitled “Colour-Sergeant, No. 1 Company,” and the scene is laid in the South of Ireland. The story of Soho-square and its associations has been taken in hand by Mr. George Clinch. This old aristocratic quarter is full of interesting associations with celebrities of the past. Collec- tions have been made of drawings, prints, pamphlets, and books bearing upon the quarter. Many of these, including the collection of the late Dr. Rimbault, have been placed in the hands of the author, who wishes us to state that he will grate- fully receive and acknowledge any information or suggestions from residents in the district or others. The work will be a volume of small quarto, and will be limited to a small number of copies. The fifth edition of “Marcella " (in three volumes) is announced. The cheap edition of “David Grieve" is also ready. Mrs. Steel's new novel “The Potter's Thumb,” 3 vols., is now ready. The publishers are Heine- mann and Co. The same publishers have the three novels of “Sarah Grand.” A new work by Ruskin, called “Verona and other Lectures,” will be issued early in June. The publisher, of course, is Mr. George Allen. The book will contain five lectures, delivered between the years 1870 and 1883. It will be illustrated by a frontispiece and eleven photogravure plates from drawings by the author. The Athenæum (May 26) notes the formation of a “Transatlantic Publishing Company,” which will publish a magazine intended principally for the purpose of copyrighting in America short stories written by our people. We shall be glad to hear more about this company. Without doubt there is great need of such a medium. Fuller inquiries shall be made at once into the proposed Company and the magazine. A new and cheaper edition of “The Way of Transgressors,” by E. Rentoul Esler, will be issued shortly. (Sampson Low and Co.) Baron Tauchnitz has secured the Continental rights of this author's Willage Idylls, “The Way they Loved at Grimpat.” After three editions of “A Superfluous Woman,” in three volume form, the publishers, Messrs. Heinemann and Co., have produced the book in a cheap Colonial series, and it will be shortly produced in England in a cheap form also. The New York Critic announces the formation of a Walt Whitman Society, which is about to be incorporated. Its aims are threefold: The consolidation within a single organisation of all persons who are interested in the life and work of Walt Whitman; the establishment of centres in different parts of the world, which shall bring together the lovers and admirers of Whitman, and which, by the maintenance of correspond- ence and the exchange of views, shall tend to close fraternal relations among the members of the society; and the publication, from time to time, of Whitman literature and of such essays and other papers as may be deemed valuable in elucidation of Whitman’s philosophy of life, or in exposition of his poetry and principles. The following announcements are also made by the same paper:— “The Phantoms of the Footbridge" is the title of a volume of short stories by Charles Egbert Craddock, to be published by the Harpers. Messrs. D. C. Heath and Co. are publish- ing a “History of the United States,” by Mr. Allen C. Thomas, Professor of History in Haverford College. The aim of this work is to give the main facts of the history of the United States clearly, accurately, and impartially. In the belief that the importance of the events which have occurred since the adoption of the Constitution is becoming more and more recog- Inised, much the greater part of the book is devoted to the era beginning with 1789. The earlier period, however, is treated with sufficient fulness to show clearly the origins of the people and their institutions. Throughout special atten- tion is given to the political, social, and economic development of the nation.  ## p. 27 (#41) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 27 Messrs. Longmans, Green, and Co. have become the owners of Colonel T. W. Higginson’s histories and miscellaneous works, by purchase from Messrs. Lee and Shepard. Mr. John Jacob Astor is about to make his first venture in literature with a story of the year 2000, entitled “A Journey in Other Worlds: a Romance of the Future.” * - - -º sº- * - WHAT THE PAPERS SAY, I. —LITERARY STANDARDs. 4 & S there such a quality in a literary pro- duction as absolute merit P” inquires W. J. L. “If so, is there a man or woman in the country of the capacity to judge it by that standard P I am moved to ask these questions by my own experience and lºy the history of literary productions which have wandered through a veri- table wilderness of editorial hands before reaching the promised land of publication. It is hardly necessary to recount the early trials of these martyrs since made glorious. As to my own work, which is journalistic rather than purely literary, I have had such queer experiences that I am beginning to lose faith in what has been called literary judgment. I have repeatedly had editors refuse my matter, only at a later date to reprint it from other papers; I have had articles refused once and accepted later; I have had one magazine refuse an article and one of higher class accept it at double the price; I have known editors correct the metre or rhyme of famous poems I may have had occasion to quote or to parody in places; I have known a newspaper of recognised literary standing refuse a poem at 5 dollars which a periodical accepted at 15 dollars; I have had good things rejected with promptness and despatch, and those of less merit accepted. And so on through a complexity of moods and measures. I don’t understand it, do you ? Is it due to the fact that publishers of literature—is it literature if not published?—are governed, not by the genuine merit of the article, but by the tastes and demands of their readers, or by a consideration of the interests of the business office P If you can throw a little light on this subject you will benefit a good many people who do not hesitate to damn the literary judg- ment of publishers with whom they have had experience.” - - The simple answer to the foregoing would be that no one is infallible. An editor is just as likely to make mistakes as any other man. Don’t you hear people say every day that, if they had only known, they would have bought certain land which had been offered to them for a few dollars and is now worth thousands P. The wise man is he who has foresight. The editor who can discover a Kipling in the callow efforts of a novice is such a one as is not often met. You oftener meet the man with foresight in matters of real estate transactions for a very simple reason: taste is never a factor in the sale of building lots. What is one editor's meat is another's poison. The editor of this magazine may have a weakness for dialect stories, while the editor of that maga- zine despises them. He may print those of a certain author because he has discovered that they have a market value, but he never would think of accepting them on their merits. Editors, I fancy, are governed by a great many things. The “genuine merit of an article” is an impor- tant factor in its favour, and “the tastes and demands of their readers” is another. How the “promulgation of the interests of the business office ’’ can be made to enter into the question at all I do not sce, beyond the matter of making a periodical that will sell. An editor who made a magazine that no one would buy would certainly be a very strange man, and one unfitted for his position. No journal can be published at a loss unless it is published by philanthropists, and even they would soon tire of the fun, for there is nothing that can swallow up umoney like an unsuccessful periodical. w As for literary judgment, who shall be the judge? A novel of which the Athenæum said that it was one of the best of 1893, the Critic declared not to have been worth publishing. The reviewers of the book were both unquestionably persons of intelligence, and yet what one pro- nounced a work of unusual merit the other pronounced unmitigated trash. The question is largely one of taste, and with posterity alone remains the decision as to what has come to stay.—New York Critic. II.-MR. TRAILL ON LITERATURE AND - Journ ALISM. Mr. H. D. Traill delivered, on Saturday after- noon, his second and concluding Royal Institution lecture on the relations between literature and journalism. The critics of journalism, he said, were prone to exaggerate its influence in respect of the undoubted over production in these days of literary matter. Of the existence of such over production there could, unfortunately, be no doubt. There never were so many people anxious to rush into print; never was the literary craft so invaded by amateurs. One  ## p. 28 (#42) ############################################## 28 THE AUTHOR. reason, perhaps, was the excessive cheapness of the material. Pen, ink, and paper were never dear commodities, and compared with the canvas, paint, marble, and studio of the artist were infini- tesimal items. Moreover, failure or incapacity was not so glaring with the literary amateur as in the case of painting, sculpture, or music. Popular education had more, however, to do with this tendency than any other cause. The State had renounced Dogberry’s maxim that to read and write come by nature and might be charged with going too far in the other direction —that people can be taught to write what others will care to read. A day might come on which we should all be so busy writing as to have no time for reading at all, and we might be reduced to the condition of the islanders who tried to get a living by taking in each other's washing. Exaggerated, however, as is the share attributed to journalism in this result, it had to be admitted that the flood of novels poured forth day by day was partly due to the daily journals. But the circulating libraries were more to blame than the newspapers, and any or no quality was good enough to find a place in the periodical box of books. The journalist, however, did perform a useful function in guiding the taste of the public, and he could not be accused of neglecting his duty in this respect. On the whole it may be said that this duty is performed honestly and capably. The verdict of the reviewer in the daily press was usually conscientious and generally correct. As to the merits of signed and unsigned articles much might be said on both sides. But anonymity was too firmly established in this country to be disturbed, and, in his opinion, pos- sessed the balance of advantage. If the journalist on the whole encouraged good literary work, it was to be feared that he did not do enough to discourage the bad. The publishers knew their public, and that it is a book's fortune to be talked about on account of its eccentricity or glaring impropriety or suggestiveness. The best remedy would be to leave bad books alone. This might be done if we were living in Utopia, but was hardly possible in the world in which we live. In Utopia the publisher would approach the critic as a petitioner approaches a judge, and the book would be noticed or disregarded in strict accor- dance with its merits. But, as things are, news- papers are not carried on merely from the love of letters or a desire to increase knowledge. They were, above all things, commercial enterprises, and the proprietors could not afford to disregard the advertisements of the publisher. Thus a kind of professional morality was established on the basis of the relative value of the notice to the publisher and of the advertisement to the owner of the newspaper. Another charge brought against the daily journals was that they were corruptors of the English language. The term “newspaper English" had become a byword. Thus jour- malists were promoted to a kind of sinister dignity as the debasers of their mother tongue—they became sinners on an heroic scale. Was this charge true P To a limited extent undoubtedly a verdict of “Guilty” must be recorded. The daily papers were not wells of English pure and undefiled. There was apt to be a lack of simplicity and directness, a tendency to circumlocution and verbosity, a wrong use of words and phrases. But it was easy to over- estimate the extent of the wrong done. The number of phrases so misemployed was after all not great; “transpire’ for “happen’; the mis- application of such terms as Frankenstein, “ comity of nations,” “benefit of clergy,” “Caudine Forks,” “ horns of a dilemma,” “cui bono,” and a few others would exhaust the list of habitual offences. Nor was the charge of corrup- tion of style based on a much larger foundation. It should be remembered that the daily paper was written against time, with no leisure for revision. The leisurely critic after breakfast, with his feet on the fender, complained of “newspaper slip- shods.” It would be more fair to use the term “in slippers” than slipshod. In any case, the style of the newspaper was a good deal better than that of the great majority of its readers. Another question is whether journalism ever makes real contributions to literature. Are its leading articles, its reviews, and its essays ever themselves really literature ?' It is not true to say that what is really good literature is always written slowly and at leisure, and it is equally wide of the mark to suppose that all the work of a newspaper is hastily performed. A substantial part of what appears in the daily prints is done under most favourable conditions. Days may be occupied over the review of a book, though it too often consists of little more than a summary of the contents. At other times so much time is taken up in the composition of the critique that none is left for the perusal of the book. The newspaper essay or article bears considerable resemblance to the sermon, though the one is composed five or six times as often as the other. Sermons, as we know, form a real part, some- times excellent, of literature. Then it was an open secret that the obituary notice is often composed at leisure, with many opportu- nities of revision. Indeed, it was a jour- nalistic superstition that the composition of a biography and the recovery of an illustrious patient were frequently connected as cause and effect. Even the political leader might now and  ## p. 29 (#43) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 29 º again rise to the dignity of literature, notwith- standing the disparaging observations of Carlyle. Speed is not always the enemy of excellence. It may tend to animation, and animation may pro- duce eloquence. Unfortunately, the form of the newspaper was against it. The column seems interminable, and the writer may be haunted with the consciousness that his leaders during a short period might reach from Charing-cross to Ludgate-hill. The fate, too, of the newspaper was more rapid and humiliating than that of the printed book, however vapid the latter might be. The virtuoso with the hand-barrow at the back door came all too soon for the ephemeral pro- ductions of the journalist. To-day is—to-morrow is for the dust-heap. Journalism unquestionably might be useful to literature—it might waken the interest and hold the attention of the reader and direct him to what is more abiding than itself. The journalist might have a good deal to say in defence against all the charges that are brought against him. He might say that he regarded literature as his instructress, his playmate, his guide, his venerated mother; but he might also complain that she did not discharge all the duties of a mother, but disclaimed all responsibility for his maintenance, and failed to supply him with the material necessities of existence, and that in his hour of need it was journalism which took him in and became his foster-mother, and that therefore, whilst holding literature in respect and affection, he could not disregard the charity which had taken compassion on him in his destitution.—Times, April 30. **. NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. BARRETT, REv. GEORGE S. Family Worship. Second edition. Jarrold and Sons. 2s. 6d. BENNETT, REv. W. H. The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Chronicles. Hodder and Stoughton. 7s.6d. Book of NEEDs OF THE HOLY ORTHoDox CHURCH, done into English by G. V. Shann. Nutt. 5s. BUTLER, REv. DR. Meditations on the Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm. With a preface by the Bishop of Lincoln. Skeffington. CAMPBELL, PROFESSOR. The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Galatians, and Romans. By the late Professor Jowett. Wol. I. Translation and Com- mentary. Third edition. Wol. II. Essays and Dissertations. Edited by, Murray. 7s. 6d. each vol. CHRISTIE, T. W. The Controversy of Zion, being the miscellaneous works of the late. Edited by T. Williamson. Liverpool : Edward Howell. Simpkin Marshall. EAGER, REv. ALEx, D.D. The Christian Ministry in the New Testament. S.P.C.K. Is. 6d. - FENTON, FERRAR. St. Paul’s Epistles in Modern English. Fourth edition. Digby, Long, and Co. Is. * GEIKIE, DR. The Bible by Modern Light. Vol. IV. Rehoboam to Hezekiah. James Nisbet and Co. 6s. MOULE, REv. H. C. G. The Pledges of His Love : Thoughts on the Holy Communion. Seeley and Co. Timited. STIRLING, REv. CHARLEs. The Protestant Prayer Book. Edited by. Charles J. Thynne. Is. History and Biography. ASTLEY, SIR. JoHN D. Fifty Years of My Life. Hurst and Blackett. CASSELL’s HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Wol. VII. From the illness of the Prince of Wales to the British occupation of Egypt. Cassell and Co. Limited. 98. A History of the Christian T. F. Unwin. 2 vols. CHEETHAM, ARCHDEACON. Church during the First Six Centuries. IOs. 6d. CoRPORATION OF MANCHESTER : AN HISTORICAL RECORD. Manchester: Henry Blacklock. DAVIs, R. HARDING. The Rulers of the Mediterranean. Illustrated. Gay. 6s. DIPLOMATIC REM.INISCENCES OF LORD AU GUSTU's Lorrus, 1862-1879. Second Series. 2 vols. Cassell and Co. Limited. 328. GEAREY, CAROLINE. Louise, and Eugénie. Digby and Long. GEPP, REv. C. G. A Short Memoir of Emily Minet. Edited by. Rivington, Percival. 2s. HARwooD, REv. W. H. Henry Allon, D.D., Pastor and Teacher. Cassell. 6s. - HUNTER, P. HAY. James Inwick, Ploughman and Elder. Oliphant. 3s. 6d. LEE, EDMUND. Dorothy Wordsworth. New and revised edition with portrait. Clarke. 3s. 6d. MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT : STATESMEN, by Noah Brooks; ExPLORERS AND TRAVELLERs, by General A. W. Greely. Sampson Low. PECORDS OF THE TERCENTENARY FESTIVAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN, JULY, 1892. Dublin : Three Empresses: Josephine, Marie- With portraits. Second edition. Hodges, Longmans. IOS. 6d. SMITH, G. BARNETT. Leaders of Modern Industry. W. H. Allen and Co. 78. 6d. SMYTHIES, CAPT. R. H. R. Historical Records of the 4oth (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment, now Ist Battalion the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment). Devonport: A. H. Swiss. SouTHEY, RobHRT. The Life of Nelson. Blackie and Som. Is. 4d. WAKEMAN, HENRY O. Periods of European History. Period W., 1598-1715. Rivington, Percival, and Co. S. - - - - - - - Life of John Bentley. The 2 vols. WOLSELEY, GENERAL WISCOUNT. Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. WYNDHAM, REV. FRANCIs M. The Maid of Orleans: Her Life and Mission. From original documents. Second edition. St. Anselm's Society. -  ## p. 30 (#44) ############################################## 3O THE AUTHOR. Fiction. ALAN ST. AUBYN. In the Face of the World. 2 vols. Chatto. AMYAND, ARTHUR. Only a Drummer Boy. Osgood, M*Ilvaine, and Co. 3s. 6d. ANDREA, PERCY. Stanhope of Chester : a Mystery. Smith, Elder. 68. BARR, AMELIA E. Girls of a Feather. IS. BAYLOR, F. C. Claudia. and Co. 318. 6d. BLACKMORE, R. D. Mary Anerley. New edition. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. Limited. 2s. 6d. BLIND, MATHILDE. Tarantella. T. F. Unwin. Is. BoIDREwood, Rolf. Macmillan James Henderson. 3 vols. Osgood, M*Ilvaine, A Modern Buccaneer. and Co. 31s. 6d. BRAY, CLAUDE. The Tavistock Library : Sir Joseph’s Heir. Frederick Warne and Co. Is. 6d. CARDELLA, G. The Perfect Way of Honour. 3 vols. Swan Sonnenschein and Co. CAREw, MAUD. Uncle Phil. S.P.C.K. Is. CHRISTIAN, E. B. W. At the Sign of the Wicket. Arrow- Smith. CHRISTIAN, SYDNEY. Sarah ; a Survival. 2 vols. Sampson Low. - CLARK RUSSELL, W. A. Sailor's Sweetheart. New edition. - Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. CRAwFoRD, F. MARION. The Upper Berth. T. F. Unwin. I s. 6d. DANA, R. H. Two Years Before the Mast. Blackie and Son. Is. 4d. DAVIDSON, HUGH. C. Mr. Sadler's Daughters. Chatto. DIxon, ELLA HEPwor'TH. The Story of a Modern Woman. Heinemann. 6s. DoNovAN, DICK. Found and Fettered. Hutchinson and Co. 2s. 6d. DREw, D'ARcy. Henry Standon. 3 vols. Simpkin Marshall. 31.s. 6d. DUNCAN, SARA JEANNETTE. A. Daughter of To-Day. 2 vols. Chatto. DUNN, GEORGE. Red Cap and Blue Jacket. 3 vols. Blackwood. EMERSON, P. H. Welsh Fairy Tales and Other Stories, collected and edited. D. Nutt. Fowler, M. E. Faith. S.P.C.K. is. FRANCIS, M. E. The Story of Dan. Osgood, M*Ilvaine, and Co. 3s. 6d. GERARD, DOROTHEA. The Rich Miss Riddell. Black- wood. GRAY, MAxwell. A Costly Freak. Kegan Paul, Trench, - Trübner, and Co. Limited. 6s. GROSSMITH, GEORGE AND WEEDON. The Diary of a Nobody. Arrowsmith. 18. HARCOURT, ALFRED. For Love and Liberty 2 vols. Chapman. 21s. HARRADEN, BEATRICE. Elackwood. - - HousTon, J. D. C. The Daughter of Leontius. Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier. 6s. HUFFER FORD. The Queen who Flew. With a Frontis- piece by Sir E. Burne-Jones. Bliss. In Varying Moods : Short Stories. HUNTER, P. HAY, AND WHYTE, W. My Ducats and My Daughter. New edition. Oliphant. Is. 6d. JAMEs, HARRY A. A Professional Pugilist. Illustrated by Kenneth M. Skeaping. Leadenhall Press. 18. JokAI, MAURUs. Eyes Like the Sea. Translated from the Hungarian by R. Nisbet Bain. New edition. Law- rence and Bullen. REITH, LESLIE. 'Lisbeth. Popular edition. Cassell. 6s LAwl, Ess, HoN. EMILY. Grania. New edition. Smith, Elder, and Co. 3s. 6d. MACDONALD, GEORGE. Stephen Archer, and other Tales. New edition. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. 2s. 6d. MACLEOD, FIONA. Pharais : a Romance of the Isles. Derby : Frank Murray. MARRYAT, FLORENCE. A. Bankrupt Heart. 3 vols. White. MERRIMAN, H. SETON. With Edged Tools. 3 vols. Smith, Elder, and Co. MIDDLEMAss, JEAN. The Mystery of Clement Dunraven. 3 vols. Digby, Long, and Co. M’NULTY, EDwARD. Misther O'Ryan. Arnold. 3s.6d. MoRRIs, W. E. The Countess Radna. New edition. Heinemann. 6s. OLD CELTIC ROMANCEs. F. W. Translated from the Gaelic by P. W. Joyce. Second edition, revised and enlarged. David Nutt. 3s. 6d. RoBB, THOMAS D. In a Kingdom by the Sea. Alexander Gardner. ROBERTs, MoRLEY. The Purification of Dolores Silva and other Stories. Osgood. 3s. 6d. Row1ANDs, EFFIE A. My Pretty Jane. William Stevens Limited. SANBORN, KATE. A Truthful Woman in Southern Cali- fornia. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. SHEw, E. L. If Men were Wise. 3 vols. Richard Bentley and Son. SMITH, C. E. For Better for Worse. S.P.C.K. 2s. SoMERVILLE, E., AND Ross, MARTIN. The Real Charlotte. 3 vols. Ward. SQUANCE, HERBERT S. Miss Mackerell Skye. T. F. TJnwin. STUART, ESMiº. The Power of the Past. 3 vols. Bentley. + SwAN, ANNIE. A Foolish Marriage. Hutchinson. Is. WARD, MRs. HUMPHRY. The History of David Grieve. Tenth edition. Smith, Elder. WAS IT WISE TO CHANGE P By the author of “A Hard Case,” &c. Cassell. Is. - WEYMAN, STANLEY. Under the Red Robe. 2 vols. Methuen. 2 I S. - WHITBY, BEATRICE. Mary Fenwick's Daughter. 3 vols. Hurst. -- WILKINs, W., AND WIv1AN, HERBERT. The Green Bay Tree. 3 vols. Hutchinson. WooDLEY, W. The Design of Buildings. Crosby Lock- wood. General Literature. ADDISON, Jose.P.H. Essays and Tales. Cassell. 6d. AMPHLETT, F. H. The Lower and Mid Thames : Where and how to fish it. Sampson Low. Is.  ## p. 31 (#45) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 3 I BADMINToN LIBRARY: YACHTING. By Lord Brassey, G. L. Watson, Sir G. Leach, L. Herreshoff, and other writers. Edited by the Duke of Beaufort, assisted by A. E. T. Watson. 2 vols. Longmans. Ios. 6d. each BAEDEKER, KARL. Northern France. Second Edition. Leipsic : Karl Baedeker. Dulau. 7s. BAINEs, A. The Popular Handbook of Finance. I8. BANCROFT, HERBERT Howe. The Book of the Fair. Part XIV. Chicago : the Bancroft Company. I dollar. BARCLAY, Rob ERT. The Silver Question and the Gold Question. Fourth Edition. Effingham Wilson; Man- chester: Cornish. 2s. 6d. Saxon. BELL, R. S. W. The Businesses of a Busy Man. Leaden- hall Press. 3s. 6d. BLIss, F. Jon Es. A Mound of Many Cities. Published for the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. A. P. Watt and Son. Bow Es, RobHRT. A Catalogue of Books printed at or relating to the University of Cambridge from 1521 to 1893. With Bibliographical and Biographical Notes. Cambridge: Macmillan and Bowes. Ios. 6d. BRASSEY, T. A. The Naval Annual for 1894. Edited by. Portsmouth : J. Griffin ; Simpkin, Marshall. BROOKE, STOPFORD A. Tennyson : His Art and Relation to Modern Life. Isbister and Co. Limited. 7s. 6d. BUCKINGHAM, DUCHESs of. Glimpses of Four Continents: Letters written during a Tour in Australia, New Zea- land, and North America in 1893. With portraits and illustrations. Murray. 9s. - CoNSTABLE, H. S. Some Hints for Political Leaflets. Remington. 6d. CoNw AY, WILLIAM M. Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram Himalayas. With 300 illustrationsby A. D. M'Cormick, and a map. Fisher Unwin. 31.s. 6d. Cook, C. H. Thames Rights and Wrongs: a Disclosure. Westminster : Constable. t CRoCKFORD's CLERICAL DIRECTORY for 1894. Horace Cox. 20s. D'ARCY EVANs, G. D. The Non-Commissioned Officer's Guide to Promotion. Gale and Polden. 28. 6d. “Dom INIE.” The “Gentlewoman’’ Handbook of Educa- tion : What a Parent Should Know. The Gentlewoman Offices. Is. DOUGLAs, R. K. Society in China. DUNCAN, H. O. Across Europe. Terront's Bicycle Ride from St. Petersburg to Paris. Iliffe. Is. DUTTON, DR. THOMAs. Domestic Hygiene. Henry Kimpton. Hirschfeld Bros. EASTER-HENDERSON, MRs. G. A Guide to Palmistry. Gay and Bird. 28, 6d. FASNACHT, G. EUGièNIE, Select Specimens of the Great French Writers in 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries, with Literary Appreciations by the most eminent French Critics, and a Historical Sketch of French Literature. Macmillan. 7s. 6d. GAMBLE, ELIZA. B. The Evolution of Woman. Putnam's Sons. 7s. 6d. GEORGE, E. Monson. The Silver and Indian Currency Questions. Effingham Wilson. Is. 3d. GREVILLE, EDWARD. The Year-Book of Australia for 1894, Edited by. Petherick. Ios. 6d. HAMILTON-Bow ER, CAPT. Diary of a Journey Across Tibet. With illustrations. Rivington, Percival. 168. Innes and Co. 16s. G. P. HARDY, E. G. Christianity and the Roman Government. Longmans, Green, and Co. 58. HUDson, W. H. Lost British Birds. With fifteen drawings by A. D. M'Cormick. Society for the Protection of |Birds. 6d. HUTCHINson, REv. H. N. Creatures of Other Days. With illustrations by J. Smit and others. Chapman. I4s. JEANs, J. STEPHEN. The Eight Hours' Day, in British Engineering Industries, an Examination and Criti- cism of Recent Experiments. Ballantyne, Hanson, and Co. LENN, CHARLEs H. Recherché Side Dishes. Haddon and Co. 3s. 6d. LonDon OF To-DAY FOR 1894. Edited by Charles Eyre Pascoe. Simpkin, Marshall. Boston, U.S.A.: Roberts Bros. MACCUNN, PROFESSOR. Ethics of Citizenship. Glasgow : James MacLehose and Sons. 48. 6d. MALET, MAJOR J. W. Handbook to Field Training in the Infantry. Second edition. Gale and Polden. 28. MILNER, ALFRED. England in Egypt New edition. Arnold. M“NEILL, A. A. Table of the Weights of Spirits. and Fage. MUNDAY, S. D. The Isle of Wight. Edited by. Illus- trated by Percy Robertson and others. J. S. Virtue and Co. Limited. Is. N'ZAU, BULA. Travel and Adventures in the Congo Free State and its Big Game Shooting. Illustrated from the author's sketches. Chapman. I4s. OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND LEARNED SoCIETIES OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. Eleventh annual issue. Griffin. 7s. 6d. PHIN, JOHN. Common Sense Currency. New York: The Industrial Publication Company. Root, J. W. Silver up to Date. Philip. 2s. 6d. SELL’s DIRECTORY OF REGISTERED TELEGRAPHIC AD- DRESSES.. First supplemental issue, April 1894. Henry Sell. SHERSTON, CAPT. J. Tactics as applied to Schemes. and Polden. 2s. 6d. SHUTTLEworth, REv. H. C. John Dring Gale Some Aspects of Disestab- lishment. Edited by. Innes. 38. 6d. SKEAT, PROFESSOR. The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer. Edited by. Vol. II., containing Boethius and Troilus, Oxford: at the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. I6s. STONE, J. HARRIs, AND PEASE, J. G. A Practical Ready Reference Guide to Parish Councils and Parish Meetings. Philip. 2s. 6d. TERRELL, GEORGE. The Thames Yachting Almanac for 1894. Edited by. Horace Cox, Is. TwPEDIE, MAJOR-GEN. W. The Arabian Horse. wood. WALTER, RICHARD. Black- Anson's Voyage Round the World. Blackie and Son. 1s. 4d. WATERTON, CHARLEs. Wanderings in South America, &c. Blackie and Son. Is. 4d. WILKINson, SPENCER. The Great Alternative. A Plea for a National Policy. Sonnenschein. WolverTon, LORD. Five Months' Sport in Somali Land. With illustrations from photographs by Col. Paget. Chapman. 78. 6d.  ## p. 32 (#46) ############################################## 32 THE AUTHOR. Poetry and the Drama. AITREN, G. A. The Aldine Edition of the British Poets: Thomas Parnell. Edited, with memoir and notes. George Bell and Sons. - AITKEN, G. A. The Best Plays of the Old Dramatists: Richard Steele. Edited, with an introduction and notes by. T. F. Unwin. CLARK, K. M*COSH. Persephone and Other Sampson Low. CoLBORNE-WEEL, MARY. The Fairest of the Angels, and other verse. Horace Cox. 3s. 6d. DYCE, REv. A.L.Ex. Aldine Edition. The Poetical Works of Mark Akenside and of James Beattie. Each with a memoir by. George Bell. FULLARTON, R. M. Lallan Sangs and German Lyrics. Blackwood. - IBSEN, HENRIK. Brand : a Dramatic Poem. Translated into English verse in the original metres by F. Edmund - Garrett. T. F. Unwin. Ios. 6d. JEBB, PROFESSOR. Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments. Part VI., the Electra. Cambridge : at the University Press. LEE-HAMILTON, EUGENE. Sonnets of the Wingless Hours. Elliot Stock. LYNCH, ARTHUR. A. Koran of Love : the Caliph, and Poems. other poems. Remington. 2s. 6d. SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. Plays. Edited by Professor Henry Morley. I3 vols. Cassell. 21s. SMYTHE, ALFRED. Poems. Sir T)unstan’s Daughter and other Digby and Long. 38. 6d. Sw1NBURNE, A. C. Astrophel, and other poems. and Windus. 7s. TOLLEMACHE, BEATRICE. Drawing-room Plays. 2s. 6d. ZoDA, EMILE. The Heirs of Rabourdin : A Comedy in Three Acts. Translated by A. Teixeira de Mattos. Henry. 2s. 6d. Chatto The Early Bird, and other Remington and Co. Limited. Science and Art. ADLER, HERMANN. Alternating Generations: a Biological Study of Oak Galls and Gall Flies. Translated and edited by Charles R. Straton. With illustrations. Oxford: at the Clarendon Press; Henry Frowde. Ios. 6d. BLACKBURN, HENRY. Academy Sketches. Edited by. Allen. Is. BLACKBURN, HENRY. The New Gallery, 1894. Edited by. Chatto. Is. EWING, PROFESSOR. The Steam Engine and Other Heat Engines. Cambridge: at the University Press. I5s. GoRE, J. E. The Worlds of Space. Innes and Co. 7s. 6d. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF THE PARIs SALON, 3s. ; ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE FINE ARTs, PARIs, 3s. 6d. Chatto. MARSHALL, PROFESSOR. Biological Lectures and Addresses. Edited by C. F. Marshall. D. Nutt. - PHILLIPs, H. Josh UA. Engineering Chemistry. Second edition. Crosby Lockwood. PICTUREs of 1894. Office of the Pall Mall Publications. 18. - , , -- REYNOLDs, MICHAEL. Engine Driving Life. Crosby Lockwood. Is. 6d. ROSE, T. KIRKE. The Metallurgy of Gold. Edited by Professor W. C. Roberts-Austen. Griffin. 21s. ROYAL ACADEMY AND NEw GALLERY PICTUREs. and White. Is. SALOMONS, SIR DAVID. Electric Light Installations. Vol. II. Apparatus. Seventh edition, revised and enlarged. Whittaker and Co. 7s.6d. SINCLAIR DAVID. Lux Naturae : Nerve System of the Universe. Elliot Stock. SMITH, JOHN. Monograph of the Stalactites and Stalag- mites of the Cleaves Cove. Elliot Stock. Third edition. Black Law. BourDIN's Exposition of THE LAND TAx. Fourth edition, with a new and exhaustive index by the late Frederick Humphreys, and digests of cases decided in the Courts, by Charles C. Atchison. Stevens. 7s. 6d. FITZGERALD, J. WESEY. The Local Government Act 1894 (Parish and District Councils Act), and Incorporated Statutes, with full explanatory Notes of its Provisions and Application. Waterlow Bros. and Layton. FORTESCUE-BRICKDALE, C. Notes on Land Transfer in Various Countries. Horace Cox. Is. GEORGE. The Law Relating to Parish Stevens. 7s. 6d. JENKIN, A. F. The Law Relating to Parish Councils, being the Local Government Act 1894. Knight and Co. LELY, J. M., AND CRAIES, W. F. The Local Government Act 1894. Sweet and Maxwell Limited; Stevens and Sons Limited. Is. 6d. MEws, John. The Annual Digest of all the Reported Decisions of the Superior Courts, including a selection from the Irish, during 1893. Sweet and Maxwell; Stevens. - PARKER, F. Row LEY. The Duties of County Councils under the Local Government Act 1894, with the Act and the Regulations made thereunder. Solicitor and Parliamentary Agent. Knight and Co. HUMPHREYs, Councils. PIXLEY, FRANCIS, W. Chartered Accountants’ Charges, and the law relating thereto. Second edition. Gee and Co. Ios. 6d. UNDERHILL, ARTHUR. The Law Relating to Private Trusts and Trustees. Fourth edition, revised and enlarged. Butterworths. 21s. Educational. Bow ER, JoHN A. Simple Experiments for Science Teach- ing. S.P.C.K. 2s. 6d. CoNYBEARE, REv. EDwARD. School Chronology, by the Rev. W. J. Conybeare. New edition by. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. Limited. Is. GIBBs, H. G. A. Bimetallic Primer. Cornish. Is. MACKENZIE, JOHN S. A. Manual of Ethics. Second edition. W. B. Clive, University Correspondence College Press. 6s. 6d. ROBERTS-AUSTEN, PROF. W. C. An Introduction to the Study of Metallurgy. Third edition, revised and enlarged. Griffin. 12s. 6d. 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. 05 Issue 01 (June 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 01 (June 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-06-01-The-Author-5-1 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/266/1894-07-02-The-Author-5-2.pdf dc66703ab12c2304ef0fae78c3069717 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-07-02 Volume 5 Issue 2 Pages Page range in volume 33–60 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18940702 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El utb or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESAN. T. WoL. W.-No. 2.] JULY 2, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are Tesponsible. Wome of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as earpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. - HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lame, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *~ * ~ * g- - -, WARNINGS AND ADVICE, I. T is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warmed not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no eaſpense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. 4. AsCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SLDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party WOL. W. refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. r 5. LITERARY AGENTS.—Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. - 6. CosT OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any accownt whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTS. — Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *— — —” e= * HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY, I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member, E 2  ## p. 34 (#48) ############################################## 3+ THE AUTHOR. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *- - -º r- - - THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days' notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. The Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department * for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted” has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to communicate with the Manager. - *. - There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. NOTICES, HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker’s order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. - Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why them hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at 389 4s. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production ” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher’s own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too  ## p. 35 (#49) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 35 often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *- - - r- > -s LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—A CASE OF SECRET PROFITs. WHE case which was mentioned in the Author for March, 1893 (p. 353), and June, 1894, (p. 14), plain as it may have appeared, has now dragged along for some four years, The French writer, known by the nom de plume of “Léo Taxil,” had some reason or other for suspecting that his publishers were treating him unfairly as to the number of copies of his many books printed and sold, and that they were thus depriving him wholesale of his royalty per copy. He therefore called for an account which, when received in July, 1890, showed him some 438 in debt to the publishing firm. The author, naturally indignant, set in motion a criminal prosecution for “abuse of confidence.” The outcome of this move was that the publishers informed the author that they had unfortunately omitted from the account rendered two whole editions of one of his books, and that there was due to him in consequence 3133. At the same time they admitted that on his other works the number of copies sold had exceeded the figures shown in the account rendered to such an extent that the royalty due to the author was understated by 312O more, making £253 due to him instead of 398 due from him. But expert accountants were then put in by the courts to examine the firm’s books, and the total damage to the author was assessed by them at no less than £152O, for Léo Taxil's books, what- ever may be thought of them, have had a con- siderable circulation. The criminal prosecution therefore went on, though the legal proceedings are somewhat diffi- cult to reconcile. Here, however, is a resumé of the facts as taken from the Journal des Débats, the Gazette des Tribunawa, and the Siècle. To begin with, the correctional tribunal (a criminal court) acquitted the publishers, in Feb., 1892, of “abuse of confidence.” On appeal by the Public Prosecutor (and by the author also on the point of damages) a decision of the court above, in the following April, quashed the previous pro- ceedings as having been in error, because the facts as alleged would, if proved, constitute not mere “abuse of confidence,” but falsification of documents and criminal use of the same. Accordingly, in Feb., 1893, the case was sent down again (in spite of a fresh appeal from the publishers) for retrial in this sense. Eventually the publishers were again indicted for entering in their books, and in their accounts rendered, certain erroneous items, with the effect of depriving M. Léo Taxil of a portion of his “author's rights” to the extent of £152O. In the meanwhile, however, as the Gazette des Tribunaua, reports the case, the publisher had induced the author to desist, paying him £4600 (115,000 francs) as damages. But the court, nevertheless, compelled him to continue to appear in the case as an interested party. The case only came on for trial at the May assizes of this year, when the defence was that the admitted errors in the books were merely clerical, and that, according to a custom of the trade, publishers had a right to print for them- selves twenty copies of a work over and above every 100 copies acknowledged to the author. That is to say, that when an author receives royalty on 5000 copies, 6000 have actually been printed and sold. The Public Prosecutor having admitted that there were “extenuating circumstances” in favour of the accused, a Parisian jury acquitted them, while M. Léo Taxil was, in consequence of this acquittal, cast in the costs. How much these may be we know not, nor are we told what offence he had committed to merit this penalty; but it would be well for English authors who may purpose any professional work in France to make a careful mote of this strange case, and of that alleged secret custom of confiscating one in six of the copies of every edition as publisher's per- quisites. J. O’N. The following is the official report from the Gazette des Tribunawa . L'affaire dont a eu ä connaitre aujourd’hui la Cour d’Assizes mettait en présence, d'une part, M. Léo Taxil et son gendre, M. Joubert, et de l'autre, MM. Letouzey et Ané, editeurs. Il s'agit, non d’un procès de presse, mais d’une affaire de faux, engagée sur la plainte de M. Léo Taxil. C'est l’épilogue des nombreux incidents qui signalèrent les démélés de M. Léo Taxil avec ses éditeurs et dont le début remonte à 1892. Ceux-ci ont successivement publié un grand nombre de volumes et des brochures de M. Léo Taxil. Soupçonnant que ses éditeurs ne lui remettaient pas exactenment les droits d’auteur auxquels il avait droit, M. Léo Taxil, ne pouvant obtenir un relevé de compte exact, déposa une plainte contre eux. Une instruction fut ouverte qui se termina par la com- parution de M.M. Letouzey et Ané et de M. Picquoin, leur imprimeur, devant le Tribunal correctionnel sous la pré- vention d’abus deconfiance et de complicité. Tous trois furent acquittés (W. Gaz. des Trib. du 17 février 1892). Le ministère publie et M. Léo Taxil ayant fait appel, la Cour confirma le jugement de première instance en déclarant que les faits relevés à la charge des prévenus constitue-  ## p. 36 (#50) ############################################## 36 THE A UTHOR. raient, s'ils étaient établis, des faux et non pas le délit d'abus de confiance (V. Gaz. des Trib. du 15 avril 1892), La Cour de Cassation, saisie d'une demande de règlement de juges et d'un pourvoi de MM. Letouzey et Ané, rejeta le pourvoi et renvoya les prévenus devant la Chambre des mises en accusation (V. Gaz. des Trib. du 12 février 1893). Un arrêt de cette chambre ordonna un supplément d'informa- tion à la suit de laquelle, l'imprimeur Picquoin a été écarté de la poursuite et MM. Letouzey et Ané renvoyés devant la Cour d'Assizes. C'est dans ces condition que ceux-ci se présentent aujourd'hui, devant le jury. L'accusation leurs reproche d'avoir porté sur leurs livres et dans leurs règlements de comptes, des chiffres inexacts, de manière à frustrer M. Léo Taxil d'une partie de ses droits d'auteur évaluée dans l'expertise à environ 38,ooo francs. Pour arriver à ce résultat MM. Letouzey et Ané auraient, non seulement indiqué un nombre de volumes inférieur à la réalité, mais aussi omis de mentionner deux éditions entières. Les accusés prétendent pour leur défense que les irrégu- larités constatées sont de simples erreurs de comptabilité ; que, de plus, d'après les usages de librairie, ils avaient le droit de tirer un nombre d'exemplaires supérieur de 2o p. IOO au chiffre officiel. L'expertise conteste l'exactitude de ces explications. • · Au cours de l'instruction MM. Letouzey et Ané ont obtenu de Léo Taxil son désistement, moyennant le paiement d'une somme de I 15,ooo francs, chiffre auquel a été évalué le préjudice éprouvé par celui-ci. M. Léo Taxil n'en a pas moins été assigné comme partie civile, qualité qu'il a prise dès le début de ces contestations. Il est assisté à l'audience par son gendre M. Joubert. Divers témoins sont entendus : M. Rossignol, expert, M. Eugène Moreau, éditeur, qui confirment les fait de l'accusa- tion. M. Picquoin, l'imprimeur primitivement compris dans les poursuites, fait une déposition embarrassée et très peu précise. M. Léo Taxil présente certaines explications et conteste les allégations des accusés. L'audience est levée à six heures et renvoyée à demain pour les réquisitions de M. l'avocat général Van Cassel, et les plaidoiries de M° Pouillet et de M° Georges Maillard, défenseurs des accusée. (Cour d'Assises de la Seine.—Présidence de M. le con- seiller Potier.—Audience du 28 mai.) · L'affaire de faux, suivie contre MM. Letouzey et Ané, éditeurs, sur la plainte de M. Leo Taxil, s'est terminée aujourd'hui devant la Cour d'Assises. M. l'avocat général Van Cassel soutient l'accusation ; il ne s'oppose pas à l'admission de circonstances atténuantes. M° Pouillet et Me Georges Maillard présentent la défense des accusés, qui sont acquittés. La partie civile est condamnée aux dépens. (Cour d'Assises de la Seine.—Présidence de M. le con- seiller Potier.—Audience du 29 mai.)—G. des T. 3o mai, I894. II.—PUBLISHING ON COMMIssIoN. It seems a method so fair and so simple. The author goes to a publisher and says : º Take my book and publish it. I will pay you for your trouble so much per cent. on all the sales.'' What can be fairer ? What, indeed ? Now, the following is an illus- tration of how the plan may work. This is an actual case which occurred yesterday. - First of all, the publisher demands payment in advance of the whole amount which, according to him, the book will cost. For himself, he pays the printer three or six months after the work is done. - If he takes six months'credit, he has the money to use for his own business purposes for this time. It is an addition to his working capital on which he calculates to make something like 2o per cent., but, if it is not to be considered working capital, it is money on which he may get interest at, say, 4 per cent. Next, he sends in an estimate lumping every- thing together, the said estimate being enormously overcharged. He explains that he has only allowed for binding of a certain number, He further notes, casually, that advertising is not included. But he points out that the sale will give the author so much for every hundred volumes sold. The luckless author falls into the trap, pays the money, calculates what he is to receive, and expects the returns. There will be so much profit, he thinks : he cannot lose anything. Alas ! He knows nothing : he actually forgets the adver- tising. There will be a tremendous bill on that account. And he forgets the corrections, and the remaining copies will have to be bound. Then there are the illustrations. Finally, the author, even when the whole edition has gone, will find himself a loser to the tune of a hundred pounds Ol" SO . In the case before us, the cost of production was overcharged by about 83o. The author stood to lose 87O on the most favourable result, viz., the sale of the whole edition. The publisher's profit would stand as follows : Overcharge of production s£3O O O Interest on money advanced (say)... 3 O O @ @ @ • • • • • • • • e Commission on sales .................. 23 O O Overcharge on binding the rest of the edition ........................... 3 O O Overcharge on advertisements reckoned on the same scale ...... 8 O O Illustrations overcharge on same scale ................................ I O O O Overcharge on corrections ............ 5 O O Whole profit ............ 4282 o o The reader will please observe these figures. Remark that, if not one single copy sells, the publisher makes 86o by the job, and the whole by secret profits ! And yet we are accused of " attacking pub- lishers " when we expose these tricks ! How, then, is an author to publish on commis- sion ? He must get advice from the Society on the proper firm to employ. He must then have  ## p. 37 (#51) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 37 an estimate showing the exact details on every point. This, with the agreement proposed, he must submit to the consideration of the secre- tary. # the publisher refuses to furnish the details, there is but one inference to be drawn. Meantime, let it be distinctly understood, when estimates are sent in, that the Society can get the work done at the prices given in the “Cost of Production,” with the change in the item of bind- ing, as advertised every month in the Author. III.-CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. Since the last article appeared in the Author on Canadian copyright, certain papers have been forwarded to the Society by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The Society has taken the opinion of counsel on the papers. Mr. William Oliver Hodges, of 3, Paper- buildings, Temple, E.C., barrister, and Mr. G. Herbert Thring, secretary to the Society, have been appointed by the committee as delegates to attend the meetings of the Copyright Committee alluded to in the last number. The first meeting was held on Monday, June 25. A statement of what passed at this meeting will be printed, together with counsel's opinion on the papers on Canadian copyright, in next month's Author. IV.-AMERICAN COPYRIGHT. The Speaker, in recently reviewing an American book, said: “This book is twenty years old in America, and what is stated to be its fifth edition is now brought over here to be sold, having been printed and copyrighted in America by the American publisher, and then again copyrighted by him here, by entry at Stationers' Hall, as the liberal English law allows him to do. By the unfairly unequal American law—drafted and passed so as to be unfairly unequal—it is impossible for a book printed in England to be similarly copyrighted in the United States, for it must be first printed there too. Therefore this book is one of those by which the Yankee cobbler manages to cut a whang out of our leather.” W.—LIBRARIES AND NOVELS. The following circulars were published in the Daily Chronicle of June 30. At the moment of going to press we have not yet received a copy, but it may be supposed that the text is accu- rately printed, and first, Messrs. Mudie's runs as follows:— - - Owing to the constantly increasing number of novels and high-priced books, and to the rapid issue of the cheaper editions, the directors are compelled in the interests of the business to ask publishers to consider the following suggestions:— - - I. That after Dec. 31, 1894, the charge to the library for works of fiction shall not be higher than 4s. per volume, less the discount now given, and with the odd copy as before. | - II. That the publishers shall agree not to issue cheaper editions of novels, and of other books which have been taken for library circulation, within twelve months from the date of publication. The directors have no wish to dictate to the publishers, but, in making these suggestions, they point out the only terms upon which it will be possible in the future to buy books in any quantity for library use. - - The terms of Messrs. Smith and Son’s circular are these :— - For some time past we have noted with concern a great and increasing demand on the part of the subscribers to our library for novels in sets of two and three volumes. To meet their requisitions, we are committed to an expen- diture much out of proportion to the outlay for other kinds of literature. Most of the novels are ephemeral in their interest, and the few with an enduring character are published in cheap editions so soon after the first issue that the market we for- merly had for the disposal of surplus stock in sets is almost lost. You may conceive that this state of matters very seriously reduces the commercial value of the subscription library. We are therefore compelled to consider what means can be taken to improve this branch of our business. As a result of our deliberations, we would submit for your favourable consideration :- - (1) That after Dec. 31 next the price of novels in sets shall not be more than 4.s. per volume, less the discount now given, and with the odd copy as before. You will please observe that the date we name for the alteration of terms is fixed at six months from the end of this current month, in order that your arrangements may not be affected by the suggested alterations. - - (2) In respect of the issue of the cheaper editions, and the loss to us of our market for the sale of the best and earlier editions of novels and other works, through their publication in a cheaper form before we have had an opportunity of selling the surplus stock, we propose that you be so good as to undertake that no work appear in the cheaper form from the original price until twelve months after the date of its first publication. - The libraries, certainly, have a perfect right to name their own price within recognised bounds of fairness for a form of book which only exists for them. The price now proposed is, according to the Chronicle, 4s. a volume, discount and odd volume to remain as they are, i.e., 5 per cent. discount and twenty-five as twenty-four. This means 3s. 8d., within a very tiny fraction, per volume, or I Is. a copy. + The former price was not fixed; it varied with the library and with the house. If we take it at an average of 5s. a volume, with discount and the odd copy we have an average price of a little under I 4s. Let us suppose that there is a difference under the new tariff of 3s. a copy—a loss of 3s. a copy. , - . " - This loss must be met by the author as well as  ## p. 38 (#52) ############################################## 38 THE AUTHOR. the publisher. It can be met by changing the royalty to that extent. The advertised price of 31s. 6d. has, in this case, nothing at all to do with the question, because the circulating libraries alone need be considered. The problem is therefore very simple. Given a reduction of 3s. a copy, how is that reduction to be met by the author P Clearly, by reducing the royalty by half that amount. Thus the reduction being by one-fifth the former price the publisher and the author must each bear the loss of one-tenth. Or the royalty would be thus adjusted: Suppose the author had a royalty of 6s. a copy, i.e., a fraction on the assumed price of one-third. It would now have to be 6s. less one-tenth the former price, i.e., 6s. less one-tenth of 15s., or 6s. less Is. 6d., i.e., 4s. 6d. Bow would this work out P An edition of IOOO copies costs nearly £200, and can be produced for less. It would, under the new tariff, sell for £550. The clear profit is, therefore, 3350. The author's share at 4s. 6d. a copy is 3225. The publisher's share would be £125. The editor will be very glad to receive suggestions and opinions on the above. WI.-AN IMPORTANT CASE. The reserved judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered by Lord Justice Lindley, reversing - the decision of Mr. Justice Stirling in the “Living Pictures” case, involved a point of great importance and interest in the law of copy- right. Herr Hanfstaengl, who is a German Art publisher, brought two actions asking for injunc- tions to restrain the directors of the Empire Palace Company Limited and the proprietors and publishers of the Daily Graphic from infringing his copyright in certain pictures. In the former case he complained that his pictures were repro- duced in the form of tableaua vivants upon the stage of the Empire Theatre, but Mr. Justice Stirling held that the representations of these pictures on the stage by means of living actors were not an infringement of the plaintiff’s copy- right, and that decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in February last. In the case of the Daily Graphic, the complaint was that accounts were published in that paper of the represen- tations at the Empire Theatre, which were illus- trated by sketches taken by artists who attended the theatre for that purpose. Although the newspaper illustrations were sketched from the living figures employed in the representations on the stage, the plaintiff contended that they were copies of the designs of his original pictures, and therefore were infringements of his copyright. Mr. Justice Stirling adopted that view, and granted an injunction restraining the proprietors and publishers of the newspaper from printing publishing, selling, or offering for sale, or other wise disposing of, any copies or colourable imitations of the copyright pictures of the plaintiff. From that decision the defendants have successfully appealed, and judgment was directed to be entered for them with costs both of the appeal and of the application in the court below. The plaintiff based his claim for pro- tection on the International Copyright Act of 1886 and the Order in Council thereunder of the 28th Nov. 1887, and on the English Copyright Act of 1862, and it is highly satisfactory that, alike on the consideration of the facts and circum- stances, and of the law as it has been laid down and is applicable to them, the Court of Appeal has unanimously determined that the plaintiff has suffered no wrong which these statutes were intended to redress, and that he is not entitled to the protection which he claimed. Lord Justice Lindley cited and adopted the definition long ago laid down by the late Mr. Justice Bayley of a “copy” as that which so closely resembles the original as to convey the same idea as that created by the original. Both Lord Justice Lopes and Lord Justice Davey, in the brief judgments in which they assented to that of Lord Justice Lindley, quoted with approval this definition; and, tried by that test, it could not be reasonably suggested that the rough sketches in the news- paper of the tableaua vivants at the Empire were copies of the original pictures of the plaintiff, and were calculated to injure his rights or depreciate the value of the original pictures. The learned Lord Justice emphatically declared that neither intentionally nor unintentionally, neither directly nor indirectly, had the artist of the Daily Graphic copied in the correct sense of the term the plain- tiff's pictures so as to infringe his copyright in them. He had not in the slightest degree repro- duced, or attempted to reproduce, the artistic merits and beauties of the original pictures, which indeed, he had never seen. The whole intention of the sketch was to give a rough and ready impression of the representations at the Empire Theatre, and there was no design of making gain by a colourable imitation or reproduction of the plaintiff's pictures. The court founded its decision on broad grounds and on a wide view of the aspects of the case and of the law. “Copy- right law and patent law,” said Lord Justice Lindley, “conferred monopolies on individuals in certain respects, thereby preventing people from doing that which otherwise it would be lawful for  ## p. 39 (#53) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 39 them to do, and they were designed to insure to those protected the enjoyment of the advantages of their own abilities when these took the form of pictures, designs, inventions, and so forth. So far as they did this, and did this only, they were just and right, but they were not to be made the instruments of oppression and extortion.” This sound principle, will commend itself to every reasonable and fair-minded judgment.—Times. g- - - THE AUTHORS' CLUB, I.-AT HOME. N the 3oth ult., at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, () the Authors’ Club were “at home * to a select number of guests of both sexes. In spite of inclement weather and frequent showers of rain the rooms were crowded with literary and artistic people. No doubt the pro- longed inclemency of the elements had hardened the heart against its dangers. Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G., the chairman of the club, was present to welcome the arrivals, and he was seconded by Lord Monkswell, Mr. Walter Besant, and Mr. H. R. Tedder, the other directors. Lady writers were very well repre- sented, Mrs. W. K. Clifford, Madame Sarah Grand, the Misses Hepworth Dixon, Mrs. Craigie, Mrs. Humphrey Ward, Mrs. Croker, Mrs. Hodgson Burnett, and Miss Helen Mathers being among those present. ..at The meeting was a success, and no doubt the club will repeat the gathering in the winter in the same or some other similar way. Mr. Hall Caine has joined the Board of Directors, -- II.-IN NEW YORK. At the Authors Club of New York the following gentlemen were in May elected honorary members:—Alphonse Daudet (France), Maartin Maartens (Holland), Maeterlinck (Bel- gium), Walter Besant (Great Britain). *- - --" -- - -, THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS, BEPORT of DINNER, 3 IST MAY, 1894. HE annual dinner of the Society of Authors T was held last night at the Holborn Res- taurant, Mr. Leslie Stephen presiding. The following is the list of the guests: E. A. Armstrong John Bumpus Mrs. Armstrong Miss Marie Belloc Oscar Browning Walter Besant WOT. W. Mrs. Walter Besant F. H. Balfour The Rev. Prof. Bonney W. H. Besant, Mackenzie Bell Poulteney Bigelow Mrs. Brightwen F. G. Breton Mrs. Oscar Beringer James Baker C. F. Moberley Bell Rev. Canon Bell, D.D. Rev. J. B. Baynard A. W. A. Beckett Thos. Catling Mrs. W. K. Clifford Miss K. M. Cordeaux and Guest Edward Clodd Miss Roalfe Cox and Guest Mrs. Craigie Mrs. McCosh Clarke Lieut.-Col. J. R. Campbell Miss Carpenter Sir. W. T. Charley R. Copley Christie Miss E. R. Chapman W. Morris Colles Mrs. Colles P. W. Clayden (President Institute of Journalists) Egerton Castle, F.S.A. Miss Lily Croft Professor Lewis Campbell Miss B. Chambers and Guest Moncure Conway Mrs. Custer E. H. Cooper H. Cust, M.P. John Davidson C. F. Dowsett Mrs. Dambrill Davies Arthur Dillon Austin Dobson A. Conan Doyle A. W. Dubourg Gerald Duckworth Miss Doyle Miss Duckworth Daily Graphic Daily News Daily Telegraph, Daily Chronicle A. Symons Eccles W. L. Ellis Mrs. Edmonds Mr. Edmonds Mrs. Walter Ellis Miss Agnes Fraser Mrs. Gerard Ford Prof. Michael Foster S. M. Fox Mrs. Gordon Henry Glaisher Alfred Giles (President In- stitute of Civil Engineers) Edmund Gosse Mrs. Aylmer Gowing J. C. Grant Mrs. Grant Dr. L. Garnett Miss Goodrich-Freer Miss H. F. Gethen Mrs. Gamlin Francis Gribble Mme. Sarah Grand Mrs. Spencer Graves Maj.-Gen. Sir F. J. smid, C.B. J. A. Goodchild A. P. Graves Miss Mabel Hawtrey Holman Hunt Bernard Hamilton Dr. Vaughan Harley E. G. Hobbes Miss W. Hunt Rev. W. Hunt Miss Hargreaves H. Holman F. de Haviland Hall Mrs. Wyndham Hill Clive Holland Comtesse Hugo Dr. Sophia Jex-Blake C. T. C. James Miss Kenealy A. C. Kenealy Rev. Dr. S. Kinns Lord Kelvin Royal Society) C. B. Roylance Kent. C. A. Kelly. Mrs. Lynn Linton Mrs. Long A. H. N. Lewers Sidney Lee Edmund Lee John Lane Sidney Low (St. James's Gazette) W. Meredith Mrs. W. Meredith • ' Rev. C. H. Middleton- Wake George Moore Mrs. Morgan Miss A. A. Martin Norman Maccoll Morning Post S. B. G. McKinney , Miss Helen Mathers and Guest Cosmo Monkhouse Miss Moss Gold- (President W. E. Norris Henry Norman The Lord Bishop of Oxford: John Warden Page Stanley Lane Poole Arthur Paterson Miss E. C. Pollock Sir F. Pollock, Bart., LL.D. Lady Pollock , -. D. H. Parry - Pall Mall Gazette The Queen W. Fraser Rae C. F. Rideal  ## p. 40 (#54) ############################################## 4O THE AUTHOR. Miss Ross R. Sisley Percy Spalding Douglas Sladen T. Bailey Saunders Mrs. Steel Leslie Stephen Mrs. Leslie Stephen David Stott H. G. Sweet The Standard S. S. Sprigge M. H. Spielmann. Howard Swan Rev. Prof. W. W. Skeat, LL.D. Ballard Smith Colonel Sutherland J. Ashby Sterry The Times T. S. Townend G. H. Thring Mrs. G. H. Thring Sir Henry Thompson A. W. Tuer W. Moy Thomas Mrs. F. Moy Thomas Mrs. Tweedie E. Maunde Thompson (Chief Librarian British Museum) Miss Traver - Miss Tabberner - Miss E. Underdown John Underhill Mrs. J. Owen Visger Rev. C. Voysey Westminster Gazette Hagberg Wright Library) A. P. Watt, Theodore Watts W. J. Walsham Mrs. Woolastom White Miss B. Whitby W. H. Wilkins S. F. Walker Colonel Sir Charles W. Wilson, K.C.M.G. Arnold White Dr. Wallace P. F. Walker I. Zangwill (London The Chairman first proposed the health of the Queen. The Chairman next proposed “The Society of Authors.” He said: I have now to undertake a more difficult task. It is not that I have any doubt that you will receive with sympathy the toast which I am about to propose, for I am going to ask you to drink your own health. But, however much you may approve the Society of Authors, I think it highly probable that you will doubt whether I am the proper person to propose it. As a matter of fact, I not only doubt, but am rather convinced that I am a highly improper person to do so. I will, however, say in self-defence that when I was first asked to accept this honourable position, I declined it. I was foolish enough (it is inconceivable that any- one could have been so foolish at my time of life) to give a reason, and of course my reason not only broke down, but recoiled upon myself in the way that reasons always will recoil. (Laughter.) My reason is, that I had not the honour to be a member of this Society, and it puts me in rather an uncomfortable dilemma, because the question naturally occurs, why am I not a member of the Society P I feel a great difficulty in answering it. I could not say, what would have been conclusive, that I disapproved of the Society on high moral grounds. (Laughter.) In the first place, it would not have been polite, and in the second place, it would not have come so near the truth as even those deviations which I generally allow myself will permit. I myself feel that my real reason is one which I must decline to confide to you, and I must be content to give you in imaginary reason which will answer for the present occasion. I will suggest as, at least, a possible reason, that in the first place I do not like to dwell upon my own mental defects and moral obliquities; I am attached to them, but do not like to intrude them upon others. I would suggest perhaps a more plausible, but still, perhaps, not the true, reason—namely, that I am known to most of you, not so much as an author as an editor. Now, you are aware that an editor is a kind of equivocal being, and that he resembles the bat in AEsop's fable, who was equally at war with the birds and with the beasts. The birds, of course, find their analogue in the author who soared into the literary heavens; as for the beasts, perhaps I had better not attempt to specify what would corre- spond to them. (Laughter.) Now, as an editor, I know what view the authors take of me. I remember a long time ago receiving a frank con- fession from a young gentleman (I hope he is wiser now) who had written a tragedy in five acts upon a subject which he had discovered in course of his researches into history. I believe it was Mary Queen of Scots (I may mention that I am not referring to Lord Tennyson)–(laughter) —and when I declined to publish this tragedy in the next number of the magazine which I was then editing, the author informed me that my refusal was due to a base jealousy, which was not surprising, as my own attempts to rival Shake- speare had never got into print. He was kind enough to add, that there was nothing to be ashamed of in this, because, he said, my occupa- tion was such as would have deadened any sense of justice or fair play, even in an angel, and he had no reason to believe that my qualities had ever been angelic. Now you will understand, that the class of persons who is regarded in this way by the unthinking author is apt to see the weaknesses of authors. I occasionally became aware of their little vanities, of their self-illusions, of their conviction that they are the objects of the demoniacal malignity of a clique of critics. I must add that I should have been a much harder hearted person than I believe I am, if I had not also learnt to see a great deal of the hardships of a literary career, and to sympathise with those who suffer. I had the honour to succeed to the cushion occupied by Thackeray before me, and I have found that some of the thorns of which Thackeray spoke are still left in it. I had to read letters from the decayed lady who had a widowed mother or a small family dependent upon her exertions, and who tried to brush up her old recollections of French, and expected to make a living by translating from that recondite language. There was something ridiculous, but a great deal more that was pathetic in such letters. I have had to  ## p. 41 (#55) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 41. deal with many of those people who in the last century would have been ridiculed and taunted with their poverty as occupants of Grub-street. When I had to cut down contribu- tions from such gentlemen to about a third of the length of that they had sent me, I used to feel that I was taking a crust from a beggar and scraping off the butter, and yet my action, how- ever cruel it might appear, was necessary, and was received on the whole with an amount of common sense and consideration for which I Ought to be grateful. I do not know whether I ever snuffed out a heaven-born genius. If I did, I am very sorry; but I snuffed him out so effectually that he has never been able to make any protest. People are apt to fall on the critics who extinguished Keats and poo-poohed Wordsworth. We are quite clear that we are much wiser, and yet I know one or two men, whom every one now honours, who have had to go through a long probation of disregard and contempt. I must confess that, with all respect to the critics of to-day, I do not think they are infallible, and I cannot help fancying it possible that some fifty years hence someone may point out how wrongly they have acted to the rising geniuses whose names none of them know at the present moment. I have only re- ferred to this to show that I have seen some of the seamy side of the author's profession, and I claim to have sympathised with their sufferings, and to be very anxious to see the pro- fession raised by every possible means. There are various opinions as to the best way in which that could be done; some people are of the opinion that authors ought to be paid for their writings; some are of the opinion that every promising aspirant should receive a good salary from Government, and that it should be left to their sense of honour to turn out whatever work seemed to them best. I am of the opinion that, considering how pleasant an occupation writing is, and how valuable it is to read what we write, perhaps the right plan would be for a future Chancellor of the Exchequer to lay a heavy tax on the luxury, and to make everybody who is impertinent enough to suppose that what he said would be of value to the public, pay for it. I won’t, however, argue the question, because I am afraid that I should not have either a sympa- thetic or impartial audience. I have no doubt that authors will be paid, and will want to be paid more for some years to come, and I also feel that there will always be more or less of that difficulty which naturally occurs now in the rela- tions between authors and publishers. The author is a man of genius, sometimes; he is always sensitive ; he is apt to place an excessive WOL, W. value upon the children of his own brain ; and if his work fails he is rather inclined to throw the blame upon any other cause than his own stupi- dity. The author is apt to be one of those persons to whom a balance-sheet is a source of hopeless bewilderment; he is rarely a man of busi- ness; while on the other hand the publisher is a man of business, and has that peculiar talent in which all men of business are so conspicuous, the talent for proving that he is always losing by his business, and yet of living as if his business were distinctly profitable; and very often he has had to console himself for the losses which he made by speculating in unsuccessful literature by accepting some of the profit made out of the brains of men of genius. Undoubtedly such a relation must be a very difficult one, and so far as this Society endeavours to put it on a better basis I most heartily and cordially sympathise with the work which it is doing. Undoubtedly it is desirable that when bargains are made, and when the author is for the time in partnership with the publisher, they should distinctly under- stand the terms on which they come together, and that they should take advantage of the experience of their comrades in making terms in such a form that it is not likely to lead to mis- understandings, and that honourable men on both sides may be brought together and put in such a position that if any misunderstanding arise it must be a mere accident, and not involve any disagreeable suspicion on either side. That is, I believe, a state of things which you are endeavouring to bring about, and there- fore, as I have said, I most cordially wish you success. Mr. Stephen coupled the toast of “The Society” with the name of Sir Frederick Pollock. In responding, Sir Frederick Pollock said: My Lord Bishop, ladies and gentlemen, the first thing which I must express in the name of the Society is the great pleasure which we all feel in having Mr. Leslie Stephen as our chairman. If there is to be found a worthy representative of the higher art of literature I think Mr. Leslie Stephen is that representative, but as Mr. Stephen is a very old friend of mine, and I am speaking not in my personal capacity, but in the name of the Society, it would be unfair to take the words out of the mouth of Mr. Gosse, who will have something to say on the subject. At present the question of Canadian copyright is the most urgent matter under our notice, and within a few weeks a joint committee will probably be formed, representing this Society, the Copyright Associa- tion, the Iondon Chamber of Commerce, and possibly other bodies, and I hope that that com- mittee will be able to do some useful work in strengthening the hands of the home authorities. F 2  ## p. 42 (#56) ############################################## 42 THE AUTHOR. Some people think that our Society encourages nothing but light literature, and that we look to nothing but a rapid sale of our volumes. I will simply observe that I have here at my right hand one of our most serious writers of literature, the Bishop of Oxford. He has shown us how litera- ture in the highest sense can be dealt with. The Bishop is one of those whom I was proud to count among my colleagues for a few years at Oxford. He has done more than write a classical history; he has shown us what history is and how history ought to be treated. Mr. Conan Doyle has shown us the legitimate use of history for the purposes of (what is called) lighter literature. The Society will doubtless join me in the hope that he will lose no time in giving us another “White Company.” I ask you, therefore, to couple the toast of Literature with the name of the Bishop of Oxford and that of Mr. Conan Doyle. The Bishop of Oxford, in responding, said: “Mr. Stephen, ladies and gentlemen, I will not waste your time by telling you how very grateful I am for the kind reception given to me. When I was told last week that it would be my duty to return thanks on behalf of the serious side of literature, I began to think what I should say. In the first place, I was not quite sure what serious literature was, and in the second place, I am not quite sure whether my writings are such as to entitle me to reply to the toast. I have written many hundred- weights of books, and have been frequently asked how I acquired my “style.’ I reply by saying I do not know that I have any special style; but, if I had, I acquired it by writing two sermons every week. I only wish that I could have answered better for the great society which I have been called upon to represent.” - Mr. Conan Doyle said: “While I had rather that it had been in other hands than mine, I am still glad that fiction should be represented on this occasion. It is an honour, and fiction is accustomed to be more popular than honoured. Our Colleagues of poetry, of science, and of history have made their way as high as the House of Peers and the Privy Council. But fiction has always been the Cinderella of the family. When her fair sisters go to the prince's ball, she remains behind with her wicked stepmother the critic. But she has her compensation. She still has that good old fairy godmother, and her name is Imagi- nation. With her aid, it is still as easy as ever to turn the pumpkin into the carriage and the white mice into steeds. One might even do more. With her help one might imagine that all is well with fiction, that among the successful business men from whom the peerage is recruited a place had been found also for a Scott, a Dickens, or a Thackeray; or, to come to more modern instances, that the State had shown its recognition of work done by such men as Charles Reade in the past, or Walter Besant in the present. We are periodi- cally informed by the papers, which are usually owned and edited by knights and baronets, that State recognition does not increase the prestige of the literary man. It is true. It does not increase the prestige of the author. But it enormously increases the prestige of the State. Still, come what may, we have our own kingdom of fiction, and in it we can all be kings and queens. But that kingdom has, in this country, well defined boundaries. We know how these frontiers run. To the north we are bounded by the Glasgow baillie, to the south the young ladies' seminary, and then to the east and west, of course by the two great circulating libraries. Still, it would be idle to deny that within these limitations there is room for plenty of good work. And our frontiers. are enlarging. Within the last ten years several noble novels have come from the pens of men and women which would have been, I think, impos- sible a decade earlier. It is becoming year by year more understood that it is not the indication of vice, but its glorification, which is objection- able, and that the most immoral thing which can befall literature is that it should be entirely divorced from life and truth. Fiction is at present in a state of unrest and fermentation, Some critics, I know, say that the old tree is barren, but it seems to me that I see green shoots on all her branches. I believe from my heart that the present generation will uphold the glorious inheritance which has come down to us, and will pass it on to our posterity in a manner which shall not be unworthy. Mr. EDMUND GossE.—Sir Frederick Pollock, my Lords, ladies, and gentlemen. —It is my pleasant duty to ask you to fill your glasses, and drink to the health of our chairman, Mr. Leslie Stephen. It Ought not, I think, to be difficult to speak appropriately of one who has himself spoken so wisely and so genially of a host of others. No one here to-night but must feel a debt of gratitude for some gift or other of Mr. Leslie Stephen's, But, as the Society of Authors, we welcome him among us with unusual cheer- fulness, because he is one of the prodigal fathers of our society. He is one of the very few leading men of his generation who have always looked out of window when anybody spoke of the Society of Authors. He has been not with us, and there- fore against us. He is now with us, and will for the future always be for us. We rejoice over Mr. Leslie Stephen more than over ten celebrities who have been perfectly kind to us from our foundation. If we regard the literary career of our chair-  ## p. 43 (#57) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 43 man of to-night, we are struck, I think, first of all, by the width and catholicity of his sym- pathies, and then by the curious fate which has driven him from one corner of the intellectual province to another. He has been an authority on mountaineering and on ethics, and alternately at home with the founders of deism and with the makers of dictionaries. He began literary life, I think, as one of those who, conscious of their unconfessed offences, voluntarily make them- selves excessively uncomfortable with penitential hard labour in the Alps. Flung from peak to peak, and picking himself up at last, more dead than alive, at the foot of a glacier, he decided in future to spend his hours in the shelter of a library. And there he began a new thing; there he took down book after book, and talked to us about them, not as one of the pedantic Sanhedrim, but easily, confidentially, penetra- tively. He was dragged out of his library to become editor of the Cornhill Magazine, and now a wider work of influence began. I think he must be a little moved to-night to see around him here not a few of those whom he marshalled and encouraged in the pages of that serial, then unquestionably the most purely literary magazine which has ever been issued in this country. It was in the capacity of a contributor to the Cornhill that my own acquaintance with our chairman began, just twenty years ago. It was quite a little close corporation, and there were always wel- come, before they were welcome elsewhere, many who are widely known to-day — Mr. Thomas Hardy, Mr. Norris, Mr Austin Dobson, Mr. Grant Allen, our lamented friend John Addington Symonds, you, Sir, yourself, and many whom I do not at this moment recall. And to these, one day in 1875, was added a new writer who signed himself R. L. S. I have a letter from our chair- man, written at that time, in which he says, replying to a question of mine, “The initials are not those of the Real Leslie Stephen, as a friend of mine suggests, but of a young Scotchman from Edinburgh, called Robert Louis Stevenson.” Everyone of these, I think I may boldly say, looks back to the patient encouragement, the cordial and tireless sympathy of the best of editors with genuine gratitude. In those early days, as many of us remember, and as he himself no doubt forgets, there was no one who laughed more gaily at the trivialities of biographical literature, or who less resembled Dr. Dryasdust. It is whispered to me that a letter exists in which Mr. Leslie Stephen repudiates with contempt the man who cares to know who any other man's grandmother was. Ah! the irony of fate | Some twelve years ago, he was called upon to undertake a colossal work, the very essence of which depends upon knowing everything about everybody’s grandmother, nay, more, upon being familiar with all those mysterious consangui- nities which we read on summer Sundays at the back of the church-door. Well, he took up this task, too, as he has taken up so many others, with perfect good-nature, with exhaustive erudition, with combined energy and patience, and we all know what he made of it. But now he is released at last, this weary Titan of National Biography. He has shaken off the cousins' sisters and the mother-in-law’s nieces' husbands of genius. He can come back to literature, and that is where we love to see him. We love to see him here, at the table of the Society of Authors, and I beg you all to join with me in testifying your satisfaction. Mr. Leslie Stephen! ar- - -s REAL AUTHORS, To the City Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette. SIR,-A paragraph-writer in this morning's press on the dinner of the Society of Authors is pleased to remark on the small proportion of “real authors” present. Apparently he does not mean to deny that (omitting all those who could be said in any sense to be officially present) such people as Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Morris, Mr. George Moore, Mrs. W. K. Clifford, Miss Helen Mathers, Mrs. (or Madame as the reporters will have it, I cannot think why) Sarah Grand, and so forth, are real authors, but only to be sur- prised that they were in a minority; in fact, he guesses that not more than one in three of the company was a well-known author. It may be well to point out that the Society of Authors exists for the benefit, not of those authors who have already made their reputation, and may be presumed able to look after their own interests, but of those who still have their reputation to make. It does not profess to be a club of literary celebrities. If a representa- tive gathering of the society did consist mostly of writers already well known, it might be a more brilliant assembly from the reporter's point of view, but the fact would only show that the society was failing in its proper work, and had ceased to be useful, or a centre of interest to those for whose sake it was founded. The society’s definition of a “real author’’ is a person who has written and published at least one book, or its equivalent. This is a much less ambitious definition than the commentator's, but I venture to think it more accurate.—Yours, &c. June I. F. POLLOCK.  ## p. 44 (#58) ############################################## 44 THE AUTHOR. AN AMERICAN MAGAZINE. HE President of the Century Company has been reading a paper on the methods and the production of the Century magazine. The paper contains certain facts which may be useful and instructive to ourselves, especially in the light of the fact that one or two American magazines, not for their cheapness, nor because they can be charged with a low standard of style and subject, can fairly boast that the circulation of each as a monthly actually represents by itself at least three times the circulation of all the English monthly magazines combined, excepting two or three; and that the circulation in this country alone, of one or two, is equal to the circu- lation of any three English magazines combined, still excepting these two or three. It is worth while, perhaps, to read this paper, and to attempt some explanation of what is certainly astonishing, and, except on the theory that the English maga- zines are written for the highest culture only—a theory which it would be difficult to maintain— extremely humiliating. The Century magazine contains 160 pages, making about thirty articles—long and short. There are, then, from 350 to 4oo articles every year. Out of this number about 175 are either poetry or fiction. The rest are historical, bio- graphical, of travel, of social matters, and miscel- laneous. It is found that fiction, even when a novel is produced by one of the foremost English or American writers of the day, does not seem to advance the circulation of the paper. Yet it keeps up the circulation which begins to drop when the fiction is weak or unattractive. This statement probably amounts to saying that general excellence in every branch must be main- tained or the circulation suffers. On the other hand, the most popular subject ever started by the Century was that of the Civil War, on which a series of papers appeared. This series caused the circulation to go up by leaps and bounds. It is found, next, that no American magazine has ever attained a popular success unless it was illustrated. In recognition of this fact, the Century has always paid the greatest attention to its illustrations, which are now the finest that can be procured. That is to say, the artistic branch demands now a very large part of the expenditure. So great is the outlay on illustrations, as well as contributions, that every number costs, before it goes to press, about £2OOO. Even if this includes the salaries of editors, managers, and clerks, the rent of offices and the service of distribution, it is evident that a very large capital is embarked in 'an American magazine, and that the risk of a fall in the circulation means a possible loss of this large capital. This danger alone proves the necessity for the most unceasing watchfulness, the most intelligent apprehension of the subjects that the public like to read about, and the greatest care in finding the writers most capable of presenting those subjects. That artists and authors when engaged should be paid in pro- portion to the services they render, i.e., greatly in excess of what they have been accustomed to receive from journals of less circulation, is a natural result of increased interests and a larger property to defend and to advance. What is the circulation of American maga- zines P Of one it is said that it circulates 200,000 in America and 30,000 in this country. Another is reported greatly to surpass this number in America, though its circulation is small in Great Britain; of two or three more it is said that they circulate over IOO,OOO in the States, besides having a small circulation in this country. Now, in America, our magazines are hardly ever seen; there are none on the bookstalls, either at the stations or in the hotels. Why does the American magazine come here P Why does not the English maga- zine go over there P. How comes it that while in a population of 60,000,000 some of their journals arrive at a circulation of 200,000, we find, in our own population of 37,000,000, without counting the I 5,OOO,OOO of Britons abroad and in the Colonies, our magazines crawling along with a circulation of 2OOO to 20,000 P. We speak here of old-estab- lished magazines which, like those of America, are “serious,” that is, do not aim at popularity alone. There are monthly magazines here which appeal to popular tastes, and, without being necessarily unwholesome or sensational, do attain to a popularity which rivals that of the Americans; but those we do not here consider. Why is it, in short, that the old established and highly respect- able paper the Cheapside is sending out every month its ten thousand instead of its quarter of a million ? Among some of the causes are, perhaps, these : In the States, the editor—always a man of proved ability—is engaged to give his whole time, all his thoughts, all his ability, to the conduct of his paper. He has assistants, all of whom are engaged also to give to the paper their whole time and all their thoughts. In this country the editor too often does a great many other things; he has engagements which distract his attention; he does work of his own which absorbs him. The first essential for the successful conduct of a magazine seems to be that one man, at least, should think for it—think all day for it. Again, it has hitherto been considered enough for an editor to sit at his table and receive the contributions poured in upon him by every post,  ## p. 45 (#59) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 45 to read them, reject most of them, and select a few. It is only quite recently that he has even begun the American method—to plan beforehand, to arrange what he will have for the next year, and for the year after, what fiction he will invite, what poetry he will invite, what special subjects he will treat, and, to be in touch with points of the day, what men will be best to treat them for him. One lesson for us would seem to be that the casual contributor by himself cannot be trusted to create a popular demand. Few of our magazines are illustrated. Is the absence of illustrations a cause of failure ? Some years ago a new illustrated monthly was started, in which the artistic element was treated most carefully. One knows not, with any certainty, how far this magazine failed or succeeded. But it has changed hands twice. Therefore good illustrations alone do not seem to bring success. Perhaps the English are not so keen after pictures as the Americans. Some English readers, certainly, do not like the photogravure processes with the broad black line all round which decorate the American page. As regards fiction, our magazines are apt to fall into one of two extremes; either, that is, they neglect and “starve” fiction, publishing poor weak stuff; or they sacrifice everything to fiction, running two or three serials and depending entirely on them for success. Fiction in a high class magazine must be of the best; but it must never be considered the only thing. Another lesson we may learn from the Americans. We have hardly yet got beyond the prejudice that the only serial in a magazine must be the novel. This is a very foolish prejudice, mischievous alike to the publisher of the magazine and to the author. For there are many books written every year—books of historical research, biographies, collections of verse, essays, travels, popular science, which, if first run through a magazine as serials, would attract thousands of readers, and give the book when published a far greater chance of success. At present the author has to be content, say, with a single edition of a thousand, or even 500 copies. If he expects any money he is disappointed. Perhaps he only expects general reputation or distinction. How much of either can he get from this mere mite of a circula- tion? One or two attempts in this direction have already been made—but tentatively. It is as if editors do not as yet recognise the fact that an extremely attractive serial may be made of a sub- ject not belonging to fiction at all. For instance, many volumes of poetry are run through various magazines first. I would run them through one magazine only. “Mr. Austin Dobson’s new volume of verse will be commenced in the January number of the New Year; it will run through twelve months, and will be published in volume form in November.” Would not such an an- nouncement be attractive P Or this: “Professor Dowden's new work on Shakespeare is nearly completed. It consists of twelve chapters, and is to run through twelve numbers of the Cheapside magazine; it will then be published in the autumn books of Messrs. Bungay.” Does any one pretend that the comparatively wide cir- culation of the magazine would not assist the author in disseminating his teaching and the publisher in afterwards distributing the book? The next point is the investment of large sums of money in the enterprise. This, no doubt, is risk; such risk as few publishers care to face. Yet, if one appeals to the great public there are but two ways: to hope for gradual recognition of work always good; or by a bid for popularity— immediate and wide-spread — by treatment of topics always fresh and interesting, and by wide advertisement. Both methods, however, mean the investment of money. g One more reason, perhaps, why our higher class magazines are not popular. Nearly all of them aim, more or less, at expounding and perhaps solving the many questions and problems of the day. Not, that is, the treatment of fresh topics, but the difficulties of the day. The articles are, as a rule, very well written; the American magazines do not seem to me, on the whole, nearly so well written as our own ; but if we take up the new numbers of any magazine of the better kind, what we find in it is too often the continuation or even the repetition of the daily and weekly leading article. If the editors would only con- sider that the same subject which we gladly read when treated in the Times of to-day and in the Spectator of next Saturday, will become wearisome when treated, without much new light or much new wisdom, in the monthly magazine of the week after next, they would perhaps refuse certain papers. There are, of course, brilliant exceptions, as when the One man who knows can be got to speak, or when one who is allowed to be a leader speaks. For the most part the writers are not known by the world to be of greater eminence on this question or on that than the anonymous writer in the Times or the Spectator. Another reason, perhaps equally weighty, is the undue prominence given by English maga- zines to literary papers and especially those of the mournful or the savage kind. It is a great mistake to suppose that people, even of culture, are always wanting to tear the literature of the day up by the roots, to see how it is getting on; and it is quite certain that the kind of criticism  ## p. 46 (#60) ############################################## 46 THE AUTHOR. which only sneers and depreciates, and can only find in the popularity of a writer a reason for pretended contempt, is offensive to all readers, whether of culture or not. Of the “Decay of Fiction,” the “Decay of Poetry,” the “Decay of the Drama,” people have already heard too much. Americans do not strike this note, nor will they endure it; theirs must be the note of hope, eager looking forward and confidence. There is no reason why in every field of intellect, art, science, imagination, this note of confidence should not be struck by ourselves. I, for one, believe that it is the true note—that the present is a time of great endeavour and of deserved success. It is true that there are failures by the million, because there are attempts by the million. Instinctively the people — better class and all — turn with disgust from the pessimist and the mournful downcrier of what he dares not even try to imitate. Let us leave the million failures to die in nameless peace. Let us rejoice in the successes, and lift up our heads with something of the American hope and confidence. We are a young country still, with our future still before us. These are some of the reasons why the English magazine is distanced and beaten by the American: rival. The problem before us is this: “How are we to maintain a high level of style and subject, and yet make a serious bid for the popularity which this rival obtains P” W. B. *- - -º - - - NOTES AND NEWS, Tº Literary Congress of San Francisco seems to have been a comparative failure. The original plans, a correspondent writes, were changed, and it was hurried upon the boards long before the time originally planned. Conse- quently few were there, and “it became merely a provincial gathering of people of unequal ability, and not in the least representative of California. It was disappointing to those who had been most active in planning it.” *- It is pleasant, for one who took part in it, to read that the Literary Congress of Chicago is bearing fruit in the best possible way. The following is an extract from the Critic of New York, the only paper to which we can look for a week-by-week record of American literature: It was evidently not in vain that Chicago lavished her millions in time and money upon the Fair. The intellectual returns are beginning to come in, and they indicate a remarkable enlargement of vision, an increased appreciation of science and art, and of what they can offer. It was inevitable that such would be the result; the mere labour of design and construction was bound to develop the ingenuity and the resources of the people. But the most sanguine of us looked forward many years before the evidence of this inspiration should appear. We did not expect the fruit to ripen overnight ; we forgot the rapidity with which the American people take up an idea and develope it and make it their own. Of course, it is too soon for the effect to be visible in deeds, but there are many things that indicate the general tendency. And not the least of these is the state- ment of Mr. Hill, the librarian of the Public Library, in regard to the changes in the demand for books. He says that the standard of quality in the books called for at the library is decidedly higher than it was a year ago. Art has felt the same stimulus from the Fair. The inte- rest in pictures and sculpture is evidenced by the crowds that enter the Art Institute, and even more positively by the statements of the dealers. Mr. O’Brien, who has been giving a series of delightful exhibitions of works by American painters, says that a year ago such pictures would have been utterly neglected here. But at present the galleries in which they are hung are crowded. Many collectors, too, have been developed by the Fair—men and women who, before it, never thought of buying a picture. These facts are, of course, merely straws, but they show the direction of the wind. The fruit of the fair in production will be slower in ripening, but the buildings, the statues, the pictures, and poems it will inspire will be worth the waiting for. “At the dinner of the Authors’ Club last week, which brought together a large company, who seemed to be toler- ably happy in spite of the continued existence of publishers, Mr. Leslie Stephen foretold ‘the coming of that glorious time ’ when writers will be better paid than they are now. The prophecy excited, on the whole, more doubt than belief. We hear, however, that a new literary agency is in process of formation, with a large capital behind it, which will employ its own readers, and pay authors a sum down as soon as it has approved their works. One of its chief objects will be to force up the average price of serial rights.” The above is a cutting from the Athenæum of June 9. One wonders who are the people who amuse themselves by concocting such paragraphs. The Authors’ Club has held no dinner at all except its monthly house dinner. Mr. Leslie Stephen has never yet favoured the club with his presence at that or any other function. The Authors’ Society held its annual dinner, and the president of the evening was Mr. Leslie Stephen. His speech, reported verbatim, will be found on p. 39 of this number. The words attributed to him were not spoken by him; he did not “foretell the coming of that glorious time ’’—the inverted commas mean a quotation, which makes it a deliberate invention—when writers will be better paid than now. He said nothing of the kind; he did not use the words “glorious time ’’ at all; what he said was that, in the aim of the Society towards the adjustment of their own affairs, he wished it every success. “The prophecy excited, on the whole, more doubt than belief.” Wonderful | First, to invent a prophecy, never uttered, and them to describe the way in which that prophecy was received Even a prophet of Baal had to say  ## p. 47 (#61) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 47 something before his audience began to consider his prophecy. As regards the alleged “new literary agency,” that bears on the face of it every sign of being another invention—perhaps an invention intended to be comic. Certainly no one in his senses could deliberately set himself to persuade people that a company had been formed whose “chief object” was to force up the “average" price of serial rights. What, to begin with, is the “average * price? Is it the average of all the magazines and journals that exist without reference to subject, circulation, name, character of the paper? As for “forcing,” one has always considered, in matter of papers for magazines, that the editor is a despot from whose word there is no appeal. He can say, and he does say, that his remuneration is a certain stipulated sum. It is for the author to “take it or leave it.” Nor can any “forcing ” alter this condition of things. Certain magazines and journals acquire a good name for their treatment of contributors in this respect; such a good name, no doubt, is a very useful thing for a journal to possess; one ventures to believe and to hope that it helps the circulation. Certain other magazines acquire precisely the opposite reputa- tion, insomuch that the literary world regards with complacency the decline and fall of those magazines. The only influences that can be brought to bear upon this monarch of all he surveys—the editor—are those of competition first—it needs no company “with a large capital behind it,” to create competition among editors; and, next, a sense of what is due to the producer, in other words, a sense of justice. Since the most friendly relations seem to prevail between the editors of our high-class magazines and their con- tributors, it seems as if this sense of justice does exist. The following is from the New York Critic. The same circular has been sent to myself, doubtless among many others: Authors have strange requests sometimes. Here is one recently received by a well-known novelist from the editor of a periodical which up to this time has devoted itself to illustration rather than to text :—“Although it is not the custom of our paper to publish stories, yet if you have an unpublished novel of medium length which you could remodel only to the extent of having a portion of the scenes laid in studios and art galleries, I should be pleased to have you submit the same, and am willing to pay well for it. We always pay for MSS. as soon as accepted.” There is some- thing attractive in this last statement, for authors as a rule are needy. The one in question is not, however, so he failed to be caught on this well-baited hook. The editor of this paper evidently thinks that authors have no feelings, or why would he expect them to recast their stories to suit his audience P A very useful compilation is the Index to the Periodicals of the World, published by the Review of Reviews Office. The list of periodi- cals fills thirty-seven pages devoted to English and American periodicals alone, and fifty pages for the periodicals of all countries. Reckoning roughly, an average of thirty-four to a page, we have 1700 periodicals of the whole world indexed in this volume, and I 258 English and American periodicals. Those that specially concern our- selves—the literary journals—are about Io2 in number, but there are many others — some educational, musical, artistic, historical, legal, economical, medical, and scientific, which concern many of our members. The papers and articles on literature in one or other of its branches are innumerable. It is the one subject of which editors seem never tired. The American perio- dical abounds with personal descriptions of literary men, especially with accounts of their methods of working, about which one wonders why there exists any curiosity at all; for certainly, if one knew the methods of every writer under the sun, without natural aptitude one would be not a whit advanced. The discussion of the novel is more favoured by English magazines. The reason, one fears, is not that the public demands this vast mass of criticism or talk about literature, but that it can be produced in any quantity, either from the man with a name or the man without a name. These indexes have become indispensable. . I have always advocated for those writers who are not men—or women—of business the employ- ment of an agent. The only argument which appears to me of any weight at all against the middleman is that where an author is able to manage his own affairs he may just as well do so, and save the commission. Even in that case it may be worth the author's while, if he is a busy man, to let his agent think for him and plan for him. As for those who do not possess the necessary knowledge or habits of business, the only danger, it seems to me, that they have to fear is that of falling into bad hands, and the only real objection that can be raised, by the other side to the agent, is that he is expected to conduct negotiations in a business manner; in other words, he prevents his client from being “bested ”—a word which very often covers, but does not hide, another and an older word. Now, if the agent works for the author, he must be paid by the author. This seems ele- mentary. But I have heard certain stories which ought, I think, to be brought out into light. There is, for instance, the story of the author who  ## p. 48 (#62) ############################################## 48 THE AUTHOR. comes to the agent, finds out the name of the editor or the publisher to whom he proposes to send the work, and then uses the information and goes there himself. There is, again, the author who, when he has been successfully placed, gets the cheque sent to himself, and then refuses to pay the commission. There is, again, the case where the publisher writes direct to the author after receiving an offer from the agent. It is of course the author's duty, as a matter of honour, to send that letter to the agent in whose hands he has already placed the MS., and whose work for him has obtained this offer. Unfortunately he does not always do so. Now, most of these practices come from failing to understand that transactions in literature are like those in every other kind of business, so that the same rules should obtain between author and agent as between client and solicitor. Of one thing writers may rest assured, that any attempt made to detach the author from his agent can only be due to an intention to profit by the author's ignorance. As for the pretended desire to maintain friendly relations, a friendship which will not survive the adjust- ment of honourable terms between two men is worth nothing — nothing at all. Any person who ventures to put forth this ridiculous plea stands self-condemned. On more than one occasion an agent's commis- sion of so much per cent. has been represented to an author as the deduction of a royalty of so much per cent. " This amazingly impudent assertion has been actually accepted and credited Let us there- fore see exactly what it means. We will suppose a royalty of 20 per cent., which is a little over Is. 2d. On a 6s. book. The returns show a sale, say, of 3OOO copies, which at this royalty means for the author the sum of £180. On this the agent takes, say, Io per cent., i.e., 318. Now, if the commission had been the deduction of a IO per cent. royalty, the agent would have received £90. A commission is a percentage on the whole amount received from royalties or from purchase; a royalty is a percentage on the advertised pub- lished price of each copy. This explanation may seem elementary, but there are really no “sums” in literary business which are too elementary to be explained. “But,” said a publisher plaintively, “why incur this extra expense P Why not come to me, as my friends, Lord Addlehede and Professor Insipiens always have done, direct, and so save the intervention of the other party P” Let us, in reply, without calling names, or getting angry, recognise the plain fact that when a man of business transacts affairs with a man who does not understand business, the former always gets the better of the latter, which is the reason why Lord Addlehede and the Professor above named would do well to consider their ways, and approach their publisher with the help of a man of business. The book of the month is, of course, our President’s new novel, “Lord Ormont and His Aminta.” A great many have followed it in its course through the Pall Mall Magazine. Meredithians—how large a company have they become !—will rejoice in it, while the old charge of obscurity certainly cannot be brought against any of the characters in this the latest, and, in some respects, perhaps the best of this author's remarkable series of novels. William Watson's sonnet to France (June 25, 1894), which appeared in the Westminster Gazette, seems to me very fine. To France— “immortal and indomitable France.” Nation whom storm on storm of ruining fate Unruined leaves—nay, fairer, more elate, Hungrier for action, more athirst for glory ! It is the gift and the privilege of the poet to speak the voice of one nation to another in days of great sorrow or great disaster, as well as in days of great joy and great victory. William Watson speaks to France for England: Little thou lov’st our island— Yet let her in these dark and bodeful days, Sinking old hatreds 'neath the sundering brine— Immortal and indomitable France — Marry her tears, her alien tears, to thine. The premature death of Mr. John Underhill from some affection of the brain—a tumour apparently—took place on Wednesday, June 27, at his residence, Wimbledon. Mr. Underhill was only twenty-nine years of age. He was born at Barnstaple, where he was privately educated by the Rev. Dr. Cunningham Geikie, at that time vicar of Barnstaple. He developed an intense love for books and for everything that belongs to literature. It became obvious that no career except that of literature was possible for him. He therefore came to London proposing such a career. He was armed with one or two letters of introduction. One of these was to Mr. W. T. Stead, who was at that time assistant editor, or actual editor, of the Pall Mall Gazette. Mr. Stead assisted the lad, as he has assisted many others, by giving him a start. He placed him in his office and taught him journalism. He remained on the staff of the Pall Mall Gazette till a few weeks ago, when  ## p. 49 (#63) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 49 he resigned his post, intending to devote himself entirely to literature. As an original writer he would not have succeeded; he knew his own limitations, and aspired only to the humbler but not less useful work of editing, annotating, writing biographies, and compilations. That is, he would never have become a bookmaker; but he would have been, and was already, a most useful and trustworthy editor. His private character was beyond all reproach ; he was always, as a journalist, on the side of honour and of truth; as a reviewer he was wholly unin- fluenced by personal feelings, he was incapable of rancour or of spite. That he had his own way to make in the world only increases the honour of having made his way so far with so much distinction. That he made friends every- where is a proof of his generous and sympathetic mature. He was especially engaged at the time of his death on a history of journalism. He leaves behind him a young widow and one child. WALTER BESANT. *- a .sº GEORGE ELIOT AND HER CREED, NE little story of George Eliot's childhood has lingered ſong in my memory, for in a measure it typified the creed shaping each novel and story, long after it ceased to be her personal one, remaining the much more widely diffused faith she chose to give to the world in her books. When a child at school, an essay was given her to write, and the subject set was God, little Marian Evans drew upon her paper, for sole essay, a large eye. And does not each novel and poem inclose the awful eye of unsleeping, unforgetting fate P For no single character is ever allowed “to fly responsibility.” Her mind hardly seems to have been wrought into creative sympathy with the thought of the nineteenth century; although her youth witnessed an era of great political reform, and her middle and later life was surrounded by the most advanced literary and philosophic thoughts of this century. Notwithstanding all these stirring influences at work around her, to a large extent her imaginative and constructive force remained alien to the “march of events,” political and social, which swept past her, and left her, the dispassionate his- torian of the provincial scenes of her early youth, and of fifty years earlier. Her creed at times discloses a tendency to an almost barren fatalism, her characters invariably creating an adverse destiny for themselves, woven out of their early follies and failures. Like the cruel god- mother of a fairy tale, George Eliot possesses the fearful and mysterious gift of dowering her dramatis personae with some one fatal, irradi- cable weakness, which the reader foresees from the beginning of their history pre-destines them to certain failure and disaster; the retributive justice of inexorable consequences frustrating their every effort to right themselves or retrace their hapless steps through the labyrinths of early sins and errors, a creeping Nemesis being evolved at each step, to hunt them down till they sink into the slow torture of their moral and social death. Maggie Tulliver, the slave of generous impulse, is doomed to high failure, with her gift of feeling and thinking nobly, yet of acting impulsively in crucial moments; from the early days of childhood, when on a visit to a severe aunt she upsets brother Tom's tea by the bestowal of a too impulsive caress, given at an inauspicious moment, down to the time when, a beautiful young woman, she runs away with Stephen, gliding, indeed, but a small way down the stream of temptation, but awaking to a sense of duty too late to save appearances or irreme- diable grief to those she best loved. So that when the choice of utter renunciation of personal happiness is made, her initial error has robbed self-sacrifice of the first bloom of dignified heroism, and her life has turned to the dull ache of failure and inadequate retrieval; but this is finely transmuted into the heroism of her death. Running up and down the gamut of George Eliot's creations, each one is the sport of some apparently wilfully self-created destiny; a Jugger- naut car of untoward consequences set loose upon the victim of circumstances; heredity and free will engaged in ceaseless warfare for the possession of the human soul. Lydgate, the lowable doctor in “Middlemarch,” full of enthusiasm for his profession and a great tenderness for the suffering—has not the author chosen that fate should use him too grievously ill, when she gave him a lovely, heartless, shallow wife, whom he had chosen to wed, partly from the fact that, with all his brilliant gifts and winning traits, there is in his character just a tinge of intellectual egoism which made him count brains superfluous in the woman he married; that lack of finer judgment making him lose his hold on the ennobling ideals of life. Yet these little flaws in Lydgate's character doom him to be another soul's tragedy of baulked achievement, and he tells his wife in late years, with sad irony, that she is like a certain plant which is known to flourish best on dead men's brains. Perhaps a less inexorable moralist than George Eliot would have con- ferred happiness upon him, later in his life, by  ## p. 50 (#64) ############################################## so THE AUTHOR. the bestowal of Dorothea's love, but so stern a moralist is seldom happy in the contemplation of too much unaccounted for happiness, unrelated to moral sequence—unweighed in the judicial moral scales. At times, one half suspects, the force of these ethical strictures arose from a lack of ideality, for an idealist abhors the fixity of moral judg- ments. George Sand, her French prototype, who suffered from an excess of luminous ideality, seldom or never passed moral judgment on her creations, for with her was the large tolerance of the humanist, and the love which says, com- prendre, c'est pardoner. In the “Spanish Gipsy” is worked out the modern conception of the forces of heredity, playing through the woof and warp of indivi- dual character, which she thus defines: “I saw it might be taken (the drama of the ‘Spanish Gypsy”) as a symbol of the part which is played in the general human lot by hereditary conditions in the largest sense, and of the fact that what we call duty is entirely made up of such condi- tions, for even in cases of just antagonism to the narrow view of hereditary claims the whole back- ground of the particular struggle is made up of our inherited nature. Suppose for a moment that our conduct at great epochs was determined entirely by reflection, without the immediate intervention of feeling which supersedes reflec- tion, our determination as to the right would consist in an adjustment of our individual needs to the dire necessities of our lot, partly as to natural constitution, partly as sharers of life with fellow beings. Tragedy consists in the terrible difficulty of this adjustment, ‘the dire strife of poor humanity’s afflicted will struggling in vain with ruthless destiny.’” “The collision of Greek tragedy is often that between hereditary entailed Nemesis and the peculiar individual lot, awakening our sympathy for the particular manor woman whom the Nemesis is shown to grasp with terrific force. . . .” IHence sprang the abiding sadness of George Eliot's creed, the insistent sombre criticism of life and human effort. Her private letters to her personal friends are melancholy reading, so often do her words limp between headache and peren- nial pessimism. Her literary career, however, was a smooth one, she served no long probation to the muse, her genius burst full blown upon a world which received it with unqualified praise, and she won success without ever experiencing that “grace of discouragement” by which Browning climbed to the bracing heights of his rare optimism. Did the gloom of her moral dynamics crush out of her the capacity for being happy?. She did not labour under the bane of being in too great advance of her time, nor of heralding unpopular truths; for her genius lay rather in presenting the old truths with matchless wit and pathos, than in lending that great genius to light the birth of the new. GRACE GILCHRIST. *~ * ~ * BOOK TALK, R. EDMUNID GOSSE has admitted into M the International Library, of which he is the editor, two novels by authors who have been previously represented in the series. The novels are “Farewell Love,” from the Italian of Matilde Serao, the author of “Fantasy,” and “The Grandee,” from the Spanish of Armando Palacio Valdés, the author of “Froth.” Whether it was the great success which attended the publication of “Fantasy.” in English, or whether the Editor considers “Farewell Love" to be the superior novel, does not appear from his introduction. Though perhaps the fact that it is a most enjoyable book would be reason enough for publication. Mr. Gosse lays great stress on the fact that the author is a jour- malist, and “all her life has been spent in minis- tering to appetites of the vast rough crowd that buys cheap Italian newspapers.” The story is true to its title; it tells of love and jealousy, of a baulked elopement, an unfortunate marriage, and self-destruction. One passionate scene follows another so quickly that the reader is surprised by the skill with which the real wickedness of the characters is concealed. There is a husband—one Cesare Dias—who is extremely like “Grandcourt,” cold, cynical, and “not a wordy thinker.” Except that he is Italian, he has a thoroughly English hatred for scenes, and finds his romantic young wife Anna Dias — née Aquaviva — a bore, and tells her so. In fact, previous to their engagement we are told she had taken the humiliating step of declaring her love; and here are three charac- teristic letters showing what happened : “Dear Anna, All that you say is very well; but I don’t know yet who the man is that you love.—Very cordially, Cesare Dias.” She read it, and answered with one line : “I love you.-Anna Aquaviva.” Cesare Dias waited a day before he replied: “I)ear Anna, Very well. And what then P-Cesare Dias.”—The translation is by Mrs. Harland, and reads very smoothly, though there is one odd phrase on p. 63: “‘Would you like a rose?” She asked to placate him.” Quite recently Mr. Grant Allen, in the West- minster Gazette, told us Londoners to go to Italy  ## p. 51 (#65) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 5 I and revel in beauty denied us here. One would think that in default we could not do better than read the novels of Matilde Serao. “The Grandee” is a powerful story, turning on the horrible subject of cruelty to children, or in this case rather to one particular child. The author describes the state of society in a Spanish town called Lancia, thirty or forty years ago, which is identified for us by the editor as Oviedo, a place of about Io,000 inhabitants, the capital of Asturias. It is with the private life of a few of the leading families in this town that the reader has to make himself acquainted, and, though he must not expect anything much more than the visits of friends, the description of At-homes and marriage fêtes, there is, in spite of some Sameness, hardly a dull page in the book. It is most inte- resting to note how, in spite of the narrowness of life which is generally found in provincial towns, the Spaniards here described never seem to be at a loss for an enlivening incident. The stock-in-trade of their amusement is, it is true, the eternal subject of match-making, which is described as being carried on with great vigour by the elders, in spite of their constant mistakes. We are uncertain whether the author intends to reprove this custom or not, for indirectly he cer- tainly brings out that it shielded the hero in his adultery, enabling him to appear in public as the accepted suitor of one lady while he is the lover of another. This is the more amusing side of the book; but, as we have said, there is another aspect which is not only extremely serious, but is of such a nature that we cannot help wondering what moral conclusion different readers will draw from it. That well-to-do people have been known to treat young children with cruelty cannot be denied, and Mr. Gosse writes: “Nor do the reports of Mr. Benjamin Waugh permit us to question that such horrors are daily committed at our own doors.” This brings the matter so directly into the sphere of practice that we may look to the pages of this novel for light on the question of child protection, actually under dis- cussion by those who are not simply interested out of curiosity, but deeply moved by the subject. We may suppose that, in spite of its danger to liberty, some people would ask for increased powers of obtaining evidence, when they were reasonably certain cruelty was being practised. The lesson we draw from this work is of a diffe- rent nature. We must remember that to abuse the parent is part of the bias of some professional men, notably the pedagogue and the cleric, and therefore in any case of alleged cruelty it is well to try and discover what the actual parentage of the child is, otherwise there is a danger of legislation being based on false information. The point that comes out most clearly in “The Grandee” is that where the victim is illegitimate as much would be gained by altering the position of such children, and so stopping the temptation to cruel treatment, as can possibly be gained by legisla- tion, which would also interfere with the well- established duties of lawfully married parents towards their children. Mr. Gosse also raises another nice point, “Whether these maladies of the soul are or are not fit subjects for the art of the novelist is a question which every reader must answer for himself.” To which it may be suggested, by way of reply, that as long as there are customs which shield gross immorality, the art of the novelist is well employed in laying bare the evil, lest these matters should fall into the hands not of the novelist, but of the sensation- monger, and become the cause of hurried and ill-considered legislation. The translation of “The Grandee’’ is by Miss Rachel Challis, and it seems to read quite as easily as many English novels; but we should like to know what authority the translator has for making the word “lover” feminine. Mr. Gilbert Parker's latest story, “The Trans- lation of a Savage,” is one which must come as a happy surprise to the most persistent novel reader. Whether the main idea is really possible we do not care to ask, because the author has used it so well that any carping criticism tending to spoil the illusion, when we have been given so much pleasure, would be entirely out of place. We are to take it for granted that an American Indian, the daughter of the chief of her tribe, being sent on her marriage with an English General’s son to his family in England, could be translated, as Mr. Parker calls it, into a refined member of English society. Once grant this difficulty, and then the amusement which arises out of the process of “translation” meets us at every page. We are not bored with details as to how the transformation is brought about, but the force of example and surroundings do much, and personal devotion does the rest. Only once does the young lady, as we may call her, really forget to be English, and then she takes to riding madly across her father-in-law's property in the dress and style of her tribe. A child is born to her in England, but her husband remains in Canada, and she has learnt to hate him. The reason of all this it is not our business to tell. The matter- of-fact reader who could find fault with Mr. Parker for his choice of incident would be very foolish indeed, for we have here a story in which the author has been able to depict malice and revenge, as well as true love and friendship, in a compass long enough to make one good volume, but with such a charming narrative style that  ## p. 52 (#66) ############################################## 52 THE AUTHOR. nearly every reader will make a point of finishing it at a single sitting. + Mr. Austin’s new volume, “The Garden that I Love,” has much in it to awaken the envy of his fellow poets. He obtained the lease of an old manor house, and the reader will learn how he converted it to suit the author-gardener's taste and his sister Weronica's sense of comfort and house room. It will be seen that, though the |book is properly enough named, it is more the garden-lover's leisure and his talks with his two guests rather than the garden apart that we have to hear about. Of the guests one is a poet, who is not only so in name but recites his own poetry, the other a young lady called Lamia. The garden becomes the happily suggestive subject for con- versation which takes a wide range from the almost frivolous to the lofty and serious. Of the two women “Veronica ’’ and “Lamia,” we prefer the latter, though poetic justice is done by making Veronica, the housekeeping lady, who has a sweet sense of tidiness, marry the poet. Her redeeming quality is a love for old-fashioned goods, especially if she can purchase them cheap. As to Tamia, with one’s recollection of Keat's, her name would suggest, not a reptile itself, for, though there four persons in this garden—two pairs—it is not the serpent of Eden she suggests, but the power of sudden transformation, always seeming to be possessed by a demon of contra- diction. Paying due attention to the large number of flowers, shrubs, and trees which are here given, some under their popular, others under their Latin names, we have allowed our- selves to imagine the author doing the honours of “The Garden that he Loves” to Lady Corisande, to Dr. Rappacini and his lovely daughter, and with almost equal pleasure to Mrs. Gardiner—Gardiner by name and gardener by nature as Tom Hood describes her. Lady Corisande would find much that is old fashioned and sweet smelling—just her garden in favoured spots, over which to grow enthusiastic. Dr. Rappacini would be able to ponder over the contrast between his own—the garden of an herbalist—and the garden that the poet loves. Mrs. Gardiner would find a friend who would understand at once why, in spite of her widow’s weeds she should still say of herself “I am single and white ” and of her maiden neighbour “she is double and bloody.” But we think these three visitors would each have asked how the Ampelopsis Veitchii got there, which belongs not to manor-houses and poets, but to the jerry- builder of the suburb. In the manor-house, if anywhere, the old Virginia creeper should hold its own. The Tennyson memorial, which is to be erected tion of a work by Wilhelm Joseph on “the ridge of the noble down '' at Freshwater, will be an international and not a local under- taking. The Americans are showing an active interest in the project. Mr. Arthur Warren, the London correspondent of the Boston Herald, who resides during a portion of each year in the Isle of Wight, is a member of the committee having the memorial in charge, and his recent appeal to his countrymen has resulted in the organisation of an American committee, which has among its members Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Miss Alice Longfellow, a daughter of the poet, Mrs. Burnett, daughter of the late James Russell Lowell, President Eliot of Harvard University, Mrs. Agassiz, the widow of the great naturalist, Professor Charles Eliot, Norton, T. B. Aldrich, Margaret Deland, the author of “John Ward, Preacher,” Professor Shaler, Mrs. James T. Melds, the widow of the publisher who intro- duced Tennyson, as well as Carlyle, to American readers, Dana Estes, the head of the publishing house of Estes and Lauriat, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, Miss Sarah Orne Jewett, the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Mr. Martin Brimmer, and Mr. PIowells. The English committee met at Fresh- water on Monday, June 5, and accepted the design which Mr. Pearson, R.A., has submitted for the memorial. The design is an Iona cross, 34 feet high, graceful in proportions, and beauti- fully ornamented. By an arrangement with the Masters of Trinity House the cross will super- sede the present Nodes Beacon, a wooden struc- ture, and will be known as the Tennyson Beacon. On one face of the base will be carved in bold 1etters the name “Tennyson,” and on another face these words: “Erected by friends in Eng- land and America.” The cross will stand near the seaward edge of the great down, 716 feet above high water mark, and will be visible for many miles by sea and land. “The Violoncello and its History” is a transla- Won Wasielewski. The translation is executed by Miss Isabella E. Stigand, and the publishers are Messrs. Novello, Ewer, and Co. There is no other history of the instrument at all. “Mr. John Lee Warden Page is of medium height, his face tanned, and his moustache bleached in quite an Australian manner by expo- sure to sun and storm. Mr. Page lives just out- side Ilfracombe, and only pays flying visits to London now, though he was once a lawyer in London.” This notice was intended to be compli- mentary, and it is therefore unfortunate that it should contain so many mistakes. Mr. Page's second name is Lloyd, not Lee; he is not of “medium height,” unless six feet is medium ; his  ## p. 53 (#67) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 53 moustache is not bleached at all, either by sun or by storm; and he has never practised as a lawyer in London. Still, it might have been much WOTSé, We recently mentioned the publication of Mr. Joseph Hatton's early novel of “Clytie ’’ as being published in Swedish, following the success of his “By Order of the Czar” in that language. It is interesting to learn that an edition of the latter sent into Finland has been confiscated by the Russian authorities. The Swedish Press appears to be unanimous in its commendation of “By Order of the Czar,” and in most cases the criticism is couched in a high spirit of literary appreciation. The Smaalandposten says: “Of all the pictures of life in the great Eastern Empire of Europe which have appeared during recent years not one, probably, can bear com- parison with Joseph Hatton's novelin its startling vigour of delineation.” The Gothenburg Post describes the book as “No average commercial novel, but a literary work of enduring worth; ” and the Helsingborg Dagblad speaks of “The epic calm’’ with which the author describes the many horrors of Russian despotism. Messrs. Sampson Low announce in their 2s. 6d. series of novels uniform with Black, Blackmore, and other popular writers, two novels of Joseph Hatton previously in their 6s. library, namely, “The Old House at Sandwich’” and “Three Recruits and the Girls they Left Behind Them.” The locality of “The Old House at Sandwich * is no fiction; the house a reality and a very interesting one. “Patient Grizzle,” who was with us a popular figure till about two centuries ago, would pro- bably have been quite forgotten by this time if it were not for Chaucer's admirable “Clerke's Tale,” which still finds numerous readers and admirers. In Germany the memory of the heroine of patience has been kept up by Halm's famous drama, “Griseldis,” of which Professor Benbheim has just issued an edition at the Clarendon Press. The introduction contains, besides a short “Life " of the author, the Griselda legend as told by Petrarch and Boccaccio, and an account of its subsequent literary treatment in and out of Italy. The true gist of the drama, with its picturesque Arthurian background, is shown in the critical analysis. Rürschner’s “Deutscher Litteratur Kalendar ” which, thanks to the full notices, brought on this valuable literary annual by the Spectator and the Literary World, is now fairly well known in this country, has made its sixteenth appearance both enlarged and improved. Every information as regards living German authors and literary institutions now flourishing in Germany, may be found in this publication in a condensed form, so that it is not to be wondered at that the Litteratur-Kalendar was honoured two years ago, together with the same editor's highly useful Staatshandbuch, with a prize at Chicago. We have yet to add that the publication of the annual has been trans- ferred to the well-known firm of G. J. Göschen at Stuttgart. A story entitled “Phil Hawcroft's Son,” by Gerda Grass, will run in serial form through the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle from July 14. Mr. L. J. Nicholson, who is known among his friends as “The Bard of Thule,” is about to pub- lish, by Mr. Gardner, Paisley and London, a volume of his poems, which will be entitled “Songs of Thule.” Mr. Bloundelle-Burton’s first novel, “The Silent Shore,” is about to reverse the ordinary method of procedure adopted by romances, viz., having originally appeared in volume form, it is now going to be run as a serial in several country papers. It has already been dramatised—at the Olympic—it was reprinted in the United States, and it has had the somewhat unusual experience of running as a serial in the Spanish language in South America. A new edition (being the fifth) of “Chitty's Statutes of Practical Utility” is just being brought out by Mr. J. M. Lely, assisted by col- leagues at the Bar, in about twelve volumes (Sweet and Maxwell Timited; Stevens and Sons Limited). It is intended to contain all public general Acts of Parliament, except those repealed or obsolete, or applying to Scotland or Ireland only, or to limited areas only in England, or those which are of little or no interest to the lawyer or the general public. The Acts will be fully anno- tated and indexed. The first volume will appear in the present month. The publishers are issu- ing a circular stating that the price of the work when completed, will be a guinea a volume, but that a subscription of 6 guineas, prepaid before Aug. I next, will entitle the subscribers to the complete work. This is being done in order that the publishers may ascertain in advance the approximate number to print. In an editorial announcement which accompanies the circular, Mr. Lely states that the Acts comprised will number some 23OO, and enumerates the titles under which they will be grouped in alpha- betical order. The first volume is expected to contain the titles “Act of Parliament” to “Charities.”  ## p. 54 (#68) ############################################## 54 THE AUTHOR. “From Manuscript to Bookstall” ” is the title of a book on publishing by Mr. A. D. Southam, It professes to give information on the cost of production and on the various methods of pub- lishing. As regards the former, we have to notice that the charges for composition are in some cases higher than those in the Society’s book called the “Cost of Production.” We do not attach much importance to this discrepancy, because a printer's bill is always an elastic thing. Moreover, it is certainly not the desire of the Society to cut down the pay of printers and book- binders, but rather the reverse; therefore, we welcome the book, so far, and without accepting its figures, as a step in the right direction. Above all things, and as the preliminary to future and better arrangements, we must know what things mean, what printing and paper cost, and the rest of it. One notices a curious discre- pancy repeated in every page of the “Cost of Production.” It is that for an edition of 500 copies paper is reckoned by the ream, and for a thousand copies it is reckoned by the sheet, the ream in the first instance standing for the sheet. One would advise the compiler of the book to lay his prices before two or three other firms of printers when he produces another edition. Some- thing, too, is desired on the subject of discounts; the prices given in the Society’s estimates do not contemplate discounts. The part of the book devoted to the different methods of publishing is neither exhaustive nor satisfactory. For instance, the word royalty is a very vague expression. We want to know what, given certain conditions, should be accepted as a fair royalty; we want to know the meaning of a deferred royalty, The thanks of authors are, however, due to the writer for his recognition of the principles always advocated by the Society, viz: : I. The audit of the accounts. 2. The understanding at the outset of all the clauses in the agreement. 3. A voice as to the advertisements where there is division of profits. The real “intention” of the book, however, is to advocate a system of seals or stamps by which the author shall always know how many copies of his books have gone into circulation. The method seems to us cumbrous. It would certainly be difficult to get publishers to accept the system. The reader, however, is referred to the book for the arguments in favour of it. -* * “From Manuscript to Bookstall.” By A. D. Southam. London: Southam and Co., St. Paul’s-buildings, Paternoster- row. 58. Mr. Isidore G. Ascher, the author of “An Odd Man's Story,” and a Canadian volume of poems, “Voices from the Hearth,” has just sold Messrs. Diprose, Bateman, and Co., a one-volume novel, which will appear in the autumn. It is sensa- tional and physiological, a somewhat rare com bination. - *—- ~ 2--" r- - -, CORRESPONDENCE, I.—GRAMMATICAL : USE of “No R.” Grammar depends upon usage rather than logic. Usage depends partly upon logic and partly on euphony, or upon what is most readily intelligible when uttered. The best guide, in questions such as the present one is neither Murray nor Mason, but Mätzner, who gives a large number of examples from standard authors. Those who cannot read German may consult Grice's Translation, vol. iii., p. 355, &c. - “It did not rain nor blow" is logically correct. “It did not rain or blow ’’ is colloquially permis- sible, chiefly because the sentence is short. Lengthen it, and observe the difference. We could hardly say, “It did not rain any longer, or did it blow at all.” Mätzner shows that even good authors occasionally use neither—or instead of neither—nor. But much depends upon the length and general form of the sentence. I should advise every author to judge for himself. To doubt whether the word nor has a right to exist is needless. Of course it will exist as long as our language, because in many collocations it is indispensable. WALTER W. SKEAT. II.-KICKED OUT. I sent in the MS. of a short story to a well- known firm of publishers last February. Ten weeks afterwards it was returned to me as unsuitable. I then inquired whether the deci- sion was final, or if Messrs. So-and-So might be disposed to divide the risk. They wrote in reply: “We could not undertake the publication of the story even if you took the whole of the risk.” This struck me as quite a superfluous, un- friendly sting to add to a rejection. A SENSITIVE BookMAKER. Authors’ Club, Whitehall Court, S.W. III.-REPORTER’s HARD EARNINGs. . An occasional paragrapher for Le Figaro fell in debt to a money-lender, who, two years ago  ## p. 55 (#69) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. - 55 (April 25, 1892), served upon that journal an attachment of all moneys due or payable to the said journalist. The newspaper rejoined that there was nothing owing to the reporter, who received no salary, and was not regularly employed; but was always paid by the line, day by day, for every accepted paragraph, “echo,” or news-item he chanced to supply. The case was, however, pursued at law by the money-lender, who alleged the habitual employment of the journalist by the paper, and brought his action against the Figaro; but it dragged on, and it was only on May 3 I last that the matter was decided. The 6th Civil Court, having examined a file of the journal for two months prior to the date of the attempted setting up of a lien, was of opinion that the services rendered could not be called habitual ; but, on the contrary, that the para- graphs offered and accepted were of an “acci- dental” type, and showed no such regularity as would indicate an established engagement. The court thereupon held that the sale by a contri- butor of single articles for a sum there and then paid (which was the case before them) is mere buying and selling for ready money; that there existed no inherent right in the journalist's relations with this journal which could be con- strued into matter for seizure or attachment; and that thus the money-lender had shown the court nothing which legal process could lay hold of as attachable. The court therefore decided for the Figaro, and cast the money-lender in costs. Outside the court (and inside the journal) there is a prevalent opinion that if reporters' scant chance earnings were interceptable in this fashion, newspapers would very soon be short of Copy. J. O’N. IV.-SERIAL RIGHTS ONLY. “A Journalist” writes informing us that, “despite the very proper and energetic action of the Authors' Society in the interest of young authors, there are still proprietors of publications who send to contributors with their not too liberal cheques, formal documents in which the author is called upon to sign away to them all rights whatsoever in his work. It cannot be too frequently impressed upon authors that a contri- bution to a periodical is for the use of the said periodical and that only, the copyright for re- publication remaining with the writer. Further- more, I see that there is a question as to the time when payment should be made for contribu- tions. The money is due and payable when the accepted MS. is in the hands of the editor. I know several popular authors, and that is their ruling. Harper's, The Century, Scribner's, The Idler, The Ludgate Monthly, Macmillan's, and The English Illustrated, to which a friend of mine has contributed, always paid him on the delivery of his MS. ; then it must, of course, not be forgotten that the editors wanted his matter. The very severest terms as to payment from the honest publishers’ point of view does not go over a week after publication.” W.—AN AUTHOR’s GUIDE. Correspondents in the columns of the Author have from time to time expressed a wish to see produced an Authors’ Guide, having for its main object to give writers some practical and useful information about the various periodicals, news- papers, and publishing houses. It is a matter of complaint that, as things now are, the in- experienced author is quite unable to form an opinion for which of the numerous periodicals and newspapers his articles are most suitable, upon what terms editors would be willing to receive them, and also which of the publishing houses would be most likely to undertake the publication of any work which he may have written. It is said that the ignorance which prevails upon these points is the cause of much loss of time, unnecessary trouble, and not seldom of misunderstanding and irritation, and it is believed that a guide which would help to dispel this ignorance, and prevent these annoyances would be welcome to authors, editors, and pub- lishers alike. I am now enabled to state that Messrs. Southam and Co., of St. Paul’s-buildings, 29, Paternoster-row, have undertaken the publication of an Annual Authors’ Guide and Directory of Publishers, Periodicals, and Newspapers, in order to supply this want, and that they will gratefully receive any information or suggestions from members of the Society of Authors, with the view of making a good start in what it is hoped will be an annual publication. There is, of course, no royal road or short cut to literature, and Messrs. Southam and Co. do not intend to undertake the impossible task of trying to make one, but they hope that the book will be of real use to those who intend to apply themselves seriously to the profession of letters. All communications will be treated in con- fidence. C. B. ROYLANCE KENT. VI.-QUESTIONS FOR EDITORs. A circular to the same effect has reached us from Messrs. Southam and Co. It is accompanied by a list of questions sub- mitted to editors. They are as follows:  ## p. 56 (#70) ############################################## 56 THE AUTHOR. I. What class of contributions do you consider the most suitable for your paper ? 2. What length of contribution do you prefer? 3. What is your scale rate of remuneration for accepted articles? 4. What are the conditions to be observed by authors in sending their contributions and upon which you are willing to receive and consider them P - 5. Then give any information which you think may be of use to authors in connection with your publication. - Please send rates for advertising publications with the discount for a series and the approxi- mate circulation. VII.-“THAMES RIGHTS AND THAMES WRONGs.” “I4, Parliament-street, S.W., June 1st, 1894. Sir, Sir Gilbert East has drawn our attention to a mistake in “Thames Rights and Thames Wrongs” which we have just published. Sir Gilbert East was not a conservator at the time he gave evidence before the Select Com- mittee of the House of Commons on Thames Preservation. He was elected on Nov. 23, 1885. Your insertion of this would greatly oblige,_Your obedient servants, ARCH. ConstABLE AND Co.” *- 2-# g- * ~ * M. ZoDA’s “Lou RDES.” Paris, June Io. A telegram from Rome, published in Paris this morning, stated that the Congregation of Rites had put its ban upon M. Emile Zola's romance of “Lourdes,” which is being published by a Roman firm simultaneously with its issue in Paris. M. Emile Zola was interviewed upon the subject to-night, and said it was the first time that such an honour had been conferred upon him. He was all the more surprised, because “Lourdes” was not in any sense an attack upon religion, but simply a perfectly human picture of what would take place at the famous place of pilgrimage. One could, he added, be a very good Catholic, and yet not believe in the miracles of Lourdes.—Standard, June I I. *-- * ~ * a- - --> NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. ALEXANDER, REv. S. A. Christ and Scepticism. Isbister. ANDERSON, ROBERT. A Doubter's Doubts about Science and Religion. Second edition. Kegan Paul. 3s. 6d. BENNETT, PROFESSOR. W. H. The Expositor's Bible : The Books of Chronicles. Hodder and Stoughton. 7s.6d. BUCKHOUSE, EDWARD, AND TYLOR, CHARLEs. Witnesses for Christ. Second edition, revised and somewhat abridged. Simpkin, Marshall. DIDON, REv. FATHER. Belief in the Divinity of Jesus Christ. " Kegan Paul. 58. DISCIPLESHIP : THE SCHEME of CHRISTIANITY. author of “The King and the Kingdom.” and Norgate. GOUGH, E. J. Preachers of the Age. The Religion of the Son of Man. Sampson Low. 3s.6d. HALL, REv. H. E. Manual of Christian Doctrine, chiefly intended for confirmation classes. With a preface by the Rev. W. H. Hutchings. Longmans. MALDONATUS, JOHN. A. Commentary on the Holy Gospels: St. Matthew's Gospel. Part I. Translated and edited By the Williams from the original Latin by George J. Davie. John Hodges. Is. MAx MüLLER, F. The Sacred Books of the East. Edited by. Wol. XLIX. Buddhist Mahāyāna Sūtras. Trans- lated by E. B. Cowell, F. Max Müller, and J. Takakusu. Oxford : At the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. I2s. 6d. MEUGENs, REv. A. M. The Lord’s Prayer, illustrated by the Lord's Life. By A. T. M. S.P.C.K. 6d. PALMER, JOHN. Catechisms for the Young. Second Series: Teachings from Old Testament History. Church of England Sunday School Institute. 2s. Power, REv. P. B. The Husbandry of the Soul. S.P.C.K. PRESTON, REv. DR. Anti-Ritualism. With a preface by the late Rev. Dr. Blakeney. Twelfth thousand, with appendices. Protestant Reformation Society. 2d. ROBson, WILLIAM. The Lord’s Supper : Its Form, Meaning, and Purpose, according to the Apostle Paul. Second edition, with additions. Elliot Stock. SINCLAIR, VEN. ARCHDEACON. The English Church and the Canon Law. The Fourth Charge. Elliot Stock. 6d. STRONG, JAMEs. The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Published by subscription. Hodder and Stoughton. 2 Is. WEDGwooD, JULIA. The Message of Israel, in the Light of Modern Criticism. Isbister. 7s. 6d. - WELSH PULPIT, THE. By a Scribe, a Pharisee, and a Lawyer. Fisher Unwin. Is. WILLIAMs, F. J. The Charm of the Presence of Christ. Partridge. Is. History and Biography. BELL, MACKENZIE. Charles Whitehead : A Forgotten Genius. New ediition, with an appreciation of White- head by Hall Cane. Ward, Lock. 3s. 6d. BELL, NANCY. Heroes of North African Discovery. Fourth edition. Marcus Ward. 3s.6d. BRITTEN, F. J. Former Clock and Watch Makers and their Work. Spon. 5s. CALENDAR of THE PATENT ROLLs preserved in the Public Record Office, Edward II. 1307-1313. Pre- pared under the superintendence of the Deputy Keeper of the Records. Eyre and Spottiswoode. CAMERON, WILLIAM E. History of the World’s Columbian Exposition. Edited under the personal supervision of. Second edition. Chicago: Columbian History Company. Four parts. 3 dollars each. CHRISTOPHER, CoLUMBUs. His own Book of Privileges, *…* 1502. Facsimile of the manuscript in the Archives of the Foreign Office in Paris, now for the first time published. Translated by George F. Barwick, with an historical introduction by Henry Harrisse. The whole edited, with preface, by Benjamin Franklin Stevens, 4, Trafalgar-square.  ## p. 57 (#71) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 57 CLIMENSON, EMILY J. The History of Shiplake, Oxon. For subscribers only. Eyre and Spottiswoode. CUPPLEs, GEORGE. Scotch Deer-Hounds and their Masters. With a biographical sketch of the author by James Hutchison Stirling. Blackwood. DUNN, WALTER T. Records of Transactions of the Junior Engineering Society. Wol. III.; 1892-3. Edited by. Published by the Society. - EHRLICH, A. Celebrated Pianists of the Past and Present Time. A Collection of 116 Biographies and I 14 Por- traits. Authorised English edition. H. Grevel. 7s.6d. FERGUson, RICHARD S. A. History of Westmoreland. Elliot Stock. 7s.6d. FISKE, JoHN. Life and Letters of Edward Livingston Youmans. Comprising correspondence with Spencer, Huxley, Tindall, and others. Chapman. 8s. HENDERSON, ERNEST. A. History of Germany in the Middle Ages. Bell and Sons. HoPE, MRs. The First Divorce of Henry VIII. Edited, with Notes and Introduction, by Francis Aidan Gasquet, Kegan Paul. 6s. LUDLOW, EDMUND. Memoirs, Lieutenant-General of the Horse in the Army of the Commonwealth of England, I625-1672. Edited, with appendices of letters and illustrated documents, by C. H. Firth. 2 vols. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press; Henry Frowde. 36s. LYALL, SIR ALFRED. The Rise and Expansion of the British Dominion in India. Third and enlarged edition, with maps. Murray. MACLAY, EDGAR STANTON. A History of the United States Navy from 1775 to 1893. With technical re- vision by Lieutenant Roy C. Smith, U.S.N. 2 vols. Vol. I. Bliss, Sands. MÉNEVAL, BARON CLAUDE DE. Memoirs to Serve for the History of Napoleon I., from 1802 to 1815. The work completed by the addition of unpublished documents, and arranged and edited by his grandson, Baron Napoleon Joseph de Méneval. Translated and anno- tated by Robert H. Sherard. Photogravure portraits and autograph letters. Wol. II. Hutchinson. PITMAN, SIR ISAAC. Life and Work. Illustrated. Pitman. Is. PORTAL, SIR GERALD. The British Mission to Uganda in 1893. Edited, with a memoir, by Mr. Rennell Rodd, with the diary of the late Captain Raymond Portal, and an introduction by Lord Cromer. Illustrated from photographs by Colonel Rhodes, with a portrait of Sir Gerald Portal by Lady Granby. Edward Arnold. 21s. SAUNDERS, F, BAILEY. The Life and Letters of James Macpherson. Swan Sonnenschein. SMITH, REv. DR. G. ADAM. The Historical Geography of the Holy Land. With six maps. Hodder. 15s. ToRRENs, W. M. History of Cabinets, from the Union with Scotland to the Acquisition of Canada and Bengal. 2 vols. Allen. 36s. WALLACE, ARTHUR. The Earl of Rosebery: His Words and his Work. Portrait. London : Henry J. Drane. Is. WoRSFOLD, REv. J. N. History of Haddlesey : its Past and Present. Elliot Stock. General Literature. ALLIES, T. W. The Formation of Christendom. Popular edition. Burns and Oates. ARTHUR, T. C. Reminiscences of an Indian Police Official. Illustrated by Horace Van Ruith and E. M. Cautley. Sampson Low. I6s. ATLAS OF ANCIENT EGYPT, with complete index, geo- graphical and historical notes, Biblical references, &c.; special publication of the Egypt Exploration Fund. Kegan Paul. 3s. 6d. BADMINTON LIBRARY : YACHTING. Large paper edition. 2 vols. Longmans. BELL, HoRACE. Railway Policy in India. Rivington, Percival. I6s. BERESFORD-WEBB, H. S. Stories of Greek Heroes. With notes and vocabularies. Rivington. BoothBY, GUY. On the Wallaby. Longmans. I88. BRABNER, J. H. F. The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales. Vol. 2. Cau—Goa. Mackenzie. BRAIDwooD, DR. The Mother's Help and Guide. The Scientific Press. 2s. 6d. JBRASSEY, LORD. Papers and Addresses : Naval and Maritime, from 1872-1893. Arranged and edited by Capt. S. Eardley-Wilmot, R.N. 2 vols. Longmans. IOS. BRIGGs, R. A. Bungalows and Country Residences. Second edition, with additional plates. Batsford. I 2s. 6d. BRINE, WICE-ADMIRAL LINDESAY. Travels amongst American Indians, their Ancient Earthworks and Temples. Sampson Low. C. K. By Celtic Waters. Holiday Jaunts, with rod, camera, and paintbrush. Illustrated. Davey. 2s. 6d. CAINE, HALL. The Little Man Island. Douglas, The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited. CALVIERT, ALBERT F. The Coolgardie Goldfield, Western Australia. Simpkin, Marshall. Is. CARPENTER, DR. The Principles and Practice of School Hygiene. With illustrations. Fourth edition. Allen. 4s. 6d. CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC PAPERs (1874-1883). Compiled by the Royal Society of London. Vol. X. C. J. Clay. CHESTERTON, THOMAs. Manual Drill and Physical |Bxercises. Third Edition. With an introduction by Charles Roberts. Gale. 2s. 6d. CoGHLAN, T. A. The Wealth and Progress of New South Wales. 1893. Seventh issue. Sydney : Charles Potter Petherick. CURTICE’s INDEx TO THE TIMEs, THE LONDON MORNING AND EVENING PAPERS, 120 WEEKLIES, AND 3.I PRO- v1NCIAL NEWSPAPERs. July 1—Sept. 30, 1893. Pub- lished quarterly by subscription. Edward Curtice. CUSTANCE, HENRY. Riding Recollections and Turf Stories New edition. Arnold. 2s. 6d. DERBY, EARL OF. Speeches and Addresses of Edward Henry, XWTH EARL OF DERBY, K.G., Selected and edited by Sir T. H. Sanderson and E. S. Roscoe, with a prefatory memoir by W. S. H. Lecky, and a portrait. 2 vols. Longmans. 2 Is. DICKENs's DICTIONARY OF LONDON, 1894-1895. I 8. ; DICKENs's DICTIONARY OF THE THAMES, 1894. Is. J. Smith. Douglas, JAMEs. Canadian Independence, G. P. Putnam's Sons. ELLIs, Robinson. The Fables of Phaedrus : An Inaugural Lecture. Frowde. Is. ELTON, CHARLEs J. An Account of Shelley's Visits to France, Switzerland, and Savoy in the years 1814 and 1816. Bliss, Sands. EUROPA’s MooDS AND BRITANNIA’s PERIL. In two cantos. By A. Pittite. Simpkin, Marshall. Is. 6d. FIELD, JoHN W. An Analysis of the Accounts of the Prin- cipal Gas Undertakings in England, Scotland, and Ire- land for the year 1893. Compiled and arranged. Eden, Fisher and Co. 15s. FINDLAY, SIR GEORGE. The Working and Management of an English Railway. Fifth edition, revised and en- larged, with portrait and biographical sketch. Edited by S. M. Phillp. Whittaker. 7s.6d. Foll ETT, FRED T. The Archer's Register, 1894. Cox. 58.  ## p. 58 (#72) ############################################## 58 THE AUTHOR. Fowl.E.R., J. K. Recollections of Old Country Life. - Longmans. Ios. 6d. Fox-DAVIES, A. CHARLEs, AND CROOKES, M. E. B. The Book of Public Arms. Compiled and edited. Edin- burgh, Jack. FRY, HERBERT. London in 1894. Originally compiled by. Revised and corrected up to date. Allen. Is. GoLFING ANNUAL, 1893-94. Edited by David Scott Duncan. Horace Cox. 58. GREENE, RoRERT. Green Pastures: Being Choice Extracts from the Works of Robert Greene, M.A., of both Universities, 1560 (?)—1592, Made by Alexander B. Grosart. Elliot Stock. HALL, ARTHUR. Hebrew Unveiled : Some Affinities of the - Hebrew Language. Asher and Co. I 8. HARTopP, CoL. E. C. C. Sport in England, Past and Present. Horace Cox. 3s. 6d. HAVERFIELD, F. Roman Inscriptions in Britain. 1892-1893. Exeter: Pollard. HAYES, FRED. W. The Great Revolution of 1905. Forder. 3s. 6d. - HIEROGLYPHIC BIBLEs : A Hitherto Unwritten Chapter of - Bibliography, by W. A. Clouston, with facsimile illus- trations; and a New Hieroglyphic Bible told in Stories, by Frederick A. Laing. Glasgow : Bryce. 218. Hobson, JoBN A. The Evolution of Modern Capitalism ; a Study of Machine Production. Walter Scott. 38. 6d. Hough TON, REv. W. British Fresh-Water Fishes. With numerous engravings. Deane. Ios. 6d. HounsELL, BERNARD. Coach Drives from London. Sportsman Offices. Is. HowLLLs, WILLIAM D. A Traveller from Altruria. Edin- burgh : Douglas. Simpkin, Marshall. INVESTORs’ REVIEw. Edited by A. J. Wilson. Wilsons and Milne. JARROLD’s ILLUSTRATED GUIDES TO CAMBRIDGE AND YARMOUTH. New editions. Jarrold. 6d. each. JARRoLD’s ILLUSTRATED GUIDE To Low ESTOFT. Eighth edition. Jarrold. 6d. JohnsToME, C. L. Winter and Summer Excursions in Canada. Digby and Long. 6s. - JokAI, MAURUs. Midst the Wild Carpathians. lated by R. Nisbet Bain. Authorised version. man. 3s. 6d. Jon Es, CHARLEs. Refuse Destructors, with results up to present time. Second and revised edition. With a paper on “The Utilisation of Town Refuse for Power Production ” by Thomas Tomlinson. Biggs. RELLY's DIRECTORY OF THE CABINET, FURNITURE, AND UPHOLSTERY TRADEs. Third edition. Kelly. 20s. KIRBY, W. F. European Butterflies and Moths, with coloured plates. Part I. Cassell. 6d. LATIN PROSE VERSIONs. Contributed by various scholars. Edited by Professor George G. Ramsay. Large paper edition of 3oo numbered copies. Oxford: At the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. 21s. LEONARD, ARTHUR. G. The Camel : Its Uses and Manage- ment. Longmans. 218. LILLY, WILLIAM. S. The Claims of Christianity. Chap- Iſlal). I2S. LINDLEY, PERCY. Walks in Belgium, with some Fishing and Boating Notes. Edited by. Sketches by J. F. Weedon and others. 30, Fleet-street, E.C. 6d. LONDON County CouncIL : REPORT OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION BoARD for the year 1893-94. Stanford. 6d. LOVELL, JoBN. Literary Papers. Edited by his daughter Kate R. Lovell. Liverpool: Howell. LUND, JOHN KEIGHLEY. England and the Continental Powers. Swan Sonnenschein. º - III. The Vol. 3. Trans- Chap- MACNAMARA, N. C., F.R.C.S. Regulations as to the Physical Defects which Disqualify Candidates for Admission into the Civil or Military Government Services. Churchill. 2s. MANCHESTER, BISHOP of. Church Work; its Means and Methods. Macmillan. 3s. & MANTEGAZZA, PAOLO. The Art of Taking a Wife. Gay and Bird. 5s. MAP of THE RAILwAY SYSTEMS OF SCOTLAND. Johnston. 58. MAx MüLLER, F. Three Lectures on the Vedānta Philo- sophy. Longmans. 58. My PARIs NoTE-Book. By the author of “An English- man in Paris.” Heinemann. NISBET JoHN. Studies in Forestry. Oxford : at the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. 6s. NoFTH AGAIN, GoLFING THIS TIME. According to the Badminton Library and W. Ralston. Simpkin, Marshall. - OLIVER, JoHN. Milk, Cheese, and Butter. Crosby Lock- wood. 7s.6d. % Owen, J. A. AND BoulgºR, PROFESSOR. The Country Month by Month : June. Bliss, Sands. Is. PEEL, HELEN. Polar Gleams, an account of a voyage on the yacht Blencathra, with a preface by the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, and contributions by Captain Joseph Wiggins and Frederick G. Jackson. Arnold. I 58. PESTALOzzI, HEINRICH. How Gertrude Teaches her Children, translated by Lucy E. Holland and Frances C. Turner, and edited, with introduction and notes, by IEbenezer Cooke. Swan Sonnenschein. PRYER, MRs. W. B. A. Decade in Borneo. With an introduction by Joseph Hatton. Hutchinson. 3s. 6d. RAwNSLEY, REv. H. D. Literary Associations of the English Lakes. 2 vols. Vol. I.- Cumberland, Kes- wick, and Southey’s Country. Vol. II.-Westmore- land, Windermere, and the Haunts of Wordsworth. Glasgow : MacLehose. Ics. REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, NEw SouTH WALEs, for 1892. Sydney : Charles Potter. 7s. 6d. RICHARDs, A. M. O. India in Nine Chapters. Roxburghe Press. Is. RIVINGTON, SEPTIMUs. The Publishing House of Rivington. Edited by. Rivington. 68. RoAD MAP FoR CYCLISTS : Scotland, Central and Northern Districts. Johnston. Is. RoopFR, GEORGE. Thames and Tweed. Third edition. Sampson Low. RUSKIN, JOHN. Verona and other Lectures. illustrations from drawings by the author. Allen. Large paper, 30s. SALA, GEORGE AUGUSTUs. Things I have Seen and People I have Known. 2 vols. Cassell. 2 Is. SECCoMBE, THOMAs. Lives of Twelve Bad Men, Original Studies of eminent Scoundrels by various hands. Edited by. T. Fisher Unwin. I6s. SHARPE, REGINALD R. London and the Kingdom. 3 vols, The With George Vol. I. Longmans. Ios. 6d. SIMCOx, E. J. Primitive Civilization. 2 vols. Sonnen- schein. SLATER, J. H. God and our Right. Society, Church Defence Depot. SouTHAM, A. D. From Manuscript to Bookstall. and Co. STATISTICs of JEwisſ I PopULATION IN LONDON, &c., 1873-1893. Compiled by Joseph Jacobs, secretary of the Russo-Jewish Committee. London: E. W. Rabbi- nowicz, 64, Whitechapel High-street, E. The Anti-Liberation Southam  ## p. 59 (#73) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 59 STRACHEY, SIR John. India. New and revised edition. Kegan Paul. 68. STUDIA SINAITICA, No. IV. A TRACT OF PLUTARCH on the advantage to be derived from one's enemies. The Syriac Version, edited from a Manuscript on Mount Sinai, by Eberhard Nestle. C. J. Clay. 2s. THE NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANTILE AGENCY CoMPANY LIMITED : Verbatim Report of Mr. Justice Waughan Williams's statement, with full text of the Official Receiver’s Report and Reconstruction Scheme. Edited by Phillip Mennell. The British Awstralasian offices. “THE ROAD '''CoACH GUIDE, 1894. Compiled and edited by the Editor of the Road. 50, Strand, W.C. Is. THOMPSON, WILLIAM. A. Prospectus of Socialism. W. IReeves. º & TIEDEMAN, H. Wiá Flushing ! A Comprehensive and Unconventional Handbook. Iliffe. 38. TYNAN, PATRICK, J. P. The Irish National Invincibles and their Times. English edition, with appendices and index. Chatham. UNITED STATEs Commission OF FISH AND FISHERIES : Report of the Commission for 1889-1891. Washington. Government Printing Office. LINIVERSITY OF LONDON CALENDAR FOR 1894-95. Part I. Eyre and Spottiswoode. 38. VERESHCHAGIN, W. The War Correspondent, with Intro- duction by Poultney Bigelow. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. 3s. 6d. WALLIS, J. WHITE. Manual of Hygiene. Kegan Paul. 2s. 6d. WENLEY, R. M. Aspects of Pessimism. Blackwood. WHITE, ARNOLD. The English Democracy: Its Promises and Perils. Sonnenschein. YEIGH, FRANK. Ontario's Historical Sketch. Toronto. Company, Marlborough. Parliament Buildings. A The Williamson Book Fiction. BALDw1N, MRs. ALFRED. Richard Dare. Elder. BICKERDYKE, JOHN. A Banished Beauty. Blackwood. BLACKMORE, R. D. Kit and Kitty. New and cheaper edition. Sampson Low. BLACKMORE, R. D. Springhaven: a Tale of the Great War. New and cheaper edition. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. Doy LE, FREDERICK. From the Frontier. Chapman. 3s. 6d. BRADDON, MIss. Thou art the Man. 3 vols. Simpkin, 2 vols. Smith, Marshall. BUCHANAN, RoRERT. Red and White Heather. Chatto. 3s.6d. CAFFYN, MANNINGTON. Miss Milne and I. Fourth edition. Hutchinson. 2s. 6d. A Bachelor’s Bridal. A Little Child’s Wreath. Elkin CAMERON, MRS. LOVETT. CHAPMAN, E. RACHEL. Matthews. 3s. 6d. g CHAPMAN, GEORGE, AND MARLOWE, CHRISTOPHER. Hero and Leander. Elkin Matthews. 35s. CLARK RUSSELL, W. A Sea Queen. New and cheaper edition. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. COBBLEIGH, Tomſ. Young Sam and Sabina. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d. CoLERIDGE, CHRISTABEL R. The Daughters who have not Revolted. Wells Gardner, Darton, and Co. Is. CRESSweLL, HENRY. A Precious Scamp. 3 vols. Hutchin- SOIl. CUTHELL, EDITH E. A. Baireuth Pilgrimage. Sampson Low. DAvENPORT ADAMs, W. Romantic Stories of our Scottish Towns. Glasgow; Morison. Is. 2 vols. DAVIDSON, H. CoI,EMAN. The Canvas Library : Mad or Married ? Drane. DAVIs, R. HARDING. Our English Cousins. Sampson Low. DAVIs, R. HARDING. The Exiles, and other Stories. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. - DAWE, W. CARLETON. The Confessions of a Currency Girl. 3 vols. Ward and Downey. DoudNEY, SARAH. Under Gray Walls. Sunday School |Union. 4d. Down EY, EDMUND. The Merchant of Killogue: A Munster Tale. 3 vols. Heinemann. DYAN, Meg. All in a Man's Keeping. 2 vols. Allen. 218. FARJEON, B. L. Aaron, the Jew. 3 vols. Hutchinson. FARR, FLORENCE. The Dancing Faun. Elkin Matthews. 3s. 6d. & FAVENE, ERNEST. Tales of the Austral Tropics. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. 3s.6d. - Fog ERTY, J. A. Hunted Life. 3 vols. Hutchinson. Fire Island. Sampson Low. The Star Gazers. Second and FENN, G. MAN VILLE. FENN, G. MAN VILLE. cheaper edition. Methuen. 3s. 6d. FENN, G. MANVILLE. The White Virgin. 2 vols. Chatto. FORSTER, FRANCIS. Major Joshua. Longmans. 68. GALE, NoFMAN. Cricket Songs. Methuen. GAULOT, PAUL. The Red Shirts. Translated from the French by J. A. J. de Williers. Chatto and Windus. GILKES, A. HERMAN. The Thing that hath been. Long- mans. 68. - r GOLDw1N, AGNEs. In Due Season. GORDON, ALEXANDER. Isbister. 2s. 6d. GOULD, NAT. Thrown Away. Routledge. GRANGE, A. M. Victims of Fashion. 2 vols. Bentley. GRAY, ANNABEL. The Ghosts of the Guard Room, and other stories. George Stoneman. Is. GREEN, Eve DYN EvKRETT. The Phantom Brother, and other stories. Isbister. 2s. 6d. GREsswRLL, GEORGE. The Wizard's Digby and Long. 6s. Greater Love and other stories. Lute. Second - edition. Griffith, Farran. Is. GUNTER, ARCHIBALD C. The King’s Stockbroker. Rout- ledge. HAGGARD, H. RIDER. Allan's Wife and other Tales. New edition. Longmans. 3s. 6d. HALSE, GEORGE. Phil Hathaway's Failures. 3 vols. - Henry. 31.s. 6d. - HODGE, E. BALDWIN. Keith Kavanagh, Remittance Man. Digby and Long. 3s. 6d. HoRNUNG, E. W. The Boss of Taroomba. Bliss, Sands. HUNGERFORD, MRs. The Hoyden. Popular edition. Heinemann. 3s. 6d. - IOTA. A Yellow Aster. Twelfth edition. Hutchinson. 6s, JAMES, CHARLEs T. C. Miss Precocity. 2 vols. Bliss, Sands. KEITH, LESLIE. A Troublesome Pair. 3 vols. Bentley. RIPLING, RUDYARD. Macmillan. 6s. The Jungle Book, with Illustrations. KENEALY, ARABELLA. Dr. Janet of Harley-street. New edition. Digby and Long. 2s. RENNEDY, A. C. Erotica. Gay and Bird. 3s. 6d. LANDER, HARRY. The Modern Library : A Consul’s Passenger. Bliss, Sands. Is. 6d. LESLIE, EMMA. The Ferryman's Family. The Sunday School Union. 4d. LUCAS, REGINALD. Hoist with Her Own Petard. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. MEREDITH, JOHN. Laura Arbuthnot. Sommenschein. MORAN, JAMEs J. The Dunferry Risin'. Second Edition. Digby and Long. I 8. - MUDDOCK, J. E. The Star of Fortune. 2 vols. Chapman.  ## p. 60 (#74) ############################################## 6O THE AUTHOR. PATTON-BETHUNE, FLORENCE. Bachelor to the Rescue. Remington. 3s. 6d. PENDEREL, RICHARD. Dick Wylder. 3 vols. Remington. RIDDELL, Mrs. J. H. The Banshee's Warning. Remington. RUSSELL, DORA. A Hidden Chain. 3 vols. Digby Long. 31s. 6d. SAPTE, W., JUN. Uncle's Ghost, Warne. Is. Scott, SIR WALTER. The Border Waverley: The Fair Maid of Perth. 2 vols. Ten etchings. With Intro- ductory Essay and Notes. By Andrew Lang. Nimmo. I2s. SHAKESPEAR, O. Love on a Mortal Lease. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. 6s. SIMs, GEORGE R. Memoirs of a Landlady. Chatto and - Windus. SMITH, CoNSTANCE. A. Cumberer of the Ground. 3 vols. Methuen. 31.s. 6d. STEEL, FLORA. A. The Potter's Thumb. 3 vols. Heine- II].8.11. STORIES FOR HEARTH AND HOME. Second series. Cassell. 38. 6d. STUART, ESMá. A Woman of Forty. Second edition. Methuen. 3s.6d. SUPERFLUous Wom AN, A. Fourth edition. Heinemann. 6s - SWAN, MYRA. Shallows. 2 vols. Hurst. TENNYSoN, MARY H. A. Cruel Dilemma. 3 vols. Frederick Warne. 31.s. 6d. TURGENEV, IVAN. Reidin. A Novel. Translated by Constance Garnett from the Russian. Heinemann. 38. net. TJNSELFISH Wom AN, AN. By the author of “Lord Elwyn's Daughter,” &c. Stevens. WALDíºs, A. PALACIo. The Grandee. A Novel. Translated from the Spanish by Rachel Challice. Heinemann. 2s. 6d. WENNEL, REv. RABson. Driven into the Ranks. Sunday School Union. 2s. 6d. WINTER, John STRANGE. Red Coats. White. Is. WooDLAM, WILFRED. With the Help of the Angels. Ward and Downey. 3s. 6d. The Poetry and the Drama. BELL, MARGARET T. Poems and other Pieces. Edited, with a memoir, by her brother. The Leadenhall Press. 58. BRIDGES, ROBERT. Plays. VIII.-Nero. Part 2. Bell and Sons. 38. net. CAMBRIAN MINSTRELSIE. Edited by Dr. Joseph Parry and David Rowlands. 6 vols. Wol. IV. Edinburgh : Jack. CLOUGH, ARTHUR H. Golden Treasury Series. Selections from the Poems of. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. HoARE, B. GEORGE. The Joys of Home and other Poems. Inverness: The Cowrier Office. MATSON, W. TIDD. Poetical Works. Now first collected, and including a large number of pieces not before published. Southsea : Stride. Elliot Stock. MILTON, JOHN. Poetical Works. Edited by John Bradshaw. 2 vols. Allen. Vol. I, 2s. 6d.; Vol. II., 3s.6d. PHILLIPs, STEPHEN. Eremus : a Poem. Kegan Paul. 2s. 6d. PoEMS AND LYRICs of NATURE. Edited, with an introduc- tion, by Edith Wingate Rinder. Walter Scott. 2s. RHEYs, ERNEST. A London Rose and other Rhymes. Elkin Mathews. 5s. SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. The Temple Shakespeare. Measure for Measure and Comedy of Errors. Each with Preface, Glossary, &c., by Israel Gollancz. TXent. Is, each. SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. THE CAMBRIDGE SHAKE- SPEARE. Edited by William Aldis Wright. Vol. XVII., the First Part of King Henry IV. ; Vol. XVIII., the Second Part of King Henry IV. 6s. per vol. Macmillan. SIMPSON, FRED. M. Drawing Room Duologues. Illus- trated by M. Greiffenhagen. Fisher Unwin. 6s. STEWART, BEATRICE. Silent Hours. Poems. First series. Eton : Drake. WAY, ARTHUR. S. The Tragedies of Euripides, in English verse. 3 vols. Macmillan. Wol. I. 6s. Science and Art. BLACKBURN, HENRY. The Art of Illustration. 95 illustra. tions. Allen and Co. BURBRIDGE, F. W., AND SPARKES, J. C. L. Wild Flowers in Art and Nature. Part W. Arnold. 2s. 6d. COLLINS, F. HowARD. Epitome of the Synthetic Philo- sophy. With a preface by Herbert Spencer. Third vol. (concluding “The Principles of Ethics”). Williams and Norgate. I5s. net. DRUMMOND, PROFESSOR. H. The Lowell Lectures on the Ascent of Man. Hodder and Stoughton. 7s. 6d. DüRER, ALBERT. Ninety-Three Drawings. Reproduced in facsimile from originals in the British Museum. Accompanied with descriptive text by Sidney Colvin. The Autotype Company. - FRANKLAND, PERCY, AND MRs. PERCY. in Water. Longmans. 16s. GRESSWELL, GEORGE. An Examination of the Theory of Evolution. Second edition. Williams and Norgate. HARPER, CHARLES G. A Practical Handbook of Drawing for Modern Methods of Reproduction. Chapman and Micro-Organisms Hall. 7s. 6d. HUXLEY, PROFESSOR. Discourses: Biological and Geo- logical. Essays. Macmillan. 5s. JACKSON, FRANK G. Theory and Practice of Design; an advanced Text-book on Decorative Art. 7oo illustra- tions. Chapman and Hall. KERNER AND OLIVER, The Natural History of Plants. Part 2. Blackie. 2s. 6d. LOCKE's ESSAY CONCERNING HuMAN UNDERSTANDING, Collated and annotated, with prolegomena, biographical, critical, and historical. By Alexander Campbell Fraser. 2 vols. With protrait. Oxford : At the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. 32s. MARTINDALE, W. Analyses of Twelve Thousand Prescrip- tions. Compiled by. Lewis. 2s. 6d. POORE, DR. Dry Methods of Sanitation. Stanford. Is. PRINGLE, ANDREW. Photo-Micrography. Iliffe and Son. QUAINE’s ELEMENTS OF ANATOMY. Edited by Professor Schäfer and Professor Thane. 3 vols. Vol. III., part III. Organs of the Senses. By Professor Schäfer. Tenth edition. Longmans. 9s. ROYAL ACADEMY PICTUREs, 1894. In five parts. Part W. Cassell. Is. SCHULTZE, DRS. G., AND P. JULIUs. Systematic Survey of the Organic Colouring Matters. Translated and edited, with extensive additions, by Arthur G. Green. Mac- millan. 21s. SKEFFINGTON, DR. WINN. An Exposition of the Fallacies of the Materialistie Theory and Physiological Psychology. STOKES, ANSON P. Joint-Metallism. Putnam’s Sons. |UNWIN, PROFESSOR. The Development and Transmission of Power. Being the Howard Lectures delivered at the Society of Arts in 1893. Longmans. Ios. WYLLIE, W. L., A.R.A. The Tidal Thames. With twenty full-page photogravure plates and other illustra- tions, after original drawings. Descriptive letterpress by Grant Allen. Cassell. 385 15s. 6d. 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. 05 Issue 02 (July 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 02 (July 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-07-02-The-Author-5-2 publication The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/267/1894-08-01-The-Author-5-3.pdf 00434cab0194b0a82cb4148afa33de88 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-08-01 Volume 5 Issue 3 Pages Page range in volume 61–88 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18940801 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CON DU CTED BY WALTER BES.A.N.T. Vol. v.–No. 3] AUGUST 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions eaſpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as earpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by returm of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances showld be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. WARNINGS AND ADVICE, I. T is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. - Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.–In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTS. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVEs To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party WOL. W. " . ; refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. - 5. LITERARY AGENTs.-Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as yowr agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. COST OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FuTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. +. • ‘ Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. * II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Reep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. a 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTs. --Reep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. g Society’s Offices :- * 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *~ * –” z- - - HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. & . I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub. lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Comº mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. . . All this without any cost to the member. - - . . . ; . . . . . . . . - G 2  ## p. 62 (#76) ############################################## 62 TILE AUTIIOR. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *-- - -* ,- w -s. THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : - I. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Symdi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. . . 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number ºf letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 4. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. - 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department’’ for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted * has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to com- municate with the Manager. - There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. NOTICES, Tº: Editor of the Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P - Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest ? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £9 4s. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so clastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too  ## p. 63 (#77) ############################################## TIIE AUTIIOIP. 63 often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-* * *-*. LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—THE THREE-VoI,UME Nov FL. T a meeting of the Council of the Authors’ Society it was Resolved that: “The Council, after taking the opinion of several prominent novelists and other members of the Society, and, finding them almost unani- mously opposed to the continuance of the three volume system, considers that the disadvantages of that system to authors and to the public far outweigh its advantages; that for the convenience of the public, as well as for the widest possible circulation of a novel, it is desirable that the artificial form of edition produced for a small body of readers only be now abandoned; and that the whole of the reading public should be placed at the outset in possession of the work at a moderate price.” A very large majority of the opinions received, including those of the leading novelists, was in favour of the resolution. Only one opinion was opposed to it, and desired to support the three volume system. By order, G. HERBERT TIIRING. The Resolution passed at the meeting of the council on Monday, July 23, was, so to speak, dictated by the novelists who are members of the Society. A “private and confidential” circular setting forth the main facts of the case and the principal points open to discussion, was sent by order of the Chairman to all novelists on the roll of the Society, asking for an opinion. The answers received gave the opinions of most leading novelists, together with those of many others likely to be affected by the action of the libraries. One or two left the matter open; one, especially, pointed out—which is perfectly true— that the abolition of the three-volume form would make a beginning more difficult than ever for a young writer. One desired the continuance of the present plan; the rest were all against it, and wrote in support of the one-volume form. So that the persons most concerned in the matter have pronounced almost unanimously in favour of the one-volume and against the three-volume form. - Several points of interest have been raised, not only in these replies, but also in the discussions on the subject which have been carried on in the newspapers. For instance, more than one critic has advocated the one-volume form simply because it will make the novel shorter. But it has not yet produced that effect. There is no rule as to 1-ngth; novels in one volume are very often as long as novels in three. Moreover, it is possible for a novel to be quite short, and yet very ill-constructed. Again, it has been pointed out that the large type and lightness of the book make the three-volume form useful for invalids, but then many books in one volume are also in large type, and light to hold. - The point concerning the beginner is strong and interesting. At first sight one asks why a beginner has a better chance under the old system. The reason will be seen by a little study of figures. Without advertising, a small edition of a three-volume novel can be produced for something less than £90, those copies only being bound that are wanted. If the libraries take I 30 copies only at 14s. the cost is more than covered: anything over is profit. A single volume, half the length of the above, costs, without mºulding, stereotyping, or advertising, about £7O for an edition of IOOO. Now a beginner's three-volume novel is sometimes considered to be sufficiently advertised by being placed in the boxes and on the lists of the libraries. As a rule the houses which produce these works find it to their interest to expend very little money in advertising them. But a single volume wants to be advertised. Suppose only £20 spent in adver- tising such a book. Over 500 copies must be taken before the cost is covered. If the work is moulded and stereotyped at a cost of £12 more, 600 copies will be wanted to clear the cost. Who will take these copies of a book by an unknown writer, unless he happens to be very good indeed P And of course a publisher does not publish in the hope of merely paying his expenses. Now a book by a new writer which exhausts the first edition does exceptionally well. These figures show, therefore, that it is easier to enter by the old way than by the new. The strongest point brought out is the strange fact, which so few have understood, that under the old system novelists positively do not offer their books to the world at all, but only to the limited number of those who subscribe to the libraries— perhaps 60,000 in all—say, 240,000 readers. The rest of the world must wait—the whole vast army of those who read in this country and in India and in Australia and the colonies, must wait— until the cheap edition appears. This is an enormous privilege to the libraries. What cor- responding advantage does it give to the author P  ## p. 64 (#78) ############################################## 64 THE AUTHOR. Noue, apparently. What to the publisher ? None, apparently. There is another point still. The best chance for the beginner has hitherto been with one or two houses which have been privileged to send a certain number of any novel issued by them to one of the libraries. This was clearly a privilege —it is understood to be now at an end—which might be abused in two ways; first, to the detri- ment of literature by the production of rubbish; next, to the detriment of the author, for it was not necessary to advertise him, or to take any steps to make him known, or to give him a cheap edition. Both these things have, in fact, happened. There are a certain number of novelists wholly unknown to the world at large, whose works, good or bad, appear only in a very limited three- volume edition and are heard of only by a brief notice in the Athenæum. Will these authors vanish P Since the privilege has ceased it is probable that the demand for them by the libraries will also cease or be reduced to such narrow limits as to make the vanishing not only of the author, but of the publisher, a certainty. In the long run it will be better for everybody, because the author, if only for self-preservation, will become far more careful over his work, and there will be a survival of the fittest. Yet the three-volume novel will not suddenly disappear. There will still be a demand, especially among sick people, for that form of reading which demands no thought and not much attention; which diverts the mind without fatigue; which transports the reader to another and a more pleasant atmosphere, with a book easy to hold, light, and in large print. It is not a highly dignified function to amuse the weakened in mind and body by illness, but it is at all events useful, and so long as libraries give enough to the publisher to make it worth his while to continue, and the publisher gives the author enough to make it worth his while to continue, the old system will probably be carried on. The appeal to the whole world of readers opens up a great field for speculation. Will the world of readers respond? Remember that it is not a sudden and an unexpected appeal. We have experience: we can answer confidently that in the case of favourite authors readers certainly will respond. And an author can now create his reputation so rapidly—one could point to many reputations made within the last year or two—that there seems to be no fear about the future of the better class of writers. Unknown authors, and those who have their reputation still to make, will certainly not leap into popularity by the mere fact of being issued in one volume; nor will the public buy a book by an unknown writer at six shillings any more readily than at thirty shillings. Objection has been taken to the Resolution on the ground that publishers, since they buy the books, have the sole right to manage their own property. Quite true, if they buy the books. But they do not. Except in a very few cases they issue the books on a royalty system. There are two or three publishers who buy, and these will doubt- less continue to manage their own property in their own way; it is a good plan—in some cases the best plan—for the author to sell his book, provided he knows what he is about, or works by means of a man of business who knows the meaning of literary property. But in most cases the royalty is the system, and on this system, which is one of joint adventure, with a fiduciary obligation on the publisher, the author has undoubtedly the right to consider the administration of his own property. What certain papers do not realise is the change that has of late come upon the whole business of publishing—the greater independence of the author, his claims to open partnership, his knowledge of a business which has hitherto been kept profoundly secret, the rush of new pub- lishers, and the increased competition. - The last point to consider is the price of the future. Since below a certain level nobody buys books at all, it would be absurd to make books too cheap. Besides, a thing of little price is apt to be lightly regarded. We must, however, remember that for most people six shillings is a good deal to pay, even reduced to 4s. 6d., for an author unless one greatly desires to possess him. We may also remember that the area of readers extends every year by hundreds of thousands; that the free libraries as well as the schools are doing us an immense service in continually enlarging this field, and that the taste for reading brings with it the desire for possession. It seems, there- fore, safe to predict that books desirous of speak- ing to many—what book is not so desirous P- will be issued at such a price as to be within the reach of many; that the six-shilling book will before long become the three-shilling book ; that where a popular writer is now advertised to be in his sixtieth edition he will then be in his six hundredth. There is absolutely no limit to the enlargement of the vast circle of readers who, in fifty years will be calling for the work of a popular writer, living or dead. It is ten years since some of us recognised this truth and pro- claimed it. During these ten years we have again and again proclaimed it. Those who cannot get outside of London; those who know nothing about the extent and the needs of the Empire, or even of this little island; those who are still governed by the prejudice of believing that below a certain  ## p. 65 (#79) ############################################## THE AUTHOR. 65 line everybody reads “slush ’’ if he reads any- thing; cannot be made to understand this fact. How the literature of the future will be affected by this increased demand is another question. Mean- time, we have to deal with the wants of the present, which seems to ask for a book which costs four and sixpence, while the circle is being enlarged. As for the circulating libraries, they must con- tinue in some form or other, because reading is now a habit, a recognised way, in country places, at least, of spending part of the day; and all the popular writers together cannot produce enough material to fill up that part of the day all the year round. II.-Ass IGNMENT OF CONTRACT. The following is a case submitted to counsel as to the right of assigning an agreement to pub- lish : - Instructions from Solicitor to Counsel. Counsel will see from the agreement, that the author agreed to grant the right of publication of a work to the publishers until the number of copies sold should have reached 6ooo, all details of the publishing—as to size, price, and advertising, &c. —being left to the publishers, who agreed to publish a cheap edition of the said work at their own expense and risk, and to pay to the author one-half of the net profits arising from sales, the author reserving to himself the right of publish- ing an édition de luate of the work. And counsel will observe that there are provisions in the contract as to rendering of accounts, &c. Subsequent to the date of the contract the publishers, formerly a private firm, were formed into a limited company under a name corre- sponding with the name of the private firm, with the addition of the word “Limited.” All the business, goodwill, &c., was taken over by the limited company, but no express notice of this appears to have been given to the authors of books which the old firm were publishing, or, at any rate, no such notice was received by the author in question. After the date of the transfer of the business to a limited company, however, the author received from the company a letter inclosing account of sales, &c., up to date, and signed by the name of the firm, with the addition of the word “limited,” one of the former partners signing the letter as “Managing Director.” This appears to have been the first opportunity given to the author of ascertaining that the publishers had become a limited company, as he states that he had heard nothing of the matter previously: but even on the receipt of the accounts he did not observe the alteration in the firm, and therefore took no objection to his book being continued to be published by the limited company. Counsel will consider whether the fact of this letter having been received must be taken to be notice to the author of the change in the firm, and, if so, whether the author must be taken to have acquiesced in the publication of his book by the limited company, and is so estopped from taking objection to the book having been assigned to the limited company without his consent, and to its being published by them. From the time of receiving the accounts a year or two passed, and then the limited company got into difficulties. A receiver and manager was appointed by the Chancery Division in an action commenced by debenture-holders, and later on a resolution was passed for voluntary winding-up, and the same gentleman was appointed liquidator as had been appointed receiver. On hearing of this the author wrote to the receiver and manager protesting against his book having been assigned to the limited com- pany without his consent. According to an account rendered to the author by the receiver there was up to the date of his appointment a loss on the book. Counsel will please advise : I. Assuming the author is not to be taken to have acquiesced in the transaction, and to be estopped from objecting, whether he had the right to object to his book having been assigned to a limited company, and if he is estopped from making this objection ? 2. Can he object to the liquidator and receiver of the company continuing to sell the book P *- 3. Whether the liquidator and receiver is liable to pay the share of profits in full from the date of his appointment P 4. Would the parties be entitled to go on selling for an unlimited time in the present state of affairs, i.e., while the business of the company is being carried on by a receiver ? 5. If the company were reconstructed, would they be entitled to go on selling P - 6. Would the liquidator and receiver be entitled to make over the book to another publishing firm without the consent of the author P w Counsel's Opinion. I. Whenever the due execution of a contract involves the personal skill and ability of one con- tracting party, he cannot assign the contract to a stranger without the consent of the other con- tracting party. In this case the author bargained for the personal skill and attention of the pub- lishers whom he selected ; and he cannot be com- pelled to accept the skill and attention of some substitute whom they select. But as, in all probability, some, if not all, the  ## p. 66 (#80) ############################################## 66 THE AUTIIOR. members of the original firm entered into the employ of the new company, and some, if not all. of the persons employed by the former firm continued to do for the company precisely the same work as they had done previously for the firm, the court will presume on very slight evidence that the author assented to, or acquiesced in, the assignment of his contract to the limited company. Such an assignment would not appreciably affect the prospects of a profit being earned. In this case I think it would be held that the author did so acquiesce, or that, at all events, he is estopped by his conduct from denying that he acquiesced. 2. Assuming, then, that the author acquiesced in the assignment of the contract to the new company, it follows that he cannot object to the liquidator and receiver doing any act reasonably necessary for proper realisation of the assets of the company in liquidation. The receiver has, in my opinion, the right to sell any copies of the book which were in stock at the date of the petition, and probably also to bind up any quires printed at that date: but he may not, in my opinion, create any new copies by printing a fresh edition from stereos. 3. If any profit were made by the receiver selling the copies which were in type at the date of the petition, I incline to think that the author would be entitled to receive his share of the profits in full from that date; but I express no confident opinion on this. I fear the point will not arise. Should the receiver publish a fresh edition with the author's consent, then I am clear that the author would be entitled to receive his half of the profits of that edition in full. 4. The receiver is entitled, in my opinion, to go on selling the copies which were in type at the date of the petition, for such period as is properly occupied by the winding-up of the affairs of the company. 5. If the company were reconstructed, the new company thus constructed would, in my opinion, have no right to print any further copies of the book. The new company could buy the stock of the old company, and sell it to the public ; but could create no fresh copies without the permis- sion of the author. 6. The liquidator can sell the stock of the old company to anyone he pleases; he cannot convey to anyone any right to create new copies of the book. (Signed) W. BLAKE ODGERs, Q.C. 4, Elm-court, Temple, E.C. July, 3, 1894. s-ºr-º- ºr- III.—CANADIAN CoPYRIGHT. The following is a copy of counsel’s opinion on Canadian copyright from the fresh papers put before him. It will be seen that the position of affairs is very little altered from the English author's standpoint, as he is the person, coupled, perhaps, with the Canadian public generally, who will suffer most by the proposed change of law in Canada. • Counsel's Opinion. The new documents before me consist of (I.) A copy of a memorandum by Sir John Thompson dealing with the report of the Depart- mental Committee on Canadian Copyright, and (2.) A clause in the Canadian Tariff Bill which proposes, after March 27, 1895, to remove the ad valorem duty payable on foreign reprints payable under the Canadian Act of 1868. Sir John Thompson's memorandum does not deal with the details of the Canadian Act of 1889, but is an attempt to answer some of the objections to the principle of that Bill set forth in the departmental committee report, and to show that the Canadian Legislature ought to be allowed to repeal the Copyright Act of 1842 so far as regards Canada, and to deprive the British author of his rights in order to foster the Canadian printing and publishing interests. It does not appear to me that I can usefully follow all the arguments contained in the memo. randum on the above question, or that it is within the scope of my instructions to do so. They are all based on the fallacy that the Canadian publishers and printers have some inherent right to have the profit of publishing and printing the works of British authors, and that if the latter do not find it necessary or convenient to publish or print in Canada the Canadian Legislature has a right to make them do so, and that to deny them this right is to deprive them of the benefit of self-government. Such arguments (even when supported appa- rently by a threat of separation in case they are not yielded to, as stated in page 12 of the report) do not appear to require to be answered at length. The argument which does, perhaps, require special notice, is that drawn from the example of the United States. With regard to this it is to be observed that in the case of the United States the British author had under the circumstances to accept such terms as were offered, but that such acceptance did not in any way involve a recognition of the justice of these terms, and it would be most unfortunate if this exceptional case were to be drawn into a prece- dent. If it were, it might become necessary for a  ## p. 67 (#81) ############################################## TIII, 67 A UTIIOIR. work to be reprinted and published separately in every British colony. The Society will no doubt itself consider the memorandum, and will have no difficulty in drawing up a full reply if thought desirable, but I cannot see that the arguments contained in it were such as to require a detailed reply. All that it seems to me to be necessary for the Society to do at present is to submit to the Home Government that Sir John Thompson's memorandum affords no answer whatever to the reasons given in the report of the Departmental Committee against the passing of an Act to con- firm the Canadian Act, pointing out that the demand for legislation appears to come solely from the Canadian printer and publisher, and that it would be most unfair that their industries should be fostered and protected at the expense of the rights of authors as established by Impe- rial legislation and the Berne Convention. A protest should also be added against the case of the United States being turned into a precedent for Imperial or Colonial legislation ; the result of the system of protection insisted on there is no doubt unfortunate for the Canadian printer and publisher, but that is not, or ought not to be, a reason for extending it to Canada or elsewhere. The endeavour should rather be to induce the United States to abandon its present policy. There is no sign in the memorandum that Canada would be prepared to accept any such licensing system as that suggested in pars. 55 and 56 of the departmental report, and it there- fore does not seem necessary to deal with it at present. The objections to it would appear to be the difficulty in fixing the amount of the royalty, and in securing its collection when fixed; but if it would solve the present difficulty it might be worth acceptance. If the memorandum is dealt with shortly, as I have suggested, the Society should of course intimate that if there are any particular points on which further information is desired, or which are thought to require a further answer, it would be glad of an opportunity of considering them. With regard to the proposed repeal of the ad valorem duty on foreign reprints, it appears that the Colonial Office has already pointed out that repeal would or might be invalid as repugnant to the Order made under the Foreign Reprints Act, on the faith of such duty being imposed. The Society should, I think, consider whether there is any objection to that Order, so far as it affects Canada, being repealed, if the Canadian Government should insist on doing away with the duty. So far as I can see there is none; the only person who would have any reason to com- plain would be the Canadian reader, for whose especial benefit the Foreign Reprints Act was WOL. W. passed. I ought perhaps to point out that it is not at all clear that the repeal of the ad valorem duty would be invalid. - |Under the Foreign Reprints Act the Order in Council only authorises the admission of reprints so long as the Colonial Act affording protection to British authors is in force, from which it would seem that the colony is at liberty to repeal this protection if it is prepared to give up the benefit of the Order in Council. I think it would be as well for the Society to endeavour to find out what is the object of the Canadian Legislation in repealing a duty they do not appear to have even collected, except in very few cases, and in thereby depriving Canadian readers of the benefit of an Act supposed to have been passed for their special advantage. J. Rolt. 4, New-square, Lincoln’s-inn, June 18, 1894. On Monday, June 25, a meeting of the special committee on Canadian copyright was called at Mr. John Murray's offices, 50, Albemarle-street. The following is a list of the names of the committee, and the interests represented:— Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P. - Edward Ashdown, H. R. Clayton, Music Pub- lishers. s Frank Bishop, H. S. Mendelssohn, Photo- graphers. F. R. Daldy, T. N. Longman, the Copyright Association. - H. O. Arnold Foster, Edward Marston, Pub- lishers' sub-section of Chamber of Commerce. H. Rider Haggard, W. E. H. Lecky, Authors. Arthur Lucas, Alex. Tooth, Fine Arts. John Murray, Publisher. G. Herbert Thring, W. Oliver Hodges (Barris- ter-at-Law), Society of Authors. * W. Agnew, D. C. Thompson, Printsellers' Association. The business before the committee was “To consider the proposals received from Canada, respecting Anglo-Canadian copyright, and to agree as to what action should be taken thereon.” Mr. John Murray was voted into the chair. .. After some discussion, and considering the unwieldy size of the committee, it was decided to appoint a sub-committee as representative of the different sections as possible to consider carefully, and in detail, the Canadian proposals, and to draft an answer to lay before the Colonial Office, which answer would first, however, be submitted to the general committee for its approval. -- The members of the sub-committee elected for that purpose were: H. R. Clayton, Musical Publishers; F. R. Daldy, Copyright Association; EI  ## p. 68 (#82) ############################################## 68 TIIE A UTIIOIP. Arthur Lucas, Fine Arts; G. Herbert Thring, the Authors’ Society. The sub-committee was subsequently called together, and met on Monday, July 2, at 4, Portu- gal-street, the offices of the Society of Authors. Mr. Daldy took the chair, and before opening the discussion stated that he thought the plans of the sub-committee must be slightly altered, as he saw from the Times that the question of Canadian copyright was being brought before the meeting of colonial delegates at Ottawa. He proceeded to inform the sub-committee that he had con- sented, with the approval of Her Majesty’s Government, to attend the Canadian meeting, both to hear what the Canadians had to say and to keep the English authors' point of view pro- minently before the meeting. The sub-committee accordingly determined to adjourn its meeting until Mr. Daldy's return, but read through provisionally the Canadian sugges- tions, in order to put before Mr. Daldy the salient points of objection to the proposed legislation. IV.-Con TRIBUTORS AND CoPYRIGHT. A form of receipt issued by the Religious Tract Society is thus headed: COPYRIGHT. This receipt conveys the copyright to the trustees of the Religious Tract Society with liberty for them, at their discretion, to republish in any form. Republication by authors on their own account must be the subject of special arrangement. If this receipt is sent to the contributor with- out previous special agreement conveying not only the serial right, but also the copyright to the Society for the consideration of a certain sum paid, the contributor should refuse signature or he should strike his pen through the above words. If the Religious Tract Society refuses to pay without these words, he should then, unless his necessities compel him to endure everything, lace the business in the hands of the secretary of the Authors' Society. Nothing is more certain than that a paper offered to any magazine is offered, unless the contrary is stated, on the usual terms, under Section XVIII. of the Act, viz., the right for separate publication to be matter of separate agreement between author and proprietor of the magazine during the period prescribed by law of twenty-eight years, when the right to publish separately again reverts to the author. Unless, therefore, the copyright and the right to republish without the author's sanction are bought by special agreement, the author has the right to veto the republication by any other person during the term aforesaid. Observe that the condition above quoted indicates that the copyright may be valuable, and therefore the author should keep all his rights or make a sepa- rate contract. If it is valuable it must be bought, and not taken. - [The following is Section XVIII. of the Act above referred to :—“XVIII. And be it enacted, That when any publisher or other person shall, before or at the time of the passing of this Act, have projected, conducted, and carried on, or shall hereafter project, conduct, and carry on, or be the proprietor of any encyclopædia, review, magazine, periodical work, or work published in a series of books or parts, or any book whatsoever, and shall have employed or shall employ any persons to compose the same, or any volumes, parts, essays, articles, or portions thereof, for publica- tion in or as part of the same, and such work, Volumes, parts, essays, articles, or portions shall have been or shall hereafter be composed under such employment, on the terms that the copy- right therein shall belong to such proprietor, pro- jector, publisher, or conductor, and paid for by such proprietor, projector, publisher, or con- ductor, the copyright in every such encyclopædia, review, magazine, periodical work, and work published in a series of books or parts, and in every volume, part, essay, article, and portion so composed and paid for, shall be the property of Such proprietor, projector, publisher, or other conductor, who shall enjoy the same rights as if he were the actual author thereof, and shall have such term of copyright therein as is given to the authors of books by this Act; except only that in the case of essays, articles, or portions forming part of and first published in reviews, magazines, or other periodical works of a like nature, after the term of twenty-eight years from the first publication thereof respectively the right of pub- lishing the same in a separate form shall revert to the author for the remainder of the term given by this Act: Provided always, that during the term of twenty-eight years the said proprietor, projector, publisher, or conductor, shall not. publish any such essay, article, or portion separately or singly, without the consent previously obtained, of the author thereof, or his assigns: Provided, also, that nothing herein con- tained shall alter or affect the right of any person who shall have been or who shall be so employed. as aforesaid to publish any such his composition in a separate form who by any contract, express or implied, may have reserved or may hereafter reserve to himself such right; but every author reserving, retaining, or having such right shall be entitled to the copyright in such composition when published in a separate form, according to this Act, without prejudice to the right of such proprietor, projector, publisher, or conductor as aforesaid.] -  ## p. 69 (#83) ############################################## TIII. A UTIIOIR. 69 THE LAUREATESHIP. HERE seems an inclination, perhaps an in- tention, on the part of the Government to allow the office of Poet Laureate to fall into abeyance. This abeyance, if it continues, will certainly end in abolition, because an ancient thing may easily be destroyed, but is with great difficulty created alléW. Why should it be left in abeyance P There are two reasons which may influence the Premier : First, the impossibility of finding a successor to Tennyson of equal weight; and, next, the diffi- culty of selection, with the certainty of hostile criticism whatever appointment be made. It seems to some, however, highly desirable that the appointment should be filled up. Among other considerations the following are advanced : I. It is an office of considerable antiquity, honoured by the names of Spenser, Ben Jonson, Dryden, Southey, Wordsworth, and Tennyson. It has been continued and recognised as an office of the State for 300 years. 2. It is the only recognition of literature offered by the State. By no other office, appointment, or distinction, does the State take the least notice of literature. The question of the national distinctions in relation to literature has been frequently discussed in these columns. It is true that there are members of this Society whose position in the world of letters entitles them to the highest consideration, who do not think that the interests of literature would be advanced by the creation of distinctive honours or the granting to men of letters those distinctions and orders now reserved for the Services. But it is also true that there are other men of letters, also of position, who hold that for a State not to recognise literature is to teach the people that literature is not worthy of honour. Now the office of Poet Laureate is, to repeat, the only attempt made by the State to show that poetry is deserving the honour and recognition of the people. 3. The argument that, because Tennyson stood higher than his confrères there is to be no successor, if applied to other offices and titles of distinction would very soon lead to the abolition of all such offices. There would be left, in short, no distinctions at all. 4. The argument that hostile criticism would follow any appointment would, if applied to other distinctions, equally lead to their abolition. The king is dead; another king must follow. It is not at all a question whether the choice will please every one. Again, hostile criticism would WOL. W. - die away as quickly as it arose. However hostile,' it would hurt nobody; on the supposition that. the Premier had made the appointment without regard to Party, and with the sole object of nominating the man he considered best, he could suffer no possible harm; nor could the newly appointed Laureate, whose name and reputation must be already before us, suffer any harm. After all, the worst that can be said in such a case is that an anonymous critic considers A. a. very much better poet than B. Besides, it is surely unworthy of a Prime Minister to fear hostile criticism in matters of literature when he cannot escape it in politics. 5. The fact that such an appointment gives. great importance to a poet in the eyes of the world may also be considered. When a Regius Professor of Greek is appointed, the new Pro- fessor is lifted at once far above his fellow scholars. Yet there may be among these as good Greek scholars. Nobody doubts this. But nobody, in consequence, proposes that the Regius Pro- fessorship of Greek should be abolished for fear of giving him an importance above his fellow scholars. w 6. In such a case as this, public opinion— . meaning the opinion of the cultivated public— points out a certain number of living poets as the fittest for the appointment. It is not a question whether there are men of Tennyson’s stature, but solely who are the available men in poetry with- out reference to opinion, Party, or any other point whatever ? 7. There are, in the opinion of most literary men, whose opinion is not likely to be asked, poets who are entirely worthy to fill a post occupied by the Poets Laureate of the past; and there is so much promise in the work of the younger men, that, in their interests alone, the distinction ought to be preserved. - 8. There is no question of expense. It must be . allowed by all that this meagre national recogni- tion of Literature is made on the cheapest possible terms. If it be thought that the very modest income attached to the distinction has anything to do with the desire to retain this solitary honour, bestowed upon Poetry among those distributed on the Services and Law, not to speak of Physic and Art, it might be found desirable to deprive the Laureateship of its income. These considerations are advanced as a few of those which influence many of this body in their desire to maintain the office and to see it filled again as soon as possible. On the eve of the general holidays nothing can be done except to place on record these few notes. It may be added, however, that some of the members are desirous of bringing the matter - H 2  ## p. 70 (#84) ############################################## 70 TIII. A UTII.O.IP. before the council with an invitation to some public expression of opinion, if that should seem good to the collective wisdom of the Society. *-- * ~ * z-- ~s CIVIL LIST PENSIONS. I. HE list of pensions granted during the year ended June 20, 1894, and charged upon the Civil List, is as follows: Miss Adeline Amy Leech, only surviving sister of the late Mr. John Leech, in addition to pensions of £25 and £IO already granted to her, 335; Professor T. W. Rhys Davids, in recognition of his merits as a student of Oriental literature, 32do; Mrs. Sophia Eder- sheim, in recognition of the merits of her late husband, Dr. Edersheim, as a writer on theology and Biblical criticism, 375; Mrs. Elizabeth Baker Mozley, in recognition of the merits of her late husband, the Rev. Thomas Mozley, 375; the Rev. Wentworth Webster, in consideration of his researches into the language, literature, and archaeology, of the Basques, 3150 ; the Lady Alice Portal, in recognition of the distinguished services of her late husband, Sir Gerald Herbert Portal, 3150; Mr. T. H. S. Escott, in considera- tion of his merits as an author and journalist, 281 oo; Mr. John Beattie Crozier, in consideration of his philosophical writings and researches, 250; Dr. Thomas Gordon Hake, in recognition of his merits as a poet, 365; Mr. Samuel Alfred Warley, in consideration of his services to electrical science, 3850; Mrs. Amy Cameron, in considera- tion of the services rendered to geographical science by her late husband, Captain Werney Lovett Cameron, £50; Mrs. Ellis Margaret Hassall, in consideration of the services of her late husband, Dr. Arthur Hill Hassall, 3850; Miss Matilda Betham-Edwards, in con- sideration of her literary merits, £50; Mrs. Ratharine S. Macquoid, in consideration of her contributions to literature, 35o ; Miss Rosalind Hawker and Miss Juliet Hawker in consideration of the literary merits of their late father, the Rev. Stephen Hawker, 325 each. The total of the pensions amounts to £12Oo. II. “Mr. Bartley asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question concerning one of the names in this List. “The Chancellor of the Exchequer: Civil Lis; pensions are not intended, as the hon. Imember appears to suppose, for ‘literary men and women in necessitous circumstances.’ The sixth section of the Civil Trist Act (I Wict. cap. 2) provides that they may be granted to ‘such persons only as have just claims on the Royal beneficence, or who, by their personal services to the Crown, by the performance of duties to the public, or by their useful discoveries in science and attain- ments in literature and the arts, have merited the gracious consideration of their Sovereign and the gratitude of their country.” “Mr. Bartley asked whether it was a fact that practically this bounty had always been given to reward those who were in necessitous circum- stances; whether it had ever yet been given to persons who were fairly well off and did not require it ; and whether there were not a great number of necessitous persons in literature and science to whom this grant would have been of much greater service. “The Chancellor of the Exchequer: I must answer in the negative every one of these questions. I have never yet heard that the late Lord Tennyson was in necessitous circumstances.” — Times. *—- - -º * * *—s THE AMERICAN MEMORIAL TO KEATS, N Monday, July 17, the bust of Keats, executed by Miss Anne Whitney, of Boston, Mass., and given to the English nation by a small body of Americans, lovers of the poet, was unveiled at Hampstead parish church, in the presence of a very large assem- blage. The memorial was received by Mr. Edmund Gosse, on behalf of English men and women of letters. The bust was presented by Mr. J. Holland Day, the secretary of the American Memorial Committee. He stated in a brief address that it was by the wish of his committee that the monument should be erected in the church of the place where Keats spent his few happy days. The memorial itself was highly approved by the late Mr. Lowell. The bust was modelled twenty years ago by Miss Whitney, and the bracket supporting it was designed by Mr. Bertram Goodhue. Mr. Edmund Gosse replied as follows: It is with no small emotion that we receive to-day, from the hands of his American admirers, a monument inscribed to the memory of Keats. Those of us who may be best acquainted with the history of the poet will not be surprised that you have convened us to the church of Hamp- stead, although it was not here that he was born nor here that he died. Yet some who are present. to-day may desire to be reminded why it is that when we think of Keats we think of Hampstead. It is in his twenty-first year, in 1816, that we  ## p. 71 (#85) ############################################## TIII) A UTIIOIR. 7 I find the frst record of his ascent of this historic eminence. He appears, then, on the brow of Hampstead Hill as the visitor, as the disciple of Leigh Hunt, in his cottage in the Vale of Health. He comes, an ardent lad, with great flashing eyes and heavy auburn curls, carrying in his hand a wreath of ivy for the brows of Mr. Hunt. Nearly eighty years ago—this pilgrimage of boyish enthusiasm—but a few months after Waterloo. The last rumblings of the long European wars were dying away in the distance. Our unhappy contest with that great young republic which you, Sir, so gracefully represent to-day, just over and done with. How long ago it seems, this page of history, how dusty and shadowy ; and how fresh and near across the face of it the visit of the boyish poet to his friend and master on the hill of Hampstead | Such at all events was the earliest appearance of Keats in this place, and here the “prosperous opening” of his poetical career was made. Here he first met Shelley, Haydon, and perhaps Wordsworth ; hence in 1817, from under these “pleasant trees” and the “leafy luxury" of the Vale of Health, his earliest volume was sent forth to the world; here, in lodgings of his own at Well-walk, he settled in that same summer that he might devote himself to the composition of “Endymion.” Here his best friends clustered round him— Bailey find Cowden Clarke, Dilke and Armitage, Brown and Reynolds. Here it was that, in the autumn of 1818, he met, at Wentworth-place, that brisk and shapely lady whose fascination was to make the cup of his sorrows overflow ; hence it was that, on Sept. 18, 1820, he started for Italy, a dying man. All of Keats that is vivid and intelligent, all that is truly characteristic of his genius and his vitality, is centred around Hampstead, and you, his latest western friends, have shown a fine instinct in bringing here, and not elsewhere, the gifts and tributes of your love. If we find it easy to justify the locality which you have chosen for your monument to Keats, it is surely not less easy, although more serious and more elaborate, to bring forward reasons for the existence of that monument itself. In the first place, that you should so piously have prepaled, and that we so eagerly and so unanimously accept, a marble effigy of Keats, what does it signify, if not that we and you alike acknowledge the fame that it represents to be durable, stimulat- ing, and exalted P For, consider with me for a moment, how singularly unattached is the repu- tation of this our Hampstead poet. It rests upon no privilege of birth, no “stake in the country,” as we say ; it is fostered by no alliance of powerful friends or wide circle of personal influences; no one living to-day has seen Keats, or artificially preserves his memory for any private purpose. In all but verse, his name was, as he said, “writ on water.” He is identified with no progression of ideas, no religious or political or social propa- ganda. He is either a poet or absolutely nothing—we withdraw the poetical elements from our conception of him, and what is left P The palestphantom of a livery-stable-keeper's son, an unsuccessful medical student, an ineffectual consumptive lad who died in obscurity more than seventy years ago. . You will forgive me for reminding you of this absence of all secondary qualities, of all outer accomplishments of life in the career of that great man whom we celebrate to-day, because in so doing I exalt the one primary quality which raises him among the principali- ties and powers of the human race, and makes our celebration of him to-day perfectly rational and explicable to all instructed men and women. It is not every one who appreciates poetry; it may be that such appreciation is really a some- what rare and sequestered gift. But all practical men can understand that honour is due to those who have performed a difficult and noble task with superlative distinction. We may be no politicians, but we can comprehend the enthu- siasm excited by a consummate statesman. Be it a sport or a profession, an art or a discovery, all men and women can acquiesce in the praise which is due to him who has exercised it the best out of a thousand who have attempted it. This, then, would be your answer to any who should question the propriety of your zeal or of our gratitude to day. We are honouring John Reats—we should reply in unison—because he did with superlative charm and skill a thing which mankind has agreed to include among the noblest and most elevated occupations of the human intelligence. We honour in the lad who passed so long unobserved among the inhabitants of Hampstead, a poet, and nothing but a poet, but one of the very greatest poets that the modern world bas seen. The Professor of Poetry at Oxford reminds me that Tennyson was more than once heard to assert that Keats, had his life been prolonged, would have been our greatest poet since Milton. This conviction is one now open to discussion, of course, but fit to be propounded in any assem- 'blage of competent judges. It may be stated, at least, and yet the skies not fall upon our heads. Fifty years ago to have made such a proposition in public would have been thought ridiculous, and sixty years ago almost wicked. When I was myself a child, I remember that I met with the name of Keats for the first time in conjunction with that of Kirke White, an insipid poetaster  ## p. 72 (#86) ############################################## 72 - TIIE A UTIIOIP. whose almost only merit was his early death. When the late Lord Houghton—a name so dear to many present, a name never to be mentioned without sympathy in any collection of literary persons— when Monckton Milnes—as in 1848 he still was— published his delightful life of Keats, it was widely looked upon as a rash and fantastic act to concentrate so much attention on so imperfect a ‘Career. But all that is over now. Keats lives, as he modestly assured his friends would be the case, among the English poets. Nor among them merely, but in the first rank of them—among the very few of whom we instinctively think when- ever the characteristic versemen of our race are spoken of. To what does he owe this pre- eminence—he, the boy in this assemblage of strong men and venerable greybeards, he who had ceased to sing at an age when most of them were still practising their prosodical scales? To answer this adequately would take us much too far afield for a short address, the object of which is simply to acknowledge with decency your amiable gift. But some brief answer we must essay to make. - Originality of poetic style was not, it seems to me, the predominant characteristic of Keats. It might have come with ripening years, but it cannot be at all certain that it would. It never came to Pope or to Lamartine, to Virgil, or to Tennyson. It has come to poets infinitely the inferiors of these, infinitely the inferiors of Keats. They who strive after direct originality forget that to be unlike those who have preceded us, in all the forms and methods of expression, is not by any means certainly to be either felicitous or distinguished. There is hardly any excellent feature in the poetry of I(eats which is not super- ficially the feature of some well-recognised master of an age precedent to his own. He boldly takes down, as from some wardrobe of beautiful and diverse raiment, the dress of Spenser, of Milton, of Homer, of Ariosto, of Fletcher, and wears each in turn, thrown over shoulders which completely change its whole appearance and lºroportion. But, if he makes use of modes which are already familiar to us, in their broad outlines, as the modes invented by earlier masters, it is mainly because his temperament was one which impera- tively led him to select the best of all possible forms of expression. His excursions into other people's provinces were always undertaken with a view to the annexation of the richest and most fertile acres. It is comparatively vain to specu- late as to the future of a man whose work was all done between the ages of nineteen and four- and-twenty. Yet I think we may see that what Keats was rapidly progressing towards, until the moment when his health gave way, was a crystal- lisation into one fused and perfect style of all the best elements of the poetry of the ages. When we think of Byron, we see that he would pro- bably have become absorbed in the duties of the ruler of a nation ; in Shelley we conjecture that all was being merged in the politician and the humanitarian, but in Keats poetry was ever steadily and exclusively ascendant. Shall I say what will startle you if I confess that I sometimes fancy that we lost in the author of the five great odes the most masterly capacity for poetic expres- sion which the world has ever seen P |Be this as it may, without vain speculation we may agree that we possess even in this fragment of work, in this truncated performance, one of the most splendid inheritances of English literature. “I have loved the principle of beauty in all things,” Keats most truly said, “the mighty abstract idea of beauty in all things.” It is this passion for intellectual beauty—less disturbed, perhaps, by distracting aims in him than in any other writer of all time—that sets the crown on our conception of his poetry. When he set out upon his mission, as a boy of twenty, he entered that “Chamber of Maiden Thought” of which he speaks to Reynolds, where he became intoxicated with the light and the atmosphere. Many of his warmest admirers seem to have gone with him no further, to have stayed there among the rich colours and the Lydian melodies and the enchant- ing fresh perfumes. But the real Keats evades them if they pass no further. He had already risen to graver and austerer things, he had already bowed his shoulders under the Burden of the Mystery. But even in those darker galleries and up those harsher stairs he took one lamp with him, the light of harmonious thought. The pro- found and exquisite melancholy of his latest verse is permeated with this conception of the loftiest beauty as the only consolation in our jarring and bewildered world : - Beauty is truth, truth beauty—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. And now, Sir, we turn again to you and to the gracious gift you bring us. In one of his gay moods, Keats wrote to his brother George in Rentucky, “If I had a prayer to make, it should be that one of your children should be the first American poet.” That wish was not realised; the “little child o' the western wild” remained, I believe, resolutely neglectful of the lyre its uncle offered to it. But the prophecies of great poets are fulfilled in divers ways, and in a broader sense all the recent poets of America. are of Keats' kith and kin. Not one but has felt his influence; not one but has been swayed by his passion for the ethereal beauty; not one  ## p. 73 (#87) ############################################## THE AUTIIOI8. 73 but is proud to recognise his authority and dignity. The ceremony of to-day, so touching and so significant, is really, therefore, the pilgrimage of long-exiled children to what was once the home of their father.” Mr. Gosse then read the following sonnet by Mr. Theodore Watts, which appeared in the Athenæum of July 14: Thy gardens bright with limbs of gods at play— Those bowers whose flowers are fruits, Hesperian sweets That light with heaven the soul of him who eats, And lend his veins Olympian blood of day— Were only lent, and, since thou couldst not stay, Better to die than wake in sorrow, Keats, Where even the Sirens' song no longer cheats— Where Love's long “Street of Tombs' still lengthens grey. IBotter to nestle there in arms of Flora, Ere Youth, the king of Earth and Beauty's heir, Drinking such breath in meadows of Aurora As bards of morning drank, AEgean air, Woke in Eld’s lonely caverns of Ellora, Carven with visions dead and sights that were ! Lord Houghton (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) then addressed the meeting.” His Lordship remarked that it was as the son of Richard Monckton Milnes that he was present that day. He wished his father could have been spared to see that ceremony. The last occasion on which his father appeared in public was at the unveiling of the memorial to the poet Gray. He could not conceive anything which would have moved his father more profoundly than this graceful recog- nition of a poet of whose life and work he was so affectionate a student, by a number of dis- tinguished citizens of that great American Union which he so loved and honoured, and throughout the long breadth of which he owned so many valued friends. It was a most cherished belief of his that, in spite of the political separation which he supposed must be for ever, the unity between the two great countries should be, and was, preserved in the brotherhood of letters on the basis of a common great poetical ancestry. He (Lord Houghton) trusted that he might be allowed to express his own appreciation of the honour which was done to the English world of letters by the graceful homage of so many American ladies and gentlemen to the poet Reats, of whom in his day the world was not worthy, but who was uow regarded as one of the most beloved of English writers. Mr. Sidney Colvin said that these memorials of great men were none too frequent in this country. Here in Hampstead there were two sites especially connected with the memory of Keats, the beloved poet. One was Well-walk, which * The report which follows is taken from the Hampstead and Highgate Ea'press of July 21. still partly retained its ancient features. He believed that the house in which Keats lived with Bentley the postman no longer existed—that Well-walk had been shortened. The bench was pointed out where he sat, but that was not altogether satisfactory. However, lower down, in what was the village of Hampstead, but was now a town, in John-street, there was remarkably little change. The house in which he lived, the garden in which he wrote the famous “Address to the Nightingale,” still existed. He (Mr. Colvin) remembered going there, now ten years ago, with one who had looked upon the features of Adonaïs—a brother of Charles Wentworth Dilke —who showed him what the changes were, so that one could see at Lawn Bank what exactly were the two houses, in one of which Keats lived with the Browns. It had often occurred to him that a benefactor or benefactors might secure that house and make it a memorial to the poet who lived and wrote and suffered there. Perhaps that dream may be realised—perhaps not. In any case they could not be too grateful to those American friends who had brought this memorial now set up in that old parish church of Hamp- stead. Keats was bound to the American people by special ties. Several of his collateral descen- dants were citizens of the United States, and a great deal of what was warmest in his nature flowed out to that country in that invaluable series of charming, enthusiastic letters which he wrote to his brother and sister-in-law at Touis- ville. There could be no question that, of all places to choose for a memorial to Keats, Hamp- stead was the proper place. The best and almost the worst of his life were passed here; and it was in what was then Wentworth House that the first pangs of the illness from which he was never to recover laid him low. He (Mr. Colvin) hoped that here, in the enormously enlarged Hampstead of to-day, would be found, with its increase of homes, a proportionate increase of the readers and lovers of poetry, and that amongst the popu- lation of this place, as well as amongst the larger populations represented in that assembly, there would be found a unanimous sense and voice of gratitude to the English women and Englishmen from over the seas who had brought them that gift. Mr. Francis Turner Palgrave, Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford, said that Rome, that city wherein were buried three illustrious, unhappy poets—Tasso, Shelley, and Keats, and he the youngest—already held two records of his memory; one the tablet on the house where he died, the other his gravestone in the cemetery where he was buried beneath the wall of Aurelian. Keats' short wandering life  ## p. 74 (#88) ############################################## 74 - THE AUTHOIR. made it difficult to find a decisively fit place for a memorial in his own country. But he thought it would be agreed that none better could have been chosen than Hampstead, where between 1816 and 1820, many of his brightest and also his saddest days were spent, where in early youth he met Hunt and Haydon, and Shelley, where afterwards, when just seemingly in sight of home and happiness the fatal signals of consumption constrained him to confess the terrible Lasciate ogni speranza, and bid farewell to her who was never to be his bride. In Hampstead also were partly written the poems published (1817) in the first of his three precious volumes, full of un- tutored fresh delight in nature and friendship and art, and here, but three years later, some of those splendid lyrical tales and odes which, as Alfred Tennyson more than once said to him (Mr. Palgrave), gave a secure promise that had life been spared Keats would have proved our greatest in poetry since Milton. “ By nothing,” said Matthew Arnold, “is England so glorious as by her poetry.” The place of Keats in that sphere was now established, and needed no words from him. They could read how this “half-schooled ” youth, the stablekeeper's son, the surgeon’s apprentice, not only by native force and inspiration, but by most careful devotion to his art, in some four years' work made himself worthy of the praise bestowed on him by Tennyson, while he also gave clear proof that human life in its deepest and highest sense, yet always under the law of beauty, would have been the subject of his maturer verse. Even more than is the usual fate of high genius, Keats, from his own day onwards, had been misunderstood. He was held sensuous in his life and in his poetry, a second Agathon, wanting in manliness and spirit, a feeble being in all ways. Yet, on the strength of his own Writings, his verse and his letters, and also of all trustworthy records, he ventured to call Keats not only one of the most profoundly interesting, but one of the most attractive and most lovable figures in literature. Manliness, magnanimity, unselfish devotedness, deep love of friends and family, chivalry to woman, sensitiveness too intense for peace of mind, were the dominant notes of his nature. Whilst wholly free from Vanity, Keats was personally self-respecting, and, in that laudable sense, proud, but as to his abilities and his own work almost pathetically humble-minded. Young as he was, he bore what Charles Lamb so truly defined as the surest sign of the highest genius—sanity. In all that there was even more promise of life than in his poetry itself. Thus “lovable and considerate to the last,” humbly after his wont, not (as misinterpreted) bitterly, he spoke of his work and name as “writ in water.” This was a noble soul, strangely and sorely tried, and let them only add there, Re- quiescat in pace. Mr. J. Willis Clark, Registrar of the University of Cambridge, observed that we were apt to accept our historic past too passively, and needed from time to time a gentle awakening by friendly hands to the duties which it entailed. The bust they had received that day would not only remind them of the past, but of those who remembered that Keats had been left without visible memorial in his own country. “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever,” and they rejoiced not only over their beautiful new possession, but over the graceful Kindness of those who had given it to them. Mr. F. H. Day then conducted Mr. Gosse to the bust, and the latter unveiled it. The “bust '' is placed on a square base or bracket, like the bust itself of white marble, against the right-hand side of the chancel, facing the congregation. A portrait of the poet, wrought fortunately in his life-time, has served and, perhaps, inspired the sculptor. On the bracket is inscribed, in gilt letters, “To the ever-living memory of John Reats this monument is erected by Americans, MDCCCXCIV.” Mendelssohn’s anthem, “Then shall the righteous shine forth in their heavenly Father's home,” was then sung, with the chorus, “He that shall endure to the end,” by the choir. A shortened form of evening prayer concluded the ceremony. *- ~ 2-’ ,-- * ~ * NOTES AND NEWS. S the three volume novel really ended ? I think not. A large number of popular novelists will in future publish in the single volume first ; a certain number of novels which have hitherto brought the authors a small sum will cease to appear, because it will not be worth the publisher’s trouble to go on producing them for his share, nor for the author to write them for his share, which we may be quite certain will in many cases be made to bear the whole loss. There will remain a remnant; it will consist chiefly of those books which, if 200 or so are taken by the libraries at I Is. a copy, will pay th ir expenses and something over for the publisher. The author will receive the glory which awaits the writer of such a work. One or two writers of repute will perhaps remain, but not many; the three volume novel will not be ended all at once, but it is doomed; it will die, but perhaps more slowly than we think.  ## p. 75 (#89) ############################################## TIIE A UTIIOR. 75 Should the three-volume novel perish without its farewell hymn P Should there be found no bard in all this land who would be moved to say a word of praise and lamentation ? Not so, The Saturday Review has produced its poet. The old Three-Decker will not vanish without its funeral hymn. He is a worthy poet; his numbers are worthy of the subject. Every writer of three- volume novels should cut out the poem and frame it and hang it up. Anonymous (P) singer, we thank thee! For those who have not read that dirge here is a sample of its quality. Rair held the Trade behind us; ’twas warm with lovers' prayers ; We’d stolen wills for ballast and a crew of missing heirs. They shipped as Able Bastards till the Wicked Nurse con- fessed. And they worked the old Three-Decker to the Islands of the Blest. We asked no social questions, we pumped no hidden shame; - We never talked obstetrics when the Little Stranger came ; We left the Lord in Heaven ; we left the fiends in Hell; We weren't exactly Yusufs but—Zuleika didn’t tell! And through the maddest welter and 'neath the wildest skies, We'd pipe all hands to listen to the skipper's homilies; For oft he’d back his topsle or moor in open Sea. To draw a just reflextion from a pirate on the lee. No moral doubt assailed us, so when the port we neared The Villain took his flogging at the gangway, and we cheered. 'Twas fiddle on the foc'sle—’twas garlands at the mast, For every one got married, and I went ashore at last. I left 'em all in couples a-kissing on the decks; I left the lovers loving and the parents signing cheques— In endless English comfort, by county-folk caressed, I left the old Three-Decker at the Islands of the Blest. IN our notice on the Three Volume Nove] of last number it was assumed that the Cost of Production of a small edition was about £I2O. It is, however, well to consider that there are cheaper methods. Those novels which are issued with a view to a short run in the circulating libraries only, and are not, practically, offered to the public at all, require little or no advertising. Agreat saving is therefore effected under that head. But they are also printed at a much cheaper rate than that contemplated in the Society’s pamphlet. The page is smaller, to begin with ; it contains, as a general rule, about twenty-two lines and 17O words to a page. There are generally 900 pages in the three volumes, or fifty-six sheets, as in our estimate. The work is given out to a cheap printer, who does not employ union men, and pays his compositors less than 9s. a sheet for setting up. It will be understood that with such wages our estimate of 19s. 6d. a sheet for com- position may be very considerably reduced. If the work is also given out by a yearly contract, still further reductions may be made on every item. In fact such a novel can be produced in this manner for something like 38o, or even less. If, therefore, only 250 copies are taken by the libraries—it is a very common thing for a novel not to exceed this circulation—we have at I4S., a return of £175 on an expenditure of £80. It is clearly therefore in the interests of those who have hitherto produced these three volume novels to continue them as long as they possibly cun. Even with the reduction to IIs. a copy will yield a return of £1 17 against an expenditure of £80. The bistory of the novel, when it comes to be written, will show how it has been issued, at different times, in three volumes, four volumes, and even more, for the convenience of the reader, and to avoid holding a heavy volume; the price varied in amount, but was always high ; the people who read them were a small minority, but they bought books. There was no cheap edition thought of, because there was no public outside this small circle of readers. Gradually the circle widened ; there grew up in many places, such as Norwich, Lichfield, and other cathedral towns, circles of readers who wanted to read more than they could afford to buy. Already in London the circulating library had been started. In the country towns book clubs were established—in many respects much more convenient than the circulating library. There were so many book clubs in the country sixty years ago that any publisher of repute could place at once a thousand copies of a new work. This fact explains the great output of nove's about that time; it was s) easy to place them that publishers very naturally thought little of the quality, and sent out so much rubbish that the book clubs refused to take them, and preferred extinction. The English novel during the Thirties and Forties fell into profound dis- repute except for one or two writers—Dickens, Lytton, Ainsworth, for example—who kept the lamp from extinguishing. The cheap edition was introduced about thirty years ago. It was not customary until twenty-five years ago to reprint a serial novel from a magazine. The critics in those days used to be very angry with one who did not acknowledge that his book had appeared in a serial form ; they spoke of it as a deception played upon the public. The appearance of the cheap form began with the two shilling or railway novel; it was at first called contemptuously the “sensation ” novel; people were a little ashamed of liking a good story: the rest we know. Knight, Chambers, Bohn,  ## p. 76 (#90) ############################################## 76 THE AUTHOR. began and carried on the issue of cheap literature; but I believe the only form which proved very successful was that of the novel. The form and price of the novel, as it has varied during the last century, could easily be learned by following the advertisements in the Gentleman’s Magazine, Blackwood’s, the Quarterly, the Edinburgh, and the Athenæum. The last named paper did not begin till, I believe, 1834, but sixty years carries one back a long way in the history of a novel. The advertisement sheets in books would also be of some use. Here is a difficulty not uncommon with us. The young aspirant sends a MS. to the Society to be read. He receives a critical opinion, in which the faults of construction, of style, and everything else are pointed out and explained. His manner of receiving this opinion varies; in many cases he acknowledges the justice of the opinion and the value of the advice; in other cases he falls into wrath. Sometimes he returns his MS. after an interval, saying that he has now altered everything in obedi- ence to his critic, and asks where his work can be placed. Altered the MS. has been, and yet it will not do. How can one make the young aspirant understand that a mere alteration here and there is not enough; that he must change himself so that such defects are impossible P How, again, can one make a young man learn that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred he who succeeds has to work his way upwards P Here and there a Keats blazes out in poetry; here and there a Kipling strikes the right note in early manhood; here and there a Dickens; more often it is the slow growth and the continued work which produced a Fielding, a Thackeray, a Balzac. The mention in Mr. Gosse's address of Henry Kirke White was doubtless suggested by Byron's exaggerated praise and regret for that now neglected and forgotten poet. His early promise, his untimely death, his gallant struggle with adverse fortune, his sincere piety, his simple and beautiful letters procured for him a far greater name than his poetical achievement deserved. He wrote verses with ease, sometimes with grace, and never with any real power or originality. He was born in the greatest poverty, he taught himself, he published a volume of verse in his eighteenth year, he was sent to Cambridge by the Rev. Dr. Simeon, he showed great mathe- matical ability, and would certainly have dis- tinguished himself very highly in mathematical honours; he published another volume of verse —or was it posthumous P-and he died of con- sumption at the age of twenty-one. Had he lived he would have been, probably, Senior Wrangler, First Smith's Prizeman, Fellow of St. John's, lecturer, tutor, leader in the evangelical world, and successor in that position to Dr. Simeon ; Master of his college, and, in due course, perhaps a Bishop. He would also, most certainly, have indited many hymns, some of which we should now be singing out of “Hymns Ancient and Modern,” and there would have been portraits of Him in steel engravings, with a light not of this world in his eyes, sleek and wavy hair, straight whiskers, a silk gown, and Geneva bands. Forty or fifty years ago it was the custom to present boys with an edition of Henry Kirke White, con- taining his poems, a memoir, and selections from his letters. There is a tablet to his memory in one of the Cambridge churches, placed there by an American, like that of Keats at Hampstead, with some memorial lines by Professor Smyth. The Professor meant well, and, indeed, in such verse one cannot very well explain that “un- conquered powers” must be taken poetically. Warm with fond hope and learning's sacred fame, To Granta's bowers the youthful poet came, TJnconquered powers th’ immortal mind displayed; But, worn with anxious thought, the frame decayed. Bale o'er his lamp, and in his cell retired, The martyr student faded and expired— Oh! genius, taste, and piety sincere, Too early lost, 'midst studies too severe ! A letter from Dr. C. J. Wills, on p. 81, calls attention to the use of books in the compilation of articles for the press. In an article to which he refers there were, in all, 759 words, of which 577, or by far the greater part, were, word for word, taken from his book. The writer of the article, it appears—though he denied having seen the book—acknowledged his indebtedness to the “Encyclopædia Britannica,” in which Dr. Wills's book had been quoted, and properly acknowledged. To quote without acknowledgment is, however, a very different thing. Such a case as this is one which may happen to any editor. A contributor, believed to have special knowledge on a certain subject, is invited, or offers, to write upon that subject. Who can suppose that the man of special knowledge is going to consult the “Encyclopædia Britannica?” Why employ the specialist if the Encyclopædia will answer the purpose? An intelligent boy, to select and to copy, would do perfectly well, and be a good deal cheaper. One thing is quite certain, that when a man submits an article, it is understood that it is an original article, wholly written by him from knowledge specially obtained and possessed by him. Any one, for instance, with the aid of  ## p. 77 (#91) ############################################## TILE AUTIOR. .77 “Cook's Voyages,” could write on the manners and customs of the natives of Terra Del Fuego. But only one who has been among this interesting people can write an account containing the results of personal observation. The custom of journalism is that he who com- ments on things—atticles, books, arguments speeches—that is, the leader writer—may use freely whatever he finds in the book or the speech which may assist or advance his own contention. Thus a leader writer on “Fashion among Persian Women’’ would naturally turn to Dr. Wills for the facts; he would freely use the book; but even then he would probably acknowledge his autho- rity. On the other hand, one who communicates a paper on “Fashion among Persian Women” is expected at least to write an original paper. It may be taken for granted that such was the expectation of the editor in this case when he accepted and published the paper on “Persian Women.” Dr. Wills asks how much of an article tendered and accepted as original can be copied, borrowed, or extracted from books or papers on the subject. The answer, of course, is plain—without acknow- ledgment, nothing. How much with acknow- ledgment P That depends upon the editor. It does seem, however, as if a special tariff might with advantage be adopted for such cases. Borrowed work Imight be paid for at the rate of, say, a penny a folio—the price given to a law st itioner for copying documents. The Westminster Budget has called attention to the great age often attained by literary men of distinction. Crébillon died at 88; Voltaire, at 83, superintended the arrangements for the per- formance of “Irene”; Madame d’Arblay died at 88; Herrick at 83; Izaak Walton at 90; John Evelyn at 83; Charles Macklin at 107; Colley Cibber at 86; Wordsworth and Tennyson at over 80; Browning close on 8o; Victor Hugo over 80; Walter Savage Landor at 90. Activity of brain clearly does not hurt the body ; is it not generally attended with physical strength P. On the other hand, Shakespeare died comparatively oung; so did Spenser, Ben Jonson, Pope, Addison, Chatterton, Keats, Byron, and Shelley; a consumptive frame, a weakly constitution, a malarious fever, an accident, account for these early deaths. If we consider, again, the long lives of theologians, lawyers, and men of science, it certainly seems as if long life, as well as honour, success, and all the other things desired by men, was given with intellectual activity. Many years ago I made a table of comparative longevity, using Hole's little Biographical Dictionary, I forget how many names it contained, but there were many hundreds. The result was that divines live longest, then lawyers, then men of letters. The pensions of the year under the Civil List show a greater amount of conscience in the appoint- ment and the distributions than has ever before, any previous year, been exhibited. There is only one appointment which ought not to appear in the list. It is a national disgrace that there is no place for the widow of a distinguished officer except in a list devoted to literature, science, and art. One is far from grudging the meagre pen- sion granted to such a lady, but it is shameful to take it from the slender provision made to litera- ture, science, and art. Elsewhere will be found a question or two asked, and answered, in the House. Mr. Bartley was quite right, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer was quite wrong. The Resolution on which the grant is made, loosely worded as it is, has always been inter- preted to mean that the pensions shall be given to literature, science, and art; unfortunately, personal service to the Crown was included, and meant provision for Her Majesty's teachers and tutors, while “performance of duties to the public ’’ never did mean naval, military, or civil services. Further, though the resolution did not say that persons were to be in necessitous circum- stances, it implied that condition, because no one in affluent circumstances would accept a pension of £75 a year. Tennyson, when he received his pension, was certainly not in affluence. Lastly, the Resolution has been of late interpreted to in- clude widows and daughters of distinguished men which it did not at first contemplate. Thus, in the list before us, eight persons out of sixteen who are on the list, are widows, sisters, or daughters of distinguished men. It is greatly to be wished that Mr. Bartley will continue to watch over the distribution of this grant. But is it not time to alter the wording of the Resolution, and to restrict the grant expressly to persons, or to the widows, children, or sisters of persons, distin- guished in literature, science, and art, who are in distressed circumstances P The book of the month is Lord Dufferin's filial tribute to the memory of his mother. Is not the Sheridan family the only family on record which has continued to hand down its best charac- teristics from one generation to another P Wit, beauty, charm, grace, genius—all these gifts seem born with the descendants of Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Elizabeth Linley. Genius, at least, not to speak of the other qualities, has  ## p. 78 (#92) ############################################## 78 TIII) A UTHOR. never before shown itself to be hereditary. Which of the numerous descendants—nephews and cousins—of Milton, Shakespeare, Dryden, Addison, Swift—what other member of the family of Shelley, Byron, Keats, Wordsworth, Lamb, has shown in his own case that poetical genius may belong to a family P I know not one case at all resembling this of the continuance ºf genius in the children and grandchildren of Sheridan. WALTER BESANT. *- a -º 4- ºr -º LONDON FREE LIBRARIES, E have already (June, 1894) referred to the Report on the Free Libraries of London contained in London, of April 19, 1894. The subject is so important that I have made a more careful analysis of the report, and present here more detailed notes upon the books read and the people who read them. We cannot give too much information to our readers, who should be more interested than any other class in the success and the spread of the free library movement, upon the literary tastes of the people, their standards, the prospects of future advance. For my own part I see nothing to change the opinion I had already formed from independent research on a much more limited scale than that of London ; it is that the taste of the people in literature is sound ; that they do not willingly choose what is called by some “slush,” and by others “truck"—meaning low and worthless works. I am, indeed, persuaded that if a book becomes popular there must be in it some quality of strength, “grip,” or interest out of the common to account for its popularity. This does not mean that a book admirable for its style or for its matter will, on that account, become popular; but that style does not, as some would pretend, make popularity impossible. Thus, among the writers who are most frequently called for are—in history, Green, Froude, Macaulay, Carlyle, and Gardner; in addition to these are mentioned, as in continual demand, Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall,” McCarthy’s “History of our own Times,” Grant’s “British Battles,” Cassell’s “Franco-German War,” Kinglake, Hallam, Malleson, Thornbury, and Strickland. In theo- logy, Farrar, Drummond, Gore, Stanley, Liddon, Newman, Geikie, Milman, Martineau, and Stop- ford Brooke, are most in demand. In art, John Ruskin is easily first, and Miss Jane Harrison and Walter Crane are also wanted. In poetry, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Byron, Goethe, Long- fellow, Kipling, Browning, and Matthew Arnold are the favourites. In science, Darwin, Ball, demand. Huxley, Spencer, and Sir John Lubbock are in In sociology, Ruskin, again, Charles Booth, Thorold Rogers, Karl Marx, are favourites. To these must be added the current and contem- porary books on socialism. In biography, the favourites seem to be the reminiscences and autobiographies so much in vogue at the present. In travel, it is always the newest book that is in demand. We come next to fiction, which presents such an enormous demand as compared with other branches. And here let us consider the warning of the writer in London. He says: Reading the above tables one might come to the conclu- sion that the public libraries are mainly used for the dis- semination of fiction. But without some explanation, tables of percentages prove misleading, and deductions drawn from them entirely erroneous. The percentages of fiction read is artificially raised to the disadvantage of other works. The student of reading in public libraries should bear in mind the following points :— I. That libraries possess more novels than other works, quite as much because they are cheap as that they are often asked for. 2. Novels take a much shorter time to read than serious works. 3. Many novels borrowed and recorded in the percent- ages are not read at all. They are only dipped into —tasted—and returned unread as unsatisfactory. 4. Juvenile literature which does not consist entirely of fiction is often included in that department, and in some cases other non-fictional works. 5. Reading in reference libraries—where there is little or no fiction—is never included in the percentages. . A large number of new readers cultivate a taste for reading fiction, and graduate to more solid fare. N.B.-As only four of the London public libraries have been in full working order for more than two or three years, there has not yet been much time to elevate the taste of the readers. Bearing these guiding facts in mind, it will be seen that the high percentage of fiction is fallacious. In the private subscription libraries—Mudie’s, W. H. Smith and Sons, and the Grosvenor Library—patronised by the middle and upper classes, about 90 per cent. of fiction is read. They read tho latest topical favourite, follow the craze of Society, must be up to date with the latest neurotic story, simply because it is the fashion to read such books in such circles. The reading in the popular public libraries is not regulated by fashion. They are a much better test of the permanent literary qualities of a book. We must never forget that most readers, whether at the free libraries or at home, read for amusement; they therefore read fiction. And one would add that the great mass of people, leading dull and monotonous lives, and not parti- cularly anxious to advance their knowledge or cultivate their intellect, cannot do better than read fiction. It fills their minds with new thoughts; it introduces them to a society which they are not likely to enter; it widens their minds; it teaches them manners, ideas, history, everything. Let the majority read fiction by all IIlêa, Il S. Who are the most popular of novelists P 6  ## p. 79 (#93) ############################################## TIII. A UTIIOIP. 79 Dickens, Scott, Thackeray, Marryatt—among dead authors; and among living authors all those whom we recognise at Mudie's or Smith's as being the most popular. Since the taste of the masses at the free libraries exactly agrees as to fiction with that of the classes at Mudie’s and Smith's, the less we listen to talk about “slush ’’ the better. Who are the people who use these libraries? Clerks head the list; then come governesses and teachers; then every kind of trade that can be enumerated. There are also representatives of every profession; but, of course, trades far out- number professions, and the readers, with the exception of clerks and teachers, are practically of the working class. In short, what is clearly demonstrated by this investigation are the broad facts that the popular taste in literature is sound and wholesome ; that the books read by the crafts are the same as those read by their “betters,” to use the old word, and that from 60 to 90 per cent., that is to say a proportion about the same for the free libraries as for Mudie’s, read for amusement, and therefore read fiction. For whom, then, are there printed the thou- sands upon thousands of penny novelettes, stories of highwaymen and bold defiers of the man in blue, the hero schoolboy, the romantic adventures of the young lady depicted outside P These things are not bought or read by those who frequent the libraries; they are read and bought by school-bows, school-girls, rough lads, who do the lowest kind of work, and servant girls, who have a good deal of time for reading. We do not think of these when we speak of the public or of the popular taste. Must we think of them P Then our conclusions must be taken with ex- ceptions and deductions. Meantime, there are not half enough libraries in London. Outside the city there are only thirty-one which have adopted the Act. Those who desire to know what the Act is, how it should be set in force, what arguments may be used to persuade the unwilling and the prejudiced voter, may consult Thomas Greenwood’s admirable work on “Public Libraries” (Cassell and Co.). There are those who think that the working man should be left to buy his own books, and to advance himself, teach himself, cultivate himself, if he likes. But, left to himself, the working man will not like. only because necessity, self-interest, prudence, self-preservation, desire for greater comfort, longer life, and other reasons of the kind, lead him, pull him, drag him, shove him, and flog him. Give the working man his library, by all means, Nothing is more certain than that the man achieves these fine things for himself but you must lead him into it. He acquires the taste for reading ; he returns; if he is intellectu- ally active he is stimulated to learn; if not he reads fiction, and finds what the world is like outside his own. Leave him quite alone and he will become—what the working man of London was a hundred years ago, when he had been left alone for two hundred years. You will find in the pages of the late Mr. Patrick Colquhoun, Magistrate, what was the consequence of leaving him alone. W. B. > ºr: WANTED TO PUBLISH. T is suggested by a correspondent, that under this heading might be advertised MSS. ready for publication, or subjects on which it is proposed to write articles. It would be a new departure. Editors and publishers are accustomed to receive MSS., not to answer advertisements offering them. It might happen, however, that the subject or the name of the author, if that is advertised as well, might cause a desire to see the MS. We are quite ready to act upon the suggestion and to advertise for our members or others such particulars of their works as they may think enough to make known the scope and general contents. Our correspon- dent points out that if this plan were taken up it might save a great deal of worry and needless trouble in sending MSS. around. The secretary is constantly asked to suggest the most likely maga- zines for papers. He can only advise on this point in general terms, e.g., an anecdotal paper on some well-known literary person, especially if the stories are derived from letters unpublished, is welcome in most magazines. A popular paper on travel is also generally welcome. But each case stands by itself. It seems possible that a man who has written a paper of special interest might get an answer to his advertisement. However that may be, we are willing at least to try the experiment. For terms address the advertisement agent of the Author, 4, Portugal-street. Members of the Society will pay half the price charged to those, who are not members. - - * - a 2-º r = w -s CORRESPONDENCE T.—ENGLISII AND AMERICAN MAGAZINEs. HAVE long been thinking over the causes of the apparent decay of the English maga- zine and the undoubted prosperity of the American magazine. It is quite true, as was said in the article on the subject in last month's  ## p. 80 (#94) ############################################## 8O T/IE A UTII () [". Author, that one never sees English magazines in America, and that one does everywhere see American magazines in England. I believe the reasons of the decay of the one and the popu- larity of the other to be chiefly those pointed out in the article, viz., that the American magazine is carefully thought out and planned beforehand, while its English rival depends mainly on the casual contributor ; that the American editor gives to his journal all his time, all his thoughts, all his energies, while the English editor sits in his room, receives casual contributions, selects from them, and does his editing, say, while he takes his lunch. Again, there are four or five highly priced magazines which desire to be the recognised exponents of the best wisdom and experience of the time. Their high price keeps down their circulation, while the subjects of their papers are generally those of which people have been reading every day in the newspapers for the last month. Is it impossible for our magazines to learn a lesson from the Americans? Are we too proud to be taught that if we would lead the people, we must write on lines that please the people P This truth is understood by the daily papers: why not by the magazines P. One would not exclude the casual contributor, who is most useful in his way; but we must not absolutely depend upon him. Fiction is all very well, but we must not have too much of it. Laboured essays are all very well, but we do not want many of them. Literary papers, estimates of dead men, “slatings ’’ of living men, we do not want in any large quantities—“slatings,” not at all. Nothing damages a magazine or a journal more effectively than the bludgeon. Papers on art we want, if they are by artists; poetry we want, if it is good. I venture to submit a pro- gramme for the year 1895, which, I think, would raise even the decaying Cheapside, or the fallen Bungay’s, to a level with Harper, the Century, or the Cosmopolitan. (1) Recent British Conquest in Africa. By H. C. Selous. (2) Fleet Street Idylls. John Davidson. (3) Short Stories by various writers. two in each number. (4) Manners, Customs, and Religions in South India. By * * * * late judge in Muckampore. (5) A New and Original Play. By one of the half dozen who can write plays. (6) Proverbes. By Anthony Hope. (7) Acts unrepealed. By a Barrister. (8) Twelve Old Books. By Edmund Gosse. . (9) A new Novel. By any good writer. (10) The History of the Isle of Man. By Hall Caine. One or Second series. By (II) The Highlands as they are. By William Black. (I.2) Art of the Day, from month to month. By * * * (painter and writer). (13) The House of Commons : Its procedure, laws, and customs. By * * * M.P. This is a programme which I imagine would “catch on.” The magazine must be illustrated. Nearly all these things would be serials, running for six months or more, to be published by the house which owns the magazine after its run. I am not a philanthropist, nor do I desire very much to put money into the pockets of any London publisher. But I do desire to see our English magazines rise out of the slough into which they seem rapidly sinking, and take their place once more in the front, and this can only be effected by doing exactly what the American magazines are doing. I am quite convinced that the reign of the casual contributor is long since over and done, and that editing cannot be done while one eats his lunch, nor even over a cup of afternoon tea. CoNTRIBUTOR. II.-GRAMMATICAL USE OF “NOR.” Mr. Skeat's sentiments about grammar seem to me somewhat anarchical. No doubt grammar has grown up out of usage; but it has rules, which cannot be infringed with impunity. Good writers often permit themselves to fall into slip- shod English, but that does not make slipshod writing good style. I should like to know why it is logically correct to say, “It did not rain nor blow.” It seems to me to involve a double nega- tive. And the length of a sentence cannot, surely, make any difference. In the sentence given by Mr. Skeat as a lengthened one, there is another verb, which does make a difference. It would, I think, be quite correct to say, “It did not rain nor did it biow,” but it seems to me both more correct and more elegant to say, “It did not rain or blow,” than “It did not rain nor blow.” The sentence is equivalent to “It did. not either rain or blow.” If “Mätzner shows that even good authors occasionally use neither— or instead of neither—nor,” he shows, I think, simply that good authors are sometimes careless; no good author could intentionally write such abominable grammar. H. A. FEILDEN. Surely Professor Skeat's lengthened sentence has nothing to do with the first. He has lengthened “It did not rain nor did it blow,” where “or,” would be obviously wrong. The repetition of “did it’ disjoins rain and blow, connected in “It did not rain or blow.” If “did '' relates to “blow,” “nor’’ is a double negative. Every one who wishes to “appreciate’”  ## p. 81 (#95) ############################################## TILE AUTIIOR. 8 I mistakes should study the rather hypercritical, but invaluable, “Hodgson's Errors in the Use of English.” G. III–WHAT is PERMIssible? On reading an article in the Pall Mall Gazette, “The Wares of Autolycus,” on Persian Women, July 3, 1894, the language seemed strangely familiar to me. On comparing the article with my book, “The Land of the Lion and Sun” (Macmillan's 1883, p. 322), I discovered that out of 759 words of which the article was com- posed, 577 were mine, and 182 those of the inge- nious author. I saw the editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, who expressed his surprise, and promised that I should hear from the author. I did so, and was some- what astonished to learn that the author had never read my book, though he had heard it quoted. But on turning to the “Encyclopædia Britannica,” article Persia, I find my description of costume given (and acknowledged), which might account for this statement. But what I want to know from you, Mr. Editor, is, what is the exact amount that can be “extracted” without acknowledgment, and how little can be added to constitute an original article? What must be the ratio of sack to the half-penny- worth of bread P Is it, as in the present case— sack, one part ; extract, three-fourth parts. C. J. WILLs, Author “Land of the Lion and Sun.” P.S.—Since writing the above I have again seen the editor P. M. G., who handed me a letter from the writer of the article, in which he acknow- ledges his indebtedness to the “Encyclopædia Britannica,” a foot-note in which would have told him that the information as to Persian costume was obtained from me. I inclose the article, and with the editor's P. M. G. consent I write you. IV.-CorrecTIONs. A correspondent writes: “In Professor Skeat's interesting grammatical note on the use of ‘nor,” in the last number of The Author, the name of the translator of Mätzner's ‘English Grammar’ is given as Grice ; this is a misprint, it should be Grece. The learned work, published in 1874 by Murray, has long been out of print, I believe, and a new revised edition, undertaken by Dr. Grece—who now practises as a lawyer—in conjunc- tion with a professed English philologist, would be of great advantage to students of English. “The second correction refers to the name of the editor of Halm’s ‘Griseldis,’ published at the Oxford University Press, which should read: Buchheim.” - W.—REMAINDERs. º With regard to par. 4, on pp. 429-30, concern- ing publishers' agreements and remainder sales, the following suggestion may be useful: A printed agreement form sent me by a pub- lishing firm contained this clause : “As to copies sold in the United Kingdom or elsewhere by auction or privately to a dealer at reduced prices, or by way of “remainder,” at the amounts actually received in respect thereof.” This clause I naturally objected to, since it left my affairs entirely to the publishers’ discretion, and abrogated entirely any claim of mine to have a voice in such sales at reduced prices. I there- fore struck out the whole clause, and inserted the following:} - “That no sale shall be made at reduced prices in any way unless by the author's written con- sent.” This alteration, which was at once accepted by the publishers without any demur or difficulty, appears to me to safeguard the author very effectually. - A FREE LANCE. *-* -º r- - - B00K TALK. M [* ULICK R. BURRE has written a life of Benito Juarez, which necessarily brings before us once more the modern history of Mexico and its relations with European policy. Juarez, it will be remembered, was the Constitutional President of the Mexican Republic, an office to which he properly passed from the post of Vice-President. This is a point which Mr. Burke considers of great importance, because it shows the strength of Juarez's position, and also the illegality of the attempts to remove him made by monarchical and other pretenders. Mr. Burke persists in calling Juarez an Indian, though he is careful to say that he was of the “pure blood of the Zapotecs; ” that is, he was not a Toltec, or a Chichinec, or even an Aztec. But when one has been at some pains carefully to distinguish these tribes, surely it is lost labour to put them altogether again and call one’s hero an Indian. Benito Juarez then, was a Zapotec, for his father and mother were of the pure blood of the Zapotecs; he was born in 1806, entered the Mexican Congress in 1832, and became President in 1857. The leading features of the new constitution chiefly due to him, and which was promulgated in that year, were, Mr. Burke says: A free press, freedom of meeting, equal civil rights, com- plete religious toleration, the abolition of special tribunals, of heriditary honours, of monopolies of all unjust privileges.  ## p. 82 (#96) ############################################## 82 TIII) A UTIIOIR. By which it will appear that Juarez deserved to succeed—he represented the cause of freedom just as much as his opponents represented the cause of slavery. Mr. Burke retells the story of the ill-fated Maximilian—a prince who was never able to distinguish the regulation of a court and the duties of courtiers from the governing of a country and the duties of citizenship—and shows how he was the tool of the clerical and absolutist faction, and that between the schemes of the Jesuits and the schemes of Napoleon III., it is no wonder a weak man became a criminal. So that, apart from the interesting story Mr. Burke has to tell, his volume becomes one of general utility as a warning against the kind of Government or want of government which is sure to obtain where ministers of religion are permitted to influence ministers of State. Burke's book has received praise from the financial press, and those interested will find the history of the Mexican debt carefully told. It is not very long ago that an evening contemporary, interviewing the editor of the Intransigeant, drew from him the remark that la haute politique was becoming nothing more than la haute finance. If that be so, it is instructive to read in these pages how the worn-out Statecraft of Europe over- reached itself in its dreams of manipulating the supposed wealth of a comparatively new country. Indeed, there seems to have been no end to the attempts made to exploit Mexico for the benefit of the Emperor and the Church. Of the three, Napoleon III., Pius IX., and Maxi- milian, so far as Mexico is concerned, only one got his deserts. As for Juarez, he remains the “great President’’ in the memory of his people. - Mr. John Willis Clark, F.S.A., has published his Rede Lecture of this year, on Libraries in the Mediaeval and Renaissance Periods (Macmillan and Co.). He traces the growth of the library, especially, in churches and monasteries, from the earliest beginnings to the Renaissance. It does not appear that the custom of giving books to churches, which began the Christian Library, was long maintained. Augustine gave his books to the church of Hippo to form a library. Althousand years later Caxton bequeathed books to St. Mar- garet's, but to be sold. An occasional king, an occasional bishop, formed libraries, but the real home of the Mediaeval library was the monastery. his was not a stately room, but simply a wooden press set up in a recess in the cloisters in which the books were kept, vertical as well as horizontal partitions being set up, so that the books should not get damp or be packed close to each other. At Christ Church, Canterbury, at the beginning of the fourteenth century there were 698 volumes. We may also note that Mr. all kept in presses put up wherever room could be found for them. As the books increased in number, a room became necessary. The Canter- bury library was built between 1414 and 1443; that of Durham about the same time. The monks were enjoined to spend a part of their time in reading. Benedict's Rule orders that at the beginning of Lent every monk was to have a book given him, which he was to read through before the end of Lent. The nature of the work, or its length, seems to have been unconsidered. The arrangement of desks, seats, and books, the chain- ing of books, and the lending of books, are treated in this little volume, which is a valuable con- tribution to the history and the literature of the library, whether regarded as a museum, i.e., the temple or haunt of the Muses, a place which is haunted by the men of the past, or as a modern workshop; a place where things are to be found and learned, or “as a gigantic mincing machine, into which the labours of the past are flung, to be turned out again in a slightly altered form as the literature of the present.” Mr. Mackenzie Bell’s monograph on “Charles Whitehead,” a forgotten genius, has been re- issued as a new edition, if edition it can properly be called. There is new matter in the volume in the shape of an appreciation of Whitehead by Mr. Hall Caine, and there is a new preface in which the author recounts certain circumstances which he writes “have rendered a re-issue of the unbound * remainder “ of my volume desirable.” Of the book itself it may be said that Mr. Bell has executed his task with excellent taste, for he has made it clear that the story of the author's life must not be taken into account in judging his literary merit. Note is taken of the high opinion in which Whitehead was held by Rossetti, Professor Wilson, Lord Lytton, and Douglas Jerrold, chiefly as the author of “Richard Savage.” - Miss Eleanor Tee has written a book for young women and girls entitled “This Everyday Life.” It has a preface by the Rev. C. Pickering Clarke, in which the object of the work is thus described: “The book is designed to give working women and girls a true insight into the meaning of that life here, which seems so heavily weighted by the obligation to work.” Miss Tee has set herself the difficult task of bringing home the idea of the “dignity of labour to some of the workers whose duties are styled service.” Mr. Thomas McCarthy, instructor in gymnas- tics, has written for the “use of public elementary schools,” in accordance with the new code, “An Easy System of Physical Exercises and Drill.” The directions given are intended for those other  ## p. 83 (#97) ############################################## TIIE. A UTIIOIR. 83 than drill serjeants who wish to learn how to drill school boys and school girls. From the great number of the directions and their complex nature it is clear the new code must demand a very comprehensive system of muscular training. We are aware that many parents are not entirely satisfied with the reasons given for the compulsory drilling of their children, and, if they are at all in ignorance of what that system is, Mr. McCarthy’s book can teach them. English people other than yeomanry cavalry and militia have been drilled for years, but it is a common remark that if they have to march in procession—unfortunately a growing custom—they do it very badly. Perhaps Mr. McCarthy’s book will help to change that. It is published by W. H. Allen and Co. Mr. Robert Bingley’s “Borderlands,” a volume of poems, religious and secular, including some translations, has passed into a second edition. It is published by the Oxford University Press. Every Saturday evening for a good many weeks —or months—the readers of the JWestminster Gazette were invited to read a most charming little dialogue, full of cleverness, epigram. The epigrams were not barbed, nor were they intended to wound, nor was the cleverness obtruded. These delicate and sprightly things were signed A. H. They are now collected and published at the office of the JWestminster Gazette. And they are the work of Mr. Anthony Hope, author of the “Prisoner of Zenda.” Mr. Julian Sturgis has issued a volume of poems (Longman and Co.), in which he proves that his power as a writer of verse is equal to that of a writer of prose. Mr. R. E. Salwey has completed a new novel, called “Ventured in Wain,” which will be pub- lished in September by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett in two-volume form. Miss Frances Mary Peard's novel, “An Interloper,” which has been running as a serial in Temple Bar, will be published in two-volume form by Messrs. Bentley and Son, and simul- taneously by Messrs. Harpers in America. Mr. Anthony C. Deane will publish, in the early autumn, a volume of light verse, reprinted from the magazines and journals in which it first appeared. Among them are Punch, where the larger part was first produced, the Cornhill, Longman's, Temple Bar, St. James's Gazette, the Globe, the Westminster Gazette, the Pall Mall Gazette, the Granta, and Vanity Fair. The publishers are Messrs. Henry and Co. Mr. R. Thistlethwaite Casson, author of “Bonnie Mary,” “A Modern Ishmael,” “The Doctor's Doom,” and many other successful serials, has been commissioned by Mr. George Newnes, M.P., to write a series of novelettes for the “Illustrated Penny Tales,” now being published by George Newnes Limited. - - Mrs. Preston has translated some of the poems of Friedrich von Bodenstedt, which will be pub- lished by the Roxburghe Press early in August under the title of “The Mountain Lake.” Mrs. Stevenson, the author of “Mrs. Severn,” published by Messrs. R. Bentley and Son, and which the Guardian compared for power with “Janet's Repentance,” has another story on intemperance now in the press. It is appearing first in the Temperance Chronicle, whose critic judged “Mrs. Severn " as “the most powerful temperance story that has ever been written,” and later it will form one of the C.E.T.S. Azalea series. Its title is “Helena Hadley.” Last year Messrs. R. Bentley and Son published “Mrs. Elphinstone of Drum ” for the same writer. A second edition of “A Girl’s Ride in Iceland,” by Mrs. Alec Tweedie, will appear in a few days. It will be published by Horace Cox. Mrs. James Suisted sends us a lively little volume, published at Dunedin (Otago Daily Times Office), New Zealand. It is a record of travel, and is called “From New Zealand to Norway.” It is, perhaps, useless to wish for a book published only in a colony success in the English book market. Mr. E. St. John Fairman, 66, Southampton- row, W.C., publishes his new book himself. It is called “An Electric Flash on the Egyptian Question.” A copy of Mrs. Dixon's book on “Columbia.” has been graciously accepted by the Queen. It was presented by Sir Henry Ponsonby. By the publication of “A Seventh Child” (F. W. White and Co.) in one volume instead of two, John Strange Winter has been the first among popular authors to adapt herself to the new state of things brought about by the circulars issued by Smith and Mudie on special library editions. “A Seventh Child” deals with the subject of clairvoyance, and derives its title from the super- stition that “the seventh child of a seventh child is gifted with the second sight.” The story, which records the experiences of such child, has been running as a serial in Mrs. Stannard's magazine Winter’s Weekly. Professor Raleigh has written a book for Murray’s “University Extension Manuals” on the history of the English novel, from its origin to Sir Walter Scott. Could not the history be  ## p. 84 (#98) ############################################## 84 TIIE AUTHOR. extended, so as to include Thackeray, Dickens, Reade, Collins, Kingsley, George Eliot, the Brontës, and Mrs. Gaskell? ... The papers have been full of discussions, letters, and leaders on the subject of the three-volume novel. A collection of cuttings has been made by Mr. Thring, on which we may find an opportunity of speaking in the next number. Some of the papers speak as if the novel must be killed when the three-volume form is abandoned. Will not the libraries, then, take any of the one- volume form P. The following remarks are taken from the St. James's Gazette. In the second line, for the “Incorporated Society of Authors” read “those who are novelists in the Society of Authors,” the resolution of the council having been adopted mainly in consequence of their singular unanimity. The novelists on our list form perhaps one-fourth of the whole number. Nor have the “Authors”—meaning the society —said a word in their resolution on the subject of the libraries. “The three-volume novel seems to be in the painful position of Mr. Pickwick in the Pound— of having no friends. The Incorporated Society of Authors has, with only a single dissentient, pronounced against it ; and that society has been generally regarded as having especially at heart the interests of young novelists, in whose favour chiefly the three-volume system has been supposed to operate. The Authors argue that the only possible persons to profit by the plan were the libraries, who under it became monopolist middle- men between the producers and consumers of all new novels for the most profitable period. Yet the late M. Mudie protested that he hated it; and it is the libraries whose present action has threatened its continued existence. The three- volume novel looks as if it were going to die without any mourner to drop the sympathetic tear —except, perhaps, the Bishop of London, who will be unable henceforward to begin his fiction with the third volume. “When it is gone we shall all begin to regret the easy print and ample margin; for, after all, for the really long novel it is the most agreeable form. ‘Middlemarch' and ‘Daniel Deronda,” are disagreeable enough in the single volumes, and without perseverance and good eyesight it needs faith or fashion to get one through the new ‘Marcella.' But the price of the three volumes was prohibitive, and the generality of the old custom of a first appearance in this form not easily defensible.” WHAT THE PAPERS SAY. CERTAIN REMEDIES. R. JOHNSTON'S remark that ‘ the books & 4 M of certain novelists had had a more potent effect on him than all the quinine and drugs he had introduced into Africa’ suggests a new vein for publishers' advertise- ments. Why not work the hygienic motive on which so many other advertisements rely with such success? As thus:— BESANT's World-FAMED CURE.-Unrivalled for Head- ache, Lassitude, and a Sluggish Liver. Worth a Guinea. a Volume. A Circulating Librarian writes:– “I take them regularly, and am now sensible of a marked improvement in my whole system.’ BLACK's Soot HING SYRUP (Highland Blend).-Indis- pensable when yachting. A sure preventive of mal de mer. Should be taken (on subscription) in all Climates. Put up in Uniform Doses; one quality throughout. An Analyst writes:—‘I have examined Mr. William Black's various Preparations. All the samples seem to be com- pounded of the same well-tried ingredients in various pro- portions, and can be warranted absolutely harmless, even for the most delicate. A Sound Family Medicine. Have you a nasty taste in your mouth on waking up in the morning (after reading Latter-day Fiction overnight) P Then TRY BLACK's Soo THING SYRUI”. For ANZEMIA : TRY RIDER HAGGARD.—From an African Recipe. Unrivalled for the Blood. The Young like it ; Children take it readily. PLAIN PILLS FROM THE HILLS.–(Registered Title.) Put up in Small Doses. An Anglo-Indian writes: “Please send me a fresh consignment.” Caution.—Insist on seeing R. Kipling’s Name on Label. DR. ConAN DOYLE's PRESCRIPTION.—A Certain Solu- tion. Equal to the most Obscure Cases. Does not fool about the place, but quickly finds out what is wrong, and puts it right. No Holmes without it.” JWestminster Gazette. Our Paris correspondent telegraphs: “M. Leconte de Lisle, Victor Hugo’s successor in the Academy, and since his death the chief French poet, died on Tuesday night from heart disease. He had an attack of pneumonia on Friday, from which he never rallied. He was born in 1820 in the island of Réunion, whither his parent had emigrated from Brittany. He was sent to Rennes to be educated, and in 1853 published “Poèmes Antiques.” A second volume, ‘Poèmes Bar- bares,” appeared in 1862, and in 1882 he issued * Poèmes Tragiques.’ These works made no bid for general popularity, but were addressed to the cultured few capable of appreciating artistic per- fection. He was, as it were, a sculptor in poetry. His love of the classics was shown by numerous translations, sometimes rugged, but admirably chiselled. In 1873 his tragedy “Les Erynnies’ was played at the Odéon, and in 1888 he published a second tragedy, “L’Apollonide,” which was  ## p. 85 (#99) ############################################## TIIE AUTIIOI?. 85 never acted. M. Gaston Deschamps, in the Temps, after dwelling on his superiority to all vulgar ambitions and artifices, says:—" He closes, or nearly so, the series of great poets who have given a voice to our century. His verses will long resound in our charmed and faithful memory. But we also lose in him a consoling example, an intellectual and moral authority, not easily re- placed. Fate would almost seem bent on un- crowning France. To lose in two years Taine, Renan, Leconte de Lisle are too many bereave- ments at once. Who will console us P Who will guide us on the uncertain road to truth and beauty P I see, indeed, in the throng of young contemporaries, admirers, disciples, and especially detractors of these illustrious men. I do not see their successors.’”—Times, July 19. *~ * ~ * LITERATURE AT OXFORD, D" LENTZNER will deliver five Free Public Lectures in Comparative Literature at Oxford, during the Michaelmas Term, 1894, viz., one in English, called “Some Aspects of Literature,” on Monday, Oct. 22, at noon ; two in English, on Björnstjerne Björnson, on Mondays, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, at noon ; and two in German, on “Richard Wagner als Dichter,” on Mondays, Nov. I 2 and 19, at noon. >ec: NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. BEECHING, REv. H. C. Seven Sermons to Schoolboys. With a Preface by Canon Scott Holland. Methuen. 2s. 6d. CANTERBURY, ARCHBISHOP OF. Echoes from the Choir of Norwich Cathedral, being the sermons preached when it was reopened after reparation. With an Introduction by the Dean of Norwich. Jarrold. 2s. 6d. CUST, ROBERT N., LL.D. Essay on the Prevailing Methods of the Evangelisation of the non-Christian World. Luzac and Co. GRAY, REv. DR. H. B. Men of Like Passions. Being sermons preached to Bradfield Boys. Longmans. 5s. HARTE, RICHARD. The New Theology. E. W. Allen. 2s. 6d. MACLAREN, A. Illustrations from Sermons of, edited and selected by J. H. Martyn. 3s. 6d. MALDONATUS, JoHN. A Commentary on the Holy Gospels —St. Matthew’s Gospel. Translated and edited from the original Latin by George J. Davie. Part II. John Hodges. Is. PRINCE, B. The World’s Malady: Its Root and Remedy. To which is added the Basis of Religion presented to us by the Parliament of Religions assembled at Chicago. Simpkin, Marshall. 38, 6d. - CAMPBELL, LORD ARCHIBAL.D. ScHoDEER, L. W. A Chapter of Church's History from South Germany. Translated by W. Wallis. Longmans. 38. 6d. SINCLAIR, ARCHDEACON. The English Church and the Canon Law. Fourth Charge. Elliot Stock. 6d. STRACEY, REv. W. J. Short Sermons on the Psalms. Fourth series, including Psalms lxxiii-cvi. Skeffingtons. SS. STUDIA SINAITICA, No. I. : Catalogues of the Syriac MSS. in the Convent of St. JKatharine on Mount Sinai, com- piled by Agnes Smith Lewis (Ios. 6d. net); STUDIA SINAITICA, NO. II., an Arabic version of the Epistles of St. Paul to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, with part of the Epistle to the Ephesians, from a 19th century MS. in the Convent of St. Katharine on Mount Sinai, edited by Margaret Dunlop Gibson (58. net). C. J. Clay. SweTE, PROFESSOR. The Apostle's Creed. C. J. Clay. 3s. TEE, ELEANOR. This Everyday Life. With a preface by the Rev. C. Pickering Clarke. George Bell. 2s. net. THEODosſus, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA. Saint Michael the Archangel. Three Encomiums. Severus, Patriarch of Antioch ; and Eustathius, Bishop of Trake. The Coptic Texts, with extracts from Arabic and Ethiopic versions. Edited, with a translation, by E. A. Wallis Budge. Kegan Paul. I5s. net. History and Biography. BARBER, HENRY. British Family Names : their Origin and Meaning. Elliott Stock. 15s. BOASE, REv. C. W. Registrum Collegii Exoniensis, with a History of the College and Illustrative Documents. A new edition. Oxford, printed for the Oxford Historical Society, at the Clarendon Press. Notes on Swords from the Battlefield of Culloden. With four autotype Illustra- tions. Charles J. Clark. CANNING, Hon. A. S. G. The Divided Irish. An Historical Sketch. W. H. Allen. 3s.6d. COGHLAN, T. A. The Wealth and Progress of New South Wales, I893. Seventh issue. Sydney, Potter. CONDER, MAJOR, R.E. Judas Maccabaeus. New edition., Published for the Committee of the Palestine Explo- ration Fund by A. P. Watt. ELVEY, LADY. Life and Reminiscences of George J. Elvey, ICt. Sampson Low. 3s. 6d. FURNIVAL, FREDERICK J, Child-Marriages, Divorces, and Ratifications, &c., in the Diocese of Chester, A.D. 1561-6. Also Entries from the Mayors' Books, Chester, A.D. I588-1600. Edited from MSS. written in Court and from the Mayors' Books. Published for the Early English Text Society by Kegan Paul. I58. GERARD, REv. JoHN. Stonyhurst College : Its Life beyond the Seas, 1592-1794, and on English soil, 1794-1894. Marcus Ward. GROVES, LIEUT.-Col. PERCY. History of the 91st Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders, 1794-1894. Illus- trated by Harry Payne. W. and A. K. Johnston. 7s. 6d. HENDERSON, ERNEST F. A. History of Germany in the Middle Ages. George Bell. 7s. 6d. net. HILL, THOMAs S. The Registers of Bramfield, co. Suffolk, I539-1596 and 1693-1889. Mitchell and Hughes. HOGAN, REV. EDMUND. Distinguished Irishmen of the Sixteenth Century. First Series. Burns and Oates. HUNTER, SIR. W. W. Bengal MS. Records : A selected list of I4,136 Letters in the Board of Revenue. Calcutta, 1782-1807, with an historical dissertation. 4 vols. W. H. Allen. 30s.  ## p. 86 (#100) ############################################# 86 TIII) A UTIIOIP. Life of General Sir Hope Grant. KNoLLys, CoLoREL. Blackwood. 21s. - LEE, SIDNEY. Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 39. Morehead—Myles. Smith and Elder. I5s., 20s. LESLIE, RobHRT C. A. Waterbiography. Illustrated by the Author. Chapman and Hall. 78. 6d. LoDGE, REv. SAMUEL. Scrivelsby, the Home of the Cham- pions. Second edition. Elliot Stock. MAGNUs, LADY. Boys of the Bible. Illustrated by John Lawson and Henry Rylands. Raphael Tuck. MALDEN, HENRY ELLIOT. English Records : A Companion to the History of England. Methuen. 3s. 6d. MAxwell, SIR HERBERT, M.P. Life of the Right Honour- able William Henry Smith, M.P. With a portrait and other illustrations. New edition. Blackwood. 3s.6d. M£NEvAL, BARON CLAUDE DE. Memoirs to serve for the History of Napoleon I., from 1802 to 1815. The work completed by the addition of unpublished documents, and arranged and edited by his grandson, Daron Napo- léon Joseph Méneval. Translated and annotated by Robert H. Sherard. Photogravure portraits and auto- graph letters. Vol. 3. Hutchinson. 18s. NEVILL, LADY DoROTHY. Mannington and the Walpoles, Earls of Orford. With ten illustrations of Mannington Hall, Norfolk. The Fine Art Society. 15s. RITCHIE, MRS. ANNE THACKERAY, AND EVANs, RICHARD- son. Rulers of India : Lord Amherst. Chiefly from unpublished papers of the Amherst family. With a portrait. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. 2s. 6d. BEVOLUTION OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. With an Introduction and edited by Henry Lazarus. Fisher Unwin. Ios. 6d. ROYAL CHARTERS OF THE CITY OF CARLISLE. Printed. at the expense of the Mayor and Corporation, and edited by R. S. Ferguson. Carlisle : C. Thurnam. Elliot Stock. 2 Is. SABATIER, PAUL. Life of St. Francis of Assisi. Trans- lated by Louise Seymour Houghton. Hodder. 9s. net. SExTon, A. HuMBoIDT. The First Technical College. With portraits and illustrations. Chapman. 3s. 6d. STOPES, C. CARMICHAEL. British Freewomen. Sonnen- schein. 28. 6d. WALLACE, ARTHUR. The Earl of Rosebery: his Words and his Work. With portrait by F. C. Gould. Second edition. Tenth thousand. Drane. Is. WASIELEwsKI, W. J. V. The Violoncello and its History. Rendered into English by Isobella S. E. Stigand. With illustrations, musical examples, and portrait of Robert Lindley. Novello. WHITTAKER, T., AND BAIN, PROFESSOR. Remains of George Croom Robertson. Edited by. Williams and Norgate. WINCHESTER, DEAN of. A History of France. Vol. III. (A.D. 1624-1793). Third edition, revised. Oxford: At the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. Ios. 6d. Philosophical With a Memoir. 98. net. - General Literature. ADAM, G. MERCIER. Sandow’s System of Physical Training, compiled and edited by. Illustrated from life studies. Gale and Polden. I2s. 6d. ALLEN, GRANT. The Tidal Thames. Illustrations by W. L. , Wyllie. Cassell and Co. 325 15s. 6d. ANNUAL REGISTER FOR 1893. New series. 18s. AsHBEE, C. R. A. Few Chapters in Workshop Recon- struction and Citizenship. The Guild and School of Handicraft, Essex House, Mile-end-road. Longmans. BARLow, W. H. The Celestial Writing. Spottiswoode. 38. BRINCRMAN, REv. ARTHUR. Notes on Rescue Work. New edition. G. J. Palmer and Sons. BRow N, A. SAMLER. Madeira and the Canary Islands. Third and revised edition. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. BUCHHEIM, C. A. German Classics. Edited with English notes. Volume XI. Halm’s Griseldis. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press, Henry Frowde. , 38. CHAPMAN, ALFRED. Income-tax : How to get it Refunded. Tenth and revised edition. Effingham Wilson. : 1s. 6d. CHURCH QUARTERLY REVEIw, July, 1894. Spottiswoode. 6s. CLARK, J. W. Libraries in the Medieval and Renaissance Periods: The Rede Lecture, delivered June 13, 1894. Cambridge, Macmillan and Bowes. 28. 6d. net. CLARKE, SIR EDwARD, Q.C. Speeches. Second series, chiefly forensic. Routledge. CoLUMBIAN KNow LEDGE SERIES, edited by Professor Todd: No. I., ToTAL ECLIPSEs of THE SUN, by Mabel Loomis Todd ; No. II., PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN AMERICA, by William I. Fletcher. Illustrated. Sampson Low. 3s. 6d. each. DAVIES, REv. J. SANGER. Dolomite Strongholds. With map and illustrations by the author. George Bell. Ios. 6d. * DENE, KARSLAKE. Clubs : Athletic and Recreative. Bristol, John Wright. Simpkin, Marshall. 28. 6d. DICTIONARY OF MEDICINE. By Various Writers. Edited by Sir Richard Quain, assisted by Dr. Roberts and Dr. Eyre and Bruce. New edition, revised throughout and enlarged. 2 vols. Longman. 40s. DIxON, CHARLEs. The Nests and Eggs of British Birds. With 157 coloured illustrations of eggs. Chapman. I5s. net. DRAGE, GEOFFREY. The Unemployed. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. DUNCAN's MANUAL OF BRITISH AND FOREIGN BREWERY CoMPANIES for 1894. Fifth edition. Effingham Wilson. IS, - FITCH, E. A. Maldon and the River Blackwater. Gowers. Simpkin Marshall. 6d. “GENTLEMAN's MAGAZINE * LIBRARY : Being a classified collection of the chief contents of the Gentleman’s Magazine from 1731 to 1868, edited by George Laurence Maldon : Gomme. Elliot Stock. GLOUCESTER, THE DEAN OF. Voices and Silences. Isbister. 3s.6d. G.E.R. Tour IST's GUIDE TO THE CONTINENT. Edited by Percy Lindley. Fifteenth annual issue, 30, Fleet- street. 6d. GROOME, LIEUT. W. T. With Havelock from Allahabad to Lucknow, 1857. Being extracts from letters written to his wife by Lieut. William Tate Groom, 1st Madras Royal Fusiliers. Sampson Low. GUDEMAN, ALFRED. P. Cornelii Taciti Dialogus De Oratoribus. Edited, with prolegomena, notes, &c. Boston, U.S.A., Ginn and Co. HARRow SCHOOL REGISTER, 1801-1893. Edited by R. Courtenay Welch. Longmans. ; HAYEs, CAPT. M. H. Among Men and Horses. T. F. |Unwin. I6s. - HoPE, ANTHoNY. The Dolly Dialogues. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Westminster Gazette Office. Is. HowARD, BLANCH. W. No Heroes. Gay and Bird. 2s. 6d. ILLUSTRATED GUIDE Books : LoNDON ; GLAsgow AND THE CLYDE ; THE ISLE OF WIGHT ; THE ISLE OF MAN: BRIDLINGTON QUAY, &c.; Torquay, DART- MoUTH, &c.; and North WALEs. Ward, Lock, and Bowden. Is. each. * . . .  ## p. 87 (#101) ############################################# TIIE AUTIIOIR. 87 JAQUES, MARY J. Texan Ranch Life. Horace Cox. I2s. 6d. Journal, OF THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. Third Series. Wol. W., Part II. Murray. 3s. 6d. Journ AL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY. Wol. LVII. Part II. June, 1894. Stanford. 5s. RELLY, MRs. ToM. Highland Lochs and Glens. Illus- trated by Tom Kelly. Henry J. Drane. Is. KERR, DR. Rob ERT. Pioneering in Morocco. H. R. Allenson." LANG, ANDREW. Cock-lane and Common Sense. Long- mans. 6s. 6d. LANG, R. Hamilton. Egyptian Daira Sanieh : Note upon the results of the year 1893. Harrison. LEAN's ROYAL NAVY LIST. July, 1894. Witherby and Co. LEFEVRE, PROF. ANDRí. Race and Language. Kegan Paul. 5s. LOCKwood, FRANK, Q.C. The Law and Lawyers of Pick- wick. A Lecture, with an Original Drawing of “Mr. Serjeant Buzfuz.” The Roxburghe Press. Is. LYNCH, ARTHUR. Our Poets. Remington and Co. 2s. 6d. MACBRIDE, MACKENZIE. Rambles Round Southend and Neighbourhood. Jarrold. 6d. MACLEOD, HENRY DUNNING. Bimetalism. Longmans. 58. MAIN, DR. W.M. On Expression in Nature. Sonnenschein. 3s.6d. PEARson, CHARLEs H. National Life and Character : A Forecast. Second edition. Macmillan. 58. net. PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL FOR 1894. Edited by Henry Sturmy. Iliffe and Son. 2s. 6d. PockPT GUIDE TO THE MIDLAND RAILwAY cf England. Published by the company. 3d. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSI- TION, July 25-28, 1893. New York, published by the National Educational Association of the U.S.A. QUARTERLY REVIEw for July. Murray. 6s. REGAN, W. P. The Irish Literary Revival. Ward and Downey. 2s. 6d. REID, ANDREw. The New Party. Described by some of its members and edited by. With a frontispiece by Walter Crane. Hodder. I4s. REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND AGRICUL- TURE, NEw SouTH WALEs, for the year 1893. Sydney, Charles Potter. - RICHARDson, SIR BENJAMIN WARD. The Graphic Tem- perance Reader. William Collins. Is. ROBERTs, ASKEW, AND WOODALL, EDWARD. Gossiping Guide to Wales (North Wales and Aberystwith). Traveller’s edition, revised. Thirty-four maps and plans. Simpkin, Marshall. 3s.6d. RUSKIN, JOHN. Letters Addressed to a College Friend during the years 1840-1845. George Allen. 48. SCHOOLING, WILLIAM. Bourne’s Handy Assurance Manual, 1894. Trafalgar-buildings, Northumberland-avenue, W.C. Is. SIZERANNO, MAURICE DE LA. The Blind as seen through Blind Eyes, authorised translation from the second French edition by Dr. F. Park Lewis. Putnam. 5s. TEMPLE, MAJOR I. C. Notes on Antiquities in Ramanna- desa. Bombay : The ICducation Society's Press. London; Luzac and Co. THE YELLow Book. Wol. II. 5S. net. TUCKWELL, GERTRUDE M. The State and its Children. Methuen. 2s. 6d. 1 ... • VINCENT, MRs. HowARD. China to Peru over the Andes. With reports and letters on British interests in Brazil, New edition. July. Elkin Mathews. --~~~ Argentina, Chili, Peru, Panama, and Venezuela, by Colonel Howard Vincent, C.B., M.P. Sampson Low. 7s. 6d. WALKER, RobHRT. The Clyde and the Western High- lands. Illustrated by W. G. Gillies and others. J. S. Virtue. Is. WARREN, WILLIAM H. Engineering Construction in 16s. net. t Iron, Steel, and Timber. Longmans. WHEELDON, J. P. Sporting Facts and Fancies. Edgar S. Shrubsole. 2s. 6d. Wolf F, WILLIAM. Fiddle Frauds and How to Detect them. Rider and Sons. 6d. -- Fiction. ABBOTT, C. C. Travels in a Tree-top. Elkin Matthews. BLACKMORE. R. D. Tommy Upmore. New and cheaper edition. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. BLITZ, MRS. A. An Australian Millionaire. Ward, Lock. 3s. 6d. CAREY, Rosa Nou CHETTE. Mrs. Romney. New edition. Bentley. 2s. CoLLINs, WILKIE. The Woman in White. New edition. Chatto. 6d. - CookE, RosB TERRY. Steadfast. Sunday School Union. IS. CRANE, LILLIE. My Lady Dimple. 2 vols. Remington. DALE, DARLEY. The Game of Life. 3 vols. Hutchinson. DoNNISON, A. Winning a Wife in Australia. Ward, Lock. 3s. 6d. ELMSLIE, THEODORA. Downey. - FAwcETT, EDGAR. Her Fair Fame and the Story of a Statue. Ward, Lock. 38. 6d. GALLIENNE, RICHARD LE. Prose Fancies. With a litho- graphed portrait of the author by R. Wilson Steer. Elkin Mathews. 5s. GREGOR, MRs. JAMEs. Whose was the Blame P With a prologue translated from the Russian of Prince Galitzen. Sonnenschein. 3s. 6d. IHAGGARD, H. RIDER. The Witches Head. 33rd thousand. Longmans. 38. 6d. - HAGGARD, H. RIDER, AND LANG, A. The World's I)esire. New edition. Longmans. 3s. 6d. HAWTHORNE, JULIAN. An American Monte W. H. Allen. 28. HEMYNG, BRACEBRIDGE. A Stock Exchange Romance. Edited by George Gregory. Tenth Thousand. Digby, Gladdie's Sweetheart. Ward and Christo. Long. Is. HERMAN, HENRY. Woman, the Mystery. Ward, Lock. 38. 6d. Bentley. 3 vols. Heine- IHEwiTT, E. M. In a Cinque Port. HOLDsworth, ANNIE. E. Joanna Traill, Spinster. mann. 2s. 6d. net. HUME, FERGUS. The Harlequin Opal. W. H. Allen. 28. HUNT, VIOLET. The Maiden's Progress. Osgood M*Ilvaine. 6s. LEMON, MARK. The Jest Book. The choicest anecdotes and sayings. Selected and arranged. Macmillan. 8s. 6d. net. - MACLACHAN, T. BANKs. Oliphant. 3s. 6d. MEREDITH, GEORGE. Chapman. 3 vols. MILLER, J. R. The Dew of thy Youth. School Union. 6d. MooRE, F. FRANKFORT. Sojourners Together. Popular Edition. Hutchinson. 2s. 6d. - - MUNRO-FERGUSON, W. Music Hath Charms. Osgood M'Ilvaine. 38. 6d. - William Dlacklock, Journalist. Lord Ormont and his Amiata. The Sunday **  ## p. 88 (#102) ############################################# 88. TIIE A UTHOIR. NISBET, HUME. A. Singular Crime. F. W. White. Is. OLIPHANT, MRs. Young Musgrave. Macmillan. 3s.6d. OMAN, J. CAMPBELL. The Stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. With Notes, Appendices, and Illustrations. George Bell. 5s. OTTOLENGUI, Ro15RIGUES. A Modern Wizard. Putnam. 28. PEARD, FRANCES MARY. An Interloper. Bentley. 2 vols. PINKERTON, PERCY. Adriatica. Gay and Bird. 5s. net. REID, SYBIL B. Sweet Peas. Remington. 2s. “RITA.” Naughty Mrs. Gordon. F. W. White. Is. RössETTI, M. FRANCESCA. A Shadow of Dante. Longmans. 38. 6d. • t Scott, CLEMENT. Poppy-Land. Fourth edition. Illus- trated by F. H. Townsend. Jarrold and Sons. Is. SIMS, GEORGE R. . Memoirs of a Landlady. Chatto. 2s. SouTHAM, A. D. From Manuscript to Bookstall. Southam. 58. - STEELE, ANNA. C. Clove Pink. Chapman. 3s. 6d. STODDART, C. A. Beyond the Rockies. Sampson Low. , 7s. 6d. • * . THOMAs W. HERBERT. The Romance of a Cornish Cove. ... Alan Pendragon. Truro, Heard. Houlston. Is. TRISTRAM, OUTRAM. The Dead Gallant and the King of Hearts. Ward, Lock. 5s. WANDAM, ALBERT D. The Mystery of the Patrician Club. 2 vols. Chapman. 21s. WARD, MRs. HUMPHRY. Marcella. Smith Elder. 6s. WARDEN, FLORENCE. Adela’s Ordeal. William Stevens. WooD, WALTER. A. Pastor's Wengeance. Warne. Is. WooDs, MRs. R. W. “Have ye Read It P” “Look sharp 1 ° Leadenhall Press. 42s. Seventh edition. Poetry and the Drama. Ai, AMS, FRANCIS. Tiberius: a Drama. With introduction by W. M. Rossetti. T. F. Unwin. Ios. 6d. A. E. Homeward Songs by the Way. Dublin, Whaley. -Îs. 6d. . BINGLEY, ROBERT M. Border-Lands,’Ek IIapépyov. Second edition. Henry Frowde. 2s. net. DUFFERIN, HELEN, LADY. Songs, Poems, and Verses. Edited, with a Memoir, and some Account of the Sheridan Family, by her son the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava. With portrait. Murray. I2s. GARNETT, EDWARD. An Imaged World. Poems in Prose. With five drawings by William Hyde. J. M. Dent. SS. HoSREN, JAMES D. A Monk's Love and other Poems. 29, Denmark-road, Ealing, W. 3s. 6d. MORRIs, LEwis. Ode on the Occasion of the Visit of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales to Carnarvon, July 11, 1894. Bangor : Jarvis and Foster. SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. Much Ado About Nothing and Love's Labour Lost. With Preface, Glossary, &c. By "Israel Gollancz. Dent. Is... net each. Science and Art. ABBOTTs, DR. W. On Hay-Fever, Hay-Asthma, or Summer Catarrh. The Savoy Press. Is. A. R. Designs for Church Embroidery. Letterpress by Alethea Wiel. Chapman. I2s. net. Bos, DR. J. RITZEMA. Agricultural Zoology. Translated by Professor J. R. Ainsworth Davis. With an intro- duction by Eleanor A. Ormerod, and 149 illustrations. Chapman. 6s. CROOKES, WILLIAM. Select Methods in Chemical Analysis. “ Third edition, rewritten and enlarged, with sixty-seven woodcuts. Longmans. 218. net. - COLLINs, F. HowARD. Twelve Charts of the Tidal Streams of the North Sea and its Coasts. Potter. 5s. net KERR, DR. Norm AN. Inebriety. Third edition. Lewis. 21s. HIE NEVE Fost ER, C. A Text-book of Ore and Stone Mining. Griffin. 34s. MACALISTER, PROFESSOR: A. Some Morphological Lessons Taught by Human Variations. Being the Third Boyle Lecture, delivered on May 8, 1894. Henry Frowde. IS. net. NATURE's METHOD IN THE Evolution of LIFE. T. Fisher Unwin. 3s. 6d. OWEN, J. A., AND BOULGER, PROFESSOR: G. S. The Country Month by Month: July. Bliss, Sands. Is. PRINGLE, ANDREw. Practical Photo-Micrography. Iliffe. 58. RAMSAY, SIR ANDREw. The Physical Geology and Geography of Great Britain. Sixth edition, edited by Horace B. Woodward. Stanford. IOS. 6d. ROYAL NATURAL HISTORY. Edited by Richard Lydekker, with preface by P. L. Slater. Illustrated with 72 coloured plates and 1600 engravings. Wol. I. Frederick Warne. 98. net. SPARKEs, J. C. L., AND BURBIDGE, F. W. Wild Flowers in Art and Nature. With coloured illustrations by H. G. Moon. Part VI. Arnold. 2s. 6d. YRIARTE, CHARLEs. Figaro-Salon, 1894. In six parts. Part VI. Paris, Goupil. 2f. - Law. BOTT, W. HoDLowAY. A Manual of the Law and Practice in Affiliation Proceedings. Stevens. 7s.6d. DASENT, JoHN ROCHE. Acts of the Privy Council of England. New Series. Wol. VIII., 1571-1575. Edited, by direction of the Lord President of the Council. Eyre and Spottiswoode. HEDDERwick, T. C. H. The Sale of Food and Drugs: The Acts of 1875 and 1879 (with notes of the reported cases decided since the Acts became law). Eyre and Spottis- woode. JEANS, J. STEPHEN. Conciliation and Arbitration in Labour Disputes. Crosby Lockwood. 2s. 6d. LELY, J. M. The Statutes of Practical Utility. Arranged in alphabetical and chronological order, with notes and indexes. Being the fifth edition of “Chitty’s Statutes.” About 12 vols. Vol. I, “Act of Parliament" to “Charities.” 21s. per vol. Sweet and Maxwell. LONDON County CouncIL. ANNUAL REPORT of the Chief Officer of the PUBLIC ContROL Department, 1893-94. Stanford. 8d. REPORTS OF CASES IN BANKRUPTCY AND COMPANIES' WINDING UP. Edited by Edward Manson, barrister- at-law. Part I. Sweet and Maxwell. 5s. WALLACE, WILLIAM, AND M*NEIL, ALLAN. Law. Edinburgh: William Green. Banking Educational. ALEXANDER, A. Drill for the Standards. Containing 216 illustrations and specially adapted musical accompani- ments. George Philip. . 2s. 6d. . . . . ASPECTS OF MODERN STUDY. Being University Exten- sion Addresses. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. net. . DAVIS, PROFESSOR. Elementary Meteorology. Boston: Ginn-Arnold. Ios. 6d. HASLUCK, PAUL N. The Wood Worker's Handyb Yok of Manual Instruction. Crosby Lockwood. 28. 6d. STEDMAN, A. M. M. Easy Selections from Livy, edited with introduction, notes, and vocabulary. Methuen. 1s. 6d. a - t - - - . . . 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. 05 Issue 03 (August 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 03 (August 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-08-01-The-Author-5-3 publication The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/268/1894-09-01-The-Author-5-4.pdf 25c4ae48df80d2b12eb82afc5ae0a01e PDF Text Text ������������������������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-09-01 Volume 5 Issue 4 Pages Page range in volume 89–112 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18940901 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BES.A.N.T. WOL. W.-No. 4.] SEPTEMBER 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions eaſpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances showld be crossed Union. Bank of London, Chancery-lame, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *~ * ~ * g- - -—s WARNINGS AND ADVICE, I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.-It is not generally . understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTS. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an WOL. W. arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. * 5. LITERARY AGENTS.—Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as yowr agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. COST OF PRODUCTION.--Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERs.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. IO. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.–Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTs. --Reep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society's Offices :— 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *—- - -º •- - -, HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member I 2  ## p. 90 (#104) ############################################# 90 THE AUTHOR. has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *~ * ~ * g- > ---, THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE. EMBERS are informed : 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. - 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department” for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted ” has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to com- municate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. *~ * → NOTICES, HE Editor of the Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P. If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at 489 48. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth  ## p. 91 (#105) ############################################# THE AUTHOR. 9 I as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-* -º * * * LITERARY PROPERTY, I.—Fox-Bourn E v. WERNoN AND Co. HIS case, finished on Aug. 3, heard before T the Lord Chief Justice and a special jury, was one in which an editor claimed twelve months' notice of dismissal, whereas he had only received six months' notice. The jury found a verdict for the defendants. The case would have little interest for this paper but for the words of the judge in defining what is meant by “custom '' (see the Times, Aug. 4, 1894). “Custom,” he said, “in its strict legal sense, was a uniform and universal practice so well defined and recognised that contracting parties must be assumed to have had it in their minds when they contracted.” Contracting parties, that is, on both sides. If, for instance, one side intends to falsify accounts, and excuses himself on the ground that it is a trade custom, while the other side know nothing of his intention, and had never heard of the alleged “custom,” the excuse, according to this judge's definition, would not be allowed. This definition agrees with the opinion of Mr. Cozens-Hardy, Q.C., and Mr. Rolt, published in the Author of March last. Of course the fact that such a practice was common, not to say universal, would have to be proved. The warning which the Lord Chief Justice addresses to journalists equally applies to writers of books, writers in magazines, dramatists, and every kind of literary worker. The following is the summing-up referred to (Times, Aug. 4):— The Lord Chief Justice, in summing-up, said the plaintiff was a journalist of good position and long experience, who had been employed by the defendants as their editor, and had received from them a six months' notice. The question for the jury was whether plaintiff was entitled to twelve months' notice or whether six months’ notice was such a notice as the defendants were legally entitled to give plaintiff. Although the case seemed to have excited a good deal of feeling between journalists and proprietors, it had no general importance, as in the future journalists would only have themselves to blame if they had not insisted upon having an agreement. The jury had no question of “custom" to consider, for “custom,” in its strict legal sense, was a uniform and universal practice, so well defined and recognised that contracting parties must be assumed to have had it in their minds when they contracted. The fact that in a large percentage of cases there were special agreements showed that no such universal custom existed. But on plaintiff's behalf it was sought to establish the existence of a “practice” regulating the relations between editors and proprietors. What that practice was would be some guide to the jury in coming to a conclusion as to what Was or was not a reasonable notice in this case. The case of Bremon v. Gilbart-Smith, which had been cited, was really not in point at all, for in that case no notice was given, and the question of twelve months' notice only arose incidentally with a view of fixing the amount of damages plaintiff was entitled to. II.-MUSICAL COPYRIGHT IN AMERICA. Mr. G. Dixey, secretary of the Music Pub- lishers' Association, writes from 9, Air-street, Regent-street, W., Aug. 4:—“I am instructed by this association to inform you that the plain- tiffs in the celebrated American test action of Novello and Co. v. The Oliver Ditson Company and others, have just received a telegram from their counsel, Mr. L. L. Scaife, of Boston, to the effect that the judge who tried the action has decided in the plaintiffs' favour on all points. The action, as you are aware, relates to the correct construction of what is known as the manufacturing clause in the American Copyright Act of 1891, and it was brought to test the ques- tion whether ‘a book' within the meaning of that clause includes “musical composition,’ which, in an earlier part of the Act is mentioned, together with “book’ and other subjects of copyright, as being entitled to protection under that Act. The judgment just delivered has settled the point for the present, and until that judgment is upset or varied it must be accepted that the law of the United States of America is, that the expression ‘book’ in the Act of 1891 does not include ‘musical composition,’ and that consequently it is not necessary that such compositions should be printed in America as a condition of obtaining copyright there.”—Times, Aug. 7. III.--ARTISTS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. (From an American Correspondent.) Boston, Mass., Aug. 8.-A decision by Judge Putnam in the United States Circuit Court, filed to-day, holds that an artist having copyrighted a painting may restrain reproductions of the paint- ing, and that a bill in equity for an injunction may be maintained by one to whom the artist has sold the right and who has taken out a copyright in his name. - The decision was given in the case of Emil Werckmeister v. The Pierce and Bushnell Manu-  ## p. 92 (#106) ############################################# 92 THE AUTHOR. facturing Company. G. Naujok, a resident of Germany, painted a picture called “Die Heilige Cecilia,” and later executed an instrument con- veying to the complainant the exclusive right of reproduction. The painting was publicly exhi- bited at Munich, and afterwards sold, and its present location is unknown. The complainant secured a copyright and filed a photograph of the painting at Washington. The defendant subse- quently sold in this country a photograph, which, it was claimed, is an infringement. The court ordered a decree for the complainant. IV.--THREE YEARS OF AMERICAN CoPYRIGHT. The Daily Chronicle (Aug. 14) publishes an instructive “interview º' with Professor Brander Matthews, of Columbia College, New York, on the result of three years' working of the American Copyright Act. In the first place, the pirates are nearly all “knocked out.” The pirate chief, Lovell, is bankrupt, and his stock of several millions is being sold at “dry good stores” at 4d. and 5d. a volume. When these have been worked through the book market will improve. Meantime, we must note the necessity of copyrighting everything. Mr. Matthews points out how three notable books of last season—“Dodo,” “The Yellow Aster,” and “Ships that Pass”— through neglect of this precaution were pirated and sold for 8 cents. Next, the effect on American literature is that American authors no longer have to compete with stolen goods. The publishers already show a very large increase of American books in proportion to British books. Harper Brothers show British books in their lists numbering 25 per cent. of the whole, as against 75 per cent. thirty years ago. Houghton, Mifflin, and Co. have reduced the percentage of British books to Io per cent. London houses in New York are putting out American books in excess of English books. - As to the price of books; novels, as a rule, appear in One volume, at four, five, or six shillings. The Americans are, as a rule, a book- buying, not a book-borrowing, people. The effect of free libraries tends in America, he thinks, first to beget and encourage the habit of reading, and next to develop the desire to possess books. They make people buyers of books. Mr. Matthews further gave his views as to the difference between the circulation of English and American magazines. He said: The main fact is, no doubt, that our reading public is so much larger than yours, and that for that very reason our I can learn, magazine proprietors are enabled to pursue a much more systematic and spirited policy than is possible with you. We have made magazine editing at once a fine art and a science. Each of our great magazines occupies the whole time and thoughts of a very large editorial staff, consisting in one case of an editor-in-chief, an associate editor, an assistant editor, two editorial assistants, and four or five editorial clerks, to say nothing of two or three art editors. Every manuscript that is sent in is examined, and articles and drawings are always paid for on acceptance, instead of, as with you, on publication. Harper's or the Century will often have £10,000 worth of stock in hand, paid for, and ready for use as occasion offers. The policy of these magazines is mapped out for years beforehand by experts in the art of meeting the public taste. But such a policy, it is clear, can be pursued only when a very large sale is assured. The circulation of the magazines I have named runs to something like 200,000 copies a month. From all no high-priced illustrated magazine on your side commands more than one-fourth of that sale. It is a noteworthy fact that not a single English magazine is to be seen on the American bookstalls, as our magazines are seen on yours. In the days of piracy your lead- ing reviews used to be reprinted every month and sold at low rates, but even before the passing of the Copyright Act that practice was found unremunerative, and was accordingly dropped. Now, a few sets of your leading reviews are sent over in sheets, stitched, and sold to clubs and libraries. They have practically no general sale whatever. “And our cheap magazines, such as the Strand—have you any periodicals of that class P” - “No,” replied Mr. Matthews, “and why P. Because their place is almost precisely occupied by the Sunday editions published by all our leading daily papers. These contain serial novels, short stories, and general articles, of exactly the same class as those which appear in your cheaper magazines, and illustrated in much the same style. In fact, the same stories and articles are often supplied by syndicates to your cheap magazines and to our Sunday papers.” W.—THE THREE-VoI,UME Nov EL. The fate of the three-volume novel still con- tinues to furnish matter for discussion. The Publisher's Circular naturally takes the keenest interest in the subject. The writer of an article in the August number on the Resolution of our council, puts forward certain statements and opinions which we can hardly accept. Thus he says: “We do not know how far this Resolution repre- sents, the mind of the great body of English novelists. . The opinion of writers in general, or even of the majority of the members of the Authors’ Society, was not, we believe, taken before the council passed its sweeping motion, and there are, we fancy, many writers of fiction who would repudiate this official declaration.” Now, the great body of English novelists are members of this Society. With a very few exceptions all novelists of standing are members. The Secretary received instructions to ask the opinions of all those members who are novelists, but not of other members. A “private and  ## p. 93 (#107) ############################################# THE AUTHOR. 93 confidential” circular was drawn up giving the facts of the case : and the opinions which were sent in were practically unanimous. Of course there may be, as the writer of the article thinks, some who would not agree with the Reso- lution, but they did not come forward. He says, further, that the “mass of the people does not read fiction.” The general opinion is that fiction is all that the mass does read— that part of the mass which reads anything besides the daily paper. He goes on to say, “Possibly the Council did not see that its resolution, if carried into effect, would deprive three-fourths of the members of the Society of their occupation and means of living.” - Let us, once more, take refuge in those figures which do so seriously annoy those who love a good broad general statement. There are between 1300 and 1400 members of the Society. Three-fourths of this number means about a thousand. It has been pretty conclusively proved in back numbers of the Author that the number of novelists whose works possess any commercial value at all with Mudie and Smith is under 300, of whom about one hundred are likely to be affected by the abolition of the three- volume system. It is a great mistake to suppose that the members of the Society are nearly all novelists. Statements to this effect have been made, over and over again, with intent to injure, but not in the Publisher's Circular, whose attitude towards the Society is generally fair. The writer probably reveals the truth when he says that depression in trade has brought about the present crisis. It is certainly more than twenty years since the three-volume novel was fiercely denounced; but it survived. Times were good; libraries took large numbers; cheap editions could wait. Now, smaller numbers must be taken at a less price; that is what the libraries say. Let us, therefore, go straight to the general public. That is what the majority of novelists say ; that is what many of the best novelists have already begun to do; that is what many publishers have declared their intention to do for the future. It is a significant commen- tory on this article, written clearly in favour of the old system, that the back page of the JPublisher's Circular contains an announcement that Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. will no longer issue three-volume novels, except under special circumstances. The three-volume novel, however, is not yet dead. WI.--THE COPYRIGHT Congress AT ANTWERP. The Association Littéraire et Artistique Inter- nationale informed us that a copyright congress would be held at Antwerp from the 18th to the 25th of Aug., and invited this Society to send delegates. We regret extremely that the invita- tion should not have come into our hands until after the last committee meeting, so that, our members having dispersed, there was no oppor- tunity of arranging for the proper representation of the Society. We wait for a report of the proceedings. The following is the official pro- gramme :- PROGRAMME Gână RAL DEs TRAvAUx. Du contrat d'édition, en matières littéraires, artistiques et musicales. Rapportewrs: MM. Pouillet et Ocampo. De l'arbitrage en matière de contestation relative à la pro- priété intellectuelle. Rapportewr: M. Maunery. De la propriété littéraire en fait de noms individuels. Rapportewr: M. Georges Maillard. De la propriété littéraire en fait de titres. Rapportew": Dr. Max Nordau. De la collaboration. Rapporteur : M. Harmand. De la propriété artistique en matière de portrait. De la propriété des types (clichés) de reproduction. Rapportewr: M. Davaune. - De la création d'un répertoire universel au bureau inter- national de Berne. De l'obligation du dépôt. De l'enregistrement. Rapportewr: M. Jules Lermina. De la traduction. De la caution Judicatwm Solvi. De la photographie. Rapportewr: M. Eugène Pouillet. Des droits des auteurs en matière de représentation gratuite. Rapportewr: M. Wauwermans. De la clause de la nation la plus favorisée. Rapporteur: M. A. Darras. *- 2-º -- w - A POET'S LOWE, [Imitated from a poem by Felix d'Anvers, quoted by Ste. Beuve Nouv. Lundis. III., 351.] Love leaped like instant lightning to my breast And made himself therein a secret throne : The hopeless slavery I bear unknown, By her who caused it least of all is guessed. I pass her often, as in darkness dressed, And even when by her side am still alone; Nor when I lie beneath my burial-stone Will prayer of mine have ever marred her rest. She whom God made so tender and so kind Perceives not, bent upon her daily task, The sighs of love that round her presence go; But wrapped in duty, innocently blind, - Reading the words I write of her, will ask— “Who was the woman that he worshipped so H. G. R.  ## p. 94 (#108) ############################################# 94 THE AUTHOR. THE PRICE OF THE NOVEL–1750-1894. HE following is a table of the prices at which the English novel has been issued from the year 1750 to the year 1860. It has been compiled from catalogues and lists published at the end of books, from magazines, and from advertisements. The compiler, Mr. R. English, of the British Museum, made no choice, but wrote down selections from the lists at random, three or four for each year. Some of the novels whose authorship was subsequently acknow- ledged appeared at first anonymously. Year. Author. Title, Vols. Price. I750 Fielding ........................ Tom Jones ...................................................... 4. 3o 12 O 35 Paltock ........................ Peter Wilkins........... © tº 4 tº e s tº a 4 º' s s º is a t t e º e º tº e º a s - e s a e s is s a e s & 8 2 o 6 O I75I Smollett ........................ Peregrine Pickle ............................................. 4. O I2 O 33 Anonymous..................... Adventures of Lucy Frail.................................... I O 3 O 1760 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adventures of Sylvia Hughes .............................. I O 3 O 1761 25 - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . Memoirs of Miss Sidney Biddulph ........................ 2 o 7 6 1762 Author of Roderick Random Sir Launcelot Greaves ....................................... 2 O 6 O 25 Anonymous..................... Longwood, Earl of Salisbury .............................. 2 o 6 o 1770 3 * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adventures of a Bank Note ................................. 4 O I 2 O 33 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Constantia ...................................................... I O 3 O 1771 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Captive; or, the History of Mr. Clifford ......... 2 o 6 O 1772 Author of Roderick Random Expedition of Humphrey Clinker................. ......... I O 3 O 1780 Anonymous..................... Alwyn ; or, the Gentleman Comedian..................... 2 o 6 O 1782 33 • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - George Bateman ............................................. 3 o 7 6 1784 23 - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barnham Downs ............................................. 2 o 7 o 1789 L. Lewis ........................ Lord Walford................................................... 2 O 6 O I790 Mrs Bonhote .................. Darnley Wale; or, Emilia Fitzroy ........................ 3 o 7 6 32 Anonymous..................... History of Miss Meredith.................................... 2 O 6 O 35 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Man of Feeling .......................................... 2 O 5 O 33 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Recluse ................................................... 2 O 5 O 99 35 - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Maid of Kent ............................................. 3 O 9 O 35 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louisa Forester................................................ 3 7 6 o 33 Charlotte Lennox ............ Euphemia. ...................................................... 4. O I 2 O I79I Jane Timbury.................. The Philanthropic Rambler ................................. I O 3 O 33 Anonymous..................... St. Julian's Abbey............................................. 2 O 5 O 33 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Henley ................................................ 2 O 5 O 33 35 - - - - - - - - * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sempronia ...................................................... 3 O 9 O 33 Clara Reeve .................. School for Widows............................................. 3 O 9 O 33 J. White ........................ - The Adventures of Richard Coeur de Lion.............., 3 O 9 O I792 Anonymous..................... Dinabas ......................................................... I O 3 O 33 By a Lady ..................... The Baroness of Beaumont ................................. 2 O 6 O 33 Anonymous..................... Modern Miniature ............................................. 2 O 6 O 33 33 • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Delineations of the Heart.................................... 3 O 9 O 33 Charlotte Smith ............... Desmond, a Novel............................................. 3 O 9 O I793 35 • * * * * * * * * * * * * Wanderings of Warwick .................................... I O 4 O 33 Anonymous..................... Siavery; or, the Times....................................... 2 O 6 O 33 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . History of Philip Waldegrave .............................. 2 O 6 O 33 35 - " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Dupe ...................................................... 2 O 5 O 33 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Selinor............................................................ 6 O 18 O I794 Geo. Hutton .................. Amantus and Elmore ....................................... I O 3 O 35 Anonymous..................... Ivey Castle ...................................................... 2 O 6 O 33 33 s = < * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Tales of Elam............................................. 2 o 6 o 35 S. Pearson ..................... The Medallion ................................................ 3 O 9 O 32 55 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ellen, Countess of Castle Howell ........................ 4 O I 2 O I795 Anonymous..................... The Ghost-Seer ................................................ I O 3 O 35 Geo. Brewer ... ............... The Motto ...................................................... 2 O 6 O 33 Anonymous..................... Elisa Powell ................................................... 2 o 7 o 33 Mary E. Parker ............... Orwell Manor................................................... 3 O 9 O 33 Anonymous..................... Secrecy, a Novel ............................................. 3 O 9 O 53 35 - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry, a Novel ................................................ 4. O I 2 O 1796 J. Palmer ..................... The Haunted Cavern.......................................... I O 3 O 3? Anonymous..................... Arville Castle................................................... 2 O 6 O 93 IRichard Hey .................. Edington, a Novel............................................. 2 o 6 o 33 Mary Robinson ............... Angelina, a Novel ............................................. 3 O I3 O 33 Mrs. Meeke..................... The Abbey of Clugny ....................................... 3 O 9 O 35 Anonymous..................... Agatha, a Novel ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 O I 2 O 1797 93 s = < * * * * * & 2 e º e º 'º e s tº a c is The Village Curate ...... a 2 & º º ſº tº is º f tº 6 s is tº 4 e º a tº 9 s s a s s a tº e s s s a s a I o 3 6  ## p. 95 (#109) ############################################# THE AUTHOR. Year. Author. Title. Wols. Price. 1797 Anonymous..................... The Inquisition ................................................ 2 O 6 O 25 23 ° e º • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Nun......................................................... 2 O 8 O 35 M. G. Lewis .................. The Monk ...................................................... 3 o IO 6 23 J. Fox ........................... Santa Maria ................................................... 3 O 1 o 6 33 Anonymous..................... The Church of St. Sifford.................................... 4. O I4. O 1798 33 s = * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Statira ; or, the Mother....................................... I o 3 6 33 33 - " - e s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Henry Willoughby............................................. 2 o 7 o 23 Anna Plumtree ............... The Rector's Son ............................................. 3 O IO 6 35 Mrs. Tomlins ................. Rosalind de Tracy............................................. 3 O IO 6 33 Geo. Walker .................. Cinthelia ...................................................... - - - 4. O I4. O I799 Anonymous.......... .* * * * * * * * * * * The Orphan Heiress of St. Gregory........................ I O 4 O 23 33 - - - - - - - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Helen Sinclair ................................................ 2 O 7 o 25 3) - - - - - - - - - * * * * * * * * * * * * Sketches of Modern Life .................................... 2 O 7 o 25 33 - " " " - s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tale of the Times ............................................. 3 O I 2 O 53 3 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Castle of St. Donats.......................................... 3 O IO 6 33 E. Helme........................ Albert, a Novel ................................................ 4 O I4. O I8OO A. Thicknesse.................. The School of Fashion ....................................... 2 O I2 O 33 Anonymous...................... A Northumbrian Tale ....................................... I o 4 6 33 Mrs. Robinson ſº tº e s : s a The Natural Daughter ....................................... 2 O 7 O 32 Anonymous..................... Selina, a Novel ................................................ 3 O IO 6 33 Miss Gunning .................. The Gipsey Countess.......................................... 4. O I4. O 33 Anonymous..................... Exhibitions of the Heart .................................... 4 I I O 33 C. Selden........................ Serena ............................................................ 3 o Io 6 18OI Anonymous..................... The Castle of Eridan.......................................... I O 4 6 23 33 - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Picture of the Age ....................................... 2 o 6 O 22 Mrs. Burke ..................... Elliot, a Novel ................................................ 2 o 8 O 25 P. Littlejohn .................. The Mistake ................................................... 3 O I2 O 33 Anonymous..................... Adonia, a Novel................................................ 4. o 18 O 33 M. A. Hanway ............... Andrew Stuart ................................................ 4 O 18 O 1802 Miss Hatfield .................. She Lives in Hopes, &c. .................................... 2 O 9 O 33 Anonymous..................... Belmont, a Novel ............................................. 3 O IO 6 39 Anne Plumtree ............... Something New ; or, Adventures at Campbell House... 3 O I5 O 25 H. Ventum ..................... Justinia, a Novel ..... ... .................................... 4. O 18 O 33 Mrs. Hunter .................. Letitia, a Novel ................................................ 4 I I O 1803 Anonymous..................... Lucy Osmond................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I O 3 O 33 Eliza N. Bromley ............ The Cave of Cosenza.................... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * , , , 2 O I2 O 33 Anonymous..................... Lady Geraldine Beaufort .................................... 3 O IO 6 35 Mrs. Hunter .................. Letters from Mrs. Palmerston, &c......................... 3 O I5 O : 3 Anonymous..................... Follies of Fashion ............................................. 3 o 13 6 23 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Helen of Glenross ............................................. 4. O 16 o 1804 25 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Leopold ; or, the Bastard.................................... 2 o 8 O 33 25 - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . Letters of Mrs. Riversdale ........................ ... . . . . . . 3 o 13 6 2 3 Eugenia de Acton ............ A Tale without a Title ....................................... 3 O I2 O 23 Anonymous..................... Pride of Ancestry ............................................. 4. o 16 O 33 Mrs. Thomson.................. St. Clair of the Isles .......................................... 4. O I4. O 1805 Mrs. Hunter .................. The Unexpected Legacy .................................... 2 O 9 O 33 Mary Goldsmith............... Casualities ............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 2 O 6 O 22 Mrs. Le Noir .................. Village Anecdotes ............................................. 3 O I2 O 3) A. M. Porter .................. The Lake of Killarney ....................................... 3 o 13 6 33 Anonymous..................... What You Please, &c. ......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. o 16 o 33 M. Malden ..................... Jessica Mandeville............................................. 5 o 17 6 I806 Anonymous..................... - Belville House ............................................. ... 2 O 8 O 23 35 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A Sailor's Friendship ....................................... 2 O 8 O 33 33 - - - - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Flim Flams, &c................................................. 3 I I O 35 Mrs. Opie ..................... Adeline Mowbray ............................................. 3 o 13 6 33 Eliz. Helme..................... Pilgrim of the Cross.......................................... 4. O 18 O 33 R. C. Dallas .................. The Morlands................................................... 4. I I O 1807 F. Lathom ..................... The Impenetrable Secret .................................... 2 o 6 O 33 Robert Semple ............... Charles Ellis ................................................... 2 O 9 O 35 Mrs. Edgworth ............... Lenora...........• * * * g e s e e s tº e º e s - a • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2 o IO 6. 33 J. Mackintosh ............... Men and Women ............................................. 3 o 13 6 93. Mrs. Opie ..................... Simple Tales .............................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 I I O 33 M. A. Lewis .................. Feudal Tyrants ........................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 I 8 O 1808 M. Rymer ..................... The Spaniard, &c. ........................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I O 4 O 92 Anonymous..................... Helen, a Novel ................................................ 2 o Io 6 22 39 & B tº º e º 'º - e º a º - G tº a c e º e & George the Third ............................................. 3 o 13 6. WOL. W. K.  ## p. 96 (#110) ############################################# THE AUTHOR. Wear. Author, Title. Wols. Price. 1808 Anonymous................ © e º e e Theodore; or, the Enthusiast .............................. 4. I I O 3? Madame Genlis ............... Alphonsine, &c. ................................................ 4 I 8 O 1809 || Anonymous..................... Theodore; or, the Peruvians .............................. I o 4 6 22 F. Lathom ..................... The Fatal Wow ................................................ 2 O 9 O 33 J. N. Brewer .................. Mountville Castle ............................................. 3 O I5 O 33 G. Amphlett .................. Ned Bentley ................................................... 3 O I5 O 33 Peter Peregrine ............... Matilda Montford ............................................. 4. I I O 33 Miss M. Linwood ............ Leicestershire Tales .......................................... 4. I I O 1810 Anonymous..................... Faulconstein Forest .......................................... I O 6 6 25 92 - e s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Calibia, Choosing a Husband .............................. 2 O IO O 55 Miss Edgeworth............... Tales of Fashionable Life.................................... 3 O 18 O 33 Anonymous.......... * . . . . . . . . . . The Acceptance................................................ 3 o 18 o 33 Harriet Jones.................. The Family of Santraile ..................... .............. 4 I 4 O 35 Alicia T. Palmer............... The Daughters of Isonberg ................................. 4 I 4 O 33 F. Melville ..................... The Benevolent Monk ....................................... 3 o 13 6 25 Anne Ormsby.................. The Soldier's Family... ...................................... 4 I 6 O 35 Anonymous............... ..... “Frederick” ................................................... 2 O I 2 O 181 I C. H. Wilson .................. The Irish Valet ....................................... ........ I O 5 O 35 Anonymous..................... The Reformist ................................................ 2 O IO O 33 23 ° - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Self Control ................................................... 3 I 4 O 33 Theodore Edgeworth ......... The Shipwreck ................................................ 3 O I5 O 35 Emma Parker.................. Virginia, &c. ................................................... 4. I 4 O 1812 Mrs. Roberts ................. Rose and Emily................................................ I o 5 6 33 Anonymous..................... Things by their Right Names .............................. 2 O IO 6 33 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rhydisel; or, the Devil in Oxford ........................ 2 O Io 6 32 23 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Adventures of Dick Distich ................................. 3 O 16 6 33 Mrs. Opie ..................... Tempter ; or, Domestic Scenes ........................... 3 I I O 35 Ann Plumtree.................. History of Myself and Friend .............................. 4 I 8 O 1813 Anonymous .................... The Sisters, a Domestic Tale .............................. I O 5 O 55 Miss Benger .................. The Heart and the Fancy........................... ........ 2 O I 2 O 35 Anonymous..................... She Thinks for Herself ....................................... 3 o 16 6 92 Mrs. Peck ..................... Waga ; or, View of Nature ................................. 3 O 18 O 93 Miss Burney .................. Traits of Nature................................................ 4. I 8 O 1814 Anonymous..................... Sara, a Tale ............... 6 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I o 5 6 33 W. H. Hitchener ............ The Towers of Ravenswold ................................. 2 O IO O 32 Anonymous..................... The Adventures of a Dramatist ........................... 2 O I 2 O 33 Lady Morgan .................. O'Donnel, a National Tale ................................. 3 I I O 33 Miss Houghton ...... ..... .. The Border Chieftain.......................................... 3 O 18 O 95 Maria Edgeworth ............ Patronage, a Novel .......................................... 4. I 8 O 1815 Maria Benson .................. System or no System.......................................... I O 6 O 22 John Gamble .................. Howard, a Novel ............................................. 2 O 9 O 35 Sir Walter Scott...... . . . . . . . . . Guy Mannering ................................................ 3 I I O 23 Emma Parker.................. The Guerrilla Chief .............................. ........... 3 I I O 25 Anonymous..................... History of John de Castro ................................. 4 I 4 O 33 Ann M. Porter ............... The Recluse of Norway....................................... 4 I 4 O 1816 Anonymous..................... A Tale for Gentle and Simple .............................. I o 7 o 95 23 ° - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Adventures of Peter Wilkins .............................. 2 o Io 6 33 Mrs. Opie ..................... Valentine's Eve ................................................ 3 I I O 35 T. S. Surr ..................... Magic of Wealth ............................................. 3 O 18 O 32 Anonymous..................... Chronicles of an Illustrious House ........................ 5 I 7 6 33 23 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s Clara Albin........ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * , , , s a s 4. I 8 O 1817 33 ° e º s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Headlong Hall ..................... ... ............. ......... I O 6 o 93. Emma Parker.................. Self Deception .......................................... . ... 2 O I 2 O 35 Anonymous..................... Melincourt, &c. ............ ............................. ..... 3 O 18 O 53 3 x * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Six Weeks at Long's.................................... . ... 3 I I O 35 Fanny Holcroft ............... Fortitude and Frailty * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s g g a s e e 4. I 2 O 33 Anonymous..................... The Pastor's Fireside * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * . e. e. 4 I I I 6 1818 Eliz. B. Lester ............... The Quakers ............... ....................... ... ........ I O 6 o 33 Anonymous..................... Northern Irish Tales............... .. • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * e s e 2 O I 2 O 2) }} • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Manners, a Novel .............................. ... ........... 3 O 18 O 33 Anna M. Porter ............... The Knight of St. John ... ... ........... ................. 3 I I O 33 Mrs. Opie ..................... New Tales ...................................................... 4 I 8 O 35 By the Earl of Erpingham... Some Account of Myself ............ .....,.............. .. 4 I 2 O 33 Anonymous..... tº s e º e º e s a s a e º e a e Rosabella ; or, Mother's Marriage ......,,................ 5 I IO O 1819 33 - " " " " " : * * * * * * * * * * * * s a Conidans, &c,.................. . . ........................... I o 7 O 25 Madame Planche ,,,,,,,,, A Year and a Day... ................... i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 O I2 O  ## p. 97 (#111) ############################################# THE AUTHOR. 97 Year. Author. Title, Wols. Price, 1819 Anonymous..................... Errors and their Consequences.............................. 2 O I3 O 35 Miss Porter..................... The Fast of St. Magdalen......................... 3 I I O 22 Miss Croker .................. The Question, Who is Anna P .............................. 3 I 4 O 33 Mrs. Robert Moore............ Eveleen Mountjoy ............................................. 4. I 4 O 182O M. A. Grant .................. Tales Founded on Facts .................................... I O 7 O 29 Anonymous..................... The Retreat ................................................... 2 O I 2 O 22 A. Marmacopt.................. The Wharbroke Legend....................................... 2 O 14 O 33 Sir Walter Scott............... The Abbot ...................................................... 3 I 4 O 35 Mrs. Opie ..................... Tales of the Heart............................................. 4. I 8 O 32 R. C. Dallas .................. Sir Francis Darrell............................................. 4. I 8 O 33 Anonymous..................... The Mystery of Forty Years Ago ........................ 3 I I O 1821 H. B. Gascoigne............... Sympathy, &c. ............... ................................ I O 5 O 32 J. H. Brady .................. The Spanish Rogue .......................................... 2 O I5 O 95 Anonymous..................... Concealment ......................... # * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s a e s s 3 I I O 95 Lee Gibbons .................. The Cavalier ................................................... 3 I I O 39 Anonymous..................... A Legend of Argyle .............................. . ......... 3 I I O 1822 Sir Walter Scott ............ The Pirate ...................................................... . 3 I I I 6 53 Charlotte C. Richardson ... The Soldier's Child ... ....................................... 2 O I 2 O 22 Anonymous..................... Maid Marian ................................................... I o 7 o 33 James Hogg .................. Three Perils of Man .......................................... 3 I 4 O 33 Anonymous..................... Pen Owen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I II 6 33 Sir Walter Scott..... ......... Peveril of the Peak ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. 2 2 O 1823 Anonymous..................... A New England Tale.......................................... I o 6 o 3? 35 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Which is the Heroine P....................................... 2 O I 2 O 33 33 s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Confederate................................................ 3 I I O 39 99 • * * * * * * * * e & © tº a 9 tº e º e º e King of the Peak ................................ ............ 3 I I O 33 Sir Walter Scott............... Quentin Durward ............................................. 3 I I I 6 33 Anonymous..................... Reginald Dalton................................................ 3 I I I 6 1824 35 s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Stranger's Grave ....................................... I O 6 O 33 Geo. Soane ..................... The Outcasts ................................................... 2 o 16 O 2 3 Geo. Butt........................ The Spanish Daughter ....................................... 2 o 16 o 35 Anonymous..................... Trials, a Novel ................................................ 3 I I O 2 3 Sir Walter Scott............... Red Gauntlet ................................................... 3 I I I 6 33 3.5 s = * * * * * * * * * * * * * St. Roman's Well ............................................. 3 I I I 6 1825 B. D'Israeli..................... Vivian Grey ................................................... 2 O 18 O 23 Anonymous..................... Matilda, a Tale of the Day .............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I O IO 6 33 33 • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Story of a Life .......................................... 2 o 18 o 35 35 • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Foresters................................................... 3 I 7 O 23 5 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tremaine; or, Man of Refinement ........................ 3 I 4 O 5 § Sir Walter Scott.............., Tales of the Crusaders ....................................... 4. 2 2 O 92 H. Willis........................ Castle Baynard ................................................ I O 8 O 35 T. Lister........................ Granby ......................................................... 3 I I I 6 25 H. Smith........................ Brambletye House .............................. ... . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I I I 6 1826 Anonymous..................... Sir John Chiverton, a Romance ........................... I O IO 6 33 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Truth, a Novel ................................................ 3 I 4 O 33 Allan Cunningham............ Paul Jones ...................................................... 3 I I I 6 35 33 - e s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Tor Hill, a Novel ....................................... 3 I I I 6 1827 33 e s , , s a s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * Falkland, a Novel............................................. I o Io 6 35 23 ° • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Confessions of an Old Bachelor ........................... I o Io 6 35 32 - . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Belmour, a Novel ..................... ....................... 2 O 18 O 33 39 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - English Fashionables Abroad ........................... & e & 3 I I I 6 33 35 • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Historiettes, Tales of Continental Life .................. 3 I I I 6 32 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Richmond, &c., a Novel .................................... 3 I I I 6 1828 Sir Walter Scott............... Tales of a Grandfather....................................... I o Io 6 33 Anonymous..................... Yes or No, a Novel .......................................... 2 I I O 92 35 . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Confessions of an Old Maid .............. .................. 3 I 8 6 35 25 - - - - - - - * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Herbert Lacy, a Novel ................................... ... 3 I I I 6 33 35 • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tales and Legends.............. .............................. 3 I II 6 35 33 - e s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * De Lisle; or, the Distrustful Man ........................ 3 I I I 6 93 35 e s • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Herbert Milton ............................................. tº & & 3 I I I 6 1830 Marryatt........................ The King's Own................................................ 3 I I I 6 25 Ritchie........................... The Game of Life ............................................. 2 O 18 O 22 E. Lane ........................ The Fugitives................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I O 9 O 1835 Sir E. B. Lytton............... The Student .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I I O 39 Anonymous..................... Agnes Searle ................................................... 3 I II 6 ?? ?? * * * * * * * * * * * * Finesse, a Novel * c s , , , , , , , , , , , , , a t w w w w • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2 I I Q  ## p. 98 (#112) ############################################# 98 THE AUTHOR. Year. Author. Title. Wols. Price. 1840 G. P. R. James ............... The King's Highway................................. ........ 3 I I I 6 1841 Anonymous..................... Bllen Braye; or, the Fortune Teller ..................... 2 I I O 1845 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Aston..................... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I O 6 O 35 D. Lister........................ College Chums ................................................ 2 I I O 33 G. P. R. James ............... The Smuggler............................ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3 I I I 6 1850 Anonymous..................... Shadow and Sunshine ...................... ................. I O 6 O 33 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Silwood, a Novel ............................................. 2 I I O 35 P. Leicester..................... Ada Greville ................................................... 3 I I I 6 I86o Capt. Wraxall.................. Camp Life ...................................................... I O IO 6 32 Anonymous..................... Hulse House, by the Author of Anne Grey............... 2 I I O 2 3 F. J. Greenwood ............ Under a Cloud ................................................ 3 I I I 6 If we analyse this list the following facts are established: 1. From 1750 to 1792 inclusive the ruling price of a novel was 3s. a volume, so that a four-volume novel was 12s. and a three-volume novel was 98. Occasionally, however, there is observed a tendency to cheaper forms, as in 1790, when there occur two cases of novels at 2s. 6d. a volume. This price was “net;” there was no reduction or discount to the public. The novels of this period were for the most part very short; now and then, as in the case of “Tom Jones” and “Peregrine Pickle,” they were long; as a rule they were much shorter than the modern Three-Decker. . 2. In the year 1793 there is a sign of an upward tendency. A single volume book is announced at 4s. Then for three or four years the old price is maintained. In 1796 Mary Robinson’s “Angelina.” is priced at 4s. 6d. a volume, and “Agatha,” whatever her merits may have been, appears at 4s. a volume. In 1797 3s. 6d. and 4s. are the rule. In 1798 the old price is forgotten. In 1799 nothing is under 3s. 6d. In 1800 prices range from 3s. 6d., 4s. 6d., 5s. 3d., to 6s. a volume. In 18O1, nothing is higher than 4.s. 6d. In 1802 we range from 4s. 6d. to 5s. 3d. The same prices are asked in 1803, 1804, 1805. of “Flim Flams ” asks 7s. a piece for his volumes. A common form is now the four- volume novel at a guinea. Here and there, all the time, we find the old price of 3s. In 1807 Lewis’s “Feudal Tyrants” is issued in four volumes at £1 8s. In 1808 Mdme. Genlis' “Euphrosyne” is published in four volumes at the same price. In 1809 and 18 IO 6s. a volume is the rule. In 181 I an Anonymous issues a three-volume novel at £I 4s.--we are getting very close to the guinea and a half. From 1812 to 1821 prices range from 6s. to 8s. a volume. In 1822 for the first time occurs the ominous price of a guinea and a half. There may be earlier cases, but the first discovered by Mr. In 1806 the author English was that of Sir Walter Scott's “Pirate,” in three volumes. In the same year “Peveril of the Peak” was published in four volumes at 282 2s., viz., half a guinea for every volume. From 1823 to 1830 one-volume novels are issued at 6s, and at Ios. 6d., but by far the larger at the latter price. Two-volume novels appear at 12s., 16s., 18s., and a guinea. Three- volume novels at a guinea, 31 48., 31 7s., and 31 IIs. 6d. That is, out of twenty-one three volume novels on this list fifteen are at a guinea. and a half, two at £1 8s. 6d., one at £I 7s., two at £1 4s., and one at a guinea. From the year 1825 to 1860 the price of half a guinea for every volume was the rule, with here and there a rare exception. Of late years there have been many experiments in price and form. Certain well-known writers have never produced a three-volume novel at all; the price of the single volume has become a uniform 6s., exactly double the price a hundred years ago. The first appearance of the cheap edition seems to have been the series of novels issued by Messrs. Colburn and Bentley in 1831, called “Bentley’s Standard Novels and Romances,” at 2s. 6d. each. Of this series the Athenæum of that date says: “If these works do not succeed, and eminently, it is no use catering honestly for the public. These are among the very best and cheapest ever issued from the press.” The first appearance of the six-shilling novel seems to have been in 1861, when Messrs. Blackwood and Sons published at that price George Eliot’s “Silas Marner.” Others followed at the same price, and the London publishers, as Bentley and Son, Sampson Low, &c., speedily began to publish at the same price. The second and cheap edition of the novel, in regular succession, either at 6s. Or 3s. 6d., or less, is a thing of not more than thirty years’ existence. The old rule was one form of publication, either serially or in three-volume form, and then an end. Until the year 1865 or thereabouts, if a novel  ## p. 99 (#113) ############################################# THE AUTHOR. 99 appeared in a magazine, that was its first and final appearance. The two-shilling novel, for which Miss Braddon is chiefly responsible, began the cheap edition. But the ordinary successful novelist did not, as a rule, look forward to a cheap edition of his story, however well it was received by the public, and there were critics who spoke of a reprint, even if it contained an acknowledgment of the journal from which it was taken, as if the publisher and the author were committing some kind of fraud upon the public in presenting old Wares a,S new. The rise in price from 3s. to half a guinea a volume may perhaps be explained by more than one theory. Perhaps the following explanation may find acceptance : The rise in price begins towards the close of the last century. For nearly a quarter of a century the country was engaged in a deadly contest for life and liberty. This contest demanded the most cruel sacrifices. Therefore, although the seas were kept pretty well open and a great part of our foreign trade remained with us, the taxation fell heavily on all classes, but most heavily on that class which then formed the great bulk of readers —the clergy and the professional people. The examples of Edinburgh, Lichfield, Exeter, Norwich, and other places illustrate the importance of the literary circles—some of them containing men of great literary ability—which had sprung up all over the country. The members of these coteries, perforce, ceased to buy books; they formed book clubs and circulating libraries. The natural result of the narrowed circulation was a rise in price. From 3s. a volume the novel became gradually, as we have seen, half a guinea. And this price con- tinued, because the people had lost the habit of buying books, and, though the book clubs fell to pieces and the literary coteries were broken up, the habit of reading remained and was extended more and more, while the central circulating library took the place of the country book club and supplied the reading, the demand for which far exceeded, and still exceeds, the purchasing power of the people. *- r= - - THE AUTUMN ANNOUNCEMENTS, HEY have already begun in the Athenæum. The number for August 25 contains the autumn lists of four publishers. It is proposed to analyse and classify these lists as was done last year in these columns. This classifica- tion cannot be complete before the end of October or perhaps later. Meantime, with thirty-five WOL. W. new books and new editions announced by Messrs. Longman; fifty-four by Messrs. Chatto and Windus; seventeen by Messrs. Chambers; and four by Messrs. Putnam, we make a good beginning. At present we may only observe that, as appears from these lists, the three-volume novel is not dead yet. *- - -º ON “WARNINGS AND ADVICE.” CORRESPONDENT addresses a letter to the editor which seems to demand especial attention. He writes to this effect : “I read your paper regularly from beginning to end. It afflicts me, every month, with a pro- found melancholy on account of your “Warnings and Advice.’ They may be most useful, for those who can follow them. I cannot. I am one of those whose first desire is to get my work pub- lished at all. Why? Because I have a message for the world? Not at all. But because I can write things of a kind which command a certain, but not a great, success. My line is the novel, but there are many others, like myself, though in other lines, who can produce work which gets bought, somehow, to some small extent. They write readable essays; ‘ historical’ chapters, cribbed from recent investigations in the Record Office and elsewhere; concocted out of old books in a library, and made to look something like work of Original research among unpublished documents; biographies of half-forgotten celebrities; poetry. But the poets are not quite up to my level, for they have to pay for their things; I want my work published, and not at my own cost. I want, also, to be known in my own circle as a man of letters. It gives one a certain distinction to have produced one book and to be engaged upon another. My vanity is, I believe, the leading motive. But, besides, I always have a suspicion that my work may be worth large sums of money, and I naturally want all I can get, and more. So that I go to my publisher, first and above all things, anxious that he should take my stuff; next, suspicious of his terms; and, lastly, afraid to stipulate any conditions. As for independence, I really haven’t any. I am in his hands; he makes me feel that he is obliging me. Not that he is insolent ; he is even kindly ; sometimes he makes me miserable by telling me how much he loses by his authors; sometimes he makes me mad by little condescensions and words of patronage. Always, of course, I am to be the obliged and grateful party in the business. I am never, as you desire me to be, independent of him. He will very kindly take my work ; he will very I.  ## p. 100 (#114) ############################################ I OO THE AUTHOR. nobly, though he says he is certain to be a loser by it, make me an offer. He has produced half-a-dozen books of my mine; on every one he says he has lost; yet he is always ready to take another. There- fore, as he is a business man, I do not believe him. But I don’t dare tell him so. What have your warnings and your information done for me P. Well, they have proved clearly that, even with my limited sale, the gratitude should be on his side, not mine. As a (hitherto) grateful dependant on this disinterested Patron, it is gall and wormwood to me to learn what his agreement really means, and what it is that I have had to accept. Your “Warnings and Advice’ are fourteen in number; they are all practical; they are all, I dare say, to other people, useful. But, alas ! they are of no use to me, because I am Quite unable to adopt any of them. I might, it is true, go so far as to stamp the agreement—I don’t think he would find it out—but the nature of the document makes it quite un- necessary for me. The other man can stamp his, if he likes, but it seems unnecessary. Then, again, I might take your advice about a literary agent, but I fear that my commercial value at the best is not great enough to make any agent anxious to have me as a client—my last book, produced on the half-profit plan, showed a loss of eleven pounds, eleven and eightpence. As regards “future work, my Patron has not yet tried to bind me down; but he would do so, I dare say, if he thought of it. And as for drawing the agreement myself, or reserving anything, or having a say in the advertisements, I think I see my Patron's face if I dared to suggest anything of the kind. One poor man, a friend in the same line as myself, and of about equal commercial value, ventured once to suggest to his Patron that he might have the accounts of the joint venture audited. “What?’ cried the Patron, “do you think I mean to cheat you ?’ The retort was obvious ; there can be but one reason for your partner hiding his books; but my friend did not dare to make use of it. I myself on one occasion when a royalty was offered—I will not lower myself in your eyes by confessing the amount of that royalty or the number of copies which had to be sold before the royalty began—ventured to ask Smilingly—it was a hollow, forced smile, I fear —what share of profit the proposed arrange- ment might leave to the other side. He replied, icily, that he must really be allowed to manage nis property—he called it his property—in his own way, and it was no affair of mine whether he lost or gained. Most likely, he added, pump- ing up a sigh, he should be a very heavy loser. “In plain words, I am entirely dependent on my publisher. He gives me exactly what he chooses; I must accept or go elsewhere. And where should I go? Your advice is excellent, in fact, to those whose books are commercially valu- able. For the rank and file I submit that it is unpractical.” That the writer's position is such as he describes one need not doubt. That he is one of many in the same position we know too well. That the position is one of necessity is another question. For, if we consider, very nearly the whole business of the smaller publisher—and of all publishers except a few large houses—lies with the writers of the day, and of these by far the greater number, like our correspondent, possess individually but little commercial value. Yet, taken together, they may be very valuable, because every one represents a certain amount of gain to the publisher, otherwise his books would not be produced, and one or two among them, especially among the younger sort, may at any moment become popular and very valuable indeed. If such a writer, then, would offer his next work on our conditions to his friend the “Patron,” he would probably find it indignantly refused. He could then try elsewhere, and here the Society might possibly help him. But if all such writers—all that very large class of writers whose works possess some commercial value, however small—demanded such conditions, the result would be — must be — submission and acceptance. For, since our conditions involve nothing in the world that can be considered derogatory to the publisher, nothing unfair, nothing out of the common course, nothing but the common sense of an ordinary business trans- action, and nothing more than the Ordinary pre- cautions with which one person admits another to the management of, or partnership in, his property, it stands to reason that opposition would disappear as soon as it was found impossible or difficult to get such agency or such partnership without these conditions. The “warnings and advice,” on the other hand, to those whose work is in demand are so simple that it is their own fault if they do not stipulate for their observance. For instance, in the common case of a royalty, the “warnings” numbered respectively (I), (3), (4), (7), (8), (II), and (I2) are the only points necessary to be observed, and of these especially numbers (4), (8), (II), and (I2). Next, it must be remembered that the business of the Society is to defend literary property, and to show how it must be defended. If writers will not trouble to defend their property because it is of small value that is their concern. We  ## p. 101 (#115) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. IO I tell them, at least, how they may estimate its possibilities, and how they may guard and keep their own. In defence of other kinds of property, the law does not permit the invasion of its rights where the value is small any more than when it is large. A pocket must not be picked of a handkerchief any more than of a watch. Nor should a literary agreement over a small property be more unfair than one over a large property. There is another way of looking at it. The one-sided old I oper cent. royalty; the penny in the shilling; the 20 per cent. when 5000 copies (say) have been sold ; and many other of the tricks which we know so well—if they are now tried with even the youngest and most dependent writer, are tried with the consciousness that they have been exposed; that the victim can ascertain for himself the reality of his position; and that, dependent as he may be for the moment, should the day of success arrive when his works would become by themselves an income to his pub- lishers, he will certainly go elsewhere. The Society has rendered many of the old “dodges * impossible by ascertaining and publishing what is really meant by the mysterious Cost of Production. To return to the class represented by our cor- respondent. They want to publish, very often, because they believe that their work is “as good as other people’s.” This desire overcomes, as is apparent from this letter, every other considera- tion. In order to be published they will accept any terms. This desire, therefore, makes the author a supplicant and a dependant. He invites a one- sided offer. If he refuses it the chances are that he is not worth much, and he is told to go elsewhere. On the other hand, if he is a young man, it is possible that he may become a success, in which case it is, perhaps, wiser to treat him with fairness, as a client whose business is desirable. This consideration smoothes the way to a better understanding. Here is a very simple rule. Such a writer generally avoids the leading Houses, thinking foolishly that he will do better with the smaller Houses—and forgetting that there is but one public. Let him, therefore, before going to one of the smaller Houses examine its lists. If he finds that it can show only one or two works of any popular author, and those his earliest works, let him ask why this popular author left this House. Naturally, because he was, or thought he was, unfairly treated. Then let this young writer make up his mind to avoid a House which cannot keep its clients. On the other hand, a House which has long lists of popular authors is, primá facie, one which acts so as to retain the confidence of writers. But if a writer considers that warning which stands last in our list, he will do well, either by a man of business or in person, to address a publisher as one business man with another. “Here,” he will say, “is a work which I believe to be a possible property, even if a small property. If your advisers also think so, is it worth your while to undertake its production on the following terms P I contribute the work itself; you contribute the liability to pay the difference, if any, between the actual cost of production and the demand for the book. You also undertake the distribution, collection, &c.; in return for which you shall have such a share of the profits as may be agreed upon as equitable. The partnership is to be quite open, as between two honourable men ; books always accessible ; nothing charged but out of pocket expenses; the proposed list of advertisements to be arranged with me : and, of course, no secret profits of any kind.” Such a letter, at all events, would not be the letter of a dependant. And the answer would probably show the true character of the publisher to whom it was addressed. NOTES AND NEWS, Rº: of the Author will rejoice to learn that Mr. Robert Sherard is about to resume his Letters from Paris in these columns. Arrangements have also been made for a Letter from New York, on American Literature and Literary Folk. The former letter will begin, it is hoped, next month ; the latter in November or December. Mr. Strachey's paper in the National Review for August, on the Heroic Couplet in English verse, indicates a new line of critical research, which will, I hope, be followed up either by Mr. Strachey or by other competent scholars. The construction—the structure—of English poetry, not the lives of the poets, or criticisms on their works, but the origin, growth, and development of its many metres, has never, so far as I know, been seriously and adequately treated. Mr. Strachey's paper is only a chapter, and that an imperfect chapter, on one branch of the subject. Where did Chaucer find his favourite metre P Why did he choose that metre in preference to the shorter line most common in the fabliaua, or the longer line which was used by his friend Eustache Deschamps? Where did Skelton find—or did he invent—his short metre P How was it that the six-foot line failed to hold its own? Sonnet, blank verse, ode, lyrical ballad, song—every branch of poetry down  ## p. 102 (#116) ############################################ I O2 THE AUTHOR. to the new-old metres of modern versifiers—the ballade, triolet, villanelle, chanson royale—which seem to have had their day. Again, there is the splendid music of Swinburne. Is there anything, anywhere, in the history of poetry, which can compare with his march of song P Can there be any verse, anywhere, to which he owes anything P Such a paper as Mr. Strachey's takes time and reading and scholarship. Therefore it is rare. I have received from America the First Part of “The Art of Short Story Writing.” It is only a typewritten part, and I am earnestly begged to guard it from being published in this country. It would therefore be unfair to quote from the pages, or to set forth the methods and plan of the book, or to express any opinion upon the treatment or the literary value of the book, or its probable usefulness to beginners. The author of the work prefers to remain anonymous, which is perhaps wise. Many writers, seeing the terrible mistakes and the waste of good material committed by beginners in their first attempts, have thought that a school of fiction might do useful preliminary training work just as well as a school of painting. The anonymous author of this work, which will be issued by “the Revised Literary Bureau,” of New York, declares him- self strongly of this opinion. The first and obvious objection to such a school is that every- body so far has got on without it. Quite true. On the other hand, how many would have got on more quickly and better with it P. How many, again, would have been deterred from entering upon a line of work for which they had no ability? There is in the construction, the arrangement, the setting, the dialogue of a novel, as much art asthere is in the grouping of a picture, the management of the light, &c. This truth, which is perfectly well known to all those who have studied, and intelli- gently attempted, the art of fiction, has been denied, or derided, by those who write on the subject without any study of it or any sympathy with it. It may be objected that those who have the natural aptitude will find out these things for themselves. Perhaps they will ; perhaps they will not; perhaps it will take them years of work and partial failure, with the sacrifice of their best materials. Of course, those who have not the natural gift will never be able to use, even if they find out, the true methods. Why, then, teach them P. We cannot create a story teller, any more than a poet, by teaching; but we may stop at the outset those who are certain, to fail; we may teach the methods, and put into the right line the rank and file of the story tellers; and we may save genius itself from blunders and from disappointments. Another objection, however, less obvious, presents itself. After going to such a school the candidate who failed would most certainly throw the whole blame of failure upon the school. It would therefore be mecessary for the lecturers and teachers to be very ready with their warnings. He must be a stupid person, however, who was unable in six months to find out whether a student would fail or succeed. We now await the American treatise. Every year, as regularly as the showers of August, appears the letter complaining of the bold bad smuggler who imports Tauchnitz editions in his pockets. The whole family, girls and all, enter with zeal into the smuggling business; impromptu pockets are devised in feminine garments; men’s coats are found to contain stowage room pre- viously unsuspected; a successful run is made ; and the family shelves are enriched with another row of Tauchnitz books. They have been bought at half the cost of the English edition, you see. Cheapness before anything. These books, more- over, are openly sold in this country; one may sometimes see rows of them in the secondhand shops. What is to be done P. It is impossible to touch the conscience of the traveller homeward bound. He will not smuggle lace, because he understands that lace is property—it is visible property—he must not defraud the revenue; literary property he does not understand—he cannot see it. Here is a book—why cannot he take the book home with him P Because the law prohibits? Nonsense; it can hurt nobody. It is impossible to make him see that to import this book is an infringement of right; a robbery of author or publisher, or both. Therefore some- thing else must be attempted. What? Let us take counsel together. There must surely be some way of preventing the smuggling of books. Now the rough and ready way by which dockyard labourers are prevented from stealing dockyard stores might be attempted. Wardens of the yard stand at the gates and feel the men as they pass. An expert hand would detect a Tauchnitz in the coat pocket. And a substantial fine judiciously and sternly administered would do the rest. But perhaps some other method might be suggested. - We referred last month to the critic who desires the reduction of three volumes to one, because we should then get a shorter novel. I have before me two novels, each in one volume. One is called “Marcella," and the other “The Manxman.” The former contains about 28O,OOO words, and is therefore twice as long as the ordinary three-volume novel; the latter contains  ## p. 103 (#117) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. IO3 about 236,000 words, and is therefore half as large again. No ; we shall not necessarily get our novels any shorter when they are published in orie volume; and, as was said last month, a book may be very short and yet very ill-con- structed. It is well known that Mr. Hall Caine deliberately resolved to try the result of appealing to the public at once with his new novel “The Manxman.” The following was the result, pub- lished here with the author's sanction, eight days before the day of issue:— Mudie's subscription .......... IOOO Smith’s 35 ............... 200 Smith's railway stalls............ ... 2COO The trade, &c. ..................... 4OOO Separate Colonial edition ......... 5OOO Total, I 2,260, before the book was out. Now, it must be remembered that Izoo, or even looo, is a very large subscription for a three-volume novel. The publishers’ immediate returns, therefore, are probably more than doubled by the new system. Everybody, however, it is objected, is not so popular as Mr. Hall Caine. That is quite true. The figures must therefore be taken to show what may be meant by a popular work, and they certainly do carry encouragement to those who believe in going to the whole public of readers in the first instance. Since this was written the Athenaeum (Aug. 25) states that the first edition of 20,000 “ ran low ’’ in a fortnight. We have been accused of encouraging persons who have not the faintest chance of achieving either kind of literary reputation—that is, reputation for literary style, or popularity—to believe that figures such as these may apply to themselves. Disappointment most probably awaits those sanguine persons, But is it not the same in other professions P. The freshman from the country grammar school goes up to the university dreaming of the Craven, with a first-class and a fellowship to follow. In five or six years he has found his place as a third-class man and an assistant master in his old school. The young barrister recognises the splendid prizes of his profession and dreams of becoming a leader, a Q.C., a judge, a Lord Chancellor. Why should not the young writer in the same way dream of vast popularity ? Meantime, as the Society is in existence mainly for the defence of literary pro- perty, is it not necessary to show what literary property means ? A paper on the “Art of the Novelist,” by the late Amelia B, Edwards, is published in the August number of the Contemporary. The paper bears the appearance of being unfinished, or, at least, uncorrected, being out of proportion, covering too much ground, and generally “un- workmanlike.” But, for one thing, it is valuable. The author speaks out strongly on behalf of a novelist whom we seem to be forgetting, viz., Anthony Trollope. His works will perhaps be read again, but not until the time comes when the society of this century has become the study of the historian. Then, indeed, Trollope will be found a mine of wealth for the ideas, the habits, the prejudices of that kind of society — the higher middle class — which he drew so well. Perhaps no novelist has ever understood his own generation better than Trollope. Dickens knew the lower middle class; Trollope knew the class above — the gentlefolk of the country town; the clergy; the country people; the professionals. . Last year in America. I met a lady—a lady no longer young—a lady of reading and culture— who declared to me that, in her opinion, whatever might be said to the contrary, Trollope was the first English novelist of this century. Trollope's greatest vogue was in the Sixties. When he died —was it not in 1879 P−he had not outlived his reputation, because there were millions who remembered his work, but his circle of readers had wofully diminished. Those of us who remember the Sixties can recall the joy with which his novels were received, one after the other; the firm drawing; the clearly outlined portrait— all his figures were types; the individuality of the author who owed nothing to any predecessor. Thinking over these things, I understood what that American lady meant. And here is Amelia B. Edwards, after her death, speaking to us to much the same effect. I wonder how a modern young lady would like one of Trollope's novels of the Sixties, with its illustrations — the dumpy girl with her hair in a net, the crinolined skirts, the flat heels, her round face with the great innocent eyes, her honest worship of Man the Superior— ohl so very, very different from her daughter, from the new girl, who defers to no masculine mind, talks on all subjects, writes on all, and carries a latch key ! The testimony of Professor Brander Matthews, of New York (see p. 29), to the working of the American Copyright Act, which we owe to the Daily Chronicle, is extremely valuable. He shows, especially, how the Act has weeded out the reprints of English authors, and encouraged and stimulated American authors, who for the first time find themselves, he says, free from com- petition with stolen goods. Henceforth all the best books will belong to both countries alike;  ## p. 104 (#118) ############################################ IO4 THE AUTHOR. but the bulk of the more popular literature will remain American for the Americans, and British for Britons; in other words, while the writers who can command an audience on both sides of the Atlantic will enjoy the widest audience that was ever granted to any writer in any country, the people for their daily reading will prefer their own folk, their own local setting, and their own dialect. I am pleased to read Professor Matthews’ opinion on the effect of free libraries, because I have always maintained, from my own experience, observation, and conversation with those who know, viz., librarians themselves, pre- cisely the same opinion. As regards the magazines, it is also pleasant to find Professor Matthews practically saying exactly what has been said in the Author. In one or two points he does not speak from know- ledge. For instance, he says that the American weekly paper contains much the same kind of work, and is illustrated in the same way, as our Strand. Obviously he has never seen the illustra- tions of the Strand, or he would not compare them with the terrible things of the American weekly. Again, I doubt his “main" fact; namely, that the American reading public is so much larger than our own. He quotes a circula- tion of 200,000 copies. We can show a circulation of 3OO,OOO copies of this same magazine, the Strand. The questions are, it seems to me— What makes popularity ? Is good work com- patible with popularity ? The example of the American magazines seem to prove that it is— unless, which would be a most humiliating con- fession, we must own that the middle class in this country is below the corresponding class in America in intelligence, taste, and cultivation. WALTER BESANT. *-* → r- - -, PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN AMERICA.” C{INCE writing the notes on English Free S Libraries and the books read by the people who use them, for the number of August, I have received a work by Mr. William J. Fletcher, Librarian of Amherst, on the Public Libraries in America (Columbian Knowledge Series: Sampson Low and Co). This little book supplements the information already gathered concerning our own libraries. The greater part of it is, it is true, devoted to topics belonging to * Public Libraries in America. By William J. Fletcher, M.A., Librarian of Amherst College. London; Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. 1894, librarians, such as classification, cataloguing, pre- servation, distribution, buying, and binding. There are, however, many points of more general interest. For instance, as to the number of public libraries. In the year 1858 there were in the United States no more than IOO libraries, with something like a million volumes altogether. The largest was that of Harvard College, with 70,000 volumes. In 1890 the number of libraries in the country was 4000, the number of volumes amounted altogether to 27,OOO,OOO ; and there were fifty libraries with more than 50,000 volumes each. Moreover, free libraries are multiplying much more rapidly than ever before. Not only are there founded every year many new libraries, but it is found that the old libraries cost more every year to maintain, the growth of a large library being much faster in proportion than that of a small library. Neglected depart- ments are discovered and brought up to date; serial publications have to be continued; the reference department is always increasing. A great deal has been done in the States by private gifts. This book contains a list of donors and donations, including only those of 50,000 dollars and upwards, amounting in all to 17,OOO,OOO dollars, or three and a half million sterling ! How much has been given to free libraries in this country by private persons P The incomes of the hundred largest public libraries are also given in a classified list ; they amount to nearly a million and a half of dollars, or £300,000, but the returns of ten out of the hundred are not complete. The number of free public libraries which contain more than 10,000 volumes does not much exceed one hundred. But in the smaller towns there are a great many libraries as yet quite small, too small to be included in the Government report. The 4ooo libraries above mentioned may be divided roughly as follows: College and school libraries... . 2 OOO Subscription libraries ... 5CO Libraries of societies, &c. . IOOO Free public libraries 5CO The free public libraries are all lending libraries. For instance, in the Newark (New Jersey) library any resident of the town may freely borrow books, under certain conditions to insure the library against loss. This extension of the public library, once introduced, seems essential for its true usefulness. A large number of the libraries are open on Sunday, but not the greater number. Again, there are a large number of special libraries not included in the lists already con- sidered. Almost every State has its Historical Society, which has its library, free and open to  ## p. 105 (#119) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. iO5 any student. There are also the State libraries, which are composed chiefly of law books and public documents, of great use for purposes of reference. And there are the special collections of scientific books. At Washington alone there are nine special libraries, including more than a million volumes, and of the university libraries there are six at least which contain over IOO,OOO volumes each ; that of Harvard alone contains 43O,OOO volumes. What do the people who use these libraries read? This little book gives no lists or details. But it states, what everyone might guess beforehand, that the fiction circulated far exceeds all other classes of books together, “the great majority of readers seeming to care for nothing else.” Not that the American librarian groans over the fact. “This,” he says, “simply shows how great is the demand for reading as recreation. To the masses of the people, hard worked and living humdrum lives, as well as to their pining for something to kill time, the novel comes as an open door into an ideal life, in the enjoyment of which, even in fancy, one may forget the hardships or the tedium of real life.” Something is said as to the guidance exercised by librarians in this respect. Enough has been said to show that the Ameri- cans are much in advance of us in the matter of libraries. Four thousand libraries with over Io,000 volumes each, and a great many more with from one to ten thousand; more libraries continually being founded ; rich men continually giving great sums of money for the foundation and mainten- ance of libraries; this is a statement with which comparison is not calculated to inflate our own pride. One thing more. Everything good in litera- ture becomes instantly, as soon as published, the common property of all the English-speaking peoples. These figures illustrate and prove, what we have persistently maintained, that already a popular book, of whatever kind — historical, scientific, religious, imaginative—commands in Great Britain and Ireland, the Colonies, India, and the United States, taken all together, an audience from the libraries alone which has never yet been equalled in the history of literature. There are writers belonging to this country alone, writers in every branch of literature, who command on the first appearance of a new book the subscription of every important library over the vast area where our language prevails. And great as is already this audience, it is nothing compared with that which awaits the writer and teacher of fifty years hence. When the number of libraries will be multiplied by fifty, and the number of readers by ten, one hundred millions of English-speaking people will be two hundred millions: if there are now only ten millions of readers there will then be a hundred millions. W. B. *– A –iº r- - - LOWE'S COMPLETION. Dim are the memories of those early days When Love was only in the bud as yet ; Swift glances—peeps of tangled woodland ways:— The hues she wore, the way her hair was set. Like broken lights upon some fairy stream, When Dian’s silver shafts are shivered there, Through misty veil seen faintly as in dream, So gleam those far off days, so dimly fair. As we forget its tributary rills, When seawards borne upon the river's breast ; The flashing breakers boom ; amid the hills The becks are hushed, or murmur at the best. So, launched on Life’s inexorable sea, Those echoes of the past have ceased to move Our wedded souls; their whispers drowned—Ah me !— In the imperial symphony of love F. B. DOVETON. *- a sº-º sº- - - LITERATURE OR PHYSICAL SCIENCE: OR the last twenty years, the increasing predominance of subjects other than literary in English education has been most marked. An active movement has been observable to deprive letters of the prominent place they had hitherto occupied; and confident predictions have been uttered that this revolution will be complete, that art and letters will be entirely replaced by the absorbing pursuit of the knowledge afforded in physical science. No doubt, the scientific method of investi- gation is a most valuable discipline, and it is desirable that everyone should have some expe- rience of it ; but it is folly to deny that Art and Poetry and Eloquence have the capability of refreshing and delighting us, and possess for mankind a fortifying, elevating, quickening, and suggestive power. However, for the time being the partisans of Science are popularly supposed to have the victory; and gloomy prognostications are to be heard with reference to the future of modern literature as well as antique. . These apprehensions have been felt elsewhere in Europe. The late M. Renan asserted that “one hundred years hence the whole of the historical and critical studies in which his life had been passed, and his reputation made, will have fallen into neglect, and that natural science will exclusively occupy man’s attention.” No one, familiar with the history of European litera- ture, will for a moment accept this view. It is  ## p. 106 (#120) ############################################ 106 THE AUTHOR. only by the pursuit of this study that we can rightly appreciate the history of the race. Litera- ture is the voice of the people. I believe that so long as man exists, from the very constitution of the human mind, there will always be moral and aesthetic cravings, which Science, however attrac- tive, can never gratify. I think, therefore, that the “splendour and rapid march of the physical sciences” have partially eclipsed, but will never extinguish, the interest in the older subject of literature. However, some of those whose opinions carry weight in the scholastic world have asserted that it cannot be taught, and that the experiment has failed. The signs of this failure are to be found in the modifications of certain examinational require- ments, in which literature has been degraded to a secondary place, or altogether eliminated, or recognised only in connection with Philology. “Literature has been regarded as mere material for the study of words. All that constitutes its intrinsic value has been ignored. Its master- pieces have been resolved into exercises in grammar, syntax, and etymology; its history into a barren catalogue of names and works and dates. No faculty but that of memory has been called into play in studying it.” That it should have failed therefore to commend itself as an instrument of education is no more than might have been expected. The aim and purpose of modern culture are distinctly utilitarian ; all studies have been appraised and valued, and “saleable knowledge” is the most sought. No wonder the proper study of literature can find no place in the system of modern education. Indeed, it is better out of it. Wise men are pointing out the necessity in these days for finding some effective agency for cherishing within us the ideal, and herein is the great value of literature to all those who seek the higher education, with a genuine desire for true culture. It supplies a want, which, how- ever much the exclusively scientific may ignore, will make itself felt in the human heart. It was well said by a great Oxford scholar that “the object of literature in education is to open the mind, to correct it, to refine it, to enable it to comprehend and digest its knowledge, to give it power over its own faculties, application, flexi- bility, method, critical exactness, sagacity, ad- dress, and expression.” support the truism that literature is a most valuable agent in self-culture. But we can avoid the mistake of those who confound its pursuit with education, or regard it as the sole and sufficient agent. Burke said, “What is the education of the world? Reading a parcel of We need not pause to books? No! Restraint and discipline, examples of virtue and of justice, these are what form the education of the world.” - Let us avoid all extravagance, however, and remember that it contains “the best that has been thought and said in the world,” and there- fore regard it as a priceless factor in self- cultivation. But enough, perhaps, has been said upon the disciplinary and educative character of the study of literature. It contains other sources of interest; it brings to our knowledge many whom it is a delight to know. While some excite our reverent admiration, and some afford endless entertainment, there are others who call forth deeper feelings by the loveableness of their character—the noble-minded, in whom pride and vanity, resentment and self-love have no place, who in pure simplicity and singleness of heart give their great knowledge and power unre- servedly to the world, solely that all may share their own happiness; men whose lives seem realised ideals of what is most excellent in moral beauty. *-- * ~ * e- - -º BOOK TALK. AS the one-volume fiction anything to fear from the one-volume collections of short stories? It would be very interesting to know whether the circulation of “Tife's Little Ironies” has equalled that of the one-volume edition of any of Mr. Hardy's other novels. Perhaps such a collection of good short stories, already popular, is likely to become more popular than the long novel, whether in one or three volumes. In the words of a recent critic, “the tendency of the public taste is in the direction of brevity and wit rather than of long drawn-out narratives and elaborate word painting!” No rule, however, can be laid down as to length, that depends on the subject; on the author's style; on the inci- dents; on a thousand things. If a novel can be too long, it may also be too short. And, indeed, every one knows novels which one would like to go on for ever. The impatience of readers on the length of a novel belongs to London, or to the rush of life in great cities, which leaves little time for reading. In the country, or quiet colonies, there is no such impatience: the reader loves to linger among the creations of the novelist. Mr. Morley Roberts' new book, “The Purifica- tion of Dolores Silva, and other Stories,” is one which must leave a good impression on the reader as far as the art of short story writing is con- cerned, but, at the same time, the impression is a  ## p. 107 (#121) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. IO7 sad one. In the first story, “ Initiation,” a girl's first lover, or, let us say, would be lover, is treated with surely more than usual severity, even by the most startled innocence. In the second story the lover never knows till after her death that the heroine cared about him at all. In the third, called “When She May,” the luckless proverb is complete. She does get May—a May lasting a lifetime. “Panic ’’ is the next, and is the one story in the book which everyone will have read before, we forget where it appeared, but it was spoken of as a good story at once. We cannot be quite sure whether, after carefully showing that the chief character was a coward, the author did not mean to convey the idea that after all he had a certain amount of courage—as much as a great many men. However lily-livered, however great a “cur” a man may be, to cut one's throat with a a razor in front of a looking glass requires some nerve. The “Fair-trader’ is, perhaps, the most worthy of praise, but it provokes the question whether it is at all founded on fact. If European girls who disappear are really drafted into Mohammedan households, it is surely a question for public meetings and Parliament. When we take up Miss Ella Hepworth Dixon's story, “A Modern Woman,” it is natural just now to wonder beforehand whether or not we are going to have the fin-de-siècle young person over again. It is therefore particularly pleasing to find that a modern woman as described by a woman need not necessarily imply a pretty piece of up-to-date vulgarity. We have in Mary Erle, Miss Dixon's heroine, as sensible a girl as One would expect the daughter of an eminent scientist to be; her father's distinguished position gives her a footing in society, but at his sudden death she has to earn her own living. The story opens with some account of the professor's funeral, which might have been pruned a little, true as it is to the dismal facts of our methods of interment. From this point we have a history of the girl’s fruitless attempts to become an artist, and afterwards of her success as a society journalist and writer of stories. With the account of these struggles is interwoven that of her own and her friend’s love affairs, which the author refuses in either case to bring within the possibi- lity of a happy ending. We doubt whether Miss Dixon has been as successful with her men characters, but we confess to have been suffi- ciently interested to want to know what became of them in the real end—“Jimmie,” for instance, and the A.R.A. One method of trying to arrive at the best relation between producer and consumer is to compare our system with that of other nations, and the question is asked, when his (the novelist's) story has passed through the magazines or the syndicate of newspapers, must he fling it on to the world as one volume, and let people buy it or not as they think fit * That is what he has to do in France, that is what he has to do in Germany, that is what he has to do in the United States. Whether foreigners can be called greater readers than Englishmen because they may be greater buyers appears doubtful—we have had our system, they have had theirs. But if our three- volume system has given way, there are those who say that the foreign system of publication has become quite as risky. For instance, apropos of the novel in Paris, we have lately read: “A member of a great novel pub- lishing firm tells me that now it does not pay to bring out novels unless there is some great name on the title page.” Zola still makes money, but this business man believes the turn of the tide has in his case begun. Before advocating any foreign system, American, then, or continental, the author would require a much more exact knowledge than we at present possess of the agreements entered into between publisher and author in those countries. As it is, it has taken this Society many pages of recapitulation to get its members to understand that while there is no sentiment in business, every plausible man of business knows there is a great deal of business in sentiment. Perhaps the most striking, because the most ignorant, comment on the recent three-volume novel discussion, is the following:—“The simple fact is, that until the public can be educated to buy books instead of borrowing them, the attempt to produce original works of fiction in one volume must inevitably result in a ruinous failure.” Well, but how about the thou- sands—the hundreds of thousands—the millions of one-volume novels which are bought every year P. How about the returns of those who write them P The fact is, the public does buy books in vast numbers. Perhaps the numbers should be even greater, but it is absurd still to speak of the public as a borrowing instead of a buying body. As to the price asked, perhaps the critic could help by giving his opinion as to whether the book is worth buying at all, or at any other price. Rarely, if ever, in our leading reviews do we see the price of the book mentioned or discussed, but now it really seems a false shame on their part to persistently avoid the pecuniary question when perusing a book; but however that may be, apart from excellence in literary criticism, the duty of educating the public to become book buyers must lie chiefly in the hands of the critics.  ## p. 108 (#122) ############################################ IO8 THE AUTHOR. May we not therefore leave the reading powers of the public alone for a minute, and revert to the idea of property? In every family there will be those who read and those who prefer other amusements; but the outlay of money upon books, the investment in books, the formation of a library, which in the ordinary course of events would pass to a man's children or be sold—why should this be generally left to chance? Why should a householder be so careless of the value of the books admitted into his home that on his demise they will only fetch I d. or 2d. a volume? Yet how often is that found to be the case ? A valuable book is certainly more within the reach of most men than are valuable pictures, but because some books can be obtained cheap, like some prints, that is no reason why some discrimination should not be used. Library is perhaps too big a term for most people's collection of books, but, on the other hand, modern literature must have fallen very low indeed if it excites no desire in the reader to possess and re-read what has appeared to be worth finishing when once taken up. Mr. Lockwood has published through the Rox- burghe Press his lecture on the Laws and the Ilawyers of Pickwick, with a sketch of Mr. Serjeant Buzfuz as a frontispiece. Every reader of Pickwick has his own idea of what Buzfuz was probably inclined to be like, and those who sometimes may find amusement in visiting the public galleries of the courts may have fixed on quite a different type of counsel as representative of that distinguished advocate. Surely Serjeant Buzfuz's handkerchief ought to appear. As the lecture consisted mostly of readings, the author tends an apology for reproducing it in book form ; but perhaps he did not intend it to be much more than a souvenir of what must have been an enjoyable evening to each of his audience. A new novel, entitled “The Birth of a Soul’’ —a psychological study — by Mrs. Alfred Phillips, author of “Benedicta,” &c., will be published in England and America early in October, in one volume. “A Spanish Singer,” by Annabel Gray (Stone- man), vol. 2 of the Annabel Gray library, is a well-constructed and dramatic story depicting the artistic experiences of a young débutante in opera, in Italy. Vocalists will find much to interest them in this realistic sketch of art abroad. In Mr. S. R. Crockett’s “Mad Sir Uchtred of the Hills,” the author has at least done one thing, and that a difficult one ; he has added another “ cat’’ to literature. The madman has a broken- legged wild cat which performs a grand feat in the destruction of a weasel. The introduction of this incident, and the manner of describing it, seems to us to be the best thing in this clever book. The late Professor Romanes wrote poetry and printed his verse, but refrained from publishing it. His poems, which are said to be chiefly religious in their tone, were given to his friends only. It would be possible, perhaps, to secure the publication of those which may appear worthy of the author's reputation as a man of science. Mr. Samuel H. Church thinks that Oliver Cromwell has never had justice done him by any of his English biographers. He has therefore addressed himself seriously to the subject, and the result has been issued by Putnam's, New York. A presentation copy of “Among the Boers and Basutas; or, a Study of our Life on the Frontier,” by Mrs. Barkly, has been graciously accepted by the Queen. The book is now in its second edition. The Rev. Prebendary Jones has issued (Smith, Elder, and Co.) a new and cheaper edition of his “Holiday Papers.” This is the very deadest time of all the year. The book advertisements are chiefly lists of the “Standard ” works and “Favourite ” novels. The “ announcements’ have hardly begun. The dear old phrase— ‘Messrs. Bungay and Co. promise us”—as if we were all waiting anxiously for that distinguished Firm to tell us what it has got in the bag—has not yet appeared; it will begin next week. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that it is the month of the least reading. If the publishers of the Saturday or the Spectator would divulge secrets it would probably be shown that the circulation goes up, not down, while the people are running about the country, killing long hours in the train, sitting in lonely seaside lodgings with a rainy day to get through. Holiday time is reading time with a large number of people who are too much occupied with busi- ness and society to read while they are at home. The magazines which are tossed over in June are read through in August. Of literary articles there are not many in the August magazines. One observes in the Contem- porary a paper by the late Amelia B. Edwards on the “Art of the Novelist; ” a paper by Hall Caine in the National Review on “The Novelist in Shakespeare; ” and No. 1 of a series of papers on “The Historical Novel” by Mr. George Saintsbury in Macmillan. All on fiction. The friends of the late Rev. Henry Allon, D.D., will note with pleasure that the story of part, at  ## p. 109 (#123) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. IO9 least, of his life, that of his Ministry, has been written and published. The biographer is the Rev. W. Hardy Harwood ; the publishers are Cassell and Company. It would seem, however, that his literary life, which would interest many, apart altogether from his career as an indepen- dent minister, is not included. Yet he was for many years the editor of the British Quarterly Ičeview, a magazine which was the home of many admirable papers—literary, social, and historical, as well as controversial. Dr. Allon was a per- sonal friend of the late Dean Stanley, and acquainted with most of the men of leading in that part of the literary world which is engaged on subjects treated in quarterly reviews. He was a many sided man ; his views on literature were broad, and while he was its editor the British Quarterly Review was a power of considerable weight and authority. Mr. Grant Allen’s new book “The Tidal Thames” (Cassell and Co.), is a sumptuous work, illustrated by—and illustrating—twenty original drawings by W. L. Wyllie, A.R.A. It is not, perhaps, a cheap edition—35 15s. 6d. cannot be called cheap—but the drawings are exquisite; everything that is fine, however, is in a sense cheap, whatever price be put upon it; because there is no measuring of artistic worth by money, and the only question is whether one can afford to pay the price asked for the work desired. Mr. Standish O'Grady's heroic Irish romance, “The Coming of Cuculain,” will be published early in October by Methuen and Co., illustrated by Mr. D. Murray Smith. The story is now run- ning serially through the Warder (Dublin) and the Northern Whig (Belfast). The hero of Mr. O'Grady’s tale is the famous Cuchullin of High- land tradition, the Cuthullun of MacPherson’s eplc. *~ * ~ * g- - --e. CORRESPONDENCE, I.—THE LAUREATESHIP. & HAVE read with great interest the article | on the Laureateship and its long abeyance in the Author for this month. It would be impossible to put the view of the case which we, who are in favour of maintaining this ancient and unique office, entertain in terser or more forcible language. To my mind the delay is one which can in no way be excused. There is one point which I should like to emphasise which the writer of the article has passed over, and it is this. It is notorious that poetry in England does not in general pay. Long after Mr. Tennyson had published his most characteristic and popular poems his income consisted mainly of the pension from the Consolidated Fund, which he retained to his death. But, on his appointment as Laureate, his income is said to have risen enormously. Without going into figures, it is certain that his position as Laureate very largely affected his popularity and increased his income. What the gains of a new Laureate would be on appointment it is impossible to tell. If he should unfortunately be a writer with no public, probably they would be but small. If he already had a considerable circulation, it is certain that the appointment would mean a very largely increased income. It is of this substantial advantage that the perhaps natural hesitation of extreme age has deprived the literary profession for nearly two years. It is well that the literary public should know that it is not the pittance of £80 or so, which is the nominal salary, that is at stake, but a much larger sum, to say nothing of the great discouragement which the blank silence of the authorities has inflicted upon the chief glory of our literature for a period without precedent in the history of the vacant office. II.-M. MALLARME's SCHEME. I hope that the Society will take up and at least ventilate the proposal made by M. Mallarmé in the Figaro that the literature of the past should become the property of the nation, or at least of living writers. How much would have been realised by the works of Sir Walter Scott had there been a royalty of 1d. in the shilling laid upon every volume issued since the copyright came to an end ? And why, M. Mallarmé asks, should this great property be handed over, not to the nation, but to a small class of tradesmen P Pray let us know more about it. A MEMBER. III. ON THE WARNINGS AND ADVICE. (Our correspondent's letter on this subject will be found with comments on p. 99). IV.—ON THE CO-OPERATION OF MEMBERS. Now that the dead season gives one time to look round and think, I should like to ask you, Mr. Editor, if the time has not come to take the members’ opinions upon many subjects concerning which the Author has spoken from time to time. I would suggest that a list of subjects of importance to the craft be drawn up, taken one after the other, and referred to the whole body of members. I think that your hands would be strengthened, the members would feel that they  ## p. 110 (#124) ############################################ I IO THE AUTHOR. were having a voice, and that many ways of joint action might be arrived at. A Journal,IST. W.—THE SocIETY's READERs. I submitted a MS. to be read. I received an opinion which was careful and courteous, and not complimentary. It pointed out certain definite objections to the work as reasons why it would not be accepted. I have now removed those objections, yet it is not accepted. A BEGINNER. [It is to be hoped that the Society's reader did not commit himself to the statement that altera- tion would mean improvement, or that the removal of certain objections would mean acceptance by publishers. Everyone knows the common criticism on a new author. “Well, he knows, at least, how to write.” Any publisher's reader also knows the MS. of which he says, “Well, at least he has not yet learned to write.” The Society's reader can only suggest why the latter judgment was pronounced, and here the “way to write” can be discovered.] >e cº WHAT THE PAPERS SAY. I.—THE LATE MR. WYATT PAP worTH. R. WYATT PAPWORTH, F.R.I.B.A., M curator of Sir John Soane’s Museum, died at the museum on Sunday, Aug. 19. Mr. Papworth was distinguished for his literary work in connection with architecture, especially in his contributions to the Transactions of the Royal Institute of British Architects, among which those “On the Superintendents of English Buildings in the Middle Ages, with especial reference to William of Wykeham,” and “Collec- tions for an Historical Account of Masons, their Customs, Institutions, &c.,” are of historical importance. He was also a constant contributor to Notes and Queries. To his labours the architectural profession is indebted for the pro- duction of “The Dictionary of Architecture” (Architectural Publication Society), recently com- pleted in eight volumes folio, begun in 1852 on the lines of the notes and collections of himself and his late brother, Mr. J. W. Pap- worth, and, until its completion in 1892, carried out under his sole editorship. Mr. Papworth, as a member of the Court and Master and Past Master of the Clothworkers' Company, took a leading part in the promotion of technical education and in the City and Guilds Institute.— Times, Aug. 21. II.--THE AIM AT PopULARITY. The man who aims at being popular and admired is not nearly so likely to be popular and admired as the man who thinks little or nothing about it, but aims simply at his own individual ideal. Here, again, the failure of the direct aim appears to be due to its real and perceived inferiority to those aims which usually secure it. The man who directly aims at getting admira- tion and esteem will hardly deserve them, for he cannot deserve them without cherishing plenty of aims which would be very likely to risk or forfeit other persons’ admiration and esteem. The man who lives for the good opinions of others, cannot be deserving of those good opinions, for he cannot contribute much to teach others, by the indepen- dence of his own life. In this case also, then, the ill-success of the direct pursuit of admiration is simply due to the fact that that pursuit is a lower aim than any consistent with the attainment of the admiration pursued. But if happiness be the true standard and end of life, why should it fall into the hands only of those who do not directly seek it P Surely, if it is not safe to pursue it directly, it can only be because it is not the proper end and aim of life—because while it may be the natural reward of the pursuit of better ends, it is not itself the chief end. Nothing could well be more improbable than that the one standard and best fruit of human action should be carefully wrapped up in the folds of inferior ends, so that you may come upon it by accident, if you are to taste it properly at all. R. H. HuTTON. a-i----~~~" •-Fs-e-es-e- NEW. BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. BROWNE, CANON. The Christian Church in these Islands before the Coming of Augustine. Three lectures delivered at St. Paul's in January, 1894. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. DAVIDS, PROFEssoR RHYs. Buddhism. S.P.C.K. 2s. 6d. EVE, NOAH, ABRAHAM : a study in Genesis. By a Layman. Cassell. Is. GRAY, REV. HERBERT B. Men of Like Passions, being Characters of some Bible Heroes, and other sermons, preached to boys at Bradfield College. Longmans. 58. KING, RIGHT REv. E. Practical Reflections on Every Werse of the Prophet Isaiah. Longmans. 4s. 6d. MALDONATUS, JOHN. A Commentary on the Holy Gospels : St. Matthew's Gospel. Part III. Translated and edited from the original Latin by George J. Davie. John Hodges. Is... net. History and Biography. - CHURCH, CANON. Chapters in the Early History of the Church of Wells, I 136-1333. Limited edition. Elliot Stock, and Barnicott and Pearce, Taunton. 158. New edition.  ## p. 111 (#125) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I I I RLVIN, REv. C. R. S. The History of Walmer and Walmer Castle. Canterbury : Cross and Jackman. FoRREST, G. W. The Administration of the Marquis of Lansdowne, Viceroy of India, 1888-94. Calcutta : Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing. FREEMAN, PROFESSOR. The History of Sicily from the Earliest Times. Wol. IV. From the Tyranny of Diony- sios to the Death of Agathokles. Edited from post- humous MSS., with supplements and notes, by Arthur J. Evans. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press. Henry Frowde. 2 Is. GAsquièT, DR. FRANCIs A. Henry VIII. and the English Monasteries. Sixth Edition. Part I. Hodges. Is. HARRIs, THOMAs. Three Periods of English Architecture. B. T. Batsford. 7s. 6d. HowARD, MAJOR-GENERAL O. O. Funk and Wagnalls. 6s. HUME, MAJOR-GENERAL JoHN R. Reminiscences of the Crimean Campaign, with the 55th Regiment. The Author, 27, Pilgrim-street, Ludgate-hill. Cheap edition. 3s.6d. RAYSERLING, DR. M. Christopher Columbus. Translated from the author’s MS. with his sanction and revision, by Charles Gross. Longmans. 5s. LLOYD-VERNEY, COL., and HUNT, LIEUT.-COL. J. M. Records of the Infantry Militia, Battalions of the County of Southampton from A.D. 1757 to 1894. And Records of the Artillery Militia Regiments of the County of Southampton from A.D. 1853 to 1894. With Isabella of Castile. portraits and illustrations Longmans. 3O8. MoRRIs, WILLIAM, and MAGNUsson, EIRíKR. The Heimskringla. Vol. II. By Snorri Sturluson. Trans- lated from the Icelandic. Being Vol. IV. of the Saga Library. Quaritch. 31. I Is. 6d. SHUCKBURGH, EVELYN S. A. History of Rome to the Battle of Actium. Macmillan. 8s. 6d. THIERs, Lou Is ADOLPHE. History of the Consulate and the Empire of France under Napoleon. Translated by D. Forbes Campbell and John Stebbing. With thirty- six steel plates. Chatto and Windus. Twelve vols. 12s. each. WALTON, CoL. CLIFFORD, C.B. History of the British Standing Army A.D. 1660 to 1700. Harrison and Sons. General Literature. ABBOTTs, W., M.D. Stammering, Stuttering, and other Speech Affections: Their Causes and Cure. The Savoy Press. Is. - BADDELEY, M. J. R. Guide to the Peak District. Dulau and Co., Soho-square. 3s. BAKER, JAMEs. The New Guide to Bristol and Clifton. Edited. J. Baker and Son. BRASSEY, LORD. Papers and addresses on Work and Wages. With an introduction by G. Howell, M.P. Longmans. 58. BRITISH MUSEUM : Supplement to the CATALOGUE of the ARABIC MSS., by Charles Rien ; CATALOGUE of ARABIC Books, by A. G. Ellis, Vol. I. A to L; CATA- LoGUE of HEBREW Books acquired during the years 1868 to 1892, by S. van Straalen. Longmans, Quaritch, Asher, Kegan Paul, and Henry Frowde. CALVERT, ALBERT F. The Aborigines of Western Australia. Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, and Co. CASE AGAINST DIGGLEISM. Published for the Progressive School Board Election Council by Alexander and Shepheard. Is. CHANUTE, O. Progress in Flying Machines. American Engineer and Railroad Journal. New York : CICERO, M. T. Correspondence. Edited, with a revision of the text, a commentary, and introductory essays, by Professor Tyrrell and L. C. Purser. Wol. IV. Long- mans, Green. I5s. CYNICUs, HIs HUMOUR AND SATIRE. Company. Is. DAVIs, A. H. Dover College Register, 1871-1894. Edited by. Dover : the Editor. 2s. 6d. DEMBO, DR. J. A. The Jewish Method of Slaughter, com- pared with other Methods. Translated from the German. Kegan Paul. Boards, 2s. 6d. net. DOLAN, DR. THOMAS, M. Our State Hospitals. Leicester : John Richardson and Co. 2s. 6d. DUBOIs, F#1,Ix. The Anarchist Peril. Translated, edited, and enlarged with a supplementary chapter by Ralph Derechef. T. Fisher Unwin. 5s. EDGAR, John. Voluntary Schools and Board Schools Con- trasted. R. W. Simpson. ELLISTON, THOMAS. Organs and Tuning. Weekes and Co., Hanover-street, W. 3s. 6d. net. FUR AND FEATHER SERIES : THE GROUSE ; Natural History by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson, Shooting by A. J. Stuart-Wortley, Cookery by George Saintsbury; with illustrations by A. J. Stuart-Wortley and A. Thorburn. Longman's. 58. FURSE, COLONEL GEORGE. The Organisation and Adminis- tration of the Lines of Communication in War. Clowes and Sons. I28. - GREEN wooD, MAJOR. The Personal Responsibility of Judges. Paper Covers. G. Barber, Cursitor-street. HART, ERNEST, D.C.L. On the Use of Opium in India. Prepared by. Smith, Elder. Is. HATFIELD, T. H. Land o' Nod. Gay and Bird. 6d. net. HELLER, THOMAS EDMUND. The New Code for Evening Continuation Schools (1894-95). With Introduction, Notes, and Index. Bemrose and Sons. 6d. HEwiTT, J. F. The Ruling Races of Prehistoric Times in India, South-Western Asia, and Southern Europe. Archibald Constable and Co. 18s. |HOOPER, W. H., and PHILLIPs, W. C. Manual of Marks on Pottery and Porcelain. Macmillan. 4s 6d. ICTHYosAURUs. Hints and Wrinkles on Sea Fishing. Iliffe and Son. Is. Cynicus Publishing JONES, BENJAMIN. Co-operative Production. With a Prefatory Note by Mr. Acland, M.P. 2 vols. Henry Frowde. I5s. Journa L OF THE SANITARY INSTITUTE, for July. Stan- ford. 2s. 6d. LEHMANN, R. C. Conversational Hints for Young Shooters. Chatto and Windus. LE QUEUx, WILLIAM. The Great War in England in 1897. Illustrated by Captain Cyril Field and T. S. C. Crowther. Tower Publishing Company. 6s. LLOYD's YACHT REGISTER, Supplement No. 2, alterations and additions to July 26, 1894. Paper covers. Low's HANDBOOK TO THE CHARITIES OF LONDON. Edited by H. R. Dumville. Fifty-eighth year. Sampson Low. Is. 6d. LUNN, REv. HENRY S. The Grindelwald Conference, 1894. 5, Endsleigh-gardens, N.W. LUSSICH, ANTONIO D. Celebrated Shipwrecks. covers. Monte Video : El Siglo Ilustrado. MARTIN, JOHN. Chats on Invention. Offices of Invention. Is. MILLAIS, J. G. Game Birds and Shooting Sketches. Second Edition. Sotheran and Co. 18s. net. - MURRAY's HANDBOOK FOR SCOTLAND. Sixth Edition. John Murray. 9s. OUR NEXT WAR in its Commercial Aspect ; with some account of the premiums paid at Lloyd's from 1805 to 1816. Blades, East, and Blades. Paper  ## p. 112 (#126) ############################################ II 2 THE AUTHOR. PARROTT, J. E. The Industrial and Social Life and Duties of the Citizen. W. H. Allen and Co. Is. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL Coloni AL INSTITUTE. Wol. XXV., 1893-94. Edited by the Secretary. The Royal Colonial Institute, Northumberland-avenue. QUARTERLY RETURN OF THE MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, AND DEATHS registered in England. Eyre and Spottis- woode. 9d. REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY ExTENSION Congress, LONDON, 1894. P. S. King. IS. RUTHERFORD, MILDRED. American Authors. A Hand- book of American Literature from Early Colonial to Living Writers. The Franklin Printing and Publishing Company. SHAw, LIEUT.-CoI. WILKINson J. Elements of Modern Tactics. Eighth edition. Kegan Paul. SIMs, G. R. Dagonet on Our Islands. Fisher Unwin. Is. SLACK, CAPT. CHARLEs. Formations for Battalion Attack. Clowes and Sons. STAY-AT-Homſ E HUSBANDS AND How TO MANAGE THEM. By One of Themselves. Edited by the Rev. Sydney Mostyn, Bachelor. Gay and Bird. 3s.6d. STEAD, W. T. Chicago To-day. Review of Reviews Office. IS. TIMBER TRADEs Journ AL : LIST OF SHIPPING MARKS ON SAwN AND PLANED WooD, 1894. W. Rider and Son, Bartholomew-close. 6s. WALLIS, J. WHITE. Manual of Hygiene. Kegan Paul. WALLIS-TAYLOR, A. J. The Sanitary Arrangement of Dwelling Houses. Crosby Lockwood. WILKIE, JAMEs. The Life Assurance Agent's Wade- Mecum. Compiled by. Edinburgh : Andrew Elliot. Is. WIRE, ALFRED P., and T)AY, G. Knowledge through the Eye. George Philip. Is. Fiction, BLACKMoRE, R. D. Perlycross. Sampson Dow, Marston, and Co. 6s. Boot HBY, GUY. In Strange Company. Ward, Lock, and Bowden. 58. CAINE, HALL. The Manxman. Heinemann. 6s. CALow, RoRERT. Brookfield. Remington. Ós. CHRISTIson, NEIL. Wedded to a Genius. A novel. 2 vols. Bentley. CLARK RUSSELL, W. The Frozen Pirate. New and cheaper edition. Sampson Low. 3s. 6d. CLOUT, CoLIN. Norman ; or Inherited Fate. Long. 6s. CRoCKETT, S. R. The Autonym Library : Mad Sir Uchtred of the Hills. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d. DE LA PASTEUR, MRs. HENRY. A Toy Tragedy. Cassell and Co. Is. HAGGARD, H. RIDER. Mr. Meeson's thousand. Longmans. 38. 6d. HETHERINGTON, HELEN F., and BURTON, REV. F. D. Led On. 3 vols. Ward and Downey. HousTON, MRs. Kathleen Carmichael’s Recollections. Dublin and Belfast : Eason and Son. Bagster. 2s. 6d. JONES, CHARLOTTE. R. The Hypnotic Experiment of Dr. Reeves, and other Stories. Bliss, Sands. 2s. 6d. MACDONALD, J. M. Thunderbolt. An Australian Story. Digby and Will. Fifteenth Hurst and Blackett. 3s.6d. MACDONALD, GEORGE. A. Dish of Orts. Enlarged edition. Sampson Low. 2s. 6d. M“LEAN, ALISON. Quiet Stories from an Old Woman's Garden. Frederick Warne. 3s. 6d. MUIR, ALAN. Charming to Her Latest Day. R. Sutton and Co. 28. OLIPHANT, MRS. A House in Bloomsbury. 2 vols. Hutchinson. 391 Is. OUIDA. The Silver Christ, and A Lemon Tree. Pseudo- nym Library. Paper covers. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d. RAIMOND, C. E. The Pioneer Series : George Mandeville's Husband. Heinemann. 2s. 6d. net. RIDGEWAY, ALGERNON. The Westovers. Digby and Long. 6s. RowsELL, MARY C. A Friend of the People. 3 vols. Fisher Unwin. 31.s. 6d. SAUNDERS, MARSHALL. Beautiful Joe : the Autobiography of a Dog. New edition. Jarrold and Sons. 3s. SAVAGE, R. H. The Princess of Alaska : a Tale of Two Countries. Routledge. 2s. SCHMID, CHRISTOPH VON. The Basket of Flowers. the German. Blackie. Scott, SIR WALTER. Waverley Novels, Border Edition : Count Robert of Paris, and The Surgeon's Daughter. With Introductory Essay and Notes by Andrew Lang. Ten etchings. 2 vols. Nimmo. 12s. SHUD, TAMAN. A. Rash Wow. Digby and Long. From WALFORD, L. B. Ploughed, and other Stories. Long- man. 68. WINTER, JOHN STRANGE. A. Seventh Child. Second edition. F. W. White. 2s. 6d. YOUNG, MIRIAM. Lost One Hundred Pounds Reward : a tale of Sixty Years Ago. Digby and Long. 2s. 6d. Poetry and the Drama. ALDINE EDITION OF THE BRITISH PoETs : Shakespeare's Poems, with Memoir by the Rev. A. Dyce. George Bell and Sons. 2s. 6d. CAMBRIDGE SHAKESPEARE, Vols. XXI. and XXII., being the second and third parts of King Edward VI. Edited by William Aldis Wright. Macmillan. 6s. each. CoLLINs's PoEMs, with Memoir by W. Moy Thomas. George Bell and Sons. 2s. 6d. DICK's CoMPLETE EDITION OF SHAKESPERE's Worrs, with 37 Illustrations and a Memoir. New edition. John Dick. 28. INGLISFIELD, W. Queen Elizabeth and Earl Leicester : a Drama in five acts. Eliot Stock. RING, CLIFFORD. The Royal Pearl and other Poems, Hereford: Jakeman and Carver. Owen, JOHN. Verse Musings on Nature, Faith, and Ereedom. Enlarged reissue. Sonnenschein. PIATT, SARAH. Poems. 2 vols. Longmans. Ios. SMITH, HORACE. Interludes (second series). Being Two Essays, a Farce, and Some Verses. Macmillan. 5s. Geography and Travel. ARNOLD, SIR EDw1N. Seas and Lands. New edition. Longmans. 3s. 6d. - . . . BAEDEKER. Great Britain. A handbook for travellers. Io marks. BRIGHTON. Plan. On cloth. W. H. Smith and Son. Is. CURZON, HON. G. N. Problems of the Far East. Long- Ina,11S. 2 I S. I)Avis, G. CHRISTOPHER. Cruising in the Netherlands. Jarrold and Sons. Is. 6d. FINLAND. With map and illustrations. Finnish Tourist Association. - FISHER, REV. R. Flamborough : Willage and Headland. Hull; William Andrews. 3s.6d. LEwis, MRS. A. Lady’s Impressions of Cyprus in 1893. Remington. 58. MAYO, THE EARL OF. The War Cruise of the Aries. Illustrated by William B. Boulton. Dublin : Edward Ponsonby; Simpkin, Marshall. 18. - Helsingfors. The 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. 05 Issue 04 (September 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 04 (September 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-09-01-The-Author-5-4 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/269/1894-10-01-The-Author-5-5.pdf e24038c590aba06b133300a3d1c62a37 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-10-01 Volume 5 Issue 5 Pages Page range in volume 113–140 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18941001 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESA NT. VoI. W.-No. 5.] OCTOBER 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions eaſpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances showld be crossed Union. Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *— - --> g- > -º WARNINGS AND ADVICE. {. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.—It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.–In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes. to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eaccept the cost of the stamp. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an WOL. W. reservedly in his hands. arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.–Be very careful. Yow cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as yowr agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CoST OF PRODUCTION.—Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FuTURE Work.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a M.S. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.–Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTS. – Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :— 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY, I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member M 2  ## p. 114 (#128) ############################################ II 4. THE AUTHOR, has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. - 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Awthor notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *- - -º e- * -s. THE AUTHORS, SYNDICATE. EMBERS are informed : 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department” for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted * has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to com- municate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. * - a -4° NOTICES, HE Editor of the Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do. this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a, most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest ? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £9 48. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth,  ## p. 115 (#129) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 115 as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, hy inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *- - --> LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—MAYNARD, MERRILL, and Co., appellees, v. WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARRISON, appellant. May, 1894. (Before Judges WALLACE, LACOMBE, and SHIP- MAN, United States Circuit Court of Appeal.) Q(HIPMAN, C.J.-The complainant, Maynard, Merrill, and Co., a corporation duly created under the laws of the State of New York, and having its principal office in the City of New York, was, in June, 1893, the owner of the copyright of a book entitled “Introductory Language Work,” of which Alonzo Reed was the author, and which had been duly copy- righted by him in July, 1891, under the laws of the United States respecting copyrights. The complainant is a book publisher, and has been in the habit of sending the printed and unbound sheets of this book, and of other books which it published, to George W. Alex- ander's bookbindery, in the City of New York, to be stored there until it gave Mr. Alexander an order to bind a specified quantity, who would sometimes bind a lot in anticipation of such orders. On June 21, 1893, a destructive fire occurred in this bindery, the result of which was, as the complainant supposed, to destroy the commercial value of all the property which it had in the building. One of its employés, at its request, examined the débris and reported that there was nothing of value which the complainant could use in the manufacture or sale of books. Alexander there- upon sold the entire débris which had fallen into the cellar to one Fitzgerald, who resold it, with- out moving it, to some Italian dealers in waste paper, and in order to prevent them from using the paper and books for other purposes than paper stock, incorporated the following provision in the contract of sale: “It is understood that all paper taken out of the building is to be utilised as paper stock, and all books to be sold as paper stock only, and not placed on the market as any- thing else.” “The cellar was cleared of this class of mate- rial, and subsequently a quantity of damaged copies of “Introductory Language Work” appeared in the market, as owned and offered for sale by the defendant, William Beverley Harrison, a dealer in second-hand books, and a citizen of the State of New York and residing in the City of New York. The leaves of the books were dis- coloured and stained by smoke and water, but the covers had a respectable appearance, and the complainant supposed that the unbound sheets which had escaped the fire had been rebound by Barrison, or under his direction, or with his privity, and that he was selling such newly bound books, as well as some bound books which had escaped serious injury, and thereupon brought a bill in equity before the United States Circuit Court, to restrain his alleged infringement of its copyright. The bill counted entirely upon the right of the complainant under the copyright statutes of the United States. Upon its motion, the Court granted an injunction pendente lite. Harrison denies, in his affidavit, that he pur- chased any sheets or loose covers of the book. He further says, rather vaguely, that he “learned that certain dealers had come into possession of the salvage from the fire at said Alexander's place; that affiant visited the premises where said salvage was stored, and from them purchased a number of bound and completely finished volumes, some of which were the publications of the complaimant.” He further says that he “pur- chased the said books in the regular course of trade, without any knowledge of any understanding or arrangement, if any there was, between com- plainant and others, and that he accepted the same, as he believes, according to the established usage of the trade, believing them to be books which had been put upon the market as Salvage, as damaged books are bought and sold.” The affidavits show that the complainant, which was the owner of the copyright. permitted Alexander to sell absolutely all its copyrighted books in his cellar, and that his vendee obtained the entire legal title to these damaged volumes. They were sold again, together with other papers and books, under express restrictions against their use for any other purpose than for the manufac- ture of paper. Harrison says that he bought the books in question without knowledge of this restriction. Whether he had notice of facts which should have put a purchaser upon inquiry to ascertain whether he was being made a party to a violation of contract cannot be determined upon the affidavits. The question, as it arises upon the bill and the  ## p. 116 (#130) ############################################ I i 6 THE AUTHOR. affidavits, is, can the owner of a copyright restrain, by virtue of the copyright statutes, the sale of a copy of the copyright book, the title to which he has transferred, but which is being sold in viola- tion of an agreement entered into between him- self and the purchaser; or are the remedies of the original owner confined to remedies for a breach of contract P So long as the owner of a copyright retains the title to the copies of the book which he has the exclusive right to vend, by virtue of the copyright, he can impose restrictions upon the manner in which and upon the persons to whom the copies can be sold. Having the exclusive right to vend, he has the right to appoint to whom the book shall be sold. If his agents, to whom he has intrusted the possession of his books, violate his instructions and fraudulently sell to a person with knowledge or notice of the fraud,-such fraud will be an infringement of the copyright, with which the original owner has never parted, and can be restrained by virtue of the Statutes of the United States. Thus, if the owner of a copyrighted book entrusts copies of the book to an agent or employé for sale only by subscription and for delivery to the subscribers, and the agent fraudu- lently sells to non-subscribers, who have know- ledge or notice of the fraud, such sale is an infringement of the original owner's copyright, who can disregard the pretended sale and have the benefit of all the remedies which the statute or the law furnish. This right to enjoy the benefit of the copyright statutes results from the fact that the owner has never parted with the title to the book or the copyright, although he parted with the possession of the book. But the right to restrain the sale of a parti- cular copy of the book, by virtue of the copyright statutes, has gone when the owner of the copy- right and of that copy has parted with all his title to it, and has conferred an absolute title to the copy upon a purchaser, although with an agreement for a restricted use. The exclusive right to vend the particular copy no longer remains in the owner of the copyright by the Copyright statutes. The new purchaser cannot reprint the copy, he cannot print or publish a new edition of the book; but the copy having been absolutely sold to him, the ordinary inci- dents of ownership in personal property, among which is the right of alienation, attach to it. If he has agreed that he will not sell it for certain purposes, or to certain persons, and violates his agreement and sells to an innocent purchaser, he can be punished for a violation of his agreement, but neither is guilty under the copyright statutes of an infringment. If the new purchaser parti- cipates in the fraud he may also share in the punishment : (“Clemens v. Estes,” 899.) . . . The distinction between the remedy of the owner of a copyright and the books published under its protection, who has retained the title to the books and the copyright, and has been defrauded by an unauthorised sale to a purchaser, with notice, and the remedy of a copyright owner who has parted with his title to a copy of the copyrighted book, and has been injured by the failure of the purchaser to comply with his con- tract in regard to its use, is stated by Judge Hammond in “Henry Bill Publishing Company v. Forsythe’’ (27 Fed. Rep. 914) as follows: “The owner of the copyright may not be able to transfer the entire property in one of his copies, and retain for himself an incidental power to authorise a sale of that copy, or rather the power of prohibition on the owner that he shall not sell it, holding that much, as a modicum. of his former estate, to be protected by the copy- right statute; and yet he may be entirely able, so long as he retains the ownership of a particular copy for himself, to find abundant protection under the copyright statute for his then inci- dental power of controlling its sale. This copy- right incident of control over the sale, if I may call it so, as contradistinguished from the power of sale incident to ownership in all property— copyrighted articles like any other—is a thing that belongs alone to the owner of the copyright itself, and as to him only so long as and to the extent that he owns the particular copies involved. Whenever he parts with that ownership, the ordinary incident of alienation attaches to the particular copy parted with, in favour of the transferee, and he cannot be deprived of it. This latter incident supersedes the other — swallows it up, so to speak—and the two cannot co-exist in any owner of the copy except he be the owner at the same time of the copyright; and, in the Inature of the thing, they cannot be separated so that one may remain in the owner of the copyright as a limitation upon or denial of the other in the owner of the copy.” - The case of “Murray v. Heath " (I Bain & Adol. 804), which is somewhat relied upon by the defendant’s counsel, does not throw a strong light upon a case arising under the statutes of the United States. The question was whether the sale of the engravings was, under the circum- stances of the case, a violation of the English, statutes, which prohibited a piratical publication, of the engravings of another, or was a breach of contract. The Court was of opinion that the statutes were not applicable. - The other cases which were cited on the argu- ment are not applicable to the facts of this case, , 22 Fed. Rep.  ## p. 117 (#131) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 117 although they are instructive upon the rights of copyright owners, under copyright statutes, or of the rights of owners of manuscripts: (“Stephens v. Cady,” 14 How. 529; “Stephen v. Gladding,” 17 How. 447; “Parton v. Prang,” 3 Cliff. 537; “Bartlette v. Chittenden º’ 4 McLean, 3oo; “Prince Albert v. Strange,” 2 De G. & S. 652; “Taylor v. Pillow,” L. R. 7 Eq. Cases, 418; “Howitt v. Hall,” Io Weekly Rep. 381 ; “Hud- son v. Patten,” I Root, Con. 133.) The dis- cussion by Judge Hammond upon the general subject, in “Henry Hill Co. v. Smythe.” (supra) is most valuable, and anyone who has occasion to examine this subject will find that the territory bas been thoroughly explored. Our conclusion is that, upon the facts stated in the bill and in the affidavits, the complainant has no remedy under the copyright statutes of the United States, and, as both parties are deemed to be citizens of the State of New York, the complainant is without remedy in the Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York. The order of the Circuit Court for a preliminary injunction is reversed and set aside, with costs. Wallace and Lacombe, J.J. concur. New York Law Journal, June 13. II.-MUSICAL CoPYRIGHT IN AMERICA. We published in the September number of the Author a letter addressed by Mr. G. Dixey, secretary of the Music Publishers’ Association, on a recent decision in an American court. To repeat the last words of that letter, “The judgment thus delivered has settled the point for the present, and until that judgment is upset or varied it must be accepted that the law of the United States of America is, that the expres- sion “book’ in the Act of 1891 does not include ‘ musical composition and that, consequently it is not necessary that such compositions should be printed in America as a condition of obtaining copyright there.” On this point Mr. R. H. Johnson writes from New York as follows: “I hope the news of the confirmation by the courts of our contention that music does not have to be manufactured here will be widely published in your country. It closes a chapter in the history of International copyright Music is now a thing produced and published, and not subject to exclusion because the method of publication may be like that of books or chromos. My testimony as to the intention of the framers of the bill was part of the plaintiff's brief, and that consideration seems to have had weight in the decision.” - III.-AUTHORSHIP FALSELY AsCRIBED. A publisher of New York printed in 1873 a volume, the authorship of which was ascribed to Bret Harte. This volume contained four chapters of a story that had actually been written by Bret Harte ten years previously, while the remaining chapters making up the volume were written by some person unknown. To the whole story Bret Harte's name was prefixed, but at the end of his portion of the story appeared an explanatory note. . The facts having been proved as above stated, the court granted Harte's application for an injunction under which further sale of the book was restrained. The judge said, in his opinion: “I think that the plaintiff has such an interestin his name and in his reputation as an author as entitles him to invoke the aid of a court of equity in restraining the defendant in falsely repre- senting that a literary production published and sold by the defendant is the work of the plaintiff. . . . It seems to me that the act of the defen- dant is calculated to mislead the public, and induce the purchase of the work referred to in the complaint, under the impression that said work is wholly written by the plaintiff. The case is analogous to that of a trade mark, and the principle on which the relief is granted in such cases is that a defendant shall not be permitted by the adoption of a trade mark that is untrue or deceptive, to sell his own goods as those of the plaintiff, which is injuring the latter and also defrauding the public. In this case the gen ral public would, in my judgment, be misled by the title-page of the book in question into supposing that the whole of the book was a production of the plaintiff, and the facts seem to point strongly to the conclusion that it was the design of the defendant thus to mislead the public. & It is no answer to this to say that every one who read the book must necessarily read the note at page 34, as that note is better calculated to call the attention of the purchaser to the fact that he has been deceived rather than to prevent the deception. Entertaining these views, I shall direct that an order be granted continuing the injunction until the case can be tried, plaintiff to pay all the costs of the motion.” -—-º-º-º-º-º- IV.—HANFSTAENGL v. NEWNEs. The “living picture * cases, Hanfstaeng! v. Newnes, 7 R. Aug. 80; Hanfstaeng! v. Empire Palace, '94, 2 Ch. 1, 7 R. Sept. 84 (both in C.A.), make a good example of the true principles of copyright law. Copyright is not a property in ideas conferred by the law of nature, as certain philosophers have vainly talked, but a monopoly  ## p. 118 (#132) ############################################ 1 18 THE AUTHOR. specially created by law on grounds of public utility, and a monopoly not in ideas or artistic motives in the abstract, but in particular forms of expression. Therefore copyright in a work of literature or art can be infringed only by a repro- duction ejusdem generis, a picture by something pictorial, and so forth. It does not follow, how- ever, that infringement might not be indirectly committed by reconstruction of the original design from something which was not itself an infringe- ment, even if the reconstructor had no direct acquaintance with the original ; it was expressly allowed by the Court of Appeal that it could be so, though they held that in the particular case it was not. The questions of dramatising literary work and of “performing rights * are not touched by these decisions, and stand on a special footing. —Law Quarterly Review for October. *– ~ *-* THE INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT CONGRESS AT ANTWERP, R. J. E. MUDDOCK, F.R.G.S., was the sole representative of England at the Congress, which closed its sittings on the 26th of August, Mr. Muddock, who went over by special invitation of the committee, speaks in glowing terms of the princely hospitality offered to the foreign delegates by their Belgian confrères Without making any invidious comparison, he wishes to particularise the exceeding kindness and courtesy of the Hon. Paul Cogel, President of the Antwerp Society of Bibliophiles; of M. Victor Robyns, the esteemed President of the Antwerp Cercle Artistique, Litteraire, and Scientific; and M. Franz Gittens, the well-known Belgian dramatic author. Fetes, illuminated corteges, receptions, dinners, excursions, and visits to all that is interesting in Antwerp, were the order of the day, and the wonder is that the guests have survived all this kindness. They have not only survived, however, but are unanimous in their expressions of satisfaction and gratitude for the magnificent hospitality of their hosts. Notwith- standing all the feasting and junketing much solid work was done, as two seances were held each day, and some six hours a day were consumed in this way. At the opening sitting, M. Robyns, in the name of the old and intellectual city of Antwerp, extended a warm welcome to the foreign delegates, and he alluded in graceful terms to the great interest manifested in the Congress by His Majesty the King of the Belgians. It was a good sign when representatives of nearly every European nation assembled to discuss amicabl their mutual interests in the products of intellect, whether such products took the form of litera- ture, art, science, poetry, the drama, or music. Meetings like that did more to bring about the longed for universal brotherhood than anything else could possibly do; for there was no nation- ality in brain work. Literature and art were cosmopolitan, they recognised no frontiers, and gatherings of that kind served to strengthen the bond of good feeling which literary men and women, musicians, artists, composers, &c., enter- tained for one another, irrespective of country. Great strides had been made of late years in securing to authors and artists universal recogni- tion of their rights in the works they created. But there was still much to do, though the good work that had already been done was a guarantee for the future; and it might safely be asserted that there would be no pause until the literary and artistic millenium was reached. Then nations would be compelled to recognise, by the laws of their respective countries, that the products of a man’s brain labour could no more be filched from him with impunity than could his land, his houses, his household effects, or anything that was legitimately his. The sentiments expressed by the President were received with warm approval, and Dr. Albert Osterrieth, who spoke in the name of the Congress of German authors, said that throughout Germany there was a very strong desire to promote in every possible way the interests of international copyright. M. Pfeiffer, of the Syndicate of the Musical Composers of Paris; Dr. Lundstadt, in the name of Swedish publishers, and of the Literary and Artistic Circle of Stockholm ; Herr Stoutz, for Switzer- land; and Mr. J. E. Muddock, for England, said that authors and composers of their respective countries would not rest until their rights in literary and artistic property were fully recognised. At the second sitting there was a very large attendance, including the Princess Napoleon Bonaparte-Weiss, and several women of letters, amongst them being Madame Brun, the well- known Belgian novelist and journalist. When the meeting had been declared open by the President, M. Bonilla, who represented the “Society of Spanish Writers,” rose to address the assembly. Speaking in Spanish, he made a stirring and eloquent appeal for the universal recognition of the results of intellectual labour. He insisted that workers with the pen and pencil had been too long regarded as mere time-servers of the public, whose mission was to give to the world the efforts of their genius, but like the slaves of old they could own nothing. Fortu- nately a more enlightened era was dawning, and  ## p. 119 (#133) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I Ig the day could not be far distant when authors and artists would have cause to rejoice that they had clamoured for an equitable recognition of their interests by all nations. A long discussion followed on the rights of translation. Translation in principle is said to be a mode of reproduction, but while that prin- ciple is admitted in some countries it is contested in others. It was certainly proclaimed at the Brussels Congress in 1858; and since then the International Literary Union has endeavoured to get it universally recognised. Under any cir- cumstances, the desirability was urged of pro- longing the term during which an author's consent has to be obtained before his works can be translated, and twenty years was named as an equitable limit. This was objected to by M. Ernest Eisenmann, an avocat of Paris, and the author of an important work on the rights of authors and journalists. He maintained that if such restrictions were placed upon the rights of translation they would militate against the author's themselves. That would certainly be the case in dramatic and musical composition. When the subject had been well threshed out, without any very definite conclusion being arrived at, M. Alcide Darras, one of the general secretaries of the union, laid before the assembly a brief but lucid account of the legislative move- ments that had been made with regard to inter- national copyright during the past few years. He spoke bitterly of the action of the United States, and said it was something more than an anomaly that Canada should be disposed to favour American writers in preference to all others. England had given copyright to English authors in the whole of the British Empire, and that copyright was secured by an international treaty; nevertheless Canada showed a strong disposition to give American authors Canadian rights, although America had treated English authors so scurvily. Referring to Mexico, M. Darras said it was greatly to the credit of that country that Mexican subjects, or anyone producing a literary work in Mexico, had the advantage of perpetual copyright, while great liberality was shown to authors of all nationalities. It certainly would be more honourable on the part of the Govern- ment of the United States if they took a leaf out of their neighbour's book. At the subsequent sittings of the Congress long and interesting dis- cussions took place on the relations of publishers and authors, in so far as those relations were concerned in contracts of publications. All the speakers pointed out that in every country, as matters now stood, the author was entirely in the hands of his publisher, and if the publisher chose to act dishonestly, as he often did, the author WOL. W. suffered, and had no remedy. It was pertinently asked why literary contracts should not be placed upon the same basis as any other commercial contract. If an author wrote a book, and a publisher undertook to publish it on terms of mutual profit, there was a distinct partnership created. The author's capital in the business was represented by his work, and the value of that work must be taken to be equal in every sense to the amount the pub- lisher invested when he printed and put the work on the market. The author should there- fore be in a position to know precisely what busi- ness is being transacted and what returns are coming in. As matters now stood, he was entirely dependent for this information on the bare statement of the publisher. And, while it was not assumed for a moment that all pub- lishers were dishonest, it could not be denied that the temptation to make a little extra profit by the manipulation of accounts and the suppression of information that ought to be afforded was very great indeed; and human nature was the same in a publisher as it was in other buman beings, often more so. It was admitted that the subject was a very difficult one to deal with in an international sense, for transactions of the kind often had to be determined by local circumstances. But there was no reason why some general principles should not be laid down and adopted by the union. And it was suggested that in default of distinct stipulation to the contrary a contract of publication should be taken to mean one edition only, whether it was of a musical or literary work. The number of that edition should be expressly stated in the contract, and every copy of it should be numbered and signed by publisher and author. This scheme would at once afford an author a ready means of knowing how many copies of his work had been sold, and it would be a safeguard against unauthorised reproduction. Of course the same regulations would apply to any subsequent editions. Although no definite decision was arrived at on this subject owing to various difficulties that presented themselves, it was admitted that it was too important to be shelved, and that it should be brought forward next year, and in the mean- time some concerted plan of action should be. worked out which should aim at doing justice to. all parties without wounding the susceptibilities. of any. Mr. Wolfgang Kirschbach, the well-known. theatrical critic and editor of the Dresdner. Nachrichten, then invited the Congress to meet. next year at Dresden, and he said he was autho- rised to promise a welcome and a reception in the name of the Saxon Government, as well as of the N  ## p. 120 (#134) ############################################ I 20 THE AUTHOR. municipal authorities. And he further promised that the warmest support would be accorded te the work and aims of the Congress by the whole of Germany, North and South. The invitation was accepted, and Dresden fixed as the next place of meeting. Altogether it may be said that the Congress has been productive of many good results, and the work so far achieved is just and equitable to all who labour with their brains. And, as M. Bergerem, the Minister of Justice, said at the grand banquet given by the President to the distinguished foreigners gathered together in Antwerp in the name of literature, science, and art, the objects of the association must, in the end, be universally triumphant. They had right on their side, and they would soon have power to enforce those rights. It is greatly to be regretted that the entire English press, from the Times downwards, should have been so utterly indifferent to this important Congress that no report of it has appeared in any paper in this country. Journalists cannot afford to ignore the aims and objects of the association, and it surely would have been worth while for the great London dailies to have instructed their foreign correspondents to furnish to their respective papers some particulars of the labours of the Congress. It is also a matter of surprise that Mr. Muddock was not supported by some of his London confrères. The question of inter- national copyright is one which very closely affects us as a literary people, and particularly in so far as our dealings with America are concerned. And unless writers and artists here think their property is not worth protecting, they would do well to show that they are in full accord with the spirit and aims of these annual congresses, and attend in numbers to speak and vote on all that tends to promote the common welfare of the great brotherhood of the pen and pencil. *— — —” * * * NOTES FROM PARIS. AM writing this from a fishing village at the extreme southern point of the Bay of Biscay, in a desolate land of dunes, with the purple line of the Pyrenees in front of me, and all around a forest of pine trees. . A coin perdu. if ever there was one, yet at the time of the English rule in Aquitaine, a place of some importance. In the middle of the village rises the “Tower of the English,” and many of the houses were built by English hands. g e gº Is it a fallacy that, as many of us imagine, soli- stude and quiet are very necessary to the man who would produce his best work, and that a man works hardest where there is little tempta- tion for him to leave his writing-table P Zola has recorded the fine fevers of industry which come upon him in the country, but then Zola will work anywhere and under any circumstances. Daudet, on the other hand, has told me that at the seaside at least he is never able to work. “The sea is a terrible waster,” he said, and added that having sought solitude in a little village on the Mediterranean coast, he remained six weeks without putting pen to paper. For my part my experience is that a solitary and monotonous way of life is fatal to literary production. One cannot think when one yawns. And again, the song of the sea is one continual invitation to idleness, whilst the fields and the forest have mysterious and syremlike voices to tempt one away. People who have read “Jack,” will remem- ber the poet D’Argenton, who, having longed for years for a quiet retreat in the country, found, when he was able to afford one, that he could not work there, and wasted six years in idle endea- vours. Perhaps the reason of this is that the country is so delightful that idleness becomes a real pleasure. It is a characteristic trait of the American critics that when reviewing a translation all men- tion of the translator, even in quoting the title of the book, is omitted by them. Translation, it would appear, after their manner of thinking, is and cannot be otherwise than hack work. Yet one of Charles Baudelaire's chief titles to fame is in his masterly translation of Poe's tales. American journalism, by the way, seems to be sinking lower and lower into infamy. Not many days ago I was passing a delightful hour in the pine forest near my house, with my dog and my grey donkey for companions, and an odd volume of Montaigne in my hand. I could see the great red sun going down into the sea, athwart the pines; the air was fresh and balsamous, and only the cooing of the turtle-doves broke the stillness. I was away for the time from everything that was common and cruel, and ugly and human. And then broke in upon my tranquil meditation American journalism, in the form of a cablegram from New York, an unclean thing that I threw away from me with disgust as soon as I had read it. It came from a great American editor, and requested me to nose out the dirty story of an American milliardaire, who, it appears, has fallen into the toils of some Parisian Phryne. I was to “ mail photos,” and to accompany the same with a “rip-roarer story of their intimacy.” After reflection I picked the filthy paper up again, and have pasted it up in my study as a reminder of the things to which American journalism leads.  ## p. 121 (#135) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 2 I Inasmuch as, by the stress of circumstances, there are many writers who engage in literature in a purely commercial spirit, might not the critics exact that the publishers in sending in ibooks for review should mention, besides the price of each volume, the amount of remunera- tion which was assured to the author when he sat down to the task of its production. This knowledge might dispose them to greater leniency or severity, as the case might be. The critic might be very exacting in the case of a book for which the author had received or was to receive several hundred pounds, and less so in the case of work paid for with as many six- pences. I would like to read some such sentence in a literary critique as the following: “This is a hastily-written book, immaturely considered. Still, when we remember that the author produced it at the rate of fourpence halfpenny for each hour's work, we cannot but commend it as extremely good value for money.” In this matter also the philosophy of Mrs. Gamp holds good, and them as wants titivating must pay accordingly. Alphonse Daudet has just finished a new novel. It is one of the very few of his stories— is it not the only one P-which contains a murder. There are a husband and wife who each suspects the other of the crime, and so on. It ends in a reconciliation. I am glad to say that Daudet's health is improving. I had a long letter from him a few days ago, entirely in his own hand, firm, healthy writing “in his least nervous pen.” Be usually dictates to his secretary, the amiable M. Ebner. He tells me that his son’s book, “Les Morticoles,” is still selling very well, already in a tenth edition, I believe. Apropos of Léon Daudet, who, it will be remembered, married Victor Hugo's grand- daughter, the last time I saw him he told me that Hugo's books were selling very badly indeed, and he is in a position to know the facts, as husband of the lady who is entitled to one half the revenue from the Hugo copy- rights. This disposes of various accounts we have heard of the continued demand for these works. Emile Zola, leaves for Rome next month to collect materials for the second volume of “Les Trois Villes " series, which is to be called “Rome.” I am afraid that he will not succeed, as he had hoped, in securing an interview with the Holy Father, and it is to be feared that the odium theologicum provoked by “Lourdes,” will put many difficulties in his way. In the meanwhile “Lourdes'' is in its hundredth edition, and Charpentier's presses are still hard at work turning out copies by the thousand. It is expeeted WOL. V. that this book will have the largest sale of any of Zola's works. * Edmund de Goncourt, I am sorry to say, is, as I hear from Champrosay, ailing with “a liver crisis.” This splendid old man is, however, so robust that I expect him to outlive us all. He is resting his pen at present, though, of course, he continues to keep his daily diary, as he has done for the past thirty years. The widow of Leconte de Lisle is preparing her late husband's manuscripts for the press. She is working in collaboration with De Héredice, and they hope to collect sufficient material for a volume of poems, which shall add to the reputa- tion of the author of “Poémes Barbares.” The task is a difficult one, as the late poet was very critical about his own work, and they are anxious not to print anything which he would have refused to publish. Leconte de Lisle destroyed more than four thousand lines of verse which he deemed unsatisfactory, and what he published had been revised and revised again. A new life of Napoleon is being prepared in Paris by a Boston Professor, and will run for two years in the Century Magazine. I myself was recently invited by the proprietors of another American magazine to do another life of Napoleon, and very good terms were offered. But the matter fell through when I was informed that Napoleon had to be treated in an entirely favour- able light, as I found it impossible to do so. The Americans all have an immense admiration for Napoleon, chiefly, no doubt, because of the persis- tent way in which he plagued England. A study of Napoleon as the Arch-Anarchist and forerunner of the anarchy of this fin de siècle would be interesting. ROBERT H. SHERARD. Capbreton, Landes, Sept. 19. *– ~ –” g- > -e AUGUSTA WEBSTER, HE death of Augusta Webster on Sept. 5 takes from us a poet of very remarkable powers, and of achievement second to no woman of the age who has attempted poetry. She was a daughter of the late Admiral Davies, who for many years filled the post of Chief Constable for Cambridgeshire, and lived at Cam- bridge. Augusta Davies published her first volume of verse in the year 1861 or 1862. It was entitled “Blanche Lisle,” and bore the assumed name of Cecil Horne. After her marriage to Mr. Thomas Webster, a classical scholar and a Fellow of Trinity, she published under her own name translations of “Prometheous Vinctus ” and the “Medea,” N 2  ## p. 122 (#136) ############################################ I 22 THE AUTHOR. she also published another volume of verse under her nom de plume. The works that followed were “Dramatic Studies” (1866), “A Woman Sold” (1867), “Portraits” (1870), “The Auspicious Day” (1872), “Yu-Pe-Yas's Lute” (1874), “Disguises” (1879), “A Book of Rhyme’” (1881), “In a Day” (1882), “Daffodil and the Croaxaxicans” (1884), and “The Sentence” (1887). In addition to these volumes of verse, Mrs. Webster produced a book of essays called “A Housewife's Opinions.” She wrote for the Eacaminer when William Minto was its editor, and, it is understood, for the Athenæum. She also essayed a novel, but, apparently, without success, and for six years she was a member of the London School Board. It will be seen that her time of greatest activity was in the sixties and the seventies. It seems a long time ago, but the time has not yet come for an estimate of Augusta Webster's place among the poets of the Victorian age—an age which produces more fine verse in a decade than was written during the whole of the last century, and an age in which critics are continu- ally bemoaning the decay of verse; an age in which we are so busy over our own work that we have no time to read the work of others; an age in which a new great Inovelist, if not a new great poet, is boomed every month; an age in which the poet of to-day will be clean forgotten to- morrow. The contemporaries of Augusta Webster—those who lived in the sixties and the seventies—have read her works and found in them qualities of the highest order, purity of thought, beauty of expression, music in rhythm, dexterity in metre, power of conceiving and drawing character. Does the younger genera- tion read her P Ome knows not. Will the works of this singer survive? Out of all she wrote, surely, something. He would be a bold critic who would foretell immortality, even a limited im- mortality—an existence prolonged for three generations—for any poem of the day. But to him who remembers those early volumes—the “Dramatic Studies,” “Portraits,” and the trans- lations—Augusta Webster will always remain a figure in contemporary literature among the fore- most, and among the worthiest. W. B. ** a 2–º r- - -, NOTES AND NEWS. R. JAMES PAYN writes that if he had twenty lives he would give them all to the profession of Letters. He says, moreover, that no profession is more free from jealousies and acrimonies. Well, a certain depress- ing work on the “Quarrels of Authors” is to be found in most of our libraries. Some day it will be brought up to date, and then some very pretty jealousies and acrimonies of the present day, of which the world is now ignorant, will be brought to light. There have been two or three actions in the High Court of Justice produced by “acri- monies’’ of literary men. And there are too often to be seen even in signed articles, criticisms and judgments by literary men concerning other literary men that are certainly not kindly either in phrase or intention. In fact, one of the prin- cipal reasons which has hitherto kept men of letters apart from each other, is the unhappy pre- judice that it is the duty of a writer to criticise and sit in judgment upon other writers, as if the power of writing verse should make a critic as well as a poet. That criticism should be con- temptuous and derisive; that it should not be written with the view of pointing out what ought to be, but to inflict as much pain as possible by exaggerating what is, in the volume: these are articles of belief that seem happily passing away. The editor of the immediate future will certainly insist on as much courtesy in his columns as at his dinner table. I have before me certain extracts from the registers of St. Bartholomew's Church, which formerly stood on the site now occupied by the east wing of the Bank of England. The dates of these registers are from 1568 down to 1720 or thereabouts. There are baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Among them are three entries which are curious. They are all in the burials, and are as follows: 1672. Katharine Dufoe. I687. Katharine Dufoe. 1708. Mary Defoe. Now Daniel Defoe, son of Thomas Foe, of Cripplegate, and said to be the grandson of Thomas Foe, of Elton, assumed the “De '’ about the year 1684. It is generally assumed that he did so in the hope of passing for one of gentle birth. These entries, however, make it clear that there was one family, perhaps two, in the City of the name of Dufoe or Defoe. It is probablé, therefore, that this was the older way of spelling his name, and that he was really connected with families who so spelled the name. The Rev. Dr. Bell, of Cheltenham, calls my attention to the question in the September number of the Author : “Is not the Sheridan family the only family on record which has con- tinued to hand down its best characteristics from One generation to another ?” He reminds me of  ## p. 123 (#137) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 23 the Arnold family as another which has also done so. He mentions the names of Matthew Arnold, Thomas Arnold, Mrs. Humphry Ward, Mr. Oakley Arnold Forster. Undoubtedly this is another case of hereditary genius, which in the domain of literature is exceedingly rare. In music and in law hereditary ability is more often found. What descendants of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, have ever distin- guished themselves in literature ? In another column will be found some kind of answer—though of necessity incomplete—towards the question of what the people read. Setting aside fiction, an army of Io,000 borrowers, in one library, read during one year 65,000 works of history, travels, philosophy, art, and science. This for a body of people only just beginning to read seems pretty well. We must remember that they are nearly all working people; that a great many of them—the women especially—have very long hours of work; that during the summer months they will naturally take their recreation in the open air; and that a large proportion of the men have been accustomed to take their winter recreation in public houses. Let us remember also that without this library only very few of these working men would have read any book at all. Not any book at all. It is rare to find books in a working man's lodging ; it is still rarer to find him buying books. How can he buy books unless out of the twopenny basket P Indeed, to those who ignorantly accuse us, as a nation, of not buying books, the first reply is, that whether we want to buy books or not we cannot afford to do so, because, out of the whole 37,000,000 population or 7,400,000 families in this our United Kingdom, there are but 250,000 families which earn an income of so much as 32OO a year, and not more than 400,000 families which either earn or possess that modest income. Now, with the lowest possible standard of necessary comfort, what margin can be left with an income of £200 for the purchase of books P From time to time we read letters in the papers on the economy of small incomes. Some- thing is put down for the luxury of trips and excursions—for change of air is necessary; the gentility of a pew, instead of a free seat, is never forgotten ; but nothing is ever left for books. Why? Because books cannot be afforded. And those who cannot buy books are now growing eager to read them. “We would buy,” they say, “if we could. But, indeed, we are not able to buy.” -->e- As for those favoured few—the happy 4OO,OOO families—whose income is 32OO a year and over, they have hitherto bought all the books that are sold—new or secondhand—all but the books of elementary education. The new public libraries are now stepping in as purchasers. When we speak of the vast audience which already awaits a success- ful writer, whether historian, poet, exponent of science, preacher, philosopher, or novelist, it must be remembered that this great body of readers who cannot buy will always form the largest part. And if, as seems probable, the 400,000 families above-named become reduced in number, and their incomes grow steadily and yearly less, there will be nobody at all left to buy books, and the libraries will be the only pur- chasers. Meantime what the 400,000 do buy and how much they buy, and how far the reproach is just that they do not buy, must be considered by the light of actual figures. And these figures we will try to collect and to publish. The New York Critic of Aug. 11 contained a paper on Art in the Magazines, suggested by cer- tain comparisons made in these columns between the advance of the American magazines and the seeming decline of our own. The writer says: “Among other reasons advanced for this state of things is the abundance of illustrations that we give, but the most important thing is omitted, viz., their quality. With us illustration is an art; in England it is a pastime—it entertains without instructing. The same class of men do not prac- tise it in both countries; and, furthermore, the English draughtsmen have not yet learned to draw for the photo-engravers, as have the American and the French.” He goes on to criticise the artistic character of a certain English magazine. The remarks under this head may be omitted. The following, however, is an American's opinion on American art. One would like that of an English artist on the same work: Now take the August Harper’s and see the difference between the American process-work and that of England. Note Mr. Smedley’s illustrations in Mr. Ralph's story of “Old Monmouth,” in Mr. Matthews’s “A Vista in Central Park,” or in Mr. Warner's story. They are made by the Kurtz process. Here we have the artist and the process- engraver working in perfect harmony, and the result is almost as fine as that brought about by the graver. Mr. Remington’s illustrations of his own paper are even better. There are few artists who know so well how to work for mechanical engraving as Mr. Remington. An admirable piece of work is Mr. Thulstrup's in “Up the Coast of Norway.” The illustration on page 381 has all the softness and light and shade of a mezzotint engraving. Mr. Du Maurier's illustrations of “Trilby’’ lend themselves parti- cularly well to the work of photo-engraving, because they are pen-and-ink drawings. The engraver could probably not reproduce them any better, if as well. But to see just  ## p. 124 (#138) ############################################ I 24 THE AUTHOR. what delicaey and tone the engraver's hand gives to a picture, we must turm to the frontispiece, “On Shark River,” drawn and engraved by Victor Bernstrom. In Mr. Castaigne we have another artist who is a master of the art of drawing for process-engraving. He is a Frenchman, and learned his art in France, where they have long made a specialty of it. I doubt whether the engraver could do him the justice that the camera does. It would be very difficult to catch his peculiar effects with the hand. His illustrations to “Washington as a Spectacle,” in the Century, make this clear, especially the picture on page 490. Mr. Sterner shows himself in a new light in his illustration of “Poe in the South.” There is an imaginative quality in his work that goes well with that of the author he illustrates. For work with the graver it would be hard to find anything more satisfactory than Mr. Timothy Cole's reproduction of Quentin Matsy’s portrait of his second wife. Here we have something that mechanical engraving can never give—the personality of the engraver, the touch of the artist. In looking at this picture one feels the dignity of handwork over that of the machine. Another fine example of the engraver's art is the frontispiece of Scribner's, Carolus . Duran’s “The Poet with the Mandolin,” engraved by W. B. Closson. Here, again, we have what photo-engraving cannot give. The name of W. S. Vanderbilt Allen is comparatively new in the art world, but it accompanies some spirited scenes of Newport life, which have had the distinction of being engraved. Kaemmerer's illustrations of Professor C. G. D. Roberts's poem would have gained much, had Florian touched them into life; as it is, they have lost by the “process.” On the other hand, it is doubtful whether the engraver could have done more for Castaigne's illus- trations of Mr. Bunner's story. Process work has seldom been seen to better advantage than in the picture opposite page I64. Mr. Sterner's illustrations of “An Undiscovered Murder” are, if anything, better than those he has in the Centwry. They are certainly more pleasing in subject, and the one on page 183 is a gem. No ; one does not find such art in the English magazines. Everybody is interested in the Autocrat of Boston. Therefore I make no doubt that every- body will read the following extract from the New York Critic (Sept. 8, 1894). I had the pleasure of an afternoon with the most amiable of poets and essayists last year. We drove from Salem to Beverly one fine afternoon in July, the party consisting of Prof. Woodberry, Mr. Sprigge, and myself. And we spent a couple of hours talking to the Autocrat, who was in the best spirits, and the best health possible. At Beverly he has a charming country house on a hill with a large garden and a delightful view. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes’s birthday, of which the Critic had brief mention last week, was celebrated in a very quiet manner, as the poet himself desired. He is not only adverse to publicity on that day, but finds it best to protect his health as far as possible by preventing intrusion into his Sanctum. The good Doctor is always kindly in feeling and expression towards every reporter who calls, but yet has be- come now extremely reserved. To the first reporter who came last week he gave an interview, and then, when the other gentlemen of the press trod the path to his Beverly Summer home, he presented each with a printed slip con- taining this same interview, thus saving time and exertion. The friends who called on his birthday were glad to find that in spite of the prolonged illness which prostrated both mind and body (infact, the doctor himself says that it was the longest, illness he ever had), the Autocrat is regaining his physical strength. He is no longer able to answer the hosts of letters. that pour in upon him as they always have, people by the score having simply flooded his table with queries and with manu- scripts to which they have invited his attention ; and, while the Doctor has always expressed himself as gratified at words. of affection, he has not been able of late to answer even the complimentary notes. Indeed, he does no writing now at all, and whatever dictation he is able to carry out is devoted to the completion of his autobiography, now made his great. lifework, and not destined to be published until after his death. Someone suggested to the Doctor, when the latter spoke of the cramp that affected his hand in writing, that he learn to use the type-writer, but the poet smilingly replied that he did not propose to forsake an old friend for a new one at his time of life. For eight summers now Dr. Holmes has been at Beverly Farms, which he regards as the most perfect of summer resorts (barring the east winds), and he delights in telling visitors about all the surroundings. of the place. He points out, with delightful interest, the two islands in front of his house, quaintly named “Great. Misery" and “Little Misery"—terms derived from a game of cards called Boston,” invented by some British officers. who were quartered upon those islands during the early wars. Of course, the trees still consume a great deal of his attention. Recently, it is said, he has found a new tree in. Beverly, which he considers the most beautiful of all; and to its base he drives several times each week, there to sit in its shade and enjoy its protection. If he can hear of any big tree within any reasonable distance of his home he is sure to visit it. Speaking about his health to a caller, Dr. Holmes said:— “I am afraid that I am commencing to grow old. Since last February, when I had a severe attack of the grip, I have not been very well, and I have been obliged to take. good care of myself. Walking and riding principally, an occasional call and receiving some of my friends who are kind enough to call upon me, form the day’s routine.” He spoke briefly of literary people he had known, stating that he had been visited by almost every literary Englishman, who had come to Boston since Dickens's time. He added sadly, “Lowell’s death affected me keenly, it makes. me feel that I am old, that I have outlived my genera- tion.” It is a well known and remarkable fact that the year which saw Dr. Holmes’s birth, 1809, also saw the births of Tennyson, Darwin, Gladstone, Robert C. Winthrop, and Abraham Lincoln. Dr. Holmes himself once spoke of this, mentioning all except himself in noting: the “wonders” of the year, and when his visitor added, “You have forgot to mention one birth, Doctor, that of Oliver Wendell Holmes,” the Autocrat quickly responded, “Oh, that doesn’t count ; I ‘sneaked in, as it were.” Dr. Holmes’s birthday this year was remembered, as usual, by his publishers, Houghton, Mifflin and Co., with a magnificent. bouquet of eighty-five roses, one for each year of the poet's, life, while other friends sent remembrances. The classification of Literature is a subject which belongs especially to the Institute of Librarians. If, however, the existing methods of classification are to be considered by this body, we may ask to send representatives to the deliberating committee. A letter by Mr. J. Taylor Kay, in the Daily Chronicle for Sept. 18, proposes that a commission consisting of one or  ## p. 125 (#139) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 25 two members of the crafts of author, publisher, bookseller, journalist, and librarian, shall be appointed to consider existing systems, and to recommend, or to create, a classification for general use. Meantime Mr. Kay gives the classification which he considers the best, that of Mr. Melville Dewey, proposed in 1876. Here it IS :— CLASSES AND DIVISIONs. O 480 Greek. IO Bibliography. 490 Other Languages. 2O Book Rarities and 500 NATURAL SCIENCE. MSS. 5IO Mathematics. 30 General Cyclopedias. 520 Astronomy. 40 Polygraphy. 53O Physics. 50 General Periodials. 540 Chemistry. 6O General Societies. 550 Geology. 70 Bookbinding. 560 Paleontology. 80 Catalogues. 57O Biology. 90 58o Botany. IOO PHILOSOPHY. 590 Zoology. I IO Metaphysics. 6OO USEFUL ARTs. I 20 - 6IO Medicine. 130 Anthropology. 62O Engineering. 140 Schools of Psychology. 630 Agriculture. I 5o Mental Faculties. 64o Domestic Economy. 16O Logic. 650 Communication and 17o Ethics. Commerce. 180 Ancient Philosophies. 660 Chemical Technology. 190 Modern Philosophies. 670 Manufactures. 2OO Theology. 68o Mechanic Trades. 2Io Natural Theology. 690 Building. 22O Bible. 700 FINE ARTs. 23o Doctrinal Theology. 7Io Landscape Gardening. 240 Practical and Devo- 720 Architecture. tional. 730 Sculpture. 250 Homiletical and Pas- 740 Drawing and Design. toral. 75o Painting. 26O Institutions and Mis- 76o Engraving. sions. 77O Photography. 270 Ecclesiastical History. 78o Music. 28o Christian sects. 790 Amusements. 290 Non-Christian Reli- 8oo LITERATURE. gions. 8Io Treatises and Collec- 3OO SOCIOLOGY. tions. 3IO Statistics. 820 English. 320 Political Science. 830 German. 330 Political Economy. 84o French. 340 Law. 85o Italian. 350 Administration. 86o Spanish. 360 Associations and In- 870 Latin. tutions. - 88o Greek. 37O Education. 890 Other Languages. 380 Commerce and Com- 90o HISTORY. - munication. 9IO Geography and De- 390 Customs and Cos- scription. tumes. 920 Biography. 4OO PHILOLOGY. 930 Ancient History. 4IO Comparative. 940 Europe. 42O English. 950 º ſ: 430 German. 96o 3 || Africa. 44O French. 97O 3 4 North America. 450 Italian. 98o 3 | South America. 460 Spanish. 990 Oceanica and 47O Latin. Polar Regions. . . Each of these divisions is, of course, capable of mine further sub-divisions. In adapting the 8th Alabama Regiment. system to shelving arrangements, the above numbers are the subjects or class numbers, and a decimal point number being added, acts at the order of numeration on the shelves, which in each case will, of course, run to infinity. An interesting point in literary history is touched upon by an “Old Novel Reader” (p. 129). He informs us that the first attempt to introduce cheap books was made in Ireland nearly sixty years ago, by Mr. John Simms, of the firm of Simms and MacIntyre, of Belfast. Mr. Henry Herman is dead. One was sur- prised to learn, first, that he was sixty-three years of age, and next, that he was formerly a Confederate officer—Lieutenant-Colonel of the He was the author, in collaboration with Mr. Henry Arthur Jones, of the “Silver King,” and he wrote “Claudian.” He also wrote, with Mr. David Christie Murray, two novels, and several without collaboration. He was a man of strong friendships, of great resource, and of wide personal experience. Sir Frederick Pollock (p. 126) objects to the “language” of a note of mine about the importa- tion of Tauchnitz books. He complains that it is a note of “vituperation.” I thought, in my feeble way, that it was a note written in good temper and without any calling of names. I have read it again ; and again I fail to find any “vitupera- tion.” Is it right, or is it not, to bring these books into England P. If it is not right, one is justified in saying so. The reason why the prac- tice is common is that many excellent people who carry it on are ignorant that it is much the same thing as smuggling a roll of lace. And this was pointed out in the note. However, as some readers have not perhaps read the note of September who will read Sir Frederick's remarks in October, I reproduce it, vituperation and all : Every year, as regularly as the showers of August, appears the letter complaining of the bold bad smuggler who imports Tauchnitz editions in his pockets. The whole family, girls and all, enter with zeal into the smuggling business; impromptu pockets are devised in feminine garments; men’s coats are found to contain stowage room previously unsuspected; a successful run is made ; and the family shelves are enriched with another row of Tauchnitz books. They have been bought at half the cost of the English edition, you see. Cheapness before anything. These books, moreover, are openly sold in this country; one may some- times see rows of them in the secondhand shops. What is to be done P. It is impossible to touch the conscience of the traveller homeward bound. He will not smuggle lace, because he understands that lace is property—it is visible property—he must not defraud the revenue ; literary pro- perty he does not understand—he cannot see it. Here is a  ## p. 126 (#140) ############################################ 126 THE AUTHOR. book—why cannot he take the book home with him P Because the law prohibits P Nonsense ; it can hurt nobody. It is impossible to make him see that to import this book is an infringement of right; a robbery of author or publisher, or both. Therefore something else must be attempted. What? Let us take counsel together. There must surely be some way of preventing the smuggling of books. Now the rough and ready way by which dockyard labourers are prevented from stealing dockyard stores might be at- tempted. Wardens of the yard stand at the gates and feel the men as they pass. An expert hand would detect a Tauchnitz in the coat pocket. And a substantial fine judiciously and sternly administered would do the rest. But perhaps some other method might be suggested. About the magnitude of the mischief; Sir Frederick puts it down at £50 or £100. Let us see. Every year there are at least 300,000 travellers from the British Isles on the Continent. These include the people who crowd the hotels of Biarritz, the Riviera, and Italy in the winter; the people who stay at the mountain resorts; and the people who travel in the spring, summer, and autumn. All these people buy for their reading the Tauchnitz books. This collection contains 2Ooo works, I believe, in about 25oo volumes. It is certainly not too much to estimate the annual purchase at one volume for each traveller. If only half of these volumes—say 150,000, repre- senting I2O,OOO works—are brought back to Eng- land, it means that I2O,OOO works printed abroad are annually brought over here, to the great detri- ment and loss of books printed in this country. We certainly must not assume that every book brought over prevents the purchase of an English manufac- tured book. But, remembering the way that books get lent, and that in certain houses, where not much can be spent in new books, every book is circulated, we may be pretty sure that the Tauchnitz books do prevent the purchase of a very large number of English books. I should be disposed, roughly, to estimate the yearly loss at something like 60,000 volumes, which means a good many thousand pounds, and I think that if the Society could do anything to stop the practice of bringing over these books, it would be doing good service to everybody concerned. The new departure which was observed by Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. in the publication of Mr. Blackmore’s “Perlycross" has been followed in Mr. William Black's new novel “Highland Cousins.” The first issue of the novel in book form is in one volume at 6s. The edition consisted of 6000 copies, and the 4th, 5th, and 6th thousand are so numbered on the title page. The month which produces “Trilby’’ and “Perlycross” and “Highland Cousins” is fortunate indeed. WALTER BESANT. NOTES BY THE WAY. HE correspondent who complains, in the September number of the Author, that he dares not talk to his publisher like a man of business, has another way open to him. If he really believes in his own estimate of the com- mercial value of his work, he can easily make sure whether his view or the publisher's is right. Let him publish on commission. But this, it may be said, involves risk. Of course it does. Nothing venture, nothing have. In the usual forms of publishing contract the author is insured against risk by the publisher. People will not insure your book against publishing risks for nothing, any more than they will insure your house against fire, or your crops against storm. This insurance is not separately charged, but is one of the many elements determining the author's share of profits. In the case of an author who is already successful, the risk and the insurance premium may be taken as less than any assignable quan- tity. In the case of an unknown or hitherto unsuccessful author they are and must be appre- ciable. The fact that a new author's book suc- ceeds does not show that there was no risk, no more than the fact of one's house not being burnt down or one's ship wrecked shows that it was foolish to insure. For the rest, the Society can and does give information and advice to its members; it cannot provide them with back- bones. 2. I must deprecate the language of the note about importing Tauchnitz editions. It is use- less to call people thieves and robbers for not being in advance of public opinion ; and I must also protest against the suggestion of adding some new inquisitorial procedure to the terrors of our custom houses, which are already, since the dynamite scare of ten or twelve years ago, the most troublesome in Western Europe. Neverthe- less, a law-abiding man ought to satisfy law and conscience, and at the same time do a work of charity to other travellers, by leaving his foreign reprints asan addition to some hotelorship library. Public opinion has to be educated on this point, but it is not to be done by vituperation. Mean- while, I should like to know whether the total loss to British publishers and authors by the private importation of Tauchnitz copies amounts to anything like 3100 or £50 in a year. We certainly cannot assume that every one who brings in a Tauchnitz copy of a popular book would otherwise have bought an English one. It seems to me that we have more important things to attend to, even in this particular line. For example, the book market of the minor colonies is, or very lately was, supplied almost wholly by  ## p. 127 (#141) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 127 pirated issues notwithstanding the efforts already made by the Society to procure better inforce- ment of the law. The same mischief exists, though not so largely, in Canada. 3. The question of filling up the Laureateship iseems to me outside the business of the Society of Authors. Individual members are entitled to their opinions. I shall not state mine, but I feel sure that any corporate attempt at meddling in this matter could only bring the Society into ridicule. 4. I have observed with uneasiness, in the Author and elsewhere, a tendency to revive the high metaphysical theory of copyright as a per- petual and immutable right of property conferred by the law of nature. This theory is, in my opinion, unsound, and at all events it has been definitely rejected by English and American law. 'Copyright is property, but not a property in ideas; it is a monopoly or exclusive franchise, created for reasons of policy, in particular forms whereby ideas are expressed. M. Mallarmé's project is of a different order. It is an instal- ment of Socialism, and points towards a proposal which I quite expect to see seriously made some day, namely, to abolish copyright and substitute the endowment of literature by a State depart- ment, which department would, as a probable though not necessary corollary, be invested with large powers of censorship. Let authors consider how they would like this. - FREDERICK POLLOCK. *— - -º HAMMERSMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY, - HE Report of the Commissioners for the Public Library of Hammersmith for the year 1893-94 has been sent to us. The facts and figures are instructive. By an unfortunate omission the rules of the library are not presented with the report, so that the subscription or price of a ticket for the lending library cannot be learned. That it is very small is shown from the return of receipts for the year, in which 320 Os. 5d. is set down for sales of tickets. Comparing the number of applicants for new tickets with the amount realised, it would seem that 2:#d. was the price of a ticket, but perhaps this is wrong. Bowever, there are about Io,000 borrowers. An analysis of the professions and trades of the 2OOO who enrolled themselves during the year shows 350 belonging to the professional classes, among them two authors, three publishers, one barrister, one solicitor, fourteen clergymen, two missionaries, nine journalists, while the rest are all working men and working women. The library, therefore, belongs to all classes. It con- tains II,500 books, of which more than one-fourth belong to fiction. It is greatly to be hoped that in the next report the commissioners will give an analysis of the books taken out, showing the names of the authors mostly read. There is, however, a classified list showing the number of books in each class. The figures are very satis- factory. The IO,OOO borrowers between them, representing, in the proportion, viz., 18 per cent. of the professional to 82 per cent. of the working classes, read between them the following: Theology and Philosophy 1,958 books History and Biography... 7,088 Voyages and Travels 5,220 , , Law and Politics ......... 679 , Arts and Sciences......... 8,027 , Fiction ..................... I 25,827 , Poetry, Drama, and Classics .................. I,725 23 Miscellaneous and Maga- Zines ..................... 9,469 × Juvenile Literature ... ... 28,350 , Music........................ 1,871 ,, In all they read I 90,214 books, which, divided among the IO, SOO, means very nearly twenty books a-head. Since reading is no longer to the great mass of mankind study but recreation, and since it may be allowed that the Commissioners and the librarian between them know how to present only literature that is worthy of being read, we need not wonder at fiction representing 60 per cent. of the books taken out. If, however, we ask what fiction is read, the answer exactly agrees with what has been repeatedly advanced in these columns; that the general public turned into a public library read exactly what the limited public turned into Mudie’s library read, viz., the newest fiction by living writers first, and that they call for these books oftenest. This must neces- sarily be the case, because the books of the day will always interest more than the books of yesterday. Thus Rider Haggard’s books go out at the rate of 56 copies a year for each volume, but Scott's only 22 ; Thomas Hardy’s novels are taken out at the rate of 47 copies a year for each book; Charles Dickens's at the rate of 35; Thackeray, 23; Charles Kingsley, 36. The dead novelists still in demand at the Hammersmith Library may be classified as follows:– Wilkie Collins ............... 26O4 issues. Harrison Ainsworth ......... I926 , Miss Muloch .................. I 594 3, Lord Lytton .................. I494 3, Anthony Trollope ............ I494 3, Dickens ........................ I388 ,  ## p. 128 (#142) ############################################ fº& THE AUTHOR. Sir W. Scott ~ II 22 issues. Lever ................. ......... 815 , George Eliot .................. 696 » Thackeray ..................... 5I 7 2, Charlotte Bronté ............ 347 , As to the popularity of living authors the returns are not trustworthy, because the collections do not appear to be complete. On the same subject the Tibrarian of the Clerkenwell Public Library—Mr. J. D. Brown— writes as follows: “My experience is that slush and truck are avoided even by the classes who are supposed to have nothing in the nature of educated perception about them. Give even the ordinary public library boy reader his choice between one of Henty’s tales and ‘Broadway Bill’s Adventures in Denver,’ and it will soon be seen that Paternoster-row licks the Bowery.’” • *=~~~~~ --z------- FICTION. HE following is an enumeration of the prin- T cipal novels and tales published in one, two, and three volumes respectively during the last three years—Sept. 1891 to Aug. 1894, both included. It is compiled from the monthly list of , “New Books and New Editions” published in the Author, these lists being prepared from the daily announcements. Each work is counted once only, taking no account of the numerous new editions. Translations are not included :- 1891. 1892. 1893. 1. 2 3 1. 2 3 1 2 3 Vol. Wols. Vols. Vol. Vols. Vols. Vol. Vols. Vols. September ... Ig | 2 || 5 || 2 I | 2 | II || 48 || 1 || 12 October ...... 28 || 4 || 7 || 62 || 2 || 14 || 81 8, 16 November ... 52 || 3 || 6 || 52 || 8 || Io || 75 || 6 || Io December ... 18 || 3 9 || 35 | 5 || 5 || 51 || 6 9 1892. 1893. 1894. January ....., I6 || 2 7 I I I 2 8 || 24 2 6 February ... I9 || 3 || 5 || I4 5 8 || 20 || 4 8 March ...... 28 2 8 || 2I IO || 23 4 4. April ......... I9 || 4 4 || 26 2 6 || 30 7 7 May ......... 35 || 5 || IO 27 | 5 9 || 28 || 4 || 13 June ......... 23 2 6 || 38 || 4 || I4 || 41 || 8 || 14 July ......... 18 4 3 : 36 I 5 || 28 3 3 August ...... I9 2 3 || 25 | I 3 I7 2 2 Totals... 204] 36 || 73 ||368 || 37 IO3|466 55 IO2 Note, in connection with this list, a passage in the Author for Sept. 1894, page IO7:— “Perhaps the most striking, because the most ignorant, comment on the recent three-volume novel discussion is the following:—‘The simple fact is, that until the public can be educated to: buy books instead of borrowing them, the attempt to produce original works of fiction in one volume: must inevitably result in a ruinous failure.’” It will be observed that the one-volume form. has increased in two years from 294 to 466. This. form is produced for the buying public. Some of the books have run into many thousands of copies;, we have not heard of any ruinous failures in consequence of their appearance. II.—THE THREE-VoIUME NOVEL. The London Booksellers’ Society has addressed a letter to publishers. The letter was published on July 18 in the Westminster Gazette, from whose columns it is here quoted. By accident the slip has been delayed two months:– “We observe in the circular addressed to you by Messrs. Mudie and Messrs. W. H. Smith and Son, with reference to the price of three-volume: novels, that they suggest—‘That you shall agree not to issue cheaper editions of novels and of other books, which have been taken for library circulation, within twelve months from the date. of publication.” We beg to convey to you our unqualified disapproval of such a proposal, and in the event of your being inclined to entertain the idea, we desire, at this early stage, to enter our formal protest against such an injustice to: the bookseller. At the same time we are very conscious that on this subject your own ideas. and ours run on parallel lines. As the whole question of three-volume novels is now being raised, we should like to say that it would be a great satisfaction to us if good works of fiction ceased to be issued in this way. We are unani- mously in favour of such novels being published at once in a six-shilling form, or, at any rate, at some popular price, and we feel convinced that. not only would the bookseller order such volumes in large numbers, but that the library orders. would not be diminished. As to ‘other books,’ we have long been of opinion that the price at which they are issued upon first publication pro- hibits sales.” III.-LoRD CHESTERFIELD ON NOVELS. In connection with the discussion on the length. of novels, I think the following quotation from Lord Chesterfield is not inapposite: “I am in doubt whether you know what a novel is : it is a little gallant history, which must contain a great deal of love, and not eaceed one or two small, volumes. The subject must be a love affair, the lovers are to meet with many difficulties and  ## p. 129 (#143) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I-29 obstacles, to oppose the accomplishment of their wishes, but at last overcome them all, and the conclusion or catastrophe must leave them happy. A novel is a kind of abbreviation of a romance; for a romance generally consists of twelve volumes, all filled with insipid love nonsense and most incredible adventures.” F. Norreys Conn ELL. IV.--THE Two-WOLUME, NOVEL. As no voice has so far been raised on behalf of the two-volume novel during your late interest- ing discussion upon the rival merits of its longer and shorter sister, might Inow urge my feeble plea for it P. In the first place, would not many three- volume novels be improved in quality by some compression P. How often the padding will come out in that third inevitable volume. Witness even “Lord Ormont and his Aminta.” I am an ancient and omnivorous novel reader, and I speak the name of George Meredith with all due reverence, but here for the first time I did strip some irrelevant (as it seemed to me) details and conversations, not bearing in his usual admirable way upon the plot, which helped to expand two very short first vols. and this filled up last one into the publishers’ fatal three. I speak in ignorance of the financial aspect of the question. Perhaps you would enlighten us a little as to that matter. As regards the reader, his pocket would benefit of course, though less than if the com oression into one solid mass, involving smaller type and poorer margins, became general. But then our eyes. We especially who go on loving fiction in our decrepitude. Besides, who has the courage to face a one-volume “Middlemarch " or “Diana of the Crossways,” if even the shabbiest of second-hand editions in decent print can be had second-hand on easy terms ? May I venture, in my role of sexagenarian, to correct a statement in your August number to the following effect, and by so doing do justice to an enterprising Irish firm of publishers ? “The cheap edition” you say “was introduced about thirty years ago.” It is almost double that term of years since Mr. John Simms, of the firm of Simms and MacIntyre, an old established firm in Belfast, invented the shilling novel. This gentleman is still alive. I inclose his address On the chance that you may care to have a few particulars of his venture. I remember, when a child, the arrival of each gay green monthly volume as it came to be read aloud of an evening, and then added to the long rows of its fellows on the book-shelves. These bore on their backs the names of Miss Mitford, Mary Howitt, Mrs. Gore, shilling. Mrs. Trollope (Anthony's mother), the Banims. (O'Hara family), Carleton, Gerald Griffin, and numbers of other good novelists, to say nothing of the great “Monte Christo,” “Consuelo,” and hosts of the better sort of French and German. stories, translated for the first time into English. All these came to us at the modest price of one With many apologies for intruding on your space, I am, sir, yours faithfully, AN OLD NOVEL READER. THE AUTUMN ANNOUNCEMENTS. Tº: following announcements are reduced and classified from the lists published in the Athenæum up to Sept. 22. The order followed is that of their appearance in that. paper. Among the more important books announced by Messrs. Longmans are Froude's “Life and Letters of Erasmus;” Gardimer’s “History of the Commonwealth;” “Wandering Words,” by Sir Edwin Arnold; Liddon’s “Life of Pusey,” third vol. ; Liddon’s “Clerical Life and Work;” the Bishop of Peterborough’s “Hulsean Lectures. for 1894.” They announce one three volume novel, one novel in one volume, and a complete. set of Mrs. Walford’s books. A new edition of Max Müller’s “Chips from a German Workshop;” a new edition of Chesney’s “Indian Polity;” and a new edition of Leslie Stephen’s “Playground of Europe,” are also in their list of thirty-seven new books. Messrs. Chatto and Windus will produce fifty- seven new books, including three novels in three volumes; five in two volumes; twenty-five- in one volume ; some of these being cheap editions only. In what is called more solid. literature will be issued Wols. III. and IV. of Justin Huntly M*Carthy’s “French Revolution;” the Life and Inventions of Edison ; a translation. of the Memoirs of the Duchess de Gontant ;. Flammarion’s “Popular Astronomy ; ” George MacDonald’s Poetical Works. Not belonging to . “solid" literature, is Lehmann’s “Conversational. Guide to Young Shooters,” from Punch. Messrs. Chambers's announcements are mainly of fiction. Nine one volume novels; four new volumes of popular biographies; and certain. elementary works. Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sons announce forty-- two works. Among these are biographies and studies of Rufus King, Oliver Cromwell, Tinto- retto, Napoleon, Prince Henry, Julian the Apostate, Louis XIV., Thomas Jefferson, Thomas  ## p. 130 (#144) ############################################ I 30 THE AUTHOR, Paine—a sufficiently miscellaneous collection— and five novels. Messrs. Macmillan and Co. announce in all eighty-two works, including reprints and new editions and selections, and republished essays and papers. Among the reprints and old authors we find Shakespeare: a new Concordance to Shake- speare; Tennyson, “Gulliver's Travels;” Froissart, Thoreau, Chaucer, Keble, Southey, a new version of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and several new editions of classical works. The more important of the new books are Matthew Arnold’s Letters; Mrs. Oliphant’s “Reign of Queen Anne,” Mrs. Steele's “Tales of the Punjab,” novels by Marion Crawford and Sir H. Cunningham, the Life of Dean Church, the Life of Cardinal Manning, the Life of Sir A. C. Ramsay, Frederic Harrison on “The Meaning of History;” Five Lectures by Freeman; Canon Atkinson on “Whitby,” and a book on Sport and Natural History, by the late George Kingsley. Mr. John Nimmo will publish eight new books, and will complete the “Border Waverley.” Among these books will be a biography of the late John Addington Symonds; a posthumous work by Symonds on Boccaccio; and a selection from the stories of Bandello. Mr. Edward Arnold announces twenty-six works, including a Life of Sir John Macdonald ; a Memoir of Maria Edgworth ; the Recollections of the Dean of Salisbury; Robert Sherard’s Life of Alphonse Daudet; Dean Hole's “Thoughts upon England spoken in America; ” and a selec- tion from Ste. Buive. Messrs. Hutchinson announce thirty-four new books. Among these are novels by Mrs. Oliphant, D. C. Murray, Mrs. Spender, the author of the - “Yellow Aster,” F. Frankfort Moore, Mrs. Dilke, Mrs. Alfred Marks, “Rita.” Adeline Sergeant, Amelia Barr, and Sarah Tytler. The Sunday School Union announces five books, including a volume to which Archdeacon Farrar - contributes. - Messrs. Cassell and Co. announce thirty-eight works. These include the second volume of Traill’s “Social History of England; ” George Augustus Sala’s Autobiography; a “Life of Daniel Defoe;” by Thomas Wright; and novels by Frank Stockton, Hesba Stretton, Max Pember- ton, H. Hutchinson, L. T. Meade, Mrs. Alex- ander, Mrs. Molesworth, Anthony Hope, Frank Barrett, Egerton Castle, Maurus Jokai, and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. Messrs. Partridge and Co. announce twenty- seven works. Among these are Biographies of Reginald Heber, John Howard, Elizabeth Fry, and Bishop Alwyn. There are novels by G. Manville Fenn and Sarah Doudney, and there are books for boys and girls. The S.P.C.K. announce sixteen works. Among the writers are Mrs. Charles, Professor Maspero, G. Manville Fenn, F. Frankfort Moore, Harry Collingwood, and others, Messrs. Innes and Co. announce six new books, besides story books, for these children's series. Dorothea Gerard and Stanley Weyman have intrusted them with two novels. Messrs. Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier announce three new books, including one novel by Maggie Swan. Messrs. Bell announce twenty-eight books. Among them are a new volume of Pepys; a History of the British Navy, by Capt. Robinson, R.N. ; a new edition of “Eros and Psyche,” by Robert Bridges; a “Handbook to the Ruins of Rome,” by the Rev. Robert Burn; and a transla- tion of Gregorovius's “History of Rome in the Middle Ages.” Messrs. A. and C. Black announce nineteen works. Among them are Archdeacon Farrar on “The Life of Christ as represented in Art;” an “Introduction to the Book of Isaiah,” by the Rev. T. K. Cheyne; Haikel’s “Monism,” translated; “Syriac Literature,” by the late William Wright; “The Religion of the Semites” (new edition), by the late Professor Robertson Smith ; and three novels. Messrs. Methuen and Co. have forty-six books in preparation. Among them are six selections of English verse and one of English prose; additions to the different series running for this firm ; a History of Egypt, by Professor Flinders Petrie; a book on the French Riviera, by Mrs. Oliphant; a book of Ballads, by Rudyard Kipling; and novels in one volume by Baring Gould, W. E. Norris, Gilbert Parker, Anthony Hope, Conan Doyle, Robert Barr, “X, L.,” and Standish O'Grady. Messrs. Sonnenschein and Co. announce fifty- six works, of which thirteen are educational and thirteen belong to social and political economy. There is a volume of Ethical Discourses by Leslie Stephen; a new series, called “Social Eng- land Series,” will be commenced; and there are four novels. Mr. Fisher Unwin announces fifty-seven works. Among them are a translation of Villari’s Florence ; “A Literary History of the English People,” by M. J. J. Jusserand; the Life of Charles Bradlaugh, by his daughter; a Life of Abraham Lincoln, by John Nicolay and John Hay; Henry Norman's Travels in the Far East; four or five books of new verse; twenty novels, including one by the Rev. S. R. Crockett and one by “Rita; ” the Tales of John Oliver Hobbes, now first collected, in one volume ; and the com-  ## p. 131 (#145) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I31 mencement of a series called the “Criminology Series.” Messrs. Wells Gardner and Co. announce twenty-three works, including seven stories. Mr. John Hogg announces two books, viz., one on Whist and a collection of stories. The Cambridge University Press announce fifty-one books, of which the greater part are theological, classical and educational. Not a single mathematical or scientific work is in the list. The most important of the new books are “The History of English Law,” by Sir Frederick Pollock and Frederic William Maitland; “Chap- ters on the Principles of International Law,” by J. Westlake; “The Growth of British Policy,” by Sir J. R. Seeley; “Outlines of English Industrial History,” by W. Cunningham and E. A. McArthur; “The Europeans in India,” by H. Morse Stephens; and “The Foundation of the German Empire,” by J. W. Headlam. Messrs. Chapman and Hall are producing fifteen new books. The more important are Sir C. P. Beauchamp Walker's “Days of a Soldier's Tife,” Col. Malleson’s “Tife of Warren Hastings; Col. Cooper King’s “Life of George Washington,” “Life of General Lee,” by Fitzhugh Lee, his nephew ; six books of sport and travel, and five novels. Messrs. Heinemann has a list of thirty-five new books. Among them may be mentioned “Letters of Samuel Taylor Coleridge,” edited by Ernest Hartley Coleridge; “In Russet and Silver,” a new volume of poems by Edmund Gosse; three new volumes of the “Great Educator’”; seven- teen novels by Mrs. Lynn Linton, W. E. Norris, M. L. Pendered, including transla- tions of Björnstjerm, Björnson, Tourjuénief, and Zola. The “Roxburghe Press” announce sixteen books. Among them is the address of the Marquis of Salisbury to the British Association, revised. Mr. David Nutt announces twenty-one books. They are not all reprints of mediaeval and Tudor literature. Among them is Canon Jenkinson's “Cardinal Toussure and the Jesuits in China,” and “Lectures on Darwinism,” by the late Alfred Milne Marshall. - Messrs. Nisbet and Co. announce twenty-five new books, with a note of “several new volumes in the ‘Pilgrim’ and other series.” With the exception of two stories, they appear to be of a religious character. Messrs. Blackie and Sons announce five new books and a new series. Messrs. Routledge and Sons announce six new novels, beginning a series—new editions of Long- fellow, Grace Aguilar, Randolph Caldecott, and “The Three Musketeers,” and Harry Furniss's, Book of Romps. Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton announce thirty works. Of these twelve are devotional, seven are novels, the rest chiefly biographical. Messrs. Henry and Co. announce five books— One of sport, one of rhymes, one of housewifery, and two novels, of which one is by John Oliver Hobbes. Messrs. Oliphant, Anderson, and Farrier announce twelve books. Of these three are bio-- graphical, one is devotional, seven are novels. *- = -º a- - - M. MALLARMES PROPOSAL. MALLARME'S proposal, published in M the month of August, called forth a . * considerable amount of discussion, for the most part favourable as to the general. principle involved, viz., that if literary property is to become everybody’s property after a term. of years it might very well be subject to a . tax, i.e., that those who, for trading purposes, produce books whose time of copyright has expired should pay to the State for that privi-. lege a royalty upon every copy sold. It is not expected that persons interested in this kind. of property should welcome the proposal — indeed, one or two such persons have already cried out pretty loudly against “taxing the public ’’ and “taxing knowledge.” But it would not be taxing the public at all, nor would it. be taxing knowledge; it would be taxing the publisher for permission to use literary pro-. perty for his own individual emolument. We. may be very certain that a book now sold. for a shilling, if it were subject to a half. penny stamp, would continue to be sold for a shilling. The opinion of our Chairman, Sir Frederick Pollock, on the proposal will be found in another column (p. 127). Meanwhile, without consider- ing the possibility or even the wisdom of such a . scheme, let us see how it would work. Suppose such a tax imposed. It would be collected by the simple process of affixing a stamp on every copy that went out of the pub- lisher's office. It would produce say, at a half- penny in the shilling, a small revenue, say, of 320,000 a year. What could be done with that money P Would the heirs of the authors by the sale of whose books it was raised be entitled to take it all? Clearly not, because then the needy author would be induced to sell his possible. claims in futurity as he now sells his copyright, very likely for a mere song. It must, therefore,  ## p. 132 (#146) ############################################ ** * * * I:32: be thrown into a special Fund—not the Literary Fund, which exists only for the relief of occasional distress, but a special Fund which shall distribute the income. The rights of successful books would then belong to the mation in trust. This Fund would be used for the purpose of preventing distress. It is always a miserable and a humiliating thing to appeal to the Literary Fund for assistance; it would be well not to extend the humiliations. Such a Fund as that proposed should be used for conferring pensions on the children and grandchildren of great writers, should they be in want; and in giv- ing pensions to living writers should their works warrant the grant. Such pensions to the living would be like a good-service pension in the navy, an honour and a distinction. It is not, however, in the least likely that the proposal will ever go farther. One point rises out of the discussion. It is fifty years since the question of terminable copy- right was discussed. Perhaps the time has now returned when the question should be again -discussed. If the same arguments would be used which then prevailed they would at least be clothed in new language, and would be set forth by leader writers and magazine writers in language that would be understood by the people. Whatever the conclusion of such a discussion might be as to the law, one good result would certainly follow: that authors would better understand what is meant by copyright, and would more stiffly demand agreements in accordance with their rights of property. It may be quite true that only one book in a thousand enjoys an existence of a hundred years; it is cer- tainly quite true that most agreements are based on the tacit understanding that the work will not become a classic. At the same time, every writer should act as if his book was going to become immortal. *— — —” a- - - A DISHONEST AUTHOR, R. HEINEMANN communicates to the Daily Chronicle the following story: “Years ago a clever author brought to the publisher an incomplete MS., saying that the remainder should be delivered within a few weeks, and pressing the publisher to at once go to press with the part delivered. His plausible and pleasant manner persuaded the unsuspecting publisher to do so, and, with the additional plea of poverty, he obtained a large sum of money on account of the price of the whole. For years the publisher vainly begged, prayed, clamoured, insisted to be given the remainder of that MS., THE AUTHOR. so that the book could be published; but, waiving aside all trivial considerations of honesty and good faith, the author, with a splendid indiffe- rence, steadily declined to again put his pen to paper to complete the work in question. Neither did he vouchsafe any satisfaction to his victim. When all amicable means failed, and the publisher found himself duped and deceived, the arm of the law was called in, but every stick that the author owned had been cleverly donated to another. The book was never completed, never published, except that the author used the identical title for a later work issued through another channel. The publisher, however, resigned himself to his loss, and refrained even from attempting to persuade a British jury that money had been obtained from him under false pretences.” One has heard from time to time of this case, but vaguely. It is like a nursery story beginning “Once upon a time.” It would be well if it were fitted with a name and date. Meantime we may note Mr. Heinemann's sweeping state- ment that publishers are “only too often victims of thieves most cunning, robbers most unscru- pulous.” Only “too often " ? Then let us hear another case or two, if another can be found. No good is accomplished by exaggerating the importance of a single fact so as to make it appear like a typical instead of an isolated fact. Publishers, in fact, are not “too often º’ victims of such dishonesty; though they may be sometimes treated in this manner. No one supposes that every writer is therefore an honourable man. Publishers may also lend money to an author in difficulties, and find it difficult to get that money back, a thing which happens in every profession or trade. Would it not be better to recognise all along that between author and publisher the same business precautions should be observed as between any other two parties to a business transaction ? No one pretends that perfect confidence should be placed in an author because he is an author; nor does any man in any business, except that of publishing, demand that absolute confidence shall be placed in him simply because he is in that business. > º:  ## p. 133 (#147) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 33 BOOK TALK. R.S. STEVENSON will contribute a new volume to Messrs. Hutchinson’s series of “Homespun Stories.” It will be called “Woodrup's Dinah, a Tale of Nidderdale.” She has also nearly ready a story entitled “Helena Hadley.” Among the reprints announced in the literary columns, the most interesting to one old enough to remember the literature of the sixties is that of Henry Kingsley's novels. He had the misfor- tune to be the rival of his brother, who came first and had the advantage always conferred by a serious and a religious turn. Kingsley's Devon- shire lads who sailed westward ho! all carried a Bible in their pockets, and were extremely careful not to use naughty words. . In “Alton Locke” and in “Yeast ’’ Charles Kingsley was a reformer and a radical ; in “Hypatia” he gave us nineteenth century difficulties discussed by philosophers in Alexandria from an English point ..of view taken about the year 1860. Henry Kingsley, on the other hand, had no reforms to propose, no grievances to remove, no difficulties to encounter. He took the world as he found it; he had no theological difficulties; he was not plagued with “questions; ” and he wrote his stories about the men and women that he knew. Thirty years ago they were rattling good stories—considered as stories, a good deal better than his brother could produce, with a lighter touch and a more dramatic instinct. Whether, after all these years, one would find them as bright and interesting remains to be seen. Mr. Clement Shorter edits the books and contributes a memoir. I have Beard that Henry Kingsley wrote the most delightful letters possible, but I have never had the opportunity of reading any of them. Perhaps Mr. Shorter will be able to give the world an illustration. Mr. John Bloundelle-Burton's new novel, “The Hispaniola Plate,” will commence in the St. James's Budget, on Friday, the 5th inst., and will be illustrated by M. G. Montbard. In this novel the scene will be laid partly in the present day and partly in the last days of the Stuart period, bothepochs being connected by incidents pertaining to the ends of the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The action of the story takes place principally in the Virgin Islands. A translation of “Astronomie Populaire,” by M. Camille Flammarion, the well-known French astronomer, will be published immediately by Messrs. Chatto and Windus. The work, which is a very interesting and popular one, written expressly for the general reader, had an enormous sale in France, no less than IOO,OOO copies having been sold in a few years Several new illustrations have been added, and the work has been carefully brought up to date by the translator, Mr. J. E. Gore, F.R.A.S. Cecil Clarke has just issued a new novel, entitled “An Artist's Fate,” through Mr. Elliot Stock. Mr. Maberly Phillips, F.S.A., of the Bank of England, Newcastle-on-Tyne, has written a book on the History of Banks and Bankers of Northern England. The book deals with early currency, the establishment of the first north- country bank, traces the evolution from their early beginnings of the many well-established banking concerns which now exist, and gives most interesting accounts of the serious failures which attended the efforts of the earlier bankers to cope with the rapid strides in trade and industry which followed the epoch-making inven- tion of steam power. It will be published immediately by Messrs. Effingham, Wilson, and Co. Mr. C. A. M. Fennell, Litt.D., proposes a “National Dictionary of English Language and Literature.” It is to be issued in monthly parts at a subscription of three guineas paid in advance, or four guineas in parts. The work will be based on full indexes of certain selected authors, with quotations from many others. We learn from the New York Critic that Messrs. Dodd, Mead, and Co., of Boston, are about to issue a new edition of Mrs. Trollope's famous “Domestic Manners of the Americans,” in two volumes, with ninety-four illustrations from contemporary drawings reproduced from the first edition of 1832. From the same paper we learn that a new and complete Concordance to Shakespeare, by Mr. John Bartlett, who has been engaged upon the work for eighteen years, will be published in New York immediately. It will fill 1910 double column quarto pages. Also that Mr. Richard Watson Eddis's poems will shortly be issued in a collected form by the Century Company. Max O’Rell sails for America this month on a fourth lecture tour in the States. On Longevity of Authors, “H. G. K.” says: “You might have noted Hobbes, Fontenelle, St. Evremond, and Goethe, whose united ages amount to 368, an average of 92.” A new edition has just appeared of Mr. Powis Bale’s “Handbook for Steam Users” (Long- mans), and a new and enlarged edition of “Wood-  ## p. 134 (#148) ############################################ I34. THE AUTHOR. working Machinery; its Rise, Progress, and Con- struction ” (Crosby, Lockwood, and Son). Early in the autumn a new serial story by Fitz- gerald Molloy, entitled “A Justified Sinner,” will be run through Messrs. Tillotson's syndicate of newspapers. The same author began in the third week of this month (September) a sensational serial novel called “In Shadow of Shame,” in Cassell’s Saturday Journal. This story deals with a cer- tain operation performed on the brain, and the consequences which follow. The incident has not previously been used in fiction. Mr. Fitz- gerald Molloy recently told an interviewer that such a case was brought to his notice by a distinguished surgeon, and that the chapter in which he, the author, deals with the subject is largely copied from the medical reports, all distressing and disagreeable details being omitted. Mr. Thomas Aspden, author of “The House of Stanley,” “Queen Victoria,” &c., will produce a political novel this month called “The Member for Workshire; or Church and State.” The pub- lishers are Swan, Sonnenschein, and Co. Mr James Baker, F.R.G.S., has had two works published during the past month; one, “Pictures from Bohemia,” being this year's volume of the “Pen and Pencil” series of the Religious Tract Society. The volume is very artistic, being illustrated by Walter Crane, Henry Whatley, and other artists who have travelled with the author in distant Bohemia; a country crowded with historical and picturesque and artistic surprises. The second work of Mr. James Baker is wholly historical, entitled “A Forgotten Great English- man.” It deals with the life of Peter Payne, a great leader of men in the 15th century, who, as principal of an Oxford college, had to flee for his opinions, and became a chief in Bohemia of the powerful Hussite movement, being first always in debates, in councils, and in treaties; a man with whom Pope, Kaiser, and kings had to reckon; a leader of thought of his century, and yet forgotten |by his own country, as the letters embodied in the volume from such authorities as the late Pro- fessor E. A. Freeman, Professor J. A. Froude, Mr. W. E. Gladstone, Professor James Rowley, and others fully prove. This volume, like the first, is the outcome of Mr. Baker’s travels and researches in Bohemia. Readers and students of Scandinavian litera- ture and history may note that they may obtain catalogues of Scandinavian books at the Skandi- navisk Antiquaria, 49, Gothersgade, Copen- hagen. Mr. Robert Sherard has now completed his biographical study of Alphonse Daudet. It will be published this autumn with a portrait, a fac- simile letter, and other illustrations. Mr. John Codman Roper, author of “The Campaign of Waterloo,” has written the “Story of the American Civil War.” It will be pub- lished by Putnams in three volumes. Mr. James Field has collected his papers, which appeared originally in Scribner's, into a volume, which will be published by the same house. Max O’Rell's new book “John Bull and Co. : the Great Colonial Branches of the Firm,” will be issued simultaneously in England, America, and France. Mr. John Burroughs has a new volume of “Outdoor” essays in the press (Houghton, Mifflin, and Co.). Three other “Outdoor” books are announced in the New York Critic from the same firm. The “Book Hunter in London,” by W. Roberts, will appear in the autumn. It will form a companion to M. Octave Uzanne’s “Physio- logie des Quais de Paris,” better known under the title of the English translation of “The Book-Hunter in Paris.” In this contribution to the history of book-collecting the results of many years’ inveterate book-hunting will be chronicled, and the experiences not only of the compiler but of many past and present distinguished “hunters” will be laid under con- tribution. The introductory chapter takes the form of an essay on “The Theory and Practice of Book-Hunting.” This is followed by a disserta- tion on book-hunting in London from the earliest times to the eighteenth century. Other chapters deal with book auctions and auctioneers; with some famous collections and collectors; with book thieves; with bookstalling in London; with famons booksellers; with lady book-col- lectors; with the prices paid for particular books in past and present times, booksellers' catalogues, and other interesting matters connected with the subject. In a book covering such a wide field it is naturally impossible for the efforts of one man to gather into his net all the numerous incidents and anecdotes connected with book- hunting in London. The author, therefore, invites any information or suggestion sent without delay to him, as well as the loan or indication of rare or curious pictorial illustrations of the subject, at 86, Grosvenor-road, S.W. A new method of publication is about to be put to the test by the Roxburghe Press, of 3, Victoria- street, Westminster, and 32, Charing-cross, S.W., who announce a “time ’’ limited edition of  ## p. 135 (#149) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 35 “Phantasms,” a volume of original stories, illustrating posthumous personality and character, by Wirt Gerrare, author of “Rufus's Legacy.” Instead of confining the edition to a predeter- mined number of copies, the publishers will supply booksellers until Dec. 31 next, after which date all sales by the publishers will be stopped, and no other edition will be issued during the continuance of the copyright. The sole edition will be popular and modern in price and form, and the limit is made with a view to guard booksellers from deterioration in value of any stock carried over at the end of the season, and as affording a safer investment than offered by the purchase of first editions, subject to cheap reissues and remainder sales. The Roxburghe Press have in preparation “The Magistracy,” being a directory and biographical dictionary of the justices of the peace of the United Ringdom, revised to date and edited by Charles F. Rideal; “Evolution,” a retrospect by the Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., being the address (slightly revised by the author) recently delivered before the Royal British Association; a second edition of the “Law and Lawyers of Pickwick,” by Frank Lockwood, Q.C., M.P., slightly revised, with an original drawing by the author of Mr. Sergeant Buzfuz; a third edition of “Wellerisms” from “Pickwick” and “Master Humphrey's Clock,” selected by Charles F. Rideal,” with an introduction by Charles Kent and an entirely original drawing of “Sam Weller,” by George Cruickshank, jun. ; “Woman Regained,” a novel of artistic life by George Barlow; a second revised edition of “Charles Dickens' Heroines and Women Folk,” some thoughts concerning them, by Charles F. Rideal, with original drawings or Edith Dombey and Dot ; “The Reunion of Christendom,” by Cardinal Vaughan, being the slightly revised address recently delivered before the Catholic Truth Society; “Young Gentlemen of to-day,” by Charles F. Rideal, illustrated by “Crow’”; “Phantasms,” Original stories illustrating posthumous character and personality, by Wirt Gerrare, a time-limited 'edition ; “The Mountain Lake and other Poems,” from the works of Friedrich von Bodenstedt, translated by Mrs. Percy Preston, an edition limited to 450 copies; “Told at the Club,” some short stories, being No. 1 of the “Pot-boiler” series, by Charles F. Rideal; “Accidents,” by I)r. G. M. Lowe, lecturer and examiner to the St. John Ambulance Association; “Young Babies, their Food and Troubles,” by Mrs. Truman and Miss Edith Sykes; and a second edition of 5000 copies of “Food for the Sick” by the same authors; “The Reminiscences of a Septuagenarian Citizen,” by Edward Callow. CORRESPONDENCE, I.—PRoof SHEETs. AY I suggest to writers, especially writers of fiction, that it would be a kindness to - send their proof sheets to any hospital they may choose, for the use of the patients P The lightness of the sheets is a distinct advantage for those who have to read in bed. F. M. PEARD. II.-PERSONAL. Will you allow me, through the medium of The Author, to thank the Society of Authors and their secretary for aiding me to obtain an acknowledgment from two papers of infringe- ment of my copyright in title and matter. The first, a paper, boldly adapted my title of “By the Western Sea.” The second, a case of a reprint of a Canadian article entitled “ British v. German,” which is bodily taken from pages 25, 27, 31, 33, 34, 45, 46, and 95, of my “Our Foreign Competitors.” Individually I doubt if I could have obtained these public acknowledg- ments, as one editor laughed at my first very polite note suggesting an infringement of copy- right had been committed; but the letters from the Society’s secretary had a salutary effect, and tardy and reluctant justice was done to my little book and title, and the acknowledgment given as wished. JAMES BAKER. III.-GEORGE ELIOT. It is a matter of wonder to me that Miss Gilchrist's remarks on George Eliot in the July Author have remained unchallenged. As a lover of George Eliot let me say that I cannot discover the “barren fatalism” in her work. Why, the great difference between the ancients and George Eliot stands in the fact that the former depicted mortals at the mercy of a predestined fate outside their own personality, and independent of it altogether, men and women like CEdipus or Helen being “sculptured in black marble on the wall of their fate,” while the George Eliot made man master of his fate. Let me refer you to Sidney Lanin's masterly essays on the English novel on the subject of George Eliot : “An me peut €tre juste qu’envers ceux qu’en aime.” S. S. Will “Sans Souci.” be so good as to give the Editor an opportunity of answering her letter of Aug. 5* IV.-HEREDITARY GENIUS. The Rev. Dr. Bell, of Cheltenham, writes: “In your brief notice of Lady Dufferin's  ## p. 136 (#150) ############################################ 136 THE AUTHOR. Memoirs, by her son, you ask : “Is not the Sheridan family the only family on record which has continued to hand down its best charac- teristics from one generation to another ?” May I in reply remind you that genius has shown itself to be hereditary in the family of the late Mr. Thomas Arnold, the eminent head master of Rugby, and author of “A History of Rome,” “Lectures on Modern History,” and other valu- able works. Mr. Matthew Arnold, the distin- guished poet, essayist, and critic, was his son, and his place in English Literature has become assured. Another son, Mr. Thomas Arnold, is well known in the literary world as the editor of Pope, the author of a volume on Literature, and is now engaged on a work, likely to add to his reputation, for the Rolls Office on the history of Bury St. Edmunds. His daughter, Mrs. Hum- phry Ward, has won herself a name in literature as the authoress of three novels which have commanded a large share of popular attention, and made their mark in the domain of fiction. Mr. Oakley Arnold Forster, a son of Mr. William Arnold, and grandson of Dr. Thomas Arnold, has a seat in the House of Commons for West Belfast, and has already shown distinct states- manlike qualities which augur well for his future, He also has proved himself possessed of literary powers. All who have the privilege of intimacy with the daughters of Dr. Arnold, one of whom is the widow of the eminent statesman the Right Hon. William Forster, will bear ready witness to their culture, charm, and intellectual powers, both of thought and expression, though those have been confined to the quiet sphere of home, and not sought the suffrages of the public. I may say, however, that Mrs. Forster has edited a new edition of her father's “Sermons on the Interpre- tation of Scripture and the Christian Life.” Surely you will allow that in the Arnold family, as well as in the Sheridan, literary genius is here- ditary. The great grandchildren are too young as yet to prove by their works what they can achieve.” W.—A NEW FoEM OF PAPER FOR TYPE- WIRITER.S. All who use a typewriter know what an amount of time is consumed in putting in, adjusting, and taking out the sheets of finished copy, particularly if one is duplicating by the use of carbon paper. I wish to suggest an improvement which I venture to think will save much time, particularly in MSS. of great length. Instead of the ordinary sheets of paper cut to 8in. by Ioin., or foolscap, why could we not have paper furnished us on rolls 8in. wide, and in lengths that would make IOO or 200 ordinary manuscript pages. The paper could then be put on a little adjustable reel and fed to the machine as the huge rolls of paper are fed to: printing machines. To make a duplicate copy two reels will be required, one placed above the other, and between these a long strip of carbon paper may be inserted. The sheets may be after- wards torn off as one tears off a cheque. I believe this to be perfectly practicable and intend to give it a trial, and will let your readers know the result of my experiment (with your permis- sion) later. J. H. H.ILL. *– ~ *-* *=s NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. A KEY TO THE BIBLE. By an Oxford M.A. Marshall. Is. DAVIE, REv. G. J. John Maldonatus’s Commentary on the Holy Gospels. Translated and edited. St. Matthew’s, Gospel. Part IV. Paper covers. John Hodges. Is. net. GIRDLESTONE, CANON. New edition. R.T.S. HEDLEY, JOHN C. A Retreat, consisting of Thirty-three Discourses with Meditations, for the use of the Clergy, Religious, and Others. Burns and Oates. 6s. HOLLAND, REv. W. L. The Bible Hymnal. Compiled by. Edinburgh : R. W. Hunter. Is. and 2s. 6d. net. HUMPHREY, REv. W.M. and Sacraments. Second edition, enlarged. and Leamington Art and Book Company. 58. MEYER, KUNo. Hibernica Minora, being a fragment of an Old Irish Treatise on the Psalter, with a translation and facsimile, glossary, and an appendix. Edited by. Anecdota Oxeniensia, Mediaeval and Modern Series, Part VIII. Henry Frowde. 7s.6d. MONCKTON, REv. J. G. A Key to the Figures of the Bible, &c. Paper covers. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. MossMAN, REv. D. T. W. The Great Commentary of Cor- nelius à Lapide upon the Holy Gospels, Translated and edited. Fifth edition. Part I. Paper covers. John Hodges. Is. net. NYE, G. H. F. The Church and Her Story. New and re- vised edition. Paper covers. Simpkin, Marshall. Is. 6d. net. PALMER, JoBIN. Catechisms for the Yonng. Third Series: The Prayer Book. Church of England Sunday School Institute. Is. 4d PRYNNE, REv. G. R. The Truth and Reality of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Longmans. 3s. 6d. RHYs DAVIDs, T. W. The Questions of King Milinda. Part II. Translated from the Pāli. Being Vol. XXXVI. of Sacred Books of the East, Edited by F. Max Müller. Henry Frowde. 12s. 6d. RocK, DR. DANIEL. The Hierurgia ; or the Holy Sacrifice. of the Mass. New and revised edition by W. H. J. Weale. Paper covers. Part II. John Hodges. Is.. net. - WATson, REv. DR. R. A. The Book of Numbers. Expo- sitor's Bible, seventh series. Hodder and Stoughton- 7s.6d. . ,” Simpkin, How to Study the English Bible. The One Mediator, or Sacrifice. London  ## p. 137 (#151) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I37 History and Biography. ACCOUNTS OF THE CoRPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FOR 1893. Paper covers. Charles Skipper and East. AIYA, W. NAGAM. Report on the Census of Travancore. Boards. Vol. I., Report. Vol. II., Appendix. Madras: Addison and Co. ARNOLD ForsTER, H. O. Things New and Old, or Stories from English History Standard W., Modern School Series. Cassell. Is. 6d. BELL, MALCOLM. Sir Edward Burne Jones, Bart. A Record and Review. Third edition. In special binding designed by Gleeson White. George Bell and Sons. 2Is. net. BROWN, ROBERT. The Story of Africa and its Explorers. Wol. III. Cassell and Co. CHANCELLOR, E. BERESFORD. The History and Antiquities of Richmond, Kew, Petersham, Ham, &c. Richmond : Hiscoke and Son. CowAN, PROF. HENRY. the Reformation. 6d. net. CUNNINGHAM, MAJOR-GENERAI, SIR. A. Coins of Mediaeval India, from the Seventh Century down to the Moham- medan Conquests. B. Quaritch. I58. DUCREST, MME. Memoirs of the Empress Josephine, with Anecdotes of the Courts of Navarre and Malmaison. 2 vols. Limited edition. H. S. Nichols and Co., Soho-square, W. 281 Is... net. GASQUET, FRANCIs A., D.D. English Monasteries. Sixth edition. Hodges. IS. net. HADDON, T. W. and HARRIson, G. C. Caesar’s Gallic War, Books I. and II. Edited by. Edward Arnold. Is. 6d. net. HISTORICAL NOTICES AND RECOLLECTIONS RELATING TO THE PARISH OF SOUTHAM IN THE COUNTY OF WARWICK. With the Parochial Registers from 1539 and the Churchwardens’ accounts from 1580. Paper covers. Part I. Elliot Stock. JONES, JAMES P. A History of the Parish of Tettenhall, in the County of Stafford. Wolverhampton: Steen and Co.; London : Simpkin, Marshall. MAssoN, PROFEssoR DAVID. The Life of John Milton, Narrated in Connection with the Political, Ecclesias- tical and Literary History of his Time. Vol. II., 1638- 1643, new and revised edition. Macmillan. 16s. MUSGRAVE, C. A. German History, the Examination Series. Swan Sonnenschein. ROSE, PRAMATHA N. A. History of Hindu Civilisation during British Rule. In 4 vols. Vol. I. Religious Condition. Vol. II. Socio-Religious Condition, Social Condition, Industrial Condition. Kegan Paul. ROSS’s PARLIAMENTARY RECORD OF THE THIRTEENTH SESSION OF QUEEN VICTORIA. Boards. Charles Good and Co., Burleigh-street, W.C. SIMPson, W. SPARRow. St. Paul’s Cathedral and Old City Life ; Illustrations of Civil and Cathedral Life from the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Centuries. Sub-Dean of St. Paul's. Elliot Stock. SPIERS, VICTOR, J. S. History and Literature of France in Synoptic Tables. Rivington, Percival, and Co. 6s. STRAUs, OSCAR S. Roger Williams, the Pioneer of Religious Liberty. T. Fisher Unwin. 6s. Landmarks of Church History to Paper Covers. A. and C. Black. and the John Henry VIII. Part II. TRAILL, H. D. Social England. By various writers. Edited by. Wol II., From the Accession of Edward I. . to the Death of Henry VII. Cassell. I5s. WIBART, CoLoREL H. M. Addiscombe : its Heroes and Men of Note. With an introduction by Lord Roberts. Constable and Co. WESTLAKE, N. H. J. A. History of Design in Painted Glass. Vol. 4. James Parker and Co., Oxford and London. WILLs, W. A. AND Col.1, INGRIDGE, L. T. The Downfall of Lobengula : The Cause, History, and Effect of the Matabeli War. With contributions by Major Forbes, , Sir John Willoughby, Mr. H. Rider Haggard, Mr. F. C. Selous, and Mr. P. B. S. Wrey. The African Review: office, and Simpkin, Marshall. WITHINGTON, E. THEODORE. Medical History from the . Earliest Times. The Scientific Press. I2s. 6d. net. General Literature. ANNUAL OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE NEW SOUTH WALEs. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS for 1893-4. Paper covers. ARNOLD, SIR EDWIN. Wandering Words, reprinted, by permission, from papers published in the Daily Tele-- graph and Foreign Journals and Magazines, by Sir Edwin Arnold, M.A., K.C.I.E., C.S.I., with illustrations. from drawings by Ben Boothby, and from photographs. Longmans. I88. BARBER, HENRY. Furness and Cartmel Notes. Stock. BETTESWORTH, W. A. Brighton : Queen of the Seaside. Jarrold and Sons. Is. BICKERDYKE, JoBN. Days in Thule with Rod, Gun, and. Camera. Arch. Constable and Co. 3s.6d. BILL NYE’s HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. and Windus. 3s. 6d. BISSET, LIEUT.-COL. W. S. S. Indian Railways for 1893-4. ment Central Printing Office. Elliot. Chatto Administration Report on Part I. Simla : Govern- BREWER's DICTIONARY OF PHRASE AND FABLE. New and . enlarged edition. Part I. Paper covers. Part I. 76. Cassell and Co. BURNS, DAVID. The May Queen : a Thespis. Carlisle : . C. Thurnam and Sons. London : Simpkin, Marshall.. 2s. 6d. CALVERT, Albert F. Map of Western Australia, showing the Gold Fields. Edinburgh : Bartholomew. CoLLETTE, C. H. Illegal Ecclesiastical Territorial Titles as assumed by priests of the Italian Mission. Paper covers. C. J. Thynne, Great Queen-street, W.C. 6d. CoLLMANN, L. Official and Authorised Royal Guide to Windsor Castle. Windsor : Luff. Is. CoopFR-CHADWICK, J. Three Years with Lobengula' . and Experiences in South Africa. Cassell. 3s. 6d. CoREA OF To-DAY. Papers covers. T. Nelson and Sons. . 6d. CowLING, C. H. The Isle of Wight. ton’s handbooks, edited by Ralph Darlington, gollen : Darlington and Co. Is. CURzoN, HON. G. N. Problems of the Far East : Japan, , Rorea, China. Longmans. 218. CUSACK-SMITH, SIR WM. Our Naval Reserves. covers. Pewtress and Co. 2d. DAVIDson, CHARLEs J. Practical Hints to Persons taking Leases (Houses and Shops). Paper covers. Published. by the author, Ladbroke-grove, W. 18. * One of Darling-- Llan- Paper  ## p. 138 (#152) ############################################ 138 THE AUTHOR. DAWSON, MILES. American Life Insurance Methods. Paper covers. P. S. King and Sons. 15 cents. DIBDEN, J. C. AND AYLING, JoBN. The Book of the Life- boat. Edited by. Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier. 4s. 6d. net. ..DYER, BERNARD. Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs. With Notes on the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act 1893. By A. J. David, LL.M. Crosby Lockwood. 18. ENGLISH COACH DRIVES, 1894. Boards. Office. Is. FULTON, DAVID, A Practical Treatise on Patents, Trade Marks, and Designs. Jordan and Sons, Chancery-lane. 12s. 6d. net. FURNEAUX, HENRY. The Germania of Tacitus. by. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press. 6s. 6d. GIBSON, MARGARET D. Catalogue of the Arabic MSS. in the Convent of S. Catharine, on Mount Sinai. Com- piled by. Being Studia. Sinaitica, III. Paper covers. C. J. Clay and Sons. 6s. net. GROSER, ALBERT. Norway Revisited. Plymouth : W. H. Luke. 6d. INITIALs. An alphabet from the year 1596, after the original etchings by Theodor and Israel de Bry. Limited edition. Paper covers. Grevel and Co. 4s. JEUNE, LADY. Lesser Questions. By Lady Jeune. Remington and Co. Ios. 6d. LACOUPERIE, DR. TERRIEN DE. Western Origin of the Early Chinese Civilisation. Asher and Co. - LINCOLN, ABRAHAM. Complete works. Edited by John G. Nicolay and John Hay. Two vols. New York: The Century Company. LOW, FRANCEs H. Queen Victoria’s Dolls. H. Low. Illustrated by Alan Wright. Limited. 12s. 6d. MACKESON, REv. CHARLEs. Guide to the Churches of London. By the. Innes and Co. 2s. 6d. MARTIN, J. M. Tabular Chart of Agricultural Prices, &c., from 1260 A.D. to the Present Time. Exeter: James Townsend. MAP OF THE SEAT OF WAR IN KoREA, and adjacent Coun- tries. Forster, Groom, and Co. McEwAN, OLIVER, Verbatim Reporting : a complete Guide to the Highest Excellence in the Stenographic *.d John Heywood, London and Manchester. 38. Od. MERRYLEEs, JoHN. Carlsbad and its Environs. edition. Revised and Sampson Low and Co. MILN, LOUISE. J. When We were Strolling Players in the East. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. I6s. MORRIS, J. War in Korea, a brief treatise upon the cam- paign now in progress, its origin, and probable results. Ward, Lock, and Co. Paper covers, 1s. NUTTALL, ZELIA. Note on the Ancient Mexican Calendar System. Paper covers. Dresden : Bruno Schulze. \OFFICIAL HANDBOOK To Bourn BMoUEH, NEw FoEEST, AND ENVIRONS. Bournemouth Town’s Interest Asso- (ciation. OFFICIAL SCHEMES OF RECONSTRUCTION OF AUSTRALIAN BANKS. Second edition. Paper covers. Melbourne : J. B. Were and Son. Is. OFFICIAL STATISTICS OF THE Colony OF QUEENSLAND for 1893. Paper covers. Brisbane : Edmund Gregory, Government Printer. The Sportsman Edited Henry Frowde. Paper covers. By Frances George Newnes Second enlarged by Adolf Beuer. PARTICULARs of THE WARSHIPS OF THE WORLD, 1894. Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, Lloyd's, Cornhill. PAYNE’s PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF KOREA, CHINA, AND JAPAN. Martynne and Co., Walbrook. Is. PITT-RIVERs, LIEUT.-Col. A Short Guide to the Larmer Grounds, Rushmore; King John's House ; and the Museum at Farnham, Dorset. Harrison and Sons. Paper covers. Is. PROFEIT, R. A. Under Lochnagar. Book of the Crathie Parish Church Bazaar. Aberdeen : Taylor and Hender- SOſl. QUARTERLEY Journ AL of THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Vol. I., No. 1. Eyre and Spottiswoode. Paper covers. 6d. RESERVOIRS IN THE WALLEY OF THE NILE. Prepared by the Committee of the Society for the Preservation of the Monuments of Ancient Egypt. Paper covers. Kenny and Co., Camden-road, N.W. RUSKIN, JOHN. Ruskin on Education. Restated and Reviewed by William Jolly. George Allen. 28. net. SCHLoss, DAVID F. Methods of Industrial Remuneration. Second edition. Williams and Norgate. 3s. 6d. SCOTT, REv. H. T. Autograph Collecting. L. Upcott Gill. SHARMAN, MRs. E. A. Common Sense Lessons in Every- day Housework. Boards. Joseph Hughes and Co., Doctors’-commons, I d. SouTHALL, J. E. Quakerism as a Factor in the World’s History. Paper Covers. Newport, Mon. : Published by the author. SPECIAL WAR MAP OF CHINA, JAPAN, AND COREA. Edin- burgh : Bartholomew and Co. Is. SPECIAL WAR MAP OF CHINA, KOREA, AND JAPAN. George Philip and Son. 2s. SPEIGHT, HARRY. Nidderdale and the Garden of the Nidd : A Yorkshire Rhineland. Elliot Stock. STEPHEN, LESLIE. The Playground of Europe. edition. Longmans. 6s. STEPHENs, PROF. DR. GEORGE. New The Runes, Whence Came They. Williams and Norgate. STERNE, LAURENCE. Works. Edited by George Saints- bury. In 6 vols. Dent and Co. 15s. net. Wols. I., II., III., Tristram Shandy. 7s.6d. net. STOREHOUSE OF GENERAL INFORMATION. Rubeola. Cassell. 58. STORY OF MY DICTATORSHIP. With an introduction by W. L. Garrison. Second edition. Paper covers. Bliss, Sands, and Foster. Is. - TATA, J. N. The War of Freights. Paper covers. Bom- bay : Jehangir B. Marzaban and Co. THE ELUCIDARIUM, and other tracts in Welsh, from Llywyr Agkyr Llandewivrevi, A.D. 1346 (Jesus College MS. 119), edited by J. Morris Jones and Professor Morlaks to Rhys. Anecdota Oxoniensia, Mediaeval and Modern Series, Part VI. Paper covers. Henry Frowde. £I Is. . THE INSURANCE FILE, containing reproductions in reduced facsimile of the annual reports and balance-sheets of the principal insurance offices of the United Kingdom. W. J. West, Godliman-street, E.C. Paper covers, Is...; cloth, 2s. UPPINGHAM SCHOOL ROLL, 1824 to 1894. Second issue. Edward Stanford. 7s.6d.  ## p. 139 (#153) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 139 WESPUCCIUs, ALBERICUs. The Voyage from Lisbon to India, 1505-6, being an Account and Journal. Trans- lated from the original Flemish, and edited, with pro- logue and notes, by C. H. Coote. Limited edition. B. F. Stevens. WARD, Row LAND. The Sportsman’s Handbook to Prac- tical Collecting and Preserving of Trophies and Speci- mens, with a synoptical guide to the hunting grounds of the world. Seventh edition. Roland Ward and Co. WHITE, DIAGONAL. By Ocean, Firth, and Channel. The Yachtsman Office. 3s.6d. WILKINson, REv. J. F. Disestablishment (Welsh and English). Paper covers. James Clarke and Co., Fleet-street. 1s. YNGVAR NIELSEN, DR. Christiania and its Environs. Edinburgh : Gall and Inglis. Fiction. ALEXANDER, MRs. A Choice of Evils. 3 vols. F. W. White and Co. ALLEN, GRANT. At Market Value. 2 vols. Chapman and Hall. IOs. ALMA-TADEMA. The Wings of Icarus. Heinemann. 2s. 6d. ASTOR, JoHN J. A Journey in Other Worlds. A Romance of the Future. Longmans. 68. BARR, RoRERT. The Face and the Mask. Hutchinson. 38. 6d. BARRETT, FRANK. The Justification of Andrew Lebrun. Heinemann. 68. BARRINGTON, MRS. R. Helen's Ordeal. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. 6s. BLACK, WILLIAM. Highland Cousins. New edition. Sampson Low. 6s. CAMPBELL, SIR GILBERT. Gale and Polden. Is. CAREY, ROSA NOUCHETTE. Bentley and Son. CLARKE, CECIL. An Artist's Fate. COBBAN, J. M. The White Kaid of the Atlas. Chambers. 3s. 6d. CRAIG, FINLAY. Sunshine and Shade: Tales from Many Lands. Simpkin, Hamilton, and Co. Through an Indian Mirror. The Old, Old Story, 3 vols. Elliot Stock. W. and R. CRELLIN, H. N. Romances of the Old Seraglio. Chatto and Windus. 3s.6d. DU MAURIER, GEORGE. Trilby. 3 vols. Osgood, McIlvaine, and Co. 318. 6d. EDMUNDs, MRs. Amygdala : a Tale of the Greek Revo- lution. Bell and Sons. 2s. 6d. EDwARDs, MRs. The Adventuress. Bentley and Sons. IELMSLIE, THEODORA. Black Puppy : a Story for Children. Ward and Downey. 3s. 6d. GIFT, THEO. Wrecked at the Outset. “Flashes of Romance ’’ series. Jarrold and Sons. 2s. 6d. GonTCHAROFF, IVAN. A Common Story : translated from the Russian by Constance Garnett. International Library, Edited by Edmund Gosse. Heinemann. 2s. 6d. HAGGARD, H. RIDER. Dawn. New edition. Longmans. 3s.6d. HEWITT, GRAILY. Knights of Cockayne, “Short Stories by British Authors’ Series.” Osgood, M*Ilvaine. 3s.6d. HoCKING, JosłPH. Ishmael Pengelley. Second edition. Ward, Lock, and Bowden. 3s. 6d. HOPE, ANTHONY. Half a Hero. New edition. Innes and, Co. 58. - HoRNUNG, E. W. The Unbidden Guest. Longmans. 6s. HORSLEY, REGINALD. The Yellow God: a Tale of some- Strange Adventures. W. and R. Chambers. 3s.6d. HUME, FERGUS. The Mystery of Landy Court. Second edition. Jarrold and Sons. 3s. 6d. HUTCHESON, MARIE. Bruno the Conscript. Hutchinson. 3s. 6d. KALGA. The House that Bull Built. Paper covers. Clark, Lincoln’s-inn-fields. 6d. KEAN, SYDNEY. Both Worlds Barred. Fisher Unwin. 3s. 6d. KERR, DAVID. Vanished, or the Strange Adventures of Arthur Hawkesleigh. W. and R. Chambers. 2s. 6d. LEIGHTON, DOROTHY. Disillusion. 3 vols. Henry and Co. 31.s. 6d. MACQUOID, KATHARINE S. Appledore Farm. 3 vols. Ward and Downey. MARRYAT, FLORENCE. The Spirit World. F. W. White and Co. 6s. - M. F. W. Fluff; or What a Little Dog Did. Masters and, Co. 2s. MIDDLEMAS, JEAN. The Mystery of Clement Dunraven. New edition. Digby and Long. 2s. MILES, ALFRED H. One Thousand and One Anecdotes, &c. Arranged and edited. Hutchinson. 3s.6d. MooRE, F. FRANKFORT. One Fair Daughter: Her Story. 3 vols. Hutchinson and Co. NISBET, HUME. Desert Ride : A Story of Adventure in India and Persia. F. W. White and Co. NORRIS, W. E. A Victim of Good Luck. 2 vols. Heine- IIlālīIl. PAIN, BARRY. The Kindness of the Celestial, and other Stories. Henry and Co. 3s.6d. PEARD, FRANCES M. Catherine. Innes. 3s. 6d. PEASE, HowARD. The Mark o’ the De'il, and other North- umbrian Tales. Fisher Unwin. 38. 6d. C. J. “RITA.” A Husband of No Importance. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d. RUSSELL, DORA. A Country Sweetheart. 3 vols. Chatto. and Windus. RUSSELL, DORA. A Hidden Chain. New edition. Digby and Long. 28. - SCORE, H. B. Original Fables. 58. SCOTT, SIR WALTER. Castle Dangerous, and Chronicles of the Canongate. The concluding volumes of the Border. Edition of the Waverley Novels, edited by Andrew. Lang. J. C. Nimmo. 6s. each. STRANGE, MAJOR-GEN. T. B. Gunner Jingo's Jubilee. Second edition. Remington and Co. Ios. 6d. SYMINGTON, MAGGIE. Hollyberry Janet, or the Girls of Ballyowen. Innes. 3s. 6d. TRAHERNE, MRS. A. The Mill on the Usk, a Welsh tale. Regan Paul. 6s. TURNER, ETHEL S. Seven Little Australians. Lock. 3s. 6d. WYNNE, NORAH. Honey of Aloes, and other Stories. Ward, Lock. 3s. 6d. WYNNE, NorAH. The Blind Artist’s Pictures, and other. Stories. Second edition. Jarrold and Sons. 2s. 6d. WEYMAN, STANLEY J. Under the Red Robe. Fourth, edition. Methuen. 68. Ormskirk : T. Hutton. Ward,  ## p. 140 (#154) ############################################ I4O THE AUTHOR. Yorks, CURTIs. A Record of Discords. Jarrold and Sons. 3s.6d Yorks, CURTIs. A Romance of Modern London. Third edition. Jarrold and Sons. 3s. 6d. Poetry and the Drama. ADAMs, FRANCIs. . Songs of the Army of the Night. New and enlarged edition, with memoir by H. S. Salt. W. Reeves. Is. and 3s. 6d. *BRADLEY, REUBEN. The Flute of Athena ; and other Poems. Elliot Stock. 5s. • GREIG, John. Scots Minstrelsie : A National Monument of Scottish Song. Edited and arranged. Wol. VI. Edinburgh : T. C. and E. C. Jack. "HALL, REv. NEWMAN. Lyrics of a Long Life. Edition. Nisbet and Co. INNEs, A. D. Verse Translations from Greek and Latin * Poets. Innes and Co. 58. KERNAHAN, COULSON. Sorrow and Song. Ward, Lock, and Bowden. 3s. 6d. 'SHARPE, WILLIAM, M.D. The Conqueror's Dream : a Poem. New edition. J. J. Morse. 6d. - - 'WILLIAMs, W. PHILLPOTTS. Poems in Pink. Marshall. Completed Simpkin, Science and Art. ADAMs, PROF. HENRY. The Practical Designing of Struc- tural Ironwork, First series, revised and enlarged. E. and F. N. Spon. 8s. 6d. BAKER, JAMEs. Pictures from Bohemia, Drawn with Pen and Pencil. Religious Tract Society. 8s. TEDYE, MAJOR L., RHODEs, MAJOR E. Catechism on the Manual of Instruction in Army Signalling, &c. Gale and Polden. 3s. 6d. t SEHA. A Naturalist on the Prowl or in the Jungle. Thacker and Co. 8s. 6d. ‘MILNER, GEORGE. Studies of Nature on the Coast of Arran. Longmans. 68. 6d. 'Mon Ro, D. B. The Modes of Ancient Greek Music. Henry Frowde. 8s. 6d. NOTTER, J. L. AND FIRTH., R. H. Hygiene. Longmans’ Elementary Science Manuals. Longmans. 3s. 6d. |Power, DR. F. B. Descriptive Catalogue of Essential Oils and Organic Chemical Preparations. Compiled by. London : Grevel and Co.; New York : Fritzsche Brothers; Leipsic and Prague: Schimmel and Co. S. Paoisorsos OF THE SOCIETY FOR PHYSICAL RESEARCH. Part 36, vol. 10. Paper covers. Kegan Paul. 7s. ScHwaRz, A. The Horse: His External and Internal Organ- isation. An illustrated representation and brief description. Revised and edited by George Fleming, C.B., LL.D., F.R.C.V.S. George Philip and Son. 3s. 6d. net. ! SETH, PROFESSOR: JAMEs. A Study of Ethical Principles. Blackwood and Sons. Ios. 6d. net. :SMALL, Evan W. The Earth; an Introduction to the Study of Inorganic Nature. University Extension Series. Methuen. 2s. 6d. "TANNER, A. E. Physical Culture for Men, Women, and Children (Ling-Swedish System). Simpkin, Marshall. 2S. WACHER, FRANCIS. A Healthy Home. The Sanitary Record Office. 3s.6d. ‘FOX, S. N. AND BLACK, CLEMENTINA, SMYTH, PROF. H. WEIR. WAITE, ARTHUR. E. The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus the Great. Edited by. VoI. I., Hermetic Chemistry, Vol. II., Hermetic Medicine and Hermetic Philosophy. Elliott and Co., Temple- chambers. WALLIS, WHITE. Manual of Hygiene. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, and Co. 2s. 6d. WEBB, T. W. Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes. Fifth Edition. Revised by the Rev. T. E. Espin. Vol II. Longmans. 6s. 6d. WOOD, J. G. Theophrastus of Eresus on Winds and on Weather Signs. Translated, with notes. Edited by G. J. Symons, F.R.S. Edward Stanford. Law. ARNOLD's LAw OF MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONs. Edited by W. W. Mackenzie and Sir S. G. Johnson. Fourth edition. Shaw and Sons. 31 17s. 6d. CHAMBERS, G. F. A. Popular Summary of the Law Rela- ting to Parish Councils and Meetings. Paper covers. Stevens and Sons. 1s. 6d. The Truck Acts : What they Do and What they Ought to Do. Faper covers. George Reynolds, Stepney-green, E. Id. GRAHAM, A. H. AND BRODHURST, SPENCER. Practical Guide to the Parish Councils Act. Seventh edition. Ward, Lock, and Bowden. Is. HoDDSworTH, W. A. The Law of Wills, Executors, and Administrators. With a separate part on the Finance Act 1894, by G. Spencer Bower. Boards. Routledge. Is. LAWSON, WM. Notes of Decisions in Registration Cases, 1885-1893 inclusive. Dublin : Thom ; London : Stevens and Sons. 24s. LELY, J. M. AND CRAIEs, W. F. The Finance Act 1894. Edited by. Paper covers. Sweet and Maxwell; Stevens and Sons. Is. net. LoNDoN HEALTH LAws: A Manual of Housing and Sanitary Law, issued by the Mansion-house Council on the Dwellings of the Poor. Cassell and Co. WILL, J. SHIRESS, Q.C. Michael and Will on the Law relating to Gas, Water, and Electric Lighting. Fourth edition. Butterworths. 32s. - WILLIAMS, Josh UA. Principles of the Law of Personal Property, intended for the use of Students in Con- veyancing. Fourteenth edition, by his son, T. Cyprian Williams, of Lincoln’s-inn. Sweet and Maxwell. 21s. Educational. DIET AND COOKERY FOR CoMMON AILMENTs. Cassell and Co. LUKIN, JAMEs. Turning Lathes: a Manual for Technical Schools and Apprentices. Edited by. Fourth edition. Colchester : Britannia Company. 3s. LYTTELTON, HON. AND REv. E. A. Primary English Grammar and Exercises, with prefaces. Rivington, Percival and Co. 28. PLATTS, JoBIN T. A Grammar of the Persian Language. Part I.-Accidence. Williams and Norgate. SAMPSON, GEORGE. A Text Book of the Pianoforte. For use in schools and for students generally. Brighton, Chester; London, E. Donajowski. 28. 6d. net. The Sounds and Inflections of the Greek Dialects : Ionic. Henry Frowde. 24s. 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. 05 Issue 05 (October 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 05 (October 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-10-01-The-Author-5-5 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/270/1894-11-01-The-Author-5-6.pdf e1741fdebe952519b685d132e2ad68b6 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-11-01 Volume 5 Issue 6 Pages Page range in volume 141–168 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18941101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CON DU CTED BY WA. L TER BES ANT. VOL. V.-No. 6.] NOVEMBER 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances showld be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *- r- - -, WARNINGS AND ADVICE, I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.—It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eaccept the cost of the stamp. 4. AsCERTAIN what A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES TO BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an WOL. W. arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.–Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CosT OF PRODUCTION.--Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. - 8. FuTURE Work.-Never, on any accownt whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a M.S. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. I2. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTs. – Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :- 4, Portugal, STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *— - -* HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member O 2  ## p. 142 (#156) ############################################ I 42 THE AUTHOR. has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Awthor notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *- ~ * & -s THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : I. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society ; that it has a “Transfer Department' for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted * has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to com - municate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. --sº e--- - - NOTICES, HE Editor of the Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P or dishonest ? Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker’s order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production" are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £948. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth  ## p. 143 (#157) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 43 as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production’’ for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. * * = ELECTION OF MEMBERS. T the first meeting of committee after the vacation on Oct. 8, twenty-eight new members and associates were duly pro- posed and elected. There have been 196 new members elected since the beginning of the year. Against these, however, must be placed the number of those who are every year struck off the list either by death, or by resignation, or by neglecting to pay their subscription. Cases have arisen in which authors have joined for the purpose of obtaining aid and redress, and have then retired when their case has been won for them. In other words, they pay a guinea, put the Society to the expense of many guineas, and then retire. Authors are earnestly entreated to remember that the society exists for the common good; that to regard it as solely a means of obtaining individual advantage is contrary to the whole spirit of the association; that to carry a single case through often costs the subscriptions of a great many members, and that were it not for the subscriptions of those who are not likely to need its services at all, the Society would not be able to exist, or would be reduced to a powerless condition. > c: LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—PAYING FOR PUBLICATION. HE advice of the Society with regard to payment for publishing is that a MS. which is refused by half a dozen good houses is probably without commercial value. The author, however, is too often persuaded that it possesses sufficient literary merit to justify him in paying for its production. He then receives an estimate from the firm to which he applies. In general this estimate is called Messrs. A. and B.’s “charge” for producing the work. It used to be called the “Cost of Production.” It is now Messrs. A. and B.’s “charge.” The charge includes a very liberal addition to the printer's bill—for themselves. It is a secret profit, and therefore absolutely indefensible. Of course a charge for services may be advanced, and may be granted, but it should be made openly. The following are quite recent examples of this method of giving estimates. They were brought to the Society, and through the machinery at the disposal of the Society the books were actually produced at the price given below, after that of the original estimate. It should be added that the actual publisher, not the person who sent in his “charges,” was in each case a fit and proper person, and that the books were produced in the best possible style of print and paper. First case.—Estimate for printing, paper, and binding ... ... ... 378 Actual sum paid for produc- tion ... . . . . . . . ... 38 Second case.—Estimate for printing, paper, and binding 39.18O Actual sum paid ... ... ... 8O Third case.—Estimate for printing, paper, and binding e tº ſº £220 Actual sum paid I 50 In the first case an overcharge was made of £40, in the second an overcharge of £IOO, and in the third of £70. In the first case the author was saved 50 per cent. On the first charge, in the second 55 per cent., in the third 32 per cent. It seems, therefore, as if it were worth the consideration of authors about to pay for their own books, whether they should bring their estimates to the Society before signing their agreements. II.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. The following letters have appeared in the Times. That by Mr. Lancefield may be fairly assumed to represent the Canadian view : that by Mr. Daldy the answer of one who has long worked upon the question. The subject has been referred by the London Chamber of Com- merce to a committee upon which the Society of Authors is properly represented. The letters are given at length for obvious reasons. I.—To the Editor of the Times. SIR,--I have only recently seen a letter which appeared in your valuable paper some time ago (May 3, 1894) from Mr. F. R. Daldy on the question of Canadian copyright. Some of Mr. Daldy's statements certainly require correc- tion, as the views he set forth in his letter (which letter, I understand, was printed in full in various literary journals in England) place Canadians in  ## p. 144 (#158) ############################################ 144 THE AUTHOIR. a most misleading and unfair light before your readers. In the first place, Mr. Daldy writes, he has “reason to believe that Canada has asked the Imperial Government to repeal all British Copy- right Acts so far as it is included under them and also to denounce Canada's connection with the Berne Convention.” This is correct. And why not P The B.N.A. Act of 1867 gives Canada the right to legislate on copyright, the same as on tariffs, patents, &c. The Imperial Government allows us to pass such laws as we please with regard, for instance, to patents. We assert the same right with regard to copyright, and we maintain our position strengthened by the knowledge that every argument is in our favour. Mr. Daldy's second count deserves serious con- sideration. Not content with referring sneeringly to a royalty which the Canadian Government will collect for those who refuse or neglect to secure copyright in Canada as a “visionary” royalty, he says “no consideration whatever has been shown to artists and musical composers.” A serious indictment, if true. But what are the facts P I have before me the Canadian Copyright Act of 1889, passed unanimously by sº the House of Commons and Senate of the Dominion of Canada, but to which the Imperial Government refuses sanction. This Act enacts that “Any person domiciled in Canada or in any part of the British possessions who is the author of any book, map, chart, or musical or literary composi- tion, or of any original painting, drawing, statue, sculpture, or photograph, or who invents, designs, etches, engraves, or causes to be engraved, etched, or made from his own design any print or engra- ving, and the legal representatives of such person or citizen,” may secure copyright in Canada for twenty-eight years. It would appear from this that Mr. Daldy is either grossly ignorant on this question of Canadian copyright, or that he is deliberately misrepresenting the action of the Canadian Government, presumably in order to create and foster ill-feeling in England. Again, Mr. Daldy says “that it is no more difficult for Canadian than for United States publishers to enter into contracts with authors and artists direct.” Very nice in theory, but under present conditions practically impossible to put into practice. Why? Because the United States publisher, in nine cases out of ten, when buying the market for a new book, insists on Canada being included. The Canadian people, therefore, present the satisfaction (?) of seeing their market quietly handed over by the British author or publisher to alien United States publishers. have at Surely you cannot blame us for making an earnest, decided, emphatic protest against such a practice. Canadians are not surprised at the alien United States publishers insisting on the Canadian market being included. That is their business—to get all they can, and more, too, if possible. But we are surprised at the British authors and publishers conceding to the demand of the United States publishers. And we are doubly surprised that the British authors and publishers are our principal opponents when we ask the Imperial Government for such legislation as will enable us to say to the United States publishers, “You cannot control the Canadian market except on our own terms.” We are proud of the fact that we are part and parcel of the great British Empire. The recent conference of Colonial delegates at Ottawa proves that we are alive to our responsibilities to the Empire. I submit that it is not an edifying spectacle to witness many of our brethren in England making desperate and, as I have shown, unfair attempts to create prejudice against us in our efforts to secure our book market from the grasp of alien publishers. In any case we intend to expose such attempts and to persist in our agitation, as we are con- vinced that the Imperial Government must soon see the justness of our case and grant the relief asked for. - Mr. Daldy signs himself “Hon. Secretary of the [British PJ Copyright Association.” Very many are apt to look upon him as an authority on copyright. I have already shown that his statement as to no consideration whatever being shown by the Canadian Government to artists and musical composers is untrue. He is equally unreliable when he tries to frighten British authors and artists by the statement that if the British Government yields to the Canadian demand the English relations on copyright with the United States would be upset. Mr. Daldy's argument, then, is that justice must be denied Canada because, if granted, English copyright arrangements with the United Sta'es will suffer. What utter nonsense ! But Mr. Daldy reaches the height of absurdity when he gravely asserts that “the United States Government made the consent of Canada that American copyright should run in that Dominion a leading condition of their conceding it to the British nation.” This is news to us in Canada. Our consent was never asked to any such agreement. The British Government could not give the consent of Canada without first securing that consent. Neither the British Government, Mr. Daldy, nor the Copyright Association he represents need  ## p. 145 (#159) ############################################ THE AUTHOR, I 45 think that Canada will recognise any arrange- ment without first consenting thereto. Mr. Daldy knows, without being told, that the day has gone by when the consent of Canada to a question so important as this of copyright can be taken for granted before formally securing said consent through the usual diplomatic channels. Thanking you for granting me space, I remain, Sir, yours in the bonds of Imperial Unity, RICHARD T. LANCEFIELD. Public Library, Hamilton, Canada September. II.—To the Editor of the Times. SIR,--The charges brought against me in Mr. Lancefield’s letter, published by you on the 11th inst., require, I think, an answer so far as the subject-matter of them is concerned, though I must respectfully decline to take more notice than is necessary of his personalities. He says, “I have placed Canadians in a most misleading and unfair light before your readers.” I certainly had no desire to do this, and I hope the following observations will satisfy your readers that I have not done so. He admits that Canada has asked the Imperial Government to repeal all British Copyright Acts so far as they include that Dominion, and says Canada has the right to legislate on copyright under the British North American Act of 1867. If Canada has that right, why ask England's help ? Lord Selborne and Lord Herschell, when at the Bar, on Nov. 7, 1871, advised the Copy- right Association that the above legislative authority “ has reference only to the exclusive jurisdiction in Canada of the Dominion Legisla- ture, as distinguished from the Legislatures of the provinces of which it is composed,” and they further said that the “Imperial Act 5 & 6 Wict. c. 45 (our principal Copyright Act), is still in force in its integrity throughout the British dominions.” This view is corroborated by the decision in “Smiles v. Belford ” of the Supreme Court of Upper Canada and the opinions of recent law officers of the Crown. Mr. Lancefield objects to my reference to the way in which Canada collects, or neglects to collect, the royalty due to British and Colonial authors under the Imperial Act of 1847 and the Canadian Act of Aug. 1850, approved by Imperial Order in Council made Dec. 12, 1850. Perhaps he will not be suprised to hear that this royalty has only been spasmodically collected, although the Act was passed for Canada's benefit, and she undertook to make the collection. It is notorious that many books were imported by Canada without payment of this royalty, and I have before me now a correspondence showing that a copyright owner, who was entitled to royalty since 1883, had to send an agent to Canada, who traced one payment in 1885, but the customs authorities in Canada could not even then discover the collection of royalty on any other occasion, although the work had been largely circulated throughout the Dominion before that time. The first payment of this royalty, not in full, but “on account,” was not received by the copyright owner till 1889. Can Mr. Lancefield be surprised at the incredulity of English authors as to her honestly carrying out her engagements? Mr. Lancefield quotes from the Canadian Act of 1889 to prove that artists have received due consideration. He quotes the 4th section of that Act, but omits any reference to the 5th, which says the condition of obtaining copyright under the Act is that such artistic work shall be repro- duced in Canada within one month of production elsewhere. Hence, to obtain copyright under the Canadian Act, Sir F. Leighton, or any artist, must go to Canada and reproduce his picture there within a month of publication here. A new opera must be represented there within the same time. Am I right in saying “no consideration whatever has been shown to artists and musical composers ?” Is it not a mockery to offer copy- right on such terms? Mr. Lancefield says Canadian publishers cannot acquire copyright from British authors because United States publishers buy the Canadian market with the American market. Why does not the Canadian purchaser come forward first and buy the two markets P It is all a matter of commercial competition. Mr. Lancefield seems to think authors hand over their works to United States publishers by preference. What they prefer, and what they are entitled to, is the best price for the two intermixed markets, because it is against their interests to sell either separately. This arises from American, not British, legisla- tion. Mr. Lancefield cannot expect authors to forego the value of their copyrights in America merely to help Canadian reprinters to get the printing of them. Let Canadian printers come forward earlier, before American arrangements are made, and buy both markets. I regret to say American copyright for British authors is jeopardised by the apprehension of our allowing Canadian printers to reprint copy- right books without the author's sanction, and that on most trustworthy authority. Perhaps my observation about the consent of Canada as to American copyright running there is rather unfortunately worded, as of course her consent was not required. The facts are that the United States Government asked if American  ## p. 146 (#160) ############################################ I46 THE AUTHOR. copyright ran in all British possessions, and, on Lord Salisbury assuring the United States Government that it did, the United States Government issued its proclamation giving the authors, &c., of “Great Britain and the British possessions” copyright throughout the United States. (See United States Papers, No. 3 (1891), Correspondence on United States Copyright Act.) I am glad to find Mr. Lancefield proud of Imperial unity. Will he, in obedience to its requirements, advocate “copyright unity” as far as we are able to promote it? The laws of copy- right are too much mixed up with the commercial handling of copyright property. The one gives the title to the property; the other utilises it to the best advantage. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, FREDERIC R. DALDY. Aldine House, Belvedere. III.-LITTLETON ET AL. v. OLIVER DITSON Co. The inclosed judgment from one of the circuit courts in Massachusetts, supporting the decision recently published on musical copyright, may be of interest to the readers of the Author : LITTLETON ET AL. 27. OLIVER DITSON CO. (Circuit Court, D. Massachusetts. Aug. 1, 1894.) No. 3065. Copyright—Musical compositions—Manufacture in United States. The proviso in sect. 3 of the Copyright Act of March 3, 1891, that “ in the case of a book, photograph, chromo, or lithograph,” the two copies required to be delivered to the librarian of Congress shall be manufactured in this country, does not include musical compositions published in book form, or made by lithographic process. THIs was a suit by Alfred H. Littleton and others against the Oliver Ditson Company for infringement of copyrights. Lauriston L. Scaife for complainants. Chauncey Smith and Linus M. Child for defendant. CoLT, Circuit Judge.—This case raises a new and important question under the Copyright Act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. I IO6). The plaintiffs, subjects of Great Britain, and publishers of music, have copyrighted three musical compo- sitions, two of which are in the form of sheet music, and one (a cantata) consists of some ninety pages of music bound together in book form, and with a paper cover. Two of these pieces were printed from electrotype plates, and one from stone, by the lithographic process. The inquiry in this case is whether a musical composition is a book or lithograph, within the meaning of the proviso in sect. 3 of the Act, which declares that in the case of a “book, photograph, chromo, or litho- graph " the two copies required to be deposited with the librarian of Congress shall be manufac- tured in this country. The Act of March 3, 1891, is an amendment of the copyright law then existing. The principal change made is the extension of the privilege of copyright to foreigners by the removal of the restriction of citizenship or residence contained in the old law, and hence it is sometimes called “The International Copyright Act. Section I relates to the subject-matter of copyright, and delares that: The author, inventor, designer, or proprietor of any book, map, chart, dramatic or musical composition, engraving, cut, print, or photograph or negative thereof, or of a painting, drawing, chromo, statue, statuary shall, upon complying with the provisions of this chapter, have the sole liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing, &c. Section 3 recites the conditions which must be complied with, and says: No person shall be entitled to a copyright unless he shall, on or before the day of publication in this or any foreign country, deliver at the office of the librarian of Congress, or deposit in the mail within the United States, addressed to the librarian, a printed copy of the title of the book, map, chart, dramatic or musical composition, engraving, cut, print, photograph, or chromo, or a description of the paint- ing, drawing, statue, statuary, for which he desires a copyright, nor unless he shall also, not later than the day of the publication thereof in this or any foreign country, deliver at the office of the librarian • OT deposit in the mail within the United States, addressed to the librarian, two copies of such copyright book, map, chart, dramatic or musical composition, engraving, chromo, cut, print, or photograph, or in case of a painting, drawing, statue, statuary, model, or design for a work of the fine arts, a photograph of same : provided, that in the case of a book, photograph, chromo, or lithograph, the two copies of the same required to be delivered or deposited as above shall be printed from type set within the limits of the United States, or from plates made therefrom, or from negatives, or drawings on stone made within the limits of the United States, or from transfers made therefrom. From the language of these provisions it seems clear that “book” was not intended to include “musical composition.” In the section which enumerates the things which may be copyrighted, “musical composition ” is mentioned as something different from “book,” and we find this same dis- tinction twice observed in the preceding part of the section which contains the proviso. It is as reasonable to suppose that “book” and “musical composition ” were as much intended to refer to different subjects as “map, chart, engraving,” and other enumerated articles. If Congress, in the proviso, had intended to include a musical composition among those copy- righted things which must be manufactured in this country, it should have incorporated it in the  ## p. 147 (#161) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 47 list of things subject to this restriction. The omission in the proviso of “musical composition,” as well as of “map, chart, engraving,” and other things before enumerated, is very significant, as intimating that Congress never intended to extend this provision to any of these articles. And so, with respect to “lithograph,” if Congress had intended to cover by that word a musical compo- sition made by the lithographic process, it should have expressed its meaning in clear and unam- biguous terms, in view of the language used in other portions of the statute. If there is any doubt as to the meaning of the statute, it is proper to examine the history of legislation on this subject, in order, if possible, to discover the intent of Congress. As the bill passed the House of Representatives, this proviso was limited to “book,” but when it reached the Senate an amendment was offered and passed extending the proviso to various other subjects of Copyright, as “map, dramatic or musical compo- sition, engraving, cut, print,” &c. A conference committee was appointed, and a compromise was agreed to enlarging the house provision by the addition of “photograph, chromo, or lithograph,” and the bill was finally passed in this form. In the debate in the Senate, reference was made to the fact that musical compositions had been eliminated from the proviso. The first and funda- mental rule in the interpretation of statutes is to carry out the intent of the Legislature if it can be ascertained, and I think an examination of the proceedings in Congress shows that it was intended to exclude musical compositions from the operation of this proviso: (22 Cong. Rec. pt. I, p. 32 ; pt. 3, pp. 2378, 2836; pt. 4, p. 3847.) “Book” has been distinguished from “musical composition ” in the statutes relating to copy- right since 1831 : (4 Stat. 436.) The specific designation of any article in an act or series of acts of Congress requires that such article be treated by itself, and excludes it from general terms contained in the same act or in subsequent acts: (Potter, Dwar. St. pp. 198, 272; Homer v. The Collector, I Wall. 486; Arthur v. Lahey, 96 U.S. 112 ; Arthur v. Stephani, Id. 125; Vietor v. Arthur, IO4 U.S. 498.) If, in a popular sense, and speaking particularly in reference to form, “book” may be said to include a musical composition, the answer to this proposition is that where two words of a statute are coupled together, one of which generically includes the other, the more general term is used in a mean- ing exclusive of the specific one : (Endl. Interp, St. sect. 396; Reiche v. Smythe, 13 Wall. 162.) The reasoning upon which this rule of specific designation is based is that such designation is WOL. W. tions to the Survey of the Literature of the Reign. expressive of the legislative intention to exclude the article specifically named from the general term which might otherwise include it: (Smythe v. Fiske, 23. Wall. 374, 38o ; Reiche v. Smythe, 13 Wall. 162, 164.) The English cases cited by the defendant to the effect that “book” includes “ musical composition '' are not material in the present controversy, because the statute law of the two countries is different. The early English statute of 8 Anne, c. 19, says, in the preamble, “books and other writings,” while, in the modern English statute (5 & 6 Wict. c. 45, s. 2), “book’’ is defined to include various specific things, as “map, chart, sheet of music,” &c Nor do the American cases cited (Clayton v. Stone, 2 Paine, 382, Fed. Cas. No. 2872 ; Scoville v. Toland, 6 West. Law J. 84, Fed. Cas. No. 12,553; Drury v. Ewing, I Bond, 540, Fed. Cas. No. 4095) help the defendant. In none of these cases has the question ever been determined whether a musical composition is a book. It must also be remembered that the question now presented is not strictly whether a musical composition can ever be regarded as a book, but whether Congress meant in the Act of March 3, 1891, to include musical composition within the terms of the proviso referred to. Nor do I think the dictionary definitions of “book” render us much assistance, because the word is used in so many different senses. It may refer to the subject-matter, as literary composition ; or to form, as a number of leaves of paper bound together; or a written instrument or document; or a particular sub- division of a literary composition; or the words of an opera, &c. Looking at the natural reading of the statute, the intent of Congress, and the rules which govern the construction of statute law, I am of opinion that the plaintiffs have complied with the provisions of the Act of March 3, 1891, respect- ing the three musical compositions complained of, and that the defendant should be enjoined from reprinting, publishing, or exposing for sale these compositions, or any essential part of them, as prayed for in the Bill. Injunction granted. IV.-ContLNUATION BY ANOTHER HAND. The following advertisement appeared in the New York Critic : - MASTERPIECES OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.-Entirely New and Finely Illustrated Editions.—A History of Our Own Times, from the Accession of Queen Victoria to the General Election of 1880. By Justin McCarthy, M.P. With an Introduction, and Supplementary Chapters bring- ing the work down to Mr. Gladstone's Resignation of the Premiership (March, 1894); with a New Index, and Addi- By G. P  ## p. 148 (#162) ############################################ I48 THE AUTHOR. Mercer Adam, author of “A Précis of English History,” &c. Profusely illustrated with new half-tone portraits of states- men and littérateurs. 2 vols., 12mo, handsome cloth, $3.oo; or, in three-quarter calf, $5.00. Popular edition, 2 vols., 12mo., without illustrations, cloth, $1.50. This advertisement was forwarded on to the offices of the Society by Mr. Justin McCarthy, M.P. Mr. McCarthy is indignant, and very naturally so, at the course the American publishers have thought fit to adopt, and all persons who are interested in the maintenance of literary property will no doubt support Mr. McCarthy's view as strongly. The work was published prior to the American Copyright Act, and therefore fell a lawful prey to the American reproducer. It has been selling in America for some years past in a cheap paper-bound edition. The author may perhaps have felt hurt that a work, the outcome of his brain, should be so freely circulated without bringing him in any- thing, but in those days, when books were pub- lished in England, the author produced his work with his eyes open to the possible consequences. But here insult has been added to injury, and Mr. McCarthy’s work has not only been appro- priated, but has also received the honour of an intro- duction, and several additional chapters to bring it up to date, from the pen of G. Mercer Adam. Surely it would have been an easy and courteous matter for the publisher to have written a line to the author or his English publisher to ask whether he had any views as to the continua- tion of the work. - Neither Messrs. Chatto and Windus nor Mr. McCarthy have had a line of notice, and the advertisement of the book in its present American form was the first intimation of what had taken lace. It is needless to say that there is no legal remedy, as the pnblishers have in their adver- tisement fully owned up to the additional chapters and their authorship. If this had not been done, but the work with added matter had been published under Mr. McCarthy's name—a pro- ceeding which has been known to take place with the works of other English authors—he might, perhaps, have had, some remedy under the American case quoted in last month's Author, p. 117, and the question might have been discussed under the law of trade marks and misleading the public. It is not worth while going into this side of the question, as even this point is doubtful. The American publisher has avoided this difficulty by openly avowing the facts. . But the unfortunate author, who has for some time been meditating the completion of his work, has had the American market taken away from him. Since the above was written Mr. McCarthy’s publishers, Messrs. Chatto and Windus, have received a letter from the American publisher, printed below. This letter bears out all the points put forward above, and explains how little regard is shown for the author and originator of a work, and how little thought or care may be bestowed upon the simple and familiar process of using for a man’s own profit the work of another man's brain—especially when there is no fear of legal consequences. Oct I I, 1894.—Dear Sirs, I am in receipt of your letter of the 1st. Oct., and am somewhat surprised that your remonstrance on behalf of the author of the “History of Our Own Times” should be addressed to us for issuing a continuation of the work. There are any number of editions of this work, which is not copyrighted, published in this country, and, therefore, it appears to me your remonstrance for continuing a non-copyright work is extremely ill-founded. Had I known that Mr. McCarthy intended to write a con- tinuation of his work, I should, of course, have been much pleased to have negotiated with him or his publishers for the American copyright, but under all the circumstances I can- not think that I have dome either him or you such an injury as entitles you to write me in the way you have, and I remain, —Yours very truly, CHARLEs W. Gould, Receiver.— Messrs. Chatto and Windus. -*--~~~~~ -------- LETTER FROM PARIS. AM writing this on the eve of my return to Paris, in a room full of the disorders of departure. The weather is so fine that it might be July rather than mid-October, and the sea is still very tempting for long and hazardous swims. But the vines are all leafless in my garden, and in the fields around the Indian corn has been harvested ; and, after all, as go one must, it is better to leave the country with a good im- pression and under smiling circumstances, than to outstay Nature's welcome and see in the farewell moment, a sullen face. “It is two days since we returned to Paris, and though my Parisienne is delighted to find her- self in her town once more, my little Edmée and I continue to regret the golden horizons of our peaceful Champrozay.” So writes Alphonse Daudet to me. In the same letter he says that he wishes to converse with me about “la perfide Albion,” which he has never seen, but wishes to visit before he “passes his rifle to the left.” I should not be surprised if, as a result of our con- versation, he were to pay a visit to England ere long. In looking over Daudet’s “Lettres de Mon Moulin’” the other day, I came across a quotation from his favourite Montaigne, which he applies  ## p. 149 (#163) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I49 to his friend the Provençal poet, Mistral. It occurred to me that the advice is so good, that for those of our readers who do not know, it may well be here reproduced : “Souvienne-vous de celuy à qui comme on demandoit à quoy faire il se peinoit si fort, en un art qui me powvoit venir à la cogmoissance de guére des gens. J'en ay assez de peu, repondict-il. J'en ay assez d’un. J'em ay assez de pas un.” No better consolation could be found by the man of letters, who, doing his best, does not secure a success of popularity. But he must do his best. He must peiner fort. A group of distinguished Frenchmen were the other day discussing in my presence the young littérateur of to-day, who, after setting forth some great idea for a book, will add, with a sigh, “If only some publisher would give me an order for it.” It never occurs to him to write the book, for the sake of writing it, with the conviction that when written it will surely find both a pub- lisher and a public. We were all surprised to read Mallarmé's name in connection with the proposal that the State should inherit all lapsed copyrights and republish books for the general profit. Surprised, because of all living men of letters, Stephane Mallarmé is perhaps the one who has ever least troubled about the property side of literature. His own magnificent writings he printed at his own expense, in a most luxurious fashion, for himself and a very few friends. He has probably never received a sum of forty pounds, all reckoned, from the publishers. The proposal seems an ill-considered one. Fancy what a bitter stepmother the State, moved by odious political considerations, would be towards the work of certain authors. The power granted by this proposal, if it were carried into effect, would be tantamount to one of life and death, and the immortality, after which most writers strive as their highest and best reward, would be at the disposal of Government officials. With what glee would these censors condemn to obscurity the works of all those whose opinions clashed with the opinions which the Government desired to promulgate, and how lavishly would the writings of Prudhomme and Company be spread abroad One power might, to my thinking, be granted to the Government, namely, the right of levying on the profits of those who publish an author's works after the copyright in these has become public property, a trifling sum, sufficient to keep the grave of this author in decent and respectable order. If out of all the money which the pub- lishers have gained by publishing Oliver Goldsmiths's works a few pounds had thus been exacted, London would not to-day have the WOL. W. shame of Goldsmith’s abandoned and ruined grave, which anyone may see in the Temple, and blush at our English sordidness. The De Maupassant memorial subscription, which had never attained a figure in any way com- mensurate to the very modest requirements of the committee, was handsomely increased the other day by a donation of £200, subscribed by a person who expressed a wish to remain unknown. Poor De Maupassant seems to have passed into oblivion. His books are little asked for, and the dealers in the photographs of celebrities have ceased to keep his portrait in stock. One dies fast in these days. Poor Henry Hermann. He spent some years in France, and was at one time the collaborator of D. C. Murray. His forte was in the creation of plots, but he was less successful in delineation of character, description, and elaboration. Owing to an infirmity of the eyes he was forced to dictate to a secretary, and would grow quite excited as he dictated. “That’s literature, my boy,” he would exclaim, after composing some passage which pleased him particularly. When I knew him he had fallen on penurious days, and it was mournful enough to see so old a man, who had been so liberal in his days of fortune, often worried for the wherewithal to pay his rent or to buy his dinner. His courage, his industry, his cheerfulness of spirits were unflagging, and an excellent example. . It occurs to me that we of the Society of Authors might subscribe the trifling sum neces- sary for restoring Goldsmith’s grave. The whole expense would barely exceed £20, so that one hundred admirers, at four shillings each, could put the matter right. - I was interested in Mr. Hill's suggestion for a new form of paper for the typewriter, because a few days before the Author for last month came into my hands I had had exactly the same idea. I admit that I had not thought of the double roller for duplicating purposes. On reflection, however, I had come to the conclusion that the loss of time in cutting the length of paper, after it had been written on, into suitable takes, would be greater than the time lost at present in filling the machine with the sheets as supplied by the manufacturers. Certainly for the writer who prides himself on great production it would be pleasant, on rising from his machine, to see coiled on the floor, say eight yards of copy, but the coils might be cumbersome, and I can even imagine a fin de siècle Laocoon writhing in the embrace of a paper serpent. As it is, the type- writer produces too fast for a man to use it for his best work, and it is only by careful revision that typewritten copy can be made fairly prºble P  ## p. 150 (#164) ############################################ 150 THE AUTHOR. One would accordingly prefer to hear of the inven- tion of a drag or break to check its speed. At times, certainly, where speed is the requisite, the machine renders excellent service. One remembers T. P. O'Connor’s “Life of Parnell,” which was produced so quickly; and I myself, on a day when I was very hard pressed, achieved 25,000 words of a translation in twelve hours. Léon Daudet’s “Les Morticoles '' is now in its seventeenth edition, of a thousand copies to the edition. This mean £400 to the good already, apart from royalties to come, both from further editions and from republication in the provincial papers. As Léon is only twenty-seven years of age he may be said to have enjoyed exceptional good fortune. I know of no French writer of standing whose début can, in point of success, be compared to his. We will not speak of Xavier de Montépin, who from the age of twenty mever made less than two thousand a year, because we do not consider him a writer. A circumstance of which we English may be proud is that of all foreign novelists it is our great George Meredith who is most esteemed by the French. I don’t mean to say that his works have a large sale in France, but I can vouchsafe the fact that the cultured who know English have his books, and that those who cannot read English are always glad to hear him discussed. His name is constantly referred to in the literary papers, and he is very evidently an influence in France. Does George Meredith know this P. There is also great curiosity about Thomas Hardy, and at the Authors’ Club dinner to M. Zola last year, Zola told me that he should advise Charpentier to arrange for a French translation of Hardy’s works. I believe that a French publisher who would produce a cheap edition of translations from our best English authors would make money. The French are sick of pornography, and are hungering for more solid fare. Young Léon's success is a proof of this. Unfortunately the French writers who know English so perfectly as to be able to give an adequate version of Meredith say, or Hardy, are very few ; on the other hand, French publishers do not care to pay anything like a fair price for translation. Eight pounds, or, in a liberal moment, ten, are considered a fair price for translating an ordinary novel. Hachette bought “David Copperfield” for twenty pounds, and paid the translator a similar sum, and this was a great event in hackdoms Translating is good exercise for writers who are afflicted with the knowledge of other languages than their own. I use the word “afflicted ” advisedly, for it is an established fact that the linguist never writes his own language as well as the writer who knows no other tongue *-- - He loses the sense of value of words, he falls into curious constructions, and may even, unconsciously be guilty of laches in grammar. In translating he has to pull himself together, to strive after the genius of his own tongue, to remember its charac- teristics, forgotten in the Babel of his brain. Amongst recent publications I notice a volume of essays by Maurice Barrés, chez Charpentier. It is entitled “Du Sang, de la Volupté et de la Mort.” Well, well, well RoBERT H. SHERARD. *-- ~ * “DISCOUNT PRICES.” IN 1852. HE frugal book-buyer will have noticed that for some time past attempts have been made by publishers, not by any means of the smaller sort, to abolish the system of “dis- count prices.” This question is not to be re- garded as a formal business detail, affecting “the trade ’’ alone, it is closely connected with authors’ and readers’ rights, and it seems not unlikely that a serious controversy may ensue upon this movement in the book trade. As the whole question was raised and discussed some forty years ago, it may be profitable to follow in some details the features of the older crisis. The practice of booksellers giving discount off publishers' prices was first commented on at the beginning of this century, and increased with the improvement in communications, till in 1848 a Booksellers’ Association was formed to counter- act it. The prime movers in the scheme were not retail booksellers but publishers, and they were supported by nearly the whole body of book- sellers and publishers in London. In July, 1851, a stringent agreement was entered into ; the sub- scribing publishers, bound themselves to supply books at trade price to members of the Asso- ciation only; the booksellers agreed not to give more than IO per cent. discount to private Customers, or 15 per cent. to book societies. The trade discount being admittedly 33 per cent. on an average, it is evident that a considerable pro- fit was left for the booksellers. Anyone offending systematically against the regulations was to be expelled. The rule worked laxly from the first, for on the one hand members put a loose inter- pretation on the word systematically, and gave as much as 20 per cent. discount to large purchasers, without incurring the displeasure of the Associa- tion. Occasionally, however, the severest measures were taken against offending mem- bers, and, finally, one case threw the whole of the trade into a ferment. One member, an importer of American books, thought it would be  ## p. 151 (#165) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 151 *: more profitable, instead of disposing of his wares to “the trade” at the customary large discount, to sell directly to the public, charging them cost price, plus a percentage for profits. The matter was taken up by the Association, and the member, proving contumacious, was expelled (Jan. 1852). In his fall, however, he had with him the sympathies of the public and of part of the trade. Hereupon a fierce newspaper war sprung up, the Times and the Westminster Review particularly taking up the cause of the rebellious Associates in the public interest. Such was the heat of the quarrel that the “trade” became anxious, for their own sakes, to patch it up, and : was resolved to submit the matter to arbitra- 1Oll. Lord Campbell, George Grote, and Dean Milman were selected as arbitrators “for the purpose of deciding whether the Booksellers' Association should be carried on under its then regulations or not, it being understood that the decision of Lord Campbell and the other literary gentlemen should be binding on the Committee, who agreed, if the decision were adverse, to convene the trade and resign their functions” (April 8). The arbitrators first met on the 15th of the same month, but the Association had it all its own way on that occasion, their opponents absenting themselves on the ground that they had been summoned only at the last moment; or, in some cases, that compromise was out of the Question. Lord Campbell refusing to sum up when only one side had been heard, the meeting was adjourned till May 17. Meanwhile, on May 8, a meeting was held at the rebellious member's house, with Charles Dickens in the chair, in opposition to the Association, when Lord Campbell, George Grote, and Dean Milman were selected as arbitrators (April 8). The Times report of this meeting is curious to read. The great novelist, in opening the proceedings, said that at first he had been disin- clined to associate himself with the agitation, as it appeared to be purely a booksellers' question, but that he had acceded, seeing that a principle was at stake on which he felt very strongly : “that every man should have free exercise of his thrift and enterprise.” Mr. Babbage (the “tabulator,”) appeared as the champion of “Manchester Chum,” and wanted to know why books should be excepted from the beneficent operation of Free Trade, and moved a resolution accordingly. Tom Taylor, “speaking as a book-worm, a mere consumer of books, inclined to think that the booksellers must follow the farmers, and give in to Free Trade. Professor Owen, seconded by Professor Lankester, put a resolution, which was unanimously passed, that the regulation of retail prices acted unfavourably by adding to the already high prices of books on science, which have a limited circulation. George Cruikshank had no practical suggestion to make, he merelv enjoined peace and goodwill. Mr. Dickens' letter, conveying the resolutions, was laid before the arbitrators, when proceedings were resumed to listen to the case against the Association. The able summing-up of Lord Campbell on behalf of the arbitrators affords a convenient summary of the views prevalent on either side. He thought the regulations enforced by the Association to be primá facie unreasonable, since to fix the price at which the retailer was to sell was a derogation from the right of ownership which he had acquired. Again, the regulations were said to be voluntary, but he believed, and had been assured by correspondents among the retailers, that they were not effective without coercion, which took the form of refusing to supply to non-members, and thus preventing them from earning a living. The advocates of the existing system had admitted that in order to prove the justice of the regulations, it would have to be shown that bookselling was different from other trades, and had attempted this by saying that the authors were protected (by the Copyright Acts) and so should the dealers be. Lord Campbell pointed out that the only pro- tection given to authors was that which the law. gave to property of every description. What weighed most with him, he said, was the peculiar mode in which the wares in the book trade was distributed. There was, no doubt, a great advan- tage to literature in the existence of respectable book shops all over the country, and, doubtless, their practice of having books in stock for inspection, which under a system of unlimited competition they might not be able to keep up, often produced purchases that would otherwise not have been thought of. He hoped, however, that the lessening of profits would be accom- panied by enhanced sales, and so by greater prosperity in the trade. It had also been asserted that although the removal of the regulations might not affect the sale of works by well-known writers, “that the meritorious, but second-rate, could not without a law against underselling, be ushered into the world.” Even so, said Lord Campbell, we should deny the justice of aiding dull men at the expense of men of genuis. - “For these reasons,” said the arbitrators, “we think that the attempt to allege the alleged exceptional nature of the commerce in books has failed, and that it ought to be no longer carried on under present regulations. We do not intend to affirm, however, that excessive profits are received  ## p. 152 (#166) ############################################ I 52 THE AUTHOIR. in any branch of the bookselling trade. . . . We likewise wish it to be distinctly understood that our disapproval of the “regulations ° extends only to the pretension of the publisher to dictate the terms on which the retail book- seller shall deal in his own shop, and to the means adopted for enforcing the prescribed minimum price. They add further: “The publishers are not bound to trust anyone whom they believe to be sacrificing his wares by reckless underselling.” Within ten days from this decision the associa- tion was dissolved, and the practice of giving 2d. in the shilling discount for cash became imme- diately widespread. It seems not improbable that the facility thus afforded was one of the prime factors in the weakening of the credit system, which up till then held nearly all retail transac- tions in its enervating grasp. *- - - NOTES AND NEWS, R. SHERARD in his Letter from Paris suggests that the members of the Society should themselves subscribe to repair the tomb of Goldsmith. He estimates that £20 would cover the expense. If members between them will guarantee that sum an estimate shall be made. Perhaps a single member would be willing to pay the whole amount—it is not a great sum— and it would be a service to the honour of literature. Perhaps twenty would guarantee one pound each. Anyhow, I hereby invite the readers of the Author to send me a promise, not a cheque, of so much if necessary; and then I will try to ascertain what is wanted to be done and what it would cost, and whether the new Master of the Temple would give his consent to the thing being done in this way. It is late to speak of Oliver Wendell Holmes. But it is impossible for the Author to appear, even three weeks after his death, without a word. Our words shall not be many. Holmes was one of the very few authors who enjoyed the personal love of all his readers. Greater writers there are still living—greater poets, greater novelists, greater essayists. There are none who live so deeply in the affections of their readers. This kind of influence is a gift; it cannot be acquired or learned, or imitated. How many—how few— living writers possess this gift P. In Holmes’s Case it was accompanied, or caused, by a singularly sunny and cheerful disposition. He neither spoke ill, nor thought ill, of anybody. The little spitefulnesses which so largely enter into the literature of many writers, and effectually deprive them of personal charm, were entirely wanting in Holmes. He was the Goldsmith of his age. -**-*- The following is from the biography of Froude in the Times of Oct. 22 : - “Froude could not refrain from a few incidental thrusts at the insincerity which, according to him, is the besetting sin of the clergy of all denominations. It so happened that just about this time his friend and brother- in-law, Charles Kingsley, was resigning the chair of Modern History at Cambridge, and in his farewell discourse denounced historians for their partisanship, carelessness, and habitual mis- representation. The opportunity was too good to be lost, and an academical wit, said to be the present Bishop of Oxford, circulated some lines here which, though well remembered in University circles, have not often been printed, and may therefore be quoted here:— While Froude assures the Scottish youth That persons do not care for truth, The Reverend Canon Kingsley cries “All history's a pack of lies.” What cause for judgment so malign f A little thought may solve the mystery; For Froude thinks Kingsley a divine, And Kingsley goes to Froude for history.” The following verses have also been recovered by the writer of the paper in the Times. They are by Froude, and appeared in Fraser's Magazine for May, 1862. They were written to his wife:— Sweet hand that held in mine, Seems the one thing I cannot live without, The soul’s own anchorage in this storm and doubt, I take them as the sign. Of sweeter days in store, For life and more than life when life is done, And thy soft pressure leads me gently on To Heaven’s own Evermore. I have not much to say, Nor any words that fit such fond request; Let my blood speak to them, and hear the rest, Some silent heartward way. Thrice blest the sacred hand, Which saves e'en while it blesses; hold me fast; Let me not go beneath the floods at last, So near the better land. Sweet hand that stays in mine, Seems the one thing I cannot live without, My heart's one anchor in life’s storm and doubt, Take this and make me thine. I suppose that, if the modern school of history is right, the whole of English history will have to be re-written, thanks to the newly recovered or newly studied documents. The re-writing of  ## p. 153 (#167) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 53 history will afford excellent occupation to a good many scholars now in their cradles. When one considers the immense accumulations of other historical documents — cuneiform bricks and tablets, inscriptions in all languages under the sun, letters, legal instruments, diaries, memoirs, and autobiographies, it is clear that all history will have to be re-written. As the public libraries will then be numbered by thousands, and as every library will have to take a copy of every new history, it is certain that the historian's lot will not be an unhappy one. Froude may cease, under these circumstances, to be an historical authority: so also may Macaulay, Freeman, and several others. But Froude will not cease to be a model of fine, picturesque, and vigorous English. There was a very pretty paper in the Spectator of Oct. 20th, called “The Literary Advantages of Weak Health.” The title was clumsy. It should have been called “The Bridle of Theages.” This bridle—as those who have read Plato's Dialogues ought to know—was the ill-health which kept Theages, the friend of Socrates, out of politics, and constrained him to follow philosophy. On this peg the writer points out very carefully how this same bridle has constrained others besides Theages to lead the retired life of meditation and experi- ment. Among those thus bridled he mentions Darwin, Pusey, J. A. Symonds among writers of our time; and of past time, Virgil, Horace, Pope, Johnson, Schiller, Heine, Pascal. hand, Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Dryden, Milton, Scott, Tennyson were all men of healthy consti- tutions, and even more than the average strength. It is certain that a sickly frame does not make a good writer: it is also certain that some minds work better in the retirement which ill-health forces upon one, and the excitement of society and social engagements cannot be good either for one who pursues philosophy or for one who cultivates imagination. One would not desire the Bridle of Theages; still, if it is laid upon our shoulders, we may remember how it has been used by some as a stimulus for work. America has her monuments sacred to literary associations, and America, like England, is fond of pulling them down and destroying them. The cottage in which Edgar Allan Poe lived and worked, at Fordham, is for sale with its grounds. It is laid out in “4% city lots”—eligible lots, because they are “on one of the main thorough- fares of the ‘Greater New York,' within three minutes' walk of the railroad and the electric line, less than half an hour from Grand Central Depôt, and in the midst of a growing popula- On the other tion.” The whole has been offered to a certain literary man for 3500 dollars cash and 30OO dollars mortgage. The literary man unfortu- nately does not see his way to buy it. A suggestion has been made in the New York Critic that it would be a graceful thing for editors of magazines to bring out occasionally a “ consolation’ number, containing only papers which had been rejected. But unless the “consolation’’ number was of colossal dimensions there would be no consolation, except to a few dozen—and what are they among so many ? They are an experimental people in Chicago. They have started a publishing firm, of which the directors are called “Author-Publishers,” a double-barrelled name, which may mean either that they are authors as well as publishers, or that they are publishers of authors. We wait for information on this point; also on the special merits and methods of these publishers. But they have certainly improved on our methods, because they announce themselves as their own literary agents. They conduct a literary bureau, in which they offer to read, correct, and criticise MSS.; to select—i.e., we suppose, to invent— plots and dramatic situations; to aid in securing publishers—other than themselves?—to explain the meaning of agreements, cost of production, royalties, &c.; to look after copyright, and other useful things. In these pages I have always given my advice in favour of getting the business arrangements done by competent and trustworthy agents. Therefore one cannot but wish success to this agency. But that such an agency should form part of a publishing business is quite a new departure. The following from the Century Magazine is a dream of Poe concerning the future of magazines. He does not venture to dream of a circulation of more than 20,000. Yet it was a fine dream:— Before quitting the Messenger I saw, or fancied I saw, through a long and dim vista, the brilliant field for ambition which a magazine of bold and noble aims presented to him who should successfully establish it in America. I perceived that the country, from its very constitution, could not fail of affording in a few years a larger proportionate amount of readers than any upon the earth. I perceived that the whole emergetic, busy spirit of the age tended wholly to magazine literature—to the curt, the terse, the well-timed, and the readily diffused, in preference to the old forms of the verbose and ponderous and the inaccessible. I knew from personal experience that lying perdu among the innumerable plantations in our vast Southern and Western countries were a host of well-educated men peculiarly devoid of prejudice, who would gladly lend their influence to a really vigorous journal, provided the right means were taken of bringing it fairly within the very limited scope of their  ## p. 154 (#168) ############################################ I 54 THE AUTHOR. observation. Now, I knew, it is true, that some scores of journals had failed (for, indeed, I looked upon the best success of the best of them as failure), but then I easily traced the causes of their failure in the impotency of their conductors, who made no scruple of basing their rules of action altogether upon what had been customarily done instead of what was now before them to do, in the greatly changed and constantly changing condition of things. In short, I could see no real reason why a magazine, if worthy the name, could not be made to circulate among 20,000 subscribers, embracing the best intellect and education of the land. This was a thought which stimulated my fancy and my ambition. The influence of such a journal would be vast indeed, and I dreamed of honestly employing that influence in the sacred cause of the beautiful, the just, and the true. Even in a pecuniary view, the object was a magnificent one. The journal I proposed would be a large octavo of 128 pages, printed with bold type, single column, on the finest paper; and disdaining everything of what is termed “embellishment” with the exception of an occasional portrait of a literary man, or some well-engraved wood design in obvious illustration of the text. Of such a journal I had cautiously estimated the expenses. Could I circulate 20,000 copies at $5, the cost would be about $30,000, estimating all contingencies at the highest rate. There would be a balance of $70,000 per annum. -º-º-º-º- Are we really returning to our old love—fair Poesy P. It almost seems so. Edition after edition comes out of certain young poets—Le Gallienne, Norman Gale, John Davidson, and a few others. A few years ago they would have had to pay for the production of their verse. Now, it is to be hoped, the payment is on the other side. It may be that the editions are very small—anything else “may be ;” one thing remains certain—that there is a revival of interest in new poetry; new poets are talked about ; as for the standard of modern verse, that is certainly high ; it is to the credit of poets born in a less happy time that they have handed down the lamp trimmed and burning bright. Is it necessary, one would ask, always to speak of young poets as “minor poets P” Surely a great poet is not neces- sarily one who produces long poems. The young men do seem to confine themselves almost entirely to short poems; but if these short poems can be placed beside those of a “great '' poet, without suffering from the comparison, surely they them- selves must also be great. Certainly I have read poems by one young poet at least which seemed to me worthy of being placed beside anything. Miss Frances Power Cobbe, in her book of recollections, speaks of the limitations of literary influence. She was disappointed at the apparent failure of her books and papers—all of which had a purpose—to move the hearts of people. What are the limitations, if any, of literary influence # Carlyle, for instance, has had an amazing in- fluence upon the thought of the last fifty years. His only limitation was in himself. He had a message; he proclaimed it; then proclaimed it again and again in book after book. When he went outside that message nobody heeded him. Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe exercised an enormous influence over the whole English- speaking world. The reason was that her book was opportune; it came at a moment when every- body was thinking and talking of the slavery question. Sir John Seeley has exercised an enormous influence, first in placing old truths in new language, and next in making people realise the growth and the grandeur of the empire. The only limitation to his influence is himself. So long as he has a thing to teach, we shall listen. He gained that influence solely by showing in his books that he was a teacher. There is, in fact, no limitation at all to literary influence. It is only the first step that is troublesome. One has to persuade the world to listen, and one has to be provided with something to teach the world. This done, the rest is easy, and there is no bound whatever to the extent of the influence which follows. Of course, there is another point. The teaching must be adapted to the time and to the people. He who would preach Carlyleism in the eighteenth century would presently sit down with the sadness of one who feels that it really is no use going on. And if “Uncle Tom's Cabin’” had appeared in 1750, nobody would have read a work so low and grovelling. Then, if one is not a prophet, what is the good of advocating, preach- ing, or arguing P Because it is always useful to keep on teaching, however poorly or unsuccess- fully, the things that people should learn, because many things can only be taught by long and patient repetition, and by many teachers in different ways. And, again, no writer can estimate or learn the influence which his own work has possessed. Therefore, one may harm- lessly assume that it has been world-wide, and go on happy in that belief. =ººº- Another literary association. It is called the “Rose Club,” and it owns an organ called “The Briar Rose,” which appears every three months. Members are privileged to send in three papers every year for the editor's inspection and criti- cism. A critical notice of members’ papers will be published with every issue of “The Briar Rose.” Members lucky enough to be accepted are paid at the rate of two guineas for a story, and one guinea for an essay. The first number of “The Briar Rose” contains eighteen pages; two stories, two essays, and a poem. There are no critical notices in this number. The club is for women only.  ## p. 155 (#169) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 55 Whatever Mr. Welch, Librarian to the Cor- poration of London, says on the subject of Free Libraries must be received with attention. Therefore, the whole subject of Free Libraries being most important and most interesting, I have printed in another column the report of . his recent address as given in the Times. For my own part, I think he fails to recognise the enormous educational value of fiction. It is from novels that a very large section of the com- munity derives its ideas, its standards, its manners, its respect for literature, art, and science. The Free Libraries may have been founded on the conventional theory that every reader is a student. This is not so ; every tenth reader—perhaps every hundredth reader—is a student; the rest are reading for amusement. If Mr. Welch will look round the circle of his own acquaintance and friends, how many will he find who follow a hard day's work with a hard evening's study? Perhaps, none. Why, then, does he expect or hope to find this phenomenon among working people P. It is in the power of every library—it is the duty of every library—to keep out trash, whether in the shape of novels or any other kind of literature. But the theory that public libraries should be maintained for students alone cannot for a moment be allowed. They are educa- tional and they are recreative. It is quite as useful a function for the libraries to provide a hundred men of the working class with an evening's recreation as it is for them to find books of reference for half a dozen students. We must reserve until next month the autumn announcements of American books. This list, considered with care, will suggest many points of interest. At present one only may be noted— the proportion of English to American books. It is impossible to escape the conclusion that the Copy- right Act has given a great impetus to American work. While English work could be had for nothing, the American author in every branch was fatally overweighted. This obstacle removed, we begin to see what we expected—the great bulk of the literature of the States written by their own people, and only the exceptionally useful and popular authors of this country being published there. This proportion we may expect to find every year greater in favour of American writers. At the same time there will be found on both sides of the Atlantic a great and always increasing demand for the work of the first and best. An analysis in advance of the list shows the following numbers and comparative authorship : History, thirty-three works; seven by English writers, twenty-six by American. Biographies and Memoirs, thirty-four works; ten by English writers, twenty-four by American. General Literature, forty-eight works; fourteen by English writers, thirty-four by American. Poetry, thirty-four works; seven by English writers, twenty-seven by American. Fiction, seventy-seven works; twenty-one by English writers, fifty-six by American. Art and Music, thirteen works; four by English writers, nine by American. Travel, Adventure, and Description, thirty-three works; twelve by English writers, twenty-one by American. - Education and Text-book, eighty-five works; all by American editors and writers. Politics, Sociology, and Law, twenty-one works; five by English writers, sixteen by American. Theology and Religion, fifty-two works; sixteen by English writers, thirty-six by American. Science and Nature, thirty-six works; three by English writers, thirty-three by American. Mechanics and Engineering, twenty works; nine by English writers, eleven by American. Medicine and Hygiene, ten works; three by English writers, seven by American. Games and Sports, seven works; English writers, four by American. WALTER BESANT. three by SPRING TIME IN THE WIKING DAYS, NORWAY. SPRING and the sun are returning and winter is past; Aoi The bonds he has flung round the earth are loosened at last; Aoi Soft blows the breeze o'er the mountain tops, melting the Snow ; Swoln are the rivers and, foaming and frothing, they flow Seaward. Right weary are we of the land and it's, Oh For the creak of the wind in the cordage aloft, and the flap of the sale by the mast ! Aoi ! Seaward the breezes blow, bidding us idle no more, Aoi ! Curling and flecking with foam-flakes the wide ocean floor. Aoi ! Earth was our sojourn awhile, but the sea is our home. Hark! how he calls us on viking-cruise over the foam, As, surging and seething, he grinds at the beach. We will roam, And our longship no longer shall yearn for the waves, as she frets high and dry on the shore. Aoi Gather and run her down over the rollers of pine, Aoi ! Down to the foam-tossing breast of the welcoming brine. Aoi! Upward to clasp her he flings his white arms in wild glee ; Downward she plunges, till knee-deep we stand, with the sea Laughing and leaping and curling round ankle and knee. Oh! sweeter the smell of the salt sea-waves than the scent and the savour of wine ! Aoi ! From “Sagas and Songs of the Norsemen.” - By ALBANY F. MAJOR  ## p. 156 (#170) ############################################ I56 THE AUTHOR. FREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, N Thursday evening, Oct. 18th, a meeting of the Library Association of the United Kingdom was held at the Mansion-house, when a paper was read by Mr. Charles Welch, librarian to the Corporation of London, on “The Public Library Movement in London; a review of its progress, and suggestions for its consoli- dation and extension.” Mr. Richard Garnett, LL.D., presided, and delegates attended from numerous public libraries in the metropolis. Mr. Welch observed that it seemed at first that London would vie with the great municipalities in the kingdom in supporting free public libraries, when, in 1857, only two years after the passing of Ewart's principal Act, the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, united to establish a public library. Twenty-four years elapsed, how- ever, before another library was started, this time by the suburban parish of Richmond, to be followed by Twickenham in 1882. The year of her Majesty's jubilee gave a great impulse to what had then become a popular movement, and its subsequent progress inspired the hope that, in spite of the remarkable obduracy of certain parishes, the time was not far distant when every district of our great metropolis would enjoy the blessing of a well-stored library. Taking the whole fifty-four divisions of the county of London, they found that twenty-seven parishes, or divisions, had established public libraries, while twenty-six had hitherto declined to do so. In the remaining district, Southwark, the divisions of St. Saviour and Christ Church only had established libraries, the remaining parishes having, up to the present, held aloof from the movement. The City had been provided by the Corporation of Londom with an excellent reference library at Guildhall, and had also been furnished, by endowment from the City Parochial Charities Commission, with three other admirable institutions in Bishops- gate, Cripplegate, and St. Bride's, Fleet- street, to which extensive lending libraries were to be attached. With reference to the prejudices in London against the movement, beyond the question of any increase in taxation there was a stronger and more deep- seated objection, which was held very widely among men of culture and lovers of good litera- ture and loyal promoters of education. Their opposition was based, not upon the principle under- lying free library legislation, but upon its develop- ments as seen in the present condition and manage- ment of the public libraries throughout the country. Having quoted from the debates during the passage through Parliament of the measure for establishing free public libraries, he said he thought it would be clearly evident that the inten- tion of Mr. Ewart himself, and of his supporters in Parliament, was to provide for the education and intellectual advancement of the people and only in a subsidiary degree for their “innocent recreation.” At the request, however, of the editor of London, the librarians of seven- teen free public libraries in the metropolis made a return in April last, showing the classes of books read in the homes of the people. From this it appeared that the issue of fiction, as com- pared with other classes of literature reached a general average of 75 per cent., and in nine districts over 80 per cent. of the total issues. In connection with the management of the lending libraries established under the Free Libraries Acts in London, they were struck by the fact that the student had been ousted from his rightful place by the inordinate favour afforded to the demands of the general reader and the devourer of fiction. The principles of management which had made possible the statistics which he had brought under their notice had, he was convinced, alienated from the free library cause in every district the support of many friends of intel- lectual progress, and were at present a serious hindrance to the growth of the movement in the metropolis. Would it be too much to ask the novel reader to provide himself with the current fiction of the day and resort to the library for the masterpieces of fiction of the present and bygone times P Should Parliament be approached for permission to raise the limit of the library rate to 2d. (a course which he thought seemed most desirable), any such measures should undoubtedly be accompanied by a compulsory proviso that a definite proportion of the amount available for the purchase of books should be devoted to the pur- poses of a reference library. The present con- dition of the free library movement in London, and the erection of new libraries, which was continually proceeding in every district, suggested most strongly the need of some scheme for con- verting this aggregation of institutions into a systematic and harmonious system to provide for the needs of the metropolis as a whole. The popularity of the two existing free public libraries —those of the British Museum and the Guildhall —prove that similar institutions, placed in the midst of the homes of the people, would prove a boon of the highest kind. He felt most strongly that the present haphazard system in which our London libraries were growing up, owing to the different extent and circumstances of the various districts which maintained them, must end in confusion, perhaps (in some cases) in partial or complete failure; while, on the other hand, a well-considered scheme of mutual help and effort,  ## p. 157 (#171) ############################################ THE AUTHO/8. I 57 the details of which might well be evolved from a general conference of the metropolitan library authorities, would result in placing London in a position second to no city in the world in respect of facilities for literary reference and research. —The Times. *— — —” AUTUMN ANNOUNCEMENTS. M*: SAMIPSON LOW AND CO. announce twenty-five new books, to- gether with several new volumesin Low’s Half-Crown Series of Boy’s Books, and a half-a- crown series of famous books of travel. Among the new works are “The Life of J. Greenleaf Whittier,” by S. T. Pickard ; “Lord John Russell,” by S. J. Reid; “Strange Pages from Family Papers,” by T. F. Thiselton Dyer; and fourteen novels. The Clarendon Press announce forty-seven new works and editions. These are mostly works of scholarship and education. Among them is the final volume of “Realm of India,” “Russell Colvin,” by Sir Auckland Colvin ; two more volumes of Professor Skeat's edition of Chaucer; two more letters of the New English Dictionary; and Mr. Hastings Rashdall’s “ Universities of the Middle Ages.” Messrs. Rivington, Percival, and Co. announce thirty-three works, nearly all are educational. Among them is Canon Taylor's “Names and their Histories.” Messrs. Dent and Co. announce sixteen works, chiefly reprints and new editions. Among the new books are “Annals of a Quiet Valley in the Wordsworth Country,” by Mr. William Watson; “Overheard in Arcady,” by R. Bridges; and “Studies in Literature,” by Mr. Wright Mabie. Messrs. T. and T. Clark announce ten new works, all theological. Messrs. Ward, Lock, and Bowden announce twelve new books, besides a reprint of Henry Ringsley's novels, and a new volume of the Waverley novels. Among the new books is Mr. Douglas Sladen’s “On the Cars and Off”; Mr. Bertram Mitford’s “Curse of Clement Wayn- flete; ” and Mr. George Meredith’s “Tale of Chloe.” Mr. Elkin Mathews announces seventeen new books, chiefly essays and poems. Among the authors are Mr. Wedmore, Mr. Lionel Johnson, Mr. Selwyn Image, Mr. Dowson, Mr. A. Galton, Mr. S. Hemingway, Mr. Quilter, Mr. W. B. Yeats, Mr. Rothenstein, Mrs. Radford, Mr. Bliss Carmen, and Mr. R. Hovey. “Revolted Woman: Past, Present, and to Come,” is by Mr. C. G. Harper, Messrs. Bemrose and Sons announce two books. Messrs. W. Blackwood and Sons announce fifteen new books. Among them are three biographies and five novels, including two by Mrs. Oliphant, and the “Son of the Marshes.” Messrs. Allen announce nine new works, inclu- ding a book on the “Portuguese in India,” by F. C. Danvers; on “Buddhism in Thibet,” by Surgeon-Major Waddell; a Bengali Manual; new volumes of the Naturalist's Library; and two novels. Messrs. Bliss, Sands, and Foster announce mine books. There are two novels by Mrs. Caird and Miss Clementina Black; the continuation of the “History of the United States Navy,” and a book on Strikes. Messrs. Nelson and Sons have eleven new books, besides new prize books and atlases. The most important are Dr. Wright's book on Palmyra ; a new Concordance to the Bible, by the Rev. J. B. R. Walker; the “Voyages and Travels of Capt. Basil Hall,” and five stories. Messrs. Luzac have four learned works. Messrs. W. Andrews have seven works, mostly antiquarian. Messrs. Warne and Co. announce twenty-six new editions or new works, without counting many children’s books. Among the new editions are the Waverley Novels, “Cameos of Litera- ture,” which will be a reprint of Knight's famous “Half Hours with the best Authors; ”a new library edition of Wood’s “Dictionary of Quotations; ” a revised edition of Lears “Nonsense Songs and Stories; ” and four or five reprints of novels. Messrs. Jarrold and Sons announce eleven new books; additions to certain series; the “Green- back; ” “Elashes of Romance; ” and “Unknown Authors; ” uniform editions of the novels of Helen Mathers and Fergus Hume ; and their novels outside the series. Messrs. Skeffington and Co. announce fourteen books, of which twelve are religious. There are two novels. Messrs. Browne and Browne, of Newcastle, announce a “History of the Chartist Move- ment.” In the “Autumn Announcements” of our last number we attributed to Messrs. Chapman and Hall the production of fifteen new books. The  ## p. 158 (#172) ############################################ I58 THE AUTHOR. chairman of the company points out that they are producing thirty-one instead of fifteen new books. The mistake was caused by the “announcements” of that firm being entered in three different columns of the Athenaeum, of which only one was seen by our compiler. The complete list of thirty-one is exclusive of new editions, nor does it include reprints of “stock” books, such as Dickens, Carlyle, and Meredith, of which an unusual number are this year published. In the October number of the Author it was stated as remarkable that out of fifty-one books announced by the Cambridge University Press there should be not one mathematical or scientific book among them all. The mathematical and scientific books were in another list. There are twenty-four of them. Among them are the seventh volume of the collected Mathematical Papers of Arthur Cayley ; the Scientific Papers of John Couch Adams; a Treatise on Spherical Astronomy, by Sir Robert Ball; on Electricity and Magnetism, by Prof. Thomson ; on Hydro- dynamics, by Prof. Lamb; the tenth volume of a Catalogue of Scientific Papers, compiled by the Royal Society of London; the Practical Phy- siology of Plants, by F. Darwin and E. H. Acton; on a Practical Morbid Anatomy, by H. O. Rolleston and A. A. Kanthack ; on the Dis- tribution of Animals, by F. E. Beddard; on Physical Anthropology, by Alexander Mac- alister; and the Elements of Botany, by F. Darwin. In this and in the last number of the Author we have classified the announcements made in the Athenæum by various publishers of their autumn books. The list seems somewhat smaller than that of last year, which was to be expected from the general depression everywhere reported. At the same time not so much shrinkage in production as shrinkage in sales would be the first result of such a depression. Almost all the better known names are repre- sented in the list. For instance, of historians, Critics, travellers, philosophers, and antiquaries, we find the names of Canon Atkinson, Rev. Robert Burn, Justin McCarthy, T. F. Thiselton Dyer, W. Cunningham, Archdeacon Farrar, J. T. Jusserand, Dean Hole, Frederick Harrison, Pro- fessor Freeman, Professor Froude, Professor Gardiner, Canon Liddon, Max Müller, Professor Maspero, Henry Norman, Sir Frederick Pollock, Professor Flinders Petree, Bishop of Peter- borough, J. Addington Symonds, Sir J. R. Seeley, Leslie Stephen, Colonel Malleson, John Westlake, Robertson Smith, Professor Skeat, Canon Taylor, H. Traill. Among the novelists and poets there are, among others, Sir Edwin. Arnold, Mrs. Alexander, F. Barrett, Amelie Barr, Robert Barr, Walter Besant, William Black, Clementima Black, R. D. Blackmore, Marion Crawford, S. R. Crockett, Mrs. Caird, R. Bridges, Mrs. Charles, Sir H. Cunningham, Egerton Castle, Sarah Doudney, George du Maurier, Conan Doyle, G. M. Fenn, Baring Gould, Edmund Gosse, Dorothea Gerard, R. Lehmann, G. Meredith, G. MacDonald, Christie. Murray, John Oliver Hobbes, Anthony Hope, Mrs. Lynn Linton, Helen Mather, L. Pendered, W. E. Norris, Gilbert Parker, Standish O'Grady, “Rita,” Adeline Serjeant, G. A. Sala, Hesba. Stretton, Sarah Tytler, Stanley Weyman, Douglas Sladen, William Watson. - BOOK TALK, R. R. B. MARSTON'S new work on. “Walton and the Earlier Fishing Writers ” (Elliot Stock, The Book Lover's Library) will certainly add to his repu- tation as an authority on the literature of the angler, and will form an instructive companion to the magnificent edition of “The Compleat. Angler,” published by him some years ago. From A.D. 1420, when Piers, of Fulham, wrote a curious tract on the subject, through the works of Dame Juliana Berners, Leonard Mascall (pioneer of fish culture in England), Blakey, John Denny, Gervase Markham, William Lawson, and Cotton, down to the ever-famous work of “Old Izaak,” Mr. Marston takes his readers in the pleasantest manner possible. He tells us that the “Compleat Angler” was published originally in 1653 at the price of Is. 6d. What is a first edition worth nowadays P. It would appear that 3235 is about a fair figure, though as much as 33 IO has been paid. In 1816. a “first" could be bought for four guineas As Mr. Marston pointedly asks, “What will such a one be worth, say, in 1993 P” Not the least interesting feature of an extremely interesting work is the modest preface in which our author tells us something of his own early days as an angler, and of his youthful acquaintance with fishing writers. He also takes the opportunity of warning would-be collectors against spurious first. editions, of which he declares that there are many in the market, mostly “made in Germany.” Truly a charming work, and one deserving a place in every fisherman’s library. It is got up with great care on wide margined paper, and is a credit to the publisher by whom it is issued.  ## p. 159 (#173) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 59 In another column will be found certain lines taken from a new volume of verse by a new poet— Mr. Albany F. Major. The whole volume is full of strong and spirited verse. We have had plenty of verse in the minor key, let us welcome one who can sing of life in action and in battle, and in enjoyment of both action and battle. The little book is published by “David Nutt in the Strand.” A bard of a lighter kind is Mr. Anthony C. Deane, who has just republished, under the title of “Holiday Rhymes,” a collection of very sprightly verses, which have already appeared in Punch and many other papers and magazines. It is as pleasant a collection as one could wish. Mr. Deane can command laughter, which is a truly admirable gift; he is always cheerful and always genial; he can be sarcastic without the least discoverable touch of bitterness. Greatly to be envied is the man who can stand outside, look on, and laugh, and make even the combatants laugh. Even when Anthony Deane laughs at that sacred institution, the Author, he can laugh with a sympathetic light in his eye. Mrs. Spender's new novel, “A Modern Quixote,” has been published by Messrs. Hutch- inson in three volumes. The same publishers have issued a cheap edition, at 2s., of her last novel, “A Strange Temptation.” Mrs. Edith E. Cuthell’s one volume story—a yachting story—called “The Wee Widow’s Cruise,” will be issued by Messrs. Ward and Downey. Mrs. Cuthell has also written a chil- dren's story called “Only a Guardroom Dog.” which is to be illustrated by Mr. W. Parkinson, and published by Methuen and Co. Miss Clara Lemore's new novel—in three volumes—called “Penhala, a Wayside Wizard,” is now ready at all the libraries. It is published by Hurst and Blackett. Mr. Standish O'Grady’s Irish romance of the Elizabethan period, entitled “Red Hugh's Captivity,” will begin to run in the weekly Irish Times in January, 1895. “What is Education ?” Mr. Walter Wren asks (Simpkin and Marshall) the question, and answers it, giving his own ideas on the subject. Education is, to begin with, a thing personal. No man can be educated; he can be shown the way to educate himself, it depends upon himself whether he ever does become an educated man For instance, the first law of education is to notice things; things that you read, things that you hear, things that you see ; not to pass over things without understanding them. This then is education of the body, the mind, and the spirit. As regards the second. Education of the mind must do two things—(1) bring out, develop, and strengthen the powers of the mind, just as a proper course of training in games and athletics brings out and strengthens the powers of the body; and (2) it should teach useful know- ledge. These notes are worthy of expansion into a book. Before closing up his work on the old A.B.C. Hornbook which is to contain something like two hundred illustrations, Mr. Andrew Tuer, of the Leadenhall Press, E.C., asks to be favoured with notes from those who may remember the horn- book in use, or who may have in their possession examples which he has not yet seen Information about spurious hornbooks, from the sale of which certain persons are at present said to be reaping a golden harvest, is also sought. - John Gladwyn Jebb—Jack Jebb—was not born in the days of Queen Elizabeth, and he did not seek the Spanish Main with Drake. He was born fifty years ago, and he died last year. During his fifty years of life he had more adventures than any novelist would dare to invent—not even Rider Haggard, who writes an introduction to the Life of Jack Jebb. Indeed, one is astonished that the novelist did not lay hands on the MS., and bring it out with a few additions as a novel. The hero is wasted and thrown away in a mere biography. It is, indeed, an astonishing book, astonishing that in these days so much adventure and danger should be possible. There is still hope for the boy who desires the life of danger. Mexico lies open; and there is Central Africa. In the former the boy can follow the footsteps of Jebb ; in the latter, of Selous. Coulson Kernahan’s “Sorrow and Song” is a collection of essays originally written for the Fortnightly Review and other papers, and recast or re-written for this volume. They are papers on Heine, Rosetti, Robertson of Brighton, Louise Chandler Moultrie, and Philip Marston. Mr. Kernahan is the first writer, so far as I know, to draw attention to the beauty and purity of Mrs. Moultrie's verse. She has the rare poetic touch ; the thing that can never be imitated, or bor- rowed, or learned, or stolen. Of living American poets, Mrs. Moultrie stands in the first rank. There are not many, indeed, who are worthy to stand beside her. We neglect the American poets. Will Mr. Coulson Kinnahan undertake the pleasing task of presenting to English readers some who desire to be known in this country as well as their own P. Among these, for instance, are R. W. Gilder and Professor Woodberry, both of whom ought to be better known by us.  ## p. 160 (#174) ############################################ I6O THE AUTHOR. I recommend “Baron Verdigris” as a topsy- turvy book. The author describes it as a romance of the reversed direction. He shows, in fact, a new and hitherto undiscovered danger in applied mathematics. The book is calculated to confirm in their prejudice all that large class which does not like “sums.” Speaking as one who does like sums, especially when they are in “X” and “y,” I found the book diverting and ingenious, but was saddened by the reflection that I might my- self have made similar discoveries. It is said that the sale of “The Manxman” has reached the number of 45,000 copies. This is probably the highest number ever attained in this country in so short a time by a six shilling volume. It is, however, surpassed by the sale of “Trilby’’ in the United States. The number reached by “Trilby’’ is said to be 100,000. In the three-volume form, in which it has been judged expedient to produce it here, it is in great demand. The St. James's Gazette has discovered that “Adam Bede,” which enjoyed a similar measure of success, ran through 16,OOO copies in nine months. The terms offered by Messrs. Blackwood to its successor were: £2OOO for 4000 copies of three volumes, 3150 for IOOO at 12s., and £60 for IOOO at 6s. These terms, the St. James’s Gazette points out, amount to royalties of 20 to 25 per cent. To be exact, the royalties are 31%, 25, and 20 per cent. respectively. From the same paper we learn that Miss Wills, daughter of Dr. C. J. Wills, the author of “Persia as it is,” has written, from personal experience, a book on Eastern life called “Behind an Eastern Weil.” Mr. William Watson’s new volume will be called “Odes, and other Poems” (John Lane). William Westall, who is spending the winter at St. Moritz, in Upper Engadine, and may remain abroad for a year or two, has placed his literary interests in the hands of Messrs. A. P. Watt and Son, to whom all communications should be addressed. A short time ago a certain Swiss paper “ran’” “Josef im Schnei,” an old story by Auerbach, without making any preliminary arrangement with the publishers, or intending to pay for the serial use. But the publishers, getting wind of the piracy, demanded an honorarium of 200 marks, to which the proprietors of the Swiss paper demurred ; whereupon the publishers brought an action against them and obtained a verdict for 200 francs. The incident is note- worthy, as showing the advantages to authors and publishers of international copyright treaties. Only a few years ago foreign authors had no protection whatever in Switzerland, their works could be reproduced without let or licence, and Swiss newspaper proprietors were not slow to take advantage of the fact. Some of them still obtain their feuilleton matter surreptitiously from foreign sources, and are not always, as in the present instance, brought to book and made to pay. “In Furthest Ind,” by Sydney Grier (Black- wood and Sons), is a remarkable tour de force by a young writer, whose work has hitherto been confined to short stories for the magazines. It is a finely-conceived romance of travel and adventure in the latter half of the seventeenth century, as told by the hero himself in the very language, as it were, of his own day. Edward Carlyon, whose father fought and bled for Charles I., goes out to Surat as a “writer’’ in the East India Company’s service, and spends twenty years in India, during which he meets with many strange adventures, and has more than one hair's-breadth escape from a cruel death. Every detail of the story and its local surroundings seems to have been studied with infinite care, and worked in with due regard to the general effect. The interest is well sustained on the whole, and some, at least, of the characters—especially Dorothy —are really alive. And, as one reads on, one seems to discover in the author's style a certain grace and harmony of its own which, as in “Esmond,” count for much more than a clever masquerade. A story which ran as a serial through The King's Own is now to be issued in book form by Parlane and Co., Paisley, under the title of “Covenanters of Annandale.” The book will be beautifully illustrated with views of the haunts of the Covenanters in the hills and glens of Upper Annandale. A short story, by the same author, will shortly be published by Hunter and Co., Edinburgh, as a Christmas booklet. It is entitled “A Swatch o' Hamespun.” The author, Agnes Marchbank, has, at present, serials in the Ladies’ Journal, Scottish Reformer, and the Plough. A new serial from her pen will shortly appear in Word and Work (Shaw and Co., London). Brig. One of the most important of the illustrated books which Mr. George Allen contemplates issuing this autumn is the limited edition de luate of Spenser's “Faerie Queene’’ in large post quarto form, with illustrations by Mr. Walter Crane. It is to be published in monthly parts. It is a tale of Bothwell  ## p. 161 (#175) ############################################ THE AUTHOIR. I6 I CORRESPONDENCE. I. – Nov ELS AT PopULAR PRICEs. – WILKIE CoLLINs’ OPINION. N the interesting compilation of novels issued from the year 1750 to 1860—which appeared in September's Author — during the first forty-two years of this period the ruling price was 3s. a volume. In those days, them—when, if I mistake not, there was a heavy duty on paper, now taken off—this price must actually have compensated author and publisher. And as the cost of production must have been more then than now, with no monster circulating libraries existing, it must be presumed that the novels in those days had a large circulation, and were pur- chased by their readers. At present novels are borrowed and not bought, on account of their high price. As readers now must be greatly in excess of those in the eighteenth century, it surely must follow, as “the night the day,” that good fiction at 28., 2s. 6d., and 3s, a volume would reach the masses, who are forced to amuse themselves with penny dreadfuls. In the year 1883 I had a long correspondence with the late Wilkie Collins on the subject, and I transcribe one of his letters, which will prove interesting just now, when one-volume novels threaten to supersede those in three volumes. Your views on the question of publication have been my views for years past. I have tried thus far in vain to induce publishers to see the advantages (to themselves as well as to literature) of effecting a reform already esta- blished in all other civilised countries. I can do nothing by myself. I should be powerless for this plain reason, that my time and energies are wholly absorbed in writing my books. I can only wait and hope for the coming man who will give me my opportunity. The vicious circulating library system is unquestionably beginning to fail, and the recent issue of sixpenny magazines shows an advance in the right direction. ' ' ' f It is superogatory for me to comment on the opinion of this great authority. To my mind a popular book must always be a cheap book, in spite of a prevailing prejudice that what is cheap cannot be good. The circulation of a favourite work of fiction would increase a hundredfold if it could be bought at 2s. or 2s. 6d. Everyone does not belong to Mudie's, and the purchasers amongst the inhabitants of Greater Britain number legion, and our novels would gain in excellence and interest by being shorter and crisper. In fact, one might actually look forward to a time when the novelist will actually write a story without having any need to garnish it with interminable descriptions, dull moralisings, or tedious conversations, when, instead of writing a novel with a purpose, his only purpose will be to write a novel. ISIDORE G. ASCHER. II.--—“NEw.” One of a coterie of “new” authors has lately advanced the idea that the “incident’’ novel is a product of to-day; that to our medical author more than anyone else we owe the modern “incident” novel. It seems, too, to be received in the new school of critics that a certain quality of dry wit now in vogue is “new” humour. Are not both these crude ideas fallacies? We might easily speak of a still living giant to prove the error of these “new * ideas, but we will be content with the dead. Between thirty and forty years ago—about the time our “new” author alludes to as that when “incident " was bad art—a book burst on the public : a book which is still read, and which is and will be con- sidered one of the masterpieces of the century— “The Cloister and the Hearth.” Will any “new” writer be bold enough to advance the statement that this is not a novel of “incident P” It brims over with it; with that strong dramatic incident which thrills the reader. Here also may be found the “new” humour. You say “no P’ “Look else.” “He dearly loved maids of honour, and indeed paintings generally.” “Est ce toi qui l’a tu,” and what follows. But why particularise, the book teems with instances, of which the two mentioned happen to cross my memory first. Then incident . The fight upon the stairs with the Abbot and his gang, to pick out one amongst many; who can read this and his nerves not crawl? Was “Hard Cash,” with its pirate encounter, no book of incident P Or “It is Never too Late to Mend?” and do we not find the “new” humour flashing upon us from any one of these books? Ay! humour and incident too, yet so biended with scenes of touching pathos, and all else that goes to the making up of a novel, that each is a masterpiece. Is it necessary to mention Charles Kingsley and “Westward Ho; ” is “incident’’ wanting here * Would not any living writer be proud to have written that great chapter “How Amyas threw his sword into the sea P’’ Need we go further And yet we are to be told that because Thackeray and Trollope followed other methods, the “incident’’ novel is some new thing; the “incidentalist”, a new genius. We might go still further back towards the beginning of the century, and instance “Ivanhoe.” But enough. There is nothing, now, new under the sun any more than there was in Solomon's day. As in fiction so in music. Writers, even against their volition, plagiarise. So it is with the “incident’’ novel, and with the “new” humour. ALAN OsCAR.  ## p. 162 (#176) ############################################ I62 THE AUTHOR. III.-ARE THEY LosTP An acquaintance of mine sent some fifteen papers to a learned society now nearly four years ago, and from that day to this she has tried in vain to learn their fate. They were translations, and of their scientific value she was ignorant more or less ; but they had involved considerable labour, besides the writing of at least 20,000 words. It was not a question of money, as she knew that the society was too poor to pay, even if they thought the papers worth using. It was something like two years before she discovered the member in whose hands they had been placed. He informed her that a selection was to be made by himself and the editor of the quarterly in which the selected papers were to appear. Another interval, and towards the close of the third year two of the papers actually made their appearance, prefaced by a long introduction, from which it appeared that they were of some value. -- More months, more inquiries. Then five or six papers were returned without a word, and the remainder are—where P Nobody deigns to say. The publisher of the quarterly, who is in no way responsible, has kindly inquired for them more than once, but to no purpose. And yet one little post-card would relieve an anxious soul and settle the question of their fate. Are they lost, or burnt by accident, or committed to the waste-paper basket P Or—are they going to be used at the rate of two every four years P One would like to know, if only for curiosity’s sake; and the worst, however heartrending, would be better than prolonged uncertainty. Meanwhile, it is melancholy to reflect that some poor publisher might have been quite pleased to loring them out. & - IV.-SLIPSHOD ENGLISH. A correspondent (F. H. P.) writes to point out the following specimens of slipshod English in one number of an English magazine: “M. had succeeded to re-establish,” &c. “He eagerly pursues the aim to abolish.” “We advise to consult,” onitting the names or persons advised. “Have left definitely the country’ for “have definitely left.” - W.—ON CRITICAL AND EDITORIAL AMENITIES. I commit to paper, without fear or prejudice, my experience of the amenities of certain literary men in our boasted Nineteenth Century ! Aw premier, a well-known critic, after praising my poems, and including me in a list of the poets of the day, suddenly showed his teeth and refused to read my last volume of poems, or to answer my letters. And this without the shadow of a reason for his change of front; on the contrary, I always wrote most warmly and giate- fully to him for his kindness, as he must admit. Again, I sent, not long ago, a poem to a monthly magazine, and, not hearing of its fate, about a month later I sent the editor a post card inquiring about it. This post card was returned to me with “Refused,” written across it. Why? Once more, a ballad of mine was recently inserted in a certain journal, which had appeared in another periodical six years ago, and also in one of my books, but was never paid for. As this book had been recently reviewed in this journal, I naturally thought they would have seen it there. The acting editor, on finding that it had appeared before, asked me to explain. On my doing so, he not only refused my apology, but wrote very rudely to me, as I considered. So much for the gentlemanly feeling and courtesy of this acting editor | Yet, again, there is a certain gentleman quite free from “prejudice ’’—we have his word for it —who cut up a fairy tale of mine in a journal now extinct. On my writing a line to him to say that I had heard that certain persons were enchanted with the same tale, and that I felt sure he would be pleased to hear it, he simply returned the printed extract I sent him without a single word of any sort or kind. How manly and generous, and how like a gentleman this was Without prejudice, forsooth ! Again, the editor of a Radical evening country paper, for whom I have written many articles and poems gratuitously in days gone by, and others which were paid for, and who professed to value me as a contributor very highly, not only gave me no review of my last book of poems, but (though I wrote most courteously to him more than once) never sent me a line in reply These are only a few instances of the many discourtesies I have received. What must the shade of Thackeray (a true and courteous gentle- man) think of some of our modern editors P On the other hand, I would instance the Westminster Gazette, the Minstrel, Public Opinion, Fun, Vanity Fair, the Weekly Sun, and others as being most fortunate in having editors who are courteous and kind in the extreme. I may mention that the critic first referred to does notice books in the columns of a weekly journal, so he could have mentioned mine had he chosen to AN AUTHOR. [Our correspondent’s complaints, it seems to us, unless the facts are not all stated, may be  ## p. 163 (#177) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I63 answered offhand without reference to the editors referred to. For instance, (I) a critic may change his opinions and may not see the necessity of explaining at length why he has done so. (2) An editor must decline hundreds of papers every year, but it would be absolutely impossible for him to write his reasons to every contributor. (3) No journal likes to publish verses which have already appeared elsewhere. The writer should have stated the fact in sending the poem. (4) Next, a reviewer who has expressed an opinion on a book would certainly not change it because somebody else was said to hold an opposite opinion. (5) An editor might resent being asked for a review of a book. It is a pity that politeness is not everywhere observed towards contributors. But in the cases quoted our corre- spondent apparently complains without good reason. It is a common belief that an editor will consider unfinished, or half finished, work; that he will sit down and point out where a paper is deficient; that he will act as a judicious coach; that he will give his reviewer's written justifica- tion for his review. Let it be remembered that an editor can do none of these things. If our correspondent would consider the position of the editor, he would withdraw at once half the above complaints.—ED. *-- * ~ * r- - - NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, History and Biography. ATKINSON, REv. J. C. Memorials of Old Whitby, or Historical Gleanings from Ancient Whitby Records. Macmillan. 6s. met. BAKER, JAMEs. A Forgotten Great Englishman, or the Life and Work of Peter Payne, the Wycliffite. Illus- trated. The Religious Tract Society. 5s. BEAULIEU, A. LOREY. The Empire of the Tsars and the Russians, translated from the third French edition by Zénaïde A. Ragozin, Part II., The Institutions. G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 12s. 6d. CABINET PORTRAIT GALLERY. In five series, each con- taining 36 Cabinet Portraits of Eminent Men and Women of the day, from photographs by Messrs. W. and D. Downey, with Biographical Sketches. Series W. Cassell. 15s. CALVERT, ALBERT F. Western Australia : its History and Progress. Simpkin, Marshall. Is. CHURCH, S. HARDEN. Oliver Cromwell, a History. G. P. Putnam’s Sons. I2s. 6d. met. COBBE, FRANCEs Power. Life. Bentley. COINS AND MEDALs: THEIR PLACE IN HISTORY AND ART. By the authors of the British Museum Official Catalogues, edited by Stanley Lane-Poole. Third edition, revised. Elliot Stock. CONDER, EDwARD, JUN. Records of the Hole Crafte and Fellowship of Masons, with a Chronicle of the History of the Worshipful Company of Masons in the City of London. S. Sommenschein. 218. By Herself. 2 vols. COOPER, KING, LIEUT.-CoI., F.G.S. George Washington Chapman and Hall. 6s, CRAIK, HENRY. Life of Jonathan Swift. Macmillan. Ios. DöLLINGER. D.R. Addresses on, Historical and Literary Subjects (in continuation of Studies in European Second edition. History). Translated by Margaret Warre. John Murray. I48. EARDLEY-WILMOT, E. P. and STREATHFEILD, E. C. Charterhouse, Old and New, with four original etchings by D. Y. Cameron. Nimmo. FISCHER, R. Von. Lord Johan Fyssher. An Historical, Geneaological, and Heraldic Research. Treuenfeld, Ede, Dearberg, and Co. FISHWICK, LIEUT.-CoI2. HENRY. A History of Lanca- shire (Popular County Histories). Elliot Stock. 7s.6d. FROUBE, PROFESSOR. J. A. Life and Letters of Erasmus. Lectures delivered at Oxford. Longmans. 15s. GASQUET, REv. DR. F. A. Henry VIII. and the English Monasteries. Part III. Sixth edition. John Hodges. I 2S. GRIER, SYDNEY. In Furthest Ind: the Narrative of Mr. Edward Carlyon, of the Hon. East India Company’s Service. Edited, with a few explanatory notes. Black- wood. 6s. HALLAM, WM. Biographical Sketches. Sons. Is. HoDDER, EDw1N. John Macgregor (Rob Roy). Brothers. I58. HOLM, ADOLPH. The History of Greece, from its Com- mencement to the Close of the Independence of the Greek Nation. Translated from the German. In 4 vols. Wol. I., up to the end of the Sixth Century B.C. Macmillan. 6s. JEBB, MRs. Life and Adventures of John Gladwyn Jebb. With an Introduction by H. Rider Haggard. Portrait. Blackwood. Ios. 6d. KINGSTON, ALFRED. Hertfordshire during the Great Civil War and the Long Parliament, with Occasional Notices of Occurrences in Beds., Hunts., Cambs., and Essex. Elliot Stock. LAUGHTON, PROF. J. K. Defeat of the Spanish Armada (Publications of the Navy Records Society). Wol. I. Edited by. LEE, SIDNEY. Dictionary of National Biography. Edited by. Vol. XL.—Millar to Nicholls. Smith, Elder, and Co. LIDDON, CANoN. Life of Edward Bouverie Pusey. DD. Edited by the Rev. J. O. Johnston, and the Rev. Dr. R. J. Wilson. In 4 vols., Vol. ..., with portraits and illustrations. Longmans. I88. MASSON, FR£D#RIC. Napoleon at Home : the Daily Life of the Emperor at the Tuileries. Translated from the French by James E. Matthew. 2 vols. H. Grevel and Co. 28s. PASQUIER, DUC D’AUDIFFRET. Memoirs of Chancellor Pasquier. Edited by. Translated by Charles E. Roche. Vol. III., 1814-1815. Fisher Unwin. PIKE, LUKE Owen. A Constitutional History of the House of Lords from Original Sources. Macmillan. 12s. 6d. net. POWERSCOURT, Wiscount. Muniments of the Ancient Saxon Family of Wingfield. From the archives in the British Museum, College of Arms, and Records Office, Dublin, and from other sources. Privately printed. Mitchell and Hughes. Miners’ Leaders. Thirty Portraits and Edited by. Bemrose and Hodder  ## p. 164 (#178) ############################################ 16.1 THE AUTHOR. RALEIGH, WALTER. The English Novel, being a short sketch of its history from the earliest times to the appearance of Waverley (University Extension Manuals). Murray. 3s. 6d. RoBBINs, A. F. The Early Public Life of William Ewart Gladstone, with three portraits. Methuen. 6s. ROSE, J. H. The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Era— 1789–1815. Cambridge University Press. 4s. 6d. Bow BOTHAM, John F. The History of Rossall School. John Heywood. BICHEY, H. A. A Short History of the Royal Longford Milltia, 1793-1893. Edited and complied by. Dublin : Hodges, Figgis. SCHEIBERT, MAJOR J. The Franco-German War, 1870-71. Translated from the original German by Major J. A. Ferrier, D.S.O., R.E., and Mrs. Ferrier. Chatham Royal Engineers’ Institute, and Mackay and Co. 7s. 6d. STRACHAN-DAVIDSON, J. Cicero and the Fall of the Roman Republic. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 5s. THOMPson, REv. W. The History and Antiquities of the Collegiate Church of St. Saviour (St. Mary Overie), Southwark. Third edition. Ash and Co., Southwark- street, S.E. WILLIAMs, T. M. Welsh Members of Parliament, 1894. Illustrations by Will Morgan. Cardiff, Daniel Owen and Co. WILLIAMSON, GEORGE C. John Russell, R.A. With an Introduction by Lord Ronald Gower, F.S.A. Eighty- five illustrations. George Bell. 25s. net. Wols ELEY, Wiscount. Le Déclin et la Chnte de Napoleon. Paris, Paul Ollendorff. 7f. 50c. WRIGHT, THOMAs. The Life of Daniel Defoe. Cassell. 21s. General Literature. AGLEN, ARCHDEACON A. A Selection from the Writings of Dean Stanley. Edited by. Murray. 7s.6d. ARNOLD, SARAH L. Waymarks for Teachers. Gay and Bird. 5s. BADMINTON LIBRARY : ARCHERY, by C. J. Longman and Colonel H. Walrond. Large paper edition. Longmans. |BALDw1N, FRANCIS. The Old Churches of our Land. S.P.C.K. 3s. BARTLETT, JOHN. A New and Complete Concordance, or Verbal Index to Words, Phrases, and Passages in the Dramatic Works of Shakespeare, with a Supple- mentary Concordance to the Poems. Macmillan. 428. net. BERT, J. CHAILLEY. The Colonisation of Indo-China. Translated from the French by. Arthur B. Brabant. Constable and Co. 7s. 6d. BISHOP, J. BIRD, F.R.G.S. Among the Tibetans, with illustrations by Edward Whymper. Leisure Hour Library, New Series. R. T. S. 2s. 6d. BROADHOUSE, JOHN. The Art of Fiddle Making : A Practical Guide for Practical Men. Haynes and Co. Is. - BRYCE, A. H. The Works of Virgil (Bohn's Classical Library); A Literal Translation. G. Bell and Sons. 3s.6d. CLARK, D. KINNEAR. Tramways : Their Construction and Working, with special reference to the tramways of the United Kingdom. Second edition, rewritten and greatly enlarged. Crosby Lockwood and Son. COGHLAN, T. A. A Statistical Account of the Seven Colonies of Australasia. With maps and diagrams. Sydney, Charles Potter, Government Printer. Illustrated. CookE, M. C. Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms. 3s.6d. CRANE, W. L. The Word and the Way ; or, the Light of the Ages on the Path of To-day. Macmillan. 6s. S.P.C.K. CROWTHER, F. J. Provisional Orders of the Board of Trade in Reference to Gas and Water, Tramway, Pier and Harbour, and Electric Light Undertakings. By. Second edition. Jordan and Sons. 3s. 6d. DENNIS, JOHN. The Age of Pope. Bell and Sons. 3s. 6d. DIxon, CHARLEs. The Nests and Eggs of Non-Indigenous British Birds. Chapman and Hall. 6s. Dow DING, REv. CHARLEs. Tea-Garden Coolies in Assam. A letter from the Hon. J. Buckingham, C.I.E., with an in- troduction and an answer. Paper covers, Re. 1-8. Thacker. DOYLE, A. ConAN. Round the Red Lamp, being facts and fancies of medical life. Methuen. 6s. EGLINGTON, JOHN. Two Essays on the Remnant. Whaley, Dublin. Is. 6d. ELY, PROF. R. T. Socialism : An Examination of its Nature, its Strength and its Weakness, with sugges- tions for social reform. S. Sonnenschien. - TIREBAUGH, ELLEN, M. The Physician's Wife, and the Things that Pertain to her Life. London : F. J. Rebman. 6s. 6d. FRANKLAND, PERCY. Our Secret Friends Second edition. S.P.C.K. 3s. GARDINER, F. MARY. Furmishing and Fittings for every and Foes. Home. Record Press. GUIDE TO EMPLOYMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. New edition, rewritten. Cassell. Paper, Is. ; cloth, Is. 6d. HARPER, HENRY A. Walks in Palestine, illustrated by sixteen photogravures from photographs taken by Cecil W. Shadbolt. New edition, with a portrait and brief memoir of the late Cecil V. Shadbolt. R. T. S. Ios. 6d. BARRIs, GEORGE W. “The ” Practical Guide to Algiers. Fifth edition. George Philip. HASLEHURST, MRs. Notes for Addresses at Mothers’ Meetings. S.P.C.K. Is. HEARN, LAFCADIO. Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan. Two vols. Osgood. I6s. HEHIB. PATRICK. Opium : Its Physical, Moral, and Social Effects. Ballière, Tindall, and Cox. IRISH UNIONIST ALLIANCE : PUBLICATIONs. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis. JOHNSON, JAMEs. The Gothenburg System of Public House Licensing: What it is and how it Works. With preface by the Rev. H. Russell Wakefield and an appendix containing the Bishop of Chester's licensing proposals. Second edition. Church of England Temperance Society. Is. JOHNSON, LIONEL. The Art of Thomas Hardy. Lane. 5s. 6d. - RINGSLEY, HENRY. The Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn. Ward, Lock, and Bowden, Limited. 3s.6d. LEw Es, LOUIs. The Women of Shakespeare. from the German by Helen Zimmern. Brothers. 6s. LoPTIE, REv. W. J. The Orient Line Guide ; Chapters for Travellers by Sea and Land. Fifth edition, rewritten, Sampson Low. 38. 6d. Low, W. H. The Intermediate Text-book of English Literature. Vol. III. 1660-1798. University Tutorial Series. W. B. Clive. 3s. 6d. LUKIN, CAPT. H. T. Questions and Answers on Maxim Machine Gun. London : Gale and Polden. 6d. Vol. III. Translated Hodder  ## p. 165 (#179) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 165 MACGEORGE, G. W. Ways and Works in India. An account of the public works in that country from the earliest times up to the present day. Constable and Co. 16s. MACKESON, REv. CHARLEs. A Guide to the Churches of London and its Suburbs, for 1894-5. A. D. Innes and Co. 2s. 6d. MALDEN, H. E. The Life and Duties of a Citizen. Methuen. Is. 6d. MARSHALL, FRANCES AND HUGH. Old English Embroidery, its technique and symbolism. Horace Cox. Ios. net. MARSHALL, H. CALDER. Church Organisation, Accounts, and Audit : A Manual for the guidance of Churchmen and Nonconformists in the control, finance, and account- ing departments of Church work. Skeffington and Son. 3s.6d. MILLER, JoAQUIN. The Building of the Beautiful. Mathews. 5s. MORRIs, J. War in Korea : A brief treatise upon the campaign now in progress—its origin and probable results. Ward, Lock, and Co. Is. . - MURDOCH, W. G. BURN. From Edinburgh to the Antarctic : an Artist's Notes and Sketches during the Dundee Antarctic Expedition of 1892-93. With a Chapter by W. S. Bruce, naturalist of the barque Balaena. Long- mans. I8s. O'DONOGHUE, D. J. The Humour of Ireland, selected with introduction, biographical index, and notes. International Humour Series. Walter Scott. 3s. 6d. ON THE ART OF WRITING FICTION. By various authors. Wells Gardner, Darton and Co. 2s. 6d. O’RELL, MAX. John Bull and Co., the Great Colonial Branches of the Firm, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Frederick Warne and Co. 3s. 6d. PATERSON, J. D. By Dover and Calais. From early times to the present day. King's Arms Printing Works, Dover. 6d. PICKworTH, CHARLEs N. The Slide Rule. manual. Emmott and Co. Limited. 28. POLLOCK, LIEUT.-COL. A. J. O. Sporting Days in Southern India, being reminiscences of twenty trips in pursuit of big game, chiefly in the Madras Presidency. H. Cox. Elkin A practical I6s. net. PoDIOK, CoL. Incidents of Foreign Sport and Travel. Illustrated. Chapman and Hall. I6s. RAVENSTEIN, E. G. Report on Meteorological Observa- tions in British East Africa for 1893. Philip and Son. 6d. RONNER, HENRIETTE. Cats and Kittens; with descriptive text by Marius Vachon, translated from the French by Clara Bell, with thirteen full-page photogravure plates On India paper and numerous illustrations in the text. Cassell. 382 2s. - RUSSELL, JAMEs, D.D. Reminiscences of Yarrow. With preface by Professor Campbell Fraser. Edited and annotated by the late Professor Veitch. Illustrated by Tom Scott, A.R.S.A. Second edition. George Lewis and Son, Selkirk. 5s. net. SCOTT, EDWARD. Dancing. George Bell and Sons. 2s. SCOTT-MonCRIEFF, MAJOR G. The Royal Engineers' Field Service Pocket-Book. Royal Engineers’ Institute, Chatham. 8s. net STRETTON, HESBA. The Highway of Sorrow at the close of the Nineteenth Century. Cassell. 6s. TABLES RELATING TO LIFE SALVAGE ON THE COAST OF THE UNITED KINGDOM during the year ended June 30, 1894. Issued by the Board of Trade. Eyre and Spottis- woode. THE SHERMAN LETTERs, correspondence between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, edited by Rachel Sherman Thorndike, with portraits. Sampson Low. I6s. TIELE, C. P. Western Asia, according to the most recent discoveries. Rectoral address on the occasion of the 318th anniversary of the Leyden University, Feb. 8, 1893, translated by Elizabeth J. Taylor. Lazac and Co. 2s. 6d. TROTTER, LT.-COL. J. K. Map of Part of British and German East Africa, including the British Protectorate of Uganda, compiled in the Intelligence Division, War Office. Stanford. 3s. - WALDSTEIN, CHARLEs. The Work of John Ruskin ; its influence upon modern thought and life, with a portrait. Methuen. 5s. WELLs, LIONEL B. Map of Canals and Navigable Rivers of England and Wales. Second edition. Manchester, George Falkner. WHITEHEAD, C. B. Fruit Culture for Profit. S.P.C.K. IS. - WHITLEY, MARGARET, AND BULLEY, A. A. Women's Work, with a preface by Lady Dilke. Methuen. 2s. 6d. - WIEL, ALETHEA. Venice. “Story of the Nations ° Series. Fisher Unwin. 5s. WREN, WALTER. What is Education ? Simpkin, Mar- shall. Paper covers, Is. Fiction. ADAMS, MRs. LEITH. Colour-Sergeant, No. 1 Company. Jarrold. I2s. net. ADcock, A. St. John. An Unfinished Martyrdom, and other stories. Arrowsmith, Bristol. Is. ALLIES, T. W. A Life's Decision. Second edition. and Oates. 58. ANSTEY, F. Under the Rose: A Story in Scenes. Reprinted from Punch. Bradbury, Agnew and Co. 5s. ATKINSON, BLANCHE. The Real Princess. Innes and Co. s. 6d. Avrº HAROLD. The Orderly Officer. S.P.C.K. A. Z. A Drama in Dutch. 2 vols. Heinemann. 12s. BALFOUR, DR. G. W. The Senile Heart. A. and C. Black. S. Bºgouw. S. A Book of Fairy Tales. Retold with pictures by A. J. Gaskin. Methuen. 6s. BARING-Gou LD, S. Grettir, the outlaw. A story of Iceland. New edition. Blackie and Son. 48. BARRETT, FRANK. Out of the Jaws of Death. Cassell s. 6d. Barºn The Burglar's Accomplice. BELL. MARY. Primroses. S.P.C.K. BETTIson, REv. W. J. Old David Wright and Minnie's Burns S.P.C.K. Answer. S.P.C.K. BLACKWOOD, MRS. H. In a New World. Hurst and Blackett. Borlas E, SKIPP. Stirring Tales of Colonial Adventure. A book for boys. F. Warne and Co. 3s. 6d. BOWEN, E. J. The Adventures of Leonard Vane, an African Story. Hutchinson and Co. 5s. BRAMSTON, M. Their Father's Wrong. National Society. 2s. 6d. •. BUCHANAN, RoberT. Rachel Dene. A Tale of the Deep- dale Mills. Chatto and Windus. Ios. CAMPION, J. H. A. Dawnless Fate. Digby and Long. 68 CANNEY, E. H. The Land of the Dawning. Remington and Co.  ## p. 166 (#180) ############################################ I66 THE A UTHOR. CARRY, E. S. Can She Forgive. S.P.C.K. - CHARLEs, MRs. RUNDLE. A Story of the Days of St. Patrick and St. Leo the Great. S.P.C.K. 3s. 6d. CLARE, AUSTIN. One Step Astray. S.P.C.K. 3s. 6d. CLARKE, MRs. HENRY. James Godfrey’s Wife. S.P.C.K. 3s. 6d. CoLERIDGE, CHRISTOBEL R. Three Little Wanders. S.P.C.K. CoLLINGwooD, HARRY. The Cruise of the Esmeralda. S.P.C.K. 3s. 6d. CoopFR, J. FENIMORE. Deerslayer, or the First War- path. Blackie and Son. Is. 4d. CRADDOCK, C. EGBERT. His Vanished Star : a Novel. Chatto and Windus. 3s. 6d. * CRAwfor D, F. M. Love in Idleness. Macmillan and Co. 28. CRoCKETT, S. R. The Lilac Sunbonnet. Fisher Unwin. 6s. DANIELs, A. J. Told out of School; or, Humourous Yarns of School Life and Adventure. Cassell and Co. 38. 6d. DEAN, MRs. ANDREw. Lesser's Daughter. The Pseudonym Library. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d. DEBENHAM, MARY H. The Mavis and the Merlin, N. Society. 28. DEMAGE, G. A. Plunge into the Sahara. Sampson Low. I}UMAs, ALExANDRE. The Three Musketeers. With 250 illustrations. By Maurice Leloir. 2 vols. George Routledge. £2 2s. DUNBOYNE, LADY. Master Motyneux, a Tale. S.P.C.K. DYMOND, HAL. Lady Leola and I. A. Theatrical Novel. Thurgate and Sons. Is. EMERSON, P. H. Tales from Welsh Wales. Nutt. Escom BE, EDITH. Stucco and Speculation. Remington and Co. 3s. 6d. EUBULE-EVANs, A. The Young Pirates: A Story for Boys. S.P.C.K. EveRETT-GREEN, EvKI.YN. Afterthought House. 28. EvKRETT-GREEN, EVELYN. My Cousin from Australia. Hutchinson. 3s. 6d. EvKRETT-GREEN, EvžLYN. St. Wynfrith and its Inmates. Second edition. Jarrold. 3s. 6d. EvKRETT-GREEN, EvKLYN. Shut In, a tale of the wonderful siege of Antwerp in the year 1586. Nelson and Sons. 58. For DE, H. A. Across Two Seas: a New Zealand Tale, illustrated. Wells Gardner. 28. GIBERNE, AGNEs. By Hook or By Crook. S.P.C.K. GILCHRIsT, R. MuERAY. Hercules and the Marionettes. Bliss, Sands, and Foster. 5s. GOULD, MAT. Stuck up. Routledge and Sons. 6s. S.P.C.K. GRAVES, CLO. Maids in a Market Garden. W. H. Allen and Co. 3s.6d. HAGGARD, H. RIDER. The People of the Mist. Long- mans. 68. HAGGARD, LIEUT.-Col. ANDREw. Tempest Torn. Hutchinson. HENLEY, W. E. AND WHIBLEY, C. A Book of English Prose, Character, and Incident, 1387-1649, selected. Methuen. 6s. HENTY, G. A. The Heart of the Rockies, a Story of Adventure in Colorado. Blackie and Son. 58. HOARE, REv. E. N. Rick Railton’s Reconciliation. S.P.C.K. 3s. 6d. HoPE, ANTHONY. The God in the Car. 2 vols. Methuen. 2 IS. HOPE, ASCOTT R. Heroes in Homespun. Wilsons and Milne. 6s. LYSTER, ANNETTE. HUME, FERGUs. The Lone Inn : A Mystery. Jarrold and Sons. 3s. 6d. HUNGERFORD, MRs. Peter's Wife: a Novel. 3 vols. F. W. White. “IOTA.” Children of Circumstances, a novel. 3 vols. Hutchinson. JACKSON, ALICE F. Miss Bright's Guardian. S.P.C.K. JAMES, CHARLEs T. C. A Worker in Iron : a Fantasy. Gay and Bird. 6s. KEIGHTLEy, S. R. The Crimson Sign: A Narrative of the Adventures of Mr. Gervase Orme. Sometime Lieutenant in Mountjoy's Regiment of Foot. Hutchinson and Co. 6s. KENNARD, MRs. EDWARD. The Catch of the County. A Novel. 3 vols. White and Co. KENT-SPENDER, MRs. A Modern Quixote. Hutchinson andl Co. KER-SEYMER, G. C. The Black Patch : a Sporting Novel. Routledge. KESTON, MARGARET. Only a Lad. S.P.C.K. 28. KNIGHT, H. The Mystery of Stephen Claverton and Co. Routledge and Sons. 68. LANG, ANDREw. The Yellow Fairy Book. Edited by. Longmans. 68. LEE, M. AND C. Miss Coventry’s Maid; A Story for Girls. National Society. 2s. 6d. - LEMORE, CLARA. Penhala, a Wayside Wizard. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. 318. 6d. LESLIE, PENELOPE. Troublesome Society. Is. LowNDEs, C. S. A Heart of Gold. S.P.C.K. LOYD, LADY MARY. Her Own Folk. Translated from the French of Hector Malot. 2 vols. Heinemann. I2s. LYON, G. M. F. Absent yet Present. 3 vols. Digby and Long. 3 vols. Cousins. National Midshipman Archie. S.P.C.K. MACLAREN, JAN. Beside the Bonny Brier Bush. Second Thousand. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. MACSORLEY, C.M. A. Steep Road. S.P.C.K. MANVILLE-FENN, G. A Life’s Eclipse. S.P.C.K. MAN VILLE-FENN, G. The Wast Abyss: Being the Story of Tom Blount, his Uncles, and his Cousin Sam. S.P.C.K. MARKs, MRS. ALFRED. Co. 6s. MATHERS, HELEN. Story of a Sin. A novel. New edition. Jarrold. 38. 6d. MEADE, L. T. In an Iron Grip. A novel, 2 vols. and Windus. MEADE, L. T. Red Rose and Tiger Lilly. Cassell and Co. 3s. 6d. MEADE, L. T. The Medicine Lady. Cassell. 38. 6d. MITFoRD, BERTRAM. Renshaw Fanning's Quest. A tale of the High Veldt. Chatto and Windus. 3s.6d. MITFoRD, BERTRAM. The Curse of Clement Waynflete A Tale of Two Wars. Illustrated. Ward, Lock. 38. 6d. MoDEsworth, MRs. OLIVIA. A Story for Girls. Chambers. MooRE, F. F. The Two Clippers. S.P.C.K. 3s. 6d. MooRE, F. F. Under Hatches, or Ned Woodthorpe's Adventures. New edition. Blackie and Sons. 38. NEWMAN, MRs. E. John Maitland. S.P.C.K. 3s. NEw ELL, P. S. Topsys and Turveys. Number 2. Unwin. 3s. 6d. NORTH, VIOLET. biography. Southsea. David Pannell. Hutchinson and Chatto W. and R. Fisher The Innkeeper's Daughter: an Auto- Charles Quintin, 33, St. James’s-road,  ## p. 167 (#181) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 167 OLIPHANT, MRs. The Prodigals and their Inheritance. Methuen. 5s. 6d. ORDISH, F. FAIRMAN. The Camden Library : Early London Theatres. [In the Fields.] Illustrations and maps. Elliot Stock. 6s. PAULL, M. A. Led by Love. 3s. 6d. Hodder and Stoughton. PHILIPs, F. C. A. Doctor in Difficulties. Ward and Downey. Is. - PICKERING, EDGAR. In Press-gang Days. Blackie and Sons. 3s. 6d. PRICE, ELEANOR. C. John’s Lilly. Illustrated. Wells Gardner, and Co. 2s. 6d. PROTHERO-LEWIs, HELEN. Hooks of Steel. Third edition. Hutchinson. 5s. QUILP, JocFLYN. Baron Verdigris: A Romance of the Reversed Direction. With a frontispiece by Aubrey Beardsley. Henry and Co. 3s. 6d. RAND, REv. E. A. The Mill at Sandy Creek. 3s. 6d. REACH, ANGUs B. Clement Lorimer, or the Book with the Iron Clasps, with other stories. John Dicks. Paper covers, 6d. READE, F. E. Mrs. Heritage. S.P.C.K. 2s. READE, F. E. Patty Burton, or the Ninth Commandment. S.P.C.K. REED, TALBOT B. Kilgorman, a story of Ireland in 1798. T. Nelson and Sons. 6s. RODING, MARY. Paul’s Partner. Ross, PERCY. The Eccentrics, 31s. 6d. RUTHERFORD, MARK. Catherine Furze. S.P.C.K. In 3 vols. Digby, Long. Edited by his Friend, Reuben Shapcott. Fourth edition. T. Fisher Unwin. 3d. 6d. SALIK. A. King of Dreams and Shadows. Fisher Unwin. 58 SExTon, MAURICE J. Lillieville : a Tale of Adventure. Digby and Long. 6s. SHERER, John W. Alice of the Inn : A Tale of the Old Coaching Days. Second edition. W. H. Allen and Co. 6s. SHIPTON, HELEN. A. Hero's Experiment. S.P.C.K. SITwPLL, MRs. IsLA. Farmer Goldsworthy’s Will. S.P.C.K. 38. SMITH, CATHERINE E. Enchanted Ground. S.P.C.K. 2s. SMITH, CONSTANCE. A. Cumberer of the Ground. Methuen. 3s. 6d. - STACPOOLE, H. DE WERE. Dentley. STEPHENson, MARY. I and my Master. John Hodges. STOCKTos, F. R. Pomona's Travels. Cassell. 7s.6d. STREATFIELD, H. S. Winifred Leighton. S.P.C.K. STURGIs, H. Over ING. All that was Possible : being the Record of a Summer in the Life of Mrs. Sibyl Crofts, The Intended: a novel. I vol. Comedian. Osgood, M’Ilvaine. 6s. SwAN, ANNIE. S. A Lost Ideal. Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier. 3s.6d. TEMPLE, CRONA. As Between Man and Man: A Lancashire Picture. S.P.C.K. 2s. THORNE, ISMAY. Happy - go - Lucky. Innes and Co. 3s.6d. THoRNE, IsMAY. The Harringtons at Home. Wells Gardner. Is. 6d. TOLSTOi, Count LEO. Where Love is, there God is also ; and the Godson. Two stories. Walter Scott. 2s. TURGENEV, IVAN. A House of Gentlefolk, a novel. Translated from the Russian by Constance Garnett. Heinemann. Cloth, 38. net. WAUGHAN, G. E. M. Was it in Vain P WERNE, JULEs. S.P.C.K. Claudius Bombarnac. Sampson Low. 6s. WALFORD, L. B. The Matchmaker. 3 vols. WESTALL, WILLIAM. As a Man Sows. and Downey. WEYMAN, STANLEY J. My Lady Rotha : Innes and Co. 6s. WHISHAw, FRED. Boris the Bear Hunter; a Tale of Peter Longmans. 3 vols. Ward a Romance. the Great and his Times. Nelson. 3s. 6d. WINTER, John STRANGE. A. Born Soldier. F. W. White. 6s. WooDs, MARGARET L. The Vagabonds. Smith, Elder. 6s. WYLDE, KATHARINE. The Princess Royal : a novel. 3 vols. Bentley. WYNNE, ARCHDEACON. Crossing the Ferry, or From Old England to New Brunswick; a tale. S.P.C.K. 2s. Yong E, CHARLOTTE M. The Cook and the Captive; or Attalus the Hostage. National Society. 3s. 6d. Poetry and the Drama. BRADSHAw, JOHN. A Concordance to the Poetical Works of John Milton. Swan Sonnenschein. I2s. 6d. DEANE, ANTHONY C. Holiday Rhymes. Henry and Co. 3s.6d. DOBSON, AUSTIN. Coridon’s Song and other Verses from various sources, with an introduction. Macmillan and Co. 6s. ENGLISH PoETs : Selections, with Critical Introductions by various writers, and a General Introduction by Matthew Arnold. Edited by Thomas Humphrey Ward. Vol. IV. Wordsworth to Tennyson. Mac- millan. 8s. 6d. HAUPTMANN, GERHART. Hannele : a dream poem, trans- lated from the German by Wm. Archer. Heine- mann. 58. H. H. The Islet O'er the Sea, and other Poems. Second edition. Elliot Stock. LIND, ALEXANDER. A. Dream of the Sea, and Other Poems. Aſ Simpkin, Marshall. 2s. 6d. LOUGHRAN, EDWARD B. Neath Austral Skies, Poems. Melville, Mullen and Slade. 6s. MORRIs, HARRISON S. Madonna, Dent. 7s. 6d. NADEN, CoNSTANCR. Complete Poetical Works, with an explanatory foreword. Bickers and Son. 6s. SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. Works, edited by William Aldis and other Poems. Wright. Vol. XXV., Troilus and Cressida, 68. net. ; Wol. XXVI., Coriolanus, 6s. net. The Cambridge Shakespeare. Macmillan. TENNYSON, ALFRED, LORD. Complete Works. Mac- millan. 7s.6d. THOMAS, A. GoRING. The Swan and the Skylark, a cantata ; paper covers. Boosey. 2s. 6d. WALTON, ELLIS. Seven Love Songs and other Lyrics. Elliot Stock. Science and Art. BEDDARD, FRANK E. Animal Coloration : An Account of the Principal Facts and Theories Relating to the Colours and Markings of Animals. Second edition. S. Sonnen- schein. 6s. BRODIE, C. GoRDON. Dissections Illustrated. In four parts. Part III., The Head, Neck, and Thorax. Whittaker and Co. IOS. BROwn, JAMEs. The Forester. A practical treatise on the planting and tending of forest trees and the general management of woodlandestates. Sixth edition, enlarged. Edited by John Nisbet. Two vols. W. Blackwood and Sons.  ## p. 168 (#182) ############################################ 168 THE AUTHOR. CLARKE, DR. J. H. Homoeopathy, all about it; or the Principle of Cure. The Homoeopathic Publishing Com- pany. IS. CHOPE, R. R. Carols for Use in Church. The music edited by Herbert Stephen Irons and Arthur Henry Brown; with an introduction by S. Baring-Gould. Complete edition. William Clowes. EUROPEAN PICTUREs of THE YEAR. Being the foreign art supplement to the “Magazine of Art,” 1894. Cassell. Cloth, gilt, 4s. ; paper covers, 28. 6d. FLAMMARION, CAMILLE. Popular Astronomy: A General Description of the Heavens. Translated from the French, with the author's sanction, by J. Ellard Gore. With three plates and 288 illustrations. Chatto and Windus. I6s. GUY, A. F. Electric Light and Power. Biggs and Co. 58 HARRIson, JoHN. The Decoration of Metals : Chasing, Repoussé, and Saw-piercing. Chapman and Hall. 3s. 6d. HART, ERNEST. The Nurseries of Cholera : its Diffusion and its Extinction. Smith, Elder. 2s. HARTIG, PROFEsso R. R. Text-book of the Diseases of Trees, translated by Professor Somerville, revised and edited, with a preface, by Professor Marshall Ward. Macmillan. IOS. net. HovKNDEN, FREDERICK. What is Heat P A Peep into Nature’s most Hidden Secrets. Whittingham. I 5s. KAPP, GISBERT. Electric Transmission of Energy, and its Transformation, Subdivision, and Distribution. A practical handbook. Fourth edition, revised. Whittaker and Co. IOs. 6d. KAROLY, KARL. Raphael’s Madonnas and other Great Pictures, reproduced from the original paintings, with a Life of Raphael, and an account of his chief works. In I vol., with 53 illustrations, including nine photo- gravures. G. Bell and Sons. 21s. net. MARKS, HENRY. STACY Pen and Pencil Sketches. With four photogravure plates and 124 facsimile illustra- tions. 2 vols. Chatto and Windus. 32s. SARGENT, CHARLEs S. The Silva of North America; a description of the trees which grow naturally in North America, exclusive of Mexico. Illustrated with figures and analyses drawn from nature by Charles Edward Faxon. Vol. VI. Ebenaceae-Polygonaceae. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin, and Co. SAwF.R., J. CH. Rhodologia : A Discourse on Roses and the Odour of Rose. Brighton : W. J. Smith. 2s. 6d. SoLLY, R. H. An Elementary Introduction to Mineralogy. Clay and Sons. I58. WAN HEURCK, DR. HENRI. Photo-Micrography. English edition. Re-edited and augmented by the author from the fourth French edition, and translated by Wynne E. Baxter. Illustrations. Crosby Lockwood. WALMSLEY, R. MULLINEUx. The Electric Current : How Produced and How Used. With 379 illustrations. Cassell. IOS. 6d. WUNDT, WM. Lectures on Human and Animal Psychology. Translated from the second German edition by J. E. Creighton and E. B. Titchener. S. Sonnenschein. I58. YoFKE-DAVIES, N. E. Health and Condition in the Active and the Sedentary. Sampson Low. Law, BEwBs, W. A. The Law of Waste. Sweet and Maxwell. Bow EN, Ivor, and WARLEY, W. J. The Building Societies Act, 1894; with Notes and an Introduction. Also the Building Societies Acts, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1884. Butterworths. 4s. CHAND, HUK.M. A Treatise on the Law of Res Judicata; including the doctrines of Jurisdiction, Bar by Suit, and Lis pendens. Clowes, London; Green, Edinburgh. £2. CRAwFORD MUNRO, J. E. The Finance Act, 1894, so far as it relates to estate duty and the succession duty, with an introduction and notes. Eyre and Spottiswoode. DoDD, J. THEODORE. The Parish Councils Act Explained. Third edition. Horace Cox. Is. FREETH, EvKLYN. A Guide to the New Death Duty Chargeable under Part I. of the Finance Act, 1894. Stevens and Sons Limited. 7s. 6d. GRIFFITH, G. C. Stamp Duties Digest. Vacher. HARMAN, J. E. The Finance Act, 1894 (so far as it relates to the death duties). Stevens and Sons. 5s. HARRIs, R. A. Synopsis of the New Estate Duty. Clowes and Sons. 5s. LEGGATT, EUGENE. A Treatise on the Law of Charter- parties. Stevens. 25s. LELY, J. M. Statutes relating to Church and Clergy. Re- printed from the fifth edition of Chitty’s Statutes of Practical Utility. Sweet and Maxwell. LIGHTwoOD, J. M. A Treatise on Possession of Land. With a Chapter on the Real Property Limitation Acts, 1833 and 1874. Stevens and Sons. I 5s. MATHER, PHILIP E. A Compendium of Sheriff Law, especially in relation to Writs of Execution. Stevens and Sons. 25s. MOTHERSoLE, H. B. N. The Parish Councils’ Guide: Being the Local Government Act, 1894, together with an Introduction and Explanatory Notes. Third edition. revised to date. Jarrold. PARKER, F. Row LEY. The Election of Parish Councils under the Local Government Act, 1894. Knight and Co. 6s. WEST LAKE, JOHN, Q.C. International Law. IOS. WOOD, FRED. A Digest (Alphabetically Arranged) of the (a) Laws or Principles and (b) Practice of and in (1) Administrations, (2) Executorships, and (3) Trustee- ships. Horace Cox. I5s. net. Eleventh edition. Chapters on the Principles of Cambridge, University Press. Educational. LAWLESS, DR. E. J. First Aid to the Injured and Manage- .ment of the Sick ; an ambulance handbook and elemen- tary manual of nursing for volunteer bearers and others. Young J. Pentland. 3s. 6d. MEIssn'ER, MATHIAs. A New Practical and Easy Method of Learning the German Language. Twenty-third edition; entirely revised. Th. Wohlleben. NICHOLL, G. F. Manual of the Bengāli Language, com- prising a Bengāli Grammar and Lessons, with various appendices, including an Assamese Grammar. W. H. Allen and Co. 7s. 6d. POLAR, REv. J. E. A. Grammar and a Vocabulary of the Ipurinä Language. Vocabulary Publication Fund. No. 1. Kegan Paul. RoBERTSON, J. LogLE. A. History of English Literature, for secondary schools. Blackwood. 3s. SAYCE, PROF. A. H. A. Primer of Assyriology. R.T.S. SMITH, R. HoRTON. The Theory of Conditional Sentences in Greek and Latin for the use of Students. Macmillan and Co. 21s. STEDMAN, A. M. M. A. Vocabulary of Latin Idioms and Phrases. Methuen and Co. Is. 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. 05 Issue 06 (November 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 06 (November 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-11-01-The-Author-5-6 publication The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/271/1894-12-01-The-Author-5-7.pdf ae5281340fbad7e8b1f515a621eb21e2 PDF Text Text �������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1894-12-01 Volume 5 Issue 7 Pages Page range in volume 169–200 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18941201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CON DUCTED BY WALTER BES.A.N.T. VoI. W.-No. 7.] DECEMBER 1, 1894. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions eaſpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as earpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances showld be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *-* —” ,-- - -, WARNINGS AND ADVICE. I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT. It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.–In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £Io must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eaccept the cost of the stamp. 4. AsCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES TO BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an "VOL. W. arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.–Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CosT OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTs. – Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. 14, NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society's Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *-- - -* r- - --w HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY, I , VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member Q 2  ## p. 170 (#184) ############################################ 170 THE AUTHOR. has a right to an opinion from the Society's solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. - 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *- --" r- ºr ~, THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : I. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days' notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre - spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department" for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted ” has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to com- municate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. *- - -e a- - -º NOTICES. HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. - - Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £948. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth  ## p. 171 (#185) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 171 as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. . Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher’s own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-i- * ~ * g- > -s; LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—CANADIAN CoPYRIGHT. N Thursday, Oct. 18, a meeting of the sub- committee on Canadian copyright was held at 4.15 p.m. at the offices of the Incorporated Society of Authors, 4, Portugal- street, W.C. Mr. F. R. Daldy took the chair, and the other members were all present. The secretary read over the minutes of the former meeting, and they were signed by the chairman. Mr. Daldy then proceeded to give a statement of what took place during his visit to America and Canada. He informed the committee that un- fortunately he had arrived too late for the Ontario Conference, but that he had taken the opinions of a good many people in Canada, and, with the exception of a small ring of printers, he found that the people were ignorant of the steps that were being taken with regard to Canadian copy- right. In America, the opinion was very strongly opposed to the change in the law, and Mr. Daldy stated that he was informed on good authority that any such change as was suggested by the Canadians would be likely to prejudice American copyright in the British Dominions. Mr. Thring, the Secretary of the Society of Authors, confirmed this statement through a letter he had received privately from America. Mr. Daldy then stated that he had made a few observations on Sir John Thompson's report at the end of each paragraph, and he handed the members of the committee a copy of these observations, and requested that they would look carefully into the matter and make their own additions, so that at the next meeting the whole question could be finally gone into and settled. The meeting was then adjourned until the following Thursday to enable the sub-committee to study the report and formulate their reply. At two subsequent meetings of the sub-com- mittee an exhaustive answer to the report, taken paragraph by paragraph, was prepared, and also a covering letter, both of which documents were to be approved by the general committee and for- warded to the Government Department com- mittee. At a full meeting of the general committee, held at Mr. Murray's house in Albemarle-street, on Oct. 30, when Mr. Murray was voted into the chair, the report and covering letter were dis- cussed and finally approved, and it was resolved that they should at once be forwarded to the Colonial Office. It is hoped that at a later date the Marquis of Ripon will receive a deputation representing all the copyright interests. The committee of the Society will be careful that authors’ interests are adequately cared for on this deputation. II.-DEPUTATION ON CANADIAN CoPYRIGHT. Lord Ripon received at the Colonial Office, on Monday, Nov. 26, an influential deputation from the London Chamber of Commerce, and its four publishing trade sections, the Society of Authors, the Copyright Association, and the Printsellers' Association, which were represented by the following gentlemen: Mr. H. O. Arnold-Forster, M.P., Mr. E. M. Underdown, Q.C., Mr. Walter Besant, Mr. W. H. Lecky, Mr. G. Herbert Thring, Mr. F. R. Daldy, Mr. John Murray, Mr. T. Norton Longman, Mr. E. Marston, Mr. Edwin Ashdown, Mr. H. R. Clayton (Novello, Ewer, and Co.), Mr. Arthur Lucas, and Mr. A. Tooth. Sir ALBERT K. Ro1.1.1T, M.P., president of the London Chamber of Commerce, in introducing the deputation, expressed their thanks to Lord Ripon for the opportunity which had been afforded them of considering the despatch from Sir John Thompson, the Canadian Premier, demanding Imperial legislation which would explicitly confer upon the Parliament of Canada the power to legislate on all matters relating to copyright and to repeal the Imperial statutes in force on the subject. There was no feeling of hostility towards the Canadians on the part of the deputation; but while Canada had the right to legislate on those points which concerned her own printers and publishers, it was strongly felt that the proposed legislation was of a much wider character, and violated established principles upon which the whole copyright law of the empire had hitherto been determined. Prior to the Berne Convention the colonies were consulted, and each gave its consent to joining it. They therefore felt that this was an Imperial matter, and could not be satisfactorily dealt with on the lines suggested by Canada. They wished to protect literary property, in which the rights of authors and publishers, though not, perhaps, so tangible  ## p. 172 (#186) ############################################ I 72 THE AUTHOR. as in the case of trade marks, were nevertheless quite as real, and the violation of which would involve injustice to them. Besides these con- siderations, the feeling with regard to the Canadian Act of 1889, which Sir John Thompson desired her Majesty’s Government to assent to, was that if it were passed it might create a precedent the effect of which would be almost unlimited. Mr. E. M. UNDERDown, Q.C., said the Canadians appeared to take the view that Imperial copyright infringed the rights of certain publishers in their country. There was no question as to copyright being property, and a most valuable one, and it seemed impossible to realise at this time of day that any nation should desire to disregard the rights of that property. It was to be regretted that the United States should have attached a manufacturing profit as a condition of copyright, an example which was sought to be followed by one of our own colonies. He was afraid they must characterise Sir John Thompson's demands as a pure attempt to further a particular trade—the Canadian re- printers—and he saw no reason which would justify her Majesty's Government in breaking away from a convention affecting the whole of the Empire. France, as a member of the Berne Convention, might also have cause of complaint because two millions of the Canadians were French and spoke that language. They should jealously guard the principle of copyright as property. Mr. WALTER BESANT pointed to the present condition of literary property in the English- speaking countries, and the effect which would be produced by such changes as were contemplated by the Canadians. They had at last succeeded, after fifty years of struggle, in obtaining from the United States an Act granting international copyright. By that Act they had obtained the protection of their works from piracy; they could bring them out in America, just as they did here; they could make arrangements and agreements with American publishers just as they did here with English publishers, and American authors had equal rights in this country. So what was ours became theirs by legal contract, and in the same way what was theirs became ours. We must remember that the new condition of things made the literature of the whole English-speaking world a common possession. It was an enormous possession. It was the possession of I2O million people, and as education spread and more readers came in every year—more by hundreds of thousands—it would become far more important for all concerned. Therefore it was above ail things necessary to watch over and guard with the utmost jealousy those newly-acquired rights. From the author's point of view the question was most serious, Where the foreign author had no rights he became a most deadly rival to the native author, because he could be produced for nothing. The American authors had only ceased to suffer from this cause during the three years since the Act was passed. They were already showing the increase of vitality and strength which was to be expected when they could com- pete with English authors on fair terms. Again, great as was the audience of our own Empire, the American audience was greater still. In a very short time, when the American publishers had settled down to the new conditions, a popular English author would find his best audience in the States. If, however, Canada had a separate Copyright Act of her own, what would happen? The separation of Canada from the States was by a long and imaginary frontier. It was impossible to keep Canadian books out of the States, or books printed in the States out of Canada. Then would begin again the old miserable game of cheap reprints vying with other cheap reprints. The American proclamation which gave English authors copyright would be torn to pieces. The piracies would go on again. Once more the Americans would publish our books for nothing. American authors who were now enjoying the new system which allowed them open competi- tion with each other and with British authors on fair terms would fall back upon the old state of things in which they used to compete against the book got for nothing. Worse still, all the old bitterness and recriminations would be revived. The question was, in short, should a country of five millions be allowed to wreak all this mischief and wrong upon a world of 122 millions in order to enrich two or three publishers by underselling the Americans? Mr. H. R. CLAYTON said that musical com- posers and publishers were specially affected by copyright questions. While the fact of there being 2,OOO,OOO French-speaking Canadians was important, the language of music was universal. The music publishers had availed themselves to a large extent of the Canadian Copyright Act of I875, which authorised the exclusion of American editions, but in spite of that they could not keep them out. He specially addressed himself to Sir John Thompson’s arguments in regard to the collection of authors’ royalties, and pointed out the great difficulty of collecting them. Sir John had suggested that English publishers preferred the American to the Canadian market; but the fact was that it was impossible to divide the two. Mr. F. R. DALDY said he had had an oppor- tunity while in America this year of consulting the  ## p. 173 (#187) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 73 American Authors’ Association and the leading publishers, and he found that the feeling against the Canadian view was such that the American Minister in this country had been requested to ascertain officially what course Great Britain intended to adopt. It was declared that to accede to Canada’s request would more than jeopardise the President’s proclamation. What they said was, “We have given you a great boon; we gave it to you on the faith of the statements of the British Government that the copyright privileges which you gave us would run through- out the British dominions.” The difficulty of collecting the authors’ royalty under the proposed Act would be almost insuperable, especially in connection with stories passing through periodi- cals and newspapers, or even given away gratis. Mr. H. O. ARNOLD-TORSTER, M.P., concurred with previous speakers, and pointed out what would be the consequences if other parts of the Empire were allowed the privileges sought by Canada. The MARQUIs OF RIPON, in reply, said they would not expect him to give any opinion on the question at the present time. He was very glad to receive the deputation, because it was his duty to hear both sides. Sir John Thompson was now in England, and he proposed to have a full dis- cussion with him at the earliest opportunity; but he was anxious, before he entered into that dis- cussion, to hear the views of such important bodies as those which were represented by the deputation. Of course they would understand that the desires expressed by one of the great colonies were entitled to the most serious con- sideration of the Imperial Government, while, on the other hand, that the Government was bound not to overlook the interests of persons to whom the world was so much indebted as the repre- sentative authors and publishers who formed that deputation. He had no hesitation in pro- mising them that the views that had been expressed, and which might be expressed on the other side, would receive the serious consideration of her Majesty's Government.—Times, Nov. 27. III.-CAPE TOWN COPYRIGHT. T. Some change in the Cape copyright law, as it affects the sale of books, is an imperative neces- sity, and we trust that steps will be taken to make the desirable amendment without the loss of another session. Under the present law the sale of pirated editions of books is not prohibited, and, consequently, unscrupulous booksellers are able to do a lucrative business in this unholy traffic of men's brains, The existing law is a farce, and it would be interesting to ascertain what purpose the Legislature sought to serve by it. The Customs levy a special duty of 20 per cent. On foreign reprints of British copyrighted works, half of the proceeds to go to the owner of the copyright. We have never known of any account of this curious impost being rendered to the public, or of any list of remittances to authors being published. But supposing the system to be fully carried out, see what an inane system it is. A copyright work of Ruskin's is worth let us say, Ios. It is kept out of the colony by the substitution of a pirated edition at Is. 6d. We levy one shilling, and send sixpence out of it to Mr. Ruskin to compensate him for the loss of sale of a Ios. book on which the author's profit—Mr. Ruskin is generally his own publisher--would be no small part of the price. Nothing could be simpler than to prohibit alto- gether, as in the United Kingdom, the importa- tion of pirated books, photographs, or pictures. Nothing less will prevent what may be seen in Cape Town windows to-day — the unblushing vending of pirated matter. If nothing else will avail, let us invoke the great name of Imperial Federation in aid of reform. — Cape Argus, Wednesday, Oct. 17. II. Since our remarks appeared in Wednesday’s issue on the above matter, we have ascertained that the 20 per cent. ad valorem duty levied by the Customs on foreign reprints of British copyright books and music amounted in the years 1892 and 1893 (according to the Statistical Register) to the magnificent total of £17 and £27 respectively, and that not half but the whole thereof is gene- rously distributed among the owners of the copyright—in number some dozen or score of persons or firms. We also learn that this 20 per cent, duty is levied on the value of the pirated editions themselves, costing in America often no more than a few cents. per volume, so that instead of Ruskin receiving, as his share, 20 per cent. on the value, Ios., of one of his books, that is—2s., he would actually receive no more than 2O per cent. on the American cost of, say, 20 cents. Of the pirated volume, or 5 cents.-a truly tuppenny ha'penny kind of compensation. It is a marvel that such a state of things has been tole- rated so long. It may also well be questioned whether the Customs really secure the payment of the 20 per cent. duty on all copyright works that enter the Colony. In fact we do not see how they can, unless they search through every case imported from Europe and America, which in prac- tice is impossible; nor would importers stand it and at the same time they would be required to have the titles of everyone of the thousands of  ## p. 174 (#188) ############################################ I 74 THE AUTHOR. copyright works at their finger ends.-Cape Argus, Friday, Oct. 19. IV.-PHOTOGRAPHIC CoPYRIGHT. (Before Mr. Justice CoILINs, without a jury.) ELLIS v. OGDEN. Mr. Alfred Ellis, the plaintiff in this action, is a well-known photographer in Baker-street. The defendants, Messrs. Ogden, Smale, and Co., are the publishers of the Ludgate Monthly. The action was brought for an injunction to restrain the defendants from publishing certain photo- graphs, taken by the plaintiff, in their magazine, and for damages. There appeared for the plain- tiff Mr. Scrutton ; and for the defendants Mr. Ruegg. Mr. Scrutton, in opening the case, said that the persons the publication of whose photographs was complained of were Mr. Harry Nicholls and Mr. Charles Kenningham. Both of these gentle- men were well-known actors, and, at the request of the plaintiff, they (at different times) went to his studio to be photographed in character. There was no suggestion of payment. At the end of each sitting Mr. Ellis asked them to sit in plain clothes. This they did. They received copies of all the photographs taken, as a present, and each of them had subsequently bought copies of the plain clothes photographs, for which they had paid “reprint” prices. Mr. Nicholls had sent one of these to the Ludgate Monthly, and it had been published in a number containing an article upon him. Mr. Scrutton referred to section I of the Copyright (Works of Art) Act of 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. c. 68), and maintained that on those facts the copyright in these photographs was the property of the photographer. Mr. Ellis gave evidence in support of the above facts, but Mr. Nicholls and Mr. Kenningham were both called by Mr. Ruegg, and they stated that it was they who asked for the plain clothes sitting. They went with the intention of being photographed on their own account when the character photographs were finished. The plain clothes photographs sent them previous to those paid for they regarded merely as proofs. Mr. Ruegg argued that these photographs were not, as were the character photographs, taken by the photographer for himself, but they were “made or executed for or on behalf of another person, for good or valuable considera- tion ” within the words of the above-mentioned statute. The learned judge said that he had before him a pure question of fact. Looking at the evidence, he had no doubt that the account given by Mr. Nicholls and Mr. Kenningham was correct. It was really not material who first suggested the plain clothes sitting. These gentlemen went to the studio intending to take the opportunity of being photographed in plain clothes. They were so photographed, they received proofs, and they paid for copies. Nothing was said or done to give the copyright to the plaintiff, Judgment must be for the defendants, with costs.—Times, Nov. 16, 1894. W.—ELLIS v. OGDEN—OPINION OF Counse:L. I write on the assumption that the Author will contain a report of the case of Ellis v. Ogden, recently tried before Mr. Justice Henn Collins. In that case a theatrical celebrity, having gone to a photographer to be taken in costume, was also photographed in plain clothes, either at his request or at that of the photographer, was subsequently presented with copies of his portrait, and later on bought others; and the question at issue on the trial of the action was whether the copyright in the portrait so produced belonged to the photographer, or whether it became the property of the sitter, the photograph having been “made or executed” on his behalf “for good or valuable consideration.” In the case before him, and from the facts given in evidence, Mr. Justice Collins drew the conclusion that the photograph was so executed as to give the celebrity in question the copyright in it. No doubt the learned judge was right; he had, according to the Times, conflicting testi- mony before him, and he believed one side and not the other. What I venture to question is the justice of the dictum attributed to him in the Times report that “It was really not material who first suggested the plain clothes sitting.” I venture to submit to you, and to your readers, that it is absolutely material who makes the first proposal in such a case. To put it broadly, I say that one of two things happens. Either the celebrity says (in substance) to the photographer, “Take me and give me copies of my portrait, and you may sell other copies as your reward,” in which case the former employs the latter and acquires the copyright; or the photographer says to the celebrity, “Let me take you and sell copies of your portrait, and I will give you copies of it as your reward ;” in which latter instance I submit that the photographer employs the celebrity as a sitter; or purchases permission to photograph him, and so should acquire the copyright in the production. If I am wrong, does not the following anomaly result P. A photographer takes a “snap shot ” at a celebrity without “by your leave or with your leave,” and thereby gets a picture of which he will own the  ## p. 175 (#189) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 75 copyright. Another photographer who takes the same celebrity, but courteously asks permission first, and in acknowledgment of it presents some copies to the sitter, loses thereby the copyright in the picture he takes; that is, he loses it, if the inference of fact in his case follows the lines of Ellis v. Ogden, and that will be the case if the question “Who first suggested the sitting P” is disregarded. In any case photographers will do well to get agreements drawn and submit them for signature to celebrities who visit their studios before they proceed to take their pictures. E. A. A. VI.--THE Cost of PRODUCTION. A paper appeared on Nov. 3rd in a penny weekly on the production of novels. It took the form of an interview with a publisher, and it presented all the appearance of a genuine inter- view with an honourable man ; that is to say, not one who falsifies his accounts or charges for advertisements for which he has not paid. In the course of this interview the question of cost arose. The following is the publisher's estimate:— The book contains 482 pp., crown 8vo., pica type. The cost for composition, printing, and paper would be £68 IOS., author's corrections extra; binding, 319 15s. per IOOO copies; blocks for binding, 383 Ios. On referring to our own “Cost of Production,” we find the figures come out as follows:– £ s. d. Composition—3 I sheets, at 19s. 6d. a sheet ... ... 29 I4 9 Printing, at Ios. 5d. a sheet 16 2 II IPaper & © º 24 16 O Binding . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 I I O £IOI 14 8 We shall have to revise our “Cost of Pro- duction.” Our estimate for such a book is £IOI 14s. 8d. Compared with £9 I I 5s., the pub- lisher's estimate. The secretary also reports that he has had in his hands estimates the items of which were much below those in our volume. WII.-A LETTER FROM I)R. JoHNSON. The New York Critic (Nov. Io, 1894) pub- lishes, under the heading of the “Boston Letter,” by Mr. Charles Wingate, a hitherto unpublished letter by Dr. Johnson. It was sold by Messrs. Puttock and Simpson in the year 1886 and was bought by an American. The following is tendered by Mr. Wingate as a correct copy:— “SIR,--I will tell you in a few words, what is, in my opinion, the most desirable state of copy- WOL. W. right or literary property. The Authour has a natural and peculiar right to the profits of his own work. But as every man who claims the protection of Society must purchase it by resign- ing some part of his natural right, the Authour must recede from so much of his claim, as shall . be deemed injurious or inconvenient to Society. It is inconvenient to Society that a useful book should become perpetual and exclusive property. The judgment of the Lords was therefore legally and politically right. But the Authour's term of his natural right might without any inconvenience be protracted beyond the term settled by the statute, and it is, I think, to be desired : “I. That an Authour should retain during his life the sole right of printing and selling his work. This is agreeable to moral right and not inconvenient to the publick. For who will be so diligent as the Authour to improve the book, or who can know so well how to improve it P “2. That the Authour be allowed by the present Act to alienate his right only for fourteen years. A shorter time would not procure a sufficient price, and a longer would cut off all hope of future profit, and consequently all solicitude for correction or addition. “3. That when after fourteen years the copy- right shall revert to the Authour, he be allowed to alienate it again only for seven years at a time. After fourteen years the value of the work will be known and it will be no longer bought at hazard. Seven years after possession will therefore have an assignable price. It is proper that the Authour be always invited to polish and improve his work, by that prospect of recovering it which the shorter periods of alienation will afford him. “4. That after the Authour's death his work should continue an exclusive property, capable of bequest and inheritance, and of conveyance by gift or sale for thirty years. By these regula- tions a work may continue the property of the Authour, or of those who claim for him, a term sufficient to reward the writer without any loss to the publick. In fifty years far the greater number of books are forgotten and annihilated, and it is for the advantage of learn- ing that those which fifty years have not destroyed should become bona communia, so to be used by every scholar as he shall think best. “In fifty years almost every book begins to require notes, either to explain forgotten allusions and obsolete words; or to suggest those dis- coveries which have been made by the gradual advancement of knowledge, or to correct those mistakes which time may have discovered. “Such notes cannot be written to any useful purpose without the text, and the text will fre- I&  ## p. 176 (#190) ############################################ 176 THE AUTHOIR. Quently (?) be inspected while it is any man’s property. “I am, Sir, your humble servant, “SAM JOHNSON.” *– ~ *-*. - - - THE “NET’” SYSTEM. T has been decided by the Committee to ask the opinion of every member of the Society upon the great and important change pro- posed by certain publishers in their dealings with booksellers. It is to be hoped that every member will take the trouble to consider the question, and will forward his opinion to the Secretary. Mem- bers will, of course, understand that it is a question very materially affecting their interests. It has been, so far, suggestive that the approval, or the opinion, of authors on the subject has not even been mentioned. Certain publishers are writing about it, the rest prudently abstain ; certain book- sellers hold one opinion, others hold the contrary. No one seems to consider that the opinion of the persons who should be principally concerned is worth the trouble of asking or inquiring. The following letters are submitted as containing the views of three out of the four parties concerned in the proposed change. The first two are written by authors of repute ; the “Publisher ” belongs to a very important house; the booksellers are what they represent themselves to be, dependent upon the business which they carry on. T.—FROM AN AUTHOR. I am very glad to hear that the committee propose to ascertain the consensus of opinion among members of the Authors’ Society on the question of “met” prices. I presume that a general meeting will be held for the purpose. The very decided opinion which I myself enter- tain on the matter has two grounds. In the first place I hold that all such restrictive interferences with freedom of contract are inevitably mis- chievous in the end; and, in the second place, I hold that the particular restriction now sought for will be detrimental alike to authors and to the public. Those authors who have not carefully con- sidered the question might, I think, not unfitly be guided by the decision which authors arrived at in 1852. If at that time, after inquiry and consultation, it was decided by a number of leading authors, literary and scientific, that the system of fixed prices from which no discounts were allowed was detrimental to them, the con- clusion that such a system, if now re-established, would be detrimental, is at any rate a highly probable one; for there have, so far as I know, taken place no changes which may be supposed to make the conclusion held valid in the one case invalid in the other. But it need not take long to form an inde- pendent judgment. There is often an irrational cry against middlemen, though middlemen are, in the majority of cases, very useful persons. But in all cases middlemen must be kept in order. They, of course, pursue their own interests, and, if allowed, will satisfy those interests at the expense of those they serve. This is obviously the case with the middlemen who constitute the various classes of the book trade as with all others. On the face of it, therefore, any proposal of change made by them must be looked upon with great suspicion. That a disadvantage is threatened in the present case will at once be seen when the essen- tials are divested of all details. It is contended that retail booksellers must have greater profits assured to them. These greater profits must be at the cost of some among the several parties concerned. At whose cost then P Those con- cerned are the writers, the readers, and the several classes of traders who come between them. Of these classes of traders one is to have greater gains. Will these greater gains come from the other classes of traders ? Will the publishers, for instance, sacrifice part of their profits for the benefit of retailers ? Certainly not. They can practically make their own terms, and will sacrifice nothing, if they do not even take a share of the extra gains. Will the sacri- fice be made by the wholesale bookseller? It is unlikely; for he, too, has power in his hands to make his own bargains, and can take care he does not lose by the change. There remain then the public and the authors, one or both of whom must suffer a loss that the retailers may gain. That the public will suffer a loss is clear, if the discounts now made from advertised prices are denied to them; for it is absurd to suppose that advertised prices will be lowered to balance the absence of discounts. If that were done publishers would gain nothing. Clearly, then, the loss would be borne directly by the public. But eventually a loss would also be borne by the authors. It is impossible that the prices of books can be raised to buyers without to some extent restricting the sales. “This book is advertised at 12s.,” says the buyer to the retailer. “That is too much ; I must go without it.” “But,” says the retailer, “you can have it for 9s.” “For 9s., you say. I can afford 9s. You may let me have it.” Conversations of this kind, or thoughts corresponding to such conversations, must be of  ## p. 177 (#191) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 177 continual occurrence. Obviously, therefore, if discounts are given many more copies of a book are sold than would be sold in the absence of dis- counts, and of course diminution in the number of copies sold is diminution of the author's profit, though the rate of profit remains the same. Alike, then, on our own behalf and on behalf of the public, we are, I think, bound to oppose the attempt to establish “met ’’ prices. -->e--> -- II.-FROM ANOTHER AUTHOR. The question must be considered from four points of view. 1. That of the book-buying public:— At present the buyer obtains all books for cash at a reduction of 25 per cent. For a book advertised at 6s. he pays 4s. 6d. In fact, it is with books as with everything else, a large discount has to be made in selling them. It is now proposed that no discount at all shall be allowed. It is not proposed, however, that a book now published at 68, shall be published hereafter at 4s. 6d. It is only stated that a book which would have been published at 7s. 6d. will in future be published—say, at 6s. It has also been suggested that the 6s, book shall henceforth appear at 5s., without any discount at all. In other words, the immediate effect upon the public will be to raise the price of books. It is a time of trade depression, likely to become worse. Is it probable that the public will continue to buy what they can do without, when the price is raised ?. It does not seem probable. Again, there are only a certain limited number of people who can afford to buy books or anything else outside the mere necessaries of life. Between them they can only afford to spend a certain amount of money every year on books. The amount varies somewhat from year to year with good years and bad years, but there it is. If the price of books is raised the amount spent every year will perhaps be the same, but the number of books bought will be less. Who is benefited, therefore ? Another way to comsider the subject is this: For many years we have been gradually diminish- ing the price of books; this diminution has been helped by the discount bookseller; people have become accustomed to the cheapness of books; they are attracted by their cheapness; they are becoming, as their means allow, a people of book buyers. But if the books which are cheap become dear, the growing spirit of book buying will receive a check that may throw us back for years. And there is no doubt that the desire of the promoters of this movement is to make books dearer than they are, "WOL. W. 2. From the author's point of view :— Since the first effect of the change will be to increase not only the price to the public, but also the price to the bookseller, the author will have to revise his system of royalties, or his method of sale should he sell his book outright. This may be a gain to him. But if fewer books are sold on account of these high prices, the change may be a loss to him. It will be for him personally to decide whether he will consent to an application of the “net ’’ system to his own work. 3. From the publisher's point of view:— He will undoubtedly gain on every book. But will he dispose of so many P This doubt will probably make many publishers hesitate before they adopt the hard and fast “net” system. One may also ask why, seeing that of all trades publishing is the most lucrative, its followers should not be satisfied with what they have, and forbear the risk of losing it in the hope of getting Ill Ol’62. 4. From the bookseller's point of view:— We may leave the booksellers to regulate their own business. But there are one or two points, apart from those urged above, which should make them hesitate. They will undoubtedly, like the pub- lisher, gain something on each book sold. But will they sell so many ? And if their customers are going to get no discount for cash, will they not decline to buy at all P A shrinkage of the trade will most certainly follow the adoption of the “met ’’ system, whether it will be perma- ment shrinkage or not remains to be seen. And who is to prevent a bookseller from giving dis- count P No one. It will be impossible to prevent him. He may not advertise the fact, but he will have to do, and then the bookseller will be in the pleasing position of paying more and getting less. At present he pays, probably, 38, 7#d. apiece on taking a dozen copies of a 6s. book. He sells them at 4s. 6d. each. There is a profit of Io; d. on each. If the 6s. book were reduced to 5s. net, he would give the publisher, say, 3s. I Id. for it, and would sell it at 5s. Increased profit, 2#d. But the discount would inevitably come in. The customer who has always before had 25 per cent. will not be contented with less than 15 per cent., or 9d, on each book, which he carries off for 4s. 3d. Decreased profit, 3d. Another consideration is the fact that by this change, if it is effected, the bookseller becomes the slave of the publisher. Books are put into his hand which he is to sell if he can at a certain stipulated price. There is no longer left any elasticity of trade, any freedom, any enterprise. Every bookseller will become a mere clerk, distri- buting and collecting. | R 2  ## p. 178 (#192) ############################################ 178 THE AUTHOR. In whatever way the change may work, there can be no doubt that trade restrictions are injurious, oppressive, and must in the long run be broken through. Meantime great mischief may be done to author, bookseller, and the book- buying public. III.-FROM A PUBLISHER. The question of net prices is far more important to the bookseller and to the author than to the publisher. To the majority of the booksellers the matter is one of life and death, of existence or extinction; but the publisher can accommodate himself, more or less, to this or any system. The matter has been sufficiently threshed out in the newspapers for every business man, at least, who has read the articles and correspondence, to understand the financial and trade bearings of the question; I need not, therefore, trouble your readers with a repetition of these details. It is, perhaps, well to state that the free-trade principle is hardly involved on either side of the question. It would be if the price of a book under the discount system were not a purely fancy and artificial price, fixed by the author through his agent, the publisher. In other words, the price of a book is not necessarily settled by the cost of production, as the price of tea, coffee, wheat, or other natural productions is fixed. It is fixed arbitrarily, at present, at a higher figure than the mere cost of production and the expectation of a fair profit would justify, in order to meet the tremendous reduction which the existing artificial discount system and the ordinary and concurrent trade allowances make compulsory. The buyer, therefore, who thinks that he gets his book cheaper because he gets an enormous discount reduction is under a delusion. He gets it neither dearer nor cheaper. He does not buy a commodity under cost price—which, of course, is economically impossible—he only gets an artificial reduction on a commodity whose price has already been artificially raised. The argu- ment, therefore, of a writer in a leading news- paper, who signs himself “Free Trader,” that the discount system helps the reader to cheap books, is fallacious. It is founded on an entire economical misconception of the facts. The present system of selling books was no doubt an excellent system when conditions were quite different to what they are now. The net system, which it is sought to substitute for it, is an attempt to replace a system which has become antiquated by one which is in every respect consonant to the doctrines of economical science. The selling price will, if the net system be introduced, be nearer the figure representing the cost of production than it now can be, and, what is of infinite importance to author, publisher, and reader, it is a system by which the average bookseller can make a fair living. In this lies the crua of the question. The present discount system is killing out the small bookseller. Some of the very large firms in the trade thrive by it, for reasons that are obvious enough to commercial men, and, of course, one great firm that holds the railway monopoly thrives by the system, but it is extinguishing the country bookseller. Mr. Collier, of the very im- portant firm of Stanford, of Cockspur-street, in the course of a recent interview in the Daily Chronicle, stated that, approximately, some 200 country booksellers survive out of I2OO that did business in books some twelve or fifteen years ago. This is a most pregnant fact. It means simply this: that twelve or fifteen years ago an author, without spending a penny in advertise- ments, could, through a strong publisher, bring his wares into the hands of the reading public through 1200 channels. This for a good book might easily mean the sale of a handsome edition. Now all books—good, bad, and in- different—mustincura preliminary expense of from £15 to £60 in advertisements, simply in order that they may be known. It is a direct loss of so much in money to the author, and it is, of course, an indirect loss, to be counted in hundreds and thousands of pounds, to the publisher; but to the booksellers—to the majority of booksellers— it is worse than loss—it is ruin. That is why publishers wish for the ending of a system which is interfering with their best and cheapest channel of distribution. All other objections to the discount system are feeble in comparison to this one : that it is pushing out of existence the tradesman who is acting as distributing agent to the author. - IV.-FROM A DISCOUNT BOOKSELLER. I think it is Mr. Andrew Lang who has a “pet growl" that no bookseller knows his business. I have the misfortune to have a shop in a main thoroughfare in London, and had I ten times the amount of brain even of Mr. Andrew Lang I should not be able to know, to remember anything like, the names of a part only of the books that exist. I wish Mr. Andrew Lang would take my place for one week, to listen to the hundreds of books that are asked for daily, and to which at least 60 per cent I have to give the negative answer, that I have not got the book in stock. After the week's experience I think Mr. Andrew Lang would have a better opinion of booksellers. There can be no question but that all the grievances of both the bookseller and the publisher lie in the fact that  ## p. 179 (#193) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I 79 there are a very great deal too many books pro- duced. If we booksellers could turn over our stocks once a week, like the butchers and the bakers, or once a month, or even once a year, we should have no cause to complain that, after giving 25 per cent. discount to the public off the published price of the book, it does not leave us a living profit. I buy my books so that I am quite con- tent with the profit I make even after selling them at 3d. in the Is. discount. “A London Book- seller,” writing in the Athenæum on Nov. 17th, says, “That it gives no pleasure to the bookseller to sell his books at a discount of 25 per cent., or any other per cent. ; his gorge rises at it.” Rather, my gorge rises when I sell a book at its net price, because I know I am not selling in the cheapest market, and that my customer, when I tell him the book is issued at a net price, and no discount is allowed, is incredulous, and doubts by his manner that I am making a larger profit. No Englishman likes to be “dome.” If you go into a chemists, or grocers, or anywhere, and buy an article marked at Is. for Is., and passing along the street see in another window the exact article marked at Io;d., you feel you have been “had " or “dome,” and your gorge rises at it, and you mentally determine not to patronise that first shop again. It will be the same with this net system in the publishing of books, which, I regret to see, so many booksellers are inclined to hail as a salvation of their business. They will find, as “An Author’’ writes in the Athenæum of Nov. 24 “that the unforeseen always occurs,” so that their last state will be worse than their first. To be despotically told by the publisher that such and such a book is published at Is. net, and if you sell it below that price you shall not have any other of his books, is a system of tyranny that cannot be quietly submitted to. W.—FROM A RETAIL Books ELLER. That the present movement for the introduction of books published at net prices and the abolition of all discount is decidedly retrogade, and instead of having the effect of placing the new book trade on a firmer basis will prove the indirect means of making it worse than ever, as everyone who thinks of the matter seriously will own, as the public, finding they cannot get their books from the bookseller (who is the middleman) at a less price than the publisher will supply them, will naturally write direct to the publisher to have the book they require promptly sent to their homes post paid, quicker and much more ex- peditiously than their bookseller would deliver it. Publishers who are most in favour of the net system state that a book now published, say, at 7s. 6d. net would, under the old system, have been issued at IOS. This, I fear, is not the case. It is merely said to delude the public. Take the following instance, and see whom this extra profit benefits. Recently a book was issued by Professor Drummond called “The Ascent of Man,” and which is published at 7s. 6d. net. The bookseller has to pay 6s. 3d, net for every copy; thus he makes a profit of Is. 3d. Under the old system the book would have been 7s. 6d., subject to 25 per cent, discount=5s. 8d., and would have been bought by the bookseller at 5s. 4d., thirteen copies as twelve, and a discount of 5 per cent. On settlement of his quarterly account. This would make its net cost 4s. 8d., giving a profit to the bookseller of Is., which is quite as much as he can expect. Now, under the old system the bookseller gets Is. profit, sells his book more readily, and satisfies his customer, who knows he is buying in the cheapest market (which is itself an indispensable consideration). Under the met system the bookseller gets Is. 3d. profit (3d. more) and does not satisfy his customer, who imagines he is not buying at the cheapest market, and goes away doubting and dissatisfied. On the other hand, the difference to the publisher is very considerable, under the old system he gets 4s. 8d. net from the bookseller, under the net system he gets 6s. 3d. net, which is Is. 7d. more in his pocket. Undoubtedly the publisher would like such a system established, which all goes to enrich him, unless the author demands a share of the plunder in the shape of increased royalties, which are rightfully his. Again, in these days of excessive competition, will the public tamely submit to this increased price on their books P Certainly not. Already many publishers are sending their printing, &c., to the continent. Messrs. Nester, of Nuremburg, have so successfully competed with all English producers of children's colour printed and other books, that they have practically ousted all others from the field, and have this especial market entirely in their own hands. What then is to prevent (if all books are to be published at net prices) some energetic continental firms printing and flooding the English market with cheap editions of non-copyright books, &c., and by their success, which will be indisputable, they will be able to approach our English authors and pro- duce copyright books in such a way as to upset the whole system of publishing. Our publishers may find their headquarters for the production of English books will be in Berlin rather than London. Under these circumstances would it be wise for us booksellers to sell our books at published prices P Decidedly not; the more discount given,  ## p. 180 (#194) ############################################ I8O TIIB, AUTHOR. the cheaper the books are offered to the public, the brisker will be the trade, and the better for everyone. VI.—FROM A LoNDON Books ELLER. That certain books may with advantage be issued at net prices, such as professional and technical books and books of a special character, for which there can be no large demand, every bookseller will I think agree, but it is much to be regretted that any bookseller should be in favour of the abolition of all discount for cash purchases. Until very recently there was a great outcry against the Civil Service, and Army and Navy, and kindred stores marking not only books, but goods of every kind, down so that by very serious competition to all small traders it was said that their “occupation was gone,” and they would have to shut up shop; time has shown that these stores have built up enormous businesses by simply supplying their goods at the lowest remunerative prices for cash payments. Their motto has been the very true one of “small profits and quick returns,” and now the booksellers of both London and the country at large are clamouring for higher prices, the abolition of discount, and that all books be published at net prices, and such prices strictly adhered to, whether their customer come into their shop cash in hand, and pays for and carries away his purchase, or has the purchase booked to his account, which he pays quarterly or half yearly, &c. Why, it is in direct opposition to all the principles of business: the cheaper you can sell your books, the more discount you offer to the public, the greater will be your turnover, and the better it will be for publisher, author, and bookseller, because for both publisher and bookseller the more copies of a book sold, even at a low profit, will pay better than few copies at a higher profit, and will cause the public to buy with more confidence and with brisker demand; and the better for the author, because the greater the number of copies sold the more royalties he will receive. The present state of the trade is not to be much in- proved, a bookseller can give 25 per cent. discount and then have quite as much profit (in fact much more than many trades) as he can reasonably expect; but it is not this question of discount that cripples the bookseller and makes him find his trade so unprofitable, it is the great multi- plicity of books that are published, and conse- quently the tremendous stock he has to keep ; in no other trade has so much capital to be invested in stock, and much, alas ! dead stock. The book is subscribed to him by the publisher, he has to use his own judgment if it will take, he may order seven copies to get the half copy, or thirteen to get the odd copy. If the book takes, and goes off readily, he has to buy many other dozens, but for one success there are how many failures; the bookseller sells six or nine of his dozen copies, and the rest remain on his shelves, taking up much room and increasing stock in a decidedly undesirable manner, thus he finds year after year his stock growing, and every day, especially at this season of the year, scores of new books coming out, and of which he must take a certain proportion of the known authors into stock, so that he finds all his capital and profit has to be put into his stock, and he cannot make any head- way in improving his position in the world. This, I cannot help thinking, is the real cause of the dissatisfaction of my brother booksellers, not the question of discount; sell your books as cheaply as you can, and sell as many copies as you can, is my advice to all booksellers. Neither publisher Inor author can do without us, the very best adver- tisement a book and its author can have is to be “on view º' on the shelves of every book shop in the kingdom, where the public can take it down and look at it ; it is half the sale. Sell cheaply and avoid met books is my advice. > * r3 NOTES AND NEWS. R HALL CAINE has very kindly sent me his recent address delivered before the Philosophical Institution, Edin- burgh, on Nov. 17, with permission to use any part of it for this paper. The pressure on our limited space prevents any use of it in this number, but I hope to avail myself of Mr. Hall Caine's permission next month. It is impossible to know or to ascertain the reasons which guide a Prime Minister in his award of pensions in the Civil List. We will suppose that, unlike most of his predecessors, he is anxious to administer the grant in the interests of literature, science, and art, and not to foist upon the list widows and daughters of the Naval, Military, and Civil Services, for whom provision should be made elsewhere. It is true that an unfortunate clause—“ and other persons who may be worthy of Her Majesty's bounty’— or words to that effect, seems to justify the placing of all the world on this list; but the fact remains that the grant was intended for literature, science, and art, and that the claims of persons belonging to these three branches of intellectual effort must precede all others. Now here is a case which has recently  ## p. 181 (#195) ############################################ THE AUTHOIR. I81 been laid before Lord Rosebery. A petition was sent in to him signed not numerously, but by a dozen names commanding, one would think, respect and consideration. The petition was in favour of an old man, a very old man. He is eighty- five years of age : he has been working all his long life on literature. Fifty years ago a book was pub- lished by Charles Knight on some of the many aspects of Tondon. It was a huge book in six royal quarto volumes ; the book is a classic ; it has survived to the present day; no one who reads about London at all can afford to do with- out this book. Exactly half of it was written by this man. How many of us expect to be read in fifty years time? Again, he has written novels. Of his novels three or four survive, and are still in demand after thirty or forty years. How many novels iive for thirty or forty years? Can you, dear reader, conceive a case more loudly calling for a place upon the Civil List P Again, I say, that we know not what other cases there were under the consideration of Lord Rosebery. Whatever they were, it is clear that they were even more worthy of assistance than this case, because he has written through his secretaries to say that he will give this man nothing. It is worth noting that the letter signed by the twelve men and women of letters received no acknowledgment, and that the secretaries did not think it necessary to inform these people of the result of their unfortunate letter. These are the courtesies which the literary class are accustomed to receive from officials. Who are they P Literary chaps. Take no notice of them Modern Poets.—It seems quite a long time since we heard of a certain poetical journal, or treasure house of poetry, brought out monthly. It was formerly The Poets' Magazine, then it became Lloyd’s Magazine, after the name of the proprietor, Mr. Leonard Lloyd. It has now become Modern Poets, but the proprietor does not inform us whether the life of his magazine has been continuous, or interrupted by intervals of sleep, or, as it is a poetic magazine, of trance. However that may be, Modern Poets now appears quarterly; and if “sufficient good poetry and prose are received to fill its pages” the magazine is to appear monthly. The really attractive feature—that which separates the paper, and distinguishes it from commoner journals—is that while such mean spirited magazines as the Con- temporary, or Longman's, actually pay con- tributors—hire the poor degraded wretches—this magazine expects its contributors to pay the editor. Noble creature He will be hired by his contributors; in the interests of literature he will dare all and endure all. Every contributor, therefore, sends up a form signed. It is thus conceived: Sir, Wishing to contribute to your magazine, I send you M.S. entitled and in the event of its acceptance for an appearance in your next number I agree to purchase — dozen copies of the magazine (Signed) An appearance in this magazine will, doubtless, be highly prized by the contributor. Fifty dozen at least, at sixpence, which is £15, is not pay too high for a magazine article. One has heard of £50. Let the contributor value his article himself, and order as many dozen at sixpence each as will amount to that sum. In another place will be found a few observa- tions on the proposed “Net” system. It is very much to be hoped that all members will forward to the secretary their opinion and their reasons. The two points which seem to concern authors most are (I) whether the adoption of the “Net” system would materially raise the price of books; and (2) whether the rise in prices would not so far check the sale of books as to counterbalance any advantage gained by an increase in price. There are other questions, such as the danger of interfering with the great advance made during the last few years by the public as buyers of books; the danger of interference with the course of trade; the danger of making the bookseller a mere mechanical distributor—in other words, of con- verting what used to be a centre of literary information into a railway stall; and the doubt whether a “Net’ system can ever be enforced— in other words, whether the bookseller would not go on as before giving discount for cash. Mr. Sherard sends word that in his reference to the Goldsmith tomb he was mistaken. As for me, I was under the impression that some- thing was wrong with the tomb. So there is, but not what we supposed ; the name is clearly cut, but unfortunately it is not certain that the tomb is Oliver's. Under these circumstances one has only to express thanks to those who kindly offered their assistance. A new monthly magazine is to be started. It offers the unprecedented attraction of an astro- logical horoscope free for all subscribers, with the privilege of asking three astrological questions. After this we may expect another, which will tell the fortunes of every subscriber by the oracle of coffee grounds with the right of asking three  ## p. 182 (#196) ############################################ I 82 THE AUTHOR. questions on the domestic omens, such as crossed knives, spilled salt, and the influence on fate of black cats, piebald horses, and the man with a squint. Mr. Gosse has arrived at a time of life which prompts to serious reflections on the flight of time. Everybody at forty gets these reflections. “Wait till you come to forty year.” They pass, these reflections; in the fifties one feels younger than in the forties. Perhaps, in the sixties, one may feel younger still. We ought to, considering how short a time remains for cheerfulness. How- ever, the motto to the new volume of verse, “In Russet and Silver,” is quite in the vein of the forties: - Life, that, when youth was hot and bold, Leaped up in scarlet and in gold, Now walks by graver hopes possessed In russet and in silver dressed. Whether in russet and silver or in scarlet and gold, it is the same music and the same musician; the certain touch and the unexpected phrase; the true word to fit the thought ; the perfect dexterity and mastery of the metre ; these are qualities which we have long since recognised; and as yet there is no sign of any younger poet— “in scarlet and in gold *-disputing the supe- riority of Mr. Gosse in these essentials. The Authors’ Club distinguished itself on the 19th Nov. by holding its monthly dinner in honour of Anthony Hope. The room, which is too small for such festivities, was quite full, and there were but two speeches, that of the chair- man, Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, and that of the guest of the evening. Among the men of distinction who have thus been entertained are Zola and Rudyard Kipling. And now comes Anthony Hope. It is a pleasing feature of the club to pay this tribute to men who have risen or are certainly rising. Authors are too often accused of jealousy and spite. There was no show either of jealousy or of spite in the dinner of the 19th, but only the general desire to recognise and to honour good work wherever it is found. The club, which is now two years old, may be lcoked upon as established. The rooms are extremely pleasant, and have a position as central as can be desired. The members are all connected with literature. Up to the present it has been more of a lunching than a dining club. Every- body is supposed to know everybody else, and the club is essentially cheerful. As stated above, the rooms are too small, they will only accommodate fifty at a dinner. But if another hundred members were to come in additional rooms could be had, and there would be more elbow room. Clad in a garb of golden-green, with a charac- teristic portrait of the subject for frontispiece, is Mr. Robert Sherard’s book on Alphonse Daudet. It may be thought that Daudet exhausted the subject himself in his “Trente Ans de Paris; ” that, however, is not the case ; there is a great deal in this volume that is not in the “Trente Ans.” The author has received contributions from Madame Daudet, from Léon Daudet, from Edmond de Goncourt, from Ernest Daudet, and from Alphonse Daudet himself. The result is a full biography and a most interesting account of a most remarkable man. The best excuse for writing the book is found in the concluding words of the preface: “Since Alphonse Daudet has honoured me with his friendship, I may say, with- out exaggeration, that my life of exile has been transformed. It is, perhaps, also on account of my admiration and my affection for this great- hearted man of letters that I have worked to make others know him as I do.” WALTER BESANT. >e c3 NOTES FROM PARIS, HE following letter, which I have just T received from my friend Alphonse Daudet, is the best answer that I can give to many questions which have been asked of me as to his intention of visiting London next year: Oui ; mon bon. Sherard, j’ai l'espoir au printermps prochain, si je ne suis pas trop invalide de venir voir londres, mais non pas de me montrer ä Londres, ce qui est bien différent. Je serais heureux de vous avoir pour compagnon et cicerone tº mais je vous demanderai de me mettre à l'abri des curiosités du reportage, ce sont des vacances que je compte prendre et je suis bien décidé à me pas donner de repré- sentation dans ce beau pays que je suis si désireux de connaitre. These things being so, we may hope to see M. Daudet in London in a few months. In my great admiration for Emile Zola, I feel sorry in saying that the opinion in Paris is one of doubt as to the possible value of a book on Rome, written on information collected during a fortnight's visit. It is generally thought that Rome, from all points of view, and as a whole, is a large subject, and that its comprehension can hardly be effected in a fortnight. It must be added, however, that Zola intends to spend a long time over this book, and that “Rome,” the second volume of “Les Trois Willes” series of novels, will not appear till 1896. We were all much shocked to hear of the death  ## p. 183 (#197) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 183 of Francis Magnard, the editor of Le Figaro, for he seemed in full strength, with years of life and activity before him. Yet certainly he looked very grey and worn when I last saw him. The Figaro was a fighting paper, and all fighting exacts nerve and muscle and uses and wears. He was a con- scientious and a most hard-working man, who gave himself up entirely to his paper. Most of his time was spent at the office in the Rue Drouot. I am afraid I cannot agree with those who have written in praise of his daily leaderette in the Figaro. It was writing after the style and in the manner of thought of Joseph Prudhomme. But good editors of large papers are rarely good writers. Willemessant, the founder of the Figaro, could not string six lines of tolerable prose together, yet he was certainly one of the best editors who ever lived. Magnard wrote very quickly, though his work seemed laboriously evolved. He told me once that he always asked himself, on sending the paper to the press, what Willemessant would have thought about the number, both as a whole and in detail, and felt quite nervous on the subject, so completely had he been disciplined by his former chief. I may add that Magnard used to deny being a Belgian by extraction, and used to get very angry when he was attacked as such in the rival papers. I may also add that M. de Rodays, the present editor, had been designated by de Villemessant in his will to succeed Magnard, in the case of the latter's retirement or death. M. de Rodays’ successor was also named in the same clause. The biggest succés de librairie of the year in Paris has been Marcel Prevost’s novel “Les Demi-Vierges.” It is, I see, in its 15oth edition. Exceptionally these are editions of only 500 copies, whereas the French edition usually con- sists of IOOO copies. The book is exceedingly well written, but the subject is a nauseating one, and this success is not one on which his friends can congratulate M. Marcel Prevost. J. H. Rosny, who is translating George Moore's novel “Esther Waters ” for publication in feuil- leton form in Le Gaulois, is by many, including Daudet, Zola, and de Goncourt, considered one of the first writers of French fiction living in France to-day. His “Le Bilateral” is undoubtedly a masterpiece, complicated as its style and bitter as is the author's philosophy. Rosny has had a very troubled and miserable life, and lives none knows where. He hides his address, and is under- stood to be in unfortunate circumstances. His books do not sell well, and he is indifferent to popularity, in which respect he may be compared to J. K. Huysman. I heard a story in Paris the other day of how a literary “ghost " revenged himself on a too WOL. W. unscrupulous employer. He had been engaged to write a feuilleton, for which his employer, a very well-known Parisian novelist, had received an order. The original arrangement was that the ghost should receive a penny a line—the well- known Parisian novelist, it may be mentioned, was to receive fivepence a line, and, of course, he signed the story with his own illustrious name; but after some instalments had been printed, the ghost was informed by his employer, who, in the meanwhile, had found out that his hack was in desperate circumstances, that in the future he would only be paid one halfpenny a line. He was forced to submit, but at once introduced into his story two fresh characters, whose names were simple transpositions of his employer's name and his own, of which one was a well-known novelist and the other a starving literary hack, and showed how the novelist engaged the hack to write a serial story at the rate of a penny a line, and afterwards reduced this to a halfpenny a line, and how the hack to revenge himself introduced, under transposed names, into this serial two fresh characters, one of which was a novelist and so on. The novelist sweater was away enjoying himself whilst these instalments were appearing, and one can imagine his feelings on his return to Paris. It is needless to add that the story was considerably revised before being republished in volume form. Why are almost all the books supplied to the public in England bound P Is not the French system of publishing all works merely in paper covers preferable? To begin with, an unbound book can be supplied cheaper than a bound book. Then, many book buyers like to bind their books according to their own taste in the matter of binding. Some like the bindings of their books to be in some degree symbolical of their contents, who would bind Haggard in red, George Ohnet in pale blue, Poe in black, and so on. Others like uniformity, and, indeed, so varied are the colours of book backs as sold to-day, that a library shelf often presents a ghastly combination of colours. There is, of course, a great deal to be said on both sides of the question. At the same time, I do not think that the bookbinders would lose by the change. . They would have less cheap binding to do, but far more reliures d'amateur, which are really profitable. -- f have been told that my note on Oliver Gold Smith's grave in last month's Author is un- founded and uncalled for, that the grave is in good condition, and well kept. I am not of this opinion, nor am I alone in this respect. “What would you more?” I have been asked. Well, to begin with, a railing round the tomb. I saw a butcher's boy sitting on it the other day. * * S  ## p. 184 (#198) ############################################ 184 THE AUTHOR. I have heard the strange story since I came to London of a high judicial functionary who many years ago published, with one of the most reputable firms in London on the half-profit system, an important work on an important political question. It is several years since any account was rendered, and though the book had then passed through eight editions, all that the high judicial functionary received as his share was Is. 7#d. The book has been selling since, but the author has never received another penny. And he is not very satisfied, and says things about publishers which are not judicial nor quite justi- fiable. Weyman has made up his mind to take a year's complete rest as soon as “The Red Cockade" is finished. I am told that this is the very best thing this genius has ever written, by people who have read the opening chapters, now in Jerome's hands. Apropos of the title of this book, are we about to pass from the “yellow * to the “red.” Every- thing was yellow a short while ago in matter of literature. And now, in matter of literature, things are mostly red. There are Weyman’s titles in red, there is Morley Roberts's “Red Earth,” there is Francis Gribble’s “The Red Spell,” there is a novel called “The Crimson Sign,” and, of course, there is Conan Doyle’s “Round the Red Lamp.” In the future all things may be green, as most bindings are, by the way, at the present hour, and so it shall go on. I am very glad to hear that John Davidson's last book of poems is selling exceedingly well; 500 copies were taken before the book was pub- lished. Many people, as a mere commercial speculation, are buying up copies of the “Ballads and Songs.” All this is well, for John Davidson, a poet and a most genial man, has fought a hard fight, and merits success and ease. His life has been a life of heroism. R. H. SHERARD. *~ * ~ * r- - --> NOTES FROM NEW YORK. New York, Nov. Io. HE death of Dr. Holmes not only caused the usual feelings of personal loss aroused when any honoured author leaves us," but additional sorrow was felt since with his decease the great New England group of authors ended. In the early part of this century, when Irving, Cooper, Bryant, and Fitz-Greene Halleck lived in New York, the literary centre was here, but before the middle of the century Emerson, Tongfellow, Whittier, Lowell, Hawthorne, and FIolmes revealed themselves, and the glory of the school as well as of a life that we deplore. New England group was greater than that of the Rnickerbocker school, as the New Yorkers had been called. Professor Norton, of Harvard College, recently remarked that, “they all wrote with a moral. They had, too, a touch of Puritanism. They were stirred to write often not so much from the impulse of the imagination as because they were impelled to teach some lessons and do some good that way. It was just at the war period, and all continued on the same side. They were all warriors in a sense.” Thus it is the closing of a Since Dr. Holmes wrote “Old Ironsides " the popula- tion of the United States has quadrupled, and the country can no longer be said to have one literary centre. In all directions have sprung up authors who write what has been called “ local fiction,” that is to say, they chiefly devote their efforts to depicting the life around them. This is a recent development, and, although there is now no one great group, there are many more accomplished authors than there were formerly, and the average of merit is undoubtedly higher. It is a sign that good times are coming when the fall publishing trade opens well, as it has this year. Whether or not publishers suffer much during a business depression is a question often debated. Some contend, that books being a luxury, people either go without in hard times or else use the free libraries. Others think that during financial depression books are sent as presents where expensive jewellery would have been purchased in prosperous years. This year, illustrated gift books, held back by hard times, make the list of announcements very large. Leading houses report that trade is at least normal. It seems to have recovered from the stagnation of the last two years, and bids fair to be better month by month as business revives. There is no boom yet, and probably will not be for a year or two longer, but the conditions are healthy. - Among the more important announcements are “The Warfare of Science,” by Mr. Andrew D. White, which has attracted much attention as the successive chapters appeared in the Popular Science Monthly; “Edwin Booth,” recollections of his daughter, with his letters to her and his friends, a part of the correspondence of which we have had a foretaste in the Century, and which revealed the great actor in a singularly noble and spiritual aspect ; “The Life and Art of Joseph Jefferson, together with some account of his ancestry and of the Jefferson Family of Actors,” by Mr. William Winter, a revision on the briefer biography published ten years ago; “Portraits in Plaster,” by Mr. Laurence Hutton, with  ## p. 185 (#199) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 185 seventy-two reproductions of death-masks of famous men and women from the author's own collection of these gruesome objects, which is the largest private collection in the world; “Ilife and Letters of John Greenleaf Whittier,” the authorised biography, by his literary executor, Mr. Samuel T. Pickard ; “The Sherman Letters,” a most interesting correspondence between General Sherman and his brother, Senator Sherman, covering the entire war period; “Familiar Letters of Henry David Thoreau,” edited by Mr. Frank B. Sanborn, who wrote the volume on Thoreau in the series of “American Men of Letters;” “Riverby,” another volume of delightful out- door papers, by John Burroughs, the gifted disciple of Thoreau; “In the Dozy Hours and other Papers,” by Miss Agnes Repplier, whose terse little essays have gained her wide fame; “Four American Universities,” Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia, by Professors Norton, Hadley, Sloane, and Brander Matthews; “Character and Development of the Universities of Germany,” a most illuminative account by Professor Paulsen, translated by Professor E. D. Perry. Roberts Brothers have just brought out the first two volumes of a new translation of “Molière's Dramatic Works,” by Miss Katharine Prescott Wormeley, whose admirable translation of Balzac, now nearly completed, has won for her wide commendation. Longmans, Green, and Co. announce a series of “College Histories of Art,” edited by Professor John C. Van Dyke, of which the first volume to appear is the editor's own on the “History of Painting;” and the Scribner's are going to bring out the “Art of the American Wood Engraver,” by the late Philip Gilbert Hamerton, who brought to this subject a most unusual breadth of knowledge. Stone and Kimball, of Chicago, are about to issue the first complete edition of the “Works of Edgar Allan Poe,” newly collected and edited, with memoir, notes, &c., by Mr. Edmund Clarence Stedman and Professor George Edward Wood- berry; of the ten volumes to which this edition is going to extend, three are ready, and to these very probably will be added a single supple- mentary volume containing the correspondence between Poe and his friends, which will be edited by Professor Woodberry. Mr. Edmund Clarence Stedman after two years' work has finished his “Victorian Anthology,” which contains represen- tative poems by the authors discussed in his “Victorian Poets.” Americans have always made a specialty of works of reference. Three important books of this class have been lately published here. One is a supplement to the “Century Dictionary"—a seventh volume—called the “Century Cyclopædia of Names,” a pronouncing and etymological dic- tionary of names in geography, biography, mytho- logy, history, art, fiction, &c., edited by Mr. Benjamin E. Smith, who was managing editor of the “Century Dictionary,” under the late Pro- fessor Whitney. In this great work, upon which the entire editorial force of the Century has long been engaged, for the first time all the varieties of information usually obtained in bio- graphical dictionaries, geographical gazetteers, lists of characters in fiction, &c., have been arranged in alphabetical order and gathered into One volume. The selections have been made with especial regard to the wants of the general public, thus the central facts are given in large type, and in Smaller type such information as will help to a more complete understanding of the subject. Another is “A New and Complete Concordance in the Dramatic Works of Shakespeare,” by Mr. John Bartlett, to whom we are already indebted for his admirable “Dictionary of Familiar Quota- tions.” The third is Mr. S. L. Whitcomb's “Chronological Outlines of American Literature,” the first attempt to set down the chronological sequence of American books. It is on the plan of Ryland’s “Chronological Outlines of English Literature,” but on a much more liberal scale. A fourth elaborate book of reference could not be got ready in time for the fall trade. This is the great “Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiqui- ties,” which Professor Peck, of Columbia College, is editing for Harper and Brothers. It is to be fully illustrated, and will probably appear in the Spring. The British novelist is to have better showing than usual next year in American magazines, although a large percentage of the serials will be by American authors. Mr. Thomas Hardy’s “Sim- pletons’’ is the chief serial of Harper's Monthly. In Harper's Weekly Mr. Stanley J. Weyman's romance, “The Red Cockade,” begins in the first January number, and will be followed in July by Mr. Brander Matthews's novel of New York, “His Father's Son.” In Harper's Bazar the first serial is Maarten Maartens’ “My Lady Nobody,” and the second is a southern story, “Doctor Warwick's Daughters,” by Mrs. Richard Harding Davis. In Scribner's will appear Mr. George Meredith’s “Amazing Marriage,” and Mr. Barrie's “Sentimental Tommy,” besides Mr. Howell's shorter serial, “The Story of a Play.” The Century's two serials are both by American authors—“Casa Braccia,” by Mr. Marion Craw- ford, and “An Errant Wooing,” by Mrs. Burton Harrison; and so are the two stories announced by the Atlantic, Mrs. Mary Halleck Foote's “The  ## p. 186 (#200) ############################################ 186 THE AUTHOR. Thumpeter,” and Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward’s “A Singular Life.” - It has never been the custom of our magazines to limit their serials to fiction alone; indeed, some of their greatest successes have been with works such as no British magazine ever ventures upon. The War series of the Century doubled its circulation in twelve months; and forty years ago a Life of Napoleon gave Harper's its first impetus. Now the Century begins a Biography of Napoleon, by Professor W. M. Sloane, which has been in preparation for five years, and during two of that period special agents have been ran- sacking Europe for illustrative material. The Century will also contain Mrs. Van Rensel- laer's series of papers on the French Cathedrals, for which Mr. Joseph Parnell has made many striking illustrations. Scribner's will contain, beginning in the January number, “The History of the Last Quarter-Century in the United States,” by President E. Benjamin Andrews, in which he has endeavoured to cover that period of history about which we are apt to know least— from the time school histories end (usually with the War of the Republic) up to the present year. The Atlantic will shortly publish a series of papers by Mr. John Fiske on Virginia, “The Old Dominion and her Sister Colonies.” An interesting copyright trial has just ended. A New York daily paper, the World, printed, before its official use, the ode written by Miss Harriet Monroe, of Chicago, for the dedication of the World’s Fair buildings, two years ago. The purloined version contained typographical errors, which the author claimed had injured her in purse and reputation. In his charge the judge told the jury that little pecuniary damage had been proved, but added that punitive damages might be awarded if the defendant had been guilty of disregard of property rights. The verdict of the jury fixed the damages at £IOOO. As Miss Monroe received £200 from the World’s Fair Commissioners for her ode, she will have gained £1200 by one brief occasional poem. We are often said to be a book-buying nation, and it is evidence in favour of this assertion that nearly 100,000 copies of “Trilby’’ have been sold in less than ten weeks. So enormous has been the demand for Mr. Du Maurier's book that the Harper's Christmas publishing has been greatly retarded by the fact that they have been obliged to keep thirteen presses on “Trilby’’ alone. A sale like that indicates that “Trilby’’ has con- quered not only the regular reading class and the broad general public, but also the absolutely unliterary public. A gentleman on the train the other day overheard a girl talking to three young men. “Oh I have you read “Trilby ?’” she asked one of the men. He admitted that he had not, whereupon the young woman declared that. it was “just too lovely.” Who wrote it?” in- quired the second man. “Well,” the girl replied, “it’s translated from the French of a man named Moriar, and it's illustrated by a man named * 5 y Whistler. HALLETT ROBINSON. *- ~" -* w wºrs PHILIP GILBERT HAMERTON. A PERSONAL REMINISCENCE. By Mr. Justice ConDí, WILLIAMs (of Mauritius). N spite of the blinds and the persiennes, the I afternoon September sun streamed into that little café at Autun, where we sat drinking bocks, and playing dominoes, and jabbering as only Frenchmen mostly jabber. g The ever watchful patron bustled up to me, and said, mysteriously—“See that gentleman who has just entered? He is a compatriot of yours.” There, at a table by himself, sat a brown-bearded, middle-aged man, looking cer- tainly, except for the flowing ends of his necktie, not one bit like a Frenchman. As the witty dean said, “One doesn’t go abroad to meet one’s compatriots.” As a rule, to tell the honest truth without affectation, I generally, for divers reasons, give mine a wide berth, But there was a wise and kindly look about this man's bronze and honest face, and withal a humorous twinkle in his eye as he calmly surveyed his noisy surroundings, which urged me to take the other place opposite to him at his small round table. So, when our game was over, I consoled my little Louise with a Monde Illustré and a groseille, and went and sat there. Of course, I knew the “Portfolio,” and Mr. Hamerton, by name, but I had forgotten that he lived in France, and near Autun; if, indeed, anybody had ever told me so. . However, the ice once broken, and it was very easily broken, we proved to have many friends and many sympathies in common ; and, although ten years my senior, he seemed to take quite a paternal interest in me when he heard that, at five-and-twenty years of age, I had become the editor of a daily newspaper in England. Next day I walked three miles out of Autun, to his pretty country place to breakfast, and made the acquaintance of his charming family—his wife, a French lady, two bi-lingual sons, and a little daughter. Afterwards we talked for a long time in his small study, or studio—literature and art equally well represented upon its bookshelves and in their surroundings. Had I understood  ## p. 187 (#201) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 187 more about etching and lithography, I should have been more deeply interested. But never was a more modest and less egotistical man than Philip Gilbert Hamerton, And seeing that newspapers and books mainly interested me, he talked little save of newspapers and books. But before we parted he placed in my hands, as a souvenir, an early copy (in the Tauchnitz edition) of “Mar- morne,” just then on the point of publication. As I grasped his hand I looked up to the wooded hills of Le Morvan, which formed a sombre back- ground to his cheerful country villa. “It must be lonely, here, in the winter P” “Yes,” he said “but what does that signify P I am always occupied.” “Any wolves or wild boars about P’’ “There are some,” he replied, and laughed at a reminiscence. “One frosty moonlight night last January, I went out to lock the stable, and met a lean, grisly wolf, face to face, just upon the threshold of this door. We seemed both very vastly astonished, and we both drew back a pace or two involuntarily. Then I said to the wolf, on the impulse of the moment: What on earth are you doing here? Perhaps it was being addressed in English that frightened him, I don't know ; but without taking further notice of my query, he turned round and walked slowly away.” #: $: :}; $: $: $: Note that at same café at Autun, some fourteen years later, an Englishman entered just as two or three tradesmen, habitués of the place, were taking their post-prandial gloria, “Monsieur has doubtless come to inspect the antiquities?” volunteered one of them, after the pause which, in a small community, often follows the sudden entrance of a strange newcomer. “No ;” I said to the patron —not the same patron as of yore—“but, before I venture as far as the Maison du pré, I would ask you for news of Monsieur Hamerton.” 4. There was quite an excitement in the place. Hamerton, with his quiet sympathetic ways, a long resident, a distinguished Anglais, yet the husband of a Frenchwoman, was a popular man in Autun and all round it. Who else could have survived, scathless and untouched, as he did survive, all the jealous suspicion, and even overt antagonism, which were visited upon nearly every other Englishman living in provincial France during the closing months of the Franco-German struggle P “Ah ! it was most unfortunate. Monsieur had no luck. He had sustained a malheur epou- vantable, Monsieur 'Amerton (they never could manage that H), so respected as he was, and after so long a residence in the partage, had left that very day finally for Paris.” And it was a rather remarkable thing that, after so long an absence, having corresponded with my friend at very rare intervals, I should have dropped down upon Autun on the very eve of his final depar- ture. He had not actually gone—but his family and his furniture had, as I learned from good Monsieur Thomasset, of the Hotel des Negociants —and he himself was staying with a friend. I would not disturb him—I left a card for him, and on I sped to Santenoy to “assist” still older friends at their Burgundy autumn vintage. A telegram from Hamerton brought me back to Autun next day. Would I come and spend his last Autun night with him at Thomasset's interesting hotel, where you are escorted up to your bedroom walking over the gravestones of monks and abbots P Of course I went, and am thankful that I went. And a long, long talk we had over that extra bottle of Chambertin, de omnibus rebus et quibusdam aliis. He had had his share of misfortune, and sad misfor- tune. One of the two bright boys I had met at his table years before, a youth of high intelligence and promise, and Professor of English at a Lycée, had put an end to his life at his rooms in Paris, leaving behind him no sort of clue as to the why and the wherefore. So we were led to talk of the great mysteries of Life and Death—about matters concerning which men of middle age do not often open their hearts one to another. Later, when sauntering forth to the café, we drifted to more material subjects, and I spoke of his long career as poet, painter, and author. I remember that he said, not bitterly, but with a touch of mournfulness, after some remark of mine about the knighthood that certain distinguished English writers surely ought to have been offered, that he himself was weak enough to feel some touch of regret that he, whose work was the English work of an Englishman, could only, when the occasion demanded his wearing it, stand before the world the possessor of a French decoration for his services to art and to literature. He removed from Autun (the Augustodonum of the Romans) to Boulogne et Seine in Paris, and a friend of his in England was the recipient of his appreciative acknowledgment of these lines addressed to Hamerton in his new Parisian home : The Seine to Saone gives greeting ! O'er the sea I pen Lwtetia's welcome home to thee; And, with the wish, would fain the hand extend, Word-painter, picture-painter, poet, friend What though her vine leaves seared by autumn's blast, Awgwstodomºwm weeps her glories past— Though, “round the house ’’ thy graceful pen portrays, Fond mem'ries linger of departed days P The city’s joy outweighs the country’s pain– Awgustodomwm's loss is fair Lwtetia's gain!  ## p. 188 (#202) ############################################ I88 THE AUTHOR. And the other day—not thirty days ago—the same friend received from him a warm letter of welcome on returning to England after many years of judicial work abroad. He wrote cheer- fully, yet spoke of illness, of diagnosis by a Paris doctor of “hypertrophy of the heart,” and of the necessity of “following a regimen for the rest of my days.” Not for long. In a fortnight he was dead, A_*— * - _*. s—º a------5 - BOOK TALK. HE REW. CANON CHARLES D. BELL, D.D., rector of Cheltenham, has produced a new volume of verses, called “Diana's Looking Glass, and other Poems.” Canon Bell’s verses are always, to use the words of one of his critics, “sweet and wholesome.” After the low level in which we are plunged by some of our younger poets, it is pleasant to stand once more upon the heights and to feel that there are higher levels, and still higher, to be reached. times the natural note of sadness, there is never despair. Let the poet speak for himself. Come let us wake sweet Echo with a song. Here she lies sleeping, waiting for our voice, So call her loudly with a courteous tongue, That coming forth she may with us rejoice. For Morning walks in beauty o'er the dale, And Night's bright glories 'fore her splendours pale. Nymph of the hills, awake, awake Melodious answer to us make. What shall we sing to please the maiden shy, And lure her from the secret solitude, In which she dwells, withdrawn from every eye, Amid the deep recesses of the wood In whose green boughs is heard the joyous lay Of merry birds that greet the dawn of day P Echo, sweet Echo, hear no strain, Thy voice is bliss ; thy silence pain. Or shall we sing of love P. How Corydon, The shepherd boy, the fair Althea woo'd, How beauteous Thyrsis fair Nerissa won, Or fleet Alpheus Arethusa pursued, Or Cynthia stooped from heaven with look of love, While slept Endymion in the Latmian grove. Hark, comrades, hark with such a theme Steal softly on the dreamer's dream. “A Swatch o' Homespun,” by Agnes Marchbank (Edinburgh, R. W. Hunter), is a little story of a weaver in a Scotch village. The writer should be able to do better than this with study and work. Meantime she is working with good materials, and in the true spirit. “Tales of Famous Men” is the title of a series of papers which Mr. Joseph Hatton is writing for the Idler. They will be of a reminiscent cha- racter, with plenty of anecdote to justify the general title; and Mr. W. H. Margetson will If there is some- illustrate them. Mr. Hatton’s new novel, which is running in the weekly press of the old world and the new, will be published in March by Messrs. Hutchinson, who have already sold four editions of this author's latest book, “Under the Great Seal.” Mr. Hutchinson told a St. James’s Budget interviewer recently that his first great success as a publisher was with Mr. Hatton's “By Order of the Czar,” which is now in its fifteenth edition. Mr. Walter Wren has had to inform the secretary that a person is going about pretending that he is a relative of Mr. Wren, and that he is a member of the Incorporated Society of Authors. There is no member of the society named Wren. “Maud Marian, Artist” (Religious Tract Society), is a very pleasing and delicately written story by Eglanton Thorne, author of the “Old Worcester Jug,” &c., &c. The scene is laid at Rome. It is a book written and chiefly intended for girls. “Cavaliers and Roundheads in Barbados,” by N. Darnell Davis (Argosy Press, Georgetown, British Guiana), is a chapter in colonial history that was well worth the trouble of writing. The early history of Barbados is practically unknown to us. For instance, had it been known, a hundred years ago, that the right to be taxed only by their own representatives was recognised in the case of Barbados in 1652, it would not have refused to the Americans in the year 1770. There would have been no Declaration of Independence and no war. Frank Stockton's new book, called “Pomona, ’’ (Cassell), went through the first edition in advance of publication. Boys, and those who make Christmas presents to boys, are here with invited to make a note of Max Pemberton's book of adventure, “The Sea. Wolves.” “The Highway of Sorrow,” by Hesba Stretton, and * * * is a work to be noted either for buy- ing or borrowing, and certainly for reading. A second edition of Mrs. Oliphant’s new novel “Who was Lost and is Found” (Blackwood and Sons) is announced. In Mr. Fairman Ordish’s “Early London Theatres '' (Elliot Stock) we have a work of original and patient research. It is worthy of a long article in the Quarterly Review. The author has made himself the sole authority for the future on the subject of the earliest theatres of London. The Navy Records Society have in preparation a second volume of State Papers relating to the  ## p. 189 (#203) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 189 Spanish Armada; they will next publish a volume of Naval Accounts of the Fifteenth Century. Mr. W. M. Conway has in preparation an account of the walk which he made last year from end to end of the Alps. Miss Frances Wood sends some extremely pretty Christmas cards. They are reproductions from Raphael, with verses under each. They are published by Messrs. Carr and Mason, Brunswick Works, Leamington. Mr. W. H. Besant, F.R.S., D.Sc., has in the press the ninth edition of his “Geometrical Conics,” and, as a supplement, his “Solutions of the Examples in the Geometrical Conics.” Certainly one of the most beautiful books of the season is Archdeacon Farrar’s “Life of Christ as Represented in Art.” It is illustrated by a long catena of early Christian symbols, mediaeval figures, pictures of the great masters, and by the painters of our own day, some of whom will perhaps be called great masters five hundred years hence. It is a book which should command a wide and immediate success. The publishers are Messrs. A. and C. Black. Readers are requested to make a note of “Robert Southey,” by John Dennis (Messrs. Bell.) Four biographies from one publisher (Edward Arnold). The first is “Alphonse Daudet,” by Robert Sherard; the others are Augustus Hare's “Maria Edgeworth,” Dean Hole’s “Memories,” and the Memoirs of Sir John Macdonald, by his Private Secretary. “The Memorials of St. James's Palace,” by Edgar Sheppard (Longmans), in two volumes, is really a splendid work. It is rather dear, but what is 36s. to one who loves his London P Another book for a student of the Great City is “London and the Kingdom,” by Reginald R. Sharpe, D.C.L. Dr. Sharpe is Records Clerk in the office of the Town Clerk of the City. The book is written from personal investigation of the City archives. It is a book for historians rather than itself a history. The second volume of Dr. Traill’s “Social England’’ is now ready. One is pleased to read that the book has already gone into a second edition. In translating Professor Errera’s “Russian Jews,” Miss Bella Löwy has executed a task of love. The book is an appeal for civilised treatment, fervid in its facts, which are startling, and convincing in its arguments, which are self- restrained in temper. One does not realise until the map is laid open how very small a space of the vast Russian Empire is open to the Jew for residence. He may live in Little Russia, West Russia, and South Russia; altogether over an area, very thinly populated, of one thousand miles in length by three hundred in breadth. In these pages one may read a story of persecution and oppression without parallel even in the Middle Ages. But there are charges brought against the Jews. They are moneylenders. “Yes,” replies Professor Errera in effect, “ some of them, no doubt. But four-fifths of them have no money to lend; and, besides, they are more honest than the Christian moneylender.” They sell spirits. They were made to do so. The nobles manufactured the spirit; the Jew was told to sell it. They are tricky in business. Their persecutions have made them so. And so on. The book is published by David Nutt, Strand. Professor Brander Matthews sends his new book, “Wignettes of Manhattan.” If for the pictures of New York alone, it would be a desirable volume. As a study for a stranger in New York manners, with their little differences compared with our own, the book is equally desirable. Perhaps, however, most desirable for the short stories and sketches which it contains. There is a most exciting story of a fire. There is the sketch of the broken-down man and his last dinner at Delmonico's ; and there is a visit to the slums, which is admirably done. There are more, but these will do. Here is a dainty little volume (Roxburghe Press, 3, Victoria-street, Westminster), dainty binding, dainty print, dainty paper—all to set off the translation by Julia Preston, of “The Moun- tain Lake, by the late Fredrich von Bodinstedt,” whose portrait is presented as a frontispiece. Von Bodinstedt is not widely known in this country. Indeed, of late years a strange indiffe- rence to German belles and lettres and poetry seems to have fallen upon us. The attempt of Miss Julia Preston to make a poet of meditation rather than action, and of emotion rather than passion better known, deserves encouragement. Her versification is simple and generally graceful. Here, for instance, is a little thing : When the Gates of Paradise wide open stand, Some pious souls for their reward drew near ; And a mingled multitude from every land IBow humbly down in hope, in doubt, or fear. I only of all the waiting sinners there, Shall at those portals without fear abide ; Long since on earth by thee, my Angel Fair, The Gates of Paradise were opened wide. “A Bread and Butter Miss,” by George Paston, author of “A Modern Amazon'' (Osgood, M“Ilvaine, and Co.), is a one-volume story, a  ## p. 190 (#204) ############################################ I 90 THE AUTHOR. simple, pretty little story of a girl going to stay at a country house for the first time in her life, and her adventures there. “Three Generations of English Women,” by Janet Ross, tells the story of Susannah Taylor, Sarah Austin, and Tady Duff Gordon. This is a new and revised edition. Susannah Taylor was the wife of John Taylor, one of that remarkable family which has produced so many men and women distinguished for literary and scientific ability. Mrs. Austin, her daughter, was married to a man who began life in the army and became a lawyer. His health, however, decayed. and he retired from active life. Lucie, his only child, married Sir Alexander Duff Gordon. All three ladies were as lovely as they were accom- plished. The book principally consists of letters, as delightful as letters can be. Another little book of verses and translations —this time by William E. A. Axon. (The Ancoats Skylark. John Heywood, London and Manchester.) Here is a specimen. The French words are a folk-song current in Franche Comte. Ma pauvre enfant, Qui es dessous la terre ; Ma pauvre enfant, Soulève done ta pierre. Chère maman, Donnez m'y ma chemise; Chère maman IBien fort Souffle la bise. Ma pauvre enfant, Je n'ai pas la puissance, Ma pauvre enfant A toi toujours je pense. Chère maman, J'ai les deux mains gelées; Chère maman, Fit la langue sechée. Ma pauvre enfant, J'irai dessous la terre, Tout pres de toi Pour rechauffer la pierre. A string of sonnets on the death of a child. They are sonnets which are worth attention. The book is called “A Little Child’s Wreath.” If the treatment is suggested by “In Memoriam,” the form is different. The sonnets are of some- what unequal merit. The following, it will be seen, has the true ring: A quiet southern day; a quiet sea That scarcely breaks along the level sands. An ecstasy of little children's glee : A weight of grief that no one understands. My poor child, In thy grave alone; My poor child, Iłaise up thy stone. Oh! mother dear, I want my coat of green. Oh! mother dear, The wind whistles keen. My poor child, I have not the power ; My poor child, I think of thee each hour. Oh! mother dear, My hands are icy cold ; Oh! mother dear, So stiff they will not fold. My poor child, We will not live apart ; I'll creep into thy grave And warm thee on my heart. Slow moving sails with curves of grace complete As ever beauty-loving pencil drew ; A ceaseless play of pretty hands and feet; A want for ever deep, for ever new. Peace on the teeming earth, goodwill and peace In the clear blue and floating cloudlets white; Crownéd the land with joy of her increase, Crushed my desire and vanished my delight. A seabird said, “I know, I know the pain, He will not see the summer tide again.” Mr. John B. Mackie, Fellow of the Institute of Journalists, who writes from the North-Eastern Daily Gazette, Middlesbrough, has written a book called “Modern Journalism : a Handbook for the Young Journalist.” There is plenty of room for such a book at the present moment, when the rush into journalism is opening it to the most desperate competition. The first result, one fears, will be a lowering of salaries and pay; the next step, however, will be the establishment of new papers in every direction; thirdly, the competi- tion of proprietors will run up salaries again for the best men. Mr. Mackie's book takes a man into every branch of a newspaper—shorthand writing, reporting, sub-editing, leader writing, and editing. It seems a most complete book; it is certainly one which every young journalist should study till he has it by heart. Above all, let him read, mark, and learn what is said as to silence concerning the internal machinery of the paper, and what is said, and very well said, as to the power and the responsibilities of the Press. Mr. John A. Steuart's new novel, “In the Day of Battle '' (three vols., Sampson Iow, Marston, and Co.), belongs to the school of the older romance. But the tale of battle has an interest that never palls, and there are few whose pulse will not beat quicker as they read of the doughty deeds of the long lost Donald Gordon, who is discovered in the disguise of a Bedouin freelance. Mr. Steuart has succeeded in giving his tale an almost breathless realism ; and if it is success to drive his reader on from page to page until one reaches the last he has certainly succeeded. From beginning to end the interest never flags, and that is saying much. His plot, perhaps, is not very strong nor very novel, but it serves merely as the hinge on which to hang a succession of curdling adventures dear to the heart of all boys and ImOst men. Mr. F. B. Doveton's new volume of verse is now ready. e- * *-*. CORRESPONDENCE. I.—THE LAUREATESHIP. AM very glad to see that you have taken up the question of the failure of the Government to appoint a Poet Laureate. It is now nearly two years since the vacancy occurred, and surely it behoves all authors, whether poets or not, to prevent this single recognition of literature by the State being abandoned if they can prevent it. If chaplains or physicians to the Queen were to cease to be appointed, would not the discontent of the clergy and the doctors make itself felt P  ## p. 191 (#205) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I9 I The salary is only £75 a year. It does not matter a penny postage to any of us except the person appointed, upon whom the choice of the Queen may fall; but I say that it is a slight to all of us that no appointment should be made. Nov. 19. A PROSE WRITER. II.-SPLITTING INFINITIVES. There is a point in connection with composition on which your advice might be of essential service to young writers. I wrote a book— the name of which I give for your private information—that was favourably reviewed by various papers, and very properly slated by a cer- tain critic; the unforgivable error I had com- mitted being the splitting of infinitives. But, discussing this matter with a literary friend, I inquired whether it was allowable ever to split a verb at all; the reply being promptly in the negative. I accepted this dictum, and proposed to myself an earnest study of the writings of our great masters, so that I might improve my own defective style. For it occurred to me, and it may have occurred to others, that it is often very difficult to give the proper sense to a sentence, by a too rigid and pedantic adherence to what, for all I know to the contrary, may be a very sound rule. I have, however, given up my proposed search, for by the merest chance I came across, in the Standard of the 7th inst., a letter from Mr. Froude to Dr. Fischer, of Armagh, dated the 5th May, 1882. Certainly Mr. Froude nowhere splits his infini- tives; but the accompanying extracts from that letter show that Mr. Froude was in the habit of repeatedly splitting his other tenses. The italics are my own, and are inserted merely to mark where it would seem to me that the infractions of an accepted rule have occurred:—“Your book which you have so kindly sent me,” &c.—“I have only to tell you,” &c.—“ and will, by and bye, be universally accepted,” &c.—“ which he was all his life insisting on,” &c.—“that he alone in the British empire saw,” &c. Thus in a letter of thirty-four printed lines, the great historian five times splits his verbs. The question then is, whether this practice is or is not permissible?—Your obedient servant, 1588. III.-CRITICAL AND EDITORIAL AMENITIES. The editor has, I fancy, rather misunderstood my drift in my letter on “Editorial Amenities,” in last Author. (1) I complained of the lack of common courtesy in no eaglanation being given of the change of front. (2) I did not want reasons. I only wished to know the fate of MSS. (4) I did not expect the critic to change his opinion, but I reckoned on his having generosity enough to be glad his verdict was falsified in re the Fairy Tale, and to tell me so. (5) An editor who professed to value highly his contributor— as was the case here—would have been compli- mented by being asked for a review by him. Resentment seems absurd. Toes it not P AN AUTHOR. *— - ~" ,-- - - NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS, Theology. ANGLICAN PULPIT LIBRARY. Sermons, Outlines, and Illustrations for the Sundays and Holy Days of the Year ; Original and selected. In 6 vols. Vol. I., Advent to Christmastide. Hodder and Stoughton. I 58. AsHLEY, JoBN M. Cogitationes Concionales, being 216 short Sermon Reflections, founded upon the “Summa Theologica, ’’ of S. Thomas Aquinas. In 12 monthly parts. Part I., paper covers. Hodges. IS. net. BRUCE, ALExANDER. B. St. Paul’s Conception of Christianity. Edinburgh : T. and T. Clark. 7s. 6d. CHURCHILL, REv. STUART. Christ as a Citizen. A Sermon. Baines and Scarsbrook. Paper covers, 2d. DAVIDSON, RANDALL, T. A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Rochester, October, 1894. Paper boards. Macmillan. ExELL, REv. Josh PH S. The Biblical Illustrator. Romans. Two vols. Nisbet. 7s.6d. each. GooDHEART, C. A. Advent Thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer. S.P.C.K. 6d. GOULBURN, E. M. Thoughts on Passages of Holy Scrip- ture. J. Parker. GREGORY, REv. S. Among the Roses: and other Sermons to Children. W.M.S.S.A. 3s. 6d. HUGHEs, REv. Hugh PRICE. Essential Christianity : a Series of Explanatory Sermons. Isbister. 3s. 6d. KEMPIs, THOMAs A. Meditations on the Life of Christ. Third edition. With the original preface by the late Rev. S. Kettlewell. Oxford and London : Parker. 5s. LIDDON, H. P. Clerical Life and Work: a Collection of Sermons, with an Essay. Longmans. 58. MALDONATUs, JoBN. A Commentary on the Holy Gospels: St. Matthew’s Gospel. Translated and edited from the original Latin by George J. Davie. Part VI. Hodges, Paper covers, Is. net. MATHESON, REv. GEORGE. Searchings in the Silence, a Series of Devotional Meditations. Cassell. 3s. 6d. MoRRIs, FATHER JOHN. Journals kept during times of Retreat. Selected and edited by Father J. H. Pollen. Burns and Oates. 6s. MoxLY, REv. J. H. S. What Bible Truth is according to the S.P.C.K.—A Protest. Tivington, Percival. Paper Covers, Is. NICOLL, REv. RoPERTson. Ten-Minute Sermons. Isbister. . 3s. 6d. OxFORD CHURCH-LESSONS BIBLE FOR THE LECTERN, con- taining the Old and New Testaments with the Books of the Apocrypha, marked throughout as appointed to be read in Churches. Oxford, University Press. English royal 4to., 36s. to subscribers. PULPIT COMMENTARY, edited by the Very Rev. H. D. M. Spence and by the Rev. Joseph S. Exell. Wol. I., St. Matthew. 2 Is.  ## p. 192 (#206) ############################################ 192 THE AUTHOR. RELIGION IN Common LIFE : A Course of Sermons Delivered at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields by Warious IPreachers. Elliot Stock. ROCK, DR. DANIEL. The Hierurgia ; or, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. With Notes and Dissertations. New and revised edition, edited by W. H. James Weale. Parts III. and IV. John Hodges. 2s. net. SACRED Books of THE OLD TESTAMENT. A Critical Edi- tion of the Hebrew Text, printed in colours, with notes, prepared under the editorial direction of Paul Hempt. Part VIII., The Books of Samuel, by K. Budde (6s. 6d.); Part III., The Book of Leviticus, by S. K. Driver and H. A. White (2s. 6d.). Nutt. SHARPE, REv. JoHN. The Student's Handbook to the Psalms. Eyre and Spottiswoode. STUBBs, C. W., D.D. Christus Imperator, a Series of Lec- ture-Sermons on the Universal Empire of Christianity. Edited by. Macmillan. 6s. SwºTE, HENRY B. The Old Testament in Greek, according to the Septuagint. Edited by. Vol. III.-Hosea to 4 Maccabees. Cambridge University Press. 7s. 6d. WERITIES of RELIGION ; Twelve Sermons. By J. Hamil- ton Thom, R. A. Armstrong, and others. Philip Green. Is. 6d. History and Biography, ANDERSON, JEssIE A. Lewis Morrison-Grant : His Life, Letters, and Last Poems. Edited by. Alex. Gardner. BAIN, R. NISBET. Gustavus III. and his Contemporaries (1746-1762), an Overlooked Chapter of Eighteenth Cen- tury History, from original documents. 2 vols. Kegan IPaul. BALDRY, A. Lys. Albert Moore, His Life and Works. Illustrated with photogravure and other plates. Bell. Super royal, 4to., 33 3s. ; crown folio, with plates on India paper, 385 5s. net. BEALE, MRS. C. H. Catherine Hutton and her Friends. Edited by her cousin. Birmingham : Cornish Brothers. 8s. net to subscribers. Bow ER, H. M. The Fourteen of Meaux, from Crespin, and various other authorities. Illustrated. Longmans. 68. BRONTE, CHARLOTTE. I.ife and Works. Smith, Elder. 7 vols., set in cloth case. I2s. 6d. BURKE, FATHER THOMAs. The Inner Life of. Dominican Friar. Burns and Oates. 28. CAMPBELL, CoLIN F. Letters from Camp during the Siege of Sebastopol, with a Preface by Field-Marshal Wiscount Wolseley, and a Portrait of the Author. Bentley. 7s.6d. CARTwRIGHT, JULIA. The Art Annual, 1894 : The Life and Work of Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Bart. Art Journal Office. Illustrated, cloth, 58. ; paper, 2s. 6d. CESAREsco, Count Ess E. M. The Liberation of Italy, 1815-70. With portraits. Seeley. 5s. CHAUCER's CANTERBURY TALEs, annotated and accented, with illustrations of English Life in Chaucer's time. By John Saunders. New and revised edition, illustrations from the Ellesmere MS. Dent. 2s. 6d. met. CRAwSHAY PRIZEs: BYRON, SHELLEY, KEATS. Prize Essays, with Life Incidents of the Foundress, Rose Mary Crawshay. Second thousand. Bumpus. CREIGHTON, CHARLEs, M.D. A. History of Epidemics in IBritain. Wol. II. Cambridge University Press. 20s. DICKSON, W. K. and A. Life and Inventions of Thomas Alva Edison. Illustrated. Chatto and Windus. I8s. DYKE ACLAND, RIGHT HON. A. H., and RANSOME, CYRIL. A Handbook of English Political History. Longmans. 6s. EMERSON, O. F. The History of the English Language. Macmillam. 6s. By a EITZPATRICK, W. J. Life of Father Thomas Burke. New and revised edition. Kegan Paul. 7s. 6d. FLINDERS PETRIE, W. M. A. History of Egypt, from the Earliest Times to the XVIth Dynasty. Methuen. 6s. FROUDE, J. A. Life and Letters of Erasmus. New edition. Longmans. 6s. - GAMLIN, HILDA. George Romney and His Art. With illustrations and a facsimile letter. Sonnenschein 9s. GAMMAGE, R. G. History of the Chartist Movement, 1837-1854. Illustrated with numerous portraits. Truelove and Hanson. I 5s. net. GARDINER, S. RAwson. History of the Commonwealth and Protectorate. Vol. I., 1649-1651. Longmans. 218. GARDINER, S. R., and MULLINGER, J. B. Introduction to the Study of English History. Third and enlarged edition. Kegan Paul. 7s. 6d. net. GEIKIE, CUNNINGHAM. The Apostles; their Lives and Letters. Nisbet. 6s. GLAISTER, John. Dr. William Smellie and His Contem- poraries. Glasgow : MacLehose. Ios. 6d. net. GontAUT, DUCHESSE DE. Memoirs. Gouvernante to the children of France during the Restoration, 1773-1836. Translated from the French by Mrs. J. W. Davis. 2 vols. Chatto and Windus. 2 Is. - GORDON, MRS. The Life and Correspondence of Willia Buckland, D.D., F.R.S. By his daughter. With portraits and illustrations. Murray. 12s. GREGORY, LADY. Sir William Gregory, K.C.M.G., formerly Member of Parliament and sometime Governor of Ceylon. An Autobiography. Edited by. Portrait. Murray. I6s. GRIFFITH, GEORGE. Olga Romanoff. Illustrated. Tower Publishing Company. 6s. HARE, A. J. C. The Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth. Edited by. Arnold. 2 vols. 16s. net. HARRISON, FREDERICK. The Meaning of History; and other Historical Pieces. Macmillan. 8s. 6d. From the Chipiez. PRIMITIVE GREECE. French of Georges Perrot and Charles Illustrated. 2 vols. Chapman and Hall. 42s. HIUGHES, REv. W.M. A. History of the Church of the Cymry, Illustrated. Paper covers. Elliot Stock. 2s. 6d. JoinvillE, THE PRINCE DE. Memoirs. Translated from the French by Lady Mary Lloyd. Heinemann. 158. JOY, BEDFoED. A Synopsis of Roman History, from the Expulsion of the Kings to the Accession of Octavian. Seeley. 2s. RENNEDY, REv. JoFFN. A History of the Parish of Leyton, Essex. With maps and illustrations. Leyton : Phelp Brothers. 42s. LAVALETTE, COUNT. Memoirs. Adjutant and Private Secretary to Napoleon, with Portraits. Gibbings. 7s. 6d. net. LEE, FITZHUGH. General Lee of the Confederate Army. Chapman and Hall. 6s. LEFEVRE, RAOUL. The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye. Translated and printed by William Caxton. The First English Printed Book, now faithfully re- produced, with a critical introduction, index, and glossary, and eight pages in photographic facsimile, by Dr. H. Oskar Sommer. Edition of 250 copies. 2 vols. Nutt. LoftLE, W. J. The Inns of Court and Chancery. New edition, with illustrations by Herbert Railton. Seeley. LUCKock, H. M. The History of Marriage, Jewish and Christian. 6s. - MACDoNELL, ANNIE. Contemporary Writers. Thomas Hardy. Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. 6d. HISTORY OF ART IN  ## p. 193 (#207) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I93 MACLAY, EDGAR S. A History of the United States Navy, from 1775 to 1894. With Technical Revision, by Lieutenant Roy C. Smith. Wol. II. Illustrated. Bliss, Sands. The two volumes, 31s. 6d. - MALLEson, CoL G. B. Life of Warren Hastings. With portrait. Chapman and Hall. I8s. MILES, ALFRED H. The Poets and the Poetry of the Cen- tury. Vol. IX. Humour, Society, Parody, and Occa- sional Verse. Edited by. Hutchinson. 4s. Mon NIER, ABBf LEoN LE. History of S. Francis of Assisi, translated by a Franciscan Tertiary, with pre- face by Cardinal Waughan. Kegan Paul. 16s. PHILLIPs, MABERLEY. A History of Banks, Bankers, and Banking in Northumberland, Durham, and North York. shire, with portraits and facsimiles. Effingham Wilson PICKARD, SAMUEL T. Life and Letters of John Greenleaf Whittier. 2 vols. Illustrated. Sampson Low. 18s. Pol, AND, John. Records of the Miller Hospital and Royal Rent Dispensary. Illustrations and maps. Green- wich, H. Richardson. I 2s. 6d. Pop E, JosłPH. Memoirs of the Right Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald, G.C.B. Edward Arnold. 2 vols., 328. ROGERs, JAMEs E. THOROLD. The Industrial and Com- mercial History of England, lectures delivered to the TJniversity of Oxford. Edited by his son, Arthur G. L. Rogers. Second edition. 2 vols. Fisher Unwin. 7s. SEARLE, W. G. Ingulf and the Historia Croylandensis. An investigation. Cambridge Antiquarian Society. 7s. 6d. SHALER, NATHANIEL S. The United States of America, a Study of the American Commonwealth. Edited by. In 2 vols., with many illustrations. SHARPE, R. R. London and the Kingdom : a History. Vol. II. Longmans. Ios. 6d. SHEPHARD, EDGAR. Memorials of St. James's Palace. 2 vols. Longmans. 36s. SHERARD, R. H. Alphonse Daudet : a Biographical and Critical Study. Arnold. I5s. SIMPKINSON, C. H. Life and Times of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, with portrait. Murray. Ios. 6d. SouTHEY, ROBERT. The Story of his Life written in his Letters. Edited by John Dennis. Bell. 3s. 6d. STEPHEN, OSCAR. L. Sir Victor Brooke, Sportsman and Naturalist : a Memoir of his Life and Extracts from his Letters and Journals. Edited by. With a chapter on his Researches in Natural History, by Sir W. H. Flower. With portraits and illustrations. Murray. I2s. STEPNIAK, S. Russia under the Tzars. Translated by William Westall. New edition. Downey and Co. 2s. 6d. WAKELING, G. H. The Oxford Manual of English History. No. W. King and Parliament (1603-1714). Blackie. Is. WALPOLE, HoRACE. Memoirs of George III. First pub- lished by Sir Denis Le Marchant and now re-edited by G. F. RUSSELL BARKER. With 16 portraits. 4 vols, Lawrence and Bullen. WELLs, LIONEL B. History of Canal and River Naviga- tions of England and Wales. With map. Paper covers. Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. WHATELY, E. JANE. Reminiscences of her Life and Work. By her Sister. Seeley. WILBERFORCE, REGINAL D G, An Unrecorded Chapter of the Indian Mutiny. Being Personal Reminiscences. Compiled from a Diary and Letters Written on the Spot. Illustrated. Murray. 7s. 6d. WILLIAMs, REv. T. Lloyd Bearers of the Lamp of Grace. With eight portraits. Skeffington. Wolf'F, HENRY W. Odd Bits of History, being short chapters intended to fill some blanks. Longmans. 8s. 6d. WRIGHT, WILLIAM. A Short History of Syriac Litera- ture. Black. 6s. net. General Literature. ANDERSON, E. L. Curb, Snaffle, and Spur : A Method of Training Young Horses for the Cavalry Service, and for General Use under the Saddle. Illustrated. Edin- burgh : David Douglas. 6s. ANDERSON, E. L. How to Ride a Horse. Allen. 2s. 6d. ARNOLD, REV. FREDERICK. Cheerful Thoughts of a Cheery Philosopher. Two vols. Sampson Low. BAIN, F. W. The English Monarchy and its Revolutions, a Study in Analytical Politics. James Parker. 6s. BAINBRIDGE-SMITH, REv. J. English Orders: Whence Obtained. A digest of the author's larger work. Paper covers. Skeffington. BARING-GOULD, S. The Deserts of Southern France, an Introduction to the Limestone and Chalk Plateaux of Fourth edition. Ancient Aquitaine. 2 vols., illustrated. Methuen. 328. BARKER, E. H. Two Summers in Guyenne. Bentley. 16s. BAYLOR HARTLAND, W. Wayside Ireland, its Scenery, Agriculture, and Peasantry. Paper covers. Cork, Purcell. BEAUTIFUL BRITAIN : a Portfolio of Photographs of the Scenery and Splendours of the United Kingdom. Series No. I. London, 13A, Cockspur-street, the Werner Company of Chicago. BEFORE HE IS TWENTY : Five Perplexing Phases of the Boy Question Considered. By Robert J. Burdette, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and others. With portraits. Ward, Lock. Is. 6d. BESANT, ANNIE. The Building of the Kosmos, and other Lectures. Theosophical Publishing Society. 2s. net. BLOXAM, MRS. CAZALET. Temperance Talks with the Children. C.E.T.S. Is. BRAMWELL, A. B., and HUGHES, H. M. The Training of Teachers in the United States. Sonnenschein. 3s.6d. BROOKS, GEORGE. Industry and Property: A Plea for Truth and Honesty in Economics, and for Liberty and Justice in Social Reform. Vol. II. Published by the Author at Halesworth, Suffolk. BROOKS, PHILLIPs. Essays and Addresses, Religious, Literary, and Social. Edited by the Rev. John Cotton Brooks. Macmillan. BURSTALL, SARA A. The Education of Girls in the United States. Sonnenschein. 3s. 6d. CALLAN, HUGH. From the Clyde to the Jordan: Narra- tive of a Bicycle Journey, with illustrations and a map. Blackie. 6s. CALMOUR, ALFRED C. Fact and Fiction about Shakespeare, with some account of the Playhouses, Players, and Playwrights of his Period. With notes and illustra- tions. Stratford-on-Avon, Boyden; London, Henry Williams. CAMBRIDGE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY. Proceedings (Oct. 31, 1892–May 17, 1893), with communications made to the Society. No. 35 (No. 2 of the eighth volume). 7s. 6d. CARTWRIGHT, JULIA. The Pilgrim’s Way from Win- chester to Canterbury. New edition. With forty-six illustrations by A. Quinton. Wirtue. 7s.6d. -  ## p. 194 (#208) ############################################ I94 THE AUTHOR. CAVE, HENRY W. Picturesque Ceylon : Kandy and Peradiniya. Illustrated. Sampson Low. 28s. CAwEIN, MADISON. Imitations of the Beautiful. Putnams Sons. CHINA. Imperial Maritime Customs. Statistical Series, No. 2, Customs Gazette, April to June, 1894. 1 dollar. Special Series, No. 2, Medical Reports for the half-year ending September, 1891, 42nd issue. King and Son. I dollar. CLARKE PAPERs. Edited by C. H. Firth. Wol. II. Printed for the Camden Society. 12s. CLEMENT, C. ERSKINE. Naples. Bird. I2s. 6d. net. CLINCH, G., and KERSHAw, S. W. Bygone Surrey. Edited by. London, Simpkin Marshall ; Hull, William Andrews. 7s. 6d. CoNWAY, K. ST. JoHN. Husband and Brother. Arrowsmith. Is. Cook, THEODORE A. Notes on Tobogganing at St. Moritz. Illustrated. Rivington, Percival. 7s. 6d. CoRNISH, C. J. Life at the Zoo: Notes and Traditions of the Regent's Park Gardens. Seeley and Co. CourTNEY, W. P. English Whist and English Whist Players. Bentley. I4s. CRoss, F. J. Beneath the Banner: Narratives of Noble Lives and Brave Deeds. Illustrated. Cassell. Is. CUNNINGHAM, J. GAVIN. The Draughts Pocket Manual, a handy treatise on the English and foreign forms of the game. Arnold. 28. 6d. DIRECT CALCULATOR. Showing at a glance the values for all weights from 7lb. to 1000 tons, at all rates to £100 per ton. York, M. B. Cotsworth. 5s. 6d. DoDD, J. THEODORE. The First Parish Meeting under the Parish Councils Act. Horace Cox. Paper covers, Is. DONov.AN, CAPTAIN C. H. With Wilson in Matabeleland, or Sport and War in Zambesia. With map and numerous illustrations from photographs. Henry. I8s. DRIFTING. By a Sussex Peer. Brighton, the Southern Publishing Company. DUFFY, SUsAN GAVAN. Unwin. 3s. 6d. DUNCAN ON INVESTMENT AND SPECULATION IN STOCKS AND SHAREs. First edition. Effingham Wilson. DUNKLEY, REv. C. Official Report of the Church Congress, held at Exeter, 1894. Edited by. Bemrose. Ios. 6d. EGYPT ExPLORATION FUND : Archaeological Report 1893-94. Edited by F. Ll. Griffith. Illustrations, plans, and maps. The offices of the Egypt Exploration Fund. 2s. 6d. ELECTIONS UNDER THE LOCAL GovKRNMENT ACT, 1894: General Order of the Local Government Board as to Scale of Expenses. Eyre and Spottiswoode. ENGLISH PROSE SELECTIONs, with Critical Introductions by various writers, edited by Henry Craik. Vol. III., Seventeenth Century. Macmillan. 7s. 6d. ENNAR, JoFIN. Bookland and its Inhabitants. Ballin. Is. ERRERA, LEO. The Russian Jews: Extermination or Emancipation ? With a prefatory note by Theodore Mommsen. Translated from the French by Bella Lowy. Nutt. 3s. 6d. FIELDE, ADELE M. A. Corner of Cathay ; Studies from Life among the Chinese. Illustrated by artists in the school of Go Leng, at Swatow, China. Macmillan. 8s. 6d. net. FIRESIDE, THE : a Pictorial Annual for 1894. Conducted by the Rev. Charles Bullock. Home Words Publishing Office. 7s. 6d. GEDDIE, JoHN. The Fringes of Fife. Weferter. Edinburgh, Douglas. G. P. Illustrated. Gay and Bristol : The English Abroad. Fisher Illustrated. Illustrated by Louis GLADSTONE, W. E. Thoughts from the Writings and Speeches of. Compiled by special permission, and edited by G. Barnett Smith. Ward, Lock. 5s. GoRDON, SURGEON-GEN. C. A. The Island of Madeira : For the Invalid and Naturalist. Ballière, Tindall. 2s. 6d. Gould, GEORGE M. An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology, and Allied Sciences. Ballière, Tindall, and Cox. 408. HALLIBURTON, HUGH. Furth in Field : a Volume of Essays on the Life, Language, and Literature of Old Scotland. Kegan Paul. 5s. HARLEY. In the Weldt. Longmans. Is. 6d. HARPER, C. G. Revolted Woman, Past, Present, and to Come. Illustrated. Elkin Mathews. 5s. HARPER, C. G. The Marches of Wales; Notes and Impres- sions on the Welsh Borders, from the Severn Sea, to the Sands o' Dee. Illustrated from sketches by the author and from old-time portraits. Chapman and Hall. I6s. HART, FRANCIS. The Miner's Handbook and Investor's Guide to Western Australia. Maps and illustrations. Effingham Wilson. Is. HEMINGWAY, PERCY. Out of Egypt : Threshold of the East. net. HISSEY, J. J. Through the English Counties, with map and illustrations. Bentley. 16s. H.M.S. BRITANNIA, THE CRADLE OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Stories from the Elkin Mathews. 3s. 6d. By One of the Babies. Philip. Is. net. Holſ., DEAN. More Memories. Being Thoughts about England spoken in America. Arnold. I6s. JACKSON, B. D. Index Kewensis. An Enumeration of the Genera and Species of Flowering Plants. Com- piled by. Part III. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 42s. to subscribers. JAMES, G. The Bacon-Shakespeare Controversy: a Plea, for the Plaintiff. No. II. Birmingham : Husband. Paper covers. JANEwAY, CATHERINE. Ten Weeks in Egypt and Pales- tine. Illustrated. Kegan Paul. 5s. J. H. The Diversions of an Autograph Hunter. Stock. JOURNAL OF THE SANITARY INSTITUTE. Vol. XV., Part III., October, 1894. Offices of the Sanitary Institute. 2s. 6d. KEARY, E. M. A Catalogue of the Accademia Delle Belle Arti at Venice. Compiled by. With Biographical Notices of the Painters and Engraved Reproductions of some of their Works. Heinemann. 2s. net. RNIGHTLEY, LADY. A Garner of Gleanings Grave and Gay. Wells Gardner. Is. LAURIE, J. S. Rileyism and Bigotry versus Reason and Common Sense, an episode of the London School |Board. Fisher Unwin. Paper covers, 6d. LAYMAN, E. The Lawyer's Companion and Diary, and London and Provincial Law Directory for 1895. Edited by. 49th annual issue. Stevens. 5s. LEE, DR. F. GEORGE. Sights and Shadows, being Examples of the Supernatural. Collected and arranged. Second edition. W. H. Allen. 6s. LIFE IN AN ASYLUM : Strange Stories, Sayings, and Doings of Madmen. By an Ex-attendant. Paper covers. Clay Brothers. 6d. MACLEOD, H. DUNNING. Bimetallism. Longmans. 5s. net. MARSHALL, A. M. Lectures on the Darwinian Theory. Edited by C. F. Marshall. Illustrated. Nutt. 7s.6d. Elliot Second edition.  ## p. 195 (#209) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 195 MASPERO, PROFESSOR. The Dawn of Civilisation : Egypt and Chaldae. Edited by the Rev. Prof. Sayce; trans- lated by M. L. M'Clure. With map and more than 47o illustrations. S.P.C.K. 24s. MAURY, GEN. D. H. Recollections of a Virginian, in the Mexican, Indian, and Civil Wars. Sampson Low. MAZZINI, JosłPH. Essays. Most of them translated for the first time by Thomas Okey, edited, with an introduc- tion, by Bolton King. Dent. 2s. 6d. net. MENZIEs, John. Our Town and some of its People; Sketches of Fife Folk. Fisher Unwin. 6s. MILNE, SAMUEL M. The Standards and Colours of the Army, from the Restoration, 1861, to the Introduction of the Territorial System, 1881. Printed for the Subscribers. Leeds, Goodall and Suddick. MonTEARD, G. The Land of the Sphinx. illustrations by the author. Hutchinson. MoRLEY, WILLIAM. A. The See-Saw of Life. Elliot Stock. MUIR, JOHN. The Mountains of California. Illustrated. Fisher Unwin. MüLLER, F. MAx. Chips from a German Workshop. New edition, Vol. I., Recent Essays and Addresses. Long- mans. 6s. 6d. MURRAY, JAMEs A. H. A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, founded mainly on the materials collected by the Philological Society. Edited by. Section D–Deceit, commencing Vol. III., 3s. 6d. ; Section F — Fang, commencing Vol. IV., 2s. 6d. Oxford, Clarendon Press. NESBIT, E., and BARRON, With I 86 OSWALD. The Butler in Bohemia. Drane. Is. OTKEN, C. H. The Ills of the South. G. P. Putnams Sons. 6s. OxFORD HONOURs—1220 to 1894; being an Alphabetical JRegister of Distinctions conferred by the University of Oxford from the Earliest Times. Oxford, Clarendon Press. PAGE, MARY H. Graded Schools in the United States. Sonnenschein. 2s. PAINE, THOMAs. Writings. Collected and edited by Mon- cure Daniel Conway. Vol. II., 1779-1792. G. P. Putnams Sons. I2s. 6d. PARKER, F. Row LEY. The Election of Guardians and District Councillors under the Local Government Act, 1894. Knight and Co. 5s. cash. PENNELL, JosłEPH. Pen Drawing and Pen Draughtsmen : Their Work and their Methods, a Study of the Art To- day, with Technical Suggestions. Second edition. Macmillan. 428, net. PIMBLETT, W. With Wellington in the Battle Smoke. Illustrated. Virtue. 3s.6d. PRACTICAL DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, with nearly 1500 illustrations, chiefly derived from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Routledge. 2s. 6d. PULLING, ALEXANDER. The Shipping Code; being the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, with Introduction, Notes, Tables, Rules, Orders, Forms, and a Full Index. Sweet and Maxwell. 7s. 6d. net. PUTNAM-JACOBI, MARY. “Common Sense” applied to Woman Suffrage. G. P. Putnams Sons. 4s. ROBERTSON A. SMITH. The Provost o' Glendookie. Edinburgh and London, Oliphant, Anderson. 2s. 6d. RoBINSON, CoMMANDER. C. N. The British Fleet: The Growth, Achievements, and Duties of the Navy of the Empire. George Bell. Ios. 6d. SANDERs, W. BLISS. Half-Timbered Houses and Carved Oak Furniture of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. With thirty photo-lithographed illustra- tions. Bernard Quaritch. 36s, net. SMITH, CHARLEs W. Financial and Commercial Gambling : Its effect on Agriculture and Trade. Liverpool, William Potter. Paper covers, Is. SMITH, GOLDWIN. Essays on Questions of the Day. Political and Social. Second edition. Macmillan. 9s. STANFORD’s NEw MAP OF THE COUNTY OF LONDON. In twenty sheets, on the scale of 4 in. to a mile. Flat in portfolio. Stanford. I6s. STORY OF SELBY ABBEY, from Rise to Restoration. By the author of “Old-Time Stories.” Illustrated. Nutt. 6d. … TAYLOR, SUSETTE. M. The Humour of Spain. Walter Scott. 3s. 6d. TCHENG-KI-TONG. Chin-Chin, or the Chinaman at Home. Translated by R. H. Sherard. Marsden. 3s.6d. net. THEODOLI, THE MARCHESA. Candiduccia : Scenes from Roman Life. 2 vols. Kegan Paul. THYNNE, R. The Story of Australian Exploration. With map, illustrated. Fisher Unwin. 5s. ToISTOI, Count LEO. What Men Live By. Illustrations by H. R. Millar. Walter Scott. 2s. TYSON, EDWARD. A Philological Essay Concerning the Pygmies of the Ancients. Now edited, with an intro- duction treating of pygmy races and fairy tales, by Bertram C. A. Windle. 500 copies only. Nutt. WADDELL, W. W. The Parmenides of Plato, after the Paging of the Clarke Manuscript. With introductions, facsimiles, and notes. Glasgow : MacLehose. Large paper edition of 150 copies. WEBB, HENRY J. Advanced Agriculture. Longmans. 7s. 6d. WILLIAMSON, A. British Industries and Foreign Competi- tion. Simpkin Marshall. WILSON, VEN. JAMES A. Essays and Addresses, an Attempt to Treat some Religious Questions in a Scientific Spirit. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. net. WORLEY, GEORGE. The Catholic Revival of the Nineteenth Century. With an introduction by the Dean of St. |Paul's. Elliot Stock. WYLLIE, DR. John. The Disorders of Speech. Edin- burgh : Oliver and Boyd. 18s. YATEs, LUCY, H. The Profession of Cookery: From a French Point of View. Ward, Lock. 2s. 6d. YELLow Book: An Illustrated Quarterly. Vol. III. October, 1894. John Lane. 5s. ZIMMERN, ALICE. Methods of Education in the United States. Sonnenschein. 3s. 6d. Fiction, ADAMS, FRANCIS. A Child of the Age. John Lane. 3s. 6d. ADAMSON, JOHN R. The Young Guv'nor. Illustrated. Stoneman. A FAMILY ARRANGEMENT. A novel. By the author of “Dr. Edith Romney.” 3 vols. Bentley. AMICIS, EDMONDO DE. Heart, A Book for Boys. Authorised translation from the 158th Italian edition by G. S. Godkin. Sampson Low. 3s. 6d. ANDERSEN, HANs. The Snow Queen, and other tales. Illustrated by E. A. Leman. Arnold. 7s. 6d. AN OLD INMATE. By the author of “The Rajah’s Heir.” Paper covers. George Allen. 6d. AQUILAR, GRACE. Works. In 7 vols. Routledge. 21s. ASPDEN, THOMAs. The Member for Workshire; or, Church and State. A political novel. Sonnenschein. 68. AUBURN, W. FERRARs, Boot and Saddle Stories. Ward, Lock. Is. - AUSTIN, CAROLINE. Hugh Herbert's Inheritance. New edition. Blackie. 2s. 6d.  ## p. 196 (#210) ############################################ 196 THE AUTHOR. AUSTEN, JANE. Pride and Prejudice. New edition. With illustrations and specially designed initial letters to each chapter by Hugh Thompson. Also an introduc- tion by George Saintsbury. George Allen. 6s. AVERY, HAROLD. The School’s Honour, and other stories. S.S.U. 28. IBACHELLER IRVING. The Still House of O’Darrow. Cassell. 2s. BANDELLO, MATTEO. Twelve Stories Selected and Done into English, with a Memoir of the Author, by Percy Pinkerton. Nimmo. 7s. 6s. net. BARING-Goul, D, S. Kitty Alone : A Story of Three Fires. Three vols. Methuen. 318. 6d. BARING-Gour, D, S. The Queen of Love. New edition. Methuen. 6s. BARLow, JANE. Kerrigan's Quality. Illustrated. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. BATTERSHALL, FLETCHER. Heinemann. 6s. BECKE, Louis. The Autonym Library : By Reef and Palm. With an introduction by the Earl of Pembroke. Fisher A Daughter of this World. |Unwin. Is. 6d. BENSON, E. F. The Rubicon. Fourth edition. Methuen. 6s. BJoRNson, BJoFNSTJERNE. Symněvé Solbakken. Given in English by Julie Sutter. New edition, with an Essay on the Writings of Björnson by Edmund Gosse. Heinemann. 3s. net. BLACK, CLEMENTINA. An Agitator. Bliss, Sands. ISLAND, E. A. Old Chickweed. Shaw and Co. 2s. BRADBURY, Jose.P.H. First Davenport of Bramhall. Digby and Long. 6s. BRADDON, M. E. The Christmas Hirelings. Illustrated by F. H. Townsend. Simpkin, Marshall. 3s. 6d. BRIDGES, ROBERT. Overheard in Arcady. Dent. net. BUCKLAND, REv. A. R. The Patience of Two. Illustrated. Chºwrch Monthly Office. 2s. BURCH, F. E. Josh Jobson, or “Pards.” CAIRD, MONA. The Daughters of Danaus. 6s. CAMPBELL, ARTHUR. 3s. 6d. CAMPBELL, WALTER DOUGLAs. Auld Robin the Farmer. Illustrated by Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne. Edinburgh : David 2s. 6d. 3s. 6d. R.T.S. 2s. Bliss, Sands. Songs of the Pinewoods. Cox. Douglas. 7s. 6d. CAREY, Ros A Nou CHETTE. Eighteen Stories for Girls. R.T.S. 2s. 6d. CAREY, Rosa NoucHETTE. Little Miss Muffet. R.T.S. 3s. 6d. CARRINGTON, EDITH. Five Stars in a Little Pool. Cassell. 6s. CHEsson, W. H. Name this Child : Fisher Unwin. I2s. CHURCH, REv. A. J. Pictures from Greek Life and Story. Illustrated. Hutchinson. 3s. 6d. CLARKE, MRs. HENRY. Hope’s Legacy. S.S.U. Is. 6d. CLow Es, W. L. The Double Emperor, a Story of a Vagabond Cunarder. Arnold. 3s. 6d. CoRBETT, MRs. GEORGE. When the Sea. Gives Up Its Dead. Tower Publishing Company. 2s. 6d. CoSSACK FAIRY TALES AND FOLK-TALEs, selected, edited, and translated by R. Nisbet Bain, illustrated by E. W. Mitchell. Lawrence and Bullen. 6s. a Story of Two. Cox, PALMER. The Brownies Around the World. Illus- trated. Fisher Unwin. 6s. CROMARTY, DEAs. This Man's Dominion. 2 vols. Methuen. 2 Is. CUNNINGHAM, SIR. H. S. Sybilla. 2 vols. Macmillan. I 2S. DAVENPORT ADAMS, ELLINOR. The Disagreeable Duke : A Whimsicality for Boys and Girls. Allen. 3s. 6d. DAwe, W. CARLTON. The Pilgrims: A Bit of Cornwall in Australia. 2 vols. Chapman and Hall. DAWE, W. CARLTON. Mount Desolation; an Australian Romance. Cassell. 38. 6d. DEBENHAM, MARY H. The Whispering Winds. Blackie. 2s. 6d. - DELAND, MARGARET. Philip and His Wife. Longmans. 6s DESART, THE EARL OF. Grandborough : a Novel. 2 vols. Chapman and Hall. 2 Is. DEWAR, THOMAS R. A. Ramble Round the Globe. Illus- trated. Chatto and Windus. 7s. 6d. DIEHL, MRS. A. Woman’s Whim : a Novel. Hutchinson. 3s. 6d. DoDGE, MARY MAPEs. The Land of Pluck. T. Fisher Unwin. 58. DUNCAN, SARA JEANNETTE. Vermon’s Aunt : Being the ad Oriental Experiences of Miss Lavina Moffat. Illus- trated. Chatto and Windus. 3s. 6d. DUNHAM, EMILY J. A. Woman's Love-Lesson. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. EARLE, MAY. The Quest of Fire. Fisher Unwin. 4s. ELLIS, E. S. The Great Castle Trial. Cassell. 2s. 6d. EvKRARD, WILLIAM. Sir Walter's Ward, a Tale of the Crusades. New edition. Blackie, 2s. EvKRETT-GREEN, E. A. Difficult Daughter, S.S.U. 3s. 6d. EVERETT-GREEN, E. Eustace Marchmont, a Friend of the People. Shaw and Co. 5s. EvKRETT-GREEN, E. Pat, the Lighthouse Boy. Shaw and Co. 2s. 6d. EvKRETT-GREEN, E. The Family : Some Reminiscences of a Housekeeper (58.), and Two Bright Shillings, a story (1s. 6d.). Illustrated. R.T.S. FAIRY TALEs FROM GRIMM. With introduction by S. Baring-Gould, and drawings by Gordon Browne. Wells Gardner. 6s. FAwcETT, E. D. Swallowed by an Earthquake. 3s. 6d. FENN, G. MAN VILLE. Arnold. Diamond Dyke, a Story of South African Adventure. Illustrated. Chambers. 5s. FERRIER, SUSAN E. The Novels of. In 6 vols. Wols. I. and II.-Marriage. With introduction by R. Brinley Johnson and illustrations by Nellie Erichsen. Dent. 58. net. FIELD, BASIL. Fairy Tales. Cox. Ios. FLETCHER, J. S. When Charles I. was King ; a Romance of Osgoldcross. Gay and Bird. 3s. 6d. - Fog ERTY, J. A. Game of Chess; or When Jew meets Greek. Diprose. Is. GARRETT, EDwARD. A Black Diamond. Publishing Office. Is. 6d. GARRETT, EDwARD. Rab Bethune's Double. Anderson, and Co. 6s. GAUNT, MARY. Dave's Sweetheart. Arnold. 38. 6d. GERARD, DoROTHEA. Lot 13. Three vols. Innes. 31s. 6d. GRANGE, MRS. A Maid of the West. Two vols. Hurst and Blackett. GoRDON, ALEXANDER. Northward Ho ; Stories of Carglen. Isbister. 3s. 6d. GossE, EDMUND. In Russet and Silver. Heinemann. 6s. GULLIVER's TRAVELs, adapted for the young. New edition. Illustrations and twelve coloured plates. Routledge. 2s. 6d. HARGREAVES, C. Y. vols. Black. Home Words Oliphant, Poste Restante : a Novel. Three  ## p. 197 (#211) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I97 HARRADEN, BEATRICE. Things Will Take a Turn; a Story for Children. Blackie. 2s. 6d. HARRIs, FRANK. Elder Conklin, Heinemann, 6s. HARRISON, F. BAYFORD. 38. 6d. HARTE, BRET. The Bell-Ringer of Angel’s. Chatto and Windus. 3s. 6d. HARTE, MRs. BAGOT. Bianca. Fisher Unwin. Is. HAUNTED HOUSE OF BEN’s HOLLOW. J. Elliot and Co. Paper covers. Is. - HENRY, MRS. RE. The Queen of Beauty; or Adventures of Prince Elfrestan. With illustrations by John Jellicoe. Chapman and Hall. 6s. HENTY, G. A. When London Burned. Blackie. 6s. HERVEY, MAURICE. H. The Reef of Gold; a Story of the South Seas. Illustrated. Arnold. 5s. HILL, HEADoN. The Rajah’s Second Wife. and Co. HoBBEs, John OLIVER, |Unwin. 6s. HocKING, SILAs IC. A Son of Reuben. and other Stories. The Little Bag of Gold. S.S.U. Illustrated. Ward, Lock, Tales, with Portrait. Fisher Illustrations by H. R. Steer, Frederick Warne. 3s. 6d. HockING, SILA's K. Blindness of Madge Tyndall. James Clarke. Is. HOLROYD, CAROLINE C. Seething Days: A Romance. Illustrated. Innes. 6s. HoPE, Ascot T. R. Young Traveller's Tales. Blackie. 3s. 6d. HoRSLEY, REGINALD. The Yellow God, a Tale of Some Strange Adventures. Illustrated. Chambers. 3s. 6d. Hous MAN, LAURENCE. A. Farm in Fairyland. Kegan Paul. 6s. HowARD, B. WILLIs. A Battle and a Boy. Heinemann. 6s. The Gates of Dawn. Sampson Low. HUTCHINson, HoRACE. To Punish the Czar, a story of the Crimea. Cassell. 3s. 6d. HYNE, C. J. The Wild Catters: a Tale of the Pennsylvanian Oil Fields. S.S.U. 2s. 6d. JACOBs, JosłEPH. More Celtic Fairy Tales. and edited by. Illustrated by John D. Batten. 6s. JACOBS, JosłPH. The Fables of AEsop, selected, told anew, and their history traced. Done into pictures by Richard Heighway. Macmillan. 6s. JELIHovsky, V. PETROvNA. Rosy Mite ; or, The Witch’s Spell. Illustrated. Truelove and Hanson. 2s. 6d. JERSEY, COUNTESS OF. Maurice; or, the Red Jar. Macmillan 6s. JoCELYN, MRS Rob ERT. Run to Ground : A Sporting Novel. 3 vols. Hutchinson. JONES, M. The Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha, adapted for the young. With 206 illustrations by Sir J. Gilbert, R.A., and other artists, and six coloured plates. Routledge. 7s. 6d. KANE, JAMEs J. Miriam v. Milton ; or, The Mystery of Everdale Lake. Charles Birchall. Paper covers, 2s. REITH, LESLIE. When the Bour Tree Blooms. R.T.S. 3s.6d. ICENYON, E. C., and SOANs, REv. R. G. Norman’s HUME, FERGUS. Selected Nutt. Inheritance; or, the Young Crusaders. R.T.S. 2s. KERR, MRs. ALEXANDER. Menzikoff ; or, the Danger of Wealth. From the German. R.T.S. Is. 6d. New edition. Frontis- Ward, Lock. 3s.6d. The Satellite, and KINGSLEY, HENRY. Ravenshoe. piece by R. Caton Woodville. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN, HON. Ev A. other stories. Innes. 3s.6d. KNox, KATHLEEN. The Organist's Baby. Blackie. 2s. LEIGH, GARRETT. MEADE, S. T. Betty, a School Girl. KNUTSFORD, LADY. The Mystery of the Rue Soly, from the French of H. de Balsac. Translated by. Arnold. 3s.6d. ICUPPORD, SKELTON. 2s. 6d. LANE, MRS. QUINCEY. The Fanshawe Treasure. Simpkin, Hammond's Hard Lines. Blackie. Marshall. Paper covers, 6d. LANG, ALICE. The Adventures of Hans Müller. R.T.S. 2S. LATTO, W. D. Tammas Bodkin : Swatches o' Hodden- Grey. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. LAWLESS, HON. EMILY. Maelcho : a Sixteenth Century Narrative. Smith, Elder, 2 vols. LEAR, EDwARD. Nonsense Songs and Stories. Ninth and revised edition. With additional Songs and Illustra- tions, and an introduction by Sir E. Strachey. Warne. 3s. 6d. LEE, AUBREY. Dlack. The John Darker : a Novel. 3 vols. “The Unknown Authors ” Series. Burning Mist. Jarrold. 2s. 6d. LEIGHTON, ROBERT. Olaf the Glorious : an Historical Story of the Viking Age, with illustrations and a map. Blackie. 5s. - LOCHE, W. J. At the Gate of Samaria. Heinemann. 6s. LYALL, EDNA. Doreen, the Story of a Singer. Longmans. 6s. - MACKIE, JOHN. The Devil’s Playground: a Story of the Wild North-West. Fisher Unwin. 6s MANLEY, R. M. The Queen of Ecuador. Routledge. 6s. MANSFORD, CHARLEs J. Shafts from an Eastern Quiver. Illustrated. Newnes. 3s. 6d. MARCHANT, BEssIE. The Old House by the Water. R.T.S. 2s. MARRYAT, FLORENCE. The Beautiful Soul. Digby Long. 6s. MARSHALL, EMMA. Clement and Georgie. Shaw and Co. Is. 6d. MARTINEAU, HARRIET. The Playfellow. New edition. Routledge. 7s. 6d. MATHERS, HELEN. Jock o’ Hazelgreen. New edition. Jarrold. 3s. 6d. MATHERS, HELEN. My Lady Green Sleeves : a Novel. New edition. Jarrold. 3s. 6d. Chambers. 5s. 3s. 6d. New edition. MEL, F. H. The Accountant. Remington. MERRIMAN, HENRY S. With Edged Tools. Smith, Elder. 6s. METCALFE, W. C. Undaunted: a Story of the Solomon Islands. Shaw and Co. 3s. 6d. MILLER, J. R. Secrets of a Beautiful Life. thousand, Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. 6d. MILLINGTON, T. S. The Mystery of Elmhurst. R.T.S. MILLINGTON, T. S. True as Steel. R.T.S. 2s. 6d. MONK, THYMOL. The Pioneer Series: an Altar on Earth. Heinemann. 2s. 6d. met. MORRIs, E. O'Connor. Killeen : a Study of Girlhood. Elliot Stock. MULHOLLAND, Ros A. NICOL THAIN, MATERIALIST. Life of Thomas Wanless, Peasant.” Second Banshee Castle. Blackie. 6s. IBy the author of “The Wilsons and Milne. 5s. NISBET, HUME. Her Loving Slave : a Romance of Sedge- moor. Digby and Long. 3s. 6d. NoFRIs, W. E. Methuen. 3 Is. 6d. NORWAY, G. A. Prisoner of War : a Story of the Time of Napoleon Bonaparte. Blackie. 3s. 6d. O'GRADY, STANDISH. The Coming of Cuculain : a Romance of the Heroic Age of Ireland. Methuen. 3s. 6d. Matthew Austin. 3 vols.  ## p. 198 (#212) ############################################ 198 THE AUTHOR. OLIPHANT, MRs. Who Was Lost and is Found: a novel. IBlackwood. 6s. OPPENHEIM, E. PHILLIPs. Beeton's Christmas Annual: a Monk of Cruta. Ward, Lock. Paper covers, Is. OR BELIANI, SULRHAN-SABA. The Book of Wisdom and Lies: a Georgian Story-book of the Eighteenth Century. Translated, with notes, by Oliver Wardrop. Parchment covers. Quaritch. OvKRTON, RoRERT. Lights Out: a Boy’s Book of Adven- ture. Jarrold. 3s. 6d. OxIEY, J. MACDONALD. Archie Mackenzie : the Young Nor'Wester. R.T.S. 3s. 6d. PAGE, T. N. The Burial of the Guns, and other stories. Ward and Lock. 3s. 6d. PASTON, GEORGE. A. Bread and Butter Miss : a Sketch in Outline. Osgood, M*Ilvaine. 3s. 6d. PEMBERTON, F. EDGAR. Fairbrass: a Child’s Story. Illustrated. Birmingham : Cornish. . - PEMBERTON, MAx. Jewel Mysteries I have Known. Illustrated. Ward and Lock. PEMBERTON, MAX. The Sea Wolves. Cassell. 6s. IPHELPs, E. STUART. Fourteen to One, and other stories. Cassell. 3s. 6d. . PHILIPs, F. C. Mrs. Bouverie. 2 vols. Downey. I2s. PHILLIPs, LYDIA. Jim and Napoleon. R.T.S. Is. 6d. Poll ARD, E. F. Under the War Clouds; a Tale of 1870. S.S.U. 3s.6d. PoTTER, F. SCARLETT. Walter Gaydon; or, an Art Student’s Adventures. Illustrated. Sampson Low. PRENTIss, E. Stepping Heavenward. S.S.U. 28. RAEBURN, DORIs. Donald. Masters. 3s. 6d. RATHBUN, F. P. Anglo-American Library of Fiction: Suspected. James Henderson. Paper covers, Is. RAYMOND, WALTER. Love and Quiet Life : Somerset Idylls. Hodder and Stoughton. 68. REED, TALBOT. B. Tom, Dick, and Harry, The Master of the Shell, and a Dog with a Bad Name. Illustrated. 58. each. RHYs, GRACE. The Banbury Cross Series: Prepared for children. Wols. I. and II.—Jack the Giant-Killer and the Sleeping Beauty. Dent. Is... net each vol. RITA. Peg. 3 vols. Hutchinson. BoEERTson, ANDREw. Nuggets in the Devil's Punch Bowl, and other Australian tales. Longmans. 3s. 6d. Bob ERTSON, A. F. A. Common-place Woman. R.T.S. 2S. Roe, MRs. HARCOURT. A. Man of Mystery. New edition, illustrated. Blackwood. RoPEs, MARY E. Found on the Wold. R.T.S. RoPES, MARY E. Wassea; or, a Russian Boy’s Eventful Journey. S.S.U. Is. 6d. RUss ELL, DoRA. The Other Bond. Digby and Long. 6s. ST. AUBYN, ALAN. A Tragic Honeymoon: A Novel. In two vols. White. I2s. SANDERs, ELLA. K. Uncle Peter’s Riddle. Illustrated. Bell. 3s. 6d. SENIOR, REv. W. A Strange Christmas Angel. R.T.S. IS. SILKE, L. C. Margaret Somerset: a Historical Play. F.T.S. 2s. 6d. SIMs, GEORGE R. Scenes from the Show. Chatto and Windus. 2s. 6d. SINCLAIR, ROBERT. An Island Story. Lamley and Co. 3s. 6d. STAMER, W. J. A. A Day at Monte Carlo. Horace Cox. 48 Stensing, Grace. That Bother of a Boy. Illustrated. Second edition. Jarrold. 3s. 6d. STEUART, JoHN A. In the Day of Battle. A Romance. Three vols. Sampson Low. STEVENSON, ROBERT L. Works. The Edinburgh Edition (Numbered). Edited by Sidney Colvin. Vol I. Mis- cellanies. Edinburgh : Constable. STEVENSON, W. GRANT. Puddin': an Edinburgh Story. Illustrated. Oliphant, Anderson. Is. 6d. STODDARD, W. O. On the Old Frontier ; or, The Last Raid. of the Iroquois. Illustrated. Hodder and Stoughton. 58. STORIES OF GIRL LIFE. By Rosa Mulholland, Sarah Doudney, and other writers. Illustrated. Hutchinson. 58. - STORY OF COODLEs. Printed on Japanese paper, with coloured illustrations. Simpkin, Marshall. 2s. 6d. SYNGE, GEORGINA. M. Beryl : the Story of a Child. Illustrated by Gordon Browne. Skeffington. ST. LEGER, HUGH. Sou’wester and Sword. Blackie. 48. ST. CLAIRE, EMILY. A Ruined Life. Digby and Long. 6s. SARGENT, G. E. My Scarlet Shawl. R.T.S. SEA STORIES OF MICHAEL Scott : Tom CRINGLE’s LOG, with illustrations by Frank Brangwyn. 2 vols. Gibbings. 5s. net. SHAw, CATHARINE. Just in Time. Shaw and Co. Is. SHAw, CATHARINE. Sunday Sunshine, a Sunday Annual for Children. Shaw and Co. Is. 6d. STABLES, GORDON. To Greenland and the Pole. Blackie. 5S. STEEL, FLORA A. Tales of the Punjab, Told by the People, with Illustrations by J. Lockwood Kipling, and Notes by R. E. Temple. Macmillan. 6s. STELLIER, KILSY H. A. Police Sergeant's Secret and other Stories. Digby and Long. Is. STEwART, ANDREw. A Fair Norwegian. Anderson, and Co. 3s. 6d. STORIES OF BOY LIFE, at Home and Abroad, by G. A. Henty, G. Manville Fenn, and other writers. Illustrated. Hutchinson. 58. SUDERMANN, HERMANN. The Wish : a Novel. Translated by Lily Henkel, with a biographical introduction by Elizabeth Lee. Fisher Unwin. 3s. 6d. TEMPLE, CRONA. Princess Louise: a tale of the Stuarts. Oliphant, Illustrated. Nelson. I s. 6d. THIRSK, JAMEs. How He Became a Peer. 2 vols. Ward and Downey. IOS. net. THORNE, EGLANTON. Maud Marian, Artist. R. T. S. 2s. 6d. ToISTOI, Count LEO. The Two Pilgrims, and If You Neglect the Fire, You Don't Put it Out. Illustrations by H. R. Millar. Revised edition. Walter Scott. 28. TYTLER, SARAH. A Bubble Fortune. Hutchinson. 3s.6d. WALENTINE, Oswall). Helen. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d. VogFL, JETTA. An Unwritten Tale. S.P.C.K. 6d. WYNON, FREDERIC. In a House of Pain. Remington. 38. 6d. WALTON, AMY. Thistle and Rose : a Book for Girls. Illustrated. Chambers. 2s. 6d. WARDEN, FLORENCE. A. Perfect Fool. White. - WHEELwRIGHT, E. G. The Wengeance of Medea. Digby and Long. 68. WHITAKER, HAROLD T. Pipe Lights, being a Collection of Random Thoughts Concerning a Variety of Subjects. Digby and Long. 3s. 6d. WHITE, HENRY A. Tales of Crime and Criminals in Australia. Ward and Downey. 6s. 2 vols. F. W.  ## p. 199 (#213) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. I99 WHITE, ROMA. Moonbeams and Brownies. Innes. 2s. 6d. WIGGIN, KATE DOUGLAs. Timothy’s Quest. With illus- trations by Oliver Herford. Eleventh edition. Gay and Bird. 2s. 6d. WINCHESTER, M. E. A. Double Cherry. Seeley. 5s. “WINTER: ” A Christmas Annual. Edited by Emily Phillips. Woolwich : Cattermole. Paper covers, Is. WINTER, John STRANGE. The Stranger Woman. Second edition. F. W. White. Paper covers, Is. WILKINs, REv. W. J. Harry's Trip to India. R.T.S. Is. WILKINs, W. H., and WIVIAN, HERBERT. The Green Bay Tree. Third edition. Hutchinson. 6s. WYNNE, VEN. G. R., D.D. Ralph Clifford : a Tale of Country Life in Virginia after the Civil War. Illus- trated. S.P.C.K. 28. X. L. Aut Diabolus Aut Nihil, and other Tales. Methuen 3s. 6d. ZoDA, EMILE. The Attack on the Mill. Heinemann. 5s. Poetry and the Drama. ANDRIA of TERENCE, as acted at Westminster, together with the verse translation of George Colman the elder. Ashburnham House, Little Dean's-yard. Axon, WILLIAM E. A. The Ancoats Skylark, and Other Verses. John Heywood. BEDNALL, JEANNIE. Sea Spray, and other Poems. Elliot Stock. BELL, CHARLES D. Diana's Looking Glass, and other Poems. Arnold. 5s. BLAKE, ROBERT. Mary Queen of Scots: A Tragedy in Three Acts. Second edition. Paper covers. Simpkin, Marshall. Is. BODENSTEDT, F. von. The Mountain Lake, and other Poems. Translated, with biographical introduction, by Julia Preston. The Roxburghe Press. 6s. net. BRITISH BALLADs, ANCIENT AND MODERN. Chosen by R. Brimley Johnson. Illustrated by W. Cubitt Cooke. Wols. I. and II. Complete in 4 vols. Dent. I2s. net. BROWNING, E. BARRETT. Sonnets from the Portuguese. With decorative settings by Frederick Colin Tilney, and an introduction by Edmund Gosse. T)ent. IOS. 6d. net. BROWNING, ROBERT. Works: Asolando, with biographical and historical notes. Vol. XVII., and last, of uniform edition. Smith, Elder. 5s. CAMBRIDGE SHAKESPEARE : Titus Andronicus (Vol. XXVII.) and Romeo and Juliet (Vol. XXVIII.). Edited by Wm. Aldis Wright. Macmillan. 6s. net each. DAVENPORT, DAVID. Epictetus; and other Poems. Bell. 48. DAVIDSON, JOHN. Ballads and Songs. John Lane. 58. DEAzELEY, J. HowARD. The Odes of Horace (Books I. and II.). Done into English verse, with Andromeda, Ariadne, and Jason. Henry Frowde, - DoDGE, MARY MAPEs. When Life is Young, a collection of verse for boys and girls. Fisher Unwin. 5s. DRUMMOND, WM. Poems. Edited, with a Memoir and Notes, by Wm. C. Ward. 2 vols. Lawrence and Bullen. IOS. GLADSTONE, R.T. HoN. W. E. The Odes of Horace, and the Carmen Saecularie. Translated into English. Murray. 6s. GRAVES, CHARLEs L. The Hawarden Horace. Smith, Elder. 3s. 6d. GRAY, MAxwell, L. Lays of the Dragon-Slayer. Bliss, Sands. HALL, NEwMAN. Lyrics of a Long Life. Nisbet. 3s. 6d. net. ** HAZLITT, WM. Dramatic Essays. William Archer and Robert W. Lowe. 3s. 6d. HEINE, HEINRICH. The Book of Songs. from the German by Stratheir. Allen. 3s.6d. Holm Es, OLIVER W. The Last Leaf: Poem, with fac- simile of Letter of the Author, illustrated by George Wharton Edwards and F. Hopkinson Smith. Low. Jon Es, HENRY ARTHUR. Judah, an Original Play in Three Acts. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. LAING, DAVID. Early Popular Poetry of Scotland and the Northern Border. Edited by David Laing in 1822 and 1826. Rearranged and revised, with additions and a Selected and edited by Walter Scott. Translated New edition. glossary, by W. Carew Hazlitt. 2 vols. Reeves and Turner. LANG, ANDREw. Robert F. Murray : His Poems. With a Memoir. Longmans. 58. net. LINDSAY, LADY. King's Last Vigil, and Other Poems. Kegan Paul. 5s. LUCAs, MRs. HENRY. Songs of Zion, by Hebrew Singers of Mediaeval Times. translated into English Verse. Dent. 2s. 6d. net. PATTERSON, JOHN. The Medea of Euripides. Translated from the Greek into English verse. Louisville : J. P. Morton. - PINERO, ARTHUR. mann. Is. 6d. Power, L., G. H. Musa Jocosa : Choice Pieces of Comic Poetry. Selected and Arranged, with an Introduction. Bliss, Sands. 28. 6d. RHYs, ERNEST. The Lyric Poets. Edited by. Vol. I.- The Prelude to Poetry ; The English Poets in the Defence and Praise of their own Art. Vol. II.-The Lyrical Poems of Edmund Spenser. Dent. 2s. 6d. each, net. Scott, F. G. My Lattice, and other Poems. William Briggs. Scott, SIR, WALTER. Complete Poetical Works, with the Author's Introduction and Notes, edited by J. Logie Robertson, M.A., uniform with the Oxford Shakespeare. Henry Frowde. White paper edition, 3s. 6d. ; Oxford India paper edition, 7s. 6d. ; Miniature edition on Oxford India paper, five vols. in case, cloth, 18s. SMITH, CLEMENT L. The Odes and Epodes of Horace. Edited, with introduction and notes. Ginn and Co. STANLEY, ALAN. Love Lyrics. Gay and Bird. 2s. 6d. net. STOCKBRIDGE, G. H. Balder, the Poet, and other verses. Putnams Sons. STRETTELL, ALMA. Lullabies of Many Lands. Collected and newly rendered into English verse. Illustrated by Emily J. Harding. Antique paper and specially designed cover in gold. George Allen. 7s. 6d. Sw1NBURNE, ALGERNoN C. Studies in Prose and Poetry Chatto and Windus. 9s. TENNYSON, ALFRED, LORD. the Wrens : a cycle of twelve songs. Sydney Thomson. Novello. 5s. - TILTON, THEODORE. Heart's Ease, or Poems of Rest and |Unrest. Fisher Unwin. 6s. TURBERVILLE, WM. The Triumph of Love : Kegan Paul. 5s. WALFORD, EDWARD. Patient Griselda, and other Poems. 250 copies. Chatto and Windus. WILLIAMs, F. H. The Flute Player, and other Poems. G. P. Putnams Sons. The Weaker Sex : a Comedy. Heine- Toronto: The Window ; or the Song of The music by Poems.  ## p. 200 (#214) ############################################ 2OO THE AUTHOR. Science and Art. A TREATISE ON HYGIENE AND PUBLIC HEALTH. Edited by Thomas Stephenson, M.D., and Shirley F. Murphy. In 3 vols. Vol. III. (Sanitary Law). Churchill. 20s. CLARK, SIR ANDREW, Fibroid Diseases of the Lung, including Fibroid Phthisis. With tables and eight plates in colours. Charles Griffin. 218. net. CLARKE, T)R. J. H. Non-surgical Treatment of Diseases of the Glands and Bones. Epps and Co. Is. 6d. CRANE, WALTER. Eight illustrations to Shakespeare's “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” Dent. 21s. 6d. net. DARWIN, F., and ACTON, E. H. Practical Physiology of Plants. Illustrated. Cambridge University Press. 6s. DIMBLEBY, J. B. All Past Time, by Five Lines of Astro- nominal Time. E. Nister. Paper covers. 3s. 6d. DUNCAN, G. Professor Koch on Cholera. Translated, with prefatory note by W. T. Gairdner. Edinburgh : Douglas, FLEMING, J. A. Electric Lamps and Electric Lighting. The Electrician Printing and Publishing Company. 6s. 6d. net. HANCOCK, HERBERT. A Text-book of Mechanics and Hydrostatics. Illustrated. Sampson Low. II, LUSTRATED MODERN ART AND LITERATURE. No. I. 68, Fleet-street. Is. KERNER and OLIVER, The Natural History of Plants. Blackie. 2s. 6d. LANKESTER, E. Half-hours with the Microscope. teenth edition. Illustrated. Allen. 2s. 6d. LEY, REv. W. C. Cloudland, a Study on the Structure and Characters of Clouds, with coloured plates, photo- graphs, charts, and diagrams. Stanford. 7s 6d. net. LINEHAM, W. J. A Text-book of Mechanieal Engineering. Illustrated. Chapman and Hall. Ios. 6d. net. LYDEKKER, RICHARD. The Royal Natural History. Edited by. Illustrated. Vol. II., Mammals. Warne. MAYCOCK, W. P. Electric Lighting and Power Distribu- tion. Second edition. Whittaker. MITCHELL, P. C. Outlines of Biology. Methuen. 6s. MoRGAN, C. LLOYD. An Introduction to Comparative Psychology. Walter Scott. 4s. NEALE, DR. Good King Wenceslas : A Carol. With an introduction by William Morris. Pictures by Arthur J. Gaskin. (Special edition of I 13 copies, printed on un- bleached hand-made paper, 25s, a copy ; cheaper edition, 3s. 6d. a copy.) Birmingham : Cornish. RIEHL, DR. A. Introduction to the Theory of Science and Monthly. Nine- Metaphysics. Translated by Dr. A. Fairbanks. Kegan Paul. 9s. Roscoe, SIR. H. E., and SCHORLEMMER, C. A Treatise on Chemistry. Wol. I.-The Non-Metallic Elements. New edition, completely revised by Sir H. E. Roscoe, assisted by Drs. H. G. Colman and A. Harden. Illustrated. Macmillan. 21s. SALAMONs, SIR. D. Electric Light Installations. taker. I7s. 6d. - SPARKES, J. C. L., and BURBRIDGE, F. W. Wild Flowers in Art and Nature. With coloured plates by H. G. Moon. Arnold. 2 Is. TERNANT, A. L. The Electric Telegraph. Translated by R. Routledge. Illustrated. Routledge. 3s. 6d. WARNER, G. F. Miniatures and Borders from the Sforza Book of Hours in The British Museum. Published by the Trustees of the British Museum. WILLEY, ARTHUR, Amphioxus and the Ancestry of the Vertebrates. Vol. II. of the Columbia University Biological Series. Macmillan. Ios. 6d. net. WITHERBY, H. F. Forest Birds: their Haunts and Habits. Illustrated. Kegan Paul. Whit- Law. BELL, SIR. W.M. J., and SCRIVENER, H. S. The Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, 1875 and 1879, with the Marga- rine Act, 1887, and the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1893, with Notes and Cases. Second edition. Shaw and Sons. 4s. 6d. BROUGHTON, H. M. Reminders for Conveyancers edition. Cox 3s. 6d. CHAMBERS, GEORGE F. A. Popular Summary of the Law Relating to Parish Councils and Meetings, with the Full Text of the “Local Government Act, 1894,” a Code of Standing Orders, and an Exhaustive Index. Stevens. Is. 6d. DASENT, JoHN R. Acts of the Privy Council of England. New series. Vol. IX.-1575-1577. Edited by the direction of the Lord President of the Council. Eyre and Spottiswoode. - DENDY, F. W. The Duties of Executors. Waterlow. Is. 6d. GINNELL, LAURENCE. The Brehon Laws : a Legal Hand- book. Fisher Unwin. 6s. GRAHAM, A. H., and BRODHURST, SPENCER. Practical Guide to the Parish Councils Act. 4oth thousand. Ward, Lock. Is. - HALL, W. CLARKE. The Law Relating to Children, with Notes and Forms. Stevens. 4s. JOHNSON, W. F. An Essay on the Science of Law. Part. IV. Dublin, printed for the author. ICER, W. C. A., and PEARSON-GEE, A. B. Sale of Goods Act, 1893 : a Commentary, with Illustrative Cases. Sweet and Maxwell. Second Sixth edition. LEwis, G. C., and BARRows, H. The Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act, 1894, with Introduction, Notes, Forms, and Index. Shaw and Sons. MACOUN, J. R. The Building Societies Acts. duction, notes, and appendices. 7s. 6d. met. M“LAREN, HON. JOHN. The Law of Wills and Succession as Administered in Scotland. Third edition. In 2 vols. Edinburgh, Bell and Bradfute; London, Sweet and Maxwell. PECK, W. A. The Copyhold Act, 1894, with Introduction, Notes, and Index Sweet and Maxwell. Is. 6d. net. PoCOCK, W. A. A Handbook of Auction Law. With Appendix. Estates Gazette Office. 5s. net. POLLOCK, HENRY E. Bill of Lading Exceptions. I OS. PULLING, ALEXANDER. The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, with Introduction, Notes, and Index. Sweet and Max- well. 6s. net. SKENE, W. B. Acts Relating to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and the Colleges therein. 7s.6d. SMITH, J. W. The Law of Banker and Customer. Twenty- second thousand. Flffingham Wilson. 5s. STATHAM, H. H. The Changes in London Building Law : a Critical Analysis of the London Building Act, 1894. With illustrative diagrams. F. and H. Spon, STEPHEN, SIR HERBERT, and STEPHEN, H. LUSHINGTON. A Digest of the Criminal Law (Crimes and Punish- ments), by the late Sir James Fitzjames Stephen. Fifth edition. Macmillan. I6s. THE TIMEs LAw REPORTs. Edited by Arthur Russell. Vol. X. (1893-94). The Times Parliamentary Debates: House of Lords, Vol. IX. (March 12 to Aug. 25, 1894); House of Commons, Vol. XXIX. (July 30 to Aug. 25, 1894). The Times Office. WILLs, WILLIAM. The Theory and Practice of the Law of Evidence. Stevens. Ios. 6d. With Intro- Sweet and Maxwell, Stevens. 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. 05 Issue 07 (December 1894) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 07 (December 1894) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1894-12-01-The-Author-5-7 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/272/1895-01-01-The-Author-5-8.pdf cbe508de5139aa134e0b80d0c0bfbf8d PDF Text Text ������������������������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895-01-01 Volume 5 Issue 8 Pages Page range in volume 201–224 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18950101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESAN. T. VoI. W.-No. 8.] JANUARY 1, 1895. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſoressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. t *- 2a, 2=== EDITORIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, N the recommendation of many members of the Society it has been decided to discontinue the monthly list of new books and new editions. Those, it is urged, who wish for this list may find it day by day in the daily papers, week by week in the Spectator, the Athenæum, and the Publishers’ Circular. Our space, which is limited, will be thus relieved to the extent of three, or four, and even six pages. Two or three other small changes will it is hoped add to the value and the attractiveness of the Author. At the same time, we shall not lose sight of the fact that the chief raison d'être of the paper is the maintenance and defence of literary property from the author's point of view, and that, with this object, the paper will continue to publish cases, law suits, and legal opinions bearing on literary property. The editor begs his readers to communicate any experiences of their own, the publication of which will promote the welfare of literary men and women. It must be remembered that the readiest and surest way to abolish the ills of which we most complain is publicity. EDITOR. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. WOL. W. WARNINGS AND ADWICE, I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.—It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.–In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP You R AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £1 O must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the 'secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at mo ea pense to themselves ea:cept the cost of the stamp. 4. AscERTAIN WEAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH sides BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- mess whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTs.-Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CoST OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. T 2  ## p. 202 (#216) ############################################ 2O2 THE AUTHOR, Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.—Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTS. —-Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY, I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Senºl to the Editor of the Awthor notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. *- = 2=º THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : I. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. With, when necessary, the assistance of the legal advisers of the Syndi- cate, it concludes agreements, collects royalties, examines and passes accounts, and generally relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the expenses of the Authors' Syndicate are defrayed solely out of the commission charged on rights placed through its intervention. Notice is, however, hereby given that in all cases where there is no current account, a booking fee is charged to cover postage and porterage. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works for none but those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiation whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed exclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least four days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with the corre- spondence promptly, but that owing to the enormous number of letters received, some delay is inevitable. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence, and does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department" for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted ” has been opened. Members anxious to obtain literary or artistic work are invited to com- municate with the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. NOTICES. HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate  ## p. 203 (#217) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2O3 to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker’s order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest P Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production " are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £9 4s. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher’s own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-* -º LITERARY PROPERTY, I.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. HE sudden death of Sir John Thompson has probably put off the consideration of the Canadian claims for a time. A memorial on the subject will be drawn up by the committee after the Christmas and New Year Vacation. Meantime, the following is a resumé of the whole Case. It appeared in the Times of Dec. I I, and is here reproduced in full, by special permission, for which we record our best thanks:— “The history of the discussion extends over no less a period than fifty years, beginning with the Imperial Copyright Act of 1842, and the details have been made the subject of so much argument on either side that there is, unfortunately, little room to hope for much modification of opposite opinion. Half a century of contention, carried on chiefly by means of official correspondence that tends to grow more voluminous year by year as the means of com- munication become more rapid, has remained practically barren of result. The Canadian copy- right question, with certain modifications deemed wholly insufficient by the Canadian Government, has remained almost where it was placed in 1842. The incidents which have marked its progress are so few that they can be catalogued in a para- graph ; the arguments to which they have given rise demand some courage for their mastery on the part of the student of colonial history. “Briefly, the principal facts which need to be taken note of in relation to Canadian copyright are as follows: The Imperial Copyright Act of 1842 gives copyright throughout the whole of Her Majesty dominions to any book published in the United Kingdom, whether it be printed or not in the United Kingdom, or whether it be written by a British subject or not. The intention was manifestly to provide that British literature should have free circulation through British territory. As a matter of fact, the conditions of trade in the United Kingdom were such that the editions published under the protection of the Copyright Act were too expensive for the colonial market, and colonial readers, instead of being freely supplied with British books, were almost entirely deprived of them. To remedy this evil an Imperial Act of 1847, known as the Foreign Reprints Act, provided that, so long as the Imperial Government were satisfied that sufficient protection was given to the author's rights in any given colony, the prohibition to permit the entry of cheap foreign reprints enforced by the Act of 1842 might by Order in Council be suspended. Under this Act the Canadian Government imposed a nominal author's royalty of 12% per cent., to be collected at the custom-houses by the Canadian Government and paid to the British Government for the benefit of the author. Foreign reprints were consequently admitted to the advantage of the Canadian reading public and to the manifest disadvantage of the Canadian book trade. “In the meantime the colonies were developing powers of self-government under the system of Parliamentary responsibility which had been con- ceded to Canada in 1841, only one year before the passing of the Imperial Copyright Act. The confederation of the provinces of the Dominion of Canada took place in 1867, and in the British North America Act of that year, by which the  ## p. 204 (#218) ############################################ 2O4. THE AUTHOR. conditions of confederation are determined, copy- right ranks among the subjects over which power was given to the Parliament of Canada to legis- late. But under a previous Act of 1865, known as the Colonial Laws Walidity Act, any colonial law which is any respects repugnant to the provi- sions of any Act of Parliament extending to the colony is read subject to the Act, and remains void “to the extent of such repugnancy.” In so far, therefore, as any Canadian legislation upon copyright conflicts with Imperial legislation extending to the colony it remains void, notwith- standing the provisions of the British North America Act “The results of these two-handed provisions have been those that might have been anticipated. A Canadian Copyright Act of 1875 laid down the conditions of local copyright for Canadian authors, who, as their works are not necessarily published in the United Kingdom, were not pro- tected by the Imperial Act, The Canadian Act was subjected to some wrangle, but was made law by an Insperial Confirming Act. Then followed, in consequence of the discussion upon the Act, the Copyright Commission of 1876. A consolida- tion Bill intended to give effect to the recommen- dations of the Commission did not become law. More negotiations followed, and led in the course of ten years to the Berne Convention and the International Copyright Act of 1886. “The Berne Convention, of which the object was to create an international union for the protec- tion of literary and artistic property, was signed on Sept. 9, 1886. By a protocol attached to the Convention the colonies and foreign possessions of Great Britain were included with the United Kingdom, with power reserved to them to denounce the treaty, in so far as it concerns them, upon giving twelve months’ notice to that effect. Under the International Copyright Act of the same year, which was passed for the purpose of giving effect to the Berne Convention, it was provided that the author of a book first published in a colony has copyright throughout the whole of the Queen's dominions. Canada, it should be observed, formally assented to the Imperial Act of 1886, and to a subsequent Order in Council of 1887, by which effect was given to it in the colo- nies. By the Berne Convention the principle of International copyright for all countries belong- ing to the Union was established. By the Impe- rial Act of 1886 the supplementary principle of copyright throughout all the British possessions was established for the Empire. “To other members of the Copyright Union, whether international or Imperial, those provi- sions have been found to be of great value. The geographical position of Canada made her case exceptional. The United States, which is the largest reproducer of English publications, borders the Canadian frontier for some thousands of miles. Under the provisions of the Berne Convention Canada was prevented from repro- ducing the works not ouly of British copyright holders, but of the copyright holders of the entire Union without due compensation to the author, while her nearest neighbour, publishing in the same language for a reading public of which the requirements were practically identical, was not a member of the Union, and was consequently free to reproduce at will and flood the markets of the continents with cheap reprints, against which the Canadian book trade could not contend. The privilege given in return to Canadian authors of copyright throughout the Union remained prac- tically void by reason of the small number of authors who could profit by it. The Berne Con- vention, therefore, rendered the position of Canada. so much the worse by increasing the number of copyright holders to whom Canadian publishers were bound to give compensation by as many countries, colonies, and British possessions as joined the Union. As a matter of fact, the read- ing public of the Dominion of Canada has been, and is, principally supplied with British literature by American reprints. It is worth while in this connection to point out that the interests which are opposed to each other in this controversy are not those of British authors and Canadian authors, or of British authors and the Canadian public, but of British authors and Canadian publishers. “These facts being very generally recognised in Canada, where discontent with the Imperial restrictions upon copyright has been persistent ever since the effect of the Act of 1842 was realised, a Canadian Act was passed by the Dominion Parliament in 1889, by which it was proposed that, instead of the universal copyright conveyed by the Copyright Union under the Con- vention of Berne, copyright in Canada should be given to any person domiciled in Canada or the British possessions and to the citizen of any country having an international copyright treaty with the United Kingdom on certain conditions of publishing and registration, including the pro- vision that the book shall be printed and pub- lished in Canada within one month after first publication elsewhere. The Act contains a further licensing clause, to the effect that, when copyright has not been obtained, the book may be published under licence in Canada, but the author's rights shall be safeguarded by a IO per cent. royalty, which shall be the price paid for the licence. Such an Act would, of course, render it necessary for Canada to withdraw from the Copyright Union, and the Canadian Govern-  ## p. 205 (#219) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 205 ment accordingly gave notice that it wished, in so far as it were concerned, to denounce the Berne Convention. “The Act could not, however, become law with- out receiving the sanction of Her Majesty's Government, and this sanction has been with- held. In the opinion of the law officers of the Crown, formally reported on Dec. 31, 1889, the powers of legislation conferred on the Dominion Parliament by the British North America Act do not authorise that Parliament to amend or repeal, so far as relates to Canada, an Imperial Act con- ferring privileges within Canada. It will readily be conceived that this decision has not been received with acquiescence in Canada..' The ques- tion has been raised by it from a discussion of the relative interests of authors and publishers to the higher level of a question of self-government. Feeling in Canada runs very strongly upon the point. Sir John Thompson, both as Minister of Justice in 1889 and later as Prime Minister of the Dominion, has stoutly defended the self- governing rights of the colony he represents and the competency of the Dominion Parliament to pass an amending Act. Powers which include the right to impose customs duties upon British goods must, it is held, give power to defend the local interest of any trade. Colonial opinion will not easily accept a limitation, the justice of which can be disputed, of constitutional rights, and it is not improbable that the whole question may have to be decided upon this wider issue. “The latest modification of the technical aspect of the question has been produced by the American Copyright Act of 1891, under which any British subject may obtain copyright in the United States on condition that at least two copies of the book are printed from type set within the United States on or before publication elsewhere. In return for this, American subjects may obtain copyright throughout British posses- sions on the same terms as British subjects. On the ground that the American Act and the President’s proclamation do not constitute an international copyright treaty Canada refused to admit citizens of the United States to the enjoy- ment of copyright privileges within the limits of the Dominion. This Canada is held to have the right to do under the Act of 1875, which was confirmed by the Imperial Act of the same year. “What is now desired by the Government of Canada is that an Imperial confirming Act shall be passed to give the force of law to the still inoperative Canadian Act of 1889. The objections of the Imperial Government to such a course are—that to do as Canada desires involves an abandonment of the policy of international and Imperial copyright which was, after difficulty, asserted six years ago; that it is inconsistent with the policy of making copyright independent of the place of printing, which has always been upheld by Great Britain; that it would have the effect of introducing a modification into the con- ditions under which the United States consented to the agreement of 1891 ; and that it would be injurious to the interests of British authors, by whom the Canadian market is principally sup- plied. It is urged on behalf of British authors that the whole Canadian case is based on the fallacy that Canadian publishers and printers have a right to the profits of publishing and printing the works of British authors, whereas in reality the profit of their work belongs to the authors themselves. When the arguments of the right of self-government are brought forward, it is replied that no conceivable British right of self- government can include the right to confiscate the property of unoffending members of society. Unquestionably the adjustment of the case on mutually satisfactory grounds is rendered difficult by the absence of any body of Canadian authors to whom reciprocal privileges under the Copyright Acts can offer substantial advantages. As it stands, the advantage of authors is all on one side, and the advantage of publishers is on the other. That the authors should be British and the publishers Canadian accentuates the sharp- ness of a contest which, even without the inter- vention of a governing body on each side, we are accustomed to hear a good deal of in this country. It also, however, helps to indicate clearly the direction in which compromise may most hope- fully be looked for, and a practical provision on the part of the Canadian Government by which the rights of authors may be fully safeguarded may, perhaps, help to bring the long controversy to a close.” II.-INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT. At a meeting of the American “Authors’ Guild,” held in New York, Nov. 2 I, a resolution was proposed to reopen the International Copy- right Law by a petition to Congress for its amendment. The discussion of the resolution was adjourned to the regular meeting in December, when the project of publishing a literary quarterly will also be considered by the Guild.—Athenaeum, Dec. 8. III.-PUBLISHED ON COMMISSION. The following is (I) a publisher's estimate for the cost of production of a book forming 540 pp. at 340 words to a page in long primer type; and (2) the estimate according to the Society's book called “The Cost of Production.”  ## p. 206 (#220) ############################################ 2O6 THE AUTHOR. I. Publisher's estimate without advertising and |binding of 300 only : For an edition of 500 copies, 3148. 2 3 5 3 93 750 copies, 3.165. 55 ,, IOOO copies, 317O. 33 II. Here is the Society’s estimate of exactly the same work in the same type—remember that we can get the work done for so much, and well done : For an edition of 500 copies, 38 IOO. 750 copies, 31 I5. 55 55 , IOOO copies, 3145. One would like the general opinion on the character of the publisher who is capable of sending out such an estimate. And, one would ask, do not figures such as these show the absolute necessity of supporting the only machinery which exposes these things P 33 33 35 IV.-A HoPELEss CASE. The following is a case which has happened more than once, and should be noted: A. B. writes an article or several articles for a journal which is, though the contributor does not know it, on its last legs, financially. He asks the editor for a cheque, and gets no reply. He writes again, and still gets no reply. He calls, and cannot see the editor. Then he seeks the aid of the Society. Now this, one would think, is eminently a case in which the Society should be useful. In fact, there are dozens of similar cases in which the proprietor of a journal has been made to pay by the action of the secre- tary. But in this case the secretary discovers the unpleasant fact that the paper has been taken over and is being run by and for the debenture holders. This means that, though the secretary might take the case into the County Court and obtain a judgment, there would be no means whatever of enforcing that judgment, because the debenture holders have the first claim upon the proceeds of the paper. The only course, then, is to throw the paper into bankruptcy — a difficult and expensive task. A course, too, by which the creditor will gain only a paltry dividend, if anything. There is no publicity to County Court judgments, otherwise the mere facts of the case might cause the manager to pay rather than incur the discredit of the judgment. So that in such a case there seems no help at all. NOTES FROM PARIS, WER all the things that I had to say in this month's letter there hangs a very gloomy shadow, and turn and twist as I may I am always brought back to this most unhappy fact, that your Stevenson and mine no longer breathes our common air, and that thirst we as we may for the clear water of his lucid prose, there will be nothing from him any more nor ever again, for our gentle gentleman of letters lies for ever asleep on a mountain-top in an island in the southern Sea. I fancy that amongst those who deplore his loss few perhaps will be more distressed than Crockett and Weyman. Both spoke to me of him with high admiration and great pride in his apprecia- tion of their work, for to both of them he had written in high praise and encouragement. His portrait hangs in Crockett's work-room in his house on the moors by the Esk, and it is on the mantelpiece of Weyman's study in the Welsh frontier town. And now there is crape round it ; there and everywhere it is felt that our English peoples are poorer by a great-hearted gentleman, our English tongue is robbed of a clear and sweet exponent. The French press paid due tribute to the dead master, and in most of the leading papers there appeared admiring obituary notices. There is much in this, as as a general rule the French journalists know nothing of, and care less, for English writers. So that, if Stevenson’s death was recorded in columns of appreciative articles in the Parisian papers, it shows that his mastery was recognised here also. Some of the writers displayed a certain ignorance, and gave amongst the list of his works the names of books which he never wrote, but the intention was everywhere a good one, and there was comfort in this manifes- tion in a foreign land. I have seen Alphonse Daudet since my return to Paris, and he spoke to me with much anticipation of pleasure about his forthcoming visit to London. He, however, seems determined to preserve the strictest incognito whilst in England, and has begged me to state that, greatly touched as he is by the kindness of those who proposed to do him honour, his state of health will prevent him from appearing in public in any way. Emile Zola is being greatly attacked in the French papers for his Italian proceedings. In one caricature he is represented kneeling before Ring Humbert licking the royal boots. In another large coloured cartoon he is shown in the garb of a mountebank, grovelling before the King and Crispi, and the former is saying “Enough, enough, it really is enough.” All this is very  ## p. 207 (#221) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2O7 unjust. I attribute these attacks partly to the hatred of Italy which has been felt in France ever since the Italians joined the Triple Alliance, but mainly to the jealousy with which Zola's unprecedented success and European popularity have filled the obscure scribes who are so attacking him. Zola answers them one and all with an immense shrug of his burly shoulders, and says, “Let them talk, as for me, I am setting to work.” S. R. Crockett has an adorable little daughter called “Maisie.” The other day a visitor called at Bank House in the absence of her parents, and was received by the young lady. Happening to notice a photograph of Mr. A. P. Watt in a place of honour in Mr. Crockett's study, he asked his little hostess who that gentleman might be. “Oh,” said Maisie, “that is the gentleman who gets papa his American copyrights.” The gentlemen who write reviews of books for the newspapers are, I presume, journalists, and their writings, by the same token, are journalism. Why then do these gentlemen use the expression “journalism ‘’ as a reproach in their critical appreciations. One often reads “this is not literature, it is journalism,” a strange remark coming from a professed journalist. It reminds one of the bird who befouls his own nest, for it implies that the writer has a fine contempt for his own writings, and it fills the reader with pity at the want of the writer's self-respect as a journalist. There is one critic in London—I am sorry that I do not know his name—who has a curious notion of the responsibilities of his craft. A book—it was rather an expensive book—was published in London last month, and copies of this book were issued for review two days before the actual date of publication. On the same evening a copy of this book was seen in the window of a well-known second-hand bookstall in Shaftesbury Avenue. It was marked at a reduced price, though it was uncut, and just as it had left the publisher's hands, and though it was the only copy of the book then for sale in London. It was evidently one of the copies which had issued that morning for review, and had fallen into the hands of a gentleman with peculiar views on the functions and duties of criticism. In France all press copies of books are stamped with a sign which marks them as such. The English publishers might adopt a similar blan. p Amongst the many books which I find on my table on my return to Paris is a very clever collection of prose poems in French, by “P. L.” This collection is entitled “Les Chansons de Bilitis,” and the poems are supposed to be a WOL. W. translation from a Greek poetess. They are preceded by a detailed biography of the imaginary songstress, and in a most skilful manner is the illusion maintained throughout a most charming and savoury book. “P. L.” stands for Pierre Louys, a young French poet of whom I have often spoken in these pages as a young littérateur of considerable performance and still greater promise. Pierre Louys is a true artist, with no other preoccupation in life beyond the cultus of beauty, a poet in every fibre. His translation of Meleager will be remembered, to mention only one of his little masterpieces. I met Maurice Barrés a night or two ago, and found him looking rather tired. I suppose the strain of editing a fighting paper, like La Cocarde, is a very heavy one. Yet he was enthusiastic and energetic as ever, and told me that, apart from his literary work (besides editing La Cocarde and contributing to it a daily leader, he is engaged on a new novel), he is actively pre- paring his parliamentary candidature in two con- stituencies, Neuilly and Nancy. We had a long conversation on journalistic blackmailing in Paris, and amongst other things he told me that just before his play, “La Journée Parlementaire,” was produced an offer was made to him by an indi- vidual representing a syndicate of Parisian news- papers, by which, on payment of a considerable sum, he could secure enthusiastic reports of his play, with the alternative of well, you can guess the alternative. Apropos of journalistic blackmailing in Paris, I imagine that nobody is more surprised at the turn which things have taken than the able editors who, arrested for the practice, are now languishing in Mazas gaol. For years they have been allowed undisturbed to practise their little industry, till they had been lulled into the illusion that what they were doing was recognised and admitted. Suddenly, after nearly a quarter of a century of toleration, they are swooped down upon and laid by the heels. I can imagine that they feel a real grievance against the authorities. I could write a volume on the practices of blackmailing in France, were I only to draw on my reminiscences of conversations I had on the subject with poor Ferdinand de Lesseps. The subject is, however, a nauseating one. I will only mention that I was once delegated to gag a provincial blackmailing journalist, and that each time that I paid him his monthly hush-money, I used to talk to him about his business. He seemed to think that he was acting in a perfectly straightforward manner. “I run my paper,” he used to say, “not from philanthropy, but as a commercial speculation, and I work what influence it gives me for all that it is worth. U  ## p. 208 (#222) ############################################ 2O8 THE AUTHOR. People must pay to get things put into my paper, and equally must they pay to keep things out,” We used to smoke cigarettes together, and got quite friendly in the end, for the man's turpitude was thorough, and one likes thoroughness of every kind, I was almost sorry when I heard that he had died in gaol, He was such an interesting study. It seems as if shortly there will be quite a colony of English men of letters residing in Paris. I have heard several, and not the least distin- guished amongst our contemporary writers, expressing the intention to go and live in the French capital. I think it is a mistake on their part, and I, for one, have never ceased regretting having settled down on what an old Yorkshire farmer de mes amis spoke to me of as “the wrong side of the watter, my lad.” Paris is uncomfortable, it is expensive, and the eternal foolishness which envelopes one here, ends by influencing disastrously one's views on men and on life. Besides, one forgets one's English. The tool blunts from disuse. I see that at a type-writing office in the City Mr. Hill’s idea of a roll of paper, as a substitute for sheets, has been taken up and put into prac- tice. Quite a crowd of people stand outside that office and watch the long coil as it unfolds itself. The “Quotidien Illustré,” a French imitation of the Daily Graphic, is the latest addition to the press of Paris. R. H. SHERA.R.D. 123, Boulevard Magenta, Paris. *— a 2-º -- NOTES AND NEWS, Y this time all the papers, daily and weekly, have paid their tribute of praise and regret to the memory of Louis Stevenson. Yet this paper, though late, must also lay its wreath upon that far-off island grave. For, indeed, while he lived, to talk of decadence was to betray incapacity. I do not think there is in our whole literature a finer piece of work than “Treasure Island.” I do not think there are anywhere more delightful essays than some of Stevenson's. We need not attempt to compare him with anybody —comparisons of genius are futile things; Scott is Scott ; Fielding ; Thackeray; every man of genius stands alone. Ilike all men of genius Stevenson was unequal; there were limitations in his powers; certain fields were closed to him ; he could not discourse of love, for instance. But for what he gave the world we must be thankful, for some of it will last, I believe, as long as the English language. - The immortality of a writer involves selection. As time goes on one piece after another drops out of notice and is forgotten, except for the student. Why? It is impossible to tell. Goldsmith has been practically reduced, except for the student, to the “Deserted Village,” “She Stoops to Conquer,” and the “Vicar of Wakefield;” Gray to the Elegy; of Southey’s voluminous poems one little poem only remains; Coleridge keeps his “Ancient Mariner.” Of more modern writers it would be invidious to speak; it is too early to guess what part of Tennyson will drop out of the general memory; what part of Browning will be preserved; but it would be interesting to learn what novels, if any, of Thackeray and Dickens are already beginning to show signs of approaching oblivion. The committee have received a large number of replies to their questions as to Net Prices. At their first meeting of the New Year the replies will be submitted to them and considered. Perhaps we shall be in a position to publish some resolu- tion on the subject next month. In an advertisement of a new periodical, “The Minster,” one observes with some surprise the name of Mr. George Gissing as the contributor of a story. With surprise, not because he ought not to be there, but because this powerful writer has never before, so far as I know, appeared in a serial. I hear now of other magazines which have at last found him out. I have never been able to understand the comparative silence with which the very fine work of this writer has been received. It is, perhaps, because his themes have been gloomy. The other writers in the new magazine are the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Edwin Arnold, Sir Benjamin Baker, the Head Master of Harrow, Corney Grain, Mr. George Spottiswoode, George Saintsbury, and James Payn. It is quite the Orthodox plan to begin with great names. At the same time, great names very often belong to those who are not great in literature. And, since we wish well to the new magazine, we would venture to suggest that literary popularity is most easily attained by names that are great in literature. The book trade may be in a very depressed condition, but there are six long columns of pub- lishers' advertisements in the Times of Dec. 18. This looks like a certain amount of confidence in the present as well as in the future. Whether the market is depressed or not, there is certainly no falling off in the output, the regulation of which is especially the business of the publishers. The author has not, and cannot have, any voice at all  ## p. 209 (#223) ############################################ THE AUTHOR, 2O9 in the output. I suppose that depression means, not a restricted output, but smaller editions; e.g., for books of a certain class—say Autobiographies and Recollections—where there were formerly a thousand buyers there are now only five hundred. But, so long as the purchases by readers exceed the cost of production, so long will fresh books of the kind be produced. And so with every other kind of book. Mr. W. Pollard (Athenæum, Dec. 8) records the death of surely the very last of all the persons named in Charles Lamb's letters. Elizabeth, widow of Charles Tween, died at Hertford on Nov. 27, aged ninety-two. She was buried, Dec. 3, in Widford Churchyard, Hertfordshire, where Charles's grandmother, Mrs. Field, lies buried. Mrs. Tween was a Miss Norris, mentioned by Lamb in a letter to Henry Crabb Robinson of January, 1826. She, with her sister, opened a girls’ school, but married two brothers. The funeral was on Monday, Dec. 3, in Widford Church- yard, Hertfordshire; and the place has many things that recall recollections of Lamb and his writings. On entering the churchyard, we see on the left the gravestone of his grandmother, Mrs. Field, and the lettering requires renovat- ing. In front is the church. “On the green hill top, Hard by the house of prayer, a modest roof, And not distinguished from its neighbour-barn Save by a slender tapering length of spire, The grandame sleeps.” And on the right we are reminded of the opening of the first story in Mrs. Lamb’s “Mrs. Lester's School.” At Widford are the gravestones of Mrs. Elizabeth Norris (widow of Mr. Randal Norris), died July, 1843, and her son Richard. On the west side the church tower are a stile and footpath leading to the beautiful valley of the Ash close by, and just on the other side is the wilderness Charles Lamb describes in his “ Blakes moor in H–shire '' (fir, t essay, second series), and also names in “Rosamund Gray.” Just below the wilderness, and still nearer the church, stood the old Blakesware mansion where his grandmother was housekeeper, and which he describes in this essay. And on the rising ground to the east stood the cottage where Rosamund Gray lived with her grand- mother. On the hillside, just north of the church and valley, is Little Blakesware Farm, where Charles Lamb used to visit Mr. Tween, the then tenant. —-e--> --—- Does the free library injure the sale of books? At present there are comparatively few free libraries, and their chief effect, so far, has been to place books within the reach of those who could not afford to buy them; and this, I think, will be their effect when they are multiplied by fifty. Thus there are now in this country only about three hundred. It is not too much to expect that avery few years will see the free iibraries, great and small, enumerated at 15,000. Almost every good book will certainly be taken by all these libraries. That is to say, good histories and biographies, good books on popular science, favourite poets, favourite novelists, will all be taken; and, really, if no other purchaser appeared, the author would not do so badly. But I believe that the present purchasers will remain. The free libraries will lend books to that enormous class whose incomes are below £300 a year, and who cannot afford to buy books, and those who can afford to buy books will continue to do so. A man is on the prowl seeking to deceive. He calls himself Charles E. Winter. This is the story of a late attempt : “He called to see me in order, he said, to obtain leave to translate a story of mine. I could not give leave as I had sold the copyright, and he then asked if I could give him any type-writing, saying he had done some work for you’’—the editor of this Journal—“ and men- tioning other names of reputation in the literary world as a sort of guarantee. The end of it was that, influenced by a sad history he told of desti- tution, and also, perhaps, by his being evidentl a man of education—he spoke French really like a Frenchman—I gave him some money, and was foolish enough to trust him with the MS. of another story. Since then I have found out that the man is a fraud, and I have now seen a detec- tive who tells me that the man is already ‘wanted by the police for having got money from somebody else in the same way.” A correspondent wrote some time ago—but his letter was mislaid—asking whether £12 was a fair price to pay for a volume of which an edition of 2000 was sold. The volume was a little book which sold for half-a-crown. An edition of two thousand would probably cost—there were special reasons why the advertising would cost little or nothing—about £70, or about 8%d. a copy. The enterprising publishers therefore, who sold this book at about Is. 6d. a copy, cleared 9}d, a copy, out of which they paid the author £12, and realised for themselves £65 odd. Was the transaction a fair one P One thinks that it was not. Here is a case which perhaps admits of argument. A half profit agreement ; a book which is sold at a high price; a return at the end of a year, showing the sale of some hundreds, with a loss of some- thing like 330—the exact amount does not matter, as the account is not disputed. That was twenty years ago. The author during all this time asked for no further return, having long since made up his mind that the book would not prove a pecuniary success. However, in some spare moment he did sit down and asked for a second return. It  ## p. 210 (#224) ############################################ 2 I O THE AUTHOR. came in. It showed a yearly sale of about £30 worth of the book, with an increased loss, after twenty years, of £55 or thereabouts. In other words, what has happened is this. The publisher wished to keep the author's name on his books, and on his lists. He has therefore gone on advertising the book in his list of standard works, every year spending in advertising a little more than he received. He has made the book an advertise- ment of himself. Nor, it seems, can the author complain. He passed without question the first account. In that furnished twenty years later he asked for a return of the advertisements for the last five years. A small sum was charged for advertising in the publisher's own magazine—it should not have been charged—but to dispute it would not remove the deficit. Therefore it was allowed to stand. Perhaps it may be said that the author was advertised as well as the publisher. The author says that he did not ask for the advertisement, that it did him no good, and that he did not want it. If all the remaining copies are sold the deficit cannot now be made good, and so he will not interfere. On p. 215 will be found a few contemporary notes on a very remarkable and unprecedented depres- sion in the book market. It is amazing to think that only sixty years ago the leading publishers had no announcements at all to make in the autumn. Six hundred printers out of work at a time when all the London books were printed in London; nothing risked except reprints of favourite authors; not until the end of the year are there any books, and then only a hundred. The whole history of this depression, the length of its duration, and the revival of the demand for books would form a chapter of interest in the history of English literature. WALTER BESANT. *-- - --" *-*. F EU IL LET ON, IN THE PORCH. By SHAN F. BULLOCK, Author of “The Awkward Squad.” & 4 ELL | * said Greenback, as the outer door of the Judgment Hall closed swiftly behind White and Cold, “Well! What luck P’’ White and Cold ruffled her leaves, gave a little shiver of disgust, then suddenly flung back her front cover. “Look there !” cried she. “I look there ! Is it not shameful ? Bedaubed like that by such a Crew—Oh! such a crew Look –“ Damned,’ * Damned,’ ‘Damned,’ stamped all over my pretty whiteness— Damnation and finger-marks, there's my portion.” Greenback looked with pity at his little friend. What a change | But an hour ago they had parted there in the porch, and she had gone in for judgment so youthfully happy and fresh and hopeful; now the bolt was shot behind her, and she was back—an outcast, battered, disfigured, surely condemned. What a change P “Poor dear,” he murmured. “Poor dear ! So complete—so complete.” - “Complete?” cried White and Cold, “I should think it was. I tell you I was damned before one of their vile eyes ever saw me. They sat hunger- ing for me with their daggers drawn. Look! not twenty of my pages cut, not fifty of m verses read, not one verdict even initialled—Oh! such a crew. One looked at my title-page, ‘Phew!’ quoth he, ‘New man,’ and scribbled * Damned ;’ another read two lines, muttered “Minor, very minor,’ and wrote his verdict; another read five lines, ‘ Rot,” said he, and wrote worse—and so on from deep to deep. Poetry ! What know they of poetry P Critics! Just heaven—Critics l—Oh the travail and fond hopes 52 “Poor dear,” murmured Greenback. “Poor dear! I’m so sorry–Not even one kind word.” “Oh yes, there's one—you'll find it there near the bottom—a woman wrote it, a little ugly body who turned paler at sight of Long-hair's name on the title-page, and smiled as she read here and there. Can’t you find it P” “Ah !” said Greenback. “Yes, I see—damned with faint praise. Poor child.” “Oh I don’t want your pity,” cried White and Cold. “No | It's all a conspiracy. I know it is. I go this way doomed to daggers and destruction, you go that to wreaths and glory. Why? Why, I say? Why because I’m a first child, a girl, the daughter of a long-haired nobody; because my race has fallen among the Philistines; because I trace my descent from Homer through the generations. You smile P Yes, you can afford to smile. You're a seventh child; the world was waiting for you ; the-the person who owns you is somebody. What of you both P. He was long enough under a cloud at first; and you—why you were born piecemeal, scattered here and there about the world, and then collected into your shabby green covers. Bah! Collected / Essays / Old Sober.sides, what of you? Why, you’re a plebeian—a modern—Addison is your—” “Easy, easy,” said Greenback in his urbanest manner. “Why all this folly, child? I’m beyond all that you know, and really—” “Oh, yes; you’re most superior, I know. All gentlemen are. Why did you not keep to your  ## p. 211 (#225) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 H I word, though P Any gentleman can do that. You promised before we left the Row to stand by me and take your fate with me at the same hands. But no ; you must leave me at the door, and sneak off to the the professionals—the big pots— the men who always write sweet things and sign them—” “Really, madam,” returned Greenback, “I must beg of you to keep your vulgar sneers for your equals. As a gentleman I offered you my protection to the extent of my ability; more I could not do. Like yourself I had to take the chances of war—” “Chances of fiddle-sticks | Chances of nincom- poops ? What chance had I?” “Madam,” said Greenback severely, “enough of this. You had your chance like another, and let me say that I cannot bring myself at all to look at the art of criticism from your standpoint—” “Of course you can’t. You get the sugar- plums, I get the physic.” “Madam, enough. Let us call a truce to these trivialities. The trial is over; the door is closed on us both ; our fates assigned us. Madam, our ways now must part. Thither, out into the world and the sunshine, lies my path. Yours— You—Ah, my poor child! My poor child !” “Well, what of me? I suppose you think I can’t take care—” “No, no! Not that. Have you not heard? Do you not know? That place of doom and buried hopes; do you not know of it?” “What P Where P What 2 ” “Ah, child, thank Heaven for youth and inno- cence. Knowledge is such a sad burden. . . . Yes! perhaps you had better know. My child, out there, beyond the sun and the light, is a place of dread and despair. Dank fogs envelop it, despairing voices haunt it, a gaunt precipice over- hangs and cuts it off from this world of chance. Oh verily a region of fog and forgetfulness. And thither, day by day, men come, and now with scorn, now with ringing laughter, sometimes, perhaps, with regret, cry, “Over, over !’ and send fluttering down into the darkness the unfortunate children of folly and conceit—" “Oh, oh! Children? What children? Not— ?” “Yes, child—the books that were born only, sooner or later, to die.” “Books All of them P Every one? not every one! Surely not—not me, too !” “Yes, sweetheart—you, too.” “Oh no, no l Not so soon. soon 2 ” “It is cruel—but kind. Child, I fear me your shrift will be short.” Oh I Did you say “Oh, no ! Why a day ago, an hour ago, I was but born. Did you say soon P Why, I haven't VOL. V. - - yet seen the sun' What! all this pretty finery —all of it, you, say? All, is all to go down— down P. Ah! mercy, mercy l’’ “Sweetheart,” said Greenback very tenderly, “be brave. It is soon over—few in the end escape. Better over at once, maybe, than after a cheerless struggle in the storms and the twilight. “Oh ! but so soon—so soon—only an hour of life. It is shameful! I’ve had no chance. I tell you it will be murder—-yes, murder. For, look you, I am alive, every page of me is throbbing alive. Ah and the brutes would murder me. Ah comrade—keep them back— only for one day, one gleam of the sunshine.” “Impossible,” muttered Greenback. “It is impossible.” “Oh the injustice, the cruelty, the folly of it all. You say that voices haunt that—that place. What voices? Can the dead cry? What voices? Why those of maidens such as I am, ay! and of men, too, and women who have been buried alive. Hark! you can hear them wailing— wailing hopelessly. Oh! the injustice—the bitter Cup,” Greenback let his little friend run on, and him- self fell a thinking. Was it true, any of this that White and Cold in her frenzy was saying? Did anything alive ever go fluttering down P. Whose were those voices P Surely sometimes mistakes were made — mistakes born of hurry and prejudice, perhaps of ignorance P Surely some- times a book—maybe just born, maybe having run its course—with just a spark of life between its covers went over, some jewel that were worth . the snatching. TXown in that melancholy region were there not live things—golden pages, sentences, lines, phrases—buried eternally beneath mountains of stupidity and vanity ? The perfect line in a maze of doggerel, a noble sentence standing out from a dreary flatness, a page here and there torn from experience, and telling the story of a heart—surely often and often these had come unheralded, gone unnoticed, and left the world the poorer. Write, write, men were ever writing—could the most hopeless dullaro among them sit always and never chance on the happy phrase, the haunting cadence; never hear once from heaven a whisper of the gods P. This little butterfly, now lying all crushed and hopeless, could it be that all her glitter was mere dross and vanity ? - “Come, sweetheart,” he said at last, “ Cheer up, now ; all is not over yet. Come! stand for judgment and let me be your critic.” So White and Cold fluttered and twirled and aired her little graces, and Greenback looked gravely on. Those inside the door had not been X  ## p. 212 (#226) ############################################ 212 THE AUTHOR. far wrong, he thought; she had virtues, but she was no divinity; there was glitter, but no gold; the best she could show was now and then a happy pose, a graceful turn, and once, he thought, a flash of passion. No | Salvation was not for her nor for her kind; still, she was not quite unworthy, the gold might have flashed somewhere. And— and surely among all the others, her unfortunate companions in adversity, the gold if sought for, must have flashed somewhere P Surely not to have sought, sought eagerly, thought Greenback, can only be reckoned as foolishness in the ways of man. Why, he himself, only for his parentage, might easily have gone over. “You are right, my dear,” he said presently, “quite right. It is an inhuman thing thus to destroy ruthlessly what might well contain hidden treasure most precious.” “Ah, liknew it,” cried White and Cold, “I knew it ! I wanted only a chance.” “I was speaking generally, child,” said Green- back hurriedly. “Then—then—What are you, too, among my enemies? You, too, blind?” “Ah, child, what matters it P Did I see genius written on your every leaf what could I avail? Nothing.” “Nothing ! Do nothing P ou say there is no hope P’’ ... “It would be cruel to say you false,” murmured Greenback. “Child, there is no hope.” “No hope P Oh ! the living tomb—oh ! the voices wailing—oh Sir, Sir, do something, save me for one hour ! ” “My child,” answered Greenback very gravely, “what you ask is impossible. Sorely do I regret your fate, fervently do I wish it were otherwise; but in this matter, as in all, we are helpless. It is hard—Ah! would that long ago, when the Master was bending over me, I had had the thoughts which now I have I should have whispered: “Write, Master, write and warn the world of its folly. It knows not what it does— daily it is casting away treasure. The workers in the Hall of Judgment are weary and grown callous; they have no leisure in which to perform what to be effective must be a labour of love. But have not you, my Master, called (Ay! spoken it to myself) this an age of Amateur well-doing, of societies founded everywhere for the protection of the weak, and the prevention of wrong-doing? And have I not shown you wrong; are not these weak for whom I plead? What work more noble, more glorious and beneficent could learned men, of taste also and leisure (of you, revered Master, and your peers I speak), hope to lay hand to than the duties which should appertain to a Society solidly founded, honestly supported, and having Do you mean—do for its object the Rescue of Jewels from the Wastes of Literature P Go out, my Master, go out and raise your voice; it is powerful; the world will hear you; countless generations shall call you blessed.’ So should I have spoken, child; and—” “But now—even now it is not too late. The Master | tell him, tell him—ask him to save me!” . “My child, take heart and be brave—to struggle and cry is folly. You know not the world; it is slow to hear, and slower to move. And the Master—alas ! I am not the Master's keeper, and his ear just now is turned from me. But I promise you that some day his voice shall be raised, and this Society of which—” “Yes, yes—but I shall have gone!” “Gome—gone—we all go—go and are forgotten. Ah, child ! is there no consolation in the thought that your sacrifice may to future generations bring great good P” “Consolation | Consolation in that pit of hell! Lost, lost What do I care about future genera- tions P. Oh my pretty finery What going? Leaving me P Is it good bye?” “It is good-bye, sweetheart. The world calls me, and I must go. Keep heart, and die bravely.” “Die | Die ' And is this the end ? face—that alone P” “Be brave my child—and good bye.” “—All alone—Never see you again—Oh! not good bye.” “Ah well—who knows—sooner or later we all, or nearly all, come there. Who knows? Well, Sweetheart, not good bye then, but au revoir.” Must I *— — —”-- : A LITERARY CORNER. | WONDER how many of the men and - women, who monthly turn to the pages of the Author, have ever explored the pleasant precincts of Camilla Lacey, which lie within easy reach of many of their number. It was recently the good fortune of the present writer to see all that is now left of this literary haunt, and to follow for a brief while the footsteps of an almost forgotten literary coterie. For to this little corner of the Surrey Hills the French emigrés were irre- sistibly attracted in the days when the names of Talleyrand, Narbonne, and Madame de Stäel were on everybody’s lips. The little village was even in those days remarkable for shady groves and towering trees, and for its pretty gardens and small cottages, in one of which Madame d’Arblay lived.  ## p. 213 (#227) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 I 3 To-day, indeed, the little homestead is gone, with its rustic wooden porch and low white walls, with their charming old-fashioned pointed gables, and in its stead rises a modern mansion, wherein little is left of the old world building. The only authentic remains of the cottage, which was so beloved of the celebrated authors, are now said, indeed, to be the narrow back stairway, and, per- haps, two adjoining small rooms. Nevertheless, to many folks the house as it is fills the mind with a thousand touching memories, and its owners have sought to preserve intact everything associated with the fame of Fanny Burney. The prettiest, and, perhaps, the sunniest, brightest room of the whole mansion is the little literary museum wherein are preserved the relics of a fame which once made the gladness of the country side. In a quaintly furnished room, with hangings of olden times, dainty flowered curtains shade the fading manuscripts which lie in glazed cases available to the curious, the wonderful manu- script of Camilla and Evelina. Old-fashioned furniture fills up the small room, a corner table supports the large crucifix, which, if report says true, was once the possession of no less a personage than the old Chevalier d’Arblay. All the pieces of furniture, though gathered in recent years, seems to be part and parcel of the original inhabitants, and around the walls hang portraits, engravings for the most part of all the prominent friends of the gifted authoress. Below each one is suspended by loving hands an autograph letter from the portrait represented, addressed for the most part in warm hearted lan- guage to the “charming kind friend” Madame d’Arllay. Here, for instance, is a full-faced portrait of Mrs. Delany in her black lace fichu and mantilla; close beside her Mrs. Montague (after Reynolds), with her good tempered some- what oval face; Mrs. Thrale, Mrs. Trimmer, many of the Burney family, in pen and ink and in crayon ; Baretti (after Reynolds), in queue and powder; David Garrick, in slashed and braided coat. Here, by the bye, hangs another charming portrait, with a characteristic face and expression; below it a delightful old world epistle from Madame Piazzi to the charming Madame d’Arllay. “Come o' Tuesday,” runs the faded manuscript, “as well as Sunday. Dine with me o' Sunday, sweet soul, do ” and here is Mrs. Delany’s letter full of inquiry after the health of her “Dearest Miss Burney: We sent but yesterday to know how you did ; we have been quite alarmed, for they brought us word that though you was better to Burney was only as well as could be expected ; ” and so on, I might quote infinite in number, the tender, heartfelt greetings of this charming throng. All of them, indeed, ring the same changes of devoted friendship and admiration—Talleyrand, Madame de Stäel, Reynolds, “St. Cecilia,” Brinley Sheridan, and many, many another. As the “gallery” ends, the eye rests a moment on the well filled little corner bookshelves, where are gathered in the old first editions—Evelina, Cecilia, Camilla. The minor works and volumes of great contemporary writers are there to com- plete the small library, and the celebrated journals, round which has since centred a veritable literature in itself. There, too, are the earlier diaries of 1768-78, to which some men give the most praise; and last, not least, the curious official form, said to be an authentic copy of the marriage register. I almost hesitate to Copy it in my short paper, fearing it may raise doubts as to veracity. But I give it, for the curious I feel sure would be allowed to see and judge it for their own satisfaction. The form gives the scene of Fanny Burney’s marriage with the Chevalier d’Arblay as St. Luke's parish church, Chelsea, by licence, on July 28, 1793. Biographers, I am aware, mention already two places as the scene of the celebrated ceremony. I can add nothing to their testimony, but I think these few notes may prove of interest. Of the surrounding country side little can have changed since the old days I here record; the well-wooded heights of Denbies, Box Hill, Juniper Hill still stand much as they did then. But the charming gardens and undulating lawns which surround the beautiful modern house of Camilla Lacey; these things mark the transfor- mation undergone since the days of Madame d’Arblay's occupation. There yet may exist, per- chance among them, the shrubs that Chevalier planted with toilsome endeavour; but few people now traverse the country lane with thoughts of its literary recollections. The railway rushing across the country side bears Londonward its crowd of busy people; to thoughtful literary men and women it will ever be the home of delightful old world memories. * -- ~ 2-4 * * * THE PAPER TAX. HE writer of the following article begs to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Lang, who called attention to the subject in the Illustrated London News two or three months ago. The subject is treated in the Edinburgh Review for June, 1831, in an article called “Taxes upon Literature.”  ## p. 214 (#228) ############################################ 2I4 THE AUTHOR. . At that time there was a tax upon paper, a tax upon binding, and a tax upon advertisements. All these taxes had to be paid in the production of the book, and before a single copy was sold— they had to be paid, in fact, whether a single copy sold or not. The meaning and the burden of these taxes are shown by the Edinburgh Reviewer. He takes the case of an 8vo. book of 500 pages. He selects an ordinary book of that size, and he gives the figures showing the cost of pro- duction with that part of it due to the taxes. These figures, he says, were furnished by a person of the “highest authority.” They appear as follows: I. In an edition of 500 copies :— Due to taxes. Printing and cor- rection ............ 388 18 O Paper ............... 38 IO O ... & 8 I 2 IO Boarding ............ Io O O 3 3 8 Advertising ........ 4O O O 2O O O 177 8 o 31 16 6 If the whole edition is sold out, i.e., allowing for eleven copies sent to the public libraries and fourteen to the author, if 475 are sold at 8s. 5d. a copy, the amount realised is £1.99. 17s. I Id., leaving a profit of £22 9s. 11d. 2. Taking an edition of 750 copies :— Due to taxes. Printing and cor- rections............ £95 6 O Paper .............. 57 I5 O 312 I9 4 Binding............... I5 O O 4 I5 7 Advertising ......... 5O O O 25 O O 218 I o 42 I4 II If the whole edition (725 copies) be sold at 8s. 5d., the amount realised would be £305 2s. 5d., showing a profit of £87 1s. 5d. 3. An edition of IOOO copies:— Due to taxes. Printing and cor- rections ......... 3IO2 I4 O Paper ............... 77 o o £1.7 5 9 Boarding ......... 2O O O 6 7 5 Advertising ...... 6o o o 3O O O 259 I4 O 53 I 2 2 If the whole edition, 975 copies, are sold at 8s. 5d. the amount realised would be £410 6s. 3d. leaving a profit of £150 12s. 3d. But, the writer goes on to say, this supposes the sale of the whole edition; now by the evidence of a publisher in the first rank, out of 130 works issued by him, fifty had not paid expenses; thirteen only arrived at a second edition, not always profitable. One fourth of the whole number of books produced do not pay expenses; only one in eight can be reprinted. Suppose that, instead of 720 copies being sold, only 425 went off leaving 300 on hand. This is, in fact, the common case with books. How does the account stand? . The cost of the edition is £218 Is. By the sale of 425 copies the sum of £178 17s. Id. is realised This leaves an actual loss of £40. But the taxes had to be paid in advance. In other words the cost of production had to be increased by about 22% per cent. Moreover the printing, binding, &c., could be paid after the first returns of the book, but the taxes had to be paid in advance. There would seem in these days to have been some ground for the cry about risk and uncertainty. Certainly a tax of 22% per cent on the cost of production must have made the business much less lucrative than at present. The writer points out, however, that publishers of standing were careful to avoid risk as much as possible by taking only books written by well known names, and on subjects likely to command attention. We observe that no “press’ copies were issued. The book was advertised; if it was reviewed the reviewer bought or borrowed a copy. The practice of sending out review copies must have come into existence soon after this, because in the Forties it was certain that there were press Coples. It is interesting to compare the cost of pro- duction of 1831 with that of 1894. We take the example given in the Society’s “Cost of Pro- duction,” p. 31, i.e., a page of 34 lines, of 339 words, a Long Primer type, and of 500 pages. We have the following comparison, deducting the amount due to taxes. Edition of 500 copies:— 1831 Printing and Correction 3888 18 o Paper ........................ 29 I7 2 Boarding 6 I6 4 Advertising ............... 2O O O £145 II 6 1894 Composing 31; sheets at £I 7s. I Id. per sheet... 353 6 3 Printing, 5s. 9d. a sheet 8 19 8 Corrections, say............ 5 o O Paper, at 9s. a sheet...... I4 I3 6 Binding, at 5a, a vol. ... Io 8 4 Advertising e tº e 2O O O — 31 12 7 9  ## p. 215 (#229) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 I 5 Or taking the edition of IOOO copies:– 1831 Printing and correction 2102 14 O Paper .................. • * * * > * 59 I4 3 Boarding ........ ......... I 3 I 2 7 Advertising ......... . . . . . . 3O O O se- £2O6 o IO 1894 Composition ............... 353 6 3 Printing, at Ios. 6d. a. sheet ..................... I6 IO 9 Paper, at 18s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 7 O Corrections ... . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 O O Binding, at 5al. ... . . . . . . ... 20 16 8 Advertising . . . . . . . ...... 3O O O 38154 O 8 So that composition and printing have gone down 32 per cent. since the year 1831 ; paper is half what it was ; binding is a little dearer. As regards the great risks in publishing at this period, it will be seen from another part of this paper, that there was a depression in the book trade at that time (1831) deeper and more marked than had ever before been known. The political excitement of the time was supposed to be the cause ; but national excitement, whether over politics or war, gene- rally stimulates the book trade. It is more reasonable to attribute the stagnation first to the general commercial depression of the time which had ruined or crippled the manufacturers, so that they could no longer afford to buy books at the high price then asked; next, to the decay of the book clubs; and, thirdly, to a disgust at the weak and washy novels and poetry with which their book clubs were provided. The reading and book-buying public, never very large, had, from these and other causes, grown much smaller; it consisted of the professional classes and the more wealthy merchants and manufacturers. Outside the larger towns there was little book-buying. The advertisement duty, formerly of 3s. 6d. for each advertisement, and in Ireland 2s. 6d, was reduced in 1833 to 1s. 6d. in England and to Is. in Ireland. In 1853 it was abolished alto- gether. The newspaper stamp, which varied, being I d. in 171 I, I d. in 1776, 2d. in 1789, 2 #d. in 1794; 3}d. in 1797, 4d. in 1815, I d. in 1836, was finally abolished in 1855. The paper duty was repealed in 1861. THE DEPRESSION OF TRADE, 1831. HE following extracts, concerning the new books of 1831, are taken from the sources named. They refer to the threatened ruin of literature in the Thirties—a very curious chapter in the history of modern literature. The depression was attributed to the political excite- ment of the time, but, as we believe, mistakenly so attributed : I. (Athenæum, Oct. I 5, 183 I.) Man is a poetic creature, let philosophers say as they will; it is wonderful to hear of the ruin to literature and the destruction to art which one friend perceives in the Reform Bill; while another friend will see nothing but prosperity and exaltation to both. The airy fictions of these men, one of a bright and the other of a dark nature, are in a high degree poetical It must be owned that for these six months art and literature have suffered a sad eclipse. One side says, without reform there must be revolu- tion ; the other, that revolution will follow reform. No man will speculate in aught but words; labour has nearly ceased — printing presses repose by the hundred—and booksellers say that they have not sold a volume since the question was agitated. A poet in our presence lately requested a publisher to purchase a new poem in ten cantos—subject and time—“Wars of the Two Roses.” “Are you insane P” was the quick reply; “write on the rise and fall of stocks, or on the Reform Bill, and hope for purchasers.” II. (Supplement, Oct. I 5.) These are evil times: the pen and the pencil are nearly idle, save in writing political lampoons and drawing caricatures. The dread of change perplexes monarchs no more, they eat their pudding and hold their tongue; but fear has come upon men of genius; poets and painters eye, in alarm, the thickening clouds, while men whose muscles are strong, and whose hearts are griping and eager, look on the coming tempest as on the wind which will shake the ripe fruit and give them much to gather A few of the booksellers announce new books, or rather works long bespoke and written ; but, on the whole, the depression in the great market of literature con- tinues. Murray has not even an advertisement ; we hear not one word of the Quarterly IReview, though the period of its appearance has come, and all that is new are the Annuals and a few thrice-spoken speeches for or against reform. There is not one book announced which promises either genius or learning, and there is little chance  ## p. 216 (#230) ############################################ 2 I6 THE AUTHOR. of either while this thick cloud rests on our land, and till this question, which affects the wealthy, the bustling, and the important, is settled. III. (Athenæum, Nov. 12, 1831.) The ablest of our writers are for the present next to idle, and some have left or are about to leave the land. Scott is on his way to Italy, and letters from him cheer us up with the intelligence of increasing health and spirits ; a gentle sea sickness was followed by more than usual vigour and sprightliness. We rejoice the more at this, because, before he left Portsmouth, he talked rather seriously about his voyage. He alluded to Fielding's visit to Lisbon, Smollett's to Italy, and Byron's to Greece, and returned to the sub- ject if diverted from it. It is remarkable that Byron wrote Scott a long letter inviting him to Italy, and pointing out, if we remember right, Naples as a place where he might enjoy balmy air and see abundance of human characters. Washington Irving, too, an author whom we love greatly, is said to be on the point of sailing to America, and we think he is right—extinction of literature, and depression of art, riots and blood- shed; and, finally, the cholera in Sunderland, shut up from escape by sea, with full liberty to march whither it pleases by land, are, on the whole, no cheering prospects. IV. (Athenæum, Nov. 19, 1831.) The public depression attributed by one faction to the refusal of reform, and by the other to the introduction of the measure, still continues; cheap books alone are published, and during the present political pest cheap books alone will be purchased; for no man can expect to read a large work leisurely through when the very ground under his feet seems to have a touch of the earthquake, and high houses threaten to topple down and crush ordinary people in the rubbish. Men who in former palmy times boldly launched their first-rate quarto, are now content to push their cockboat along the shore and close by the land —in truth, till the great question of reform is settled but no timid adventurer need try to come forward. Magazines may change editors, newspapers their proprietors, reviews their contributors, and booksellers may have faith in rich or official authors, but the great market of literature will not open its gates full and wide till the public mind is settled, and perhaps not then. W. (Athenæum, Nov. 26, 1831.) All in literature continues dull as a great thaw, long promised works are held back from the market, and no new ones of any mark or likeli- hood make their appearance. Six hundred printers are out of employment in London alone. Reprints of favourite authors are all that book- sellers dare venture upon ; and of these the new edition of the poetical works of Sir Walter Scott promises to be one of the most attractive gº tº This, with the “Italy ’’ of Rogers, and the Works of Byron, announced by Murray, must console our eyes for the absence of mental food. The Annuals, we fear, must go to the wall when these are published. VI. (Athenæum, Dec. 17, 183 I.) Literature has recovered a little from its long stupor; more than a hundred new works, and some of them of great interest, have been announced. Pamphlets on reform and visionary treatises on cholera will now give way, we hope, to works of learning and genius. In addition to this good news, we hear that Sir Walter Scott has arrived safe and well at Malta. Reprints of valuable books, sometime announced, are about to make their appearance; the Byron of Murray comes out on the first of the new year, and a beautiful work it is. VII. (Athenæum, Dec. 24, 1831.) Our publishers' shops are now more frequented —booksellers are receiving orders—the columns of the newspapers are filling with advertisements of books; and though these festive times of Christmas interpose a little in business matters, we cannot but perceive that literature has rallied and gives token of recovering much of its original vigour. We hear that the next numbers of the magazines, both north and south, will show that the national love of elegance is reviving; we cannot, however, look for a full development of the publishers' plans of the next campaign till the publication of the Quarterly, and Edinburgh, and Westminster Reviews. VIII. (Letter from Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibden, Oct. 31, 183 I.) I paid my eleventh and last visit to the renowned publisher of the Quarterly Review. I have long considered Mr. Murray as the greatest “family ’’ man in Europe, and was not surprised to find him surrounded by an extensive circle of little ones. A family man is usually a cheerful man ; but the note of despondency was to be heard even here. The Quarterly Review was, however, in full plumage, winging its way, and commanding the attention of an unabated crowd of admirers. Lord Byron was also to come forth in a new dress—shorter, and less flowing, but  ## p. 217 (#231) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 217 well fitting, brilliant, and attractive. So far, so good; yet the taste for literature was ebbing. Men wished to get for five, what they knew they could not obtain for fifteen shillings. The love of quartos was well-nigh extinct, in spite of the efforts of a neighbouring forty-eight horse power engine, to restore that form to its usual fashion and importance.—Bibliophobia, p. 31. *- a. -- a- - - THE ENGLISH DIALECT DICTIONARY. HIS dictionary will be edited by Mr. Joseph Wright, M.A., Ph.D., deputy professor of comparative philology in the University of Oxford. The treasurer is Professor Skeat, Litt.D., LL.D. The following is from the circular recently issued. Some of our readers will, perhaps, be ready to help in the way herein pointed out : “The dictionary will include, so far as is possible, the complete vocabulary of all dialect words which are still in use or are known to have been in use at any time during the last 200 years. All words occurring in the literary lan- guage, and the dialects, but with some local peculiarity of meaning in the latter, will also be included. On the other hand, all words which merely differ from the literary language in pro- nunciation, but not in meaning, will be rigidly excluded, as belonging entirely to the province of grammar and not to that of lexicography. It will also contain (I) the exact geographical area over which each dialect word extends, together with quotations and references to the sources from which the word has been obtained ; (2) the exact pronunciation in each case according to a simple phonetic scheme, specially formulated for the purpose; (3) the etymology so far as relates to the immediate source of each word. “During the last twenty years a great number of people in all parts of England have been co- operating to collect the material necessary for the compilation of a large and comprehensive Dictionary of English Dialects, based upon scien- tific principles. It was also with this express object in view that the English Dialect Society was started in 1873, which up to the end of 1893 has published seventy volumes, all of which, so far as is advisable, will be incorporated in the dictionary. In addition to the great amount of material sent in from unprinted sources, hundreds of dialect glossaries and works containing dialect words have been read and excerpted for the purposes of the dictionary. I have already in my possession considerably over a million slips— about a ton in weight—each containing the source with quotation, date, and county. The slips for the letter S alone weigh nearly 2 cwt. It has cost those interested in this grand and glorious work, several hundred pounds to get the material roughly arranged in alphabetical order. Pro- fessor Skeat, myself, and other specialists—both at home and abroad—are of opinion that the time has come when it is urgently necessary to begin to edit for press the vast amount of material already collected, because in a work of this nature delay is dangerous, and every year will render it more and more difficult to obtain accurate infor- mation about the exact pronounciation of dialect words; so rapidly is pure dialect speech dis- appearing from our midst, that in a few years it will be almost impossible to get accurate informa- tion upon difficult points. Hence it has been decided to begin the publication of the dictionary next year if possible. “But much as has already been accomplished in collecting material, much still remains to be done before the staff of assistants and myself can begin our long and arduous task. I therefore appeal most earnestly to my fellow-countrymen for further help, to enable us to make the material as complete as possible before we begin to pre- pare the work for press. Two or three hundred additional workers could in a very short time furnish us with all the material which still remains to be gleaned from printed and other sources. When this appeal becomes widely known, there will surely be no difficulty in obtain- ing the help we require ; for, as was pointed out in a former report of the Dialect Dictionary: “It will be nothing short of a reproach and a disgrace to us as Englishmen if we let a true and genuine part of our national speech die out in our time without an effort to preserve and hand it down to posterity. Such an effort we are making. It would argue a sad want of public spirit if Englishmen were to evince no interest in our labours, and let them languish for want of material support.’” *—- - - r- - - BOOK TALK. N the verses by the Rev. Dr. Charles D. Bell quoted in our last number there are three printer's errors. In the last line but one of the second stanza, “ hears no strain'' should be “hears our strain.” In the third stanza, “ Arethusa '’ should have been printed “Arethuse;” and in the line following, “with look of love * should be “with looks of love.” “X. Y. Z. and other Poems” presents itself in a garb that suggests the influence of “The Yellow Book.” There is a black serpent in a  ## p. 218 (#232) ############################################ 218 THE AUTHOR. green ground and a yellow sun, conventionally presented, on a black ground. The poems are by the Rev. John Lascelles. The publishers are the Leadenhall Press. They are religious verses, and very remarkable for their strength and originalty. They are sometimes even startling. Every poet must choose his own vehicle, and perhaps Mr. Lascelles has chosen the form which suits him best. One may ask, however, if the ruggedness is not sometimes a little forced. Here is the concluding poem : What matters it, if men remember me, When I have gone to live among the stars; In some fair home where earthly frets and jars Have ceased to vex my soul P and I can see The deepest depths of truth; my vision free From earth's distortions; and from all that mars The intercourse of souls; when God unbars The golden gates of Immortality. What matter if men read me through and through ; And talk of me when I am but a name, And all I love have gone to join the just P What matters it P But for the good I do, No more than if they reverently came, In after years—and stooped and kissed the dust. Mr. George Cotterel is another new poet. His verses are published by David Nutt. Mr. Cotterell is among other things a story-teller in verse, It will be unexpected if he, or some other poet, should succeedin reviving the lostart of story- telling in verse. There are several stories in these volumes. The story of “Natham,” of “Constance,” and that called “Violets.” Mr. Cotterell has also told dramatically the story of Arethusa and the story of Galatea. The last-named begins as follows: Sore-smitten, my shepherd, my dearest, Struck down and for me ! There is none of all now that thou fearest, None like unto thee. * There is none with thy strength and thy sweetness, Though lovers remain In love with thy dear love's completeness, Nor will be again. But thy face was a mark for his madness, Thy love for his hate, The monster that envied our gladness, And compassed thy fate : And all day in all desolate places, I bemoan thee and weep, Afar from thy loving embraces Astray like thy sheep. “The Confessions of a Poet ’’ is a book which has been lying on our table for two months. It is a volume of verse by Mr. F. Harald Williams (Hutchinson and Co.). The preface, which is amusing, concerns the critics. For instance, one of them declared that he would not dare to ask in a respectable shop for a book with such an improper name as 'Twiat Kiss and Lip. (!) One looks at the title from every point of view, and yet one cannot possibly see what and where is the impropriety of it. Then the author com- plains of the garbled review, the dishonest review, and, above all, of the crowded review, where one or two reviewers have to discuss a dozen books in a single week—sometimes a dozen in a single column. Again, he calls attention to the directly opposite opinions on his book. Here are three : “Extraordinary skill and felicity in versifica- tion.” “Mere doggerel passing human scansion and comprehension.” “Accurate rhythm and perfect versification.” Of course these opinions contradict each other flatly. In these columns criticism of a poet is not attempted. The most that we can do is to let a poet speak for himself, and to state what he presents. The volume is large, containing 500 pages of verse in small print. The poet is fluent : perhaps he would do better to remember that a busy world cannot find time to read through too bulky a volume. The following is the opening stanza of “The Land of Nod ‘’’: The stream of quiet life goes smoothly on, In sunshine and in shade, Without a check as it has ever gone, While blossoms form and fade. And scarce a ripple breaks the eventide Of labour touched with tears, And modest hopes whose sober colours hide The face of human fears. Deep down below, like an uncovered corpse That yet no burial earns Or decent rest, and with the current warps, And turns. We learn from the Athenaeum that Mrs. Thackeray Ritchie thinks of bringing out an edition of her father's works, with biographical notes. Also that a large-paper edition of Mr. George Meredith’s “Tale of Chloe" will be issued by Messrs. Ward, Lock, and Bowden. Messrs. Archibald Constable and Co., of 14, Parliament-street, S.W., are issuing a new library of fiction entitled “The Acme Library,” and consisting of volumes by well-known authors of about 20,000 words in length. The first issue is a story by Dr. Conan Doyle relating to mesmeric influence. In the book list for November the initials of “A. Z.” were given as the author of “A Drama in Dutch " (Heinemann and Co.). They should have been “Z. Z.” Among the new books in last month's list should have been inserted a “Manual of Addresses to Communicants,” by the Rev. W. Frank Shaw (Mowbray and Co. 3s. 6d.). Miss Gerda Grass's novel, “Phil Hawcroft’s Son,” which has been running in the Newcastle  ## p. 219 (#233) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 I 9 Weekly Chronicle, has now come to an end. It has attracted considerable attention, and has already been translated into Swedish. It will be probably published in the spring. Dr. K. Lentzner has delivered a course of four lectures on Danish Literature, under the patron- age of H.R.H. the Princess of Wales. Mrs. F. Percy Cotton, writing under the name of Ellis Walton, has published (Elliott Stock) a new volume of verse, called “Some Love Songs, and other Lyrics.” These verses have received highly laudatory reviews in Sunday papers. The interest recently created in book plates is quite wonderful. Apart from Mr. Egerton Castle's comprehensive work on the subject, there are half a dozen books on the subject issued by the same publishers (H. Grevel and Co.). These are: “Art in Book Plates,” illustrated by forty-two original ex Libris, designed in the style of the German ; “Little Masters of the Sixteenth Century,” from the ex Libris collection from the Ducal Palace of Wolfenbüttel; “Rare old Plates of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century;” “Em- blemata Nobilitatis; ” “Emblemata Secularia;” “Initials;” and a “Modern Dance of Death.” In addition to this may be noted “American Book Plates” and “English Book Plates,” both pub- lished by Messrs. Bell. The “Life and Letters of John Greenleaf Whittier’ ought to be read by everybody who loves pure literature and the life of a man devoted to the best and highest forms of literature accord- ing to his lights. It will cost you 18s., and it is published by Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. But if you go to a free library you can get it for nothing. “Poste Restante,” a novel by C. Y. Har- greaves, 3 vols. (A. and C. Black). The reader may make a note of it for his next circulating library list. Mrs. Croker's new novel, “Mr. Jervis: a Romance of the Indian Hills,” is just published, in three volumes—the old three-decker not dead yet—by Chatto and Windus. Austin Dobson’s “Eighteenth Century Wignettes” (second series), is, like everything of this most delightful writer and poet, charming and interesting. The Fortnightly Review under the new editor is getting on so well that last month it was found necessary to issue a second edition. “St. Andrews and Elsewhere * is A. K. H. B.'s new volume (Longmans). We all know one A. K. H. B. Some of us have known him and been pleased to read him for thirty years. We recommend Mr. Arthur Morrison’s “Tales of Mean Streets” (Methuen) to everybody. They are better than photographs; because the photograph shows everything. This author selects, arranges, and produces an artistic whole. His work is the best kind of realism. Christabel Coleridge will begin a new serial in the Sunday Magazine for January. There will be two serial stories in Good JWords for 1895, by S. R. Crockett and by W. Clark Russell. The author of “The Yellow Aster’” has pro- duced a new novel, in three volumes, called “Children of Circumstance.” It has gone into a fourth edition. (Hutchinson.) “The New Note” (same publisher) is advertised as in the fourth edition, and Rita's “Peg the Rake ’’ is advertised in the second edition. These announcements are highly satisfactory, but one would submit that they are less impressive than if the numbers of each edition were given. A good many publishers have “select ’’ and “standard” and other “ libraries' of fiction. Therefore we need not be surprised to hear that Messrs. Macmillan are going to have a series of “Illustrated Standard Novels.” The books are to be well illustrated, and there will be a preface or introduction to every volume, thus forming a pleasant and perhaps remunerative job to as many literary men as there are volumes. The books are what we all know—Marryatt, Miss Edgeworth, Susan Ferrier, and so forth. Mr. Ulick Burke is about to produce his long- promised work on Spain. The publisher will be Longmans. It will be curious to see whether the old interest in things Spanish will be revived by this important book. Of late years our literature has been almost silent on Spain and the Spanish. “Menzikoff, or the Danger of Wealth,” a story founded on fact, has been translated from the German of Gustav Nieritz by Mrs. Alexander Rerr, and published by the Religious Tract Society. The book in the original made consider- able stir and has had a large circulation. Miss Julia Agnes Fraser has just issued a novel in three volumes, called “Shibrick the Drummer.” The publishers are Messrs. Remington and Co. Among the many new books of verse which have appeared of late is one by Marcus S. C. Rickards, author of “Creation's Hope,” “Songs of Universal Life,” &c., called “Poems of Life and Death,” published by George Bell and Sons. They are all short poems, ranging in length from one page to three. The poet is always  ## p. 220 (#234) ############################################ 22O THE AUTHOR. pleasing and unaffected. His song is neither complicated nor obscure; perhaps it is sometimes too simple. The themes that inspire him are old-fashioned—The Nightingale, Roses, Violets, Sweet Peas, the New Moon, a Hedge Sparrow, a Curlew, and so on. Those who like simplicity in style, purity of thought, and rippling melody will find these qualities in Mr. Marcus Rickards. Mr. C. J. Wills has produced another book on Persia which is even more interesting than his “Land of the Lion and the Sun.” It is called “Behind an Eastern Weil,” and is an account of life as it really is for the women of that far off country — perhaps the farthest “off” at this moment of any country under the sun–centainly a long way more distant than China, Japan, or even, thanks to recent startling developments, Rorea itself. It is published by Blackwood and Sons. Messrs. Chatto and Windus have published a translation of the Memoirs of the Duchesse de Gontant. The period covered is from 1773 to 1836. The Duchess was gouvernante of the Children of France during the Restoration. The memoirs, therefore, cover the whole of the most interesting period of French history. All that can be said about the book amounts to this, that once taken up it will not be laid down or exchanged for another book until it is finished. “Norley Chester”—Madame or Monsieur— has published a little book of sonnets (Elliot Stock) called “Dante Wignettes.” There are twenty-five of them. The sonnets have the true ring of verse, and the true enthusiasm for Dante. Again, the three-volume novel is not dead yet. Mr. C. Y. Hayman brings out his new work (A. and C. Black) in this form. “Poste Restante” is its title. You who still belong to circulating libraries make a note of it. Messrs. Ward and Downey have in hand a novel by R. H. Sherard, entitled “Jacob Niemand.” It will be published in the spring. Mr. R. H. Sherard is engaged on a life of Sarah Bernhardt, which will be published next season by Edward Arnold. Mr. F. B. Doveton's new work will appear shortly. It is a book of Prose Sketches, meta- physical, descriptive, and social, with tales and lay sermons. The publisher is Elliot Stock. “Beyond the Dreams of Avarice,” by the editor of this paper, will be published before the end of January (Chatto and Windus) in one volume, price 6s. > c: CORRESPONDENCE, I.—PERSONAL ExPERIENCE. T is fair to give publicity to both sides of the question, so, as an author of some years standing, I should like to state that my experience of editors is very unlike that of “An Author’’ published in your last issue. I hav met with great kindness and consideration from many editors; indeed, some have become quite friendly, and when they refuse articles— which they are often obliged to do for want of room, or because they do not require what I send them—they frequently write a kind, courteous note with their refusal. But I never eapect this from them, knowing how busy they are and how precious is their time. On the other hand, I should never trouble them with the information that anyone else was “enchanted ” with my works. Firstly, because I am not fortunate enough to have an “enchanted ” public ; and, secondly, because I am sure the editor would not care to hear it even if I had But, as a body, should we not be happier if we raised our ideal of the noble profession to which we belong P. There are very few great writers in the world, and only a very small pro- portion of these can be found in England. Even if writers are born with talent or even with genius they have much labour to go through before they can produce a classic, and most of us are far from producing classics. But once let us raise our ideal and we shall not be surprised when that which falls far short of it, is often returned with- out thanks! However, if we have satisfied our- selves that our work is good, or as good as we can make it, do not let us be cast down if the poem, or the tale, or the novel is rejected ten times over. In the end good work will find a publisher. Popularity does not always mean that the writer who has it is a great writer, indeed, for a young author to make a “hit ’’ with a first book is almost a curse. If we place our ideal high we can then be our own judges, and we need not be dependent on the good or the bad opinion of hard-worked editors. Above all things let us not tout for reviews | I have never done so, yet my work has been noticed quite as much as it deserves; indeed, I have sometimes received more praise than my work merited. I must own, however, to possessing a Jow opinion of second-rate reviewers, who often do not read the books they review, or else tell the story straight through without one word of critical comment. Still, their strange mistakes make us laugh, and their blame cannot injure an ideal, as they possess none of their own.  ## p. 221 (#235) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 22 I Further, if we accuse some publishers of certain unfair dealings, let us also look at home and strive to keep our own profession free from smallness or meanness. Let us set our faces agai st log rolling, cringing to obtain favourable reviews, or praising poor work hoping to get praise in return. If we want good money let us give good work, but especially let us give good work even if we get no money at all. Det us avoid pot boilers and accept poverty if necessary rather than lower the standard in our own eyes and in the eyes of the few who can see. If I may, let me again repeat Mr. Sherard’s quotation. It will materially help us when, after having striven hard, we find our work returned to us by editors with or without thanks. “J’en ay assez de peu,” répondit il. “J’en ay assez d’un, J'em ay assez de pas wºn.” ESME STUART. II.-Nov ELISTS AND THEIR CHARACTERS. I had imagined that novelists need no longer fear being held responsible for the opinions and actions of their leading characters. But I have just had singular proof that the old-fashioned idea of “hero * dies hard in England. Unfortunately I am rather fond of taking immature characters and trying to develop them —as we are most of us developed—through mis- takes and failures. In preparing my last novel (the eighteenth I have written) for the press, I altered the original title, “Norman Colvill’s Blunders ” to “A Modern Quixote.” I thought that the touch of kindly satire which I meant to run through the story would be implied in the name “Quixote.” The A. B. C. of my art, of course, prevented me from discussing my character or writing my own opinions about him. But on the title-page I wrote Bacon’s axiom, “Goodness admits of no excess, but error.” And as it was necessary for me to write a short preface to apologise for the staleness of certain passages in a book, which was written in 1893, I took the opportunity to refer to “blundering and mistaken efforts,” made with the best intentions. Certain chapters were even headed “Nemesis,” “The Punishment Begins, ’ &c., and towards the end of the third volume the Quixote, who has been compelled to carry out his theories to the bitter end, deplores his own failure, and acknowledges his own priggishness in the earlier Oxonian stage. Imagine my amazement when critic after critic speaks of “Mrs. Spender’s Hero,” “ Mrs. Spender’s Polemics.” Personally I hate polemics, but my opinions or my individuality should surely be kept as much as possible in that back- ground from which, leading a li’e of retirement, I can only express my surprise. LILY SPENDER. III.-WRITERS OF SONGs. The time having come for the rights and interests of musical composers to receive a share of consideration, which holds out fair hope of redress, may I venture, as a lyric writer of at least twenty-five years’ standing, to put in a plea, for the writers of words for music? A great many songs, with words written by me, have been sung, year after year, by noted singers, not only in London concert halls, but all over the English-speaking world. Yet, beyond the small fee paid for the words at the time of publication, I have never received one penny. |Many of the music publishers now send to the writers a form of receipt for the fee, to which a special clause is attached that “all rights in the words, whether for public performance or not, in all parts of the world, shall belong absolutely and for ever to the publisher.” By signing this receipt the writer, of course, loses all further interest in his property. Public singers receive large royalties on songs sung by them, such royalties being ostensibly paid by the publishers, but in which payment the composers must in many cases share by foregoing a part of their own very small profit. I am ignorant of these matters, and should like to ask why the singer is so much more sufficiently paid than the writer or composer ; He must manifestly sing something, and is amply paid by the public for doing so. Would it not seem a more just arrangement that writer, com- poser, and singer should each receive a share of the royalties paid by the publishers ? Might not some other form of receipt be adopted by music publishers, the terms of which would deal less hardly with the composers and writers of songs P T.YRIC. IV.-PLAGIARISM OR MEMORY. Synonymous expressions of thought are common in literature, but clear instances of unconscious plagiarism are rare. The following lines are similar word for word: And yet We lost it in this daily jar and fret, And now live idle in a vague regret. JOHN DAVIDSON. It was, and yet We lost it in this daily jar and fret, And now live idle in a vague regret. ADELAIDE A. PROCTER. A young poet in the full fire of genius and passion for his ideal cannot be too careful in  ## p. 222 (#236) ############################################ 222 A UTHOR. THE passing his proofs, or he may easily appropriate unconsciously the lines of others. I may mention that, prior to publishing my first volume—“Lord Harrie and Leila, In Memory of H.R.H. the Prince Consort, and other poems ”—I carefully read through my ideals—Byron, Shelley, and Keats—ere I would allow it to pass the press. It was well I did so, as I found it necessary to expunge certain lines which had crept in through unconscious instances of memory, which would otherwise have gone forth as my own, and for which my critics would not probably have spared me. H. GEORGE HELLON. W.—STANDARD WORKs. I have often thought that there is an injustice in the copyright falling practically largely into the heretofore publisher's hands after copyright ceases. Would it be possible to have some such clause as “all stereos to become the property of the author's heirs and assigns on expiration of copyright,” and such stereos to be used for their benefit by the literary syndicate of authors or others ? As it is now, the publishers gain any advantage by cessa- tion of rights, while it is the public or the Society of Authors which ought so to gain. H. S. VI.-KIND OR JUST P The editor of an American periodical was robbed of his tin box, not full of bonds and cash, as the wicked thief imagined, but of MSS. and sketches. Bear the loss who should P I fancy many editors of English magazines would say “The authors, of course ; we are not responsible if foolish people send us their MSS.” Not so my American editor. The periodical in Question is not rich, but it will bear the loss and compensate the authors. This is not only kind, but courteous—and just. S. B. *. VII.-HospitaLS AND PROOFs. Apropos of a suggestion in one of your recent numbers that authors would do a good deed by sending their proof sheets when useless to hospitals, I should be glad of the medium of your correspondence column to make a similar suggestion. Books sent to magazines and newspapers for review should never be sold, and it is clearly the duty of everyone who values a fair field to authors to protest against such a custom. There is an excellent statement in the editorial notices of The Unknown World to this effect : “The editor of The Unknown World, as himself a writer of books, and the publishers, as per- sonally interested in sustaining the commercial value of new books, resent the prevailing custom of selling review copies immediately after publi- cation, and too often without notice at all. All books sent to this magazine for review will remain in the custody of the proprietors, and will not be parted with under any circumstances.” This has suggested to me two propositions, which are, as far as I know, original. The first is that all review copies should be bound in paper as French novels are published. The second, that the editors of magazines and news- papers could make a good use of these copies if they sent them to such libraries as the Peoples’ Palace library, or the Working Men's Club libraries of the Federation of Working Men's Social Clubs, or of clubs connected with Toynbee Hall, or school and college missions. Besides these, hospitals and free libraries would greatly benefit by such a system. JOHN WYATT. VIII.-EDITORIAL AMENITIES. Case I. Recently I submitted a lengthy MS. for approval to the editor of a well-known, high- class paper. In a week it was returned with the usual note of non-acceptance ; torn, inked, and dirtied, every page of it. The result: The MS. (which was type-written) would have to be re- typed at the cost of 8s. or 9s. before it could be offered elsewhere. It was perfectly clean and new when sent to the editor in question, in an envelope. I wrote a note of remonstrance. Answer: “The editor much regrets if the MS. should have become slightly soiled (good this ; it was simply filthy), but thinks Mr. Z. must have been mis- taken as to its condition when sent to the office of the magazine. He is unable to offer Mr. Z. any compensation.” Case 2. A few weeks ago I forwarded by request a MS. for the consideration of another well-known magazine, inclosing ample stamps for its return, if unsuitable, under cover. Result: MS. returned coverless, the two last pages having been turned back and glued so as to form an impromptu wrapper, a half-penny stamp being attached in place of the two penny Ones sent by me to cover postage. A pouring wet day resulting in the MS., thus insufficiently protected, being soaked through and through, necessitating almost entire re-copying. Case 3. Two years ago an old established paper accepted a MS. of mine upon an archaeo- logical subject. At the expiry of nearly two years from date of acceptance I wrote to inquire why the contribution had not been used. Answer: The editor could not make use of it as it was “full of inaccuracies.” I naturally asked for  ## p. 223 (#237) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 223 somewhat fuller information upon the subject of my alleged inaccuracies. After some time had elapsed the MS. was returned with the detailed information for which I had asked. Upon going through the list, and consulting the best known authorities on the subject, I found that every one of the editor's statements, contravening mine in the article, was incorrect. I wrote to point this out, but have not yet received any reply, though several weeks have elapsed. I presume that I am powerless to insist on publication, and have lost the chance of the article appearing else- where. It has been paid for (a cheque was sent me three or four months after acceptance) but publication would have proved more valuable to me in more ways than one. Surely these are somewhat “hard ” cases, though by no means isolated ones. C. H. IX.—THE LAUREATESHIP. I think your correspondent “A Prose Writer’” has done a good deed in again calling attention to the prolonged vacancy of the office of Poet Laureate, though I can hardly agree with him that the whole fraternity of authors is being slighted. In some well-known books of reference, which purport to be “carefully corrected at the different offices,” the Poet Laureate is shown to occupy a position, in the Lord Chamberlain's Department, immediately above the Barge Master and the Keeper of the Swans. The Barge Master may be able to say, in the words of “The Bard,” In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes. And the Keeper of the Swans may be in the habit of hearing exquisite notes when one of his charges dies; but does close association with them confer any special honour on a poet P Has not the time come either for abolishing the office or for setting it in a more dignified position ? The duties of the post are very uncertain. The poet may have to celebrate many events in one year, or he may have no events to celebrate during many years. In either case the spectacle is not very edifying. Genius writing to order One year, and waiting for orders the next. Pegasus sometimes at grass, sometimes kicking in his unaccustomed harness. Why not dis- establish the Laureateship, and let volunteers rise to the occasion when occasion arises P Palmam qui meruit ferat. Give the laurel wreath, and the honour, and, if necessary, the cheque, to the best man after the celebration of each event. The decision should be by universal suffrage and the ballot, because no poet could be worthy unless under- standed of the people.—Your obedient servant, II. X.—NEOLOGISMs. I observe that a controversy is proceeding in the Westminster Gazette as to the double mean- ing of “ancestor.” Is not a single word wanted to explain what is meant by what is frequently but incorrectly called “collateral ancestor P’’ Could not such a word be invented P Then as to “up to dateness.” I have seen this word used in the Referee, but I believe it to be considered as generally unfit for serious prose. But by what word or what number of words can its obvious meaning be expressed ? Surely the sooner the word, or a better single word, if such can be found, is admitted into serious prose the better. J. M. LELY. XI.-CONTINUATION BY ANOTHER HAND. The following correspondence sent to us by Messrs. Harper and Brothers is published with the permission of Mr. Justin McCarthy: I Harper and Brothers, Publishers, Franklin-square, New York. Nov. 27, 1894. DEAR SIR,-We have read with interest the remarks in The Author, issued the first of this month, upon the subject “Continuation by Another Hand,” elicited by the publication by a firm in this city of a new edition of Mr. Justin McCarthy’s “A History of Our Own Times,” to which supplementary chapters have been added by Mr. G. Mercer Adam, bringing the work down to 1894. Inasmuch as we are the publishers of the American authorised edition of this work, and as the sale of our edition will be injuriously affected by this unauthorised reprint, we felt it our duty to call Mr. McCarthy’s attention to the matter several weeks ago. Our edition of the work was published before the International Copyright Law was passed, and was therefore without protection against un- authorised reprints; nevertheless, the sale has been considerable. We have already paid Mr. McCarthy on account of royalties representing a sale of many thousand sets. Mr. McCarthy appreciated the interest which we took in the matter, and replied in a most cordial and characteristic letter. We inclose herewith copies of our letter to Mr. McCarthy, and his reply. Yours very truly, HARPER AND BROTHERs.  ## p. 224 (#238) ############################################ 224 THE AUTHOR. II. Oct. I I, 1894. DEAR SIR,--In the London letter to the New York Times, published on the 7th inst., the inclosed paragraph appeared:—“We fully sym- pathise with you in the sense of injury raised in your mind by the publication by the United States Book Company of Mr. G. Mercer Adam's edition of your ‘History of Our Own Times.’ That edition is an injury to us as well as to you, for it will maturally affect the sale of our edition. We inclose here with the advertisement of the book from the New York Evening Post, and we shall send you a copy through our London Office.” The wording of the paragraph in the Times was very unfortunate. The statement that it was “sad enough to get next to nothing for the original work when it appeared” is misleading, for it might be understood as reflecting upon us, who were the original and authorised publishers of the work in this country. We assume, of course, that the unfortunate paragraph was not the result of any statement of yours, but was simply the reflection of the correspondent him- self, who was ignorant of the fact that we had paid you royalty upon the sale of our edition of your book from the time of publication. The total payments of royalty represent, we find, the sale of many thousand sets. To this should be added the sum paid for the authorisation of the Franklin- square Library edition of the work. Under the circumstances this is a very substantial “next to nothing,” as the Times correspondent would promptly concede. We have no doubt that he would be only too glad to correct any false impression which his letter may have created—or you may prefer to do this yourself. By the way, the enterprising Mr. Adam is a Canadian, and was formerly a publisher in Toronto. Would it be advisable, in view of Mr. Adam’s action, for you to prepare a third volume, bringing the book down to the present date P While writing it occurs to us to inquire when you intend to complete your “History of the Four Georges,” two volumes of which we have published. It is now several years since the second volume was issued, and inquiries are constantly made for the final two volumes. If this is delayed too long it is possible that some “literary philanthropist” may undertake to com- plete the work for you, or enter upon the same field. We are, dear sir, yours very truly, HARPER AND BROTHER8. Justin McCarthy, Esq., M.P. III. 73, Eaton-terrace, S.W., London, Oct. 26, 1894. DEAR SIRs, I have to acknowledge, with many thanks, the receipt of your letter of the I Ith of this month. You are quite right in assuming that I knew nothing of the paragraph in the Tondon letter to the New York Times. I never saw it or heard of it until Ireceived your letter. 1 should think that what the writer meant was that, owing to the state of the law as regards copyright then, I did not receive from the United States anything like the amount which I might have received under other conditions. But, so far as your firm is concerned, I can only say that you have always dealt with me in the fairest, most honourable, and even most generous manner. I was surprised at the time, and am still surprised, that you were able to pay me so much for the history, seeing that numbers of publishers of a different order were issuing all manner of cheaper editions. When first you and I began to have dealings together, there was an honourable under- standing among American publishers that if a foreign author selected or succeeded in obtaining some particular American firm as his publishers, the other publishers would accept the arrange- ment and not interfere. This was really a copy- right by good feeling and common understand- ing. But before my history came to be published there were new firms in the field, and copyright of that sort was brought to an end. It was therefore, as I have said, a wonder to me that you were able to pay me as much for a “History of Our Own Times” as you actually did. Our business relations extend back over a quarter of a century. I have nothing to speak but praise in regard to the firm of Harper and Brothers. I certainly mean to bring the “History of Our Own Times” up to date—whenever I get a chance —and to finish the “Four Georges” too. I hope that Messrs. Harper and Brothers may be the publishers of both. Lately I have been absorbed in politics and unable to do much literary work, but I hope for quieter times. Of course, you are free to make any use of this letter that seems to you desirable. With kindest regards, very truly yours, JustTN McCARTHY. Messrs. Harper and Brothers. 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. 05 Issue 08 (January 1895) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 08 (January 1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-01-01-The-Author-5-8 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/273/1895-02-01-The-Author-5-9.pdf 563f6f8690f01e11c9b99647565c5cd0 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895-02-01 Volume 5 Issue 9 Pages Page range in volume 225–252 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18950201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CON DU CTED BY WALTER BESAN. T. VoI. W.-No. 9.] FEBRUARY 1, 1895. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions eaſpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as ea pressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *- A -º r- - - WARNINGS AND ADWICE, I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.-It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP You R AGREEMENTS. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea'pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. WOL. W. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.–Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. CoST OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.—Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a M.S. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTS. –- Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. 14. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *—- - --" - - - HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice Y 2  ## p. 226 (#240) ############################################ 226 THE AUTHOR. sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Awthor notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. THE AUTHORS' SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : I. That the Authors’ Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it submits MSS. to publishers and editors, concludes agree- ments, examines, passes, and collects accounts, and, generally, relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the terms upon which its services can be secured will be forwarded upon detailed application. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works only for those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiations whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed ea clusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least two days' notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence; does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice; and that in all cases MSS. must be accompanied by stamps to defray postage. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department” for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted" is open. Members are invited to communicate their requirements to the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. _* ,-- - - NOTICES, HE Editor of the Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker’s order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £948. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at.  ## p. 227 (#241) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 227 Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher’s own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *- ~ *-* s= * * LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—THE HICKs CoPYRIGHT BILL. "TYPHE Hicks Copyright Bill, against which Mr. William Agnew has written to the Times, has no chance of passing through the House. Protests have been filed against it by the American Copyright League of Authors and Publishers, the American Artists' Society, the Fine Arts Society, the New York Etching Club, and others. The chairman of the House Com- mittee on Patents, which has charge of the Bill, considers that it will be abandoned.—Times, Jan. 2 I. II.-NET PRICEs. In response to the circular about met prices, the secretary has received a great many replies, but not so many as might have been expected on a subject which touches our members in a twofold manner. That is to say it affects them as buyers of books as well as makers of books. In the former capacity they should ask whether they will lose or gain by the pro- posed change. Of course the answer is obvious. They will no longer get the discount and they will not be able to buy so many books. A rise in price from 4s. 6d. to 6s. is a rise of 33; per cent. “Oh but we are not going to charge so much. Trade competition will come in.” Perhaps. But trade competition has done very little so far to cheapen books. The book-buying public is small: 1t must remain small, because people cannot think of buying books whose incomes are under £2OO a-year. The interest of trade com- petition is to keep up the price of books. Book buyers will infallibly lose by the change. “But the author will have more.” Will he P Suppose 3OOO copies of a 6s. book to be sold at 4s. 6d. That means an expenditure of £675 by the public. If that book is sold net at 6s., the same expenditure would only buy 2.250. “But the royalties would be adjusted to meet the difference.” Would they P. The preponderance of opinion was in favour of the net price, and generally on the ground that one would know how much had to be paid. Another objection is that the buyer would still demand and still obtain his discount; not openly, as at present, but secretly, which would be worse, and so the later position of the bookseller would be worse than the former. What it comes to is that something must be done for the booksellers if they are to continue. They have more than one association. They are surely united enough to agree upon what they want, and strong enough to demand it. Publishers cannot do without booksellers. Authors could do without publishers, but they cannot do without booksellers. The question rests entirely with the booksellers. Let them agree, and find an answer. The net system, it is believed, will not be dis- cussed much longer. There are already a good many net books, and there will be more, especially of the class whose circulation is bound to be limited, and whose price is too high for the book- seller to take thirteen as twelve. A good man of the leading publishers have refused to take the proposed action submitted to them, and it is not likely that those who advocate the change will be able to set up a six-shilling book at net, against a six-shilling book at 4s. 6d. III.--ARTISTIC CoPYRIGHT.-MR. WILLIAM AGNEw. In the issue of the Times of Jan. I6 there is a long letter from Mr. William Agnew with regard to the artistic copyright in engravings and etchings. He states that a Bill has been intro- duced by a certain member of the Congress in the United States to bring etchings and engrav- ings under the manufacturing clause, and com- plains, and rightly so, that this is seriously detri- mental to artistic copyright, It is no doubt of the utmost importance to keep artistic copyright apart from the manufacturing clause, and the same remark applies in a lesser degree to literary works. For all the civilised nations of Europe at the Berne Convention recognised that copyright property should not be trammelled with trade burdens. The retrogres- sive policy of the Americans in having established a manufacturing clause to the literary copyright is the real cause of the present disturbance now being made in Canada with regard to Canadian copyright; and this disturbance may perhaps prejudice the whole system of copyright as it at present exists in England. It may be worth while, therefore, if steps are going to be taken to oppose the manufacturing clause with regard to artistic copyright, that authors should raise their voices in opposition to the present manufacturing  ## p. 228 (#242) ############################################ 228 THE AUTHOR. clause bearing on the reproduction of books. This clause is no doubt opposed to the whole idea of copyright property as at present existing. TV.-A CANADIAN PAPER ON CANADIAN CoPYRIGHT. I. As every intelligent person knows, copyright is the method by which law guards the right of property which authors, artists, musicians, and designers have in their intellectual productions. It is for the defence of authors and for their defence alone. It is to secure their right to the profit of the reproduction and multiplication of their own works. A copyright law pure and simple would secure to the author the right to say who and who alone should publish his work and on what terms, leaving him free to make the best terms possible for himself. This, in effect, is what free trade Great Britain does, and what even protectionist France, Germany, Austria, and most of the great countries do where intellectual production is respected. But this is not what protectionist countries like the United States do. There the manufacturers, who are ever clamour- ing for the privilege of enriching themselves at the expense of the rest of the people, compelled Congress to turn the copyright law intended for the defence of authors against pirates into a protective law for themselves, requiring the book copyrighted to be printed or reprinted in the United States. There must be, in the words of the Tammany corruptionists, “something in it for them” to be got at the expense of the author and of his American readers. The United States Government gave British authors this privilege on the pledge obtained from Great Britain that United States copyright should be good all over the British empire as well as in Great Britain, and as British copyright holds everywhere throughout the empire that was granted, and as a result authors, British or American, can dispose of their right to United States publishers for the United States and Canada, and the books cannot be reprinted here. Canada, which follows the United States in most of its international legislation, good and bad, reciprocated by following the United States in its course in turning a copyright Act for the defence of authors into a protection Act for the protection of manufacturers in Canada. The effect of this Act would be to compel authors to have their works reprinted in Canada, to the probable loss and injury of themselves and of their Canadian readers; the only people who would profit by it would be a few Canadian publishing and printing firms. The present inter- national arrangement between Great Britain and the United States, which serves all the purposes of copyright in securing the rights of English, Canadian, and other foreign authors to the con- trol of their works published in America, and which has made English authors, to their great profit, more popular and more widely read in the United States than even United States authors, would be imperilled if Canada should assert the right of reprinting which the United States has done, seeing that Great Britain has coolly thrown her colonies into the bargain as part of her copyright domain. Nothing could be more contemptible than the denunciations of Canada by the Americans for doing what they themselves selfishly did. Nothing could be more unfair than for the English to reproach Canada for wanting to do what she has consented to the United States doing. Nothing could be more ill-informed than the rude expressions of intelligent men of both countries with regard to Canada's course. All this is very galling, but no reason why Canada should, under pretence of securing the rights of authors, pass a law to embarras them. It must be remembered that the authors are agreed that their interests are served by the present arrangement, and it is authors’ interests that copyright laws are made to protect. These should not be sacrificed to the interests of the mere manufacturer. The immense market of the . United States affords them large profits as authors now that pirating is stopped. It is because that market is so big and the Canadian market is so comparatively small that English authors sell the right to publish in both countries to United States publishers, thus saving the extra cost involved in printing and publishing two editions. There authors’ interests are served by the present British copyright law, and it is authors’ interests that copyright laws are made to protect. These should not be sacričced to the interests of the mere manufacturer. There has not been a whisper of complaint from either Canadian authors or readers. Only Canadian manufacturers, and but a few of them are inte- rested. It is the knowledge of this that makes the British Government slow to interfere with a copyright arrangement which suits those whom copyright is made to defend, and which would be endangered in order to turn a copyright law into an engine of protection. Here, again, the false pretence and injustice of protectionism creates bitterness and poisons the relations of the peoples. We are home rulers, and believe that Canadians should legislate for themselves in the matter of copyright as well as of everything else which affects themselves. But when a few persons desire, in the name of home rule and of  ## p. 229 (#243) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 229 patriotism, to tax both authors and readers for their own benefit, we are not anxious to play into their hands. The United States has undoubtedly got an unrighteous advantage, but she has been given it because her market is of the first import- ance to the authors, who have the first claim to consideration, and her advantage works no injury either to Canadian authors or Canadian readers, who probably get better made and cheaper books under it than they would under the protective conditions demanded by the manufacturers.- Montreal Weekly Witness, Dec. I I, 1894. II. The following manifesto on this subject was issued from the London Chamber of Com- merce, after combined action with the Society of Authors and the Copyright Association :- Copyright is now uniform throughout the whole of the British Dominions, including, of course, Canada. It is based on the following principles:— I. That a work shall be first or simultaneously published therein. 2. That copyright shall be independent of the place of printing, and of every other condition as to place and manner of manufacture. 3. That the use of it as property shall, whilst it is copyright, be within the author's control. Canada, now seeks to alter these principles, and has asked the British Government to sanction arrangements to take away copyright in Canada from all British authors but Canadians. If such an imperial sanction be obtained, Canada offers to legislate so as to give British authors copyright in the Dominion there for twenty-eight years, if they reprint and republish the work in Canada within one month of its original publication. But if an author does not reprint and repub- lish his work there within a month, the Canadian Government may grant to any applicant a licence to print an edition without the author's consent, on his agreeing to pay to the Canadian Govern- ment, for the author, ten per cent. of the retail price of such edition. The retail price of every such edition is to be fixed by the publisher without consulting the author. The proposed Bill is silent as to whether the royalty is to be paid on copies sold or copies printed. The Canadian Government is not to be responsible for the collection or payment of any royalties. ... The following reasons show some of the in- juries the proposed legislation would inflict on British authors:— It undermines the general recognition of the rights of copyright property, which has now be- come almost universal. It interferes with the law of vendor and pur- chaser which prevails throughout the British Empire in respect to copyright, equally with all other personal property. It requires registration in Canada, a condition of copyright abandoned by the leading nations of Europe at the Berne Convention. It takes from the author the control of his own property, and hence hinders his improving or correcting or enlarging his own writings. It injures his reputation by allowing the con- tinued circulation of unimproved editions, even after the author has enlarged his work. It would enable Canada to reprint, without permission, articles and stories from reviews, magazines, and encyclopædias, and thus seriously to injure the sale of the publications in which they appeared. It injures the value of his British edition, because the Canadian edition could be imported into the United Kingdom and the other colonies, and compete with it. It forcibly deprives him of the benefit now belonging to him in Canada under the Imperial Copyright Acts. It sanctions the appropriation of his property by others without his, the legal owner's, consent. It weakens his title to his own property. It substitutes for trade contracts, on agreed terms, an inadequate royalty not guaranteed. It clogs his property with the condition of local manufacture. It was not recommended by the Royal Com- mission for cases where readers were adequately supplied. It is at variance with the free trade principles of the United Kingdom. Any such dealing with copyright property in Canada will affect future arrangements with the Australian and all other English-speaking colonies and possessions. It would almost certainly destroy our present means of securing copyright in the United States of America. It diminishes the copyright interests of all who have given their adherence to the terms of the Berne Convention. Two million Canadians are IFrench. - To this manifesto it may be added that the Society will immediately issue an Appeal to the people of Canada upon the whole subject. *~ a 2–º g- * =  ## p. 230 (#244) ############################################ 23O TIII. A UTHOR. NOTES FROM NEW YORK. [The first part of these notes should have appeared in the last number, but we had to go to press early on account of the Christmas holidays.] New York, Dec. 15, 1894. N the December number of the Bookman appear two paragraphs declaring that Mr. Meredith’s “Lord Ormont and his Aminta.” had met with “extraordinary success in America,” and that “among the other markedly successful recent books in America” were Mr. Hall Caine's “Manxman.” and Mr. Stanley Weyman’s “My Lady Rotha.” And to these statements was appended this comment: “In fact it seems as if English fiction were almost entirely supplant- ing American. Nearly all the great American successes in the last year or two have been English books.” Any one who really knew the facts of the case could not but smile at these statements and at this comment. The great success of the winter has been a British book, Mr. du Maurier’s “Trilby”; but the great success of last winter was an American book, Mr. Lew Wallace’s “Prince of India,” which, although published when times were harder than now and sold at a higher price, reached a larger sale than “Trilby’’ and in a shorter time. Mr. Meredith’s “Lord Ormont ?’ has been well received in America, but the Bookman grossly exaggerates the number of copies sold; and the Bookman cºnveys an entirely erroneous impression of the condition of the book-marketin America. Mr. Weyman’s “My Lady Rotha" has done well in the United States, but not so well as his “Gentle- man of France.” In fact, the really successful works of fiction in the year 1894 in the United States have been Mr. Crawford’s “ Katherine Lauderdale’’ and Miss Wilkins’s “Pembroke,” — both of American authorship, and Mr. Weyman's “Gentleman of France,” Mr. Caine’s “Manxman,” Mr. Hope’s “Prisoner of Zenda,” Mrs. Ward's “Marcella,” and Mr. du Maurier's “Trilby.” Probably every one of them had a sale varying between twenty and fifty thousand copies (except- ing “Trilby” of course, the sale of which already exceeds one hundred and ten thousand). Three books of American authorship were published too late in the winter to enter fairly into the com- parison, but both Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett's “Piccino,” and Mr. Charles Dudley Warner's “Golden House” began with editions of ten thousand each, while Mrs. Deland’s “Philip and his Wife” got into a fourth edition before the end of its first month. I have spoken here of copyrighted books only, because each one of these is in the hands of a single publisher; and it is possible, therefore, to ascertain precisely the number of copies sold. But during the past year or so three British works of fiction were not copyrighted —Miss Harraden’s “Ships that Pass in the Night,” Mr. Benson’s “Dodo,” and Mrs. Caffyn’s “Yellow Aster.” All three of these were seized by the pirates immediately, and reprinted right and left in cut-throat competition until they are now to be had for fourpence each. And, no doubt, the sale of these three British books has been enormous, owing partly to their own merits and partly to the furious energy of competing pirates. But the sale of these non-copyrighted stories of British authorship has been greatly surpassed, I think (of course, exact figures for comparison are not available) by the sale of certain stories of American authorship which have just come out of copyright. Our term of copyright here is twenty-eight years with one renewal of fourteen, making forty-two years in all; it is the shortest term of any of the leading countries of the world. Hawthorne’s “Scarlet Letter” was published in 1850, his “House of Seven Gables” in 1851, and his “ Blithedale Romance ’’ in 1852 ; and also in 1852 was published Mrs. Stowe’s “Uncle Tom's Cabin.” On these four stories the re-printers rushed as usual, and with unusual success. I have been told that one house alone has sold more than a hundred thousand copies of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” And this is in the lifetime of the author, for Mrs. Stowe is still alive, although she is no longer interested in the life about her; probably she will never know that her story has had a second youth on its attaining its majority twice over. Perhaps it is well to recall here that she received little or nothing from any of the British publishers who have sold countless thousands of “Uncle Tom's Cabin’’ during the last two score years. American pirates have more sins to answer for than the British pirates but the British pirate was never slow in helping himself to every American book he thought worth stealing. At the very time when the editor of the Author has been holding the American magazine editor up as an example to his British brother, an American humorist was preparing to make fun of the American magazine, and of its editors and of its principles. Mr. James L. Ford, who may be known to some English readers as the author of a volume of broadly comic sketches, called “Hypnotic Tales,” and who was one of the earliest contributors to Puck, the oldest and strongest of our comic papers, has now just put forth a volume called “The Literary Shop,” in which he considers the successful periodicals of the United States from the point of view of a young writer who has “copy " for sale. The  ## p. 231 (#245) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 23 I attack he makes on the magazines has been made before both in Great Britain and in the United States. The sum and substance of it is that the American magazines being intended for family reading, the editors very wisely reject anything which could “offend the taste of the most fastidious.” Mr. Ford praises the “business sense” of the editors who have applied this theory so adroitly as to give the Century and Harper's a circulation of 200,000 copies a month; but he declares that American literature is being strangled by this restriction of it to themes suit- able for the contemplation of the Young Person. He affirms that only an emasculated literature is possible under these conditions; and he directs special attention to the fact that the great city of New York is teeming with subjects for fiction, and that these subjects are not getting the treat- ment they deserve because the magazine editors are “down on low life.” Mr. Ford makes his points very sharply and with a sub-acid humour which is pleasing, except, no doubt, to those who are pierced by his shafts; but he has wilfully taken a false view. At the very time he was saying that no American magazine would publish stories of low life in New York, Harper's had just concluded a series of sketches of New York scenes, up town and down town, high life and low life; and it has since begun another series of sketches of New York characters, frankly low-life, all of them. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of truth in Mr. Ford’s little book, and an abundance of humour, shown most abundantly, perhaps, in the satiric sketches which fill the final pages of the volume. Of these “The Poet's Strike,” depicting a sad occurrence at Harper and Bros, and “The Society Reporter's Christmas,” are the most comical. Of the three British authors we have had here this winter lecturing and reading from their own works, one, Dr. Conan Doyle, returned to Eng- land last week laden with dollars. Dean Hole continues in the field and so does Mr. Christie Murray. At the meeting of the “Uncut Leaves” to-night Mr. Murray is to be one of the readers. I understand that the practice of the “Uncut Deaves” of reading from their own unpublished words has been introduced into your Authors’ Club in London. It is not a custom in the Authors’ Club here. The “Uncut Leaves '' is a private enterprise of Mr. L. J. B. Lincoln, who engages various authors to appear before his sub- scribers. Those who attend the meetings Mr. Lincoln conducts pay for the privilege ; and there are sometimes eight and nine hundred pre- sent. Those who read Mr. Lincoln pays, and pays liberally. So successful has this scheme WOL. W. been, that Mr. Lincoln conducts series of “Uncut Leaves,” every winter, not only in New York, but also in Brooklyn, in Philadelphia, in Baltimore, and in Washington. The Authors’ Club here, which has been home- less for nearly a year, is to be housed at last in quarters specially prepared for it in the recent addition to the sumptuous Carnegie Music Hall. It expects to get into these new rooms early next month. In the meantime its fortnightly meetings have been held this fall in the ample halls of the Architectural League in the noble building of the Fine Arts Society. By a purchase of plates and stock from Messrs. Harper and Brothers, the New York branch of Longmans, Green, and Co., has become the American publishers of all of Mr. Rider Haggard’s novels. They have recently published here his “People of the Mist,” and they will have another tale ready in January. They are also steadily enlarging their list of American authors, as, of course, any British house must do if it wishes to have close relations with American bookbuyers. In one week, as it happened, Longmans, Green, and Co. issued in New York four different books of American origin. By a purchase of plates and stock, they have also become the publishers of Col. Thomas Wentworth Higginson, whose “Young Folks' History of the United States” has now nearly attained a circulation of two hundred thousand copies. To St. Nicholas during the coming year Mr. Theodore Roosevelt will contribute a series of “Hero Tales of American History.” He is en- gaged on what may be called a continuation of Parkman's great history; it is an account of the “Winning of the West,” the slow expansion of the English-speaking people from the Atlantic coast, over the Alleghanies and across the plains. The third volume has just appeared, and a fourth will follow in about eighteen months. Mr. H. C. Bunner, the poet who wrote “Airs from Arcady,” is also the editor of Puck, and he has just reprinted from that popular weekly a second series of the ingenious and delightful comic tales he calls “Short Sixes.” Later in the winter he will have ready a volume of “Urban and Suburban Sketches,” reprinted from Scribner's Monthly. In February, Messrs. Dodd, Mead, and Co. begin to publish an American edition of the Bookman, to be conducted by Professor H. T. Peck, of Columbia College. The American edition will be wholly independent of the British, which it will not even resemble in shape. Another Columbia man, Professor Cattell, is to be the editor-in-chief of a new series of Science Z  ## p. 232 (#246) ############################################ 232 THE AUTHOR. (which may be described as an American emu- lator of the British Nature). Professor Cattell is already one of the editors of the Psychological Review ; he has called about him a staff of extra- ordinary strength, representing nearly every department of science and almost every institu- tion of learning in America. New York, Jan. 12, 1895. The death of Robert Louis Stevenson has occasioned real grief in America, and to express this in a slight degree a memorial meeting was held in this city on Jan. 4, under the auspices of the Uncut Leaves Club. It was a most notable crowd that gathered together to listen to the homage paid the great romancer by the speakers; and it was thoroughly representa- tive of the literary and artistie circles of the city. (See p. 248.) Perhaps a short account of the organisation of one of our greatest magazines may prove of interest to the readers of the Author. In 1865 a. primitive “family magazine,” called Hours at Home, was started, and this soon led Charles Scribner, founder of the publishing house of that name, to consider the possibilities which lay in issuing a periodical that would appeal to a wider audience and be on a much larger scale. With this idea in view Dr. Holland, author of the famous “Timothy Titcomb's Letters,” was con- sulted as to taking the editorship of the new venture. Thus in 1870 the firm of Charles Scribner announced from the office of Hours at Home that they had organised the Magazine Department into a separate company, with Dr. J. G. Holland and Roswell C. Smith as part owners, under the name of Scribner and Co., and that the periodical should be known as Scribner's Monthly. From the start it set a new standard for the popular magazine. It introduced many fresh writers, who had great influence in American literature, and on the artistic side it gave impetus to wood engraving. When the death of Mr. Scribner occurred the magazine continued to increase in prosperity, but in 1881 a disagreement arose between the partners, which finally resulted in the sale of the monthly to a new corporation, headed by Dr. Holland and Mr. Smith. This transfer was effected under the stipulation that the Scribners should abstain from publishing a magazine which could be a rival in the same field, while on their side the new company agreed to withdraw the name Scribner; and the periodical was henceforth known as the Century Magazine. The old magazine under its new name continued its prosperous career, and after the appearance of the war series in its pages the circulation was actually doubled within a twelvemonth. From the start, the Century Company agreed to allow its editorial staff to acquire shares of the stock, thus consolidating the interest of the magazine with those in whose charge it is. Another custom is the giving at Christmas time to all employées, not holding shares, a percentage of the year's profits in proportion to their salaries. On the death of Dr. Holland, in 1881, Mr. Richard Watson Gilder, who had long been his assistant, became editor-in-chief. He has filled his post most ably, and has gathered about him men of unusual capability. The associate editor is Mr. Robert Underwood Johnson, who was secretary of the Copyright League, and was rewarded for his work by the French Government with the Legion of Honour. The assistant editor is Mr. Clarence Clough Buel, who was formerly a journalist, and who suggested the famous war series. Among others in the editorial office are Mr. Frank H. Tooker and Mr. William Carey, to whose care is due the make up of the tasteful pages and the arrangement of the illustrations. Besides these, three women clerks are employed; and there is also a special staff to whom is com- mitted the preliminary reading of all the manu- scripts, some 20,000 of which are passed on every year. The art department has a special staff of its own, at the head of which is Mr. Alexander W. Drake, with Mr. W. Lewis Fraser as his chief assistant. It is owing to the efforts of Mr. Drake that the art of wood engraving has received so much encouragement from this magazine, and it is through him also that the development of that art has been speeded. The Century was among the first to try photographic engraving processes, and with a success certainly not yet surpassed by any other publishing house, even in France. The half-tone process, although mechanical, and thus supposedly true to the original, is but what its name represents it to be—a half tone, and hence lacking the darkest and lightest shades. In the January number of the Century is a block, which originally was a half-tone plate, and which has been worked over by a wood engraver until about one-half of its surface has felt the tool. Thus this new reproduction frankly substitutes engraving where the mechanical process fails. The Century aims solely at getting as near the Original as possible, and the question of cost is not allowed to interfere with what is the best method for obtaining the desired results. There have been cases where etchings were made simply that they might be processed ; and wood- engravings found to be too large have been processed down to half size. Also it is well to  ## p. 233 (#247) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 233 note that the superiority of the American magazine is due to a great extent to the care taken with its printing. Infinite thought is taken by De Winne, the artist printer, to keep the presswork of the Century up to the level of its text and illustrations. The Century Company also issue a juvenile monthly called St. Nicholas. This, again, has its own staff. Mrs. Mary Mapes Dodge is editor- in-chief, and Mr. W. F. Clarke is assistant editor. There are also two editorial assistants, Messrs. Tudor Jenks and Chapin, and besides these several clerks. With this magazine, as with the Century, every manuscript received is carefully read and examined. The printing is of the same high standard, and the illustrations proceed from the same art department. In addition to the staffs of the two magazines, there is a third entirely separate staff, having charge of the Century Dictionary. At the head of this is Mr. Benjamin E. Smith. Since the first page of that stupendous undertaking was cast the work has never stopped, for it is constantly under- going revision, and a supplement will eventually be inevitable. Mr. Smith has recently brought out a seventh volume, the Century Cyclopædia of Names. A large part of the success of the Century is due to its publishers. They have pushed the sales judiciously, and have shown such enterprise in the advertising department, that the magazine often contains a hundred pages of advertisements. The business sense which has characterised the management of the Century is a heritage from Roswell Smith, the first president of the com- pany, whose position is now adequately filled by Mr. Frank H. Scott, Mr. Charles F. Chichester having succeeded the latter as treasurer. In its early years the Century found many advantages in the fact that it was not connected with a pub- lishing house, as it was never obliged to receive any author on account of his relations with the house. But of late, as book material accumu- lated, it was found expedient not to allow it all to leave the Century office, and hence the Century company has been for several years now a pub- lisher of books also. The Century pays for all manuscripts on acceptance. Indeed, this is the custom of all reputable magazines here, and the editor of Harper's has been heard to remark “that it was immoral to accept an article without paying for it at once.” This naturally leads to the accumulation of material, and the Century has always several thousand pounds worth on hand; in fact, during the past year it has been largely drawing on that stock. Thus articles on “Book- bindings,” by Brander Matthews, which were VOL. W. accepted and paid for some four or five years ago, are only now appearing. “Folk-speech in America,” by Mr. Edward Eggleston, had been lying by eight or ten years; and Mrs. Oliphant's papers on the period of Queen Anne waited ten or twelve years for publication ; while Mr. Marion Crawford’s article on “The Gods of India,” which was printed only early last winter, had been accepted and paid for before he wrote his first novel, “Mr. Isaacs.” --- The Century occupies several floors of a fine large building overlooking Union-square. Its rooms are most luxuriously and beautifully fitted up. The walls are decorated with the original drawings of its illustrations, and to the outsider it would seem almost like a picture gallery were it not for its home-like appearance. The organisation of other American magazines is not unlike that of the Century. Besides their enormous book-publishing business, Harper and Brothers issue also four periodicals—the magazine and three weeklies. Mr. Henry M. Alden, author of “God in His World,” is editor-in-chief of Harper's Magazine. Mr. John D. Adams is his assistant ; and at the head of the art department is Mr. Horace Bradley. The other periodicals are Harper’s Young People, edited by Mr. J. H. Sears; Harper's Weekly, edited by Mr. Henry L. Nelson, with Mr. Henry Gallup Paine as managing editor; and Harper's Bazaar, a weekly, princi- pally intended to appeal to a feminine audience, but really containing so much of general interest as not to be restricted to one sex, and edited by Mrs. Margaret E. Sangster. In 1887, Charles Scribner's Sons started a magazine of their own, and placed it under the editorship of Mr. Edward L. Burlingame. It was a new publication in every sense, and in no way a revival of any tradition of the past. Mr. Robert Bridges is associate editor, and the art department is in the hands of Mr. A. F. Jaccacci. The magazine (with the rest of the publishing business of Charles Scribner and Sons) has recently been moved to a new building on Fifth- avenue, near Madison-square, which is one of the best built and best equipped edifices ever erected for exclusive use of a publishing firm. Mr. Charles Dudley Warner is spending the winter just outside of Florence in Landor's Willa, as the guest of Professor Willard Fiske. Mr. A. M. Palmer has made arrangements with Mr. Du Maurier to have Mr. Paul Potter dramatise “Trilby,” and it will shortly be produced at Mr. Palmer's own theatre. This dramatisation shows how, in one respect, American copyright is more favourable to foreign authors than the British law. In the United States the novelist has reserved to him the right to dramatise, whereas z 2  ## p. 234 (#248) ############################################ 234 THE AUTHOR. in Great Britain he has to give an absurd regis- tering performance of his dramatisation before the novel appears. Thus a British author having a novel successful in America can reap the profit of the play taken therefrom ; but an American author having a novel successful in England would stand little chance of making anything from the dramatisation ; and, as a fact, Mrs. Stowe never received a penny from England for “Uncle Tom’s Cabin " as a play. Mr. Laurence Hutton, than whom no American has more friends in Great Britain, and whose father and mother were Scotch, refused to act as treasurer of the American committee for the purchase of Carlyle's house in Chelsea, seeing no reason why any American should help to make a monument for a contemporary British author like Carlyle, who certainly never showed any goodwill towards the United States. In one of his Literary Notes in Harper's for January—notes unfortunately not included in the London edition of the magazine—Mr. Hutton gives vent to his feelings as follows: “There seems to exist in the mother country a curious notion that while we have shaken off all personal and national allegiance to the British Crown, we are still rank Tories and Royalists in our loyalty and devotion to British literature ; that while we are politically a free and independent people, we are still an intellectual province of Great Britain; and that we must still pay taxes to the great and royal British mind! They would laugh to scorn any effort on our part to raise money, in England, for the Curtis memorial in New York, or for the preservation of Poe's home at Fordham, even if we were willing to ask others to help us, in a pecuniary way, to honour our own dead; and they do mock our generosity in contributing to the building of a memorial theatre to Shakes- peare at Stratford, to the buying of a bust for Pepys in St. Olave's, or to the raising of stained glass windows to the memory of Raleigh and Izaak Walton in St. Margaret's and St. Dunstan's. Shakespeare and Pepys and Walton and Raleigh are ours, as well as theirs; and it is our right, as well as our privilege, to show our respect and affection for our own ; but we ought to throw the tea into Boston Harbour once more, before we consent to pay tribute to a class of post-revolu- tionary British heroes who paid no tribute to us; or before we offer to help the Britons to glorify their own land by erecting monuments—in their land— to poets and scholars who in their lifetime never cared to glorify anything, or anybody, but Great Britain or themselves.” It may be suspected that Mr. Hutton thus voices a feeling not ucommon among American men of letters. HALLETT ROBINSON. LETTER FROM PARIS, NEVER felt more confirmed in my pre- ference for an artistic life as contrasted to the pursuit.of politics, never did I so cordially agree with what Daudet has written about his detestation of politics, than as I sat at breakfast on Thursday last in the grand hall of the Hotel des Reservoirs at Versailles, just before the opening of the Congress for the election of a new President. The room was full of senators, deputies, political journalists, and all the vague camp followers of all great political events. And what a crowd it was, a mass of strangely dressed, noisy, red-faced individuals, with greedy twinkling eyes and fevered gestures, and the strangest manners at table. When one looked at them and thought of the man of letters, of the poet, of the painter, or the musician, and the ambitions of these as compared with the longings of those, one might well say—and be no Pharisee at that —that one thanked God not to be as these. I am asked to announce that Monsieur Léon Daudet will very shortly commence the publica- tion of a series or “cycle” of three novels, which will be as “The Battle of Dorking of the Social Revolution,” and an attempt to give, in anticipa- tion, pictures of that great event, whose comin is so eagerly expected, and so fondly hoped for by not a few. The first of these novels will be called “De Precurseur,” and will describe a kind of Tolstoi apostle, visiting the faubourgs, helping the poor, and preaching the gospel of Revolt. The second will be called “Les Porteurs du Feu,” and the action of this book will take place in Tondon, Amsterdam, and Paris. The third novel will be called “The City of Bread and of Fire.” Monsieur Léon Daudet is at present arranging for their appearance in serial form in England and America, previous to their publica- tion in book-form in France. Monsieur Jules Massenet is at present engaged on an opera to be called “Griselidis,” the libretto of which has been drawn by Armand Silvestre from the romantic play of the same name which was performed with so much success at the Comédie Française, of which Monsieur Armand Silvestre was co-author. Speaking about composers, it may be of interest to note that in France authors’ royalties in an opera are divided equally between the composer of the music and the writer of the libretto. Nor does this rule apply only in the matter of grand operas, but even in songs, a system which for the benefit of our minor poets might profitably be introduced into England. Only the very best writers of words for songs in England can hope for as much as four, or at the outside, five guineas  ## p. 235 (#249) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 235 for their words, whilst the average price paid to the poet is, I believe, 5s. In France the poet takes half the royalties, and the author of the music the other half. The royalties on musical works are, of course, not so large as on literary productions. Thus the royalties paid to the authors on a grand opera, never exceed 6 per cent. of the receipts. Of this the composer takes half, or 3 per cent., and the librettist the other half. With a successful opera both musician and librettist may count on an average receipt of £1.8 per performance. Speaking of theatrical matters, it was amusing to learn from what transpired the other day in one of the Paris Police-courts that a person who recently contributed the dramatic criticisms to La Cocarde used to pay £16 a month to the pro- prietors of this paper for doing so. It is fair to add that this was before M. Maurice Barrés took over the management and proprietorship of this paper. I have heard of similar things in England. A certain London publishing firm has inaugu- rated a system of paying for contributions to its various periodicals with cheques, on the back of which is printed a statement that the payee acknowledges receipt of amount on the other side for contributions and copyright of same. His signature forms the indorsement to the cheque, and, of course, if he will not indorse the cheque it cannot be cashed. I am not clear about the legality of such a contract, but I understand that the matter is going to be looked into by the Institute of Journalists. For my part, I never will sign away copyright. The other day I met a gentleman who holds a high official position in Turkey, and we had a long talk together about life in Constantinople. I was much interested to hear that the favourite book in the harem was—what would you say P- Ringsley’s “Westward Ho!” in translation. To-morrow, Jan. 25, is the fortieth anniversary of the suicide of poor Gerard de Nerval, in the Rue de la Vieille Lanterne, a street which, thanks to Baron Haussmann, has long since disappeared from the face of Paris. It was a horrible and a sinister street this Rue de la Vieille Lanterne, a street about which a French writer, wise in Paris street lore, has written as follows: “Ah! this street above all was most sinister amongst the most sinister, most hideous amongst the most hideous. In the thirteenth century it was called Scorching-street, later on, Washing-street, and in the nineteenth as in the thirteenth century it more resembled a sewer than a public way. As a matter of fact little traffic passed through it, its inhabitants being reputed the most dangerous malefactors. The ground, unceasingly drenched by rain and the overflow of the gutter, formed a thick black mud, which oozed up under-foot between the cobble stones that paved this leprous street. At one end, towards Rue de la Tuerie (Killing-street), it had a broken-down flight of steps, which led up from darkness into light, from filth to what is clean. Up and down this flight of steps all day long there hopped gravely and with dignity a black crow. At the foot of the steps an iron grating rather more than of man’s stature in height rose, and opposite was a stable which was the nightly refuge of nameless vagabonds, while a few paces lower down was a police sus- pected furnished hotel, or common lodging-house. Further, nothing save houses wrapped in silence, ominous and gloomy, and dead walls sweating forth misery and abjection.” It was here on the morning of Jan. 25, 1855, that there hanged himself on that iron grating the exquisite poet, whose name was Gerard de Nerval. He was not dead when he was discovered by one of the “workmen’’ who issued forth at an early hour from the common lodging- house, and might have been saved but for the fear of the mob which gathered round him, as he hung choking and wriggling, lest murder might be charged against them. So he was allowed to continue his hideous and convulsive dance of death. His feet were but two inches from the muddy soil. The onlookers recognised from the man’s head and hands and face that this was a gentleman in spite of the fact that his dress was ragged and Sordid beyond the raggedness of the extremest and most sordid poverty. Papers of manuscript peeped out from his torn pockets, and these, con- sidered together with certain stains of ink on the dirty blouse and the fingers, revealed in the victim a man of letters. It is reported that once or twice the struggling man raised his hand to his neck in feeble mute appeal, as though to point out to them, miserable dullards, what was torturing him, what was the life of him. But no response was made. It was a crowd of men wary and cautious of habit. I think that in its public shame, this death, with all its surroundings of all that is vile in man and in the works of man, was a hundred times more sad than even the arsenic convulsions of that starving boy in his paper-littered garret in the Holborn bye-way; aye, a hundred times more sad than even the final fall in the weakness of hunger and in the fever of alcohol of Edgar Allan Poe. In this case as in that there was no help possible. There was no hand near to stay or help, nor any land in sight. But from de Nerval’s hideous pillory, his so accessible gallows, what easy rescue might have been made. When at last the police  ## p. 236 (#250) ############################################ 236 THE AUTHOR. arrived, and the man was cut down, life was extinct. In his pockets were found various manuscripts, notably part of a serial story which Gerard de Nerval was then writing. But no papers allowing of his identification. So the body was sent to the Morgue, there to lie on a dripping slab, with a vagabond, killed in a brawl, on the one side of him, and a self-drowned woman of the town on the other. Poor Gerard de Nerval. Poor poets. I hear that Mr. Rowland Strong, the able correspondent in Paris of the Morning Post, is oc, upying such leisure as journalism leaves him in writing a novel on Parisian life, with which he is very well acquainted indeed. The novel ought to be a very good one, for Mr. Strong is master of a most excellent style, as the readers of the Paris correspondence of the Morning Post have long observed, and, moreover, a man of wide reading, caustic wit, and great powers of observation. One is always glad to chronicle the endeavour on the part of the journalist to produce purely original work, in spite of the fact that many critics in London will not admit that a man who has written for the press is capable of literary production. It is a strange theory, for in France at least every successful writer began his career, with the exception, perhaps, of Alphonse Daudet, by writing for the press. I hear that the proprietor of a leading and successful American magazine has just left Paris for London to arrange for the writing of a new “Life of Christ” for publication in his magazine. Mr. Zangwill is in Paris studying life amongst the art students in the Montparnasse quarter, in preparation for a novel on this subject. He may be seen daily dining—not without heroism—in a miserable little crémèrie near the Rue de Rennes, where the rapin and his womankind take their scanty meals. His note-book is filling apace, but I fear, in my knowledge of the kind of fare pro- vided at the Parisian crémèries, that at times he must regret the fleshpots of Israel. Mark Twain is also in Paris. Madame Juliette Adam is writing her Memoirs. They will be invaluable to the student of the political and literary histories of France under the Third Republic. - RoBERT H. SHERARD. I 23, Bd. Magenta, Paris, Jan. 24, 1895. BOOKS PUBLISHED IN 1894, HE Publishers' Circular gives its customary analytical table of the new books of 1894 :— 1893. I894. New New New New Books. Editions. [Books. |Editions. Divisions. Theology, sermons, Bibli- cal, &c. .................. 459 74 476 8O Educational, classical, and philological ...... 518 IO4 615 I27 Juvenile works and tales 659 36 269 29 Novels, tales, and other fiction .................. 935 393 1315 337 Law, jurisprudence, &c. 27 23 I 26 23 Political and social eco- nomy, trade and com- II101"Ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 I4. I4 I 2 I Arts, sciences, and illus- trated works............ 86 37 98 3O Voyages, travels, geo- - graphical research ... 247 72 282 68 History, biography, &c. 269 65 256 58 Poetry and the drama ... 197 Year-books and serials in 37 I6O 2 I volumes . ............... 37O I 328 2 Medicine, surgery, &c. ... 93 58 97 59 Belles-lettres, essays, mo- nographs, &c. ......... 96 I I 370 II 5 Miscellaneous, including pamphlets, not sermons I IO2 328 767 2I 5 5 I:29 I 253 53OO | I 185 5 I:29 53OO 6382 6485 —Times, Jan. 4. The number of books published in the year 1894 reaches an amazing total of 6485. If, however, we examine the list a little we shall find crumbs of comfort. For instance, 981 of them are “miscellaneous, including pamphlets.” Strike them out ; we will not read them. Tech- nical, scientific, professional, and trade books— all three which belong to the business of life— numbered 596. Strike them out. Those will read them who must. Religious books, 856. I think we may strike them out in considering literature. The medicine of the soul is as “scientific ’’ as the medicine of the body. Educa- tional books number 742. Strike them out, because they are the tools and instruments necessary for the conduct and business of life. Year-books and serials are surely not literature. Strike out 330. Boys’ and girls' books, 297. Strike them out. There remain novels, voyages and travels, history and biography, poetry, and belles lettres. Of novels there were 1315 new books and 337 new editions. Now, every novel  ## p. 237 (#251) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 237 worth anything goes into a new edition. These figures mean, therefore, IOOO failures in novel writing; they also mean a great many books paid for by the foolish writers after their work has been declined. Further, they mean that in this period of depression and “tightness” there are thousands who try whether they, too, cannot join the company of the successful. They cannot, but they will always try. These figures also mean that, seeing the enormous success of certain novels and the impossibility of discover- ing why some of them have succeeded, a few publishers are “plunging ” in hope of securing a “boom.” On the whole, we need not be alarmed by the figures. Again, the ephemeral nature of many apparently solid books, as those of travel and of history, is shown by the fact that there are 538 new books of the kind and only 126 new editions. Of poetry there is a sad falling off. Only 160 new books of verse against 190 of last year. Only 2 I new editions against 37 of last year. The most remarkable increase is under the head of “belles lettres, essays, monographs, &c.” In 1893 there were 96 new books under this head and II reprints. In 1894 there were 370 new books and I 15 reprints | What does this mean? First, we should like to see a list of these new books and reprints. Probably we should have to strike out a good many as irrelevant. I take two columns of book advertisements from the Times. In one I find two such books; in the other, three. What are they—these 370 books of belles lettres? Here is a theory which I advance with hesitation, but it may account for some. The production of a book of essays or of criticism is an excellent method by which a young man ambitious of literary work may introduce himself. If his book attracts notice either for style or for scholarship, he is a man to be noted and remembered by editors. And the number of such young men is increasing every day. The congestion of the pro- fessions; the apparent ease and pleasantness and freedom of the work; the large incomes made by successful journalists and critics — these, with many other reasons, attract the young men of Oxford and Cambridge. I imagine that this theory would account for some of the 370 volumes. But what about the rest ? I do not know. On further consideration of these figures, it occurred to me to compare them with those obtained from the lists issued day by day in the leading journals. For instance, there is published every day in the Times a list of the day's publications. In this list we may certainly assume that every book of the least importance or pretensions is announced. The following are the numbers of publications, month by month. Since the first two columns are difficult to keep apart, let us add them together. It will be seen that the numbers are about half those given in the Circular. We have, that is to say, 770 novels and children’s story books announced in the Times against I 594 reported in the Circular : New. Children’s. Reprint. January ......... 65 ...... I 7 . . . . . . 7 February ......... 34 . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . 3 March ............ 37 . . . . . I . . . . . . 8 April............... 3I . . . . . I . . . . . . 6 May ............... 45 . . . . . . O . . . . . . 8 June ............... 47 . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . 8 July ............... 64 ...... 4 . . . . . . I3 August ............ 34 . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . 6 September ...... 25 . . . . . . O . . . . . . 5 October. . . . . . . . . . . . 43 . . . . . . I . . . . . . 7 November. . . . . . . . . 86 . . . . . . 4O . . . . . . I 2 December . . . . . . ... I 23 . . . . . . 63 . . . . . . 35 634 I36 II 8 We need not in the least attack the correctness of the figures in the Circular. We may, however, understand that a good half of the books making up that portentous total were quite unimportant and trivial works. Further examination proves that out of the 634 novels there were at least 200 or even 250 also quite trivial and unimportant. This class is made up chiefly of those novels published at the author's own expense. There are paltry houses— call them rather hovels—which do nothing except produce trash at the author's expense. “Our reader reports so favourably of the work that we are prepared to offer you the following exceptionally favourable terms, &c.,” according to the formula. These deductions made, we are left with a very fair number of novels—by no means too many for the reading of the English-speaking world— Written by about 250 known novelists and about I5O aspirants. * * * NOTES AND NEWS. E have lost in Sir John Seeley one of the greatest writers of our time—if by “great” we mean one who is powerful enough to mould and influence his time. The man who so far influenced the Anglican Church as to sweep away old shibboleths and to clothe the old doctrines with fresh meanings; the man who revived in his country the Imperial idea, making of Great Britain not only the Mother of Empire, but the Mistress and Empress; the man who taught the world how the New Germany was  ## p. 238 (#252) ############################################ 238 THE AUTHOR. created and by whom ; that man, surely, deserves the name of great. My own acquaintance with Seeley took place towards the close of the fifties. He was some three years my senior, so that my earliest knowledge of him is that of a young Bachelor of Arts, Senior Classic. He was as a young man habitually grave, yet by no means without humour; no one who knew him then would speak of him as dry. Serious he certainly was ; his mind was then, as ever since, filled with the great and lofty themes of which he afterwards treated. To talk with him was, to a lad of twenty, an education ; he filled one with new thoughts; he gave one suggestions; he made one thirsty and hungry for more know- ledge; he made one careful of speech on account of a certain Socratic method by which he con- vinced the foolish speaker of his folly—yet gently and never with any joy over the humiliation of the other man. He took little interest in the things so much beloved by the average under- graduate ; he seldom asked, I am sure, where the college boat was ; he was not present at boat suppers; perhaps he never witnessed the University boat race; and he never showed up at Lord's. A modest and sober walk of four or five miles gave him all the exercise he wanted, and the rest of his time was chiefly spent in his own rooms. It is pleasing to remember that one of his closest friends and greatest admirers was a man wholly unlike him in every particular—Charles Stuart Calverley. I have heard Calverley dis- course on the virtues and qualities of Seeley most generously (for they were sometimes thought to be rivals) and eloquently. Seeley was the son of a man of deep religious feeling, which he himself inherited. The inevitable revolt of the son against the father's narrow Calvinism, which generally takes the form of aggressive agnosticism, in his place became a Christianity on broader foundations with new meanings and more Catholic enclosures. He was always religious in his thoughts and religious in his daily life. I have never heard him lecture or speak. I can readily believe that as in his books so in his lectures, the personal element was entirely re- pressed. Perhaps he was dry. Yet he taught. He was born to teach, and he was full of things to teach. He made the most of himself too. Quite early in life he realised that for such work as his, German was necessary. He went to Dresden for three months and came back a master of the German language. Later on it became necessary for him to know Italian and to study Rome. He went to Rome for the summer months, staying there three months, and return- ing a master of Italian and of Roman topography. He is a standing example that the strongest and best faculties—intellect of the rarest—-memory —scholarship—linguistic gift–power of expres- sion—are worth nothing without industry. I well remember a certain letter which came to me across the sea, one day a long time ago, when I was abroad. It was from a man who knew Seeley better than was my good fortune; who saw a great deal more of him. This man sent me a copy of “Ecce Homo,” just then published. “Read the book,” he said. “It is Seeley's, though the world does not yet know it. Read the book. He stands out already, as I always said he would—ávač divöpóv—a king of men’’—And so he did. That Seeley joined our Society at the outset; that he gave us his name as a Vice-President first, and a member of Council afterwards; that he strongly approved of our work and our aims— this has always been to me, at times when it seemed as if all our efforts for self-protection were likely to be in vain, a great encouragement and support. •-º-º-º-º- At the first meeting of the committee held in the year, on Monday, Jan. I4, it was RESOLVED, that the best thanks of the committee be con- veyed to Sir Frederick Pollock, for his services to the society as chairman of the Committee of Management during the year 1893 and 1894. I hear of complaints among members that their books are not mentiomed in “Book Talk” of the month. Will every one make a note that we very much desire to hear of every new work produced by our members; that we cannot promise to hunt among the advertisements and the announcements for these new books; that if members will inform us of their new books they may depend upon the notice being inserted; and that, as regards a short review or expression of opinion upon the book, it must be left to the writer of the columns called “Book Talk.” It is, of course, impossible for the editor to promise, or for the members to claim, even a short review in these pages. The question of Canadian Copyright is sus- pended for the time, owing to the death of Sir John Thompson. Meanwhile we have reprinted in another column (p. 228) an article on the subject, from the Montreal Weekly Witness, which shows that public opinion is not all on one side. In another place (p. 248) will be found a report of Mr. Stedman’s address on the occasion of the  ## p. 239 (#253) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 239 Stevenson memorial meeting at New York. The occasion was memorable. One of the few writers who in their lifetime are recognised as belonging to the common literature of the English-speaking races—not the local provincial literature of Great Britain, of the States, of Canada, of Australia, but the common possession of all—was dead. The meeting was held in honour of that man; he was a Scotchman by birth ; he was not a dweller in the United States, but he was acknowledged to belong to the States, to be part of the honour and glory of the States just as much as Lowell was claimed to belong to us, although a Republican and an American to the finger tips. It was not only a memorable occasion, but the chairman's eulogy, here reproduced, is fully worthy of the occasion. Had I not heard Leslie Stephen's address on the completion of the Lowell memorial in Westminster Abbey, I should have said that I did not know a single English author capable of such an address, so dignified, so beautiful, so worthy of the writer whom it illustrated. And now that it is too late, what, one asks, were we ourselves doing that we held no such meeting P Why was it left to the Americans to show us how we should honour our writers? Alas! so little accustomed are we to any recognition of letters that we do not even remember to pay the tribute of a funeral oration on the departure of our worthiest and our best Among the letters of the month will be found a proposal by Mr. Thomas Macquoid that a memorial to Louis Stevenson should be esta- blished. The letter does not propose any form of memorial. Not a statue, says the writer, but perhaps the founding of some institution con- nected with literature. I willingly give admission to Mr. Macquoid’s letter and proposal, and if the suggestion commends itself to members, I shall be very glad to receive their opinions on the subject, and to forward them to the secretary for the consideration of the committee. There are two points for consideration: (1) Whether it is desirable that such a memorial shall be instituted; (2) if so, what form it should take. Now, as to the first point. I have no doubt whatever that some of Stevenson’s work will live and form part of the glorious Corpus of English Literature. In the general chorus of praise and lamentation following on the death of this writer, it seems ungenerous to hint that any part of his work may die. At the same time, we must remember that posterity will be principally occupied with its own writers, and that it is a selection only—a very small selection—of dead men's work, that is allowed to remain and to be read. It is the next generation that pronounces the verdict upon a man, and from that verdict there is no appeal. Perhaps, therefore, it would be safer to let a dead man remain without honour for twenty-five years. In that time his greatness will be established or will be extinguished. However, if it be thought best to form some memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson, why should it not be a statue? The only statues to men of letters in London are those of Shakespeare in Leicester-square, and Dr. Johnson in St. Paul’s. There are also certain busts in Westminster Abbey and elsewhere. Yet nothing more honours a man than a statue. It is public ; it is always present ; it is enduring ; every passer by recalls the man and his works; it stands as an outward and visible sign of a nation’s recog- nition. Poets have their corner in the Abbey; only a corner; most of the space is given up to the Great Obscure or the Obscure Great. Let us make a beginning : let us teach the people that it is time to honour our great writers as we honour our statesmen; in the same open way. Only when we uncover the statue to Louis Stevenson, in Trafalgar-square, let it be done in the presence of the people, by invitation; the people on the omnibuses; the passengers engaged in their daily calling ; the great common public who read his “Treasure Island.” I have seen an advanced copy of the report of the Society for the year 1894. There is one point which I venture to anticipate. There are over 12oo members at this time of writing. Now, out of the I2OO one-half, or 600, had occasion it seems, during the year, to consult the Secretary on some point of difficulty or doubt in the conduct of their business affairs. Now, consider what would have happened with these difficulties had the Society not been in existence. The author would have gone to his lawyer, who certainly knew nothing about the subject ; and he would have incurred legal ex- penses for no good purpose; or he would have allowed his publisher to put his own interpreta- tion on the matter. Now the Secretary, who does know the subject, gives his advice or information for nothing. In cases where money has to be recovered, the author has only to put the papers into the Secretary’s hands, when action is taken immediately, and for nothing. The knowledge of this fact generally causes payment to be made immediately. And—again—remark the propor- tion of authors who do find it necessary to seek advice in the year—50 per cent. ' Members will please to note that the committee have now arranged for the reception of their  ## p. 240 (#254) ############################################ 24O THE AUTHOR. agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. They will, of course, be regarded as confi- dential documents to be read only by the Secre- tary, who will keep the key of the safe. The com- mittee now offer (I) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. - (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agree- ments. Once there was a member—a lady—who could not get in her accounts or the money due to her. She came to the Secretary, who promptly pro- cured the account and the cheque, of course at no expense to her. There was no suspicion of a fraudulent return of books sold. Contrary, how- ever, to reasonable expectation, the lady received the cheque with considerable temper. She said that she had looked for a much larger sale; and if this was all the Society could do for her, she should withdraw. And she did. What can be done for people who look to the Society to find them a public P Another very unreasonable and selfish person is the man or woman who stands aloof from us, Or even joins in the diffusion of the usual unvera- cities which that kind of publisher who desires darkness loves to spread around, until the time of trouble, when he makes haste to bring his papers and to become a member in order to get his case settled for him. An extreme form of this kind was illustrated by a certain man who brought a case and became a member. His case cost the Society 3815, but it was successfully conducted. The grateful member thanked the Secretary for what he had done, and said that he should now resign. So we were gainers of one guinea, his year's subscription, and losers by £15 in costs in the case. We did not even get kööos, because he was rather ashamed of his own simplicity and did not talk about it. Mr. Laurence Hutton’s remarks on the American respect for English literature (see the New York Letter, p. 234) seem to me exaggerated. We have not asked the Americans to subscribe for the preservation of Carlyle's house ; the committee have only signified their willingness to accept American contributions if any are offered. We should most certainly not “laugh to scorn” any proposal that Englishmen should join in honouring Poe ; nor do we–so far as I know— “mock the generosity’ of Americans in building a theatre at Stratford. The ancient literature of this country belongs to America as much as to ourselves. As regards a modern writer, when the Americans adopt him, so to speak; when they receive him into their libraries; welcome him ; learn from him ; delight in him; he becomes an American as well as an English writer. The question about Carlyle, is simply whether he is, in this sense, an American writer. Have they adopted him P Do they learn from him P Let us remember that there is a small modern current literature belonging to and common to all English speaking countries. For instance, we place Tenny- son and Browning in this our common literature, together with Lowell and Longfellow. There is also a current local or national literature in every English speaking country consisting of minor poets, minor novelists, minor essayists, who do not cross the frontiers of their own country. The influence of Carlyle in this country has been enormous. It would appear from Mr. Laurence Button’s remarks, that it has not been great in America. Perhaps, then, Carlyle does not belong to the current common literature. The following is from the Westminster Gazette: In our last number there appeared a letter calling attention to the strange appearance of two lines by Miss Procter in Mr. John Davidson's new volume of poems. The editor of this paper ought to be severely castigated for admitting a charge of plagiarism without verifying it, especially when it could be tested so easily and so readily. His only excuse is that the case was adduced as a remarkable instance of unconscious plagiarism, a thing more common than is generally believed. It did not occur to the editor that Mr. Davidson could be accused of a thing so monstrous and at the same time so inconceivably foolish as to “lift” two whole lines from Miss Procter. May the curtain of the “Fifth Act ’’ be a curtain of oblivion : An absurd comedy of errors has been acted in the columns of the Spectator and in our own. Mr. John Davidson has been accused of a trick of “sub-conscious memory,” for including in his “Ballad of a Nun’ the lines— “And yet, We lost it in this daily jar and fret, And now live idle in a vain regret.” But neither the lines, nor any like them, are in Mr. Davidson's poem at all ! The following is the development of the comedy :— - Act. I. The Spectator, reviewing Mr. Davidson’s poem, said it was a new version of “A Legend of Provence,” and quoted Miss Procter's lines as above. Act II. A correspondent of the Spectator, misunder- standing, and thinking the quotation was made from Mr. Davidson, writes and says, “Why, but Mr. Davidson has been unconsciously reproducing Tennyson’s “Love is hurt with jar and fret, Love is made a vague regret.”  ## p. 241 (#255) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 24. I Act III. We quote this correspondent's remarks in our columns; whereupon another correspondent writes and says, “Why, this man has not only echoed Tennyson, but actually lifted into his poem two lines solidly from Miss Procter.” Several other correspondents write to like effect. Act IV. At last it occurs to somebody to consult Mr. Davidson’s poem itself, and to look up the references generally—with the result shown in the outset of this note. Act W. Curtain, please ! WALTER BESANT. *- A -º * * FEUILLETON, A LITERARY BUBBLE. N journalism all roads lead to London. A carefully worded advertisement in the Times, offering a sub-editorship to a lady or gentle- man of education in return for a premium of sixty guineas, drew me, a young and untried member of the profession, into the metropolitan whirlpool in the summer of 1893. The preliminaries duly arranged, though not without some natural misgivings on the part of more cautious relatives and friends, I left to make the acquaintance of the editor-proprietor of the “high class weekly journal” with whose fortunes (and misfortunes) 1 was shortly to become identi- fied. My first interview with this gentleman took place in the editorial sanctum one sunny after- noon in May. He was courteous and affable, and expressed surprise at my diminutive stature and virgin countenance, my handwriting having led him to expect a bearded Hercules. From his grin of satisfaction, however, I gathered that he was not altogether displeased to find his ideal upset. Then we talked about journalism. Had I thought of turning my attention to light or serious literature ? I replied, diplomatically, that one might temper gravity with wit. He was delighted. I was a born journalist he felt sure, and only required a course of his gentle tuition to shine as a planet in the literary firma- ment. His attention knew no bounds. He must find me lodgings, take me to the Derby (this fell through (), and make me thoroughly at home in my new quarters. Meanwhile, would Itake some books with me for review P. Thus we parted on excellent terms with each other, and with our own particular selves. I had arrived on a Friday, and the high class weekly was due to appear on the Saturday. It did not reach the office until late on Monday afternoon, and, tyro as I was, my heart sank as I gazed at the insignificant pile of papers which then lay carefully stacked upon the counter. If there were 500 copies, the maximum was surely reached. Just then the proprietor bustled in. My reviews were glanced at, approved, and the great man, with almost paternal solicitude, pressed upon my acceptance a cheque for a pound, a half week's salary. I ought here to explain that my contract provided for remuneration at the rate of £2 per week, and the repayment of a proportionate amount of the premium if the engagement were closed within twelve months from the signing of the agreement. The cheque was crossed, and, having no bank account in London, I attempted to cash it through a friend in the provinces. It was returned marked “refer to drawer,” and I immediately called the attention of my Gamaliel to the matter. He hemmed and hawed, consulted his cheque-book, and finally paid me in gold, being unable to account for the “mistake.” For the next two or three weeks my two sovereigns came in with commendable regularity; then thirty shillings appeared as the price of my labour, my employer coolly explaining that he had spent the odd ten shillings on a Turkish bath. The arrears were not forthcoming till the following week, when a cheque (open, at my request) for £2 accompanied the lagging half- sovereign. On inquiry at the bank, I discovered that the cheque would not be honoured. My literary tutor was not in the least abashed when I returned with this intelligence. He smiled, and said he detected some dissimilarity between the indorsement and the name in the body of the cheque. That, he felt sure, accounted for my rebuff. Still, he pocketed the erring paper, and the arrears began to accumulate in an alarming fashion, while any actual payment was very grudgingly tendered. Meanwhile, the paper had been going from bad to worse, and the struggle to make both ends meet resulted in acts of glaring dishonesty. On one occasion, the funds having run short, and the stony heart of the printer being unmoved by promises of future payment, a week passed with- out publication. To hoodwink the advertisers, the contents of the previous week's issue were inclosed in covers bearing the current date, and forwarded to advertisers only. Whether or not this fraud was exposed I never learned. Another ingenious device was the “puffing” of minor celebrities, who, in return for an eulogistic description of their virtues, and a correspondingly convenient omission of their vices, purchased a few hundred copies of the paper from the enter- prising publisher. In the case of one “eminent,” when his order of 500 copies was found to have exhausted the available supply, a hundred or more back numbers were inserted at the bottom of the pile to complete the amount. But I should fill many columns of the Author if I attempted to describe all the tricks and  ## p. 242 (#256) ############################################ 242 THE AUTHOR. subterfuges employed by this scoundrel to stave off his creditors, and to figure in the eyes of the world as a man of unblemished and unimpeachable character. He practised as a barrister, and was extremely anxious that I should, under his auspices, embrace the legal as well as the jour- nalistic professions. Had I been so weak as to yield to his wishes, he would undoubtedly have pocketed a considerable share of the fees. But I had gauged his character by this time, and forbore. I had not been long in his office before I dis- covered that I was by no means the only “pupil.” connected with the establishment. There were two or three besides myself, and I soon heard grievous complaints of growing arrears and dis- honoured cheques. My own salary, from putting in an appearance in driblets, ceased altogether, and neither by persuasion or threats did I succeed in extracting another penny from my employer, who was, in effect, a bankrupt. The paper died in due course, and we then dis- covered that the pseudo-proprietor had long since assigned the property to others. Nor could we obtain any redress. I had unfortunately neglected to have my agreement stamped, but had this been otherwise, an action at law would only have resulted in throwing good money after bad. I returned to the provinces a sadder if a wiser man; and, having lately been elected an associate of the Society of Authors, have good reason to hope that I shall henceforth be free from the predatory attacks of such wolves in sheep's clothing as the pretended proprietor of a certain “high-class London weekly.” If the publication of my own experience should succeed in placing others upon their guard, I shall at least have derived some consolation for my own unfortunate commence- ment. G. F. O. *~ - –” ,-- - --> RUSTIC READING, ESPITE all our vaunted spread of educa- tion, it cannot yet be said that Hodge has developed much literary taste, or has taken keenly to the study of fiction, except, indeed, as a personal accomplishment. In our large towns, to judge from the statistics issued by the free libraries, the working classes devour novels in enormous quantities, nor are they alto- gether bad judges of quality, for the authors most in request with them are also among the favourites of those who subscribe to Mudie’s. And the urban labourer has come to regard the Sunday paper as no less a necessary of existence than his pipe. But in the country matters are very diffe- rent. Partly from want of taste, partly from lack of opportunity, nine out of every ten farm-hands never open a book at all, and confine their reading to the single beer-stained copy of the local paper that goes from hand to hand in the bar of the public-house. This is partly due, as we have said, to lack of taste. It is almost startling to find how many there are among our village-folk who cannot read at all. A few of them have never learned to do so, the greater number acquired the art painfully and by dint of many thwacks at school, promptly to forget it when, at the age of fifteen or so, they left school for good, and began to work in the fields. Let anyone who has almost entirely for- gotten his Greek endeavour to imagine what pleasure it would give him to read Thucydides in the original, by way of beguiling his leisure hours after a hard day’s work, and he will cease to wonder at Hodge's apathetic attitude towards literature. Again, those who can read easily enough do not find much to interest them in the newspapers, while books hardly ever come into their hands. They do not—we are speaking of entirely rural districts—take the faintest interest in politics, nor do they care about trade unions, strikes, agitations, or reforms, all of which are so dear to the mind of the London artisan. You may put it down to sluggishness and stupidity if you will, and it is quite true that your rustic is not easily aroused in the direction of any reform, desirable or otherwise. But yet there is a good deal of shrewd wisdom underlying this apparent in- difference, and it proceeds not a little from the fact that in the calm, peaceful atmosphere of country life it becomes easier to see these agita- tions in just perspective, to realise more accu- rately their importance, to be less readily swept away by each fresh enthusiasm, than it is for the fevered town-dweller, overpowered by the blatant noises of rival fad-mongers, and not allowed a moment of quiet in which to think for himself. Of course there are exceptions; in every village there is the Radical workman, regarded with humorous and good-natured in- difference by the rest, who spends all his spare time in what he conceives to be the study of politics, and who is always prepared to tell you how the Prime Minister or the Home Secretary ought to act. He is great at Socialistic prophecies, and his confidence in foretelling the future is only equalled by his ignorance con- cerning the present and the past. But he is the exception, not the rule; the typical rustic is a perfect Gallio as regards politics. It is interesting to notice a use which Hodge makes of the copy of the local paper which he  ## p. 243 (#257) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 243 enjoys with his pipe and beer sitting outside the Spotted Dog on a summer's evening. First, he reads carefully the title and the date, to guard against wasting his intellect on ancient history. Then, in most cases, he will turn to the cricket news. It is astonishing how keen is the interest taken in county cricket by the agricultural classes in our southern districts; many a man who has never handled a bat in his life can tell you nearly all the first-class averages for the last five years. In the north, even more attention is doubtless given in winter to the football news, but cricket is by far the greater favourite in the south. Having read out the scores, with eloquent comments, to his companions, he glances through the rest of the paper for any attractive headlines speaking of murders, fires, or inquests. Having found one of these charming accounts, he absorbs it slowly and reverently, running a finger along the print lest he lose the thread of sanguinary narrative. After this he scorns to read of the doings of Parliament or the news from foreign countries; with a sigh of satisfied contentment he hands on the paper to his next neighbour, whose study of it is conducted on precisely similar lines. And this performance, repeated once a week, represents the whole of the attention given to literature by the majority of our agricultural labourers. Mrs. Hodge's reading is a little more extensive. The good soul studies her Bible, and wonderful indeed are her interpretations of its more difficult passages. In about half the cottages, too, by the side of the Bible you will find a well-thumbed copy of the “Pilgrim's Progress,” with alarming illustrations used to terrify the children into the paths of virtue. The pictures in Fox’s “Book of Martyrs” are also employed for this purpose, and are found even more effectual) nor does Mrs. Hodge ever realise the cruelty and gross folly of this system of intimidation. The rest of the literature of the cottage will perhaps be made up of an ancient number of the Graphic (the illustrations from which are pinned about the walls), a cookery book, and the current number of the parish magazine. If the family includes a Miss Hodge of sixteen or so, that young lady is nearly sure to possess a little work on fortune- telling and another on dreams. And such is the range of the cottage library. But this almost total neglect of literature amongst the country people is due, as we said at the outset, not only, or even chiefly, to want of taste, but also to lack of opportunity. Give a country labourer a good book of adventure by a popular author, and if you can once prevail upon him to begin reading it, he will continue it and enjoy it hugely. And Mrs. Hodge, in default of better things, reads with great eagerness the mawkish and sentimental stuff found in most of our parish magazines. So that there really are symptoms of a taste for literature, were the opportunity for cultivating it only to be supplied. But the cheap editions, so accessible to the Londoner, are never seen here, never a book of any kind is on sale in the village shop. Amongst the bacon and the cheese lie copies of a dress- making journal and the local newspaper, and that is all. Surely something could and should be done to promote the sale of good and cheap literature in the country. Of course, village lending libraries have been established in many places. Sometimes they have succeeded, more often they have failed, because the books have not been wisely selected, and are of the aggressively “improving ” order. Hodge has a healthy hatred of “goody-goody "litera- ture, and it is this feeling that makes him fight shy of the lending library. But once conviuce him that you are not offering him a tract in dis- guise, and he will be willing enough to read, while to encourage and foster such a taste is a work that may safely be commended to those who are desirous of doing something towards bettering the condition and brightening the monotonous lives of our agricultural labourers. *- - --" g- > -s; BOOK TALK, HE month of January, 1895, will ever be memorable in bookish circles for the revival of the issue of books by metropolitan daily newspapers. Many years ago the Weekly Dispatch issued an atlas in parts to its readers; and of a series of illustrations of picturesque parts of the world, a number of newspapers of the second rank in England and on the continent have recently distributed no fewer than eight million copies. But the great London dailies have hitherto declined all such offers. The Daily Chronicle, however, has now taken the lead by announcing an encyclopaedic dictionary, in forty- two parts, at 6d. each. This is nothing else than Cassell’s “Encyclopædic Dictionary,” printed from a new set of plates; and as it was originally sold at seven guineas, the reduction in price is certainly striking. The Chronicle expects a sale of 200,000 copies. The Chronicle's new departure was received with great surprise, but the surprise was more than doubled when two days later the Times announced that in April it would issue an atlas in fifteen parts, at Is. each. This, in its turn, is also  ## p. 244 (#258) ############################################ 244. THE AUTHOR. a publication of Messrs. Cassell's. It is the German-produced atlas, offered first at 31s. 6d. net, and afterwards at two guineas with the customary discount. We understand it is owned |by a syndicate of persons, of whom Mr. Arnold Forster is the chief. The Times, by the way, is also about to publish a serial work of fiction in its weekly edition. It remains to be seen what the publishers will say to this journalistic rivalry. When one newspaper publishes a dictionary, another an atlas, another a history of England, another a history of English literature, and so on, a series of severe blows will have been dealt at publishing firms all round. The book of the month, if it should be reached in February, will no doubt be Lord Roberts’s “Reminiscences of India.” No man living knows certain aspects of India and the Indian people so well as Lord Roberts, and the British public has good reason to feel the deepest interest in everything that he says. He fought through the entire Mutiny, and he has either shared in or directed every military move- ment or reform in India during the last thirty- five years. On some problems now pressing for solution his word should close the controversy. It goes without saying that the greatest success awaits his book if it presents any adequate picture of himself and his career. The present Tsar made a tour through the Far East in 1891, in the course of which, as will be remembered, he was only saved by the timely assistance of Prince George of Greece from assas- sination at the hands of a fanatic Japanese police- man. He had of course remarkable opportunities for seeing Eastern festivals and sights not com- monly shown, and unless the record of his travels is too severely edited, it should form an enter- taining picture. He did not, however, visit China, as the Emperor of China could not be induced to receive him with proper honours, and he would not go to Peking under other circumstances. The illustrated account of his travels will be published by Messrs. Arch. Constable and Co. within a few weeks. A book of travels and studies, to be published early in February is Mr. Henry Norman's long- promised work on the Far East. It will be called “The Peoples and Politics of the Far East,” and will contain a series of chapters on each territorial or ethnological division of that part of the world —the British Empire, France, Russia, Spain, and Portugal in the Far East; and China, Japan, FCorea, Siam, and Malaya. In all these places Mr. Norman spent a considerable time, and one part of the Far East which he explored has not been visited by any white man either before or since his journey. The book will contain sixty illustrations, chiefly from his own photographs, and four maps, and will be published in one large volume, probably at a guinea, by Mr. T. Fisher Unwin. Messrs. Bliss, Sands, and Foster, a very young firm of publishers, have hit upon a useful idea in their series to be called “Public Men of To-day.” The following are already in preparation :-Li Hung Chang, by Professor Robert K. Douglas ; the Right Hon. Cecil Rhodes, by Edward Dicey, C.B.; the Ameer, by S. E. Wheeler; the German Emperor, by Charles Lowe ; Senor Castelar, by David Hannay. Later on we shall have President Cleveland, Signor Crispi, Lord Cromer, and M. Stambuloff, The past month has been an eventful one for Theosophists, so far as the world of publishing is concerned. Not only have the Westminster Gazette and the Daily Chronicle treated the subject, but Dr. Walter Leaf has published, through Messrs. Dongmans, an abridged translation, on behalf of the Society for Psychical Research, of M. Solovyoff's book, “A Modern Priestess of Isis.” This, it need hardly be said, is an exposure of Mme. Blavatsky; while Mr. Arthur Lillie's “Mme. Blavatsky and her Theosophy,” published by Messrs. Swan Sonnenschein and Co., is another stout volume devoted to “the most suc- cessful creed-maker of the last three hundred years.” University men, both of this country and the United States, should read Dr. George Birkbeck Hill’s “Harvard College, by an Oxonian.” It is an admirable account of the great American University, and, considering that it is the work of a visitor, it is a marvel of research and insight. The American Press has praised it highly, and we are astonished to see it dismissed by the Athenæum in one line. A special word is due to the completion of Professor Skeat's Oxford edition of Chaucer. It is dangerous to prophesy finality for any work, but it hardly seems likely that any edition of Chaucer in English can supersede this ideal one. The last volume is the sixth, but there is still to be a supplementary volume containing “The Testament of Love,” and other works which have been generally attributed to Chaucer. Mr. Douglas Sladen's volume on Canada will appear during February. It is not a discussion of the political questions or economic prospects in Canada, but a picturesque description of Canada as a part of the imperial route round the world. That is, it will deal chiefly, we understand, with the Canada of the Canadian Pacific Railway.  ## p. 245 (#259) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 2.45 Messrs. Ward, Lock, and Bowden are the pub- lishers, and the book will be lavishly illus- trated. Two modern novels to appear during the coming month will be looked for with interest. One of them is “The Woman Who Did,” by Mr. Grant Allen, to be published by Mr. John Lane. Mr. Allen has hitherto consulted, in writing his fiction, what he has believed to be the taste of the public ; in this book he is under- stood to have consulted his own. He has been chaffed a good deal for having said that under present conditions of book-producing, a novelist was prevented from writing a work of art. In this book he has, we believe, defied the conven- tions sufficiently at all events to show his idea of a work of art in fiction, The curious title, by the way, is suggested by a conversation which occurs in the narrative, one man remarking that no woman would do such a thing, and the other retorting that he knew a woman who did. The second novel, called “Gallia,” by Miss Ménie Muriel Dowie, is the first book she has written since “A Girl in the Karpathians.” Gallia, the heroine, is the daughter of a Secre- tary of State for the Colonies, and the novel is a study of the character of one type of modern woman under such circumstances as those in which the life of his daughter would necessarily be spent. It is a one-volume novel, and will be published by Messrs. Methuen at 6s. The Queen has been pleased to accept the iatest volume of the new Sussex magazine, called Southward Ho / with a presentation poem by Mr. Charles William Dalmon. - Our readers will be interested to hear of some results of publishing one's own book that have just come to our knowledge. We are not at liberty at present to give the name of the book or the author, but we may say that it is a large volume, printed in admirable and almost lavish style, and sold by one of the first firms of London publishers for the author, on commission. The price is 18s., and the first edition, consisting of 1500 copies, has now practically been sold. The cost of production was, roughly, 3:300, and the net profit to the author, who has given away an extravagant number of copies, will be £300 also. In fact, his balance-sheet will be better than this, for the cost of production is rather less than we have stated, while the returns will even- tually be rather more. Ten per cent. On 1500 copies at 18s. would be £135. Verbum sap. A new style of literary advertisement has made its appearance this month. Mr. Fisher Unwin has issued a booklet, costing a shilling, called “Good Reading: About Many Books, mostly by their Authors.” It is, indeed, more than a booklet, for it contains 252 pages and upwards of forty portraits. The publisher has requested the authors of the principal books he has issued this season to send him an account of how, when, and why their book, &c., and they have responded liberally. Their contributions and photographs form the little volume. Among the contributors are John Oliver Hobbes, S. R. Crockett, Sir Chas. Gavan Duffy, Mrs. Bradlaugh Bonner, Dr. Jessopp, Swift MacNeill, M.P., W. M. Conway, Henry Norman, Grant Allen, J. J. Jusserand, Alfred Perceval Graves, Louis Becke, Richard Watson Gilder, and George R. Sims. The book is, of course, intended to advertise the wares of the firm, but many of his authors have paid their publishers the compliment of sending him long and interesting reminiscences. It is addressed “To the Booksellers,” to remind them how important it is that merely “cheap reading” should not oust “good reading ” from the home shelves. Good Words begins in its present issue a series of papers by Mr. John Murray, called “Some Authors I have known.” It is needless to remind our readers how many of the greatest modern authors Mr. John Murray has known, either as his own friends or his father's. Some day, perhaps, an author will write on “Some Publishers I have known.” Mr. John Lane announces “The Story of Venus and Tannhäuser,” by Mr. Aubrey Beardsley, with twenty full-page illustrations. The subject obviously lends itself to both the merits and the gross defects of Mr. Beardsley’s style, and we can only hope that for this occasion at least he will have chosen to fling away the worser half of his talent. - Messrs. Longumans and Co. have in preparation a volume by Mr. Wilfred Ward on “Cardinal Wiseman’s Life and Times,” to which Mr. Gladstone, Lord Acton, and Cardinal Vaughan will contribute. Mr. Ward's volumes on cognate personalities have been among the most interest- ing volumes of their class that have been published for many years. - Messrs. Macmillan announce a new series of “Illustrated Standard Novels,” attractively printed, and priced at 3s. 6d. Every novel will have a prefatory notice by a critic of distinction, and will contain some forty illustrations. Among the first announcements are : “Castle Rackrent ‘’ and “The Absentee,” by Maria Edgeworth, with introduction by Mrs. Thackeray Ritchie; “Japhet, in Search of a Father,” by Captain Marryat, introduction by David Hannay; “Tom Cringle's Dog,” by Michael Scott, introduction by  ## p. 246 (#260) ############################################ 246 THE AUTHOR. Mowbray Morris; “Maid Marian * and “Crotchet Castle,” by Thomas Love Peacock, introduction by George Saintsbury; “Lavengro.” by George Borrow, introduction by Augustine Birrell, M.P.; “Sense and Sensibility,” by Jane Austen, intro- duction by Austin Dobson. The month of February may possibly see the illustrated “Life and Correspondence” of the late Dante G. Rossetti. Messrs. Ellis and Elvey will publish the correspondence, which extends practically over Rossetti's entire lifetime. “A Year of Sport and Natural History,” edited by Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, and published by Messrs. Chapman and Hall at a guinea, will appear in February. It is to be a sort of Badminton Library in one volume, and will treat of shooting, hunting, fishing coursing, &c., classified according to the months of the year in which these sports are pursued. Mr. Sonnenschein’s “Supplement” to his well- known and indeed invaluable work on “The Best Reading ” is now due. It is unnecessary to speak of the importance of this work. Everybody who is engaged in research of any kind has constant recourse to it. Mr. Frankfort Moore, author of “A Grey Eye or So?’ and “I forbid the Banns,” is about to change the subject of his fiction. Messrs. EIutchinson and Co, announce for immediate publication a novel by him called “The Secret of the Court,” dealing with life in the East. The daughter of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Miss Margaret Benson, has written a small volume, illustrated by herself, of sketches and studies of animals in their domestic relations. It is entitled “Subject to Vanity,” and Messrs. Methuen are the publishers. The daughter of Lord Salisbury, by the way, Lady Gwendolen Cecil, is now stated to be the author of the ghost story, “The Closed Cabinet,” in last month’s Blackwood. Everybody who writes for the press should procure a copy of the tiny pamphlet called “Rules for Compositors and Readers,” compiled by Mr. Horace Hart, printer to the University of Oxford, and giving definite and technical instructions regarding spelling, punctuation, and type-setting of disputed and doubful words and expressions, founded upon the “New English Dictionary.” Mr. Hart offers to send a copy to any printer's reader who applies for one, but no doubt other people could secure copies by a very small pay- ment. It is in the highest degree desirable that such authoritative uniformity should be intro- duced into our books and newspapers. Mr. John Lane has issued privately a very charming reprint, by Messrs. T. and A. Constable, of Edinburgh, of the “Life of Sir Thomas Bodley, written by Himself,” after whom Mr. Lane has named his publishing house. In a preface he gives an account of the founding of his business with Mr. Mathews, and its development into its present form. M. Pierre Loti has just issued in Paris another of his dreamy descriptions of the East, under the title of “Le Désert.” Although it is not yet issued to the public, it bears upon its title-page the legend, “twenty-eighth edition.” The third volume of the complete “Edinburgh Stevenson " has just appeared. It is the second volume of the sub-division “Travels and Excur- sions.” - Mr. E. F. Knight, well known for his admirable book on the Pamirs, called “Where Three Empires Meet,” has published through Messrs. Longmans, at 2s. 6d., an interesting description of the condi- tion and prospects of Matabeleland and Mashona- land, under the title “Rhodesia of To-Day.” In it he promises a history of the Chartered Company. The principal books of the past month are:– “The Life and Correspondence of Sir Bartle Frere,” by Mr. John Martineau (2 vols.: Murray); the late Mr. Walter Pater’s “Greek Studies: a Series of Essays * (Macmillan); Mr. G. A. Sala's “Reminiscences” (2 vols. : Cassell); Mr. Percy Fitzgerald’s “Memoirs of an Author’’ (2 vols. : Bentley); Mr. Gosse's new edition of Smith's “Nollekens and His Times,” with an essay on Georgian Sculpture by the editor (Bentley); “Forty Years at the Post-office,” by Mr. F. E. Baines, C.B. (2 vols. : Bentley); Mr. Horatio F. Brown’s “John Addington Symonds " (2 vols. : Nimmo); volume II. of the “State Papers relating to the Defeat of the Spanish Armada,” edited by Professor Laughton for the Navy Records Society; “The Hillyars and the Burtons,” the second volume in the reprint of Henr Kingsley, edited by Mr. Clement Shorter (Ward, Lock, and Co.); and Mr. George Saintsbury's “Corrected Impressions: Essays on Victorian Writers ” (Heinemann). Mr. Edward Clodd, the President of the Folk- lore Society and of the Omar Khayyam Club, whose two little books on “The Childhood of the World” and “The Childhood of Religions” have been almost classics for years, will be represented among the authors of February by two new works of a similar size and character. The first, “A Primer of Evolution,” will be published by Messrs. Longmans; and the second, “The Story  ## p. 247 (#261) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 247 of Man,” will form one of a series in preparation for George Newnes Limited. The first of these affords an illustration of the practical working of the American Copyright Act, as it is being manufactured in America for the British market. “A Blameless Woman’’ is the title of John Strange Winter's next novel, to be published, in . one volume, at 6s., by Messrs. F. W. White and Co. early in February. It is by far the longest story that the author of “Bootle's Baby" has yet written, being her first novel of three- volume length. The story is mainly a study In marriage. Messrs. Ward, Lock, and Bowden, Limited, will publish innmediately a new volume by Mr. George Meredith, entitled “The Tale of Chloe ; and other Stories.” It will consist of the famous “Lost Stories” of Mr. Meredith, without which, Mr. J. M. Barrie has said, no edition of his works can pretend to be complete. The publishers will also issue an édition de luate of the same volume, beautifully printed on hand-made paper, and artistically bound, half-parchment. Price 25s. net. A unique feature of this large-paper edition is that it will contain as a frontispiece a recent privately taken portrait of Mr. Meredith, reproduced by the photogravure process by Messrs. Walker and Boutall; also a photogravure of the Châlet at Box Hill, where Mr. Meredith does the great part of his literary work. The edition, will consist of 250 numbered copies only for England and America. The author who writes under the name of “Hilarion ” has in the press a new book entitled “Greece : Her Hopes and Troubles.” A short story, entitled “Teddy,” by the same writer, appeared in the December number of “The Monthly Packet,” and his novel, “A Jersey Witch,” has been translated into Swedish, and is now running as a serial in Norra Skane one of the chief newspapers of Sweden, in which “Gräfin Kinsky,” also by “Hilarion,” appeared some time ago. The author of “A Forgotten Great English- man,” Mr. James Baker, is about to contribute a series of articles upon Egypt to some important journals, and has just left England for that country. He sailed on the 12th ult. from Plymouth by the ss. Austral. Sir William Charley, Q.C., D.C.L., has just published (Sampson Low, Marston, and Com- pany) a historical vindication of the House of Lords, which should be read by everybody interested in the subject—by those who defend the House of Lords, and by those who wish to pull it down ; the former will find arguments, the latter will learn to moderate their statements. It is, indeed, astonishing how loose and ignorant is the common kind of talk about the House of Lords. What is claimed to be the most complete history of modern art which has ever been attempted, will shortly be published by Messrs. Henry and Co. It is from the pen of Dr. Richard Muther, keeper of the Royal collection of prints and engravings at Munich, and will be a work of considerably over two thousand pages. The title will be “The History of Modern Painting.” The story opens with the English art of the eighteenth century, and treats at length of the English painters and illustrators of the present century. France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Spain occupy a share of the author's space ; America and American painters living abroad come in for due notice ; and even the influence of Japan on European art has not been overlooked. The work will be profus-ly illustrated. It will be issued both in parts and volumes. “The Old Pastures” is the pleasant and attractive title given by Mrs. Leith Adams to her new serial story, which will begin in House- hold Words On Jan. 26 In the sonnet by the Rev. John Lascelles, quoted in our last number, there is an error. In the last line, “and stooped and kissed the dust” should be “and stooped and kissed my dust.” Mr. Headon Hill, the author of “The Rajah's Second Wife, &c., is correcting the proofs of a new volume of short stories shortly to be issued by Messrs. Ward, Lock, and Bowden Limited. The same author has also just completed and delivered a serial novel, written to the order of Mr. C. Arthur Pearson, of Pearson's Weekly, which will commence in August, and run through twenty issues of that journal. The “Confessions of a Poet’” (Hutchinson and Co.), by Prof. Harald Williams, is a volume of verse, the third volume which this poet has pro- duced. Most modern poets appear with a little dainty volume of tiny poems. Prof. Williams comes with a volume of closely printed lines, 500 pages in length. We cannot in these pages review it as it deserves, but those of our readers who buy and read new books of verse we recom- mend to make a note of this, and not to be deterred by its length. Mr. Percival H. Almy will produce imme- diately a volume of verse called “Scintilla Carminis.” The publisher is Mr. Elliot Stock. The price of the work will be 3s. 6d.  ## p. 248 (#262) ############################################ 248 THE AUTHOR. AN AMERICAN TRIBUTE TO STEVENSON. (From the New York Daily Tribune, Jan. 5.) HE Robert Louis Stevenson memorial meeting at Music Hall last night proved to be a worthily appropriate expression of . the grief that the death of the great romancer has caused among his numerous readers and friends in this city. On the stage were the president of the evening, Edmund Clarence Stedman, and most of the vice-presidents, among whom were included: William Dean Howells, Frank R. Stockton, Laurence Hutton, Professor George Woodberry, Moncure D. Conway, David Christie Murray, Joseph B. Gilder, Brander Matthews, Professor William M. Sloane, Richard Watson Gilder, FI. C. Brunner, Charles A. Dana, Professor T. R. Lounsbury, William Winter, Rudyard Kipling, Richard Henry Stoddard, George W. Cable, E. L. Godkin, Henry Marquand, Professor Francis H. Stoddard. George Parsons Lathrop, Edward Eggleston, Walter H. Page, and many others. Mr. Stedman’s address was as follows: “Such an assemblage—in the chief city in the Western World—is impressive from the fact that we have not come together for any civic, or political, or academic purpose. I have been thinking of its significance in view of con- siderations quite apart from the sorrowful cause of our gathering. But of these this is not the time to speak. On its face, this demonstration is a rare avowal of the worth of literary invention. It shows a profound regard for the career of a writer who delighted us, a sense of loss instan- taneously awakened by the news of his death. For the moment we realise how thoroughly art and song and letters have become for us an essential part of life—a common ground where- upon we join our human love and laughter and tears, and at times forego all else to strew laurel and myrtle for one who has moved us to these signs and emotions. Yes, we are brought together by tidings, almost from the Antipodes, of the death of a beloved writer in his early prime. The work of a romancer and poet, of a man of insight and feeling, which may be said to have begun but fifteen years ago, has ended, through fortune's sternest cyllicism, just as it seemed entering upon even more splendid achievement. A star surely rising, as we thought, has suddenly gone out. A radiant invention shines no more ; the voice is hushed of a creative mind, expressing its fine inaginings in this, our peerless English tongue. His expression was so original and fresh from Nature's treasure-house, so prodigal and various its too brief flow, so consummate through an inborn gift made perfect by unsparing toil, that mastery of the art by which Robert Louis Stevenson conveyed those imaginings to us so picturesque, yet wisely ordered, his own romantic life—and now, at last, so pathetic a loss which rene WS The Virgilian cry The sense of tears in mortal things that this assemblage has gathered at the first summons in tribute to a beautiful genius, and to avow that with the putting out of that bright intelligence the reading world experiences a more than wonted grief. Stevenson was not of our own people, though he sojourned with us and knew our con- tinent from east to west as few of this large audience can know it. But a British author now, by statutory edict, is of our own. Certainly his fame is often made by the American people—yes, and sometimes unmade. Theirs is the great amphitheatrum. They are the ultimate court of review. All the more we are here “for the honour of literature;” and so much the more it is mani- fest that the writer who lightens our hearts, who takes us into some new wonderland of his dis- covery, belongs, as I say, to the world. His name and fame are, indeed, a special glory of the country that bore him, and a vantage to his native tongue. But by just so much as his gift is absolute, and therefore universal, he belongs in the end to the world at large. Above all, it is the recounter—and the Greeks were clear-headed in deeming him a maker, whether his story be cast in prose or verse—who becomes the darling of mankind. This has been so whether among the Grecian isles, or around the desert camp fires, or in the gardens of Italy; and is so when he brings us his romance, as in our modern day, from Our Pacific Eldorado, or from Indian barracks and jungle, or from the land of the Stuarts, or, like Stevenson and our own Melville before him, from palm-fringed beaches of the Southern Sëa,S. Judged by the sum of his interrupted work, Stevenson had his limitations. But the work was adjusted to the scale of a possibly long career. As it was, the good fairies brought all gifts, save that of health, to his cradle, and the gift-spoiler wrapped them in a shroud. Thinking of what his art seemed leading to—for things that would be the crowning efforts of other men seemed prentice-work in his case—it was not safe to bound his limitations. And now it is as if Sir Walter, for example, had died at forty-four, with the Waverley novels just begun. In originality, in the conception of action and situation, which, however fantastic, are seemingly within reason, once we breathe the air of his Fancyland; in the  ## p. 249 (#263) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 249 union of bracing and heroic character and adven- ture; in all that belongs to tale-writing pure and simple, his gift was exhaustless. No other such charmer, in this wise, has appeared in this gene- ration. We thought the stories, the fairy tales, had all been told, but “Once upon a time” meant for him our own time, and the grave and gay magic of Prince Florizel in dingy London or Sunny France. All this is but one of his provinces, however distinctive. Besides, how he buttressed his romance with apparent truth ! Since Defoe, none had a better right to say: “There was one thing I determined to do when I began this long story, and that was to tell out everything as it befell.” One or two points are made clear as we look at the shining calendar of Stevenson's productive years. It strengthens one in the faith that work of the first order cannot remain obscure. If put forth unheralded it will be found out and will make its way. In respect of dramatic force, exuberant fancy and ceaselessly varying imagination, on the one hand, and on the other of a style wrought in the purest, most virile and most direct temper of English narrative prose, there has been no latter- day writing more effective than that of Stevenson's longer fictions—“Kidnapped,” with its sequel, “David Balfour; ” “The Master of Ballantrae,” and that most poetic of absolute romances, “Prince Otto.” But each of his shorter tales as well, and of his essays — charged with indi- viduality —has a quality, an air of distinction, which, even though the thing appeared without signature, differentiated it from other people's best, set us to discovering its authorship, and made us quick to recognise that master-hand elsewhere. Thus I remember delighting in two fascinating stories of Paris in the time of Francois Willon, anonymously reprinted by a New York paper from a London magazine. They had all the quality, all the distinction, of which I speak. Shortly after- ward I met Mr. Stevenson, then in his twenty- ninth year, at a London club, where we chanced to be the only loungers in an upper room. To my surprise he opened a conversation—you know there could be nothing more unexpected than that in London—and thereby I guessed that he was as much, if not as far, away from home as I was. He asked many questions concerning “the States; ” in fact, this was but a few months before he took his steerage passage for our shores. I was drawn to the young Scotsman at once. He seemed more like a New Englander of Holmes's Brahmin caste, who might have come from Harvard or Yale. But as he grew animated I thought, as others have thought, and as one would suspect from his name, that he must have Scandinavian blood in his veins—that he was of the heroic, restless, strong and tender Viking strain, and certainly from that day his works and wanderings have not belied the surmise. He told me that he was the author of that charming book of gipsying in the Cevennes, which just then had gained for him some attentions from the literary set. But if I had known that he had written those two stories of sixteenth century Paris—as I learned afterwards when they reappeared in the “New Arabian Nights” —I would not have bidden him goodbye as to an “unfledged comrade,” but would have wished indeed to “grapple him to my soul with hooks of steel.” Another point is made clear as crystal by his life itself. He had the instinct, and he had the courage, to make it the servant, and not the master, of the faculty within him. I say he had the courage, but so potent was his birth-spell that doubtless he could not otherwise. Nothing commonplace sufficed him. A regulation stay-at- home life would have been fatal to his art. The ancient mandate, “ Follow thy Genius,” was well obeyed. Unshackled freedom of person and habit was a pre-requisite; as an imaginary artist he felt—Nature keeps her poets and story-tellers children to the last—he felt, if he ever reasoned it out, that he must gang his own gait, whether it seemed promising, or the reverse, to kith, kin, or alien. So his wanderings were not only in the most natural but in the wisest consonance with his creative dreams. Wherever he went, he found something essential for his use, breathed upon it, and returned it fourfold in beauty and worth. The longing of the Norseman for the tropic, of the pine for the palm, took him to the South Seas. There, too, strange secrets were at Once revealed to him, and every island became an “Isle of Voices.” Yes, an additional proof of Stevenson's artistic mission lay in his careless, careful, liberty of life; in that he was an artist no less than in his work. He trusted to the impulse which possessed him—that which so many of us have conscientiously disobeyed, and too late have found themselves in reputable bondage to circumstances. But those whom you are waiting to hear will speak more fully of all this—some of them with the interest of their personal remembrance— with the strength of their affection for the man beloved by young and old. In the strange and sudden intimacy with an author's record which death makes sure, we realise how notable is the list of Stevenson's works produced since 1878; more than a score of books—not fiction alone, but also essays, criticism, biography, drama, even history, and, as I need not remind you, that spontaneous  ## p. 250 (#264) ############################################ 250 THE AUTHOR. poetry which comes only from a true poet. None can have failed to observe that, having recreated the story of adventure, he seemed in his later fiction to interfuse a subtler purpose— the search for character, the analysis of mind and soul. Just here his summons came. Between the sunrise of one day and the sunset of the next he exchanged the forest study for the mountain grave. There, as he had sung his own wish, he lies “under the wide and starry sky.” If there was something of his own romance, so exquisitely capricious, in the life of Robert Louis Stevenson, so, also, the poetic conditions are satisfied in his death, and in the choice of his burial-place upon the top of Pala. As for the splendour of that maturity upon which we counted, now never to be fulfilled on sea or land, I say—as once before, when the great New- England romancer passed in the stillness of the night: What though his work unfinished lies P The rainbow’s arch fades out in upper air ; The shiming cataract half-way down the height Breaks into mist; the haunting strain, that fell On listeners unaware, Ends incomplete, but through the starry night The ear still waits for what it did not tell. Half bent *- As 2-se r- - -e CORRESPONDENCE I.—How LONG TO WAIT P J. OUILD not all editors agree upon a certain C set of rules, such as these ? All MSS. to be sent with stamped addressed envelopes, months allowed for reading and decision. A proof sent upon accept- ance, and the MS. paid for at the end of the month (or some other given time). Where MSS. are not returned let a certain time be stated, after which the author may conclude that his work is cremated; or, when rejected MSS. are not returned, let it be noted that acceptance will be notified to the author within a given time, otherwise he may conclude that the MS. is destroyed. It certainly is a grievance that authors have no means of ascertaining how long they must wait for news, good or bad, of their MSS., or when they are to consider that, having a copy, they may sent it elsewhere. * II. “If I send a contribution to a paper which declines to return rejected communications, how am I to know whether it is relegated to the waste paper basket or reserved for future use? And am I at liberty, after a month say, to offer my jeu d'esprit elsewhere, or must it be lost for ever ??” [There is no custom by which a contributor may be guided in such a case. The best way would be (1) always to keep a copy; (2) to write, after a month or so, and inform the editor that the author of such a paper will send it to another editor unless he hears that it is accepted. A copy of this letter should be kept.] II.-A MEMORIAL TO ROBERT Louis STEVENSON. I wish to call your attention to the following letter, which appeared in the Westminster Gazette of the 17th ult., in reference to a memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson. As “a rider” to the letter, may I suggest that a committee be at once formed, say, of half a dozen or more, of the best living names in literature, to discuss and carry out the scheme, which I think must commend itself to the followers of literature and to the public. Will you, Sir, set the ball still further rolling P THOMAS R. MACQUOID. The Edge, Tooting Common. Robert Louis Stevenson’s inimitable work will keep his memory green ; but his countless readers owe him for this work a large debt of gratitude, which they are bound to pay to his memory. This tribute, I think, should be paid not in the form of a statue or of any work of art, but rather by the founding of some institution connected with literature—which has been made so much richer by this master's work. Will not some of our leading authors and others form a committee to carry out this idea, and when a sufficient sum is collected to determine on the nature of the memorial P It seems to me a large sum would soon be raised, even by small contributions, from Stevenson’s admirers. THOMAS R. MACQUOID. The Edge, Tooting Common, Jan. I5. III.-A WHOLE ARTICLE QUOTED. Some years ago, my friend, the editor of the North China Daily News at Shanghai, requested me to write for him an account of a visit paid by me to Lord Tennyson at Farringford House, Freshwater. The article was published in due course, and the editor sent me a few reprints of it in proof form, which I have kept by me ever Sll) Ce, One evening last December I happened to take up a copy of Galignani’s Messenger. Conceive my astonishment at finding in it my own article headed “Reminiscences of Tennyson,” and intro- duced by a statement that “A correspondent sends us the following interesting account of a  ## p. 251 (#265) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 25 I visit,” &c. l I immediately wrote to the editor claiming the article as my own, inclosing slips of the original reprint from the North China Daily News, signed B., together with my card, and requesting the insertion of my protest. No notice whatever was taken, After waiting more than a week I wrote again, with precisely the same result. Now, if the editor of Galignani’s Messenger had been duped by his “correspondent,” he would surely have lost no time in exposing the fact, and doing justice to the real author. As he did not do so, am I unreasonable in attributing his dis- courtesy to the very possible fact that my article was simply “conveyed ” to the columns of the Messenger in his own office, and that his obliging “Correspondent,” is a myth? FREDERIC H. BALFOUR. Willa, Carlandrea, San Remo, Jan. 1895. Since the above was written, the following paragraph has appeared in Galignani : We are requested to state that Mr. Frederic H. Balfour, formerly of Shanghai, was the author of the interesting article entitled “Reminiscences of Tennyson,” published in our columns on the 26th ult. This explanation explains nothing. It does not acknowledge the fact that the paper was taken from the North China Daily News, and it makes it appear as if Mr. Balfour had sent the article to the Messenger. IV.-AMERICAN REPRINTs. The other day a friend, who has occasion to see some of the American papers, saw in one of them the announcement of a New York publisher offer- ing several recent successful English novels at 20 cents, a copy. He wrote for four—“The Yellow Aster,” “Dodo,” “Esther Waters,” and another. I told him he had thrown his money away, but, much to my astonishment, he has just received the books. They have come through the post in an ordinary wrapper. One would like to know (1) whether this sort of thing is done to any extent; (2) whether there is any way of stopping H. J. A. it. W.—EARLY EDITIONS OF By RoN. May I ask through the columns of the Author if first or early editions of Byron's works are scarce or of any value P I have what appears to be a first edition of “The Prisoner of Chillon,” in a brown paper cover, and published in 1816. It contains an advertisement “Published this day, in 8vo., 5s. 6d., a Third Canto of ‘Childe FIarold.’” With “The Prisoner of Chillon’’ are published a “Sonnet,” “Stanzas to —,” 5 “Darkness,” “Churchill's Grave,” “The Dream,” “The Incantation,” and “Prometheus.” I have also editions of “The Bride of Abydos,” and “The Giaour;” the former a second edition, the latter a fifth, published in 1813. In my edition of “Mazeppa,” which appears with “The Ode to Venice,” there is appended a weird story in prose called “A Fragment,” and dated June 17, 1816. It deals with a strange and mysterious incident, which would seem to have happened to Lord Byron himself, as it is told in his own person. I should like to know if this “Fragment” is generally bound up with Lord Byron's poems ? It is not to be found in a complete edition which I have. I do not remember seeing it anywhere else than at the end of this poem of “ Mazeppa,” printed in 1810. # may be that some readers of the Author may be able and willing to give the information I seek. CHARLES D. BELL. The Rectory, Cheltenham, Jan. I I, I895. VI.-IIITERARY PENSIONs. Would it be going outside the province of the Author, or I may say the Society of Authors, if they strive to bring before Parliament the question of literary pensions, both as regards the inadequacy of the amount at present distributed and the way it is apportioned P This matter has been forcibly brought to my mind through the call at my office some time back of a technical writer asking for a donation owing to his destitute circumstances. This gentleman some years ago wrote several impor- tant engineering books, which were accepted as standard works, and I have no hesitation in saying that they have been of absolute money value, not only to this country but to the world at large. Owing to the necessarily limited circu- lation of purely technical works it is impossible for the writers thereof to make much money directly from them, and if they have no other vocation they may, if lucky, develop into a technical publisher's literary hack—if not, starve, In a wealthy country like England the amount set apart for literary pensions, and for helping such cases as I have described, appears to me to be absolutely beggarly, and a standing disgrace when we bear in mind the vast sums that are annually lavished in other ways. Is there no way of altering this, or at any rate trying to ? M. PowIS BALE. *º-º-º-º-e  ## p. 252 (#266) ############################################ 252 THE AUTHOR. VII.-REVIEWING. I trust you will not consider it an impertinence on my part in writing to you upon a subject which, after all, has some importance with respect to the vast reading community of England. I mean the art of criticism, and more particularly that section of it which has to do with modern fiction. It is a custom in these days, in lieu of careful and legitimate criticism, to provide a mere summary of a book, to lay bare the plot and motive of the story—the very soul and nervous system. To illustrate my point I will refer only to “The Manxman,” the thorough appreciation of which has been quite spoilt for me owing to the fact that I have already gathered from certain newspaper reviews of the story, a concise précis thereof, and in this case one's chagrin and disappointment is especially keen, because “The Manxman ’’ is unquestionably one of the noblest efforts in fiction of the present generation. Now this certainly seems to me utterly unfair, both to the author and his readers, for it must, to some extent at all events, detract from the popularity and kudos that would otherwise accrue to the former, as it very certainly lessens the ardour and interest of the latter, who is forewarned of every turn of event, and consequently misses one half of the interest in the development of character and plot as the story progresses. Surely, it is not beyond the wit of man to estimate a novel, to decide upon its quality and claims for popular favour, and so forth, without undraping and laying bare its very skeleton. *- a -º a- - - THE LATE JOHN O'NEILL, E have to record the death of a member of the Society who took the deepest interest in its work, and has from time to time communicated papers of great interest to these columns. Only a few days before his death he offered the editor a collection of notes on literary matters. The following notice of his life and work is from the Times of Jan. 2 I : Mr. John O'Neill, who died a few days ago at Selling, in Kent, was a man of rare and recondite erudition. He began his career in the War Office, where his ability caused him to be often selected for difficult work lying outside the routine of the department. After retiring on his pension he was selected by the Foreign Office as Accountant- General to the newly appointed British Govern- ment of Cyprus. He solved to the complete satisfaction of Sir Garnet Wolseley, the first Governor, the difficult problem of evolving order out of the complicated fiscal difficulties left by the Ottoman administration of the island. Eleven different currencies had to be dealt with and reduced to a common denomination, without injury to the revenues, to commerce, or private interests, and this task Mr. O'Neill most success- fully achieved. Endowed with an exceptional faculty for mastering languages, he made a special study of Japanese, and the grammar he compiled in that difficult tongue was adopted by the Government of the Mikado when the work of reconstituting the educational system of Japan was resolved upon. For many years Mr. O'Neill was a constant contributor to philological and literary journals in London and Paris; he was a recognised authority on Provençal literature and the Provençal languge, as well as on the medieval literature of France. Recently he published, through Mr. Quaritch, the first volume of “The Night of the Gods,” a work in which he em- bodied the results of his lifelong study of the origins of religions, not only among the Aryan and Semitic races, but among the Chinese, Japa- nese, and Mexicans. The second and concluding volume of this work is in the press, and will shortly be published. *– 2 --> -* THE REWARDS OF LITERATURE. I have just heard from Smith and Elder about the publication of my two volumes on the Catholic Revival. They offer me 3150. In respect to “Renaissance in Italy,” I have already received £950. When, then, I have brought out these two volumes, I shall have had in all 31 IOO for this long bit of work. Allowing for periods in which I was unfit to work, periods in which I sought a change of work, I find that I have spent eleven years upon this task, and pretty hard years of daily labour. The education which enabled me to attempt it was a very costly one, and the abilities which qualified me for it, though not first-rate, were at least unusual in their combination of many-sided intelligence with acquired knowledge and literary style. I have then been paid at the rate of £100 per annum; but I must deduct at least £50 per annum from my gains for books and travel, quite indispensable to the production. This I reckon as really far below the just allowance. Say, then, I have received £50 a year during the eleven best years of life for the eaecution of a laborious work, which implied an earpensive educa- tion and unusual cast of intellect. The pay is about equal to the wages of a third-class merchant's clerk or a second class butler, the latter being also found in food and lodging.—From the “Life of John Addington Symons. 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. 05 Issue 09 (February 1895) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 09 (February 1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-02-01-The-Author-5-9 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/274/1895-03-01-The-Author-5-10.pdf efcac77e173a2024aa3762755a6c12ad PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895-03-01 Volume 5 Issue 10 Pages Page range in volume 253–280 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18950301 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CON DUCTED BY WALTER BES ANT. VoI. V.-No. 10.] MARCH 1, 1895. [PRICE SIxPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as earpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. 3- ~ * = * *-es HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *— 2- --" * * *-*. WARNINGS AND ADVICE, I . RAWING THE AGREEMENT.-It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. . . Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In , , every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. . 3. STAMP YOUR AGREEMENTS. – Readers are mos URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no expense to themselves . eacept the cost of the stamp. WOL. V. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVEs To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.—Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. COST OF PRODUCTION.--Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. - 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. IO. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTS.--Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. 14. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. * Society’s Offices — - 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub. lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice -- A. A 2  ## p. 254 (#268) ############################################ 254 THE AUTHOR. sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 2:3. Send-to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. - 9. The committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers :-(I) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. . *-- ~ *-* •- THE AUTHORS, SYNDICATE. i / TEMBERS are informed : - 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it submits MSS. to publishers and editors, concludes agree- ments, examines, passes, and collects accounts, and, gene- rally, relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. - 2. That the terms upon which its services can be secured will be forwarded upon detailed application. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works only for those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiations whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed ea clusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least two days' notice should be given. . . . - 6. That every attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly..., That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. * * - - - - - - - - - *, * 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence ; does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice; and that in all cases MSS. must be accompanied by stamps to defray postage. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department ’’ for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted ” is open. Members are invited to communicate their requirements to the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. - NOTICES, HE Editor of the Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. r - The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously eommunicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. w The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker’s order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. - - - Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest P Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble  ## p. 255 (#269) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 255 of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £948. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *= a -ºr wº- - - THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY, HE General Meeting of the Society of Authors was held on Monday, Feb. 25, at 4.30 p.m., in the rooms of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society, at 20, Hanover- square. Mr. W. Martin Conway took the chair, and amongst those of the committee and council to support him were Mr. Hall Caine, Mr. Rider Haggard, Mr. Anthony Hope, Mr. W. E. H. Lecky, Mr. J. M. Lely, and Mr. E. Clodd. Mr. Conway stated that as the report had been circulated to all the members of the Society he would take it as read, but would be glad to hear if any of the members present had any sugges- tions to make, or anything to say on the matter. He further stated that the work done by the Society had been very satisfactory. They had settled virtually IOO cases during the past year, and had elected 233 new members. Mr. Stuart-Glennie proposed that there should be a more detailed statement of account in the next year's report, and Mr. Conway replied that he would gladly put the matter before the Com- mittee at their next meeting. The report was then unanimously approved by the meeting. Mr. Hall Caine was then called upon to propose the following resolution :-‘‘That in the opinion of this meeting of the members of the Incor- porated Society of Authors the Canadian Copy- right Act is unjust and impracticable, and calculated to affect injuriously the interests of all authors.” Mr. Hall Caine stated his diffidence in speaking on such a subject before the meeting, as authors were more at home with the pen. He, however, pointed out what had been the legisla- tion of all civilised countries with regard to the matter of copyright. That the property of authors had after many years of considerable struggle been recognised universally to be distinct and apart from any trade considerations. Then he proceeded to point out the danger of Canada obtaining the Royal Assent to the Copy- right Bill in its present condition, and finally summed up by saying that he thought all authors should bind together to oppose the passing of the Act. - Mr. Rider Haggard seconded the resolution; discussing shortly the provisions of the Canadian Act, and pointing out the impracticability of its working. Mr. W. Oliver Hodges, who acted on behalf of the society in conjunction with the Secretary on the General Committee which was summoned. last year to consider the question of Canadian copyright, pointed out the fallacy of the licensing clause in the Canadian Act, and how unsatis- factory the collection of the royalties had been in past years. Mr. W. E. H. Lecky also spoke of the necessity of energetic action, as it was understood that the Royal assent would be given, if at all, within the next four weeks. After short speeches on the subject by several other members, the motion was put and unani- mously carried. t Mr. Stuart-Glennie then rose to bring forward the following resolution: “That the executive of the Society be now instructed to take more vigorous action in ascertaining, defending, and enlarging the rights of authors; and that a special committee be appointed to report to the Society with reference to such more vigorous action.” He referred as one of his reasons to his own case which had been before the committee during the past year. He stated, however, that he did not mean to bring the motion forward as a vote of censure on the committee. Mr. Bigelow seconded the motion on Mr. Glennie's behalf. As the Chairman (Mr. Conway) considered that the action of the Committee of the Society had been called into question, he asked the solicitors of the Society to make a short statement in defence of the action of the committee. - Mr. Emery, the Society's solicitor, pointed out how it had been impossible to take up Mr. Glennie's case; that the Society had on two separate occasions taken legal advice on the sub- ject, and finally put the issues at stake from a statement of facts prepared by Mr. Glennie's and the Society solicitors before counsel; that counsel had given it as his opinion that Mr. Glennie could not succeed. Under the circumstances, therefore, the action of the committee had been thoroughly  ## p. 256 (#270) ############################################ 256 THE AUTHOR. justified, and there was no cause for blaming the committee. Mr. Rider Haggard then moved the rejection of the motion on the grounds of the facts stated by the solicitors, and he further pointed out that Mr. Glennie's motion virtually amounted to a vote of censure on the committee. Mr. Haggard's amendment was seconded by Mr. Douglas Sladen. - There were various other speakers, who all seemed to coincide with the opinion of Mr. Haggard that Mr. Glennie's motion amounted to a vote of censure on the committee. - Mr. Bigelow rose and stated that he had no idea in seconding the motion that a vote of Censure had been intended. Mr. Haggard’s amendment rejecting the reso- lution was then put, and was carried with but One dissentient. The proceedings then terminated. -** * LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—MUSICAL PUBLISHING. \PIE musical composer, like the dramatist, but unlike the author, has two rights in his work, the copyright and the performing right. He ought, therefore, if his work were pro- perly managed, to have two sources of income, but this is not the case. - The musical composer, like the author in the past, seems to be absolutely ignorant of his rights, and is still in shackles, bound hand and foot. The perusal of many of the musical publishers' agreements in all their varieties clearly shows this. And the case is more disastrous, as the performing right and the copyright might be of great value, both being good properties, whereas for the dramatic writer the performing right is virtually his only pro- perty, and for the author of literary wares his copyright. As a matter of fact, the musical composer recklessly assigns away both his rights to the publisher in absolute ignorance of their value. What does he get in return ? For the performing right nothing, and even the publisher very seldom uses what might be a good property. This abandonment of valuable property has been going on for so long that it has almost become a recognised custom. It is not, however, too late to change the procedure, but the difficulty is for the composer to bring about this alteration. If he endeavours to do so, he is met by alternative answers from the publisher: (I) A willingness to publish on certain terms, the composer retaining the performing right; (2) A refusal to publish without the assign- ment of this right. Under case (I) the terms are generally so stringent that the composer cannot possibly accept them. If, however, he should make an agreement the question is how, to utilise this right. An intending performer calls on the publisher and states what he wants. He receives the answer at once that the performing right is held by Mr. , who will probably make a charge, whereas if he purchases from them some other composer's work they will let him have the right of performing for nothing. - It is obvious that handicapped to this extent it is impossible for the composer alone to make the alteration. There ought, therefore, to be a combination between composers and publishers. For the latter, although originally mere agents, have become through the stringency of their agreements and the carelessness of composers holders of valuable property. Such a combina- tion would be easy, as the music publishers are few, and it would not be difficult to arrange so that the outside public would be forced to pay for other people's property which they now receive gratis. The publishers would at once feel the benefit, as they are the greatest holders of per- forming rights. The composers would, it is hoped, feel the benefit in the near future, when they have come to recognise the value of their own property. The argument that the publishers—who do not care about wandering from their old and well worn track—would at once bring forward is, of course, that the public would not pay for performing rights. This argument may, however, easily be repudiated, as is shown in the case of dramatic works. The English musical public is constantly on the increase, and is as eager for some new thing as the theatrical world. These remarks on the performing rights of com- posers refer chiefly to the longer compositions, such as Cantatas, oratorios, operas. They only refer in a minor degree to songs. For the difficulty in the way of enforcing a claim in the latter case is obvious, and the charge would be small. If, however, some simple method of collection could be devised, the right is still a valuable OT162, The next question to be considered is what the composer receives for his copyright. In many cases the pleasure of seeing his work produced is considered sufficient reward. If it should chance  ## p. 257 (#271) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 257 that terms are proposed, he is offered four different kinds of agreements. These agreements may be termed: (1) The commission agreement. (2) The purchase outright. (3) The royalty agreement. (4) The half-profit agreement. But they differ frºm the ordinary book pub- lisher's agreements of these names in that the music publisher appropriates all the performing rights and copyrights, and is otherwise more stringent in his terms, and in many cases threatens the composer with non-publication unless these rights are transferred. (I) is perhaps the most unsatisfactory system for the composer, for, although the publisher undertakes to publish the work, he in reality does little more than produce it. He makes no attempt to place it before singers, does not advertise it, does not send it round with his travellers (or, if he does, does so in a half-hearted way), but lets it lie in a neat brown paper parcel on One of the shelves of his warehouse. If the song is to have a success, it must come from the result of the composer's unaided efforts; but success does not attend this method of publishing except through some extraordinary chance. In addition, the com- poser pays for the cost of production, and this is generally put at £2 or £3 more than the real cost. The total result therefore is a considerable loss to the composer and a slight gain to the pub- lisher. If, however, through the untiring energy of the composer, the song is placed before the public, the publisher reaps a fair commission, a Commission for which he has mot worked. In fact, it pays the publisher to let the song lie idle. He cannot lose, he may make a fair amount; and perhaps, if the composer subsequently becomes famous, a great amount (2) When a publisher purchases a work out- right he generally does so with the idea of making it a success. He employs all the means in his power to bring it to notice. He sends out copies to singers; he advertises it in the papers; he gets up concerts for its performance; he pays singers to sing it, or parts of it; he sees that the concerts are well reported. The consequence is very often a great success, and the composer sees the publisher making hundreds of pounds where he has only made tens, and where he cannot hope to make any more. It must be remembered that the cost of production of a Cantata or a song compared with its selling price is much less than the cost of a book, so this is much sooner covered by the sales, and the profits are consequently greater. There is only one advantage to the composer in this method of publication, and this is a deferred advantage in case he desires to place another song or other musical composition before the public. (3) The royalty system is the only one in which under the present methods it appears that the author can reap any proportionate profit. The ordinary royalty is a variable quantity, varying sometimes, but not always, with the prices of the work if it chances that the price is mentioned in the agreement, an omission which frequently occurs. In any case the royalty is always smaller than with the author when the two costs of production are compared, and especially when in the payment of these royalties seven copies count as six. In the booksellers’ trade thirteen copies count as twelve, or twenty- five as twenty-four, but the iniquity of seven as six is only reached in the publication of music. * There are various other arrangements in which a royalty is paid : sometimes after the sale of a certain number of copies, sometimes after the cost of production has been govered. It is, how- ever, impossible to exhaustively discuss the different forms of agreement or to show in what proportion the royalties should be raised in arrangements where the publisher is virtually protected from loss before the composer receives any remuneration. One point, however, it is necessary to mention before leaving royalty agreements, that is, on what form of production a royalty is paid. In the case of songs and small pieces of instrumental music it is paid on the vocal part with the piano score, or on the piano score; and this is fair, for this is the only form that has a sale. The sale and hire of band parts must be small, and would hardly cover the cost of production, possibly might never do so. In the case of Cantatas, oratorios, glees, and part songs, it is paid on the vocal part with the piano score, but there is this difference between the two instances: in the latter the publisher produces the vocal parts — treble, alto, tenor, bass — separately, and sells them or hires them in this form to choral societies. As on the separate parts no royalty is paid, he, to a great extent, nullifies his own agreement with the composer, and certainly puts his interest as agent and that •ot the composer as principal at variance. The curious part of this transaction is that the publisher, in a half-profit agreement, credits and debits the accounts with the moneys expended and received on this item, but in a royalty agree- ment does not recognise the sale. The composer should always take care that the publishers’ interest and his own are parallel. (4) The objections to an half-profit agreement are most serious, yet can only be mentioned in this short paper and not discussed: (1) The complication of accounts.  ## p. 258 (#272) ############################################ 258 THE AUTHOR. (2) The control of all expenditure, including advertisements, lying with the publisher. (3) The ignorance of the author of the cost of production. (4) The ignorance of the author of the methods and necessities of publication. In short, it must be stated that this form of agreement which sounds so fair is in reality the worst for the composer. Finally, it should be pointed out that there are certain elements in the cost of musical production that do not enter into the production of literary wares. The actual paper, &c., is no doubt much cheaper compared with the selling price, but in the first instance the writer of the words has to be paid. His claim is generally settled by a sum paid down. In case (1) it is paid by the author; in cases (2) and (3) by the publisher; and sometimes in case (3), and always in case (4), it is brought into account before royalty or profit is paid. Then the music of songs and smaller pieces is sent out gratis broadcast. Fifty or sixty copies of a book may be sent out for review. Five or six hundred copies of songs are sent out to musical people, singers, &c. Lastly, the singer has to be paid to sing the song in public ; for this he is paid by a sum down or by a royalty. All these items tend to reduce the profit in songs and pieces to which they specially apply. On the other hand, it must be taken into con- sideration that some of the musical publishers also run concerts, which are very lucrative invest- ments, for the special purpose of airing their own Wą,I'êS. - - From the business point of view, however, to sum up the whole situation, musical composers are in a shocking position, and the sooner they band together either to run a new publisher or to refuse to publish except on equitable terms the better it will be for them. The old stories are still cropping up of terms settled at the pub- lisher's dinner table, the unbusiness like propen- sities of composers, and the absolute impos- sibility of getting them to sign agreements. Surely it would be an easy thing for the publisher, who is a man of business, to insist on business- like arrangements. The only deduction that can be made is that it pays him better not to do so. II.-ANGLo-AUSTRIAN COPYRIGHT. Vienna, Wednesday.—The official Gazette to- day announces that the operation of the Anglo- Austrian copyright treaty has been extended to India, Newfoundland, Natal, Victoria, Queens- land, Western Australia, and New Zealand.— Reuter. III.—EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC Books. Of all kinds of literary profits those in educa- tional and scientific works are hardest to estimate before actual publication. There is, however, the undoubted fact that the educational branch of literary property is by far the most valuable and the most profitable. If a work dealing with some educational or scientific subject gets once an estab- lished position as a standard book for school use in England or America, the returns are constant and most substantial. There would seem, however, to be no midway between a good and substantial return and virtually no return at all. Under these circumstances it is of great importance to educational and scientific writers never to sell out- right a work which may be a mine of gold, and never, under any circumstances whatever, to part. with the copyright of such a work. It has been stated by some publishers that they will refuse to deal in any educational or scientific work unless the author will assign the copyright to them, on the ground that it is necessary, should the work prove a success, that they should be able to benefit by that success as well as the author. On the other hand, it must be remembered that it is, of the most vital importance that the author should ot lose, but should retain, the command —which he can only do by retaining the copy- right—of his work. - The following are among the reasons why an author should retain his copyright: º I. An educational or a scientific book must be altered from time to time in order to be brought up to date. New scientific discoveries may make the best book antiquated. New methods may be introduced; new theories may be advanced. The only way for the author to meet these changes is. by making corresponding changes in his book. 2. But the publisher is interested in these changes. He may be. He may not be. He may have a younger man to advance, thinking that he will be more popular. - 3. He may sell his business, or go into bank- ruptcy, or buy another man's business. In either case an author's book goes with his other Copyrights, perhaps to find himself on the same shelf with his most important rival. - It is, of course, always possible to insert clauses in the agreement by which the publisher shall have the option of producing second, third, and subsequent editions on reasonable terms. Should the publisher refuse to deal except on the condition of getting the copyright, the author should go elsewhere. - - One case, however, has come before the Society. in which a publisher fully recognised the import. ance of giving the author a free hand with regard  ## p. 259 (#273) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 259 to alterations in a scientific work, and although the author had inadvertently assigned the copy- right to the publisher, the latter consented to reassign it on consideration that he should have the option of publishing subsequent editions. It is necessary that this warning should be con- stantly before educational and scientific authors, “that they should on no account whatever assign their copyright.” They may, if they so desire, give the publisher every help and assistance with regard to the right to publish future editions, but they must make no assignment. If they do not know how to draw the necessary agreement, the Society will advise them in the matter. IV.-AN IMPORTANT CASE. H. RIDER HAGGARD AND LoNGMANs, GREEN, AND Co., complainants, against THE WAVERLY CoMPANY, defendant. (Circuit Court of the United States, District of New Jersey.) Brief of Respondents on demurrer to the Bill of Complaint. - STATEMENT. — The principal ground of de- murrer urged by the defendant is the third : “That said bill fails to show that due and law- ful notice of said pretended copyright and copy- rights was inserted as required by section 4962 of the Revised Statutes of the United States in the several copies of every edition published in manner and form in said section aforesaid speci- fically set forth.” The clauses of the bill thus attacked are as follows: “Fourth.—And your orators further show that the aforesaid editions of their said copyright book, entitled ‘Nada the Lily,’ were printed from plates made within and type set within the limits of the United States, as required by law. That due notice of said copyrights and entries, and that said copyrights had been completed, was given by the Secretary of the Treasury by publication in his official cata- logues of the title entries of books and other ar icles in the weekly lists of the title of all books wherein the copyright has been completed, all of which said catalogues are ready to be produced in court. That the notice required by section 4962 of the Revised Statutes of the United States has been duly and lawfully given in the several copies of said editions so published as aforesaid.” Section 4962 of the Revised Statutes is as follows: “Section 4962. No person shall maintain an action for the infringement of his copyright unless he shall give notice thereof by inserting in the several copies of every edition published, on the title page, or the page imme- diately following, if it be a book, or if a map, chart, musical composition, print, cut, engraving, WOL. W. - * photograph, painting, drawing, chromo, statue, statuary, or model or design intended to be per- fected and completed as a work of the fine arts, by inscribing upon some visible portion thereof, or of the substance on which the same shall be mounted, the following words, viz.: “Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 5 by A. B., in the office of the Librarian of Con- gress, at Washington,’ or at his option, the word ‘ copyright,’ together with the year the copyright was entered, and the name of the party by whom it was taken out, thus: “Copyright, 18 , by A. B.’” The demurrer claims that the bill is bad because it does not in its terms declare that the copyright notice has been inserted “in the several copies of every edition published; ” the actual averment being that the notice required was “duly and lawfully given in the several copies” of the editions published as set forth in the complaint, being all the editions men- tioned therein, except defendant’s alleged pira- tical edition. Subordinate grounds of demurrer are that the book in question was not composed by a citizen or resident of the United States— which attacks the constitutionality of the Inter- national Copyright Law—and that the com- plaimants by asking, in their prayer, for damages and the delivery for destruction of the unsold copies of the piratical edition demand more than a court of equity can grant. A further ground of demurrer is alleged indefiniteness in the charge of infringement. These points will be considered in the foregoing order, which is the order of im- portance as urged by demurrant. First.—I. The requirements of the statute which are conditions precedent to the perfection of copyright are—I. Deposit before publication of printed copy of the title. 2. Deposit after publication of two copies of the book. 3. Print- ing of the prescribed notice in the copies pub- lished: (Wheaton v. Peters, 8 Peters, 591 ; Merrell v. Tice, IO4 U. S. 557; Thompson v. Hubbard, 131 U. S. 123.) It has been held that as matter of fact the requirement of notice means that the prescribed words shall be inserted in the several copies of every edition which the proprietor of the copyright, as controlling the publication, publishes : (Thompson v. Hubbard, 131 U. S. 123; Supreme Court of the United States, May 13, 1889.) Since the last-named decision the International Copyright Act has been passed (March 3, 1891), which greatly widens the field of application of copyright law. Is it still true that, to maintain an action on his copyright for infringement, a person must literally and exactly give the United States copyright notice “in the several copies of every edition published” by him P. The section in question (section 4962) IB B  ## p. 260 (#274) ############################################ 26o THE AUTHOR. was not altered by the Act of 1891, but was in force previously. Doubtless the possible effects of not changing this section escaped the aqtention of the legislators. For, if there be no limitation in construction put upon the words “every edition published,” an English author, for example, publishing his book not only in the United States, but also in Great Britain, or in Australia, or in South Africa, or in China, loses his United States copyright unless notice of the latter be inserted in every copy published anywhere in the world. And this will be the case, notwithstanding he com- plies fully with the English copyright laws. We submit that this is not the legal intention of the Act. That such is not the intention is evidenced by the provisions of section 4956 of the Copy- right Act, to the effect that in order to complete copyright the two copies of the book required to be deposited with the Librarian of Congress must be “printed from type set within the limits of the United States or from plates printed there- from.” And during the existence of the copy- right the importation into the United States of any book so copyrighted, or any edition or edi- tions thereof, or any plates not made from type set within the United States, is prohibited. That is to say, in order to avail himself of the protec- tion of the copyright law of the United States, the author, foreign or otherwise, must print and publish within the United States, and the impor- tation of any edition printed from type not set or plates not made within the United States is for- bidden. It matters not, then, how many foreign manufactured editions are published outside. The United States law does not protect them, nor does it allow them to interfere with books manu- factured and copyrighted here. They are ex- cluded from the consideration of the Copyright Act. Hence it would be absurd to hold that the notice required by section 4962 means, literally, “every edition published ” by the person copy- righting. It means every edition published, printed from type set or plates made within the United States—that is, every edition manufactured in the United States. This must be so, because no other editions can be made the subject of copyright law at all. * * II. It is fundamental that in the construction of statutes the whole and every part must be con- sidered. “The intention of the law-maker will prevail over the literal sense of the terms; and its reason and intention will prevail over the strict letter:” (Kent's Com., 461 ; Sutherland on Sta- tutory Construction (1891), p. 32O.) “The mere literal construction ought not to prevail if it is opposed to the intention of the Legislature apparent from the statute; and if the words are sufficiently flexible to admit of some other con- complaint P struction by which that intention can be better effected, the law requires that intention to be adopted: ” (Sutherland on Stat. Construction, p. 321, and cases there cited.) These well-esta- blished doctrines have received application in regard to the international copyright law in the United States Circuit Court, District of Massa- chusetts, in the case of Werckmeister v. Pierce and Bushnell Mfg. Co., decided Aug. 7, 1894, Putnam, J. This was the case of a painting sought to be copyrighted by a German subject, on the original of which no notice of United States copyright, as required by section 4962, was ever inscribed, although the other conditions of copyright were complied with, and the copyright notice was inscribed on the published photo- graphs of the painting. In this case the court departs from the literal reading of the statute, and holds that the intent of the law must govern, and that under construction according to the intent, it is not necessary to place the copyright notice upon the original, though the statute expressly says, that if the article be a painting, the notice shall be inscribed, “upon some visible portion thereof, or of the substance on which the same shall be mounted.” If, for the purpose of sustaining the intent of the legislators, so bold a departure from the literal sense, as in this case, may be taken in construing section 4962, how much more, in the case at bar, is a construction warranted, which alone can make the Act har- monious in its parts, and without which the whole law would become a nullity. Its purpose in securing international copyright otherwise would be entirely defeated. As a matter of fact it is not the custom to put the United States copyright notice on English editions of a work copyrighted in America. Much more unlikely would such notice be thought important in editions published in more remote countries. The result would be to make the copyright protection evidently intended to be given to works manu- factured in the United States practically null and void, and to destroy the International Copy- right Law. III. Thus much premised, are the allegations in the bill sufficient? They set up the publica- tion of the editions described, “printed from plates made within and type set within the limits of the United States, as required by law. That the notice required by section 4962 of the Revised Statutes of the United States has been duly and lawfully given in the several copies of said editions so published as aforesaid.” The only question here would seem to be will the court presume, outside the record, that there are other editions of the work than those set forth in the If it should be the fact that the  ## p. 261 (#275) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 26 I editions pleaded constitute “every edition pub- lished,” there is, of course, a sufficient cause of action. Will the court presume otherwise upon demurrer? Reasonable presumptions are ad- mitted by demurrer as well as the matters expressly alleged : (Foster's Federal Practice, vol. I, p. 209; Amory v. Laurence, 3 Clifford, 523, 526.) But, says the court in Warfield v. Fisk (1883; 136 Mass., p. 219), “We cannot draw inferences of fact upon demurrer.” If it appear that the required notice was given in the several copies of every edition of which the court can take any cognisance, it is a “reasonable pre- sumption ” that the law has been complied with. It would be a violent presumption to assume outside the record, that there are other editions in which no notice, or defective notice, was given. The bill would be sufficient on the hearing if the facts alleged were proved. It would not be necessary even to prove literally the insertion of the notice in every copy. Pro- duction of one copy with the notice and general testimony as to the issue of the edition would be sufficient: (Falk v. Gast Lith. and Eng. Co. Ld., 4o Fed. Rep. 168.) The contention of the defen- dant would make his pleading a “speaking de- murrer” where by argument or inference a mate- rial fact is suggested that is not alleged in the bill. Such a demurrer will be overruled: (Beach, Modern Equity Practice, vol. I, p. 265, and cases there cited.) Moreover, the copyright is per- fected by taking the three steps required by statute before and coincident with publication. Primă facie then, the copyright being perfect, the complainants are entitled to maintain their action. A copy of the record in the office of the Librarian of Congress, with the books showing the notice, make out a primá facie case against an infringer. If there has been any omission in subsequent or other editions than those pleaded, it is for the defendant to plead and prove that the complainant has by his omissions lost the copy- right he once had and which presumptively he still has. The notice is not a condition to the obtaining a copyright, but to the maintaining an action for infringement. If the facts allow it, the defendant, in case of lack of universality of the notice, must plead in abatement. He has no standing on demurrer. It may be added that the practice books giving forms of bills of complaint in copyright cases, give a pleading setting out generally that the complainants are the owners of a copyright taken out “previous to the publica- tion of the book in question, and secured according to law.” No other detail of fact is given in order to make out a primá facie case: (Beach, Modern Equity Pleading, vol. 2, p. 1281.) In Thompson v. Hubbard (131 U. S. 123), on which VOL. W. the demurrant seems to rely, the decision was rendered after the facts appeared on the trial and not on demurrer. Second.—Inasmuch as the demurrant in its brief does not insist upon the ground of demurrer questioning the constitutionality of the Interna- tional Copyright Act, the complainants will not discuss that topic at this time. Third.—There is no merit in demurrant's con- tention respecting failure to waive penalties end forfeitures. At the most the prayer of the com- plainants in this respect is surplusage. A bill to obtain relief against an infringement of a copy- right need not contain a waiver of the com- plainant’s statutory right to a forfeiture of the piratical plates: (Foster's Federal Practice (2nd ed.), vol. I, p. 175; Farmer v. Calvert Lith. Co., I Flippin, 228.) If any part of the relief is proper, the demurrer on this point will be over- ruled. This is the latest doctrine in these cases: (Chicago, M. & St. P. Ry. Co. v. Hartshorn, Treas., &c., 3O Fed. Rep., 54 I (1887; Shiras, J.); Town of Strawberry Hill v. C. M. & St. P. Ry. Co. et al, 4 I Fed. Rep. 568 (1890).) Fourth.-Nor is there room for argument that the charge of infringement is indefinite. The defendant is charged with having published, without authorisation, the book copyrighted. What has been copyrighted has been set forth in the bill. This is sufficient to put the defendant upon his answer. Fifth. — The questions involved before the court at this present time are purely questions of law. The defendant in his brief, has seen fit to talk “ to the galleries,” and to claim that this action was brought in bad faith, “solely for the purpose of intimidating the trade.” This autho- rises the complainants to say that there is no doubt whatever that the complainant, H. Rider Haggard (an author of no mean repute) is the author of the work “Nada the Lily;” that Longmans, Green, and Co. (the oldest firm of publishers in the world, and of undoubted re- spectability and standing) are the authorised publishers of the work; that the defendant, the Waverly Company, has published, without autho- rity, a piratical edition of this book, with the idea that through some technical lapse, the copy- right due to the complainants, and which they have believed they possess, has been vitiated ; and the said defendant is now trying to defeat complainants in the enforcement of these supposed rights upon which they have always in good faith relied. The complainants are prosecuting this action, not alone to secure their own rights, but also in behalf of the trade to ascertain, for the benefit of all, what the meaning of the Inter- national Copyright Law is, by its proper judicial B B 2  ## p. 262 (#276) ############################################ 262 THE AUTHOIR. onstruction. Too important interests are in- volved for the case to be determined upon tech- nicalities; and though the complainants are advised and firmly believe the demurrer should be overruled, they ask, in case the court should take a different view, that they may have leave to amend on the usual terms; whereupon they will so amend by setting forth fully the exact facts in the case, and all collateral facts, that a full adjudication may be obtained upon demurrer before the highest tribunal, as to the meaning of the new law. Resting upon such an adjudication the entire book and publishing trade may intelli- gently shape its course. The main question involved is as to the meaning of section 4962, the complainants' contention respecting which has been hereinbefore urged. Upon this point, espe- cially, the complainants pray for an authoritative expression of judicial opinion. And they asked that the demurrer in all respects be overruled, with costs. (Argued Oct. 6, 1894, before Hon. Marcus W. Acheson, at Philadelphia.) DICKINSON, THOMPson, AND MCMASTER, No. 1, Montgomery-street, Jersey City, N.J., Solicitors for Complainants. DANIEL GREENLEAF THOMPson, No. 111, Broadway, N.Y. City, Of Counsel. W.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. The following letter appeared in the Times of the 26th Feb. : - “SIR,-Attention has already been called in your columns to the fact that the Canadian Copyright Bill, now awaiting the Royal assent, seriously menaces the interests of English authors and copyright owners. It is understood that a decision will shortly be arrived at on the question at issue between the Canadian and Imperial authorities. The danger being therefore imminent, those whose interests are threatened must now enter their protest against the Bill. By it any Canadian publisher will be permitted to produce, in any form and at any price he pleases, the work of any British author which has not, within one month of its first publication in this country, been reprinted and published in Canada, on the sole condition of paying a royalty of Io per cent. on the published price of the book. The officers of the Department of Inland Revenue are charged with the duty of collecting and paying these royalties, but they are specially exempted from any obligation to ‘account for any such royalty not actually collected.’ “The objections to these proposals are weighty and obvious; it will suffice to indicate one or two. “The limit of one month is ridiculously insuffi- cient, and the provision suffices to deprive English authors, with the possible exception of a few writers of popular fiction, of any real copyright in Canada. “The absurd machinery which makes the Inland Revenue officials at once responsible and irrespon- sible for the collection of royalties is not new, and is of proved inefficiency. English authors and publishers can only look back with grim amusement on the futile attempt on the part of Canada to collect similar royalties on American pirated reprints with similar machinery. More- Over, in the absence of accounts, how is an English author to seek a remedy when he has reason to believe that a particular publisher has failed to make due payment P The needful evidence would not in practice be obtainable. It is true that the Canadian market is not large, nor, in the absence of a leisured and cultured class, is it likely to prove expansive. If Canada. Only were in question, English authors would probably submit to the injury likely to be caused by piracy of their works in a small literary area. But Canada does not stand alone. If this Bill becomes law, Canadian reprints will inevitably flood, as they are intended to flood, the market of the United States, and the rights which English owners of literary property now enjoy there will be seriously endangered. If, in Consequence of the action of Canada, the United States were to repeal their International Copyright Act, English authors would suffer great and irreparable loss. “In order to give united expression to the objections felt by persons whose interests are threatened by the proposed legislation, a petition to the Colonial Secretary has been prepared, which it is hoped will be largely signed during the next three weeks by authors, pub- lishers, artists, and owners of copyrights gener- ally. Copies of this petition may be obtained from the secretary of the Society of Authors, and signatures should be forwarded to him at the Society's offices, 4, Portugal-street, Lincoln’s-inn- fields, W.C. “I am, sir, your obedient servant, “W. M. ConwAy, Chairman of Committee of the Incorporated Society of Authors.” *- - -º w" -  ## p. 263 (#277) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 263 NOTES FROM NEW YORK, RATHER curious survival of the old A colonial attitude towards England is demonstrated by the fact that any impor- tant series issued in the mother country is sure to be published over here; while, on the other hand, when an American series is brought out, only those volumes having more than a local interest appear in England. Thus, of the Great Commanders Series, which contains biographies of “Admiral Farragut’ by Captain A. T. Mahan, of “General Taylor " by General O. O. Howard, U.S.A., of “General Jackson " by James Parton, of “General Greene’’ by Captain Francis W. Greene, U.S.A., of “General J. E. Johnston ’” by Robert M. Hughes, of “General Thomas” by Henry Copee, LL.D., of “General Scott’ by General Marcus J. Wright, of “General Washington’ by General Bradley T. Johnson, of “General Lee’” by General Fitzhugh Lee, and of “General Hancock’” by General Francis A. Walker, only one volume has so far been repro- duced in England, and that was the first, which was doubtless due to Captain Mahan's own reputation. It was evident that the subject of the biography was not well known, since in the Times it was announced as “a new book by Captain Mahan, a life of the great Confederate Admiral, Farragut.” To another of our impor- tant series, that on American Men of Letters, there has just been added the biography of “George William Curtis,” by Mr. Edward Cary. This series is edited by Mr. Charles Dudley Warner, who contributed the first volume, the life of “Irving.” The other volumes are “Noah Webster,” by Horace E. Scudder; “Thoreau,” by Frank B. Sanborn; “George Ribley,” by O. B. Frothingham; “Cooper,” by T. R. Lounsbury; “Margaret Fuller Ossoli,” by T. W. Higginson; “Emerson,” by Dr. Holmes; “Poe,” by George E. Woodberry; “N. P. Willis,” by Henry A. . Beers; “Benjamin Franklin,” by John B. McMaster ; “Bryant,” by John Bigelow; and “William Gilmore Simms,” by William P. Trent. Of all these, the volumes on Cooper and on Emerson are the only two published in England. Two books of the series are model biographies —the “Cooper’ by Professor Lounsbury, and the “Poe’” by Professor Woodberry. In each case the authors took an immense amount of trouble to amass material, and then wrote a clear, concise, and comprehensive biography, which protruded no trace of the work behind it. There are soon to be added to this series the lives of “Lowell,” by Professor Woodberry, of Columbia College; “Whittier,” by Professor George R. Carpenter, of Columbia; “Motley,” by Professor Brander Matthews, Jameson; and “Parkman,” by Mr. John Fiske. This series is modelled on Mr. John Morley's “English Men of Letters,” only that the American volumes always contain a steel engraved portrait and a careful index—adjuncts lacking in the British books. An instance of failure to give “every man his due,” which would never have occurred in America, is to be found in the case of the “Great Educators Series.” This series was thought out, planned, brought out, and edited by Professor Nicholas Murray Butler. It is an international series having volumes by American, French, and British authors. It is printed in America and published here by Scribner's. Certain of the volumes have been exported to England and issued by Heinemann, and it is there known as Heinemann’s “Great Educators Series,” no mention whatsoever being made about Professor Butler's share in its production, or of its American origin. Macmillan and Co. are continuing their two- volume experiment at a dollar a volume, or 8s. for the work. This experiment was begun with “ Marcella,” and then continued with “ Katherine Lauterdale,” and now with “The Ralstons.” Mr. Crawford is the most popular of American novelists, and every new book of his sells at the rate of from 50,000 to 60,000 copies, while its immediate predecessor has a renewed sale of about Io,000. Although an American, Mr. Crawford does not know his New York as he does his Italy, and it is pleasing to note that in “Casa Braccia *-now running in the Century— he has returned to his old fields of operation, and is telling a new melodramatic tale of cos- mopolitan life. Four seasons ago Mr. T. J. B. Lincoln founded a literary club, called “The Uncut Leaves.” The club began very modestly with only a few members, who met once a month either at each other's houses or in a small hall hired for the occasion, where they listened to authors of various nationalities read from their unpublished manu- scripts. The success of this venture has been so great that the club now has several hundred members enrolled on its lists, and a suite of rooms is engaged for its monthly meetings at one of the best known halls in New York. Six readings are given during a season, and prominent men of letters are most happy to read or talk before such a sympathetic audience as is found gathered together on these occasions. Strangers are heartily welcomed, and Mr. Christie Murray has twice been present at the meetings, and each time succeeded in amusing the members. Mark Twain, Edward Eggleston, Mrs. Wiggin, and Mr. H. C. Bunner have all either  ## p. 264 (#278) ############################################ 264 THE AUTHOR. read or spoken before the club this winter or last. There are no committees, nor is there even a president to run the club, Mr. Lincoln under- taking all the work, such as getting the speakers, fixing dates, hiring the hall, seeing to the announcements, and even constituting himself treasurer and presiding officer for the introduc- tion of the readers. An experiment has recently been tried by Mr. Alexander Black, who is both an amateur photo- grapher and a journalist. It is a form of enter- tainment which he calls a “picture play.” Mr. Black has written a story entitled “Miss Jerry,” which he reads to his audience, giving each character its own individuality by a slight change in his voice. At the same time numerous photo- graphs, which illustrate the many situatiºns, are thrown by a magic lantern slide on a large sheet. The plot of the story is a mere thread on which is strung many incidents that introduce well-known people. Miss Jerry is a bright, vigorous girl, who takes up the business of reporter as a con- genial means of livelihood, and her adventures in that capacity form the basis of the plot, around which is woven a slight love story. Mr. Black has been to much pains to make his photographs as realistic and natural as possible, and thus we See Miss Jerry boarding an elevated train, inter- viewing Mr. Chauncey Depew in his office, visiting the slums, and taking part in a brilliant ball. These are only a few of the many sides of New York that Mr. Black has written about and depicted. Whether this venture will prove a lasting success it is impossible to say, but that it is a mºst enjoyable form of entertainment, and has many as yet undeveloped possibilities in it, is very evident. - The travelled American has often stated that he wondered why no American periodical had as large a circulation as the Strand Magazine. As a matter of fact, two of our periodicals have over three-quarters of a million circulation, yet neither of them is published in New York, the centre of the publishing trade. The papers referred to are the Ladies' Home Journal, issued in Philadelphia, and the Pouth's Companion, issued in Boston. It was on the former of these that the English Woman at Home was modelled. The Ladies’ Home Journal is a monthly of thirty or forty pages of the size of the Illustrated London News, and its sale is principally outside this metropolis, for it aims to appeal to a more provincial audience. From its title it would be judged exclusively a woman’s paper, but this is not the case. There are always running through the year some articles especially applicable to men, such as the series called “When He is Sixteen,” articles written by four prominent women on all that concerns a boy at that age—his studies, amusements, choice of professions, &c. Now a new series has been begun entitled one month “The Woman Who Has Most Influenced Me,” and the next “The Man Who Has Most Influenced Me ;” these naturally are written alternate months by men and women. The monthly always contains at least one serial story, and it was in this paper that Mr. Howell’s “Coast of Bohemia’’ appeared, and also Mr. Stockton’s “Pomona's Travels;” and there is, besides, generally a short story or two. A most delightful series of articles are now being written for it by Mr. Howells on “My Literary Passions.” The editorials are always timely, and on some broad subject. Besides this there are articles of general interest, comic or otherwise, and a poem or two. Another feature of this paper is the separation of the departments for answering correspondents, divided under the heads of “Floral Helps and Hints,” “Side-Talks with Girls,” “Hints on Home Dressmaking,” “Sug- gestions for Mothers,” “Art Help for Art Workers,” “Literary Queries,” and, lastly, “The Open Congress;” these (i.epartments are all under the direction of what might be called specialists. The illustrations and printing are both of a high order, and it would be hard to cite a periodical that has more widespread influence—an influence which is elevating both morally and intel- lectually. The Youth's Companion is a paper of an entirely different stamp, and with a different mission to fulfil. It is a wholesome weekly of good literary style, designed for readers of both sexes from fourteen to twenty-four years. Amongst its announcements for 1895 appear the following: A paper on “Nursing,” by Princess Helena of Schleswig-Holstein, and an account of a sculptor's work, called “The Story of a Statue,” by Princess Louise (Marchioness of Lorne); an article on the “Recollections of My Physician,” by Mr. Gladstone; a reminiscent account by Mr. J. M. Barrie, entitled “A School Revisited;” an article by Mr. Rudyard Kipling, “The Bold 'Prentice;” a speculative paper, “If Telescopes were Bigger,” by Camille Flammarion; an article on “How to Tell a Story,” by Mark Twain, and one on “An Editor's Relations with Young Authors,” by Mr. Howells; also “Bits of Scottish Character,” by the late Robert Louis Stevenson. From this array of names it is easy to see that the taste of the American youth is as much considered as that of his seniors. Indeed, we are singularly lucky in the type of our juvenile periodicals, for Harper's Young People and St. Nicholas have enormous circulations and much influence, and both have very high standards of literary and artistic merit. Thus  ## p. 265 (#279) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 265 the young American mind is not only catered to, but elevated. A circular has recently been sent around to the various members of the writing craft that a table of statistics concerning newspaper reviews had been made, and that the New York Times “led all the rest " in regard to the number of books criticised in its columns, and in regard also to the space it devoted to literature. On looking through the table, it is surprising to find that of the 419 American and British works appearing during the period of Oct. I to Dec. 31, 1894, the Times has actually reviewed 277, and that these reviews have occupied 117 columns. The promptness with which these reviews appeared after the publication of the books is also much to be com- mended—out of the 277, at least 240 were reviewed within a month. The statistical pamphlet is arranged in alphabetical order as regards the pub- lishers, and thus, as an example, out of the fifteen books issued by Longmans, Green, and Co., the Times reviewed eleven, and devoted fifty and one-half columns to them, whereas the Tribune reviewed five of them, the Post four, and the Sun only two. But, on the other hand, the JPost has far more book advertisements than the Times; sometimes it has as many as three pages. It is a great convenience to authors and publishers to know where books are most likely to receive prompt attention, and so this table of statistics is welcome. Ibsen's latest play “Little Eyolf’’ has just been published by Stone and Kimball, of Chicago, in the Green Tree Library. The volume is a dainty specimen of bookmaking, being tastefully and well bound, of a convenient size, and printed with care and thought. It has been most warmly received. It is interesting to note how curiously alike it is in subject to Mrs. Margaret Deland’s recent novel, “Philip and His Wife.” Although differing in every detail and in most of the inci- dents, yet the two books are almost parallel in the problem they present. It is a pleasure to announce that Mrs. Deland’s book has been deservedly a great success, and is already in its fifth edition. It is astonishing how the “Trilby’’ boom keeps up, and even seems on the increase. Word has come from Harper and Brothers that so far in printing the book IOO tons of paper have been used. It is a great pleasure to mention the fair- ness with which Harpers have dealt with Mr. Du Maurier. Upon accepting “Trilby,” the publishers, believing in the book, offered Mr. Du Maurier a very handsome royalty; but the author preferred a lump sum in proportion to their belief in the book, which was very great. Now, seeing the enormous success of the story, : Hugo's remarks. Harper and Brothers have notified Mr. Du Maurier that from Jan. I of this year he will receive a royalty, and not only a royalty on “Trilby,” but also on “Peter Ibbetson,” for which they had also paid a large sum down, but which has been lately carried along by the success of its author’s more recent book. A parody has just appeared, entitled “Biltry,” and the drama- tisation of “Trilby " by Mr. Paul Potter is quite completed, and Mr. A. M. Palmer expects to produce it on March 4 in Boston. A “Trilby’’ afternoon has been arranged in aid of the New York Kindergarten Association. There are to be tableaux, taken from the illustrations, and all the songs mentioned in the story will be sung—thus it will be seem that “Trilby’’ has taken New York hearts by storm. One of the latest jokes current at present is the answer which supposedly appeared in a paper to an anxious inquirer—“No, Napoleon did not write ‘Trilby;” you have confused the magazines.” HALLETT ROBINSON. *~ - ~-' r—- - ---, LETTER FROM PARIS, AM writing this in the melancholy of the loss of our dear Auguste Vacquerie, a friend of twelve years' standing, a very kindly man, who, for his way of life, was one to be looked up to in this career of ours. He was in every sense of the word a gentleman of letters, and these are few in France. The first time that I met Auguste Vacquerie was twelve years ago, at the house of Victor Hugo, whose inseparable companion he was. Of the two poets, the disciple—for Vacquerie always pro- claimed himself but the disciple of Victor Hugo— haddecidedly the superior distinction, and, to con- fess the truth, I listened with far more interest to the things that he said that night than to Victor I frequently met him after- wards at the same house, and was on one occasion invited to call and see him at his own home, a fine mansion in the Rue Durmont d'Urville. I called there one morning and found Vacquerie in bed, for, as he told me, he never rose till noon. “I wake at seven,” he said, “and immediately read all the morning papers ”—the floor of the bedroom and the counterpane of the bed were strewn with gazettes—“ and when I have read all the news, I write my daily article for the Rappel.” By the bedside stood a little table, with writing materials on it, and a bowl of bouillon, in draughts of which the editor sought inspiration. His process was different from that of Victor Hugo, and indeed he remarked on  ## p. 266 (#280) ############################################ 266 THE AUTHOR. this, for Hugo always wrote standing, imitating Voltaire in this respect. “But,” said Vacquerie, “I am only a disciple.” Ithink that it was a pity that he contented himself with his position of disciple and imitator of Hugo, for he had decided originality and a particular sweetness of style, which would have sufficed to give him an excellent standing of his own in French literature. I shall never forget the kindness of his reception of me on that occasion, miserable little journalistic hack that I was at the time. He insisted on keeping me to breakfast, and after breakfast showed me over his art collection. I remember with what glee he pointed to a Delacroix, a picture of the good Samaritan, which he had bought for 50 francs, “a picture worth a hundred times that sum to-day.” He pressed me to return and see him, and I did so once or twice, but it is now a long time since I saw him last. I contented my- self with being his contemporary, and liked to think that there was a kindly Auguste Vacquerie, who was well disposed towards me, living in Paris. One has many friends like that. And now he is dead and buried, and I shall never see him again Paris seems different to me to-day. I noticed that several papers commented on the divorce between Jeanne Hugo and Léon Daudet with comments which were unjustifiable. Thanks to the excellent French law in this matter, no particulars of divorce cases may be published in the French papers—a law that might well be introduced, in despite of the penny and half- penny editors, into England—and, as In conse- quence nobody except the friends of the family knew anything about the case, nobody was in a position to comment upon it. It was a mere case of incompatibility of temper, and, though separated, the two ex-spouses have remained excellent friends. This is a good thing for the sake of the little boy, Victor Hugo’s great-grand- SOIl. I had expected to be able to give a description in this letter of the banquet which was to be given on Friday last to Edmund de Goncourt by his friends and admirers. In consequence, how- ever, of the sudden and regretted death of Auguste Vacquerie, M. de Goncourt wrote to the organisers of the banquet to ask them to postpone it till the following week. This being so, I fail to understand why certain French journalists have pointed to this postponement as another proof of the persistent bad luck which has pursued the de Goncourts through life. It is true that their first book was killed by the fact that it was published on the very day on which the coup d'état was carried out in Paris, and consequently passed unnoticed ; but since then Having done so, fortune has, in my opinion at least, made ample reparation to the surviving brother. He holds a unique place in French literature, and will remain standing after many of the apparently more fortunate ones have been swallowed up in obscurity. Certainly his books have not sold by the hundred thousand, but that is a circum- stance on which so perfect an artist may rather congratulate himself. I am greatly interested at present in the writings of the German philosopher Nietzsche, which are being greatly read in Paris. The writer, I am sorry to say, will be silent hereafter, for his brain has given way, and he is confined in some German madhouse. Possibly this may be a subject for congratulation, for it is evident, from the direly pessimistic tone of his enunciations, that he was a very unhappy man—a Schopenhauer without Schopenhauer’s obvious insincerity—a Leopardi without the consolation of the poet’s art; and where ignorance is bliss—you know the rest The following is one of Nietzche's sayings about bad books: “Das Buch soll nach Feder, Tinte und Schreibtisch verlangen: aber gewöhnlich verlangen Feder, Tinte und Schreibtisch nach. dem Buche. Deshalb ist es jetzt so wenig mit Büchern.” The study of pessimism is an excellent one for young people. Pessimism is a disease, which, like measles, attacks everybody at least once in a lifetime. It is well to inoculate oneself with it early in life, so as to be protected against it at a time when it might less easily be borne. Ten years ago I was the gloomiest of melancholy Jacques. To-day the world seems a charming place to live lll. Amongst my papers I find the following auto- graph letter from William Wordsworth. It has never been printed before, and so I give it. Things have not greatly changed in the matter of poetry since the day on which it was written : MY DEAR SIR, Very pressing engagements have prevented me. looking over the MSS. you sent me till this evening. and remembering your conversation with me upon the subject, it seems unnecessary that I should say more than that the verses in some respects do much credit to their author, and show an easy command of language and are not deficient in harmony; and the story of the tale, though not having much novelty in it, is agree- able. I mention to you what is apparent enough, that poetry is not much in favour with the public at present, and there- fore if I thought these specimens of merit much superior to what, candidly speaking, I reckon them to be, I could not feel confident that their publication would be profitable to the writer. I must add, however, on the other side, that, as tastes and  ## p. 267 (#281) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 267 fancies are so various, it is impossible to foresee what would or would not succeed. - I remain, my dear sir, Faithfully yours, WM. WORDSwor'IH. Rydal Mount, Jan. 28, 1841. Wordsworth used to be overwhelmed with MSS. from all parts of the world—an experience common to most writers whose names are known to the public. A whole room in Rydal Mount was set aside for the storage of these manuscripts, but, in spite of every precaution, many used to get lost. I remember my mother telling me that when she was quite a little girl, and was staying at Rydal Mount, she was one morning greatly upset by a pathetic letter from some poet in the South of England, who wrote saying that he had sent a long epic to Wordsworth some months previously, and that, though he had applied for its return several times, he had never received any answer. He added that all his hopes in this world were based on that epic, and implored for its return. She spent all that day, and the next day too, in looking for this manuscript, but was unable to find it. In the end she selected from a pile of poems, which for some reason or other could not be returned to their writers, one which was also an epic, and of about the same length as the missing one, and sent it to the poet, saying that she hoped that this one would as well. She inclosed in the letter the sum of half-a-crown, the whole contents of her savings-box, and asked the poet to accept this as a solatium. He was apparently satisfied, for he never wrote again. Speaking of the old days reminds me that a day or two ago I was looking over a book of accounts, which was kept in the house of an English nobleman, in the years 1622-23-24. It is most methodically kept, and includes every penny that was spent in that family during that period. The items vary from “Almesmonie,” as, for instance, “Item given to the prisoners in the Fleet,” or “Item given to my sister Anna Walker to helpe to buy her a wedinge gown,” to “Chardges in Travell,” &c. I have read all the items through without finding that during those three years there was spent in that nobleman's family a single penny on literature in any shape or form, and this in spite of the fact that periodical visits were paid by his lordship and family to town. Things have certainly improved in England since those days, and fortunate it is for us who write that this is so. Is it not a pity that the very best portrait of our gentle Stevenson should be in America, and that there is little chance of its ever being seen in England again P. This is the portrait painted by Mr. Alexander, of Paris, whom many consider, with Whistler and Sargent, the finest portrait painter in the world. More than this, it is, next to his remarkable portrait of Walt Whitman, the painter's best work. What good portraits of Stevenson are there in England for our great- grandchildren to look at P Any publisher or editor who wants a cheap advertisement need only follow the example of various American editors and publishers in offering fantastic sums to Count Tolstoi for the right of publishing his new works. Tolstoi always refuses any dealings with his books and so no risk is run and Messrs. Puff, Quack, Réclame, and Co., of Paternoster-row, can safely offer him 2 dollars a letter for his work, as the American publisher did the other day. Nay, they might offer £10 a word, provided that they let the fact be known, and the paragraphists would do the rest. Are we not all very glad of the great success of Mr. Sala's last book—the most entertaining set of memoirs which has appeared for some years P. It is a book that every literary aspirant should read for his encouragement—the story of a brave life in a hard career of persistent heroism. One is proud to be the confrère of such a man. Daudet's new book, “La Petite Paroisse,” is a very clever study of jealousy—a passion much à la mode for literary treatment in Paris just now. Lemaître expounds it after his fashion in “Le Pardon ’’ at the Comedie. In the copy which Daudet sent me he wrote that he hoped I had been jealous, so that I might tell him if his book were true. I was glad to be able to tell him that, since childish jealousies in the matter of tops or tarts, I had never experienced that feeling which is said to be the only mental suffering which is a physical suffering at the same time. I under- stand that jealousy produces a very painful feeling below the breastbone, as when one has eaten too many blackberries. These are not sensations that I run after. Daudet's hero suffers badly, but is very brave through it all, and here again Daudet has shown that, in spite of all, he will look on the bright side of life, and on what is good in human nature. This is what is so excellent in his work. - I was very sorry to hear of the death of John O'Neill, announced in last month's Author. I had never met him, but just before I last left London I received a very kind and encouraging letter from him, which came at a time when I was extremely despondent. Letters like that are a blessing to struggling authors. I had hoped to thank John O'Neill for writing to me in person, and now that can never be. Marcel Schwob’s translation of “Moll Flanders” is the book of the season in Paris, next to Daudet's latest. Schwob has an excellent know-  ## p. 268 (#282) ############################################ 268 THE AUTHOR. ledge of English literature, and is the personal friend of many of our leading writers. We English owe him a debt of gratitude for his championship of English literature in a country where people are singularly ignorant of its beauties. RobºFT H. SHERARD. I23, Boulevard Magenta, Paris. *- -* - * *-y NOTES AND NEWS, E need merely chronicle here the elections of Mr. W. Martin Conway as chairman of the committee of management, and of Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins as a member of the council and of the committee of management. A brief report of the general meeting of the Society, which was held in the room of the Medical and Chirurgical Society, on the afternoon of the 25th ult., will be found in another column. We wish to call the attention of members to the resolution moved by Mr. Hall Caine and seconded by Mr. Rider Haggard, relating to Canadian Copyright. In another column will be found the Chairman's invitation to members to sign the petition which has been drawn up, and is lying for signature at the offices. It should be borne mind that the threatened legislation would destroy the homogeneity of British copyright, and would jeopardise the whole of the benefits resulting from American copyright. The danger is real and urgent, and members are invited to send in their names forth with. A communication addressed by Mr. R. Under- wood Johnson, the secretary of the American Copyright League, to the (New York) Evening Post is disquieting. From this it appears that a Copyright Bill has been introduced and reported by the Committee on Patents with a proviso which limits the total sum to be recovered under the statute (sect. 4965, ch. 3, title 60) to double the value of the “thing infringed upon,” &c. Mr. Johnson enters a protest against this reform on many grounds, and points out that the proviso extends so as to cover literary as well as artistic work, so that, while this legislation is ostensibly intended to protect innocent infringers of photo- graphic copyright from blackmailing proceedings, it promises to enable any pirate to copy any periodical matter, whether literary or artistic, with comparative impunity. Though belated, for reasons which need not be explained, we lay a wreath upon the grave of Christina, Rossetti, The words found in another column are written by one who knew her. These are the occasions on which the mere critic, even the admiring or the reverential critic, must stand aside to let those speak who had the privilege of knowing the dead poet. *– ~ * e- - - THE LOSSES IN LITERATURE, 1894. BIE losses in literature, which have been both numerous and severe, include Professor James Anthony Froude, LL.D. ; Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson; Mr. Walter Pater; Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes ; Professor William Robertson Smith, D.D., LL.D. ; Professor Henry Morley, LL.D.; Rev. Richard Morris, LL.D.; Sir James F. Stephen, the legal writer and essayist; Sir Austen H. Layard, of Nineveh fame; Miss Christina Georgina Rosetti; Professor John Nichol, biographer and poet, late Professor of English Literature in Glasgow University; Dr. John Weitch, Professor of Logic and Literature in Glasgow University; M. Leconte de Lisle, the distinguished French poet; the Comtesse Agenor de Gasparin; Professor William Dwight Whitney, the philological and Orientalist author; Mr. Edmund Yates ; the Hon. Roden Noel ; Mr. Charles H. Pearson, LL.D., the constitutional writer; Mrs. Augusta Webster; Mr. R. M. Ballantyne, the popular story writer; M. Maxime du Camp, the French author and academician; Professor James Darmesteter; Dr. George Bullen, formerly keeper of the Printed Books at the British Museum; Mr. William T. M'Cullagh, Torrens; Miss Alice King, the blind novelist ; Rev. R. Brown-Borthwick, the hymnologist; Mr. George Ticknor Curtis; Rev. Alexander J. D. D'Orsey; Rev. Edmund S. Ffoulkes; Dr. Brian Houghton Hodson, the Orientalist writer; F. W. Weber, the Prussian poet ; Dr. Francis Henry Underwood ; Señor Oliveira Martins, the eminent Portuguese historian ; Mr. John Francis Waller, LL.D.; Miss Elizabeth Peabody; Dr. H. W. Dulcken ; Miss Constance Fenimore Woolson; Dr. Terrien de Lacouperie, the Orientalist writer and scholar ; Dr. John Lord, LL.D., the his- torian; M. Armand Pagès, the French novelist; Dr. James M'Cosh, the philosophical writer; Captain Lovett Cameron ; Mrs. Pitt-Byrne; Mrs. Jane Austin, the American authoress; Miss Sophia Dobson Collett, writer on Theism and Atheism; Miss E. Owens Blackburne, the Irish novelist; the Rev. Robert Anchor Thompson, historical writer; Miss Patton-Bethune, writer of sporting novels; M. Dugast-Matifeux, an eminent French antiquary ; Rev. J. Hamilton Thom ; Rev.  ## p. 269 (#283) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 269 John Nassau-Simpkinson; Ludwig Pfau, the German poet and art critic; Mrs. Augusta Theodosia Drame, a well-known Roman Catholic writer; M. Victor Fournel, the literary critic; Mr. Andreas Edward Cokayne, antiquarian writer; Professor Karl Dillmann the emi- ment Ethiopic writer; Mr. Thomas George Stevenson, an Edinburgh author and publisher; M. Foucaux, Professor of Sanskrit at the Collège de France; M. Astié, Professor of Philosophy at Lausanne ; the Rev. Naphthali Levy, Jewish writer; Mr. Walter H. Tregellas, a Cornish author; Mr. Thomas Farrall, a popular Cumber- land writer; Mr. Henry Vizetelly, author of “Glances back through Seventy Years,” &c.; Mr. J. J. Shean, of Hull, a county historian ; Mr. John Chessell Buckler, antiquarian writer; Mr. Mansfield Parkyns, writer on Abyssinia; Herr J. ter Gouw, author of the “History of Amsterdam. ”; Mr. Brackstone Baker, writer on Canadian and railway subjects; Herr Max Moltke, the German poet, philosopher, and translator; Mr. John Patrick Prendergast, author of “The Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland”; M. Dussieux, author of works on the reign of Louis XIV. ; Professor J. Von Dümichen, the eminent writer on Egyptology; Dr. J. Bradshaw, editor of “Grey ’’ and “Milton,” and of “The Chesterfield Letters ”; Voislav Ilic, the “Servian Heine ‘’; Helgi Hálfdanorson, the Icelandic poet ; Mr. Henry Manners Chichester, writer on British military history; Dr. William F. Poole, compiler of the “Index to Periodical Literature"; Dr. Frankl, Austrian poet and prose writer; Professor Wilhelm Roscher, the eminent political economist; Mr. Edward Capern, the postman poet of Bide- ford; Mr. Cecil Robertson; Rev. Josiah Wright, classical writer; M. Louis Roumieux, the French “Provincial Ovid’’; Mr. W. O'Neill Daunt, Irish historical writer; Mme. Betty Paoli (Barbara Glück), the Austrian poetess; Mr. Herbert Tuttle, historical writer; Mr. J. Dobie, Professor of Hebrew in Edinburgh University ; Nikolai Michailowitsch Astyrew, the Russian author; Mrs. Celia Thaxter; M. Jean Fleury; Mr. Eugene Lawrence, American historical writer; Dr. Siegfried Szamatolski, a promising German writer; Miss Augusta de Grasse Stevens; Mr. W. Douglas Hamilton, historical writer; Mr. John Russell, assistant editor of Chambers’s Journal; Dr. H. N. Van der Tunk, the greatest Malayan scholar of the century; Mr. Francis Romano Oliphant; Mr. John Askham, the Northamptonshire poet; M. Léon Palustre, a learned writer on the French Renaissance ; Professor Dr. Henrich Rudolf Hildebrand, the linguist and lexicographer; Mr. J. Bedford Leno, the Buckinghamshire poet; Mr. George H. Jennings; M. François de Caussade, of an almost unique personality. librarian of the Mazarine Collection; M. Claudio Jannet, Professor of Political Economy in the Catholic University of Paris; M. Victor Duruy, the historian; Rev. Caesar Malan, the Oriental scholar; Dr. John Chapman, proprietor and editor of the Westminster Review ; Mr. Alexander Ireland; Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, author of the famous “Struwwelpeter’”; and the Rev. William John Blew, hymnologist, &c.—The Times, Jan. I. *- : *-* * * - CHRISTINA, G, ROSSETTI. ſ TVHE editor of this periodical has courteously T requested me to say something about Christina Rossetti in the March number of the Author, and I comply with his request, though with diffidence. Words are only the means whereby we strive to express our conceptions or to convey our impressions. And never does a writer feel so keenly how inadequate words are at the best as when he strives to show to others in some measure the sweetness, the irresistible fascination For the influence of personal qualities, such as those possessed by Christina Rossetti in so remark- able a degree, is well-nigh untranslatable into words. Time, skill in word-painting, and above all much preparatory thought, are needed before any success, however small, can be attained in such an endeavour. But if a volume is ever written, revealing the inner aspects of her character, as far as these could be revealed with a due sense of delicacy and proportion, the volume will be a permanent and priceless addition to English litera- ture. And, despite the difficulty of his task, I envy him who shall write the volume; the con- templation of such a character as that of Christina Rossetti will alone recompense him for his labour. The critic of the far future, of whom we hear so much and think so little, will accord a high place among the great poets of the century to the poet to whom we owe “Amor Mundi,” “An Apple Gathering,” “Maude Clare,” “The Con- vent Threshold,” and “Maiden-Song.” He will single out as among the finest love songs in our language such a flawless lyric as “When I am dead, my dearest "-a lyric so full of atmosphere, so perfect in its tenderness and portrayal of unchanged and unchangeable affection. Nor must we forget that Christina Rossetti—whether we look to the quality or quantity of her devotional poetry—was pre-eminent among the illustrious English poets who have enriched  ## p. 270 (#284) ############################################ 27O THE AUTHOR. Christian literature by their genius. As long as Christianity remains the most vital force in the lives of millions of English-speaking people the memory of that poet of their faith who gave them such a poem as “Passing away, saith the world, passing away,” or “Paradise,” with its exquisite last stanza, the very quintessence of Christian expectation — who gave them that beautiful hymn, part of which, beginning “The Porter watches at the gate,” was sung so fittingly at her funeral service — who gave them the perfect lines, beginning “Thy lovely saints do bring Thee love,” will be cherished and honoured. Personally, Christina Rossetti had the quiet simplicity of real greatness, and this simplicity was doubtless in itself an evidence of genius. In intercourse with her one lost consciousness of being in the presence of a distinguished poet, because one became conscious of being in the presence of a woman distinguished in the more noble womanly qualities. Nature evidently had endowed her not only with the gifts proper to a poet, and these in a lavish degree, but also with choicest gifts of the heart and soul. But if this was so, it was equally true that Christina Rossetti had herself matured and perfected her natural gifts by that sublimest education of all—the education of the soul. She was a recluse, but she never talked to me as such, and even amid weakness and suffering she was constantly cheerful. The very tones of her voice, in their slow and distinct intonation, were pleasant to hear. She was quite willing to talk about her favourite authors, and I remember the amusement she betokened on learning that a French translation of “David Copperfield,” which I had picked up secondhand on the Quais during a recent visit to Paris, was entitled “Le Neveu de Ma Tante.” Deeply religious, she never obtruded her piety, yet I felt instinctively that I was in the company of a holy woman. In a copy of her “Verses,” given to me, she wrote in her own clear hand- writing—handwriting firm as long as she could continue to write at all—“Faith is like a lily, lifted high and white,” and to her the things and persons of the future life were realities. Probably this was the reason of her wonderful—her heroic endurance of pain. Despite her profound humility, and her vivid sense of human short- comings, she was sustained by the conviction that God’s angel Death would soon release her, and she no more doubted the existence of a state of coming blessedness than the traveller doubts the existence of the place for which he is bound, when setting out on a journey. I shall always feel proud and glad that I knew personally one of the most lovable women who ever lived. MACKENZIE BELL. *~ - --" r- * ~, MRS. CARLYLE. ILL a voice ever be raised in defence of Carlyle P Much has been written touching Mrs. Carlyle’s married un- happiness, which everyone lays at the door of this long-suffering philosopher. In a recently published article, by the late Mrs. Alexander Ireland, she describes a visit she paid to Froude, in order to gain his permission to write Mrs. Carlyle's life. She gained Froude's permission because their view of Mrs. Carlyle's character was identical, for she says that Froude “deeply compassionated Mrs. Carlyle.” Perhaps it hovers closely on superfluousness. and temerity to argue so difficult a question, or to seek to readjust the balance between these two vexed and irreconcilable immortals; yet, in justice to Carlyle's memory, I would affirm that there was no lack of love, or even tenderness, on his part towards his wife. I have often heard one speak, who, in a quiet unobtrusive way, held intimate intercourse with the Carlyles, having experience of them in one of their gloomiest periods, for it was in the ten years during which Carlyle, under the shadow of his “Frederick the Great,” wrestled with the writing of his history. It was also the time when the unconscious philosopher paid his much resented visits to Lord and Lady Ashburton—at least, the period when Mrs. Carlyle most resented his so doing. But the impression this lady received, when she saw them together, which she did often, was of Carlyle's deep and abiding love for his wife, and of the high value he set upon her literary judgment, always reading to her his MS. and altering passages at her advice; how he strove with these emendations the following little touch by Mrs. Carlyle, related tâté-à-tête, best shows:– “The first day Mr. Carlyle came down very cross, in the evening, saying that he had done nothing all day, hang it ! had spent all the after- noon trying to alter that paragraph of hers, and he could not. The second day uneasy; the third day more so ; the fourth, sent J. in post haste to recall the proofs, that he might strike out the whole of “our melancholy friend's remarks.’ Mrs. Carlyle sorry to find fault, and not to seemed pleased, as he is always dispirited himself at first, and wants encouraging.”  ## p. 271 (#285) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 27 I One questions if from the mocking satirical spirit of Mrs. Carlyle there ever flowed much encouragement, prone as she was to discourse of him to friends and acquaintances in a carping, unkindly spirit. On the other hand, I have heard this lady before quoted assert that in his bearing to his wife there was a chivalrous, reverent strain, difficult to describe; said she always in conclusion, “his manner to Mrs. Carlyle was beautiful.” As tending to the cause of some unhappiness between them, much stress has been laid upon her superior position socially, and of the luxury and comfort she relinquished on her marriage; but between a Scotch country doctor's daughter, at the beginning of this century, and a farmer's son, was there such a yawning gulf fixed P Might not genius and love have bridged it over P at least if Mrs. Carlyle had been dowered with but a little more of the latter golden elixir—then perhaps she would not have deemed it such an unmitigated misfortune to have made a pudding, or baked a loaf of bread; though her biographers have dealt as darkly upon her days of domestic activity at Craigen- puttock as did Charles Dickens, with more reason, upon his days of degradation in the blacking factory. - Mrs. Carlyle, or rather wayward Miss Jane Welsh, desired before all things to marry a man of genius. It was the survival of an early girlish ambition, and, unlike the general course of girlish ambition, it was fulfilled, for fate, a trifle maliciously, as the sequel proved, chose to fasten it upon her by producing the man. It failed to make her happy, because she was unable, partly by health and temperament, to face all the discomforts and disenchanting details which fall to the lot of the wife of a struggling, ill-paid man of genius; and “the plain living and high thinking,” coupled with the absolute silence and solitude necessary to the “high thinking,” grew irksome to her. These were the conditions of her early married life; then, when success came, with social homage to herself, it found her a dis- appointed, embittered woman, bereft of any but the most fitful power of enjoyment, seeing all things clad in her own feverish distaste for them. In a letter written to her from her intended husband not long before their marriage, he strenuously insists upon that which eventually proved to be the essential need of her whole life, for he writes: “You have a deep, earnest, and vehement spirit, and no earnest task has ever been assigned to it. You despise and ridicule the meanness of the things about you. To the things you honour you can only pay a fervent adoration, which issues in no practical effect.” Was not this the root of the restless misery in her life? Destitute of any earnest purpose, her brilliant gifts found no outlet; instead her mocking spirit played round men and things, and her keen satire, like sheet lightning, lit up the words and the deeds of the men and women round her with the cold light of destructive irony, which recoiling at the last upon her heart, warped it from all invigorating effort. But she was a shrewd and kindly friend to those she loved. Far be it from me to dwell upon her character, or life, in a censorious spirit. Novalis has it, character is destiny; and her perpetual malady of unhappiness was in a measure due to lack of health, but still more to that which she herself described, in humorous despair, as an absence of “the faculty of being happy.” At times one is almost tempted to think she wore her grief as a fantastic garment, for in the dolorous liturgy of her diary there is some- thing theatrical and unreal. When all literary and fashionable London rolled up to her door, still she railed at fate, because it failed to amuse her. There must be a great many “mute, inglorious ” Mrs. Carlyles in the world who cannot give voice to their disillusionment with life as wittily as did she, who yet make a very cheerful fight of it, having successfully learnt the gentle art of being happy ; therefore is not the world a little harsh in its judgment when it ascribes all Mrs. Carlyle's lamentations due to the temper of the melancholy Creator of “Sartor Resartus P” GRACE GILCHRIST. *- Am aims--> ,- w -. AN AUTHORS BEST WORK T is important to an author to know the circumstances under which he ordinarily does his best work. The experience of the majority of writers shows that the hour at which a man works, the place, and not a few other attendant circumstances of his labours—circum- stances in themselves apparently unimportant— exercise a great effect upon his ordinary capacity for literary production. The phenomenon is not quite universal. Anthony Trollope trained him- self into writing at any time, and in almost any place. Charles Dickens, when he was young, would write his newspaper reports on the palm of his hand, by the light of a dim lamp, in a post-chaise. But these were exceptional cases. Later Dickens' letters mention predilections for quiet spots in which to write, and yearnings for strolls in the streets of London to inspire him; and probably nineteen authors out of twenty will echo the sentiments of a dramatist of some  ## p. 272 (#286) ############################################ 272 THE AUTHOR. note who has said that all his happiest ideas present themselves to him in his own library. Nevertheless, many authors seem to give no serious attention to the lessons that might be derived from their experience of the difference both in quantity and quality of copy produced under more or less favourable circumstances. That is a mistake. The time of an author who is at all successful soon becomes very valuable, and its loss by mismanagement—and more time is lost by mismanagement than in any other way— is a real misfortune. The greater too a man’s success, the greater his reason for doing every- thing in his power to maintain his work at its highest level. It would be, in consequence, mere common prudence for an author to watch himself, and to take to heart as many lessons about his own strength and weakness, and about the circumstances under which he does his best work, as his experience will afford him. Such lessons are sometimes valuable results of failures, things that “one learns by making mistakes *- to quote Metastasio. It is true that some writers fall into an oppo- site error. Quite recently, amongst an author’s papers, was found a journal, not of hours only but of minutes, covering months and years, in which the employment of every moment had been chronicled with scrupulous accuracy with a view to ascertaining what time had been most profitably employed. Such finicking attention to infinitesimal details is a temptation to minds of a certain mould. It leads, of course, to waste, and not to economy of energy. Without, however, falling into this mistake, those who will “know themselves” may learn from a little self-observation a great deal that is well worth remembering. Personal experience will immediately suggest in every case to what the individual should turn his more particular attention, and to enumerate all that an author might with advantage try to observe would far exceed the limits of the present article. The following seem to be leading points which might suggest others. Where does a man find his finest stimulants of thought and invention ? Dickens found them in the crowded streets of London. More men have found them in the completest solitude. Few realise to how great a degree all that seems most spontaneous is really recollection. In conse- quence many men never adequately work the mine of their own memories. Instead they go about seeking—honestly, painfully, and often with many disappointments—what they all the time carry within themselves. M. Dumas, Fils, observes that “books teach nothing.” Those who, like Molière, take men rather than books for their study, will immediately understand the statement. Still Molière's favourite author was Lucretius, and Lucretius was never yet a favourite with any man who was not a close and careful reader. M. Dumas' dictum has also been flatly contradicted, and the assertion made that “books teach everything.” That may be an exaggera- tion or an epigram, two things much alike; yet De Balzac observes, with truth, “the mission of art is not to copy nature, but to express nature,” which means, for the novelist, that the literary habit of thought is indispensable. But how wide a question is here opened for every author who would know what amount of inspiration he draws from the world, and how much from his reading. What assistance does an author get from his common-place books? Some years have passed since Mr. James Payn recommended the memo- randum-book to every one who desired to write. And it is needless to say how many authors have availed themselves of the help of note-books. But may not every author with advantage ask himself how much aid his note-books, have given him, or how little P And, if so, why little P One phenomenon connected with note-books must be familiar to all who have used them, their tire- Some suggestiveness of what is not wanted, and the temptation, never to be allowed an instant’s influence over the judgment, to use something, because it is in the note-book, and because it looks telling, when it is evidently not quite in place. An author, who has made his memoranda, has still something of importance to learn in dis- covering the best way of using them. What time and what labour an author saves who has found out what is, in his own case, the best method of perfecting a plot, and of resolving upon the lines of each successive chapter after the plot has been constructed Mr. William Black has said that many of his tales have been planned in the open air. M. Zola confesses his absolute inability to think out anything unless he has a pen in his hand. “My ideas only come in writing. I could never evolve any idea. by sitting in my arm-chair and thinking.” An English authoress has said the exact contrary. “I never attempt to write anything until I have Sat still for a long time thinking.” Here are three different ways of proceeding. And there are no doubt many others. Only it must be most important for an author to know which way is most helpful to himself. A man, who has not yet discovered that, might be in the position of Zola in an easy chair. On the other hand, here is a passage from a letter of Dickens: “I didn’t stir out yesterday, but sat and thought all day; not writing a line, not so much as the cross of a,  ## p. 273 (#287) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 273 “t” or the dot of an “i’ I imagined forth a good deal of Barnaby by keeping my mind steadily upon him ; and am happy to say I have gone to work this morning in good twig, strong hope, and cheerful spirits.” Another complete contrast between Dickens and Zola, suggests how great a difference there may be in the degree of elaboration which diffe- rent authors find it worth their while to give a scenario. Zola's scenario is longer than his book. Dickens, when he made a scenario, wrote only a few suggestive lines for each chapter. One author may waste his energies and tie his own hands by preparing a scenario that affords no scope for the development which the tale will take under his hands; and another lose time by constructing a scenario inadequate for his needs, so that he is compelled to recommence inventing his tale when he wants to be writing it. A writer ought to know exactly what form of scenario is most helpful to himself. A little attention to his own experiences would always show him how to construct it. That naturally next suggests the question of rapidity of composition. Rapid work is generally successful work. Hurried work is never rapid work. Any attempt to hurry invariably results in the composition dragging and everything going wrong. On the contrary, composition that flows out rapidly of itself is ordinarily a man’s best work. “The works and passages in which I have succeeded have uniformly been written with the greatest rapidity the parts in which I have come off feebly were by much the more laboured,” says Sir Walter Scott. “Slowness of production,” wrote Eugéne Delacroix, “is a blot on the talent of the artist. It leaves a stamp of fatigue.” Now, no phenomenon of literary work is so remarkable as the astonishing speed at which literary work can be done, at which some of the most remarkable literary work in the world has been done. Does it not follow that a man, who discovers something perpetually standing in the way of his getting on with his work, is probably pursuing a mistaken method, one perhaps con- genial to another man, but fatal to himself. He has not yet discovered the circumstances under which he does his best work. Many writers, for instance, never find a rapid flow of composition possible until after they have been writing for an hour or two. Dickens mentions this peculiarity. “I worked pretty well last night, but I have four slips to write to complete the chapter; and, as I foolishly left them till this morning, have the steam to get up afresh.” Suppose that a man who had thus “to get up steam ” thought that he could write easily and without fatigue by “doing a little every day,” then he would never reach the point where, in his case, the real flow of spirits and invention commenced. Connected with this difficulty of “getting up the steam ” may be the indisposition some men feel to set to work. Others start with a real zest. Perhaps these do not have to get up steam. But many can certainly echo De Balzac's Je m'y mets avec désespoir. It is almost impossible to exag- gerate the reluctance such men feel to beginning. When this is the case an author should certainly discover what is, in his case, the best method of dealing with this dislike to going to work. Another question there is of a very different kind. An ancient adage runs, “Tailors and writers must follow the fashion.” The highest work will always lead the fashion rather than follow it; but failures are occasioned by insuffi- cient attention to what people desire to read, and it is possible for an author, annoyed by ill- success, to turn his attention to writing rather what is popular than what his own feelings prompt him to write. It would be most valuable to him to observe the results of his experiment. More is involved than at first sight appears in a consequent success or failure. He may find that it was a mistake to quit, a speciality that suited him. He may discover that he has a much greater versatility than he suspected himself of possessing. He may even descry a path leading to successes never previously obtained because the direction in which they lay had escaped his observation. This is touching up on a few salient points alone. Only in the cases mentioned would it be possible to overrate the value to the author of knowing the circumstances in which he could reckon upon doing his best work. HENRY CRESSWELL. *-- z- - --> THE WALUE OF A NOWEL, Tº: following case is reported, as follows, in the Daily Chronicle for Feb. 17: Yesterday, in the Westminster County Court, the case of Johnson v. Dicks came before his Honour Judge Lumley Smith, Q.C., and was a claim in formá pawperis for £50, as damages for the loss of MS. The plaintiff said that in 1888 he was at the house of Mr. John Dicks, at Streatham, and he asked him to write a story, which he sent to the defendant's place of business in the Strand, and was told a cheque would be forwarded, but he was afterwards informed that the story had been destroyed. He therefore claimed 350 for the damage. He had published many books, “Fairy Tales” in 1869, and others. Plaintiff said this was a large volume novel, and he was a well-known author. His Honour: But “Paradise Lost’’ was sold for £15, was it not P Plaintiff : But Black gets £1000 for a  ## p. 274 (#288) ############################################ 274 THE AUTHOR. short novel, and reserves to himself the copyright. I have had 3 Io a week for thirteen weeks from the London Journal. Defendant said he never saw the story, and was not a member of the firm now. His Honour : I think 392 will pay you well. Defendant : But I am not liable. His Honour: 382 will not hurt you. (Laughter.) Judgment for the plaintiff for £2. If this case is accurately reported, and there is no reason for believing the contrary, it is a most extraordinary and wonderful case. The author sues in formá pauperis (thus keeping up the glorious traditions of the literary profession) for the sum of £50 as damages for the loss of a MS. - Very good. He said that he was at the house of Mr. John Dicks in 1888, and was by him invited to write a story for him, i.e., one supposes for one of his papers. Here come one or two questions: (1) Was he asked to write a story without specification of length or subject? (2) Was his story to be sent in on approval, or was the author's reputation taken as a guarantee of good work P. (3) What price was proposed by the publisher ? (4) What price did the author's stories usually command, i.e., what was he accus- tomed to receive P (5) Would the author name some of his stories, and mention what prices he received for them P (6) Was Mr. John Dicks authorised to invite novelists in the name of the firm or company P These questions, observe, are not hostile to either party; they are only necessary to get at the truth. The plaintiff then said that he was promised when he delivered the story that a cheque should be sent. What was the amount he was to get by that cheque? It does not appear. He was then told that the MS. had been destroyed. How P By fire! If so it would be arguable whether the firm was liable. dentally P Also it might be arguable whether the firm was liable. He assessed his own damages at £50, and said it was a “large volume novel.” What is a “large volume novel P” Is it a three- volume novel, or one of the average length of a three-volume novel, which is about 180,000 words P The defendant said that he had never seen the story; that he was not a member of the firm ; and that he was not liable. to leave a firm in which he has been a partner, is he still liable to that firm’s engagements P Then the judge, after some irrelevance about “Paradise Lost,” ordered the defendant to pay £2 | Now, either the defendant was liable or he was not. If he was not, why should he pay anything P If he was, he ought to have paid the value of the work, calculate 1 on the value of other works by the same author. As it is, the author appears to have been insulted, and the Acci- If a man is allowed publisher appears to have been fined. One more question ought to have been asked, Why did the author wait for seven years before bringing his claim P *- a -º r- - - ON, SELLING A BOOK OUTRIGHT. HIS is a method which has one or two obvious advantages. It gives the author what he very likely wants, a sum of money down; and it relieves him of any anxiety about the commercial success of his book. On the other hand, it sometimes makes him part with a very valuable copyright for a song ; and it tempts him to spend at once what should be spread over a term of years, viz., the whole life of his book. Most of the miseries of authors have been due to their regarding as income the lump sum obtained by selling the work of years. When, however, an author wishes to sell his book outright, or a publisher wishes to buy it, there are certain obvious considerations. To capitalise an author's interest in his book should be Conducted, as in every piece of business, with due regard to the probable, or the certain, results of the book. For instance, to buy a book of an author for a sum of money not one-tenth of what it will produce, as the purchasers know, but the author does not Know, is very commonly done. The following figures will show some of the points to be considered : We take our old friend the 6s. volume. It costs, we will say, Is. a copy to produce. It is sold to the trade at 3s. 7#d. ; the author on a 20 per cent. royalty would receive about 1s. 2%d. a copy; the publisher about 1s. 5d. If an author sells his book for a certain sum, what amount of sales would that cover ? Say he takes £50, that would cover royalties representing a sale of 825 copies. Say he takes £100, that would cover royalties representing a sale of 1650 copies. Say he takes £400, that would cover royalties representing a sale of 3400 copies, and so on. All copies beyond that limit would belong to the publisher, together with his own royalty on the preceding copies. - If, on the other hand, there is a certainty that the book will sell so many copies as a minimum, and a probability that it will sell so many more, the sum to be paid must represent that minimum first and the probability next ; and, of course, in such a transaction there is always the element of chance on both sides, so that one may give too much—of which we seldom hear—and the other may get too little, of which we often hear. -  ## p. 275 (#289) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 275 In making any such calculation or bargain as the above one must remember that the old- fashioned half-profit system still lingers as a rough-and-ready recognised method of apportion- ing the returns. Without accepting it formally, one may take it as a basis. The purchase of a book for a small sum, either knowing that it is going to prove a certain pro- perty or in the well-founded hope that it will do so, is a very important secret in the art of getting rich by the labour and brains of other people. Readers of the Author will remember how the venerable and religious Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge was proved to be in pos- session of this important secret, and how its righteous committee used the secret in a manner truly Christian by purchasing for £12, 320, £25, books which ran into thousands upon thousands. Let us take another case—a book sold for 3s. 6d. costing, in quantities, about 8d., a copy. As a rule it would be less. The author receives, say, £20, £25, or 330. The book is sold for 2s., which leaves a profit of Is. 4d. Tor the price of .820 means a royalty of 7d. for a sale of ................................. 700 copies. £25 means a royalty of 7d. for a sale of .............. ................ 850 copies. 330 means a royalty of 7d. for a - sale of ................................. I IOO copies. After which the publisher has the whole future proceeds o' the book for himself. * ~ *-** e- * = BOOK TALK, Sº authors will doubtless appre- ciate the following extract from Harriet Martineau’s “Autobiography:” “I do not very highly respect reviews, nor like to write them ; for the simple reason that in ninety- nine cases out of a hundred the author under- stands his subject better than the reviewer. It can hardly be otherwise while the author treats one subject, to his study of which his book itself is a strong testimony; whereas the reviewer is expected to pass from topic to topic to any extent, pronouncing, out of his brief survey, on the results of deep and protracted study. Of all the many reviews of my books on America and Egypt there was not, as far as I know, one which did not betray ignorance of the respective coun- tries. And, on the other hand, there is no book, except a very few which have appeared on my own particular subjects, that I could venture to pro- nounce on ; as, in every other case, I feel myself compelled to approach a book as a learner, and not as a judge. This is the same thing as saying that reviewing, in the wholesale way in which it. is done in our time, is a radically vicious practise; and such is indeed my opinion. I am glad to see scientific men, and men of erudition, and true connoiseurs in Art, examining what has been done in their respective departments; and everybody is glad of good essays, whether they appear in books called Reviews, or elsewhere. But of the reviews of our day, properly so-called, the vast majority must be worthless, because the reviewer knows less than the author of the matter in hand.” The sixth volume of the fifth edition of “Chitty's Statutes of Practical Utility,” which is being published in about twelve volumes by Sweet and Maxwell Limited and Stevens and Sons Limited, under the editorship of Mr. J. M. Lely, has just appeared. The arrangement of the statutes is in alphabetical and chronological Order, under about 200 titles, such as “Act of Parliament,” “Adulteration,” “Copyright,” “Death Duties,” “Intoxicating Liquors,” “Local Government,” “Poor,” “Water,” and the like. Each title is prefaced by a separate table of contents, and so are many of the particular Acts. The foot-notes give the effect of or reference to decided cases and statutory rules. The final volume will contain a chronological table of the statutes printed in the work, an alphabetical table of short and popular titles of statutes, and a “general index,” in the compilation of which Mr. Ormsby will assist. Assistance in the annotation has been given by Mr. Craies as to the Metropolitan Acts, the Local Government Act 1894, and other subjects; by Mr. Mundahl as to the Extradition Acts; by Mr. W. A. Peck as to the Conveyancing Acts, the Settled Lands Acts, and the Trustee Acts; by Mr. Pulling as to the Merchant Shipping Act; and Mr. Simey as to the Factors Act and Highway Acts. The price of the whole work to subscribers was six guineas, but the price is now One guinea per volume. “A Mountain Path" is the title of a book by Mr. John A. Hamilton (Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. Price 3s. 6d.). It is a collection of parables, fables, and talks about natural things which have already appeared in periodicals. The author states that the only aim in writing this book was to foster natural piety in children. “Walter Inglisfield” is publishing through Messrs. Sonnenschein a new volume of verse. . Miss F.F. Monterson has produced (Hutchinson and Co.) her new work, “Into the Highways and Hedges.” g  ## p. 276 (#290) ############################################ 276 THE AUTHOIR. Mrs. Cliffe's translation of Longuardi's poems ls about to appear in a second edition. Byrne's story called “A Fragment,” together with his Parliamentary speeches, is published in the fifth volume of the Tauchnitz edition of his complete works. In recognition of his numerous historical articles that have appeared in the magazines and reviews, but perhaps more especially for his important contribution to fourteenth and fifteenth century history, the volume entitled “A Forgotten Great Englishman,” Mr. James Baker, the author, has just been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is at present travelling in Egypt, from whence he is writing a series of articles on that country. Miss Margaret Cross has completed a new novel, which Messrs. Hurst and Blackett will publish next month. It is called “Newly Fashioned,” and it will have on its title-page the suggestive motto, Such is the power of that sweet passion, That it all sordid baseness doth expel, And the refined mind doth newly fashion Into a fairer form. Mr. William Tirebuck's new story, “Miss Grace of All Souls,” will be published by Beinemann and Co. in the spring. It is dedicated to the author's brother, the Rev. Thomas Tirebuck, of Birmingham. The arrangements were concluded by the Authors' Syndicate. Mr. Basil Thomson’s “Diversions of a Prime Minister” (Blackwood and Sons). The Prime Minister is Mr. Thomson himself, and the realm which he administered was the island of Tonga. Messrs. A. and C. Black will publish this month a novel in one volume called “The Grasshopper.” It is by Mrs. Alfred Sidgwick, who under the name of Mrs. Andrew Dean has contributed several stories to the Pseudonym Library. “His Egyptian Wife,” a novel by Hilton Hill, will be issued in March by Digby, Long and Co. The book will be published simultaneously in New York and London. “Conscience makes the Martyr,” by S. M. Crawley Boevey is published by Mr. Arrowsmith, and has been kindly criticised by the Literary Płorld, The Academy, and other papers. The Authors' Syndicate has arranged for the publication of Mr. John Lloyd Warden Page's new book, “The Coasts of Devon and Lundy Island,” through Mr. Horace Cox. The volume will be profusely illustrated. M. Dim. Vikelas, the eminent novelist, is the president of the International Committee of the Olympic games to be held at Athens from April 5th to 15th, 1896. The official programme of the games is now in type. Mr. Gladstone, the inexhaustible, is ready with another volume—his edition of the Psalter, to be published in Europe and America immediately. IIe contributes a concordance and a condensed commentary. Mr. Balfour's book on “ The Foundations of Belief.” has undoubtedly been the book of the past month. As usual, someone has turned up to accuse the writer of having stolen his ideas. This time it is Dr. Beattie Crozier, who publishes his plaint in the Chronicle. Sir Benjamin Richardson has confided to a con- temporary not only that he possesses a number of sketches and jottings made by Cruikshank for his own biography, but that he also hopes some day to write this hitherto neglected book, and embody his valuable material. It is hard reading for authors whose manu- scripts are returned to read that there are quite a number in the habit of declining publisher's invitations. A contemporary says that Mrs. J. R. Green, for instance, is unable to do any literary work for at least four years; while Dr. Jessop is said to have mortgaged the next six years. Mr. Stanley Weyman, we believe, has gone for a year's holiday, during which he refuses to work; while Mr. S. R. Crockett has contracts signed, sealed, and delivered for all the work that he can possibly produce during the present century. The Westminster Gazette wishes to know what has become of the Life of Adam Smith, by Mr. Leonard Courtney, and that of Bishop Berkeley, by professor Huxley. To these might be added a number of bookly promises not performed. For instance, first and foremost, where is Mr. John Morley's Life of John Stuart Mill? Second, where is the long expected and greatly desired Life of John Delane of the Times 2 Third, where is Lord Rowton’s Life of the Earl of Beaconsfield P Professor Rhys Davids, upon whose pension from the Civil List such a bitter attack was made in Parliament, has been delivering a course of lectures called “The Literature and Religion of India,” at Harvard and John Hopkins Univer- sities, in the United States, and Messrs. Putnam will shortly publish them simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic under the above title. Messrs. Osgood will begin the publication of the collected works of Mr. Thomas Hardy in a few weeks with “Tess.” The volumes will be monthly, and the second will be “Far from the Madding Crowd.”  ## p. 277 (#291) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 277 The following interesting series of impromptu dedications written by Stevenson in a set of his works given to his American physician, Dr. Trudeau have appeared in the New York Book- Öuyer. “A CHILD’s GARDEN OF VERSEs.” ——To win your lady (if, alas ! it may be) Let's couple this one with the name of Baby | “TREASURE ISLAND.” I could not choose a patron for each one : But this perhaps is chiefly for your son. “KIDNAPPED.” ——Here is the one sound page of all my writing, The one I’m proud of, and that I delight in. “DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE.” Trudeau was all the winter at my side : I never spied the nose of Mr. Hyde. “ UNDERWOODs.” Some day or other ('tis a general curse) The wisest author stumbles into verse. “THE DYNAMITER.” As both my wife and I composed the thing, Let's place it under Mrs. Trudeau's wing. “MEMORIES AND PORTRAITs.” Greeting to all your household, small and big, In this one instance, not forgetting—Nig “THE MERRY MEN.” If just to read the tale you should be able, I would not bother to make out the fable. “TRAVELs witH A DONKEY.” It blew, it rained, it thawed, it snowed, it thundered— Which was the Donkey P I have often wondered “PRINCE OTTO.” This is my only love tale, this Prince Otto, Which some folks like to read, and others not to. “MEMOIR OF FLEEMING JENKIN.” The preface mighty happy to get back To its inclement birthplace, Saranac “FAMILIAR STUDIES OF MEN AND Books.” My other works are of a slighter kind; Here is the party to improve your MIND ! VIRGINIBUs PUERISQUE.” I have no art to please a lady’s mind. Here's the least acid spot, Miss Trudeau, of the lot. If you’d just try this volume, 'twould be kind Mr. Le Gallienne's name is prominent among the announcements of new books. His “Book- Bills of Narcissus,” the first and, perhaps, the most charming book he has written, has just been published in an enlarged edition, and a new edition of his “English Poems” is to be issued imme- diately. Besides these a new volume of verses called “Robert Louis Stevenson : an Elegy; and Other Poems, Mainly Personal,” and a collection of odds and ends of literary criticism entitled “Retrospective Reviews: a Literary Log,” are announced. Mr. Lane is, of course, the pub- lisher. The next volume in Arrowsmith's Bristol Library will be “The Adventures of Arthur Roberts: by Railroad and River,” told by him- self and chronicled by Mr. Richard Morton. It is to be an anecdotal biography of the famous burlesque actor. The forthcoming season promises to be specially rich in biographies. For instance, Mr. John Rae’s “Life of Adam Smith;” a “Biography of Sir John Drummond Hay, for forty years our Repre- sentative in Morocco,” by his daughters; a “Life of George Borrow,” by Professor Knapp, of Chicago; a “Biography of Dr. Holmes,” by Mr. John T. Morse, jun. ; “Reminiscences of Richard Cobden,” by Mrs. Schwabe, with a preface by Lord Farrer; the “Life of Sir Samuel Baker;” and Mr. Leslie Stephen's Memoirs of his brother, Sir James Fitzjames Stephen. - Mudie's Library is said to have refused Mr. Arthur Machen’s book, “The Great God Pan.” - Mr. Fisher Unwin, who publishes already half- a-dozen “libraries '' or series of books, announces yet another, with the comparatively commonplace title of “The Half-Crown Series.” Mr. Robert Buchanan’s “Diana's Hunting ” will be the first, and Mrs. Rita L. Humphreys—who is best known by her Christian name—the second, called “A Gender in Satin.” - It seems strange that Mr. Stanley should have waited so long before giving the world an account of “My Early Travels and Adventures.” Much of this book has never been reprinted from the newspapers to which it was originally contributed, and part of it is entirely new. It will be con- cerned with Indian warfare in America and the tragic end of General Custer, who was out- manoeuvred and killed by Sitting Bull; the early history of the Suez Canal; and the exploration of Palestine, Persia, the Caucasus, and Armenia. Messrs. Sampson Low and Co. will issue the book about Easter. Messrs. Cassell and Co. have hit upon an idea for an important series of books, to be entitled the “Century Science ’’ series, of which Sir Henry Roscoe is the editor. The first, to be published immediately, will be by the editor himself, and called “John Dalton and the Rise of Modern Chemistry.” It will be followed by “The Rise of English Geography,” by Mr. Clements R. Markham, the distinguished President of the Royal Geographical Society. Two new reprints of standard authors are just making their appearance. The first is Messrs. J. M. Dent's complete edition of Defoe, in sixteen volumes, with editorial notes and illustrations,  ## p. 278 (#292) ############################################ 278 THE AUTHOR. produced in the delightful style to which this firm has accustomed us. The series costs 28. 6d. a volume, net, and will be completed by October. The second reprint is the new edition of George Eliot’s works, which Messrs. Blackwood will issue. It is to be known as the “Standard” edition, and to consist of twenty-one volumes, also at 2s. 6d. “Adam Bede’’ is to appear at once in two volumes, and “The Mill on the Floss '' will follow. The star of Ouida does not shine so brightly as it once did. Perhaps her forthcoming book, which Messrs. Methuen announce, will win her back something of the public approval which seems rather unjustly to have left her. The titles of some of its articles—such as “The Failure of Christianity,” “The Sims of Society,” “Some Fallacies of Science,” “The State as an Immoral Factor,” and “The Penalties of a Well-known Name "—promise, however, more polemics than entertainment. * Mr. Henry Arthur Jones has been a devoted contributor to the magazines, and lecturer before playgoing societies, on theatrical topics. No doubt his forthcoming book, “The Renascence of the English Drama,” to be published immediately by Messrs. Macmillan and Co., is a reprint of these. Mr. Jones's plays are of varying interest, but his opinions, whether expressed on the stage, the page, or the platform, are always original and interesting — as Matthew Arnold found when he was captivated by “Saints and Sinners.” Three new monthly magazines have to be chronicled as the month's contribution to the flowing tide of periodical literature. First, London Home, an obvious competitor to the Strand Magazine, at half the price, edited by Mr. Ralph Caine, and published by Horace Cox. Second, On Watch, edited by Mr. Herbert Russell, the son of Mr. Clark Russell, and pub- lished by Sampson Low at 6d., is to be entirely given up to naval subjects and news. Third, Messrs. Chapman and Hall are about to join the ranks of publishers who have magazines of their own, and announce, for publication in May, Chapman's Magazine, a 6d. monthly, to be edited by Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, the chairman of Chapman and Hall Limited. Besides these, the indefatigable Mr. Shorter has issued during the past month the Album, a 6d. weekly collection of photographs; and he is about to launch still another illustrated weekly, devoted entirely to sport. . A new series called “The Northern Library” is announced by Mr. Nutt. Among the early volumes to appear will be “The Saga of King Olaf Tryggwason,” translated by the Rev. John Sephton ; “The Ambales Saga,” edited and translated by Mr. Israel Gollancz; and “The Faereyinga Saga,” translated by Mr. F. York Powell, Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford. Two books by Colonel Reginald Hart, Director of Military Education in India, entitled “Reflec- tions on the Art of War,” and “Sanitation and Health,” have just been published by Messrs. W. Clowes and Sons Limited. They have both been very well reviewed. Messrs. Dent and Co. will shortly issue a revised and illustrated edition of Mrs. Alford Baldwin’s “Story of a Marriage.” “A Year of Sport and Natural History,” edited by Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, C.M.G., has just been published by Messrs. Chapman and Hall. It is composed of a series of natural history articles that were issued in Black and White. The work is beautifully illustrated, and is in every way first class. CORRESPONDENCE, I.—“EDITIONs.” HE announcement in the last number of the Author that Pierre Loti’s new book bears on the title page the legend of its being the “twenty-eighth edition,” though, in fact, the work is not yet issued to the public, raises the old ques- tion of what is an “edition;” whether it is worth the publisher's while to continue such literary fictions as “second edition, “third edition ”—or even “twenty-eighth edition ?” An “edition ” may mean any number of copies from 50 to 50,000. At one time it meant that the volume had been reprinted a specified number of times, and was therefore some guarantee that the book was not only in good demand, but had received the author's latest corrections; in fact, what is now termed a “new edition.” In a day of universal printing from stereos, this is no longer the case, even with technical treatises. In short, this numbering of “ edition,” is little better than a transparent fraud on the less sophisticated part of the publishers “public.” By a sort of vague understanding, never reduced to any protocol, and therefore never acted upon, an “edition ” was supposed to be IOOO copies, though why sales need have been counted in this rather cumbersome fashion it is rather difficult to understand. If it is allowable to estimate the merits of a book by its sale, would it not be more in accordance with reason, not to say common honesty, to intimate that the  ## p. 279 (#293) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 279 booksellers have taken 500, 800, 15OO, to 5000, or whatever may be the numerical expression of their confidence in the selling value of the author's name P But even then this does not quite meet the merits ºf the case. There are, as poor authors sometimes learn on settling up accounts with the modern Sosii, such things as “ sale or return,” which enable them to discount the inflated an- nouncements about the number of copies ordered “by the trade,” or which have been subscribed for in the after-enthusiasm of Mr. So and So's annual dinner. Pierre Loti’s twenty-eighth- edition-in-anticipation is no doubt perfectly justified by experience. But what is to be said of the minor novelist who prints at least three “editions” at the same time, though actually the total number of copies may be counted by hundreds P. On the other hand, it would not be difficult to point to popular books which sell by the thousand, without the publishers thinking it necessary to stimulate the flagging zeal of the public by announcements which, at best, are meaningless, and at worst might be characterised by a word not to be whispered where the dealings •of such honourable men as the purveyors of literature are concerned. R. B. II.-A DEFENCE OF RUSTIC READING. I think your contributor who speaks of village reading is dealing with what was the case thirty or forty years ago, rather than at the present time. I have had the means of knowing a good deal of what is the course of literature in an average south country parish, in great part agricultural, but not far from a large railway station. A man who acts as agent for a local weekly 'paper, and is also clerk to the parish council, and secretary to the village club and reading room, tells me that there are not above a dozen houses where a newspaper of some sort is not taken in, either Lloyd's or a local one ; and I have certainly found even the elder children at the schools aware of public events. There is a centre in the county which lends out books to village reading rooms, and for the last six or eight years this has kept up a constant exchange of biography, travels, good novels, and tales of adventure. Marryatt, Kingston, Mayne Reid, Harrison Ainsworth are favourites with the younger men and lads, and they read eagerly any tale of seafaring life. - There are besides, two lending libraries, chiefly for the women and children, but that the men also read the books is shown by the inquiries for print large enough for father. I know from the reports of a society for which I am the literary associate, that most parishes have likewise good libraries, generally well resorted to. The women also are apt to obtain books of the penny dreadful order, of course on their own account. “Fox's Book of Martyrs’’ is often to be met with, generally an inheritance ; and the two books that all have heard of and wish to read are the “Pilgrim’s Progress" and “Robinson Crusoe,” but I cannot think that the writer of “Rustic Reading ” can really know John Bunyan's great classic if he thinks it likely to terrify children into the way of virtue. It generally contains only one illustration at all alarming, e I doubt, too, whether he can be familiar with parish magazines. The two most popular ones, The Banner of Faith and the Church Monthly, certainly contain tales and papers that do not deserve the term mawkish. Perhaps I may also observe that the nickname Hodge is one that greatly displeases both the peasant and all that are interested in him. C. M. Y. III.-LITERATURE IN RUSSIA. The new young Tsar, Nicholas II., apparently holds men of letters in high esteem, and is capable of estimating the true worth of their efforts for the dissemination of knowledge among the classes through the medium of the press and other channels, he having granted a sum of £50,000 (500,000 roubles) to be paid out of the exchequer for the formation of a special fund to relieve journalists, authors, and others engaged in literature, in distress, and to permanently pro- vide for their widows and orphans at death. A grand and general burst of joy and jubilation went forth from the united Russian Press at the reception of the glad news, as every indigent pressman is now sure that, when the breadwinner is removed, his wife and family will not be left to starve. The Russian Emperor has truly set a noble example, which might with advantage be emulated by our Government. Count Leo Tolstoi has completed a new work entitled “Master and Servant.” It will make its appearance in the columns of the Northern Gazette in the course of a month or so. A few details of the everyday life of this veteran writer may be of interest to the readers of the Author. When I visited him at Yasuaja Poliana, on his own estate, I was very hospitably entertained by him and his family, and shall never forget the kindness shown me. Count Tolstoi is a staunch teetotaler, a strict vegetarian, and a non-smoker. He invariably rises at 8 a.m., and, after partaking of a cup of coffee, adjourns to his study, a sparely furnished room, which he tidies up and dusts  ## p. 280 (#294) ############################################ 28O THE AUTHOR. himself, as no abigail is allowed to enter its sacred precincts, where he writes until ten. He then takes his constitutional, returning for lunch about twelve. The bill of fare during my stay was boiled millet, cabbage sprouts, cauliflower, and stewed apples and plums. Lunch ended, he enjoys a snooze. An hour later he is hard at work again in his sanctum. At six he dines of much the same fare as at lunch. His family are not all vegetarians and teetotalers; in fact, the countess, his wife, strongly disapproves of his ascetic habits, and takes no trouble to conceal her dislike of them. The count sometimes mows the grass, but he has given up tilling the ground, as his medical advisers have forbidden over exertion as dangerous in the weak state and poor action of his heart. Coffee has also been pro- scribed, and he is gradually weaning himself from its use. The count is still hale and hearty, and when he can take “Shank’s pony” to Moscow and back without feeling any evil effects from his pedestrian feat, one is inclined to prophesy a good lease of life yet for the great novelist. He has crossed the span of life alloted to man by the Psalmist, and now stands on the threshold of the outside limit, which can only be attained by reason of strength. Odessa, 27 Feb. 8. W. ADDIson. IV.-A World of ENCOURAGEMENT. then resigned their membership. An instance is also cited in the Author for the current month of a writer, who, under such circumstances, became a member, his obligation to the Society being £15 at the time of his resignation against a set- off of one guinea entrance fee. I, for one, most strongly protest against such an abuse being permissible a second time, and consider that in justice to the Society we should protect our- selves against such vampires, who would only cripple its interests and usefulness. Cannot a resolution be passed rendering any member abusing an advantage of the Society ineligible for re-election ? ANNIE BRADSHAw. Feb. 16. W.—How LONG TO WAIT P I think “S. B.'s.” suggestions in your last issue are well worthy the attention of the Society of Authors, especially that of a limit of time as to payment after publication. The great uncertainty as to the date of pay- ment is the cause of much difficulty and distress amongst women writers especially, who do not like to press for payment, and yet often need the money sadly. I write for several periodicals, the publisher of one of which sends a cheque regularly at the end of the following month after publication; another, once in three months; one, only once in the year, i.e., in January. I do not object to any of these arrangements, for, although I consider the first-named the best, I know when to expect the money due, and can arrange accordingly. But in the case of other periodicals, which profess to settle accounts every three months, the money is usually, after the first quarter of the year, withheld until the following January (this year until Feb. 1), and therefore the sum due to me in June, 1893, does not reach my hands for seven months, while that due in September is four months late in payment. In my own case this does not press so hardly as it might in many others, as I happen to have an income independent of my writings; but I tremble to think to what depths of despair my poorer sisters must be reduced by this long drawn- out “hope deferred.” Moreover, it is a species of dishonesty, for the money thus withheld for seven months should bear interest, and this is a clear gain to the publisher, and a similar loss to the writer. I notice in the report of the Committee of Management for the year ending in January, a statement to the effect that writers have joined the Society when in difficulty, and upon being released from their difficulty, at possibly both trouble and expense to the Society, they have Surely this might be remedied by a “certain set of rules” being drawn up (as suggested by “S. B.”), by which all the , members of the Society of Authors should abide, forwarding with the MS. a printed copy of these rules, and thus avoiding the unpleasant necessity of either “dunning” the editor (with the probable result of dismissal, or rejection of future MSS.) or living on expecta- tions, instead of cash down, for an unlimited number of months. R. L. I. VI.-AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERs. I have read with interest the letter from the Secretary of the Incorporated Society of Authors in the issue of the Athenaeum of 23rd Feb. It is evident from the statement of facts that it would have been impossible for the Society to support such a case. I have no doubt its decision will strengthen the Society’s hands. The judicial manner in which you have acted throughout will, I am sure, very much strengthen the feeling of confidence which members of the Society have in your judgment and discretion. I think that you have been largely instrumental in preventing the Society from drifting into aimless and inutile litigation. A WELL-WISHER. 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. 05 Issue 10 (March 1895) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 10 (March 1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-03-01-The-Author-5-10 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/275/1895-04-01-The-Author-5-11.pdf dda658d5a986bf4e3eae741472a2a88c PDF Text Text ������������������������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895-04-01 Volume 5 Issue 11 Pages Page range in volume 281–304 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18950401 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY WALTER BESANT. VoI. V.-No. 11.] APRIL 1, 1895. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as earpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. - HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *- WARNINGS AND ADWICE, agent. 4. AscERTAIN WEAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVEs To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTs.-Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as your Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone, 6. CoST OF PRODUCTION.——Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a M.S. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. 13. ADVERTISEMENTs. -- Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society’s Offices :— 4, PoETUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. -- - *-- - --" - - - HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.-It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP You R AGREEMENTS. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £IO must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at mo ea'pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. WOL. V. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub. lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice C C 2  ## p. 282 (#296) ############################################ 282 THE AUTHOR. sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel's opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. - 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Awthor notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. 9. The committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers:—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. *-- ~ *-* •- ~~~ THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : I. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it submits MSS. to publishers and editors, concludes agree- ments, examines, passes, and collects accounts, and, gene- rally, relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. w 2. That the terms upon which its services can be secured will be forwarded upon detailed application. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works only for those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiations whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed ea clusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least two days' notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence ; does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice; and that in all cases MSS. must be accompanied by stamps to defray postage. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department * for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted '' is open. Members are invited to communicate their requirements to the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. NOTICES, HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P. If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble  ## p. 283 (#297) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 283 of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £9 4s. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder’s, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. - Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-*. --> THE COMMITTEE, R. HENRY NORMAN, the author of “Real Japan,” “The Peoples and Politics of the Far East” (just published by Mr. Fisher Unwin), and other books, and the literary editor of the Daily Chronicle, has been appointed to the committee and council of the Society. By Mr. Norman's election the last vacancy on the committee for the current year is filled. *-- - -—º r- - -, LITERARY PROPERTY, I.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. H.E Dominion Government have ceased the collection through the Customs of the 12% per cent. royalty on reprints of British copyright works brought into Canada, which has been collected hitherto for the benefit of the authors. The Tariff Act passed last season provided for the discontinuance of the collection of the royalty from March 27 of this year, in order to emphasise Canada's claim to exclusive jurisdiction in the Dominion regarding copy- right.—Standard, April 2. To the Editor of the Times. SIR,--Your issue of Feb. 26, containing the letter of Mr. W. M. Conway on Canadian copy- right, has just been received here, and I must ask the favour of a reply thereto. Mr. Conway overlooks several important points which entirely destroys the force of his arguments. First, the geographical position of Canada, side by side as it is with the United States. Second, that, should the English author fail to publish in the United States before or simul- taneously with publication elsewhere, he loses copyright there, and any United States publisher can reprint the book without payment of any royalty whatever, and send the book into Canada unless it is copyrighted here. Under the Canadian Act, on the other hand, the author has thirty days after publication elsewhere in which to publish in Canada, and thereby secure exclusive copyright. Third, to secure copyright in the United States the author must actually have the type set up within the United States, The Canadian law, on the other hand, specially permits the importation of plates into Canada free of duty. If the English author refuses or neglects to secure copyright in the United States, he loses all rights there. But not so in Canada, for the Canadian Act provides that any publisher here wishing to reprint any such book must first give security for the payment of a royalty of Io per cent, for the benefit of the author. It will be seen, then, that the Canadian Act grants valuable concessions to the English author which concessions are denied him in the United States. Mr. Conway repeats the statement that if the Canadian Bill becomes law Canadian reprints will inevitably flood the United States market. I think I can show Mr. Conway, and those who think as he does, that this statement has no foundation in fact. Section 4956 of the United States Copyright Act reads:—“During the existence of such copyright (in the United States) the importation into the United States of any book, chromo, or photograph, so copyrighted, or any edition or editions thereof shall be and it is hereby prohibited.” Section 4965 of the same Act provides the penalty for the infringe- ment of the foregoing provision. The United States copyright owners are therefore fully protected, and in the face of these provisions of the United States Act it will be worse than folly to continue to assert that Canadian reprints would or could flood the United States market. Mr. Walter Besant's new book, “Beyond the Dreams of Avarice,” furnishes an apt illustration in point. Mr. Besant’s book is issued in London at 6s. It is copyrighted in the United States, and is issued there at I dol. 50 cents. The British copyright owners have, however, issued a special cheap edition for the Canadian market, and Mr. Besant may rest assured that this special Canadian edition (which was printed in London and is now selling in Canada for 75 cents a copy) will not flood the United States market, for the very excel-  ## p. 284 (#298) ############################################ 284 THE AUTHOR. lent reason that the United States copyright owner is fully protected, as the United States copyright law prohibits the importation and sale of unauthorised editions in the United States. So with “The Ralstons,” Mr. Marion. Crawford’s recent novel, which is published in London at 12s. It is copyrighted in the United States, and sells there for 2 dols. owner has printed in London a special cheap edition, which is sold in Canada, for 75 cents a copy; yet the United States market is not being flooded with this cheap edition, although it is published at less than one-half the price of the United States edition, as the United States law prevents any such action. Did space permit, scores of similar cases could be given, and it can readily be seen that the fear that Canadian edi- tions will flood the United States market is utterly unfounded. In conclusion, I suggest that our English friends be perfectly fair in statements they make through the Press. Thus, when Mr. Conway says, as he does in his letter, that “Canadian reprints will flood, as they are intended to flood, the United States market,” and calls for signa- tures to a petition asking for disallowance of the Canadian Act on this account as one of the chief grievances, it is an open question whether every signature so secured has not been secured under false pretences, as Canadian reprints cannot flood, nor, above all, was it ever intended that they should flood, the United States market. Canadians resent and protest at such a misleading statement, as it places their case in a false light before the British public. RICHARD T. LANCEFIELD, Hon. Secretary Canadian Copyright Association. Public Library, Hamilton, March 9. Times, March 22, 1895. To the Editor of the Times. ... SIR,--The letter of Mr. R. T. Lancefield, hon. secretary of the Canadian Copyright Association, does not call for a lengthy reply. He contends that I overlook “ the geographical position of Canada, side by side as it is with the United States.” The fact is that the situation of Canada. is the chief cause of our anxiety. If Canada were a country isolated in the midst of others not English speaking, we should regret her action, but it would not be powerfully injurious, for the Canadian market for books is small, and the loss of it, though regrettable, would be no great matter. But if Canada obtains the right to issue cheap unauthorised reprints of the works of English writers, these reprints will be imported into the United States, all laws and customs houses not- The British copyright . withstanding, for Canada's long land frontier cannot be blocked. Tauchnitz reprints find their way through English customs houses in great numbers; how much more must Canadian reprints invade the United States if ever the threatened system were inaugurated. Mr. Lancefield’s further contention that the Canadian proposals would put an English author in a better position in Canada than he is now placed in the United States is specious; but the fact is not material, for the magnitude of the United States market is a compensation which Canada cannot offer. The question is one of cost. It pays to undergo considerable expense to secure the United States market ; it would not pay to undergo a much smaller expense to secure the Canadian market. Few books will ever be taken for Canada under the conditions of the new Act. The rest will be robbed of anything worth the name of copyright. From an author's point of view the situation threatens to become intolerable. Having written his book and secured an English publisher, he already has to hunt up an American publisher also. This takes time. It is proposed that he shall further have to find a Canadian publisher. If all the other parts of the British Empire follow suit, obviously an author's work in arranging with publishers all over the earth and seeing his book through the press in a dozen simultaneous editions will be much greater than his work in writing it. The only just and sound arrangement is for universal copyright to follow single publication anywhere, and this greatly desired consummation seemed till recently to be coming within the bounds of possibility. Canada’s proposed retro- grade and particularist action threatens to post- pone it indefinitely. Even Mr. Lancefield does not pretend that the Canadian Act is fashioned in the interests of literature, still less in the interests of the authors who make literature, or of the readers that profit by it. The injury is to be wrought solely for the sake of a small body of printers whose profits will be infinitesimal com- pared with the far-reaching damage they will effect.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant, W. M. ConwAY, Chairman of Committee of the Incorporated Society of Authors. 4, Portugal-street, Lincoln’s-inn-fields. Times, March 24, 1895. One or two points may be added to those in Mr. Conway's letter. I. As to the Canadian proposal to retire from the position of civilised states in order to practise piracy openly, he says nothing.  ## p. 285 (#299) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 285 2. As to the flooding of the United States with cheap reprints, he quotes the Act, but neglects to point out how with the enormous undefended frontier it is to be enforced. He then mentions one or two books lately republished in Canada which have not been largely exported to the States. Why P Simply because they are published at 75 cents, or 3s. a copy. There is not likely to be any successful piracy at that price. 3. He is still bold enough to parade the old pretence of a royalty. First, it is to be a Io per cent. royalty—a miserable, iniquitous, and sweating royalty, long since exploded in this country and the States. But, even if it were a fair royalty, what security is there for its collec- tion ? None. The Canadian “royalty” has been with us for many years. Once Charles Reade got eighteenpence by it. Mr. W. H. Lecky, the other day, said that he had once obtained over a pound by it. I have never received a farthing from it. In the face of the absence of any machinery for enforcing the payment of the royalty, and for auditing the accounts; and in face of the miserable nature of the royalty offered; to talk of “con- cessions” to the British author demands, indeed, a brazen front. EDITOR. Also from the Times of the same date :- Mr. Lancefield’s argument appears to be that because the United States, a foreign power, chooses to impose conditions as to remanufacture of books in America before granting copyright protection to British authors, Canada, which is . a part of the British Empire, is justified in attempting to do likewise. He does not pretend that any necessity for this arises from the difficulty of procuring English books in Canada at moderate prices, for he carefully explains that under the present law the works of English authors are offered for sale in the Dominion at lower prices than in Great Britain or the United States. The only apparent reason for seeking to secure the Royal assent to this precious Bill is that it may possibly put a little money into the pockets of a few needy Canadian printers, while it would certainly injure English authors and would probably not benefit Canadian buyers. The logical outcome of such a concession to Canada would be similar legislation in each of the self- governing colonies, with the result that, although fully protected in nearly all foreign countries by the Treaty of Berne, an English author would, if he wished to remain proprietor of his own book, be obliged to provide for the printing of ten or a dozen separate editions. The economic waste of such a monstrous system is positively appalling. F. March 24. *- The petition against the Canadian Copyright Act, which has been lying for the last three weeks for signature at the offices of the Society, has now been forwarded to the Marquis of Ripon. There are more than 1500 signatures to the petition, and amongst them are the names of all the best known writers in science, fiction, &c., in the United Kingdom. In addition, the most im- portant known publishing firms have added their signatures. It is hard in such a long list to discriminate, but a few of the names are appended. Perhaps it is worth while to repeat again the points which make the question one of such great importance. After a long and difficult struggle it was recognised by most of the civilised nations, at the Berne Convention, that copyright was the exclusive property of the author, and was not therefore to be trammeled with trade restrictions. After a still further struggle the Americans were brought to recognise the fact that property existed in copyright, but unfortunately they attached to that property a trade limitation. The step was retrogressive, and opposed to the liberal view of all the nations that signed the Berne Convention. But to obtain any concession across the water was of considerable advantage to the holders and originators of valuable property. The Canadians are now desirous of placing a somewhat similar trade restriction on the property of British and other authors. It is not worth while to go into the Act in detail, but there appears to be no doubt that should it obtain the Royal assent, not only will the American copyright be imperilled, but it is quite possible that the signatories to the Berne Convention may have something to say on the matter. The question is not one concerning the freedom of a colony to legislate on its affairs—as the Canadians so frequently and so vainly assert—but touches the question of piracy, which, when on the high seas, has been long ago suppressed by the unanimous voice and power of the civilised world. L. Alma-Tadema, R.A. George Gissing Edward Arnold Frederick Goodall Sir Robert Ball, F.R.S. Sydney Grundy Robert Bateman Richard Garnett, LL.D. Geo. Bell and Sons Thomas Hardy Walter Besant Anthony Hope Hawkins Augustine Birrell, M.P. William Heinemann A. and C. Black Holman Hunt William Black Prof. Huxley, F.R.S. Hall Caine A. D. Innes and Co. Chappell and Co. Henry Irving Hon. John Collier Jerome K. Jerome W. M. Conway Henry Arthur Jones F. H. Cowen Mrs. E. Kennard A. Constable and Co. Prof. E. Ray Lankester Earl of Desart W. E. H. Lecky Frank Dicksee, R.A. Lady W. Lennox B. L. Farjeon Longmans, Green, and Co. Archdeacon Farrar, D.D. Mrs. Lynn Linton  ## p. 286 (#300) ############################################ 286 A UTHOR. THE Edna Lyall Rev. W. J. Loftie, F.S.A. Sir A.C. Mackenzie, Mus.Doc. Macmillan and Co. James Martineau Helen Mathers S. H. Mendlessohn George du Maurier Phil May Methuen and Co. Justin McCarthy, M.P. John Murray Prof. Max Müller J. C. Nimmo Henry Norman David Nutt Novello and Co. W. H. Pollock Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., LL.D A. W. Pinero W. H. Russell. George Routledge and Co., Ltd. Sir B. W. Richardson T. Scrutton C.Williers Stanford, Mus.Doc. M. H. Spiellman Herbert Spencer Sir John Stainer Sir Arthur Sullivan Lord Tennyson Sir H. Thompson, Bart. Brandon Thomas Baron H. de Worms John Strange Winter J. McNeil Whistler Stanley J. Weyman Earl of Wharncliffe Florence Warden James Payn I. Zangwill. G. H. Titerse. II.-AN AGREEMENT ON THE CovKRT COPYRIGHT |BILL. (Sent to Congress, Feb. 27.) At a conference comprising representatives of the American Newspaper Publishers’ Association, the American Publishers’ Copyright League, and the American (Authors') Copyright League, held in New York, Feb. 21, 1895, the following sub- stitute for the proviso of the Covert Bill was unanimously agreed upon : “Provided, however, that in case of any such infringement of the copyright of a photograph made from any object not a work of the fine arts, the sum to be recovered in any action brought under the provisions of this section shall be not less than IOO dollars, nor more than 5000 dollars; and provided, further, that in case of any such nfringement of the copyright of a painting, drawing, statue, engraving, etching, print, or model or design for a work of the fine arts, or in case of any such infringement of the copyright of a work of the fine arts, the sum to be recovered in any such action shall be not less than 250 dollars,and not more than IO,OOO dollars.” This substitute is acceptable also to leading art publishers and photographers. It will relieve the newspapers of excessive penalties without endangering the security of copyright property. In behalf of the three above-mentioned national organisations, we respectfully request your sup- port to the effort to pass the Bill, as thus amended, at the present session by unanimous COnsent. W. C. BRYANT, Secretary, A.N.P.A. GEORGE HAVEN PUTNAN, Secretary, A.P.C.L. RoberT UNDER wood JoHNSON, Secretary, A.C.L. III.-ON SELLING A Book OUTRIGHT. A “Publisher,” writing to the Athenæum, calls upon the writer of the article with the above title to “state publicly ” in the Athenæum “what sort of book’’ he refers to as a 6s. book which can be produced at Is. a copy, or a 3s. 6d. book which can be produced at 8%d. I would point out to this “Publisher ” that it is not customary to call upon the writer of an article in one paper to explain himself in another, and that a state- ment made in the Author is as “publicly ” made as in the Athenæum. As he reads the Author, however, I will answer him here. If he will refer to the “Cost of Production,” a copy of which he doubtless possesses, he will find estimates showing exactly the kind of book meant. It is so clearly described as to leave no doubt possible. (Note that on p. 28 and on p. 34 there is a misprint of 5s. for 6s.) Since this pamphlet was printed, binding has gone up about 15 per cent., and composition has slightly advanced, but paper has gone down. From these estimates it is evident that a 6s. book printed in quantities may cost a good deal less than Is. a copy. As regards a 3s. 6d. book, the average book of that price was in the writer's mind, viz., such a story book for boys and girls, as printed in large editions, certainly does not cost more than 8; d. a volume. But in the “Cost of Production,” p. 34, it is shown that actually a long novel issued in a large edition would cost no more than four-fifths of a shilling per copy. The “Publisher ” wants to include advertising in the “cost of production.” Certainly not; for the simple reason that by including it the cost may be made anything. By charging whatever the publisher pleases for advertising as often as he pleases in his own organ, which costs him nothing ; for advertising by exchange, which costs him nothing; by suppressing large discounts received from certain papers; he can load the actual cost of the book indefinitely. Let us not forget the case quoted some time since in the Author, where a demand was made for £30 odd for advertisements; and where the author's adviser offered to pay only whatever money had been actually expended. The amount proved to be under £4 A very little book was thus alleged to have cost £26 more than it actually did by thus swelling the advertisements The amount actually spent for advertising—not, of course, counting a successful novel—is in general very little, except in the rare case of a book which will “bear” it. An ordinary book, calculated to obtain at the best a circulation sufficient to pay its expenses, and a modest something over, cannot possibly, as the smallest knowledge of the figures will show, have a very large sum  ## p. 287 (#301) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 287 spent upon announcing it. The reason may well be understood when it is known that the expenditure of £20—which seems little—in advertising an edition of IOOO copies actually means the addition of nearly 5al. a copy on the cost of production. We will add the advertising to the cost of production as soon as we know that the actual money homestly spent, and no more, is to be charged. To these considerations may be added the fact that publishing firms differ from each other in no respect more than in the money they spend on advertising and in the organs in which they spend it. THE WRITER OF THE ARTICLE. *- A --" - - - ROYAL LITERARY FUND, HE annual meeting of the Royal Literary Fund was held yesterday afternoon at 7, Adelphi-terrace. The chair was taken by Mr. W. E. H. Lecky, one of the vice-presidents, and there were present Mr. F. W. Gibbs, C.B., Q.C., Mr. C. Knight Watson, Mr. Lewis Morris, Mr. W. J. Courthope; Mr. Fraser Rae, Mr. William Stebbing, Mr. Edward Dicey, C.B., Mr. F. D. Mocatta, Mr. George Dalziel, Mr. J. H. Grain, Dr. Macaulay, Mr. Thornton Sharp, Mr. Sidney Lee, Mr. Richard Bentley, Mr. F. C. Danvers, Sir William Farrer, Sir B. W. Richardson, and others. The minutes of the last annual meeting, held last April, having been read and confirmed, Mr. W. J. Courthope read the registrars' report, which classified the grants awarded in 1894 as follows: —Class I., history and biography, nine grants, £455; class II., science and art, two grants, 34O; class III., classical literature and education, seven grants, 3485; class IV., archaeology, topography, and travels, six grants, 3415 ; class W., novels and tales, ten grants, 3400 ; class VI., periodical literature, three grants, 312O ; class VII., miscel- laneous, eight grants, £190. The grants varied in amount from £150 to £10. Of the forty-five persons relieved twenty-seven were men to the extent of £1,130, and eighteen women, 38975. The total sum invested as appearing in the treasurer's report amounted to £49,212 16s. 8d., producing an income of £1667 8s. The annual amounts of the grants had varied from ten guineas in 1790, the date of the foundation of the fund, to £3335 in 1883, which was the highest reached. 32Oo had been invested in Consols, and on Dec. 3 I there was a balance in hand of £199,-Times, March 14, 1895. > º: WOI. W. THE AMERICAN GUILD OF AUTHORS, HERE lies before us a copy of the tract T issued by the American Guild of Authors. It is called “Methods of Publishing.” Four methods are enumerated: 1. The royalty system. 2. That in which the author assumes a share of the cost and receives in return a larger royalty. 3. That in which the author bears the expense and pays the publisher a commission. 4. That in which the publisher buys out the author. On the first it is simply remarked that it is the fairest plan provided the publisher makes an honest return of the books sold. But nothing is said as to the amount of royalty. What is it to be P Why is it adopted as fair? What does it give the publisher and what the author? We recommend these questions very earnestly to our American friends. It is afterwards stated that popular authors are now asking for a “graded” royalty—10 per cent. for the first 3OOO, 15 per cent. up to 15,000 or 20,000, and after that 20 per cent. Let us see how this kind of “graded ” royalty would suit authors on this side. We may take our old friend the six shilling volume, 20 sheets, small pica type, about 258 words to a page. The cost of the first edition of 3OOO copies is about a shilling each — call it a shilling, that of the following copies is about IOd, a copy. The trade price may be taken as generally 3s. 7#d. The following result would be pretty close to the truth :— First 3Ooo. 3OOO–2O,OOO. Royalty Royalty IO per cent. I5 per cent. Author receives ... 3890 £765 Publisher makes ... 3303 ...... 39.1608 The publisher has to pay for the advertising, say £80. - We are willing to believe that the risk of pro- duction is perhaps greater in the States than here, but we are unwilling to believe that the American Guild of Authors desires the publisher to have three times the share of the author. On the second plan it is customary, it is said, for the author to pay the cost of composition and plates, and for the publisher to pay for printing, binding, and advertising, giving the author a 20 per cent. royalty. But it is complained that the publisher charges more than the real cost. Then follow two pages devoted to “tricks.” We are unfortunately familiar with them. The following figures are given as fair prices for printing, &c. : I) D  ## p. 288 (#302) ############################################ 288 THE AUTHOR. I. Composition and electro-plate, 12mo, small pica, about 420 words to a page; per page, I dol. 2. Paper and presswork, per IOOO copies, 257-56 dols. 3. Binding, at 22; cents, per volume, 225 dols. Total cost, 882.56 dols. The cost per volume would be ‘882 dols., or 3s. 6d. each. This is enormous compared with the English cost of production. One cannot under- stand how the business of publishing can be carried on at all against such high figures as these. A form of agreement, said to be customary, is included in the tract. We refrain from comment upon it in order to avoid a charge of interfering in what is not our business. The tract contains at the end a list of “Reputable Publishers.” We are happy to observe that there are a great many in various parts of America. Suppose, however, that it were discovered that one of them was not quite so reputable as had been believed; a new edition of the tract would have to be struck off with the offender's name removed. Would it not be better that the Society should vouch for no one, leaving, as we do, every house to make its own reputation ? *- --> * * *-*. LETTER FROM PARIS. ONSIEUR MARCEL PREVOST has written an indignant letter to the Paris edition of the New York Herald. He begins by saying: “This is what I read in the New York Recorder of Feb. 2 I. ‘Marcel Pre- vost’s much - discussed novel, “The Demi- Virgins,” which will be produced shortly as a play at one of the Paris theatres, has been trans- lated into English by Arthur Hornblow, and will be issued this week by the Holland Publishing Company. I am told that there is plenty of dramatic material in the book for a good play. Here is a golden opportunity for an aspiring dramatist.” Thus in the first place my “Les Demi-Vierges’ is translated without my autho- risation, without any compensation to me for the harm which the translated edition is likely to have on the sale of the original edition ; and secondly, young dramatic authors are cynically invited to make their fortunes by dramatising my story. I am sure, dear sir, that you consider such conduct unworthy of a great nation such as the one to which Mr. Hornblow belongs, and that you will assist me in defending my rights, or at least in protesting against this pillage of my work.” M. Prevost concludes by saying that he is aware that there is no literary convention between France and America, but neither is there one between France and Russia, or between France and Denmark, yet the publishers both in Denmark and Russia paid him fees for the autho- risation to publish translations of “Les Demi- Vierges.” r The Herald devotes a leader to the subject of M. Prevost’s letter, but I am afraid the indig- mant author will derive but small comfort from its remarks, which are summed up in the words concluding the article: “Unfortunately, however, there exists no treaty to protect author's rights of this nature, and so long as this defect in our international treaties remains there is no legal remedy. The appeal to public opinion, which M. Marcel Prevost to-day makes through the Herald's columns, is the only step that can be made towards obtaining an adequate redress.” I think this is the first time that a French author has protested in public against the American pirate, and it is to be regretted that the occasion of this first protest should be a book such as Marcel Prevost’s “Les Demi-Vierges”— a vile book if ever one was written ; and the only interest, to speak frankly, that I take in M. Prevost’s case, is in the information it affords as to the best way of creating for oneself with one's pen a success not only national but universal. It is a great pity that these things should be so, but so they are, and the writer of such books can reap rewards which are refused to men of letters who have a respect for their calling and the feeling of the dignity of their pen. “Les Demi-Vierges” went into over IOO editions in France, and has been translated into every European language. It now, according to Monsieur Prevost, is appearing in America, though I do not think that any publisher will care to undertake its publication in England. The moral seems to be that this is the stuff in which the reading public is most widely interested, and Du Maurier's clever cartoon in this week's Punch, depicting a conversation between a lady porno- grapher and a pornographic publisher is as true to life as are all the scenes depicted by this admir- able artist. It is a great pity that these things should be so, for it seems to show that civilisation is not advancing, and it shows further that the sense of human dignity is fading away through- out the world. I may be called a prude, but I declare very frankly that I have no manner of consideration for the writer who speculates on the hoggishness of the majority of readers, and that he is never, in my estimation, a brother author. I was speaking the other night with a Spanish journalist who has literary ambitions, and I asked him why he never wrote books, for I knew him as  ## p. 289 (#303) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 289 a very clever man, with a wide knowledge of life and a great experience. He said that he could not afford to work for nothing, and went on to explain that a Spanish author gets no money from a publisher, that consequently there are no Spanish authors, as you and I can well understand. I said, “What, not a peseta ?” and he said “Not a peseta.” This is worse than in Russia or Poland, where, I believe, a successful author may look for ten roubles, or even twenty, per sheet of printed matter, that is to say, about £2 for sixteen pages of printed text. We English authors and you French authors are very fortunate II.16I1. Alphonse Daudet has somewhat changed his mind about his intentions in England. He told me that he would accept certain invitations which had been made to him. “But,” he added, “they will have to be content with a bust. A bust is all that I can offer them.” He meant that he cannot appear otherwise than sitting down. It was sitting that our dear master made his memorable speech on the occasion of the De Goncourt banquet. Monsieur José de Herédia was to have been received into the company of the French Academy next month. This, however, has now been put off, and Monsieur Herédia’s reception will not take place for some months. The reason of this is that Monsieur François Coppée has been seriously ill, and will be unable to speak at Herédia’s reception, as had been arranged. The reference above to Polish and Russian authors makes me think, and not without a heaviness at heart, of a very sad experience of mine of a few days ago. Some years past I knew in Paris a Russian author. He had been in the Russian army, and was an exile under sentence of death. A very clever man, very well read, and always reading. He starved at ten roubles the sheet, but though he did not often have a dinner, he always could buy books, and the garret in which he lived—the identical garret occupied by Racine in the rue Wisconti—was full of them. He used to come and see me, and I loved his conversation. But he had strange habits of in- temperance, and in the end I was forced to ask him not to come to see me any more, for riotous- ness at that time appalled me. A year ago I received, when down in the South, a letter from him. He said that he wanted to see me again, that he could not bear the thought of a definite separation. I answered him, I am glad to remember this, in a friendly way, and told him that I would come and see him when I returned to Paris. Last week I found his letter amongst my papers, and at once wrote to invite him to my house. On Thursday morning I received a letter from a sister of charity to say that my old friend was ill and very tired, and could not come to see me, but that my visit would “give him immense pleasure.” I could not go to see him on Thursday, but I went on Friday. The street in which he lived was in a very remote quarter of Paris, and it took an hour in a cab to get there. The door was opened by a beautiful sister of charity in blue. I said, “You have a Monsieur here P” She said, “Yes,” and then added, quite simply, “he died one hour ago.” Then she pressed me to come and see him. “He looks quite nice,” she said, and she spoke of death, as it should be spoken of, as the great desideratum of life. I allowed myself to be persuaded, and followed her to the poor little room in this Polish house of refuge, and there I saw my old friend, with a table by the bedside, and on the table a crucifix and two burning candles. He had been a big, riotous man in the old days, and there he was, so pinched and peaked that his form hardly raised the covers of the bed. It was a terrible meeting, and though the sister wanted me to stay and kneel down Iran from the room. I have thought of nothing since, and I do not think that anything I have ever seen in life more deeply affected me. His poor fingers were stained with ink, and there was an unfinished manuscript on the chest of drawers. No doubt, the sister of charity was right. No doubt, Death was a comforter here. But why had I not arrived two hours earlier 2 “He was looking forward to your visit,” said sister Angéle. “Your letter made him quite joyous.” Death, whether it come as a comforter or no, is the one terrible thing. I met M. Aurélien Scholl, President of the Société des Gens de Lettres, a night or two ago, and he spoke to me for some time about the affairs of the society. Amongst other things which he told me was that certain friends and admirers of Paul de Kock had decided to erect a little statue or memorial to him in the garden of the house in which he lived for many years before his death. “I intend to interest the Society in this matter,” said the President, and he went on to speak of his high admiration for Paul de Kock. I think there never was an author more unfairly treated by fame. One knows what the average reader expects when with twinkling eyes he picks up a de Kock. It is quite unfair. Paul de Kock had wit and verve, and an admirable power of story-telling. He had no desire to attract readers by what has been alluded to above. People think that his speciality. I do not know if his Memoirs have ever been translated into English. They ought to be. I picked up a copy of them at a bookseller's some days ago. It was  ## p. 290 (#304) ############################################ 29O THE AUTHOR. a most interesting book, full of anecdotes about people of notoriety under the Revolution and the Empire. He knew Fouquier-Tinville as a bland young man. He had a famous interview with Emperor Napoleon. The book shows the man as he was, and it is strange that it should be out of print in France. Mr. Grant Allen is in Paris at the time of writ- ing, and, I am sorry to say, is ill. At least when I last heard news of him he was lying in bed with porous plasters wrapped about him. Mr. F. C. Philips is in Paris also, busy as usual, and full of work and schemes for future work. He is one of the English authors who are best known and most appreciated in France, where everybody seems to have read “As in a Looking-glass.” I under- stand that he is at work on a long novel sans pre- judice of any number of short stories and plays. This is a man of very wonderful activity. In reading over “Moll Flanders” in Marcel Schwob's masterly translation, I came across a passage which makes me think less of “Jane Eyre'” as a work of art than I have thought till now. You may remember that just after Jane Eyre has been pressed by the frigid St. John to marry him, she rushes out into the garden and there suddenly hears a cry of “Jane, Jane, Jane,” from the distant Rochester. When Charlotte Bronté was asked how she came to think of so striking a scene—those were the days when tele- pathy was unknown—she used to drape herself in some mystery—I have this from a person who so interrogated her —and reply: “I wrote it because it is true,” leaving one to imagine that this was a thing of her own experience. It was an effec- tive scene, but Defoe had imagined it some years previously, and so we have a sorrowful scholia to enter into our copies of “Jane Eyre.” . . . I have no English Defoe by me, but the scene to which I refer is where Moll Flanders calls for the departed Jemmy, in the inn at Chester, and Jemmy hears her very voice, though then fifteen leagues distant, and so returns to her. And alas and alack into our copies of “The Cenci” a similar sorrowful scholia must be entered, and indeed against those particularly beautiful lines which conclude the play: . . . . Here, mother tie My girdle for me, and bind up this hair In any simple knot; aye, that does well. And yours, I see, is coming down. You know the lines and, like us all, you have admired, with enthusiastic admiration, this con- ception which shows us a woman on the very brink of the precipice thinking about pretty, trivial womanly things. Well, I happened on Webster the other day, and, in turning over the leaves of “La Duchesse d’Amalfi.” in Ernest Lafond's translation, I read a passage where the Duchess just about to be strangled by the execu- tioner gives trivial womanly orders. Her little boy is to have the syrup for his cough, nor is her little girl to be allowed to go to bed until she has said her prayers. It is the finer conception of the two, and, such as it is, it deprives Shelley of all the glory of his lines. I am very sorry, for I think that there was nothing in Shelley that I liked better than this—this picture of femininity under the very shadow of death. But so our idols one after the other get broken and cast down. How true it is—as further exemplified by the preceding remarks—that “ les beaua esprits se rencontrent.” Let me point out that Tennyson's line in “Locksley Hall ”— it is line 38– And our spirits rushed together at the touching of the lips— reads like an almost literal translation of Schiller's lines in “Amalia’’: Seine Küsse—paradiesisch Fühlen Wie zwo Flammen sich ergreifen, wie Harfentóne in einander spielen Zu der himmelwollen Harmonie— Stürzten, flogen, schmolzen Geist und Geist zusammen Lippen, Wangen, brannten, zitterten Seele ranſm in Seele. And, again, as to that beautiful line about the “burden of an honour to which she was not born,” is not memory carried back to line 99 of the sixth Satire of the First Book by Horace: Nollem Onus haud unquam solitus portare molestum. The bitterest thing that was ever said about our poor friend Boulanger was Jules Ferry's remark that he was a “Saint-Arnaud de Café- Concert.” Boulanger called Ferry out for this epigram, and Ferry would not go. I have no comment to make on Ferry's conduct, for he is dead and Boulanger is with him, and those are things not to be talked of now. But I was reminded of this to-day on receiving from Tresse and Stock a copy of Dr. Cabrol’s interesting Memoirs, edited and prefaced by Paul de Régla, which deals exclusively—as the title of the volume indicates—with Marshal Saint-Arnaud in the Crimea. This is a very interesting book, giving a full account, almost day by day, of the last six months of the life of the Marshal, down to the hour when—well, I hardly like to repeat the Doctor's version of how the gallant Marshal met his death, for I have many friends in the Bonapartist camp. In the same packet I received from these publishers a book entitled “Le Roman d’une Fée,” by M. Henri Belliot, an ardent littérateur, who writes to me to say that, as an Englishman, I shall appreciate a fairy-story better than his compatriots. I hope to be able to do so when I have found time to  ## p. 291 (#305) ############################################ THE AUTHOR, 291 read the book. In the meanwhile I mention its existence and wish it very well. A curious offer was made to me the other day. It came by telegraph from the proprietor of a New York daily paper. This person, it appears, has written a historical work—or, rather, has had a historical work written for him by some literary hack—in French. He desired to publish a translation of the work in English, and asked me to do the translation for him. A condition was that my name should not appear in connec- tion with the book. He was to figure on the title-page as the writer. He proposed a remunera- tion of 6s. a thousand words. What amusing people there are in this world to be sure! ROBERT H. SHERARD. 123, Boulevard Magenta, Paris. *— a 2-2 -sº NOTES FROM NEW YORK, New York, March 16. HE most important literary news of the month is the announcement that New York is at last to have a public library worthy of the chief city of a great nation. At the present time this immense town of ours, with a population of perhaps four millions contained within a radius of twenty-five miles from the city hall, is less well provided with books accessible to all citizens than Boston is or Chicago, to make no comparison with London, or Paris, or Berlin. Hitherto the chief public library of New York has been that founded fifty years ago by John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant who had made a fortune in New York, and wished to do some- thing for the city of his choice. He began by giving about £IOO,OOO, and his son and grandson in turn gave similar sums. The Astor Library was very fortunate in its first librarian, Coggswell, and its earlier books were admirably selected. But its endowment was inadequate, and it has grown but little of late years. It has not quite 3OO,OOO volumes, and its buildings, books, and funds are valued at perhaps 340O.OOO. A quarter of a century ago Mr. James Lenox— an interesting account of whose book collecting was written by the late Henry Stevens, of Wer- mont—established by will the Lenox Library, endowing it handsomely, and bequeathing to it all his own rare books, including the finest col- lection of Bibles in the world. This library is housed in a sumptuous building overlooking Central Park, and it has adjacent land, allowing for great expansion. Its assets are said to amount to more than £500,000. VOL. W. A third library was made possible by the will of Samuel J. Tilden, once a candidate for the presidency of the United States; but there was a long litigation over the will, and, after a final compromise, the trustees have now about 2400,000—a wholly insufficient sum with which to buy the land, erect a building, stock it with books, and meet the future expenses of a public library. A proposal was made by Columbia College to grant a site on the new grounds where the college is about to build, but this was not favourably received by the Tilden trustees. Now, however a union has been brought about, and all these institutions are to be merged in one, starting with perhaps 4OO,OOO volumes, and having assets of at least a million and a half sterling. The details of the consolidation are not yet determined upon, but the union itself is an assured fact. The site has not been selected; but probably the buildings of the Astor will be sold, and the new edifice will be erected on the ample grounds belonging to the Lenox. The style and title of the new corporation will be “The Public Library of the City of New York, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations.” This name will invite further benefactors, who might have thought it an impertinence to contribute to the library of the Astor family or to that bearing the names of the late Mr. Lenox or the later Mr. Tilden. The suggestion has been made that the new corporation should also take over the excellent and useful Free Circulating Library, which has half a dozen branches in the most thickly populated portions of the city. The announcement has been made that the new library will be managed in the most progressive manner; it will be open on Sundays, and in the evening ; it will allow books to be withdrawn for home reading; it will provide special privileges for students; it will endeavour to meet every reasonable public demand. Upon the new board of trustees are some of the ablest and most public spirited men in New York. Of course, it will be several years before the full benefit of the consolidation will be apparent; but the news has been received with the greatest satisfaction. The giving of prizes for stories, and plays, and poems has never greatly benefited literature, although it has always been an excellent adver- tisement for the giver. It is sixty years since Poe won a prize of £20 offered by a Baltimore weekly paper for the best short story, but he did not write the tale especially for the contest; he withdrew the “MS. found in a Bottle" from the paper to which he had sold it for £6, and offered it for the prize, and thus made an extra profit of 3I4. Three diffierent sets of prizes are now offered for competition among the American E. E.  ## p. 292 (#306) ############################################ ** ** . . *s. 292 Writers of fiction to-day. The most important o those is that which the New York Herald i prepared to give. Perhaps the conditions of the contest cannot be better set forth than in the actual words of the advertisement: THE HERALD’S PRIZE OFFER. SIXTEEN THOUSAND DoILARs To BE AwarDED TO AMERICAN NovKLISTS AND POETs. The New York Herald will award a prize of Io,000 dollars for the best serial story of between 50,000 and 75,000 words by an American writer, whether professional or amateur. The conditions of this contest are as follows : The manuscripts must be submitted anonymously, and must bear only the initials of their authors or other private identification marks, so that the identity of the writer will not be known to the committee of three examiners, who will be appointed by the Herald, and who will select three stories of the greatest merit. The stories, so selected, will be printed in the Herald, daily and Sunday, as occasion requires, beginning early in October, 1895. The readers of the Herald will be asked to decide by ballot which story they like best, and the prize of Io,000 dollars will be awarded accordingly. The manuscripts, other than the three selected by the examiners, will be returned to the writers, upon their identi- fication by means of their initials or private marks. The writers will be at liberty to publish these returned manu- scripts elsewhere, and no reference will be made by the Herald that they have been rejected. All manuscripts for this competition must be submitted before July 1, 1895. THREE OTHER PRIZES. The Herald also offers three other prizes—the first of 3000 dollars for the best novelette of between 15,000 and 25,000 words; the second, a prize of 2000 dollars for the best short story of between 6ooo and Io, Ooo words; and the third, a prize of IOOO dollars for the best epic poem, based on some event of American history that has occurred since the beginning of the War of the Revolution. The conditions that will govern the competition for the prize of Io,ooo will also govern those for the prizes of 3ooo dollars, 2000 dollars, and IOoo dollars. The chosen manuscripts will be published in the Herald, in turn, upon the conclusion of the serials. All manuscripts for these latter competitions must be submitted to the Herald before Sept. 1, 1895. The obvious comment to be made upon this is that the actual winner of any one of these prizes will be well paid, but that the unfortunate writers of the second best and third best novels, short stories, and epics will receive no payment at all. Far more equitable is the arrangement pro- posed by a syndicate of important papers headed by the Hartford Courant (of which Mr. Charles Dudley Warner is the editor in chief). Their advertisement reads as follow : A TWO THOUSAND DOLLAR PRIZE. A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN NEWSPAPERS ANNOUNCE THE LARGEST CAPITAL PRIZE, EVER OFFERED. We will pay a first prize of Two Thousand Dollars for the best detective story from 6ooo to 12,000 words in length, for publication in our daily issues in instalments of about 2000 words per day. be submitted to Prize Editor, THE AUTHOR. We will pay a second prize of Five Hundred Dollars for the second best detective story submitted. * . All manuscripts intended for this competition must Bacheller, Johnson, and Bacheller, Nos. 112 to 117, Tribune-buildings, New York City, on or before May 1, 1895, Every manuscript must be typewritten and accompanied by a sealed envelope con- taining the name of its author. It will not be opened until a decision is reached. For identification said envelope should bear some phrase which also appears above the title of the story submitted. All good stories will be published at a satisfactory price. Other details of the contest and arrangements for an equitable decision will be in charge of Mr. Irving Bacheller, to whom all inquiries should be addressed. - The third set of prizes is offered by the Pouth's Companion, of Boston, one of the most widely circulated weekly papers in the country, and one which has always exhibited remarkable enterprise in securing contributions from writers of prominence. In a former competition of the Youth's Companion a prize of £IOO was carried off by Mr. Frank R. Stockton's tale “An Unhistoric Page.” The stories now to be rewarded must not contain less than 22OO Words, or more than 3ooo; they must be original; they must not be love stories or fairy tales, nor can they deal with religion or politics; their moral tone must be unexceptionable, and the list of prizes is as follows:— Dollars. For the best original story sent us . . . . , 500 For the next in literary and general merit ... , 500 For the third in merit e e º e s a 250 For the fourth in merit ... 250 For the fifth in merit 25O For the sixth in merit 25O For the seventh in merit I OO For the eighth in merit ... IOO For the ninth in merit - . . . . . . . . IOO For the tenth in merit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I OO For the eleventh in merit ... . . . . . . . . . IOO Total ... 25OO To two recent issues of the New York Tribune, Professor T. R. Lounsbury, the author of the masterly “Studies in Chaucer,” contributes an eight column review of Professor Skeat's new edition of the author of the “Canterbury Tales.” The review is written, with all the learning and with all the humour which unite to make Professor Lounsbury a very dangerous opponent. It will probably be reprinted as a pamphlet, in which case it will reach the Chaucer students of Germany and England. Professor Lounsbury declares that Professor Skeat's new edition “will be abso- lutely essential to all who devote themselves to the special study of Chaucer,” and “as such it ought to be welcomed cordially by every lover of litera- ture.” But he accuses Professor Skeat of having made frequent and abundant use of his (Pro- fessor Lounsbury's) labours, without giving him any credit in the first three volumes.  ## p. 293 (#307) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 293 The Authors’ Club of New York, now in its thirteenth year, is at last permanently settled in quarters of its own, of which it has a long lease. Its new apartments are a handsome and commodious suite of four rooms on one of the upper floors of the extension of the magnificent music hall erected by Mr. Andrew Carnegie. As a member of the club, Mr. Carnegie saw that these rooms were specially reserved, and the terms upon which they were secured were ex- ceptionally favourable. “Liber Scriptorum,” the book of the Authors’ Club (of which an account has already been printed in your pages), has been so profitable that it was possible to vote a sum of £600 for the decoration and furnishing of the new apartments; and, in gratitude to Mr. Carnegie for his services in securing them, the original MSS. of the “Liber Scriptorum,” sump- tuously bound in two immense folio volumes, were presented to him. The fortnightly Thurs- day evening meetings of the Authors' Club continue to be among the pleasantest affairs of the kind. The prosperity of the club endures, and its membership increases steadily. Chicago, which has now three richly endowed public libraries, is getting to be a literary centre. Its Twentieth Century Club is a worthy rival of the Nineteenth Century Club of New York, in emulation of which it was founded. Its young and lusty university has not succeeded in attract- ing the best instructors from the older institutions of the East, but it has a tower of strength in Professor Von Holst, who has recently published a learned and acute study of the French Revolution. It has in the Dial one of the most scholarly critical journals in America—a critical journal so excell-nt indeed that its two faults may well be forgiven it. These faults are an undue jealousy of New York (but this is a common failing in Chicago) and an undue deference to the opinion of London, even on American authors (but this is a common feeling even elsewhere than in Chicago). Chicago is also the home of one of the most vigorous of American novelists, Mr. Henry B. Fuller, the author of that curiously dilletante book, “The Chevalier of Pensieri Wani,” and also of that robust specimen of realism, “The Cliff Dwellers.” He is now about to publish a second study of Chicago society, bearing the very up-to-date title, “With the Procession.” This will be published in New York by Harper and Brothers, but three other works of fiction by Chicago authors are announced by the new and enterprising Chicago house of Stone and Kimball. These are, “A Little Sister to the Wilderness,” by Miss Lillian Bell; “A Sawdust Doll,” by Mrs. Reginald De Koven (the wife of the composer of “Maid Marian’’); and “Two Women and a Fool,” by Mr. H. C. Chatfield-Taylor. The sale of “Trilby’’ is said to be slackening a little now, but it has already reached 150,000 copies, at seven shillings, and it is likely to be stimulated again by the success of the ingenious dramatisation just brought out at a Boston theatre by Mr. A. M. Palmer, and to be performed in New York next season. HALLETT ROBINSON. NOTES AND NEWS. AM very glad to see in “Hallett Robinson’s ” New York Letter a tribute to the literary position of Chicago and its aspirations. A year and a half ago I incurred the kind of ridicule which attaches to a new and unexpected state- ment by saying something to the same effect. When one finds a city richly endowed with public libraries; the natural centre of a vast geo- graphical area; possessed of a wealthy university, in which English literature is well represented and adequately taught; where literature is held by the cultivated class in the highest respect; possessing a critical paper equal in ability to anything we have in this country ; and containing a company of men and women, mostly young, eagerly cultivating literature, and aspiring to the production of good and, if it may be. great work, one is justified in prophesying that out of this company there will presently emerge some one who will make himself known over the English-speaking world. I spoke to this effect in 1893, and now our New York correspondent speaks to the same effect. The following extract is from a new American volume of essays, called “Meditations in Motley,” by Walter Blackburn Harte (Arena Publishing Company, Boston, Mass.). - It is a most lamentable thing that, in spite of all the literary activity and the intellectual restlessness of our time, there are not probably more than half a dozen writers in the United States who follow literature, pure and simple, as a profession; and it is noteworthy that among these there are neither poets nor essayists. The tractate of the American Guild of Authors, noted in another column, may partly explain the reason why so few Americans are able to adopt literature frankly as a profession. Of course, it is greatly to be desired that writers of the better kind —one would say men and women of genius, but that the word is now almost forbidden—should be able to devote themselves altogether to the literary craft. In order to do this, however, they must be  ## p. 294 (#308) ############################################ 294 THE AUTHOR. able to live. In this country there are thousands who do live by literature, not popular novelists alone, but writers in every branch, not leaders only, but writers of the rank and file. There never was a betterrank and file—better drilled, betterequipped, braver, and more full of zeal—than our own. Let us see how these our people live. First of all, many of them are students in the history of litera- ture; many of them are good scholars; many have studied some foreign literature, and are authori- ties in French, German, Italian, Spanish, or some other literature; many are students in history, ancient and modern, English or foreign; many are students in science; some have mastered out of the way branches; some have made a special study of sport, games, art, music, the drama, &c. Most, in fact, have some special knowledge which may at any time be wanted. In the next place, there are, in this country, a dozen magazines open to a scholar—perhaps a well- known writer may contribute six or seven articles in the year to these magazines; there is next the better class of weekly—the Saturday Review, the Spectator, the Athenæum, the Speaker, the National Observer, the Realm, and others— a good writer ought to find no difficulty in getting on one of these papers; there are the two Quarterly Reviews, but they can find room for very few writers; there are the weekly maga- zines, such as Chambers’, Cassells’, &c., to which few writers would disdain to contribute. Again, there is the literary department of the great daily papers; that of the evening papers; there is dramatic criticism ; art criticism; musical criticism. Or, again, there are the leading articles of the dailies. It will thus be understood that to the man who knows something, and can write pleasantly, there are abundant opportunities of work. Then a man’s special knowledge, sooner or later, whatever it is, naturally and inevitably assumes book form. Another branch of literary work is that of editing and preparing books for publishers. We are apt to forget, in our concern about modern literature, that publishers have the whole of the past to deal with as they please. They are con- stantly bringing out new editions of past authors. These must have an introduction, notes, appen- dices, and index, all to be done by some man of letters. Again, which one would fain ignore but cannot, there is the reading for publishers. It is not work that many like to do, but it must be done by somebody. These are some of the conditions of the literary life in this country. It would seem, however, as if in America things were different. The American magazines, with one or two exceptions, are not in the least like our scholarly Nineteenth Century, Contemporary, and Fort- nightly. Such weekly reviews as the Spectator or the Saturday simply do not exist in America; they have no Quarterly Reviews; they have no papers corresponding to Chambers’ and the Cassells' productions; their newspapers do not seem to include a considerable literary element— one may be wrong, but this is how it seems to us. Then the American publisher is not, apparently, always bringing out new editions of dead writers; and, in short, one would like some of our American friends to tell us how an American man of letters (not being a popular novelist) does manage to live at all. In the narrow churchyard south of St. Mary Overies (now called St. Saviour's), Southwark —somewhere, it is not known where—there lie in one grave the remains of Philip Massinger and of Fletcher his friend. The name of the latter is always associated with that of Beau- mont, but Massinger undoubtedly did a good deal of work with and for him. The name of Massinger is entered in the burial register as a “stranger,” which means, of course, nothing more than a person belonging by birth to some other parish. It is now proposed to put up a stained glass window in the new nave of the church, in memory of Massinger. I do not think that this is a cause which needs pleading with the readers of this paper and the members of this Society. Will those who love to see honour paid to litera- ture send their offerings to this object to the Rev. W. Thompson, D.D., St. Saviour's Church, Southwark? The church now rebuilt still retains its Reformation name. Perhaps it may be per- mitted to hope that it may soon return to its historic name of St. Mary Overies. The following letter has reached me: In Halifax, last week, I happened to pick up a book of yours, “The Revolt of Man,” issued by the Halifax Corpo- ration Library. I thought it might be an interesting fact to you to know that this august body does you the honour of circulating your work in its Tauchnitz Edition : Some time since a remonstrance was published in the Author against the importation and circu- lation of Tauchnitz books. An attempt was made to minimise the importance of the damage done to authors by the free circulation of their books. Here we have an illustration of what may happen. The number of libraries in the country is rapidly increasing ; many of these have several branches. Of popular books they take many copies. Suppose they ali take Tauchnitz copies! Why not ? No attempt is made to stop them. Library com- mittees will speedily forget that to buy these editions is against the law ; they will only  ## p. 295 (#309) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 295 remember that the Tauchnitz Edition is cheaper. Thus will be lost to author and publisher many thousands of every popular book. What is the law on the subject P It has thus been given to me by a lawyer: “I do not think there is any offence in owning or in circulating a copy of a Tauchnitz edition of an English book. The offender must not sell it or hire it, in which case it would be an infringe- ment of copyright, and he would be liable to be proceeded against under the 17th section of 1842 Act, and 42nd and 152nd section of the Customs Act, 1876, “The joint effect of these sections appears to be that anyone importing, selling, or hiring any foreign printed copy of a copyright book know- ingly, or having in his possession any copy for sale or hire, shall, on conviction before two justices of the peace, forfeit 310 and double the value of every copy: £5 to go to the officer of Excise, and the remainder to the proprietor of the copyright; such book to be seized and destroyed. “Does the Halifax Free Library hold the copy for sale or hire P Under the Customs Act of 1876 the Customs can seize and destroy any books on the copyright list; but notice of copy- right in writing to the Commissioners of Customs is a condition precedent.” A complete translation of Balzac's novels, published at a low price, edited by a well-known scholar, is a literary experiment of very con- siderable interest. All who read French at all read the Comédie Humaine; but will those who cannot read French buy the translation ? The writer, to begin with, is Parisian through and through, with that note of the past inseparable from work fifty years old. Again, does Balzac possess the sensational qualities which now seem necessary to success? And, when we have agreed to let our own past masters stand forgotten on the shelves, shall we be eager to take up the French masters? For instance, Dickens seems fast losing his hold—only for a time, but still— for the present. Thackeray is only read by “the better sort’”; as for Charles Lever and Anthony Trollope, apparently they are gone; and as for Wilkie Collins and Charles Reade, they are read only in two or three books. Each generation, in fact, will have its own novelists belonging to itself; it grudges not classics belonging to the dead, but they must be few, one to this old novelist, one to that ; it will refuse to read the whole of the dead man’s work. Will the present generation so far depart from established custom as to admit en bloc the whole of the Comédie Humaine P. We shall see, and, as I said above, it is a literary experiment of very considerable interest. With Messrs. Dent and Co., who understand dainty books, for publishers; with Mr. George Saintsbury, who understands his Balzac, for an editor, and with Messrs. Constable to print the work, the series should have every chance. Some three or four years ago—perhaps more— there appeared a new translation of “Don Quixote,” by Mr. H. E. Watts. It was not reviewed by many papers, and by still fewer was it adequately reviewed. One or two critics, how- ever, had the intelligence to perceive that this was the finest translation as yet offered to the public, and the work of a fine Spanish scholar who possesssed other qualities for the translation of Cervantes besides scholarship—notably, know- ledge of the time and the social conditions of the time; humour and the quick perception of the humorous ; and, among other things, the common sense which keeps a translator and an annotator from being carried away by his subject, and the various theories, fads, and crotchets which gather round such a subject as the Knight. The book was published in three big quarto volumes at a price prohibitory. The purse of the ordinary book buyer—marrow but well meaning — could not attain to that price. So the matter rested, and it seemed as if, but for a few libraries, the work was closed to the public. Well: a new edition has now been undertaken (Messrs. A. and C. Black) at a reason- able and possible price; and we shall be able to possess at last the immortal work of Cervantes in a translation worthy and adequate. Is there room for another novel on the gentle- man highwayman P. The field one would think was entirely occupied by Ainsworth and Lytton. Nevertheless, Mr. C. T. C. James—no novice in the art of story telling—boldly pushes in with a new story on the old theme. The fact is that no field in fiction is occupied. He would be a bold man who would treat of Tunbridge Wells in 1750, with Thackeray as a rival; but the rivalry is not an impossible thing. Again, he would be a bold man who would face Scott in the 1745 business, but such audacity is not impossible. Mr. James, however, does not in reality present himself as a rival of the two elder novelists. He confines him- self to a single tavern in a London suburb and to its adventures with a single highwayman. He presents a vivid and interesting picture of life a hundred and fifty years ago. The book carries one along breathless from beginning to end. There is only one fault to find with it—a fault  ## p. 296 (#310) ############################################ 296 THE AUTHOR. that is not discovered till the book is done with and cold criticism begins. The highwayman is pardoned. Why? Because his mistress once gave a cup of purl to the king P. Not sufficient reason. The man is a thief and a robber. There is no escape from that ; and, as such, he would assuredly have been hanged, purl or no purl. In January last, a communication entitled “Editorial Amenities,” signed “C. H.,” ap- peared in the Author. There were three cases of complaint. As regards the last, the editor of the magazine in question has sent copies of the corre- spondence to this paper. It appears from the letters (1) that the article was accepted and paid for; (2) that the editor, on revising his accepted articles, found errors which, in his judgment, made the paper useless to him; (3) that he accordingly declined to print the paper, still exercising his judgment as editor; (4) that, as the paper was anonymous, the refusal did no harm to the author's reputation; (5) that the author, although he had been paid for the paper, was quite free to send it elsewhere ; (6) that it is impossible for an editor to carry on a controversy with any contributor as to the reasons of his decision; (7) that the editor has found no reason to change his opinion as to certain inaccuracies in the contribution ; and (8) that the author is quite free to retain his own opinion, and to believe that the paper is accurate. It is always a mortifying thing to have a MS. returned. But an editor is absolute ; he must, in the nature of the case, be absolute; and an editor cannot possibly be expected to carry on ex- planations and reasons for his decisions. Two months ago, in a notice on the death of Sir John Robert Seeley, I mentioned that he had been a member of the council of the Society. A good many correspondents pointed out that his name was not on the list. In short, I was wrong, because Seeley never was upon our council at all. His connection with the Society was that of Vice- President, an office which still exists, but has been allowed to drop out of prominence, most of the W.P.'s having long since joined the council. In the first year of the Society's existence, when it was absolutely necessary that it should receive the nominal support and approval of as many leaders as possible, with this view, the committee invited certain writers and scholars to signify their approval of the objects of the Society by becoming Vice-Presidents. In the month of April, 1885, I find in the minute-book of the committee the following acceptances of this invita- tion. It was a goodly list. Matthew Arnold Philip James Bailey Lord Brabourne Frank Cowley Burnand J. Anthony Froude Bishop of Chichester Prof. Huxley, F.R.S. The Librarian of Windsor Castle . Sir Henry Maine, K.C.S.I. Sir Theodore Martin James Payn John Ruskin, D.C.L. Prof. Seeley Prof. Skeat' Sir Richard Temple Prof. Tyndall, LL.D. Dean Waughan W. G. Wills. Some of the Vice-Presidents afterwards, as stated above, became members of the council; others remained, and are still, vice-presidents, though their names are no longer advertised. It is pleasing to record that Seeley did more than remain simply an honorary vice-president. In the year 1888, when the Society gave a dinner to American men and women of letters, Seeley lent the weight of his name as a steward. He regularly received, and, there is reason to believe, read the documents of the Society and spoke. The Royal Literary Fund last year relieved the necessities of forty-five applicants—twenty-seven being men and eighteen women. By the rules of the Fund, applicants must prove that they are authors by putting in their published works. How many men and women are there in this country who could thus prove themselves to be authors P. There are about 1350 members of the Society, all of whom have produced books. Now this number includes very few writers of educa- tional books, very few writers of technical books, and not many writers of theological books. Let us suppose that there are twice that number out- side the Society: this gives us a total of, say, 4000 authors. The total applicants for relief during the last year was forty-five—that is to say, I 125 per cent. This is a very satisfactory percentage. Authorship is certainly improving on its material side. The grants to the men average about £42 apiece; those to the women £54 apiece. If “Weary" will send me her name and address, I will endeavour to answer her letter. The subject is hardly suitable for these columns. At the moment of going to press we learn that Canada has ceased to collect the royalties accord- ing to the old agreement. It would be interesting to learn how much was collected last year, and who has received any share of it. WALTER BESANT,  ## p. 297 (#311) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 297 DECADENCE OF LITERATURE, Dº 'S theory is eminently true of literature. It is a case of the survival of the fittest. The weak may flourish for a time and choke the environs like the lianes in a tropical forest, but they perish with their season, and the stalwart trees survive and make them- selves evident in later generations. For the present there is an enormous growth of these ephemeral productions, and may I be for- given for suggesting that editors and publishers of magazines are a good deal to blame, not only for their growth but for the deterioration of what might have been a forest tree, or at best a worthy shrub P No sooner has a writer made “a hit ’’ than he or she is besieged with solicitations to contribute to this or that periodical, and it requires considerable self-control, maybe, or in- dolence, or superiority to pelf to resist and refuse till the production is ripe, or not to try to gratify more than one at the same time. To take an illustration from art, pot-boilers, instead of pic- tures, are the consequence. Nothing is more true than what Mr. Cresswell says in the last number, though rapid work is good, hurried work is never good, and the pub- lisher who displays an attractive catalogue of authors announced at the beginning of the year, almost compels some at least to hurried work. Also the distinctive characteristics of the periodicals are lost by thus obtaining the ser- vices of the authors who are willing to write for all and each. I believe some of the American magazines bind a writer to write for nothing else; and it is really a wise arrangement, since the old sense that it was honourable to work for one firm alone has died away. Another modern fashion ruinous to good literature is the laying contribu- tions on the bed of Procrustes. Readers are sup- posed to object to a tale passing the limits of a volume. They like to have it finished off, and be free to begin a fresh serial, and thus the story always shows symptoms of winding up in November, and we are sure the hero and heroine will be married or defunct in December. Well if they are allowed to finish their career with proper honours! How many stories have I read where the beginning was full of pleasant details, but the latter end was evidently squeezed together and cut down, so as to lose all proportion and become a spoilt per- formance. This is a new fashion. Take up an old Black- wood, see “Ten Thousand a Year” runs on number after number ; or an old Cornhill, where “Phineas Finn,” “The Knight of Gwynne,” and the admirable “Lettice Lisle,” have a never wearied audience; or, again, Household Words knew and prized Mrs. Gaskell too well to part with her till death cut off the end of “Wives and Daughters.” Totus, teres atque rotundus is a good rule, but if Milton could not carve a statue out of a cherry stone it is hard for lesser geniuses, after carving the head in one proportion, to have to get the limbs into the remainder of the stone. If a fiction is to be good for anything, it must have its needful development, and not be sacrificed to a December number. Some people have a real genius for the short story, Brett Hart’s “Luck of Roaring Camp’’ or “Mademoiselle Ixe” seem to me perfect speci- mens of the style. Americans excel in them, but then they have the advantage of an immense field of country and every variety of manners and of civilisation, whereas in our old country the changes are continually rung on ghosts and detectives, and the demand creates a very mediocre style of supply. A tale of character requires space (at least if it be not a mere sketch), and it would be well to follow Anthony Trollope's habit of either publishing the whole at once, or not letting a chapter appear till the whole was complete in his portfolio. Another mischievous habit is that of hasty reviewing. When I began the world, to solicit a favourable notice would have been thought unworthy. I may truly say that I never have done so, except when a book was for some special purpose needed to be put forward. Reviews used then to be often good criticisms, really useful. Some- times they stung hard, but generally they were really improving by the faults they found. They embodied and brought home the judgment of the public of cultivated minds, and never should I have thought of trying to enlist them in my favour, or ask for their verdict. When an editor myself, I was always prejudiced (fairly or unfairly) by being asked for a friendly notice, or by having a whole bundle of cuttings from papers sent me with a MS. ; and, worse than all, it has happened to me to receive with a new book a packet of extracts from it in type, for the convenience of the reviewer P To see a whole page of opinions of the press, mostly provincial, never gives me a good impression, though this may be due more to the publisher than the author, and it is treating the subject like tea, cocoa, or soap. The multitude of publications which are all poured forth at one time, and the insistence of publishers and authors for an early notice, absolutely prevents efficient treatment in criticism. Time and space alike fail, and whether a book be bad or good, or “ower gude for banning ower good for blessing,” it has to be  ## p. 298 (#312) ############################################ 298 THE AUTHOR. skimmed over and despatched in a few lines. This is not criticism. It is mere advertisement. No guide to the author hardly, except in the higher stamp of literary journals—a guide to the reader in the selection from the circulating library. Are these simply the murmurs of an old author, laudator temporis acti, or is there any means of raising the tone and aspirations of writers P C. M. YONGE. *-- ~ 2–º s= **s-s A SHEAF OF POETS, HEY have accumulated during two months until now there is quite a little pile. Is it not a sign or proof of a reviving taste in poetry that there should be so many “bids” for poetic fame? We may take it, without meaning to give any offence, that the poets all pay for the production of their work. Would they tell us how many copies they sell? For instance, thirty years ago a certain friend of mine published at his own expense a thin volume of verse. Exactly three copies were sold. How many have been sold of the volumes before me? The best course for the Author to adopt is to let each scribe speak for himself without favour. The order in which they speak means nothing: I. The “In Memoriam ” of Italy. A Century of Sonnets from the Poems of Victoria Colonna, Marchesa de Pescara. Translator anonymous. (London: Henry Gray, Leicester-square.) AMOR, TU SAI. Thou knowest, Love I never turned my feet From thy dear prison; that I ne'er untied Thy light yoke from my neck, nor ne'er denied Thy service which at first my soul found meet ; Time shall ne'er change my faith, of old complete; Thy bond, as once I bound it, still shall bide ; Nor, for the bitter fruit thy tree doth hide, Doth my heart find the seed less pure or sweet. Now hast thou seen how in a faithful heart Thy sharpest arrow hath no skill to wound, That Death against it hath no force or power; O let at last the tie which bound it part, (Tho' sweeter aye it was than freedom found) Yet lags and lingers yet my joyful hour. II. “Sita,” and other Poems. By Mrs. Aylmer Gowing. (London: Elliot Stock.) TENNYSON. oCTOBER 6, 1892. All glorious with the mystery sublime Thy eyes shall fathom soon, Night's bosom pillows thee, O son of Time ! In splendours of the moon. Cometh thy daybreak—there shall be no night In that far heaven, Luntrod By course of quenching suns or stars, whose light Shall be the face of God. True seer, from thy heart the lamp of faith Glowed clear through storm and shine, And clothed the fearful majesty of Death In robes of grace divine. And thine the hand of might, the tender touch That makes our pulse thine own By love's enchantments, for thou hast loved much, And grief’s excess hast known. Sweet singer, by thy voice of human love And sorrow, pure and strong, Teach us to find our God, while thou, above, Art singing a new song. III. “Thoughts in a Garden.” Stevenson. (London : Elliot Stock.) AUTUMN SONG. All day the fiercest winds have blown, The leaves upon the grass are strown, Save a few stragglers, sad and lone, That fringe the boughs; The fir-tree groans, as, on the height, He feels the tempest's frenzied flight, Yet from the earth his grasp of might No wrench allows. By A. C. The flowerets, erst so bright and brave, Now in the dust have found a grave; No loving hand their life could save From ruin drear; Only the blossoms named of gold, Defiant of the rain and cold, Still form a funeral-wreath to fold O'er Nature’s bier. There is an end to Summer’s pride, To autumn with his garners wide; Now winter comes, with rapid stride, His throne to take ; Long will his fetters bind the earth, He robs the year of half its worth, While scent of flowers and woodland mirth, Our lives forsake. IV. “Wignettes.” By Aubrey St. John Mild- may. (London : Elliot Stock.) TWELFTH-NIGHT. (Reprinted by permission from the “Spectator,” January 13th, 1894.) I should like to have your dimples, Your wonderment, your nonsense, Your grave hands, and your tripping feet, Your carelessness, your conscience; I should like to know the secrets You are talking with your brother Between the mazes of the dance, As your eyes meet one another. Little maid, all eyes, and such eyes Half-lightning and half-laughter, Sugar-things I should like to eat, Aud never hunger, after : Tell me, little maid, do you believe That if you looked and looked, And turned into a tipsy-cake, The best that could be cooked, Do you think that if I swallowed you And incontinently died, That the judge would call it murder Or only suicide P  ## p. 299 (#313) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 299 Because I’ve drunk your beauty in ;- But you don’t know what that means Any more than beams, which pony loves, Can know that they are beans. Good-night, dear, dainty tipsy-cake, I’m but a selfish jade, Just whinnying to himself about The dinner he has made. And I may not, may not keep you For my sweet-meat to enjoy, God has planned you for a help-meet For some happy, happy boy. W. “Pipings.” By John Arthur Coupland. (London: John Ferries.) DREAMS. A ghost-like vapour wraps the wood, And frozen is the stream, The birds upon bare branches brood, And nothing breaks their dream. They dream of Spring, of Summer sweet, Of green and leafy bowers. I also dream : in winding-sheet Behold the murdered hours. WI. “In Leisure Time.” By William S. Mavor. (London: Elliot Stock.) TO TERPSICHORE. If Choryphaeus leading the dancing choir With steps of stately ceremonial; Or leaping Faun and Bacchanal Around thine altar cannot tire Their nimble feet; If Pyrrhic dances yield Their martial music as the crashing shield And falchion meet ; Or, if we pleasure us As eye beholds Nymphs, robed in draperies diaphanous, Whose fleecy veils their sensuous limbs surround In serpent folds, Whose lissom feet but kiss the ground ; If such affect Thee, gladly we Thus pay our festal vows, Terpsichore VII. “Scintillae Carminis.” By Percival W. H. Almy. (London: Elliot Stock.) RATE : A PASTORAL. And the bells, the bells, the tumbling bells Shall reel and peal through the livelong day; And they’ll deck the church with blooming birch, And the cherry bloom and the may, the may ; “So kiss me, Kate, and we’ll be married o' Sunday.” And you shall have rings and golden things, And satin shoes as white as milk, And coloured bows and high clock hose, And a glittering gown of silk, of silk; “So kiss me, Kate, and we’ll be married o' Sunday.” And servants shall wait on my Lady Kate, Like a maiden queen of a high degree ; And garlands rare shall bind your hair, Dragged from the mouth of the bee, the bee ; * So kiss me, Kate, and we’ll be married o' Sunday.” VIII. The “Mummer.” By Harry Gaelyn. (London : Elliott Stock.) IN A CITY. Dim grimy way In the dull drear City, Where never a ray Of God’s sun, through the livelong day Pierces the pall of the murky sky, To tell of pity And hope, to those who live and die T)ay by day, In that grimy way. Yet there, By yon crazy stair, Long years ago, Love stayed his flight. There, In the dusky light Love shook his wings and all was bright For two true souls—and they Until this day Have found that grimy way A pathway of delight. IX. “The Prophecy of Westminster.” Harriet E. H. King. (London: W. B. Whitting- ham.) This volume of verse is in honour of Cardinal Manning. THE COMFORTER, COMFORTED O Thou whose throne was set in Westminster, Among the many god-like names whereby We hold thee in our hearts, this one doth lie Nearest each thought of thee—the Comforter. What bitter pains, what manifold disgrace Hiding itself from every other face, What broken hearts, what wounds of penitents, What secret cruelties, what ghastly rents, Open have lain beneath thy pitying eye, Fled to thy bosom as to sanctuary, And felt thy holy tenderness outpoured Upon the quivering life, to hope restored X. “Religio Clerici and other Poems.” By Alfred Starkey. (London: Elliot Stock.) The principal poem in this collection is purely religious. It is difficult to quote any passage which, detached, would fully represent the powers of the poet. Here, however, are the opening lines: Last year, what time the bells of summer months Had rung their sweetest chimes, I took my way Up through the long sea-walleys, dark and stern In bouldered turf and reappearing rock Struck through the shallow soil, like hoary bones Of some vast buried age. In the slant light I saw the bramble dews gleam changeful sparks Of pearl and ruby ; and oft I stayed to watch The autumn spiders spin their floating threads, And launch their ačry voyages; or paused While on some red-leaved bough the robin, left Sole chorister of all the tuneful quire Which filled in spring, the chancel of the year With soft and grateful song, now piped a faint And faltering dirge o'er bright days dead or dying, Mingling its matin notes with vesper falls Of melancholy minors, like a sigh From Nature’s sabbath heart.  ## p. 300 (#314) ############################################ 3OO THE AUTHOR. XI. The “ Divine Surrender.” By William Wullan. (London: Elliot Stock.) This is a “Mystery Play” treating of the Crucifixion. It is impossible to quote anything unless one were to take several pages. *- a -º BOOK TALK, OME time ago Mr. John Hollingshead issued a booklet of an autobiographical nature, and now he announces a complete autobiography in two volumes for the coming publishing season. His acquaintance with literary and theatrical celebrities has been, of course, very large. A very curious and significant fact is announced from America, that the library of the late Oliver Wendell Holmes has been valued at only £160. A new connection between the Press and the publishers is to be inaugurated this spring by the appearance of the “ Pall Mall Magazine Library,” which Messrs. Sampson Low and Co. will issue. “The Decline and Fall of Napoleon,” by Lord Wolseley; and “The Rise of Wellington,” by Lord Roberts, will be the first two volumes. The editors of the Magazine will contribute an introduction. The price of the series is to be 3s. 6d. The work upon which the late Sir John Seeley was engaged when he died was “The Growth of British Policy,” and it is being edited by Pro- fessor Prothero for the Cambridge University Press, in two volumes. It seems a pity that this could not have been included in the uniform edition of Sir John Seeley's works, of which Messrs. Macmillan will issue “The Expansion of England” on May 3, and “Ecce Homo,” “Natural Religion,” and “Lectures and Essays” at monthly intervals. Mr. George Allen, who began as a publisher of Ruskin, is extending his list in many direc- tions, and “Ruskin House” is more of a com- pliment than a description. His edition of Spenser’s “Faerie Queen,” edited by Mr. Wise, and illustrated by Mr. Walter Crane, has reached its fifth part, and he announces “The Gurneys of Earlham,” in three volumes, by Mr. Augustus J. C. Hare, profusely illustrated. The work is the memoirs and correspondence of the eleven children of John and Catherine Gurney, 1775- 1875. The most important work of travel in the autumn season will probably be Captain Young- husband's account of his famous journeys in India and the far East. The title has not yet been finally settled, as it is difficult to get one which describes the whole field, but it will pro- bably be “The Heart of a Continent; being the Narrative of Travel from 1886-1894 in Man- churia, Mongolia, Chinese Turkestan, the Pamirs, and the Hindu-Kush.” Mr. McCormick, who illustrated Mr. Conway’s “Himalayas,” will also be the illustrator of this work. Mr. Murray is the publisher. A short time before his death Professor Blackie collected together materials for his biography, and this will be published in the autumn by Messrs. Blackwood and Co. It is written by Miss Stoddart. In Messrs. Putnam’s Sons’ “ Heroes of the Nations” series, Mrs. Oliphant will write on “Joan of Arc; ” Mr. Oman, of All Souls, Oxford, on “Marlborough and England as a Military Power; ” and Professor Burr, of Cornell, on “Charlemagne as the Reorganiser of Europe.” Mr. Leslie Stephen’s “Ethical Discourses” will shortly be published by Messrs. Sonnenschein who also announce twelve interesting volumes of their new “Social England” series. Mr. Baldwin Brown will write on “The History of the Fine Arts in England; ” Mr. Cornish, Vice-Provost of Eton, on “Chivalry;” Professor Winogradoff on “The English Manor;” Mr. Henry Balfour on “The Evolution of Household Implements; ” Mr. Inderwick, Q.C., on “The King's Peace, a His- torical Sketch of the English Law Courts; ” Mr. S. O. Addy, on “The Evolution of the English House; ” Professor Cunningham on “The Influence of Alien Immigration on Social Life; ” Alice Law on “Guilds, and the Rise of the Mer- chant Class; ” and Mr. G. C. Chisholm, on “ The Influence of Geography and Travel on Social Life.” The Westminster Gazette has published, on the authority of Messrs. Chapman and Hall, the interesting fact that, since 1872, of the People's Edition of Carlyle’s “Sartor Resartus” 89,000 copies have been sold, and of “ Heroes and Hero Worship,” IoS,000. All who have read and delighted in Mr. Nisbet Bain’s translations of “ Hans Andersen’s Fairy Stories”—and who has not both read them and delighted in them P-will look forward greatly to his Life of Andersen, which will be published by Messrs. Lawrence and Bullen in the spring. The Ealing Free Library has transferred “The Manxman " to the reference department, where only adults can procure it ; the chairman of the committee, the Rev. J. S. Hilliard, describing it as “a most indecent book.” No announcement has yet been made on the subject, but it may be taken for granted that in  ## p. 301 (#315) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3O I the autumn we shall have a striking account from the pen of Slatin Pasha on his eleven years' captivity in the Mahdi's camp. It will be remembered that Father Ohrwalder, who was rescued in a similar manner through the instru- mentality of Major Wingate, R.A., in 1892, published in that year a very interesting book. Mr. Blackmore has written a series of tales in verse, to be published under the title of “Fringalla,” by Mr. Elkin Matthews in the spring. The same publisher announces Professor Corbin’s Harvard prize essay on “The Elizabethan Hamlet,” with a prefatory note by Professor York Powell. The idea of the essay is that nowadays we have lost sight of a comic element in “Hamlet” which was present to Elizabethan audiences. A book awaited with eagerness by soldiers and historians is General Sir Daniel Lyson’s “The Crimean War from First to Last.” It is said to be full of facts and stories that have never been published before, and the author is credited with being one of the few officers who never left the camp of the First Division for a single day from the outbreak of hostilities to their conclusion. Sir Daniel is now eighty-one. A book by Baron Rothschild on his trip to Cape Town and on South Africa generally is nearly ready. No doubt it will appear in an appropriately gorgeous form. The publishers are Messrs. Longmans. The tenth edition of Erichsen’s magnum opus “The Science and Art of Surgery,” in two volumes, with a thousand engravings, is also announced by the same publishers. The Figaro has published a series of very interesting extracts from M. Clemenceau’s book entitled “La Mélée Sociale.” This appears to be a very pessimistic view of human activities. No doubt an English translation will soon be announced. Perhaps the indefatigable Mr. Sherard already has it in hand. The preliminary announcements of Mr. Henry Dyer’s volume on “The Evolution of Industry,” promise a very opportune and needed work. He regards his subject from both social and political standpoints, and discusses such timely topics as the position of women, Municipal control, State control, and, of course, industrial training. Messrs. Macmillan are the publishers. The new editor of the Daily Chronicle, in succession to Mr. A. E. Fletcher resigned, is Mr. H. W. Massingham, who has for a considerable period acted as assistant-editor and political director, as well as writing the brilliant daily sketch of House and Lobby. The new editor of the Morning Post, in succession to Mr. A. K. Moore, deceased, is Mr. Locker, son of Mr. Arthur Locker, for many years editor of the Graphic, and nephew of Frederick Locker- Lampson, the poet. The first edition of IOOO copies of Mr. Henry Norman’s book on “The Peoples and Politics of the Far East ’’ was sold out, the publisher announces, within the first week of publication, and a second edition is now ready. During the month Mr. Norman has been appointed assistant- editor of the Daily Chronicle, of which paper he has for some time had charge of the literary department. “The Cyclopædia of Names,” published by the Century Magazine, and by Mr. Fisher Unwin in this country—certainly one of the most useful books of reference that has ever seen the light— is to be issued in monthly half-guinea parts. Journalists, and people who have occasion to make researches, have for several years past greatly valued the “Index to Periodicals,” which has been issued yearly from the Review of Rezniews office. Mr. Stead has now commenced the issue of his “Index to Periodicals" monthly, at Id. The index shows the contents of the magazines and of the Review of Reviews for the coming month, and all the books issued during the previous month, including Parliamentary publications. A week or two will see a most important and interesting work, in the shape of the biography of the late Professor Freeman, by Dr. Stephens, the Dean of Winchester. Messrs. Macmillan and Co. will publish it in two volumes. It is said that “the letters will be found to contain a more striking testimony to the range and variety of their author's studies than is afforded by any of his printed works.” Every month now brings at least one new magazine, that of March being a sixpenny monthly called The Englishwoman, edited by Miss Ella Hepworth Dixon, and published by F. W. White and Co, A new sixpenny illustrated weekly, The Hour, has also made its appearance under the editor- ship of Mr. A. N. Williamson. “The World's Own Book; or, the Treasury of à Kempis,” by Percy Fitzgerald, is announced for early publication by Mr. Elliot Stock. The work incidentally gives an account of the chief editions of the imitation, with an analysis of its methods, and is illustrated by several facsimiles of pages from MSS. and early printed editions. The publication of Miss Elizabeth Hodges's book, “Some Ancient English Homes and their Associations: Personal, Archæological, and Historic,” T. Fisher Unwin, which was arranged for the first of the month, is, owing to the  ## p. 302 (#316) ############################################ 3O2 THE AUTHOR. ravages of influenza among the printers, post- poned until after Easter. The book, which is well illustrated, gives descriptive histories of some interesting but little known Warwickshire and Gloucestershire “Homes” and their various inmates, from Saxon times onward. Mr. Egerton Castle's new novel, called “The Light of Scarthey,” will appear serially in the Times (weekly edition) before coming out in one vol. form. It will begin on the 19th of April, and will run about six months. It will then be pub- lished by Messrs. Osgood, McIlvaine, and Co. “To-Day's Christ : A Study in Re-Incarna- tion,” by Dr. Joseph Parker, of the City Temple, is now ready. The publishers are James Nisbet and Co., 2 I, Berners-street, W. Mr. Reynolds Ball has been appointed travel editor of the Road, and will take charge of the new “Travel and Tour Department,” which begins in this month’s number. One of the most interesting features will be an exhaustive review of a recent popular travel work under the heading “The Book of Travel of the Month.” Mr. Douglas Sladen’s “On the Cars and Off” will be the subject of the April review. We are sorry to record the death of the lady who wrote under the nom de plume of “E. Chilton.” She wrote, in truth, very little, and probably many of our readers never heard of her. But she possessed a singularly pure and clear style, and a certain amount of humour, which made her work attractive. Perhaps she would have done very much better had she been spared. There seems to be no harm in mentioning that her real name was Mrs. Chilton Brock. A scholarly and instructive little book, called “Books Fatal to their Authors” (Elliott Stock), has been sent to me. In style and in matter the book reminds one of Disraeli’s books about literature and authors. Book lovers will make a note about it. The author, in a second edition, will do well to correct a misstatement. The editor of this paper has nowhere said that publishers now “incur no financial risk.” He has never said anything so foolish. What he has said, over and over again, is a very different thing: That in these days few publishers take risk, in the old sense of the word. They have found out the safer plan, viz., where there is risk to make the author take that risk. The richer houses sometimes publish books where returns are doubtful—there are often special reasons why even a certain loss is advisable; they sometimes start magazines; they sometimes lock up money in costly ventures; but the great majority, the smaller houses, seldom, if they can help it, run any risk at all in the publication of books. “Meditations in Motley,” by Walter Black- burne Harte, is a collection of essays by an American writer, published by the “Arena Com- pany, Boston.” It is a handy little volume, and contains many good things. Among others there is a revelation of the conditions of criticism in in America, which ought to reconcile us to our own country. “The Friend of Sir Philip Sidney’’ (London: |Elliot Stock,) is a selection from the works in verse and prose of Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke. The selection is made by Alexander B. Grosart. A mºst curious and interesting little volume. The “Divine Problem of Man,” by Mariquita, Wiscountess de Panama (London: The Roxburghe Press) is a religions book which may be com- mended to those who read works of religious speculation. “Silvia Craven” (London : Elliot Stock), by M. Gordon Holmes, is a six-shilling novel. It is rather long for these days of quick reading. The tone of the book is maintained throughout at a high level. “Some of our English Poets.” By the Rev. Canon Bell, D.D. (London : Elliot Stock.) The poets treated are Gray, Goldsmith, Cowper, Scott, Coleridge and Wordsworth. There is always something new to say about a great writer. Canon Bell has found enough to make a charming volume of pleasant criticism. “Cardinal Manning,” a character sketch, by Harriet Clemence Hamilton King. (Dondon: Whittingham and Co.) This little work is written in uncritical admiration of the late Cardinal. It consists largely of extracts from his sermons. Mr. Arthur Dillon, with Mr. William Page, is forming a syndicate in order to revive Shake- speare's comedy of “Twelfth Night, or What You Will,” to be played after the 16th, or early 17th manner. Mr. Dillon says, “Our principle is that every playwright shows to fairest advantage in that form of stage for which. he designed his plays. This is especially true of Shakespeare, who wrote with such technical knowledge of the stage of his day.” “The Silent Room,” by Mrs. Harcourt Roe, has been published by Messrs. Skeffington and Co. in Is. form. Annabel Gray has transferred her works, “The Ghosts of the Guard-room" and “A Spanish Singer,” to Messrs. C. Turner and Co., 30 and 32, Ludgate-hill, who will continue the series. “Llanako: a Welsh Idyll,” is the title of a new novel just issued by Messrs. Gay and Bird. The author is Mrs. Fred Reynolds.  ## p. 303 (#317) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3O3 Mr. Frank Barrett's new story, “A Set of Rogues,” will appear serially this summer in a number of provincial weeklies. The arrange- ments are in the hands of the Authors' Syndicate. Mr. Richard Pryce's new story, “The Burden of a Woman,” will be published almost imme- diately by Messrs. A. D. Innes and Co. The arrangements have been concluded by the Authors' Syndicate. Mrs. Paul King, author of “Cousin Cinderella,” is about to produce a novel in three volumes, called “Lord Goltho, an Apostle of Whiteness.” The publishers are Messrs. Hutchinson and Co. Many of our older members will be pleased to hear that Mr. James Stanley Little was on the 23rd ult. married to Miss F. Maud Thérèse Lablache. There is always a certain diffidence in speaking of Pierre Plowman and other writings of that age. One ought to be able to read English of that period; it is English, only a little more archaic than Spenser. Yet, as a matter of fact, the reading is so troublesome, reference to notes or a glossary is so frequent, that, except in one's student days, Langland is practically never read at all. It is time to sweep away the convention that we all understand fourteenth-century English; and this, it is to be hoped, will be assisted by Miss Rate Warren’s “Translation Vision ” (Fisher Unwin, 1895). The Translation is close and literal, yet preserves the spirit of the original. A few notes are added; there is an appendix, and there is an introduction. Such a little book does more to make us understand the fourteenth century than half a dozen learned volumes with annotations and glossaries. We must have the learned volumes; but for them we could not become students in Old or Middle English. We hope that Miss Warren will con- tinue her task of making things plain and popular. * - - --" - w - CORRESPONDENCE, I.—“RUSTIC READING '': A REPLY. ET me assure my critic “C. M. Y.” that my article on this subject did not deal “with what was the case thirty or forty years ago,” an epoch with which I had no personal acquaintance. Every word of it was the result of my own observation and experience as a country clergyman, nor have I any reason to suppose that the condition of this parish in matters literary is in any way exceptional. ; “The writer,” says his critic, cannot really know John Bunyan's great classic if he thinks it of Langland’s. likely to terrify children into the way of virtue.” But it was to the alarming illustrations of certain editions, and not to the text, that I took exception, John Bunyan is not to be held responsible for the vagaries of his illustrators - Then I am told that I am not familiar with parish magazines. Alas ! this is far from being the case, and I can only repeat that hardly any of them contain writing worthy the name of literature. The one exception that I know is Mr. J. G., Adderley's Goodwill, but in this, unfortunately, there is a strong tinge of socialism. Lastly. “The nickname Hodge is one that greatly displeases both the peasant and all that are interested in him.” Dear me, what could I have been thinking of to use it in this gloriously democratic age I hope that Thomas Hodge, Esquire, Parish Councillor, will forgive my forget- fulness. THE WRITER OF THE PAPER. II.—EDITORs' RULEs. “R. L. T.” has mistaken my suggestion, and I fear if we authors combined to frame a set of rules, regulating the terms for the reception of our MSS., the only result would be a swift and speedy return of our productions by the indignant editors. My idea was that they should draw up a new act of uniformity, out of the kindness of their hearts, in order that the weary writers should know how long to wait for rejection or acceptance, and cheques. The vulgar tradesman does not give unlimited credit ; why then should the distinguished, or insignificant, author P S. B. III.--WoRD's For SoNGs. In Mr. R. H. Sherard's February “Letter from Paris,” he says: “Only the very best writers of words for songs in England can hope for as much as four, or at the outside five, guineas for their words, whilst the average price paid to the poet is, I believe, 5s.” Speaking from my own experience, the average price is two guineas for words worth setting, and I have never once been offered words at anything like as low as 5s., nor for the words of my songs have my publishers, who have uniformly and courteously given the price asked. The poet then, unlike composer and publisher, has no further risk. - Touching upon the half royalty system in France ; if a poet took half the royalties of a song in England, it would hardly be an equal divi- sion P The writer of the music has only that one form of publishing to profit by, whereas the poet only  ## p. 304 (#318) ############################################ 3O4. THE AUTHO/?. sells the musical copyright of his poem, and can publish it in book form without restriction. In cases where musical copyright is not wished to be disposed of, the poet frequently grants his very kind permission to set the same words many times, thereby popularising his work, or he can request special terms. With all appreciation of Mr. Sherard’s sugges- tions and with every respect for the unspeakable help of poetry, the labours and risks of music are so great that the benefit of the minor poet seems to me best insured in the position he occupies at present. MARY AUGUSTA SALMOND. IV.-MUSICAL PUBLISHING. In reading the valuable remarks upon this subject in the Author for March, I so thoroughly agree that “the iniquity of seven copies as six’’ should be challenged. Why should not thirteen copies count as twelve, as in the booksellers’ trade P If musical works are properly stored, this should amply allow for loss to publishers in soiled or spoilt copies. Regarding charges for the performing rights of composers in oratorios, cantatas, and operas, the remarks are just, but I would refer the writer to 45 & 46 Vict. c. 40, ss. I and 2, which is quoted on page 62 of that admirable little handbook, “The Law of Musical and Dramatic Copyright,” by Ed. Cutler, T. E. Smith, and F. E. Weatherley. In the case of songs it would seem impolitic if not imposible to charge. It must always be remembered how small a public music has compared with that which literature and the drama possess. In some songs, such as “The Lost Chord” and “The Better Land,” it would appear im- portant to have mentioned in royalty agreement if the publisher “shall be entitled to arrange and use the melody in any separate musical composition ” with or without any further payment P - It is for the greatest composers to begin to insist upon more equitable terms. Lesser writers would only have their work refused for that of others. M. S. W.—THE GENERAL MEETING. I was unfortunately unable to attend the general meeting on the 25th, otherwise, though only a very humble member, I should have felt it my duty to protest against Mr. Stuart- Glennie's strictures. I have belonged to the Society for nearly ten years, and whenever I have had occasion to resort to its services, have been invariably im- pressed by the admirable manner in which the business has been conducted. In fact, so far as my experience is concerned, its attributes may be summed up in these three words, “Capability, Celerity, Courtesy,” and there are, I am sure, very few members who would not render a similar testimony. WILLIAM TOYNBEE. WI.—PARALLELISM. On Nov. 16, 1892, I awoke from sleep with the idea of the following sonnet, and with the final line shaped almost exactly as it stands, present in my mind—whether as carried out of a dream or as forged in some mental process exactly synchronous with the recovery of consciousness I am quite unable to determine. The idea took possession of me, though at first I recoiled from the grotesquerie of the gnat, feeling that in the retention, at all events, of the word, the solemnity of the whole conception would be risked. That same morning I composed the sonnet (the first I ever wrote) in one draft, altering the last line to “The cry of a hurt bird doth reach me here "; but in a third copy restoring the ant, in the deliberate conviction that the grotesquerie was only skin-deep, and that the thoughtful reader would justify my decision. Besides, I felt a sort of scrupulousness in tampering with the gift of a dream. Two or three days ago I saw an advertisement of a new book or pamphlet by my friend Mr. Coulson Kernahan. The title is as follows: “God and the Ant: A Dream of the Last Day.” On the face of it, the motif of that, one would say, is almost identical with the motif of my Plagiarism, conscious or unconscious, is out of the question. - I fancy that the parallelism is remarkable enough to deserve record. Besides having seemingly been first in ink, I should like to be first in print. 'Atrokatóorraorus IIdivrov. Lo, the great day that sees God's purpose wrought ! Time in His lap doth lie, a woven skin, Sin is His awful aureole, and pain On His forefinger shines, a pearl sum-caught. Yea, the great day, the end of all God’s thought: The stars roll anthems, all the airy main Washes bright rapture, mingled with the strain Of human cycles to the vintage brought. Creation praises. Lo, God lifts His hand, Spreading mild lightning on from sphere to sphere : The tide of triumphs stops; the planets stand ; Yea, the worlds hearken, as high God speaks clear: “Broken is all the harmony I plann’d :— There is a gnat whose voice I do not hear.” FREDERICK LANGBRIDGE. 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. 05 Issue 11 (April 1895) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 11 (April 1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-04-01-The-Author-5-11 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/276/1895-05-01-The-Author-5-12.pdf bea2b3650ca7e26dcf90ad3fc01e278f PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895-05-01 Volume 5 Issue 12 Pages Page range in volume 305–332 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18950501 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CON DUCTIED BY WALTER BES ANT. VoI. W.-No. 12.] MAY 1, 1895. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eaſpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. *-*. --> * = - HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances show.ld be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *-* -º a- - - WARNINGS AND ADWICE. I. RAWING THE AGREEMENT.-It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP You R AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea'pense to themselves eacept the cost of the stamp. - WOL. W. 4. ASCERTAIN WHAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES To BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.—Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom yow appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. COST OF PRODUCTION.--Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. IO. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a MS. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. I3. ADVERTISEMENTS. —- Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. 14. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, charity, or pure love of literature. You have to do with business men. Be yourself a business man. Society's Offices :— 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. * -- ~ *-* HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY, I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub. lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice F F 2  ## p. 306 (#320) ############################################ 306 THE AUTHOR. sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society's solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively so far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. - 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. 9. The committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers:—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. > º: THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, TEMBERS are informed: I. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it submits MSS. to publishers and editors, concludes agree- ments, examines, passes, and collects accounts, and, gene- rally, relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. - 2. That the terms upon which its services can be secured will be forwarded upon detailed application. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works only for those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiations whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed eaclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least two days' notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage. 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite. MSS. without previous correspondence ; does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice; and that in all cases MSS. must be accompanied by stamps to defray postage. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department’’ for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted '' is open. Members are invited to communicate their requirements to the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. NOTICES. HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Author complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker's order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. º Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble  ## p. 307 (#321) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3O7 of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £948. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder's, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-*. --> sº- ºr -ºss LITERARY PROPERTY. I.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. Ottawa, April 14. HE collection by Customs officials of the 12% per cent. author's royalty on reprints of British copyright works brought into Canada will not cease until the present Parlia- ment is dissolved. The view is now held by departmental experts that, until England consents to a Canadian copyright law, the royalty must be collected, as an Imperial statute cannot be over- ridden by a mere Canadian enactment.—Times, April 15, 1895. In the House of Commons at Ottawa yesterday, the Hon. G. E. Foster, Minister of Finance, announced that at the request of the Imperial Government a Canadian representative would be sent to England to discuss the copyright question personally with the Imperial authorities for the purpose of coming to an understanding. In the meantime the proclamation of the Canadian Copyright Act of 1889 would be withheld.— Times, April 23, 1895. II.—THE CANADIAN CASE. “Certain erroneous statements,” it is stated, “having been circulated with regard to the Canadian Copyright Act of 1889, it has been deemed advisable by the Copyright Association of Canada to issue the following statement:” The Canadian Copyright Act of 1889 was unanimously passed by the Parliament of Canada, and assented to by the Governor- General. - The Act was to come into operation on pro- clamation of the Governor-General. The Governor-General has not yet proclaimed the Act. The Canadian Government contend that they have the right to legislate fully on copyright, it being one of the classes of subjects intrusted to º Parliament of Canada by the B.N.A. Act of 1867. The following are among the reasons why the Act should be proclaimed: A Copyright analogous to a Patent. A copyright is analogous to a patent. Canadian Copyright Act is analogous to the Canadian Patent Act. The Patent Act requires manufacture in Canada. The Imperial Government did not disallow the Patent Act. The Imperial Government would not propose that a United States patentee, on securing the British patent, should thereby secure the Canadian patent. Why should the Imperial Government assure the United States author, that on securing copyright in Great Britain, he thereby secures copyright in Canada? Canada exclusively legislates as to the terms on which patents may be secured in Canada. Canada should be permitted to exercise the same powers as to the terms on which copyrights may be secured in Canada. The Canadian Market must not be sold. The United States publisher when buying from a British author the copyright for the United States, stipulates that Canada shall be included. Canadians resent this sale of their market, and persist in their claim to adopt such legislation as will put a stop thereto. Canadian Reprints cannot flood other Markets. The fear that Canadian publishers would flood the British and United States markets with cheap editions, is utterly unfounded, as the Copyright Acts of those countries prohibit the importation and sale of unauthorised editions, and impose a heavy penalty for violation of the law. Canadian publishers, therefore, could not flood either market with cheap editions. It has happened that orders for books sent to London have been returned with “cannot supply.” marked thereon, thus forcing Canadians to buy those books from the United States publishers. On the other hand, the British publisher prints a cheap edition of a work by a United States author. This cheap edition is exported to Canada. An illustration on this point is furnished in the case of F. Marion Crawford's book, “The Ralstons.” This book was published in the United States at 2 dollars. It was published simultaneously in Great Britain at 12s. But the British publishers printed a cheap Colonial edition which sold in Canada for 75 cents. This cheap  ## p. 308 (#322) ############################################ 308 THE AUTHOR. edition was on sale in Canada within a day or two after the publication of the United States 2 dollar edition. Here, then, is a British publisher issuing a cheap paper edition for sale in Canada—when one of the main objections of the opponents of the Canadian Act, which is made to do duty on every occasion, is that the Canadian publisher will issue cheap paper editions which will flood the United States market in competition with the more expensive United States editions ! . It must be distinctly understood, however, that this cheap paper edition, which is sold in Canada, does not flood the United States market, for the very excellent reason, already stated, that the United States Copyright Act prohibits its importation or sale in the United States. Imports allowed from Britain. The Canadian Act permits the importation of British editions of works, whether copyrighted here or published under the royalty clause of the Act; but excludes foreign editions. No Piracy in Canadian Act. Should the author (be he British or American) neglect to secure copyright in Great Britain, any publisher may reprint the work there without paying the author. Should the author neglect to secure copyright in the United States, any publisher may reprint the work there without paying the author. Should the author neglect to secure copyright in Canada, no Canadian publisher could reprint the work in Canada without paying the author Io per cent. royalty. It is therefore clearly seen that while the British and United States Acts permit the piracy of authors’ works, the Canadian Act does not. The Royalty Clause. The introduction of the royalty clause in the Canadian Act was not original with the promoters thereof. The idea was suggested by the Foreign Reprints Act, passed by the Imperial Parliament, which allows a United States publisher, or other foreign publisher, who has printed a copyright book without permission, to supply the Canadian market on payment of a royalty of I2; per cent. collected on the wholesale price of the book, which royalty goes to the British copyright owner. It was but natural for the Canadian to desire to be placed on an equal footing with the foreign publisher so far as his own market was concerned. Therefore a royalty of Io per cent. on the retail price of the book was suggested. Furthermore, many difficulties have been encountered in collecting the royalty on imports, it being almost impossible to keep a complete and accurate list at every Custom House, and to check every invoice therefrom. The collection of the royalty on reprints, on the other hand, is provided for by the Canadian Law in a perfectly safe manner, as the Inland Revenue Department is to stamp the title page of each copy of every book issued, and before this is done the royalty must be paid to the Government to the credit of the author. As a matter of fact, then, the author will exchange his royalty of I2; per cent. on imports, which is uncertain of collection, for a royalty on reprints of Io per cent. on the retail price, which is certain of collection. Geographical Position. In considering this question, the geographical position of Canada, side by side with the United States, ought not to be overlooked. This fact makes Canada's position very different indeed from that of any other British colony. Advantages given to Authors. Compare the United States Copyright Act, now in operation, with the Canadian Copyright Act, and it will be seen that many advantages are given to authors by the latter. To secure copyright in the United States, the British author must print his book there from type set within the limits of the United States, or from plates made from type set within the limits of the United States. The Canadian Act provides for no such restriction, but allows both British and United States authors to set the type in Canada, or print from plates, as they may think best. In anticipation of the Canadian Act coming into force, the Canadian Government passed a special enactment allowing plates for books to be imported into Canada free of duty. This concession was made, thinking that it would be appreciated, but those opposing the Act seem determined to ignore the concession. Yet the concession is there, and it proves that Canada. grants British authors copyright in Canada, on far more liberal terms than they can secure copy- right in the United States; and that Canada. grants United States authors copyright in Canada on far easier terms than Canadians are granted copyright in the United States. Injustice to important Canadian Interests. Canada has not only lost the printing of works by foreign authors, but is fast losing the printing of works by Canadian authors, not because the books can be printed cheaper or better abroad, but because they have to be manufactured in the |United States in order to secure copyright there. When that is done, there is no necessity for issu- ing a Canadian edition, as the Canadian market can be supplied by the United States edition.  ## p. 309 (#323) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3O9 Reading Public inconvenienced. Under the present law, the Canadian readin public are ignored, and the works of both British and United States authors must be imported into Canada, and, moreover, these editions are, in many cases, published at such prices as to put them beyond the reach of the great majority of Canadian readers. British authors are now able to secure copy- right in the United States, and United States authors are now able to secure copyright in Great Britain (which covers Canada). Therefore the copyright owners now refuse to print in Canada. They supply this market with editions printed either in the United States or Great Britain. This is considered a great injury to the printing, paper, and allied industries in Canada. It is, moreover, a source of trouble and annoyance to the people of Canada, as the British market is so far away that, after the supply on hand of a book is exhausted, some weeks must elapse before a new supply can be procured. Objections refuted. A circular, containing objections to the Canadian Act, has been recently issued in England. These objections should not prevail. The circular states that Canada has asked the British Government to sanction arrangements to take copyright in Canada away from all British authors except such as are Canadians. Such is not the case. Canada does not propose to take away copyright in Canada from British authors. The British author and the United States author may, under the Canadian Act, secure copyright in Canada on exactly the same terms as the Canadian author. It is objected that the Canadian Act will injure the value of the British edition, because the Canadian edition could be imported into the United Kingdom and the other colonies, and compete with it. But from the report of Lord Knutsford’s Copyright Commission of 1892, it appears that, at the instance of the British copy- right owners, the law of Great Britain was framed so that the importation of Canadian reprints of British works into Great Britain is prohibited. It is objected that the Canadian Act is at variance with the Free Trade principles of the United Kingdom. That may be. The Canadian Tariff Act is also avowedly at variance with the Free Trade principles of the United Kingdom— yet the British Government would not propose to interfere with it. It is objected that the Canadian Act will destroy the British author's present means of securing copyright in the United States of America. That is only an opinion. Are not the British publishers themselves alone responsible for the agitation against allowing British authors to hold copyright in the United States ? The action of the British Music Publishers’ Associa- tion in contesting what is known as the “manu- facturing ” clause in the United States Act, has done British authors incalculable harm in the United States; and if the British music pub- lishers will not accept that manufacturing clause (as British book publishers have very wisely done), British authors may yet find themselves deprived of the benefit of copyright in the United States. As to the Berne Convention, it should be under- stood that the Canadian Parliament never adopted or agreed to the Berne Convention. On the con- trary, the Canadian Parliament has twice asked that notice be given of Canada's desire that the Convention be denounced. Most of the other objections are based on the supposition that the author loses control over his work under the Canadian Act. Nothing could be further from the fact, since, by complying with the terms of the Act, authors and copyright owners retain entire control of their works and may suppress old editions, or issue new ones as desired. Canadians stand by the Act of 1867. Canadians insist on the full right of the Parlia- ment of Canada to pass and enact legislation on copyright as desired from time to time; the same as they enjoy on the other subjects intrusted to that Parliament under the B.N.A. Act of 1867. The right of the Parliament of Canada to enact and enforce its own copyright legislation has been indorsed by the unanimous vote of the Parliament and Senate of Canada; by the News- paper Press of Canada; by the Board of Trade of the City of Toronto, and other cities; by the Employing Printers of Canada; by the Typo- graphical Unions and Printing Pressmen's Unions; by the Trades and Labour Councils (comprising representatives from the various trades), by the Booksellers’ and Paper Makers’ Association, and by many others. The above reasons, amongst others, for the enforcement of the Copyright Act of 1889, were laid before Sir Mackenzie Bowell, the Premier of the Dominion of Canada, and Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper, the Minister of Justice, by an influential deputation of the Copyright Association of Canada, at Toronto, in February, 1895. Signed on behalf of the Copyright Association of Canada, J. Ross ROBERTSON, President. DAN. A. RosB, Vice-President. RICHARD T. LANCEFIELD, Hon. Secretary.  ## p. 310 (#324) ############################################ 3 IO THE AUTHOR. - III.--THE OTHER SIDE. Hitherto we have had only expressions of opinion from publishers, and politicians in the hunt for votes, and the vital point at issue has been completely ignored. It is not a question whether a wrong has been done to Canada by not allowing her to legislate as to copyright, nor whether United States publishers are to be allowed to flood the Canadian market with British authors’ works printed in the United States, but the crucial question is whether the authors, engravers, printers, sculptors, and photo- graphers of the country are to be deprived of the vast benefits of the Berne Convention at the bidding of a few clamorous publishers. When a cause is bad, false issues are always raised. It does not matter one iota to the public where the books are printed and bound, provided they are cheap and good, and it must be conceded that we can get a cheaper and better class of work from Europe and the United States. Last year I had the privilege of paying Canadian publishers about 1100 dollars for a limited issue of a work on the Patent law of Canada, some of which have been sold in European countries as well as in the United States, and my attention has been drawn to copyright matters, both as a lawyer and in my daily practice as a solicitor of patents, and my firm is even now procuring Canadian and European copyrights for a client for a work of universal interest ; so I claim to be better posted generally than the public, who are ignorant of the rights which are being thrown away to obtain this mongrel Act of 1889, by the passing of which our membership in the Berne Convention is severed, and our privileges destroyed. By simply obtaining a Canadian copyright, the protection of the courts, without further registration, is obtained throughout the United Kingdom and all its colonies and posses- sions, also in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and other places. In the recent case of “ Harfstaengel v. Baines and Co. (1895), I. A. C., p. 20, “The Empire Theatre Living Picture Case,” the right of suit in British courts was conceded to a German copyrighter, although no registration had taken place under the British Copyright Act. The only condition precedent to obtaining copyright in the foregoing countries is that the formalities prescribed by law in the “country of origin” must be complied with. Ten years are allowed within which translation may be made, and authorised translations are protected the same as original works. By the British Act of 1842, copyright was obtainable covering all the colonies, &c., provided the work was first (or simultaneously) published in the United Kingdom, and it was immaterial whether it was printed in the United King- dom or whether it was written by a British subject or not. This has ever since been the policy of British statesmen, who aimed at the benefit of the masses and the encourage- ment of art and literature in the country; printers and publishers could not dictate the policy of the Government to suit themselves, as unfortunately has been the case both in the TInited States and Canada. Why should Canada at the bidding of publishers, printers, and a portion of a noisy press pursue a policy of isolation and make this country take a step backward of fifty years towards the Dark Ages to pander to a few who will never benefit much by the Act of 1889, if it ever should become law P. There have been International Copyright Acts in the United Kingdom—1844, 1852, 1875—with the principal countries of Europe; the Berne Convention was merely an enlargement and consolidation of these Acts. No literary man or artist who understands the matter and the privileges which are being thrown away has asked to have the foolish Act of 1889 become law; indeed it would be folly to suppose so. Canada and the United States are both far behind Europe in art, science, and literature; reputation and progress among the nations of the world do not count when the almighty dollar steps in. The United States, however, have separate international treaties with all the foreign countries named of the Berne Convention (except Spain and Luxembourg), and also with Denmark and Portugal, which are not members, while poor Canada with suicidal folly will by the passing of the Act of 1889 be completely isolated, and will not retain even the reciprocal advantages granted us by the Imperial Act of 1886. The Act of 1889 imposes impossible conditions on British authors, whose property is to be taken without their leave, and, besides that, is so badly drawn as to embody several glaring mistakes, so that lawyers will be able to drive the traditional coach and four through it in the usual manner. On a future occasion I may take this up. The official returns from the ad valorem duty of 12% per cent. on reprints of British works hitherto collected in the Camadian Customs since December, 1850, for British authors, and now happily ended, show what a farce the collection has been, and will arouse grave doubts whether much of the beggarly IO per cent, royalty provided for in the Agt of 1889 would find its way to the pockets of the British author.— Yours, &c., John G. RIDOUT. Toronto, April 4. Toronto Mail and Earpress, April 6.  ## p. 311 (#325) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3 II IV.--THE “IIVING PICTUREs '’ LITIGATION. The following summary of this case was pub- lished (Friday, April 26th) by the Westminster Gazette : “What happened was this : the Empire Theatre, starting what has since become a very popular form of “show,” produced some living groups on the stage. These groups were arranged after some pictures by foreign artists, the copyright of which belonged to the fine art publisher, Herr Hanfstaengl. In due course of business, the Daily Graphic and the Westminster Budget published outline sketches, more or less rough, of the performances at the Empire. Herr Hanf- staeng1 thereupon proceeded at law for infringe- ment of copyright: 1. Against the Empire, in respect of the living groups; 2. Against the Empire, in respect of the painted backgrounds to the groups; 3. Against the Daily Graphic, in respect of its sketches of the performances at the Empire ; 4. Against the Westminster Budget, on the same ground. The fate of these proceedings was as follows: 1. Carried to the Court of Appeal, and dis- missed with costs; . Mr. Justice Stirling granted an injunction; the Court of Appeal overruled him, and were sustained by the House of Lords; 4. Mr. Justice Stirling, basing himself on the decision of the House of Lords, dismissed the case with costs; 2. This was the case decided on April 25th. Mr. Justice Stirling dismissed it so far as concerned most of the pictures, but decided that the back- grounds of two of them were an infringement of copyright. We need not trouble our readers with any more law than this—namely, that what the Copyright Acts forbid, as piracy, is “copies or colourable imitations of the painting [or photograph] or the design thereof.” What, therefore, the Courts have now decided in the group of cases in ques- tion is—(1) that living groups, posed after pictures, are not—apart from any question of painted backgrounds—infringements of copy- right; (2) nor are rough sketches of pictures such as are familiar to the public in the illus- trated papers.” W.—THE RETAIL PRICE. The following letter appeared in the Athenæum of April 8: Park-street, Bristol, April 1, 1895. It is, possibly, typical of the inertness of book retailers that the statement quoted in the Athenæum, March 23, as to 6s. novels “sold to the trade at 3s. 7#d.” is allowed to pass without comment. This is one of the misleading half- WOL. W. truths constantly appearing in the Awthor. Retailers would be glad to find someone who would supply them with the 6s. novels they want at 4s. There is evidently a good living going begging if the Author be correct. W. GEORGE’s SONS. As regards “misleading half-truths,” it is remarkable that those who speak about them never venture to correct them. The Author would like, above all things, to be correct. Why do not these booksellers state plainly what they have to pay ? How, then, was the sum of 38.7%d. arrived at as a fair average estimate of the general retail price of a 6s. book P. In this way. The general retail price of a 6s. book is nominally 4s. 2d. But 5 per cent. discount is allowed “for the account,” and thirteen are allowed as twelve. That works out at 3s. 7+}d. The fraction was reduced in favour of publishers from +} to #. It was thus intended to make some allowance for bad debts. The Society, in issuing these figures, was not considering the relations of booksellers to publishers, but of authors to publishers. Its first care, therefore, was not to overstate their own case. With this object it assumed that all books were bought at thirteen as twelve, which is very far from being the case, though, it must be remembered, in order to get at an average price, with some publishers the thirteen ordered are allowed to be of various books. If all the books were bought simply as single copies our royalty tables would have to be altered throughout, and authors’ royalties very much increased. We have, so far, received no complaints from pub- lishers as to the alleged understatement of the retail price. rº- + -º THE DEFERRED ROYALTY. HE proportion of proceeds that the author T should assign to the publisher can never be decided, once for all, on equitable prin- ciples, because no connection can be established between the author’s work and the publisher's. The former conceives and executes the book, bring- ing to his work all his knowledge, learning, skill, and ability. This is one kind of work. The pub- lisher performs the mechanical part: he sends the MS. to the printer, and he gives it the help of his own machinery in introducing the book to the world. This is another kind of work. The two kinds are incommensurable. Therefore some kind of recognised principle, adopted and agreed upon by all, is the nearest approach that we can expect to the settlement of the question. Thus, it has always been supposed, till lately, that a half profit system, in the case of any ordinary book, was as fair a method as could be devised. In the rare case of a very successful G. G.  ## p. 312 (#326) ############################################ 3I 2 THE AUTHOIR. work, in one certain to be in great and extra- ordinary demand, this plan would be manifestly unjust. But the half, profit system has been discredited by those publishers who falsify their accounts; for £IOO writing £I IO or £I2O : and charging for advertisements for which they have not paid. “I like the half profit system,” said Douglas Jerrold, “for there is certain to be no division with the publisher.” Discredited as it has been, it still remains in practice, especially with those persons who continue—there are not many left—to falsify their accounts. There remains, however, in the minds of authors a feeling that more than one-half of the profits ought not to be taken by the publisher; and they fondly believe that any offer made to them is based upon that principle. Nor does the publisher ever openly demand more than one-half; in certain cases he asks for no more than one-third. We have already seen in these columns what is meant by a royalty of Io, I 5, 20, or 25 per cent. Our calculations were based upon a trade price which we assumed to be general, though it was really placed somewhat too low. We shall perhaps be able to revise this table of royalties. Meantime it must be observed that it is extremely difficult for an author to get a royalty which actually corresponds to a half profit return, a fact which would by itself suggest that in many cases the accounts were falsified, and the “half profits” returned were only a fourth, or even less. We have now to consider a system which has come in of late years, and must be exposed. It is that of the deferred royalty. Under the old half profit system the publisher said, “I will stand in with you—my risk of money against your risk of time.” Under the royalty system the publisher says, “If there is any risk I take it”—of course, in most cases, there is none, or, as a man of business, he would not take it—“ and from the outset, which increases the risk, I load the book with so much royalty.” A deferred royalty at first sight seems perfectly fair. What could be fairer than that profits should be reckoned after the cost of production has been defrayed P As usual, however, the cost of production is very carefully withheld, and the mere mention of such a thing is violently resented. And, again, the publisher who flourishes his deferred royalty is extremely shy of stating what the proposal means to himself. When will authors have the courage to say: “Make me an offer showing in exact details what you propose for yourself out of my property, and what you will give me P’’ or, failing this, why do they not always bring their agreements to the Society for explanation before they sign them P Here, for instance, are a few cases of actual proposals of a deferred royalty : 1. This was the case of a very distinguished man of letters. He was asked to write a book for a certain series. Terms: Royalty of so much per cent. — a very moderate percentage — to begin after two editions of a thousand copies each had been sold. In other words, the enterprising firm calmly proposed to take for themselves the whole proceeds of two editions before they gave the author anything ! 2. This was the case of an educational book. The author was offered a little cheque down with a royalty of so much—not much—to begin after many thousands (!!) of copies had been sold. Making a very rough calculation, it looked as if the generous and noble-hearted firm was proposing to make a profit of about six or seven times what it gave the author, before the moderate royalty began. This kind of business seems to be more common in educational books than in general literature. There is no reason why there should be any difference. Some educational books are costly to produce, but a book that is once established is a mine of gold. There is, doubtless, real risk attached to the publication of some educational books, though the name of the writers of books produced by reputable firms should be a guarantee of their value. In such cases, the old half profit system was designed to meet the difficulty. Let the author, when considering any proposed agreement, simply demand an estimate in writing of the cost of production and the comparative shares of profit. If he has any doubt about the document, let him refer it to the Society; of course, it must be a detailed estimate, showing the number of sheets, the size of the page, the character of the type, the style of binding, the price of stereos, and so forth. If the firm refuse that estimate let him go elsewhere The deferred royalty proposal has a much better chance of catching the ignorant and credulous author when a small cheque down is proposed than with nothing. The author thinks that he is certain to get something. This, with the fact that his book is going to appear, reconciles him. It was a publisher with a real knowledge of human nature who first invented the little cheque on account. The offer might be miserable and grasping, but there was at least something down, and the writer's vanity was flattered by the pro- duction of his book. - 3. The next is the case of a three-volume novel. The author was to receive a royalty— quite a large and handsome royalty—after the sale of 350 copies. He was at first greatly uplifted with admiration of the princely firm  ## p. 313 (#327) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3 I 3 which had made him this magnificent offer—an admiration which suddenly vanished when he found out that no more than 350 copies had been printed and that the type had then been distri- buted. So that the generous publisher never meant him to have anything at all out of his book, and knew very well beforehand how many would be taken by the libraries. 4. The last is a case quoted in “Methods of Publishing,” in which the royalty was to begin “after the expenses are defrayed.” Nothing at all was said about any audit of accounts, and so the author was expected to take the publisher's word as to what the expenses were. The royalty system, since the Society exposed its early iniquities, has been greatly improved. Royalties are given now which would have been indignantly refused a few years ago, when ignorance of the figures enabled grasping dealers to deal with royalties as they pleased. But the deferred royalty still offers grand opportunities for grasping and greed. Now, it cannot be said that any of the cases above quoted, or any cases similar to them, are, strictly speaking, fraudulent, unless in the last case, where an opening was left for falsifying the accounts. How, then, can these cases be described P. If a man places himself in the hands of another, whom he believes to be honourable and upright; if the former, further, believes that in the manage- ment of his property he will receive a fair proportion, say half the proceeds, and if that man so trusted gets the other to sign an agree- ment by which two-thirds, or three-fourths, or five-sixths of the profits go secretly into his own pocket; if he does this, knowing ſhe other to be ignorant of the figures, how shall we describe that man P. He is, at least, one who trades on the ignorance of others, one who systematically “bests” his partners. If the royalty is to begin after the expenses are defrayed, these expenses must be laid down at the outset, and an audit of the books granted as a matter of course. This would not absolutely stop cheating, if that were attempted; but it would make it more difficult, because it would involve the assistance of accomplices. Then, as soon as the actual expenses of a whole edition are defrayed, the royalty should be 50 per cent. on the actual trade price of the book until that edition is exhausted. To repeat, it has never been argued or held that a publisher should for his share in the work be entitled to ask for more than one-half. Yet see, by the cases given above, what a monstrous share he may secretly seize by such an agreement as any one of those quoted above. WOL. W. LETTER FROM PARIS. UR young friend George Hugo, the grand- son of the poet, will in future be known as Comte George Hugo. He succeeds to the family title by the death of Comte Leopold Hugo, who was the eldest son of Victor Hugo's elder brother, Abel Hugo, the eldest son of the gallant general, Joseph Hugo, of whom M. de Ménéval, Napoleon's private secretary, writes that he was a young officer full of fire and activity, who rendered yeoman’s service to the Emperor and King Joseph in Spain, and wrote Some most interesting memoirs on the war in Spain, which were published with a preface by his eldest son, Abel. Leopold Hugo cannot be described as a literary man. He was rather a savant, with a speciality for geography, and was in high repute at the Academy of Sciences. Just before he died he asked that his little cousin, Charles Daudet, the son of Leon Daudet and Jeanne Hugo, should be brought to him. He will be much regretted by all who knew him. George Hugo, or rather Comte George Hugo, and his little son Jean are now the only representa- tives of the male branch of this distinguished family. George Hugo, by the way, is coming to London on May 6, in the company of the Daudets. Apropos of this visit, I may mention that M. de Goncourt told me on Thursday last that he did not intend to accompany his º to London. “I don’t like ovations,” he Sal Ol. Speaking of de Goncourt, one is glad to hear that next month Charpentier will publish the eighth volume of the “Journal des Goncourt,” of the strong interest of which to all those who are interested in contemporary French life, literary, social, and artistic, I have already spoken. I hear that the author has submitted the proofs to various persons of whom he has spoken in this volume, so as to avoid any such complaints about indiscretion as were made in reference to previous volumes of the same diary. Apropos of the “Journal des Goncourt,” which I may perhaps explain may be translated either as the “Goncourt's Newspaper’ or as the “Gon- court's Diary,” a barrister told me that once when defending a prisoner down in the South of France he made copious quotations from these books, with visible effect on the jury. His client was acquitted, and after the trial the foreman of the jury came to see him and asked him in the name of various members of the jury to inform them where the “Goncourt's Newspaper " was published, whether it was a daily or a weekly paper, and what were the terms for subscription. The name of the barrister who told me this is G G 2  ## p. 314 (#328) ############################################ 3I4 THE AUTHOR. Raymond Daly, himself a writer of no mean order. A volume of his short stories, to be entitled “The Gold and the Grey,” are being translated by Mr. Stewart Merrill, the American poet, and will be published in London next autumn. Admirers of Gustave Flaubert have long desired to possess an adequate life of the greatest master of prose that France has seen in this " century. One is therefore pleased to read that in a few days from now we shall possess such a book, written by M. Albert Collignon, & man well suited for the task. M. Albert Collignon was for many years editor of La Vie Littéraire, and is the author of numerous works of fiction and biography. Almost simultaneously with the Flaubert book he will publish a work on Diderot. But the Flaubert book will interest you and me the more, I think. A new French slang dictionary is in prepara- tion and will be welcomed by those who love to stray on the by-paths of philology. It is being put together by M. Dellesalle. It will be in two parts, French-Slang and Slang-French, just like any other dictionary of two languages. It should be useful to writers of realistic novels, and will save them the trouble of studying French slang in the unpleasant regions where it flourishes. I have another little anecdote about William Wordsworth which may interest those who are interested in this poet. A lady tells me that when she was a little girl—it is the same little girl who sent the epic and the half-crown to the destitute poet—she used to stay at Rydal Mount, and that William Wordsworth used to make her read aloud to him, not for his diversion, indeed, but in order to train her voice. “He used to con- stantly interrupt me to correct my enunciation whenever I raised my voice unduly, either in read- ing or speaking, and would quote Shakespeare's “sweet low voice, an excellent thing in woman’ till I conceived a strong dislike for Cordelia, which was only removed by Ellen Terry's splen- did acting of the part.” It was rather hard on a little girl, home for the holidays, to be exercised in this way—a way worthy rather of the Blimber establishment; but Wordsworth had particular views on many subjects. It is, however, quite certain that his views on hospitality were sadly traduced by Miss Martineau, who related that the poet had told her that he received so many visitors at Rydal Mount that he could not afford to entertain them all, and that he had instructed his wife to supply tea and bread and butter only to strangers, and to charge cost price for anything else in the way of refreshment. Why did Miss Martineau say this, I wonder P. It was, of course, an utter falsehood. According to M. Jules Huret, the victor in the Huret-Mendés duel, there is in preparation a “History of the Second French Empire,” with notes by the Empress Eugenie. This should be an interesting work. I often have regretted that Baron Haussmann never wrote a history of those Imperial days, and I remember suggesting to him. that he should do so. But he said that his memoirs ought to suffice, and that he would not betray the confidence which his master had put in him, even after his death, by betraying State secrets of which, by his position and owing to his friendship with Napoleon III., he had become cognisant. No man knew better what had gone on behind the scenes during that lurid period of French history than Baron Haussmann. ROBERT H. SHERARD. 123, Boulevard Magenta, Paris. * - - -* *- - -s. NEW YORK LETTER, New York, April 13. ERHAPS the most important literary news P of the past few weeks is the announcement just made that certain of the leading professors of history in the chief American Universities, in conjunction with other historical students, have determined to establish an American Historical Review. At present there is no periodical in the pages of which the his- torical investigator really feels at home, for the little monthly Magazine of American History tries to be “popular,” and is given over largely to the amateur and to the notes and queries collector. A meeting was held in New York last Saturday, attended by representatives of most of the colleges where history receives special attention, and an editorial board was elected consisting of Professor Adams (of Yale), Professor W. M. Sloane (the writer of the serial biography of Napoleon now appearing in the Century), Mr. J. B. McMaster (the author of the “History of the American People,” the fourth volume of which the Appletons have just published), Pro- fessor H. Morse Stephens (of Cornell), and Professor A. B. Hart (of Harvard). It is con- sidered probable that Professor Hart will be the managing editor, and that Longmans, Green, and Co. will be the publishers of the new periodical. It will be a quarterly not unlike the English Historical Review, also published by Longmans, Green, and Co. The first number of this American Historical Review will not appear before the autumn, but thereafter its appearance is assured for at least three years, a substantial  ## p. 315 (#329) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3 I5 guarantee fund having been raised to make this a certainty. Probably few readers in England, except those who have had special occasion to consider the subject, have any conception of the very extra- ordinary work which the American Universities are now doing in history, and more particularly in the allied departments of political science, sociology, and economics. This is one of the points to which Mr. Bryce called attention in his speech introducing Lowell at the first dinner, the Society of Authors gave. At Columbia College alone in the School of Political Science there are three full professors of political economy, besides a professor of sociology, a professor of adminis- trative law, a professor of comparative juris- prudence, a professor of international law, a professor of constitutional law, and half a dozen professors and lecturers on history. At Harvard and at Yale, at Johns Hopkins, and at Chicago, there are faculties inferior only in numbers to that at Columbia. And nearly all these institutions issue periodicals, generally quarterlies. By a thoughtful arrangement the Harvard Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Columbia Political Science Quarterly, and the Yale Review are issued each a month later than the other, so that the three taken together appear every month in the year. All three of them give a certain amount of space to history, and will probably continue to do so. The Suwanee Review, edited by Professor Trents of the University of the South, is frankly devoted to literature and to history. Half a dozen years ago there was a New Princeton Review, edited by Professor Sloane, but dissensions arose among the owners, and it was finally absorbed by the Columbia Political Science Quarterly. In it. Pro- fessor Sloane tried to combine the solid merits of the old-fashioned quarterly reviews with the more alluring vivacity of the brisker monthly reviews. The venerable North American Review, to which Bryant contributed “Thanatopis,” and, which Lowell edited for years, was bought by a rich and foolish young man named Rice a dozen years ago. Under the advice of Mr. Laurence Olyphant, Rice made it a monthly, modelling it upon the Nine- teenth Century of Mr. Knowles, but going much farther in search of sensationalism—so far, indeed, that the present North American Review has been characterised as “a monthly edition of the New York Herald.” Its management is now in the hands of Mr. David Munro, a shrewd Scotch- man, and of Mr. William H. Rideing, an English- man with a very large acquaintance with the writers of England. Perhaps this is the reason why the North American Review gives up a large proportion of its space to articles by European writers on European topics. Its chief rival, the Forum, also a monthly, is edited by Mr. Walter H. Page; it is more digni- fied, less sensational, and far more American in its list of contributors and in its choice of subjects. A third monthly review called the Arena, is published in Boston; it is edited by Mr. B. O. Flower; it is rather the organ of the faddists of all sorts, the cranks and the freaks, than a vehicle for serious discussion of serious topics. The scholarly Atlantic Monthly, now edited by Mr. H. E. Scudder, is still the periodical that most steadily maintains a lofty standard. The Atlantic is half a magazine and half a review. It admits fiction and poetry, and it discusses politics now and again; but it devotes a very large proportion of its space to literature. Its book reviewing is generally done by experts, but it is mostly anonymous, and therefore lacks authority. Perhaps the best book reviewing in America is to be found in the pages of periodicals like the Political Science Quarterly and like the Educational Review of Professor Nicholas Murray Butler, in which every book worth consideration is sent to an expert, who vouches for his opinion with his name and address. In the United States, as in Great Britain, there is a tendency of the unsigned book review to be wanting in the weight—to be more careless, not to say more flippant, than the article can afford to be which the writer guarantees with his own name. The most exhilarating and stimulating criti- cism of belles lettres we have had here in America. for several years was that contributed monthly to Harper’s when Mr. Howells had charge of the “Editor's Study.” Whether one agreed with Mr. Howells's opinions or not—in fact, more especially when one did not agree with them—they were unfailing stimulants to thought. They tended to make every reader examine again the founda- tions of his own opinions. Mr. Howells has been missed from the Editor's Study of Harper's Monthly for several years now ; but he has just 'begun to contribute almost every week to Harper's Weekly a signed article on a new book, a group of new plays, or an exhibition of new pictures. His article this week is on the absurd “Degeneracy” of Dr. Nordan, in the course of which he not only exposes the pretensions of the German author, but he declared again what seem to him to be the real and abiding merits of Tolstoi, Ibsen, and Zola. “Stops of Various Quills” is the title of the volume of poems by Mr. Howells which Harper and Brothers will publish shortly. A novelette of his, which has just been concluded in the Cosmopolitan, will also be published by the Harpers during the spring. And another  ## p. 316 (#330) ############################################ 316 THE AUTHOR. novel, “The Story of a Play,” will begin in Scribner's Magazine later in the year, to run through half a dozen numbers. Mr. Howells has also recently edited the recollections of his father, whose early wanderings through Ohio are fresh and characteristic and interesting. Mr. Stedman and Professor Woodberry con- tinue to work steadily on their complete edition of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Four volumes containing the prose tales are now published, the first of which opened with a brief, compact, authoritative biography by Professor Woodberry, and followed by a critical introduction to the stories by Mr. Stedman; while to the last of the four Professor Woodberry appended various bibliographical and explanatory notes. For the first time in any edition of Poe his text is here adequately revised, and his slovenly quotations are amended and traced to their sources. There are portraits of Poe in every volume, one of which has never before been engraved. There are illustrations by Mr. Albert E. Sterner. The making of the book, the taste of the typography, the harmony of the page and of the type and of the paper, reflect great credit on the publishers, a young and enterprising Chicago firm, Messrs. Stone and Kimball. The fifth volume, contain- ing “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym " and the “Journal of Julius Rodman,” will probably be ready next month. The other five volumes completing the edition are to be expected before the end of the year. Mr. Stedman has had an attack of the grippe which has delayed the appearance of his long-promised “Victorian Anthology,” intended to accompany his discussion of the “Victorian Poets.” Mr. Bryce, at that first dinner of the Society of Authors, said that the two things he had recently noticed in American literature were, first, the great variety of political and economic writing; and, second, the abundance of short stories having a strong local flavour, redolent of the soil. This local short story continues to be very popular in our magazines, until now there is hardly any part of the United States which someone has not taken as a field for fiction. Among the recent volumes of these tales are Mrs. Margaret C. Graham’s “Stories of the Foot Hills '’ of California and Miss Murfree’s “Phantoms of the Footbridge,” in which “Charles Egbert Craddock” sets up before us again the strange and uncouth mountaineers of Tennessee. Also to be noted are Mrs. S. M. H. Gardner’s “Quaker Idyls;” Mr. William Henry Shelton’s “Man with a Memory '' (chiefly war stories); Mrs. Mary Tappan Wright’s “A Truce’” (chiefly New England tales); while Mr. Louis Pendleton's story of “The Sons of Ham ” is a discussion of the duty of the nation toward the enfranchised negro clothed in the garb of fiction. At the Publishers' Night of the Authors’ Club —the first formal entertainment given by the club since it moved into its new and permanent home in Carnegie Hall—Mr. Charles J. Long- man was among the guests. Mr. Longman has been in America for a month or more, having had a fortnight of sunshine in Florida, and having spent two or three days in Washington among the relics of ancient man in the Smithsonian Institute. The importance of the American branch of Longmans, Green, and Co. is increasing year by year. The number of books by American authors published by this oldest of London houses is also steadily growing, Indeed, as the Long- mans and the Macmillans have both found, it is impossible for any British publishing house to hold a position of consequence in the United States without having on its list a great many books of American authorship. Mr. Longman expects to sail for England a week from to-day. Mr. John Lane was also among the guests of the Authors—and so was Mr. Richard Le Gallienne, who returns home to-day. A story told at this reception of the Authors' Club is said not to be new—but it is perhaps true. A very unfunny article was sent by an ambitious amateur to an American comic paper, and at the foot of it the aspiring author has written in pencil, “What will you give for this P” “Ten yards start” was what the unfeeling editor wrote under- neath when he returned the MS. FI. R. - *- ~ 2-sº * NOTES AND NEWS. HE Canadian Copyright business still con- tinues to trouble the world. We publish in another part of this paper the Canadian case drawn out by themselves. It amounts, appa- rently, to this ; that while every civilised country in the world has acknowledged literary property to be as real and as worthy of being guarded as any other kind of property, Canada alone desires to secede from this honourable convention, and to appropriate and “convey ’’ literary property to her own supposed advantage—that is, the advan- tage of a few printers for whose sake this great iniquity is to be perpetrated. It has been found impossible to keep American books out of Canada, or Canadian books out of America. It is ridiculous to keep repeating that the laws forbid the importation of such books. Who regards the law P Who enforces it?  ## p. 317 (#331) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 31 7 Canada used to be overrun by American cheap piracies. Distant colonies, such as Jamaica and the Cape, used to be overrun by American cheap piracies, notwithstanding the law. With a frontier unprotected, unguarded, thousands of miles long, there can be no protection for such a law. For all intents and purposes the books published in America might have been before the Copyright Act published in Canada. And so it will be again. As for the old royalty of 12% per cent., from which the author never got anything, that is to be exchanged for one of Io per cent, the receipts from which are equally dubious. We are told that no book is to be issued without a stamp. And who is to enforce this provision over the broad extent of Canada? Are we to expect the whole Canadian people individually to insist upon this stamp P Moreover, to offer a successful author Io per cent, when he receives I5, 20, and sometimes 25 per cent. is impudent. As, however, no one will now get anything, it matters nothing what they offer. Only it would have looked better to make the illusory proposal a little more attractive. The Canadians “resent the sale of their market.” What does this mean? It means that the American publishers buy of the author the Canadian rights; in the same way they buy the American rights. This gives them undisputed right to sell in Canada. Now, it is perfectly open to Canadian publishers, if there are any, to set up an office in New York. English authors will be Quite as ready to deal with them as with American publishers. It will be but a question of fair dealing—not a 10 per cent. royalty—and enterprise. English publishers have done this. Longmans have a house in New York; there is a Cassell and Co. in New York. Why cannot the Canadians do the same On the proposed Canadian Copyright Act, a small collection of opinions from three authors and two publishers appeared in the Contemporary Review of April. The opinions are very clear, and very clearly put. The Act is a blow against the recognition of literary property which has been obtained from all civilised nations. It proposes practically to take the works of English and American authors; to reprint them as the Canadian booksellers—they have no publishers— please; to cut them up and mutilate them as they please. These facts are plainly and forcibly brought out, and the opinions ought to be put together in a pamphlet with the rest of the protests against this iniquitous proposal. That the Act is not defended by the better class of Canadians is shown oy a protest of a Canadian lawyer here reproduced (see p. 3 Io), which first appeared in a Toronto paper. The last has not been said on this subject, nor has the Act yet become law. Meantime it is shameful that a country like Canada should for a moment enter- tain a proposal to revert to the old time of international piracy. . Here is a noble chance for novelists, or aspirants, who can construct a story of mystery. The Chicago Record offers to authors the following prizes for novels of incident, dramatic situations, and mystery. Bear in mind these conditions, O ye candidates Incident — always more incident — dramatic situations, surprises, and Tableaua, in every chapter : the mystery of a great and wonderful secret, to be discovered on the last page, to be kept up throughout. That is the first condition. The next is that the story must have been written by the candidate who sends it; sworn evidence of that must be sent with the story. Thirdly, the story must be, in length, from 140,000 to 160,000 words—viz., the average length of a serial to run six months in a weekly paper, viz., about 5000 or 6000 words for an instalment. Fourthly, the subjects must not be those of certain popular novels of the day. As to the prizes, they range from £2OOO down to £100. And the Chicago Record reserves the right of using such stories as do not win a prize for its own columns at 5 dollars, or £I, per column. Unsuccessful stories will be returned. Very well, the whole thing may be bogus; but I do not think that it is bogus, because so much publicity has been given to such an offer. If I were a young novelist I would have a try. Think of a mystery—murder, money, jewels, a claimant, a forgery. Fix upon as strong a motif as you can —don't be afraid of making it too strong; and then go ahead. The MSS. have to reach Chicago before Oct. I of this year. You have therefore less than five months to spend over the work. Chapman’s “Magazine of Fiction,” vol. I, No. 1, is lying before me. A magazine entirely devoted to fiction would seem a perilous undertaking, especially at a time when in every other number of every other magazine there appears an article on the Decay of Fiction. At the same time, however, in every advertising column there is a long list of books in their fiftieth, their hundredth edition, showing that the small num- ber of English families which can buy books are buying that class of book. The editor, Mr. Oswald Crawfurd, has probably gauged the demand before making the venture. Meantime  ## p. 318 (#332) ############################################ 3.18 THE AUTHOR. there is one new feature. The magazine is to contain dramatic dialogues; stories in dialogue; and even plays. We all know how much more pleasantly dialogue can be made in skilful hands to tell the story than long and tedious narrative. It is one of the later developments in the art of fiction that it is becoming more and more dramatic in form—not in set “tableaux,” after the old fashion, but in the substitution of dialogue for description. The new number contains eight papers—by Bret Harte, Anthony Hope, Stanley Weyman, George Brett, James Payn, Frankfort Moore, Violet Hunt, and John Davidson. A propos of Free Libraries and Tauchnitz books, the following suggestion seems worthy of con- sideration. Perhaps some Bradford citizen may take it up. I have to thank a correspondent, “F. N. W.,” for it. In nearly every case the borrowers of books from Free Libraries are compelled to pay one penny per annum for the renewal of their tickets. TXoes not this constitute a hiring within the letter of the law P I have submitted the case to three legal gentlemen, and all admit that it is an exceedingly nice point. At any rate, it seems to me to be worthy of consideration. I have before me the rules of the new Hampstead Public Libraries. I do not find in them anything about the payment of a penny. There are fines for the detention of books, but not for the renewal of a ticket. Perhaps there is no penny demanded at Bradford. Is not, how- ever, the circulation of a Tauchnitz book by a public library the infringement of the law P Is it not the same thing as the open distribution of smuggled goods P One is curious to watch the effect of the Free Libraries on the Circulating Libraries. For my own part, I do not expect any perceptible effect. The general shrinkage of incomes, if it goes on, will more and more diminish the number of sub- scribers, but not the Free Libraries, which will be used by the class below those who pay three guineas a year to Smith or Mudie. And since this class cannot possibly afford to buy books, not harm at all, but good, will be done by the exten- sion of the Free Libraries. Surely it is a good thing for an author to feel that his book will have the chance at least of being read by millions instead of by thousands. Surely those who desire to reach and to influence these millions will rejoice in thinking that their books are now within reach of so vast an audience; and surely it will not be a bad thing in the immediate future for a publisher to feel that he can place the whole of one edition at once among the libraries of the country. Authors are an irritable race, especially and proverbially those who write verse. The fol- lowing note explains the repetition of this maxim: My little volume I sent you, which was considered suffi- cient passport for enrolment in your honourable Society, has failed to be recognised in the Awthor in any way whatever, although all my friends (men of letters, too) have called Some of the poems perfect cameos, unique, and so on. I see, therefore, that my merits as an author by authors do not warrant my burdening the Society with my name. In other words, a member of the Society has withdrawn because he did not receive a notice of his book in these columns. The Author is not a review; it does not profess to publish criticisms on books. It does, however, announce and men- tion new books and new editions. Until lately it published a list of all the new books; for the sake of getting space this list has been now abandoned. With regard to young poets, it is found that the fairest way with these is to let them speak for themselves. And the little volume referred to has either not reached me—it is still, probably, on the shelves of the secretary’s office—or I have mislaid it, for which, as the author takes it so much to heart, I am sorry. If he had communi- cated with me I would have had a search made for the book, and should have given him the same chance as the others—viz., allowed him to speak for himself. This restriction as to criticism does not prevent the writer of “Book Talk” from mentioning, selecting, or praising any book which he thinks may deserve it. The following must be taken for what it is worth on some results of the proposed “Net’” system: Some remarks made to me yesterday by a country book- seller upon the “Net” system in the price of books appear to me to touch upon a probable source of injury to authors through the “Net” system which, so far as I have seen, has been unnoted in the Awthor. He said: “I do not know to whom the extra profits go—certainly not to the booksellers; and, to prove that the profits do not go to us, I may tell you that for the future, unless we are paid ready money for books that are sold net, we are going to charge our customers twopence in the shilling upon the net price. We cannot afford to give credit unless we do this. Should our customers hesitate about paying twopence in the shilling upon the net price in the event of the book being put to their credit, we shall decline to order the book.” I will try to obtain by the next number some results of the “Net” system as applied to royal- ties. So far as the figures have been furnished me, they are simply surprising. If the system prevails, which seems unlikely, if only for the reason that the British public, which grows poorer every year, is not going to pay 6s., or even 5s.,  ## p. 319 (#333) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 3 IQ instead of 4s. 6d., we shall have to revise the whole of our royalty tables. A letter appears to-day (April 26) in the Daily Chronicle which looks like the commencement of an outpouring against literary agents. A certain kind of publisher is never tired of attacking the wickedness of the literary agent, who makes his former practices impossible. This writer, who signs himself “An Onlooker,” accuses the literary agents of “emasculating ” literature by making Contracts for authors in advance, and “half a decade” or five years in advance. He sees in imagination, or has been told to see, a miserable author, pen in hand, hurriedly grinding away day and night, throwing off his sheets, producing far too rapidly for his powers, “bribed” by his agent. There is really nothing in the world on which greater rubbish, more ignorant rubbish, more mischievous rubbish is constantly written and believed than the production of literature, espe- cially fiction. To begin with, it is not the agent but the publisher who makes the contract ; it is a very rare thing for a publisher to trust an author's staying powers so long in advance as five years. It is the case that editors of good maga- zines secure the services of writers a year or two years in advance; it is also the case that pub- lishers secure the book rights of the same works in advance. Then comes the question whether, by engaging himself beforehand, an author neces- sarily hurries himself? Of course he does not. He may be so foolish as to undertake too much ; but most novelists bring out one novel only a year, and perhaps two or three short stories. Why should they not place these novels in advance? I should like to learn the names of any authors who have been “bribed ” into hurried and incom- plete work, or are under contracts beyond their powers to fulfil honourably. The agent does not — cannot — increase the production; he only relieves the writer of what is the most irksome, the most irritating, the most anxious part of his work—the commercial side of it. WALTER BESANT. *—- - -* NATURE AS INTERPRETED IN THE POEMS OF GEORGE MEREDITH, |TF the lover of Wordsworth were to seek among later English poets for his successor as the High Priest of Nature, he would be not a little surprised to find that his most ardent disciple is, not the late Laureate; not Matthew Arnold, who was loudest in his praise; but Mr. George Meredith whose genius appears at first glance so unlike that of Wordsworth as to leave but few points of resemblance. Notwithstanding this diversity, even the most cursory reader of Mr. Meredith’s poetry must be struck by the fact that in it the lesson which Wordsworth made it his life’s highest aim to inculcate has found its simplest as well as fullest expression. The familiar stanza in the second part of “Expostulation and Reply ’’ in which Words- worth declared that - One impulse from a vernal wood May teach you more of man, Of moral evil and of good, Than all the sages can, must surely have lingered in Mr. Meredith’s memory when he wrote the concluding lines of his poem on “South-West Wind in the Wood- land ’’ in which he tells us that he who hearkens to the voice of Nature and yields his spirit to her benignant influence with a complete trust in her powers and purposes will obtain More knowledge of her secret, more Delight in her beneficence, Than hours of musing, or the lore That lives with men could ever give. That this was more than a mere passing phase of thought in Mr. Meredith’s mind no reader of his poems can doubt. The volume in which the lines quoted occur is the earliest collection of his poems; that published by Parker in 1851, and though the poet in it did not lay so much stress on the importance to man of a close communion with Nature, as he does in later volumes, there is nevertheless more than one significant reference to the love of Earth for her children, and her beneficent influence in restoring the moral as well as physical health of those who have for- saken her for a season. In “London by Lamplight,” a later poem in the same book, the writer expresses his belief in the sanative forces of Nature and faith in her power to regenerate the dwellers in crowded cities could they but be restored to her arms. He who loves Nature will, he declares, never be forlorn ; and a vision of her loveliness is more than a recompense for days of weariness and toil, In more than one poem he tells us that he who once gains Nature as his friend will never lose her; that the joys of her bestowal are never ending. In “Modern Love, &c.,” a book published eleven years later, the poet dwells with even greater emphasis upon a theme which may truly be said to constitute the most important portion of his message to his fellowman. In this volume the “Ode to the Spirit of the Earth in the Autumn” is devoted to the proclamation of an evangel, which though it has found many  ## p. 320 (#334) ############################################ 32O THE AUTHOR. expositors has not, since preached by Words- worth, been urged on man’s acceptance with a force and persistence equal to Mr. Meredith’s. The truth and beauty of earth who is “our only visible friend,” her love and care for her offspring, who renounce and denounce her, her serenity, her sanity, her healthfulness, her free- dom from sorrow, are dwelt on with an ecstacy of expression for which the only parallel is to be found in the utterances of the earlier poet. Even death, hitherto the great bugbear of humanity, ceases to be thus regarded by the lover of earth, O, green bounteous earth ! Bacchante Mother stern to those Who live not in thy heart of mirth; Death ! Shall I shrink from loving thee P Into the breast that gives the rose, Shall I with shuddering fall P Earth knows no desolation, She smells regeneration In the moist breath of decay. She knows not loss : She feels her need, Who the winged seed With the leaf doth toss. - And to this serenity, this majestic calm, man may aspire if he truly loves and feels confidence in Mother Earth, She can lead us, only she, TJnto God’s footstool, whither she reaches; Loved, enjoyed, her gifts must be ; Reverenced the truths she teaches, Ere a man may hope that he Ever can attain the glee Of things without a destiny | The fervour and depth of Mr. Meredith’s utterances on this theme are plainly shown by the fact that after an interval of over twenty years, during which the poet was immersed in prose, he devoted a complete book to “Poems and Lyrics of the Joy of Earth,” in which we find the same expressions of joyous confidence in Nature. Man, we are told, is a compact of blood, and brain, and spirit, and should he, in his folly, attempt to favour anyone of these at the expense of the others a dire result may be expected. The purely sensual nature is equally in danger with the purely intellectual or the rigidly ascetic. Earth from whom we derive the health which is the source of all lasting happiness demands that blood, and brain, and spirit maintain a happy union, and, for love of her, we unquestionably obey her behests with ultimate and certain good to ourselves. Earth your haven, Earth your helm, You command a double realm Labouring here to pay your debt, Till your little sun be set, Leaving her the future task Loving her too well to ask. From her we can learn every lesson if we but hearken to her, and bear with us a wise receptive- ness. By thus doing we gain “a larger self,” and a sweeter fellowship with all animate things 6. In SU162S. In a poem entitled “Earth and Man” their relationship is even more clearly defined than in any earlier work from the same hand, and the folly of man's attempt to read “the riddle of the painful earth,” instead of resignedly and calmly accepting a mother's love, is shown in no mis- takable terms. The poem resembles, in treat- ment, a familiar passage in “Empedocles on Etna,” inasmuch as it shows that man, while he curses earth, is one with the power against which his curses are levelled, a power which labours for man’s good whether he curse or bless, If he aloft for aid Imploring storms, her essence is the spur, His cry to Heaven is a cry to her He would evade. #: $ # e #: :#: And her desires are those For happiness, for lastingness, for light. 'Tis she who kindles in his haunting night The hoped dawn-rose. As if the poet had, with this book, exhausted this fruitful theme, we have no hint of it in “Poems and Ballads of Tragic Life,” published in 1887, the contents of which deal with phases of human life and passion, but the subject was happily far from exhausted, and accordingly, in the following year a volume entitled “A Reading of Earth’’ was published. This book, which is the last volume of poetry he has written, must for the present be considered to contain Mr. Meredith’s final expressions on “man and nature, and on human life.” In it he sets himself not so much to demonstrate man's relationship to nature as to interpret her many moods, and to state the benefits accruing to man from a con- templation of each and all of them. In “Rough Weather ” a comparison is drawn between a life of ignoble ease and warmth, and one of hardship and wrestling with adverse forces, and the gifts of Nature are proved to be designed for him who has courage to endure. Nature Judged of shrinking nerves, appears A mother whom no cry can melt ; But read her past desires and fears, The letters on her breast are spelt. Would we learn of earth her lesson P. Then we must be prepared to accept symbols instead of words; yet we have but to ask to learn— Harsh wisdom gives Earth, no more ; In one the spur and the curb : An answer to thoughts or deeds, To the Legends an alien look; To the Questions a figure of Clay.  ## p. 321 (#335) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 32 I Yet we have but to see and hear, Crave we her medical herb. And to love her is to gain this For love we Earth, then serve we all ; Her mystic secret then is ours, the secret of unruffled calm and enduring patience mingled with a steadfast faith in the welfare of the human race. Nature has been variously interpreted by the poets since Wordsworth's day, but by none with such keen vision and set purpose as by Mr. Meredith. His interpretation while it differs in some points from Wordsworth's, more closely resembles it than does that of any of his contem- poraries. In Lord Tennyson’s poems, save in “In Memoriam ” in which she is described as antagonistic to and careless of life, Nature assumes the appearance of a vast field in which human figures move, and to which it forms a suitable background. In Mr. Browning's we get a degree nearer; here her sunshine and her storms exhibit her sympathy with the woes and joys of man. Mr. Swinburne's interpretation—if such it can be called—resembles Mr. Browning's, while Rossetti's exhibits an affinity to the Laureate's, with the addition that the poet evidently sees with a painter's eye; and Mr. Wm. Morris also selects his landscapes and groups his figures with a view to artistic effect. Matthew Arnold’s alone ap- proaches Mr. Meredith’s conception, and that very rarely; once, in the passage of “Empedocles” already referred to, and again in a short poem entitled “A Wish,” in which he speaks of the Earth as a friend Which never was the friend of one, Nor promised love it could not give, But lit for all its generous sun, - And lived itself, and made us live. It is rumoured that Mr. Meredith intends for the future to devote himself exclusively to poetry. Such an announcement cannot but be gratifying to all lovers of poetry, for Mr. Meredith, while he has followed the steps of Wordsworth in his interpretation of Nature, has also realised his predecessor's conception of the poet inasmuch as he is a teacher, a great teacher. As a con- tribution to the literature of optimism his poems occupy an important position. They have the same health-giving powers as Nature herself, and are as inspiriting as the seasons. *-* - *- - - HE WOULD BIE AN AUTHOR, DO not for a moment suppose that my experiences have been in the least extraor- dinary. Perhaps it is unwise of me to attempt to write them down: and yet they may have some interest for hopeful aspirants to literary honours, even if they should be of no service to such. First let me state the conditions under which I began to scribble. Before attaining my ninth birthday I left school to begin work at a mine, the School Board being then in its infancy. From that early age until I was over twenty-one a pen was scarcely ever in my fingers, although, like Mr. Toots in “Dombey and Son,” I could perhaps have managed to “chalk a bit.” Hitherto the whole of my time had been spent in work and play, with a little random reading in my leisure, a very little indeed. Perhaps I had some discri- mination between what was good and what was not of the little reading I did, but so far from my mind was the thought of authorship that I do not remember even to have written a letter. Being an impulsive and impressionable youth, I wasted most of my leisure in courting, wooing one delicate girl to such good purpose that by the time I had attained my majority I had been married nearly three years, and was over head and ears in debt, having known what it was to be out of work and to have the doctor calling for weeks together. These facts are given simply to show how thoroughly unfitted and unprepared I was for any attempt at authorship, even if I had then pos- sessed the desire for it, which, let me admit, I did not. About this time, however, the idea struck me that it would be a pleasant pastime to copy out such short pieces of prose or verse as took my fancy, wherefore I purchased a sixpenny exercise- book and occasionally put my hand to the task of improving my writing, but betrayed no great earnestness in the matter. Having never been a visitor at public-houses, my evenings were mostly spent at home; yet, with the exception of two or three old standard books and the serial stories of the local newspaper, I still read very little. One day a friend lent me a volume of Burns' poems, which proved a delightful revela- tion, and gave me an appetite for more. Later I read Cowper, Thomson, Wordsworth, Byron, Moore, &c., each of whom in turn delighted me, and thenceforth I became a student of literature in general, with a slowly increasing enthusiasm for books and writers. Now, when the new magazines come to the reading-room I look them over with a feverish eagerness that is almost painful. About seven years ago, being still in low cir- cumstances, I began occasionally to puzzle out a few verses, with now and again a very short sketch in prose. Instead of consigning these first attempts to the flames, I sent them to an editor who sometimes publicly criticised the work  ## p. 322 (#336) ############################################ 322 THE AUTHOR. of would-be authors, wherefore I had the glorious satisfaction of seeing some of them in print. After a number of failures and a little unremune- rated success, one lucky piece at last merited, or gained at any rate, the distinction of being paid for. The circumstances under which this first payment reached me make an almost tragic story, which there is no space to tell in this paper. - This brings me to about five years ago. The period between that date and the present is the time of my most important experiences. Finding that I was now able to write short sketches and verses which might merit the consideration of editors, I began to inclose stamped addressed envelopes with my MSS., a judicious practice not hitherto adopted. My handwriting was still that of an unpolished scribbler; the punctuation may have been fairly good, but the spelling—. This latter feature of my composition is even yet very imperfect; it is doubtful if I shall ever learn to spell correctly. The theory of grammar is one to which I could never give any continued attention. A careful estimate of my work, done during leisure evenings these five years, gives the follow- ing result: About 450 pieces have been written, short stories, short articles, and verses, chiefly the latter. As near as I am able to compute, the work may be divided into 190 prose pieces and 26o of verse. Of the whole 450, the accepted pieces, all of which have been paid for, number 360; verses 250, stories and articles I IO; thus leaving eighty prose pieces and ten of verse declined. The verses average about four stanzas in length, and the payment has varied from 5s. to half-a- guinea. The length of the stories and articles varies from two to six pages of foolscap, and the payment from Ios. to two guineas. The successful pieces have not all been accepted the first time they were submitted, not a few having been returned, rewritten, and sent again. Several contributions have come back after they had been cut up and given out to the printers Only some four or five pieces have been entirely lost. The rejected work has mostly been returned within a fortnight or three weeks, but occasionally pieces have stayed away longer, a few having come home after they had been away over a year. Most of the accepted work has been paid for about the date of publication, but I have found the most regularly paying publishers subject to slight variation, while others pay for work a week or two after it appears. Some publishers send a copy of the journal containing one's contribution, but others don’t ; wherefore, seeing that I have not been a regular subscriber to every paper written to, a number of stories have been accepted which I have never had the pleasure of seeing in print. Besides the verses, articles, and short stories, I have to count two attempts at serial story writing, neither of which have been persevered with, both having been dropped before the tenth chapter was begun. From these a few chapters were accept when offered as short stories. A third attempt promises to be more successful, as it is now about half written, and has something more than a mere chance of being accepted. Verse writing has been a very pleasant recreation. My method is to write them on a slate, so that it is easy to erase a word or a line and substitute a better. I find it hard work to write prose, and am very slow at it, seldom pro- ducing more than three pages of foolscap in four hours. During the last few years I have often been disheartened, but have quickly regained hope, and have persevered in the face of discourage- ment and difficulty; yet I am fully pursuaded that the same time and energy given to any other kind of work might have made me a fortune. It seems to me that in order to become a " successful author one should have a great enthusiasm for literary work, a good education, exceptional experiences, unlimited patience, un- ceasing perseverance, a rare imagination, and a reliable bank account to fall back upon during the “declined with thanks’ period. Of course, if one has been reared in the literary atmosphere, and editors are among one's friends, it is easier to get a start. My lot was not cast in this atmosphere, and I am afraid I do not possess anyone of these qualifications. So far I look upon myself as a failure, but have put down these facts for what they might be worth to any aspirant who finds himself at a similar dis- advantage. Perhaps I may be able to gain a livelihood by this kind of work in time, with health and good fortune to assist me. Seeing that I was over twenty-eight years of age when my first story was accepted, and am now only thirty-three, also taking into consideration the fact that I gave little or no study to literature until a few years ago, it is evident I am still a child in the literary school. Probably this paper will be regarded as unwarrantably egotistical, which doubtless it is, wherefore, although my experiences are not half told, I must bring it to a close.  ## p. 323 (#337) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 323 AUTHORSHIP AND JOURNALISM IN RUSSIA. HE literary profession the wide world over is one long tale of disappointment, drud- gery, deprivation, and destitution. The few exceptions to the rule only go to prove its generalness. Authorship in the Tsar's realms is about at its lowest ebb. The daily feuilleton in the news- papers has almost completely done away with works of a lasting character. Instead of authors trying to elevate the reading public, they have descended to their level. They only seek to amuse them and pander to their tastes without any attempt at instruction. The details of the latest domestic scandal are woven into a dialogue, utterly devoid of plot or moral, and presented for the readers' delectation. The few composi- tions exhibiting any signs of originality in con- struction of plot or portrayal of character are invariably of foreign origin, and find their way into the Russian press in translation. In this latter branch of the art British authors are in great vogue, and several familiar names are to be met with in contemporary magazines. A short while ago the statistics of a provincial library showed that the authors, taken in their respec- tive order of popularity, most in demand were Tolstoi, Lermontoff, Turgenieff, Gogol, Pees- wensky, Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Mayne Reid, Walter Scott, Dickens, and Lord Byron. I did not see a single contemporary English author, but this was not to be wondered at, as the trans- lations of their works appear in magazines and newspapers, and seldom, if ever, come out in book form. The literature of to-day, in more senses than one, is of the most ephemeral nature. The puerile, pernicious productions which at present find acceptance testify to the decline and gradual decay of the author's craft. Racy writers on topical subjects flourish abundantly, but masters of pure diction, finished style, aiming at instruc- tion and elevation, will be sought for in vain. The halo of mystery which encircles the harem, the brutishness which distinguishes the Orient, the 'breath of scandal which taints a noble name—all these have their slaves. It is only the contempla- tion of the workings of the passions of the lowest possible order that stirs a ripple of interest on the placid surface of the great sea of surfeited pleasure which characterises the present genera- tion. Some affirm that Tolstoi was little known before his realistic book “ Kreutzer Sonata ?” turned the general public's attention to him. And who now of all living Russian writers can claim to rank among first-rate authors P. They could be counted on the digits of one hand. The only one that enjoys a world-wide renown is Tolstoi. And he is as if he were no more. He came of that Russian strain which had Pushkin and Lermon- toff for its representatives. They studied natu- ralism, and died in practising it. Both writers met their death in a duel, in consequence of an unholy love. In his youth Tolstoi was also not free of the divine passion, and out of his youthful experiences he evolved a tale which was true to the life, and for which the world thanked him. But now he is returning to the fallacies of a by- gone age. He is vainly trying to revive the myths of a long-flown past; to rehabilitate the Garden of Eden; to hasten the Milennium—all equal impossibilities. The hoary head befits the philosophical mind, but his “Babellic” structure constructed to a fantastic Utopian design will never exist on its chimerical groundwork. The store of sound reason and clear judgment which he has rejected will yet become the corner-stone of a more substantial and enduring edifice erected on the principles of labour and progress. One trait in his character we cannot help admiring is his sincerity. He is sincere in everything he does, as long as his belief in its virtue lasts. But, then, belief is so very flexible. He may change it to-morrow. At the risk of being discursive, I will relate the following as illustrative of the commercial value of a name: When the Count was on the Caucasus serving in the army, he sent some of his first effusions to a Moscow editor, who replied that he would accept them, but could not pay for them. Now Tolstoi is offered fabulous prices for his works, but he replies that he accepts no pay. What would then have been treasured beyond all measure is now despised as mere worthless dross. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, saith Solomon — espe- cially riches, for they take wings and fly away with the morn. “Two things have I required of Thee,” saith Agur, the prophet, “deny me them not before I die. Remove me far from vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me.” The ordinary scribe has often to exist and nourish a wife and family on the poorest pittance —pay which a daily labourer would scorn. In pro- portion to the vast population, it is a surprisingly small percentage of the people that ever take a paper into their hands. The “Negramotnia,” or those unable to read or write, are in an over- whelming majority in rural districts, and in the towns themselves the number is simply appalling. Sometimes the number of those in villages boast- ing only a rudimentary education descends to as low a figure as I per cent., and even lower, so it  ## p. 324 (#338) ############################################ 324 THE AUTHOR. is no matter for amazement, when we consider the ignorance of the populace, that the writer's labours in Russia are so little valued. True, his lot has been slightly bettered by the liberal grant of the Tsar, but it is only like a drop in the oeean, and can only prove of real benefit to the indigent writer if the Imperial example is fol- lowed by private subscriptions to the fund from wealthy patrons of the literary art. Of course we must recollect that the teeming millions of the Russian empire are as yet in the elementary stages of civilisation, but the Govern- ment is using its best endeavours to educate the masses, and its efforts must eventually be crowned with success, and then a brighter day will dawn for those engaged in literature. WILLIAM ADDIson. Odessa, 27 March I I. *-- ~ * e= * * BOOK TALK. HE Dover Chronicle says Mr. Joseph Hatton is sojourning at St. Margaret's Bay and making excursions about the coast between Deal and Dover with a view to certain incidents in a new novel that is to begin its serial career during the autumn in a London weekly. “The Banishment of Jessop Blythe.” is Mr. Hatton's latest book, and he chose to adopt the method of three volumes in one, in which shape the novel is in active demand at the libraries and booksellers’. In May or June Mr. Hatton will publish a shilling novelette entitled “Tom Chester's Sweetheart" (Hutchinsons). It will be an extended treatment of the author's story entitled “The Editor” that appeared in the Ludgate Monthly. “The Banishment of Jessop Blythe’’ is published in America by Messrs. Lippincott. The large edition of “The Money Lender Unmasked,” by Mr. Thomas Farrow, was entirely exhausted within one month from the date of publication. A second edition has been prepared and is now ready. This work appears to be one of the successes of the season, and, in view of the attention of Parliament having been drawn to the subject, promises to be of much service as a standard work of reference should a Royal Com- mission be granted. In the new edition Mr. Farrow has still further strengthened the “Intro- ductory” portion. Mr. C. L. Marson's book, “The Psalms at Work,” will shortly appear in a second edition (Elliot Stock). A revised edition of “The Blessed Dead in Paradise,” by J. E. Walker, with an introduction by Canon Bell, will also be published immediately by the same firm. Mrs. Alec Tweedie’s first book, “A Girl’s Ride in Iceland,” will be published in a third edition in May by Mr. Horace Cox. It will be brought out at Is., but will be much revised, making it up to date. Several Icelandic stories will be added, and many new illustrations. Mrs. Tweedie's last book, “Wilton, Q.C., or Life in a Bighland Shooting Box,” is in a second edition, the first having sold out a month from publica- tion. “John Bickerdyke” will shortly issue a volume of reminiscences, short stories, and essays on the scientific side of angling. The volume will be entitled “Days of My Life on Waters Fresh and Salt, and Other Papers,” and will be illustrated by an intaglio frontispiece and a number of full- page illustrations made from photographs taken Ha the author. The publishers are Longman and Co. The same author also has in the press a volume on modern sea fishing. This book, which is expected about July, will form one of the Badminton Series (Longman and Co.). It is being illustrated by Mr. C. Napier Hemy and Mr. R. E. Pritchett, and will contain contributions on Antipodean and other foreign fish, tarpon, and whaling by Mr. William Senior (“Red Spinner”), Mr. Alfred C. Harmsworth, and Sir H. Gore Booth, About the end of May Mr. E. Norrys Connell will issue a new novel called “The House of the Strange Woman.” Mr. Connell is already favourably known as the author of “In the Green Park.” This book should have been out earlier, but the firm of printers who were origi- nally charged with its production took exception to certain chapters on conscientious grounds. The volume is to be the pioneer of a new series of four-shilling novels which, at Mr. Connell’s sug- gestion, Messrs. Henry and Co. purpose issuing in an unique form. The “Parnassos,” the Philological Society of Athens, have elected—époqêvos—unanimously— as honorary member Mrs. Elizabeth M. Edmonds, author of “Amygdala’’ and of many works on modern Greece and modern Greeks. Professor Warr’s book for the “Dawn of Euro- pean Literature” series (S.P.C.K.) on the Greek epic will appear next month. Captain Lionel Trotter, author of “India under Victoria,” “Warren Hastings,” &c., is engaged upon a “Life of General John Nicholson,” who, after a brilliant career in the Punjaub, fell in the prime of manhood while leading his storming  ## p. 325 (#339) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 325 column along the ramparts of Delhi, in Septem- ber, 1857. Several of Nicholson's old friends have promised their aid in this work. The Delegates of the Clarendon Press are about to issue Vol. XIII. of Professor Buchheim’s “German Classics,” consisting of Schiller's pathetic tragedy, “Maria Stuart.” The text will be provided with a complete commentary, and preceded by an historical and a critical introduction. The distinguishing features of this edition will consist in the fact that the drama will be annotated strictly in accordance with the English, French, and Latin sources consulted by Schiller, and that several of his sources have been traced for the first time by the Editor. Mr. Robert H. Sherard’s new novel, “Jacob Niemand,” will be published as a six-shilling volume in June by Messrs. Ward and Downey, Mr. Sherard has recently written, and disposed of for publication in serial form, a story entitled “The Mocking Bird.” His authorised biography of Mme. Sarah Bernhardt is not yet finished, and cannot be ready till the autumn. “Greece and Her Hopes and Troubles,” by “Hilarion” (Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons), is a short and plain statement of what Greece is, what she has done, and what she hopes to accom- plish. It contrasts the Greece of the present day with the time of bondage to the Turk. The object of the author is to set down the exact truths concerning the country and the people without exaggeration or suppression. The cession of the Ionian Islands, for instance, is regarded from the Hellenic point of view as one of the most generous acts ever recorded of any nation. The Rev. James Bowmes has just published a volume of verse (Sonnenschein) called “Randolph Lord De Vere, and other Poems.” extract gives one of the shorter poems: Ye merry breezes fresh that come and go, And mark your course by songs from waving corn, And laughter from the rivers as they flow, Ye cannot move a heart all worldly worn Thou sun that spreadest with thy radiant light The forest, vale, and heathered mountain side, And causest them to look contented, bright, Thou can’st not soothe a heart that time has tried Ye stars that dwell within the sapphire sky, And view with tender eyes the earth below, With all your love and all your sympathy, Ye cannot cheer a heart bowed down with woe Then, breezes, airy spirits, roam around ! Shine, sun, until thine everlasting gloom Gaze, stars, from out the blue expanse profound ! All will behold some day my silent tomb “The Two Dunmores: a Sporting Love Story of To-day,” is apparently a first work by “Blake Lamond.” It is published by Remington and The following . Co. The author should avoid the habit of giving too much detail. In order to convey a vivid picture not all the background should be painted. The impression is best produced by selection and suggestion. “Ernest England : a Drama for the Closet,” is by J. A. Tucker, late editor of the Daily News, Calcutta (Leadenhall Press). The work is a mixture of prose and poetry. It is a perfectly serious work, of great length, and treats of many subjects. Why, alas ! will men write such terribly long dramas P Three hundred and fifty pages | Who, even in a long review, could do justice to this lengthy prose-poem P “Tales from the Western Moors,” by Geoffrey Mortimer, a new name. The book contains nearly twenty tales, some of them more than about twelve pages long. The writer knows his country, and the dialect and manners of the people, well. The publishers are Gibbings and Co., Bloomsbury. “French Gems ” is quite a little book (Elliot Stock)—a booklet of eighty pages—containing on the left hand a sentence, a reflection, a text, a poem, in French ; and on the right hand “Reflec- tions,” in English verse. The author of the “Reflections,” “J. G.,” hopes to assist the mission to French-speaking foreigners in Great Britain in connection with the French Reformed Church, Bayswater, under the care of the Rev. J. M. H. Du Pontet de la Harpe. “A Future Roman Empire’ is a pamphlet rather than a book, by Mr. George Edward Tanner (Elliot Stock). It is a sequel to a work by the same writer, called “Unpopular Politics.” The writer contemplates the possibility of the revival of a second great Roman Empire, of which he gives a map. He is, apparently, determined that the second empire shall be exactly the same as the first. He includes all the countries round the Mediterranean to the British Isles, but excludes Germany and Russia, and Asia beyond the Euphrates. Most of us will probably emi- grate when that empire arrives. Mr. George Moore has finished the scheme of his new novel, and will now set to work upon it. It deals with the career of a prima donna who feals uneasy about the life she is leading, and at length submits herself to a priest for advice. His counsel is that she should go into a convent, and this agrees with her own inclinations. So she becomes a nun; and around the secrecy of life in a convent the story is woven. Mr. Moore antici- pates that the writing of the book will occupy him for two years. His completed work, called “Celi- bates,” will be issued within the next few days.  ## p. 326 (#340) ############################################ 326 THE AUTHOR. the autumn by Messrs. Methuen. Mr. John Hollingshead's Reminiscences will be published early this month by Messrs. Sampson Low, in two volumes. The title is “My Life- time,” and a portrait of the author is given. Messrs. Chapman and Hall have in prepara- tion a novel entitled “Elizabeth's Pretenders,” by Mr. Hamilton Aidé; also “Pages from the Day Book of Dethia Hardacre,” by Mrs. Fuller Mait- land. Mr. Douglas Freshfield, the president of the Alpine Club, has written a book on Mountaineer- ing, which will be published by Mr. Edward Arnold. It will consist of a record of the explo- ration of Central Caucasus by members of the club throughout the last twenty-five years, and of the author's own experiences particularly, he hav- ing spent two summers there lately. The book will be in two large volumes, illustrated, and with maps. Another new work of travel is “Three Months in the Forests of France,” by Miss Mar- garet Stokes,” the author of “Six Months in the Apennines.” The book is a description of a pil- grimage in search of the Irish saints of France. Messrs. Bell and Sons are the publishers. The series of letters written by Robert Louis Stevenson, during his life in Samoa, to his friend Mr. Sidney Colvin, are to be published early in These are said to be the most interesting of any of Stevenson's correspondence during the period of his remote exile, and contain a record from month to month of his work and opinions. A portrait of the novelist will be the frontispiece to the book, which will appear simultaneously in America. Mr. Lilley's recent lectures at the Royal Insti- bution are to appear in book form under the title “Four Humorists of the Nineteenth Century.” Dickens represents the democrat in humour. Thackeray the philosopher, George Eliot the poet, and Carlyle the prophet. To his many other successes, Mr. Stead will attempt to add that of a novel writer. His first novel will be called “A Modern Maid in Modern Babylon,” and will relate the adventures of a young girl who came to London some years ago. It will be published some time this year. The Marquis of Lorne has written a “Gover- nor’s Guide to Windsor Castle,” which Messrs. Cassell have published. This will doubtless set a fashion in such things, and it is interesting reading, which can be appreciated either at the Castle or at home. - Mr. Justin McCarthy expects to have the last two volumes of his “History of the Georges,” ready at the beginning of next year. The latter part of Mr. J. H. McCarthy’s work on the French Revolution is to appear in the autumn. Another series of fiction has made a start, namely “The Times Novels.” This, of course, consists of stories that have appeared in the Weekly edition of the Times. The series, which is published by Messrs. Osgood, opens with “A Daughter of the Soil,” by Mrs. Francis. Mr. Egerton Castle’s “Light of Scarthey’” will be the next to appear. The next reprint in the beautiful Kelmscott Press series will be “Sir Percyvelle of Galles.” It appears shortly, but Mr. Morris has already sold the greater part of the issue, which consists of 35o paper copies, and eight on vellum. A new work by Mr. Frank Vincent, in which he gives a survey of the entire continent of Africa. from his recent journeyings there, will be published shortly by Mr. Heinemann. It will be called “The Actual Africa; or, the Coming Continent,” and will have IOO full page illustrations. Mr. Henry James will also at an early date issue “Terminations,” a new volume of stories (Heinemann.) Messrs. Nichols are about to issue Victor Hugo's works in English. There are from twenty to thirty volumes in the series, fully illustrated, and they will appear at intervals of a month. No English translation of Hugo exists so complete as this. A series of handbooks on the Cathedrals of England is about to be commenced by Messrs. Dent. Everything of interest concerning the buildings, the traditions, and historical associations surrounding them, will be told by writers who are thoroughly conversant with the matter. “Canter- bury,” by the Hon. and Rev. W. H. Fremantle, Dean of Ripon (a former Canon of Canterbury), will appear first. “Ely,” by Dean Stubbs; and “Tewkesbury,” by Dr. Spence, will follow. Another book for children comes soon from Mrs. Molesworth, entitled “Sheila's Mystery.” It will be published by Messrs. Macmillan. This writer has now produced about seventy books. Mr. Clement Scott's book on Irving First Nights, from “The Bells” to “King Arthur,” is. expected to be ready by the end of the month. Mr. G. W. Smalley, who will soon cease to be the Dondon correspondent of the New York Tribune and becomes the New York correspondent of the Times, is bringing out a new book entitled “Studies of Men,” which Messrs. Macmillan will publish this month. It consists of a large number of Mr. Smalley’s character sketches of eminent men, which are mostly reprints in a revised form from  ## p. 327 (#341) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 327 the Tribune. Among the subjects are the German Emperor, Lord Rosebery, Sir William Harcourt, Cardinal Newman, Professor Tyndall, Mr. Balfour, Prince Bismark, Mr. Parnell, and about forty others. Before he leaves London the distinguished journalist is to be entertained at dinner by a Select company of his American and English confrères. The announcement of a “Ruskin Reader ’’ from Mr. George Allen's press serves to remind us that this publishing house is named after Ruskin, a fact which might pardonably be forgotten, since Mr. Allen is extending his business so far beyond Ruskinian literature alone. The new reader is to be out in a few days. It has been compiled from “Modern Painters,” “The Seven Lamps of Architecture,” and “The Stones of Venice,” and is intended for young students. From Ruskin House will also come “The History of Huon of Bordeaux,” by Mr. Robert Steel, illustrated by Mr. Fred Mason; and “Biographical Essays"— of Dean Stanley, Dean Alford, Mrs. Duncan Stewart, and others—by Mr. Augustus J. Hare, in addition to the latter's Life of the Gurney Family already announced. Mr. E. Denison Ross has completed the trans- lation of “The Tarikk-i-Rashidi,” a rare Persian work, which has hitherto existed only in manu- script, and the volume will be issued by Messrs. Sampson Low shortly. It forms a history of the Central Asian section of the Moghuls, who separated themselves early in the fourteenth century from the main stem of the Chaghatai dynasty. Their princes became masters of Moghulistan and of all Eastern Turkistan, and continued powerful for more than 250 years. The author of the work is Mirza Mohammad Haidar, cousin of the Emperor Baber of Hindustan, the grandfather of the famous Akbar. Mr. Ney Elias, H.M.'s Consul-General for Khovason, has superintended the translation and written an introduction and explanatory notes. Mr. H. E. Watts’s “Life of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra,” which will be uniform with his new edition of “Don Quixote,” is to be published by Messrs. A. and C. Black on July 1. The book of the month has been the “Tetters of Samuel Taylor Coleridge,” published by Mr. Heinemann. The letters are mostly new, and include those written to Mrs. Coleridge, Words- worth, Southey, Charles Lamb, John Murray, and Thomas Poole, giving much invaluable light upon the poet's career. They extend from 1785 to 1833, but are yet not a complete collection. The editor, Mr. Ernest Hartley Coleridge, grand- son of the poet, says that “a complete collection must await the ‘coming of the milder day,” a renewed long suffering on the part of his old enemy the ‘literary public.’” Great eagerness was manifested in getting a translation of Tolstoy's new novel, “Master and Man * into sale. Six days after receiving the MS. Messrs. Chapman and Hall had a large edition in the market. Mr. Walter Scott follows more leisurely with a translation. What would have been the first to reach this country, however, was stopped and suppressed, for some reason, on the Russian frontier. A “Life of the late Lord Randolph Churchill” will be published very shortly. Mr. T. H. S. Escott is the biographer, and he has been assisted in compiling the work by Lord Dufferin, Lord Reay, Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, and Sir John Gorst. Messrs. Hutchinson are the publishers. The City Treasurer of Birmingham, Mr. W. R. Hughes, who wrote “A Week's Trip in Dickens's Land,” has placed his valuable collection of Dickens' editions and memorabilia at the service of Mr. Thomas Wright for the “Life of Dickens.” which the latter is preparing. A good deal of new matter has, it is said, been established by Mr. Wright, chiefly concerning the novelist's childhood. The work will not be ready before the end of the year, at the earliest. In Mr. David Nutt’s “Tudor Translation ” series the next issue will be North’s “Plutarch,” with an introduction by Mr. George Wyndham. It will appear in six volumes, between now and December. Forthcoming publications in the series include “Holland's Suetonius,” “Fenton's Bandello,” “Shelton's Don Quixote,” and “Holand's Livy.” Messrs Bell have in course of preparation a new series of Royal Naval Handbooks, which will be edited by Commander C. U. Robinson, author of “The British Fleet.” Admiral Sir Vesey Hamil- ton writes on Naval Administration and Organisa- tion, Professor Laughton on Naval Strategy, Captain C. Campbell on the Internal Economy of a Warship, and Captain H. G. Garbett on Naval Gunnery. The Entry and Training of Officers and Men is by Lieut. J. Allen, Torpedoes by Lieut. J. Armstrong, Steam in the Navy by Fleet-Engineer R. C. Oldknow, and Naval Architecture by Mr. J. J. Welch. Mr. Israel Gollancz is working at an edition of Henry VI., besides having in preparation books on the “Hamlet Saga,” “Tancred and Gismunda,” and the Anglo-Saxon poems in the Exeter book. The “Temple Shakespeare,” which is edited by Mr. Gollancz, has had an enormous sale, Messrs. Dent putting it at considerably over 200,000.  ## p. 328 (#342) ############################################ 328 THE AUTHOR. The past month has witnessed the appearance of the New Budget, an illustrated weekly, which took the place, without the loss of a week, of the Pall Mall Budget, the latter having been with- drawn, somewhat unaccountably, from the field on the last Saturday of March. The editor of the deceased magazine, and the majority of its staff, have come over to the new venture, which is being conducted with spirit largely on the same lines. Mr. Harry Furniss, having accepted control of the art section, his own journal Lika Joko likewise closes its career. Another new sixpenny weekly is The Hour, which is edited by Mr. C. H. Wil- liamson. It is of course illustrated, and it makes a feature of prize competitions and insurance schemes. Vanity Fair changed hands last month, but the new proprietor is not announced, except that he is “a gentleman of taste and credit.” Mr. Charles Dixon's book on “The Migration of British Birds” will be ready at Messrs. Chap- man and Hall's immediately. In it the author advances what is believed to be an entirely new law governing the geographical dispersal of species, and illustrates its application in the case of British birds. Several volumes of verse will be published by Mr. Lane immediately. These include Mr. Le Gallienne's new book, entitled “Robert Louis Stevenson, an Elegy; and Other Poems, mostly Personal ; ” and Mr. Francis Thomson's, which is called “Songs Wing to Wing; ” “Vespertilia and other Poems,” by Mrs. Rosamond Marriott Watson (for which Mr. Anning Bell has designed a special title-page); and “Poems of the Day and Year,” by Mr. Frederick Tennyson. A novel called “Consummation,” by Victoria Cross, is also announced to appear soon from the Bodley Head, and will be the first of a new four-and- sixpenny series. A correspondent assures the Chronicle that the circulation of one million copies was not secured, as it had stated, by a single novel by the American writer, Albert Ross (Lynn Boyd Porter), but by a series of six novels. He points out that of “Ben Hur,” another American book, 4OO,OOO copies were sold ; while “Mr. Barnes of New York,” first written by Mr. A. C. Gunter as a play, and then adapted in despair to novel form, caught on to the extent of 250,000. But the million record appears still to be a-begging, The sale of King Solomon’s Mines,” which is being reprinted, will thus be brought up to IOO,OOO in this country and the colonies, and Max O’Rell's “John Bull and Co.,” is in its 20th thousand. “The Bonnie Brier Bush,” by Ian Maclaren, approaches 40,000, and a “Yellow Aster” 28,000. One result of General Booth’s recent Trans- atlantic tour will be a work on “Darkest America.” He will not have it ready for a considerable time, however. Two new volumes will shortly appear in the “Chief Ancient Philo- sophies” series of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. They are “Platonism,” by the Rev. T. B. Strong, of Christ Church, Oxford; and “Neo-Platonism,” by the Rev. Dr. Charles Bigg. “The Greek Epic,” by Professor Warr, of Ring's College, which will also be issued imme- diately, is an addition to the “Dawn of European Literature” series. Mr Fisher Unwin publishes a biography of the late W. F. A. Gaussen, of Pembroke College, Cambridge, the translator of Potapenko's Works. The book is called “Memorials of a Short Life,” the Rev. Canon Browne of St. Paul’s edits it, and writes an introduction, the remainder consisting of personal letters. In the “National Churches" series, pub- lished by Wells Gardner, the next volume will be “The History of the Church in America,” by Dr. Leighton Coleman, Bishop of Delaware. It will be issued simultaneously in England and America in a few days. “The Musical Educator” is the title of a work which Messrs. Jack, of Edinburgh, will issue in five illustrated volumes. Amongst the contribu- tors are Mr. James Sneddon, Mr. J. C. Grieve, Mr. William Townsend, Mr. F. Lauback, and Mr. William Daly. Dr. John Greig is the editor. Esmé Stuart's new novel “Married to Order ’’ will be issued immediately in the two-volume library form. Esmé Stuart is the author of “Joan Wellacot,” “A Woman of Forty,” “ Kestell of Greystone,” &c. The publisher is Horace Cox, Windsor House, Bream's-buildings. “A Fisherman’s Fancies,” by F. B. Doveton, published by Elliot Stock, is a book of collections of short sketches which will no doubt appeal to those of the public who desire to pass away a pleasant half-hour. The sketches that touch on fishing, and which no doubt give the name to the book, are excellent reading for those who are fond of that sport. Mr. Justin Charles MacCartie, author of “Making his Pile,” has just produced a new story called “The Darleys of Dingo Dingo,” which deals with Australian country life of the present day. It is published by Messrs. Gay and Bird. It has been announced in the Academy and other papers that Mr. F. H. Perry Coste, B.Sc., &c., is the author of “Towards Utopia,” and “On the Organisation of Science,” which have been issued under the nom de guerre of a “Free  ## p. 329 (#343) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 329 Lance.” Towards Utopia,” which, in spite of its Utopian title, disclaims any very “Utopian’” dreams, is mainly occupied with an attempt to trace broadly the various economic and moral factors through which a natural evolution of society to a semi-Utopian state may be brought about. The American rights in “Towards Utopia’’ were acquired by Messrs. Appleton as soon as the book appeared; and immediately afterwards the author received and refused an offer for a German transla- tion. The output of new books in the United States last year was in the following order:—First, fiction, then political and social science, then theology, religion, biography, history, travels, and poetry. There were 2821 books by American writers printed in the United States, IOS6 books were imported, and 577 books by English and other foreign authors were produced on the other side. The greatest number of importations was in theology and religion, and reached 262 volumes In 1893 a large number of volumes, already in hand, had to be published, though the times were unfavourable, and in 1894 the publishers, already fearful of hard times, were more careful about entering into new engagements.-PWestminster Gazette. Another case of a public library circulating pirated books has been discovered by the West- minster Gazeffe. We have before us Ruskin’s “Time and Tide,” bearing the following inscription on the title page: “New York : John Wiley and Sons, 15, Astor-place, 1888.” For many months past this “pirate ’’ has been freely issued at the Tate Lending Library, Brixton. We learn from the Chief Librarian that it was a presentation copy, and while he would certainly not dream of purchasing a “pirate,” he saw no reason to refuse one as a gift. It is a nice case for the conscience. He would be a very conscientious person who would refuse to keep on his shelves a gift book because it belonged to a pirated edition. But surely a public library is in a different position; such a book certainly ought not to be kept on the shelves and lent out to readers. *– ~ --" &= - - CORRESPONDENCE, I.—EDITORS’ RULES. FEAR, we are but wasting time, paper, and ink in this controversy if we are to wait until the editors, out of the kindness of their hearts, bind themselves to pay within a certain time for MSS. Probably the end of this world will arrive before they do so. No, there are two paragraphs in your last copy of the Author which contain, I think, the key to the difficulty. Page 281 (under “Warnings and Advice”): “It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transac- tion is to be carried out.” This is surely as true of the magazine article as of the book. Page 304 (under “Musical Publishing”) : “It is for the greatest (writers) composers to begin to insist upon more equitable terms.” To those whose papers are too well known, and too valuable, to be refused because “equitable terms ” are necessary to secure them we, the smaller fry, must look for help in this matter. Let them insist on a certain set of rules (as the rule) and editors will soon cease to take their own time to settle accounts, and learn the valuable lesson that “Short accounts make long friends.” R. L. I. II.—PARALLELISM. Mr. Langbridge's sort of “ Kubla Khan’’ experience is one which, I fancy, a good many people can parallel, though whether one should be scrupulous “in tampering with the gift of a dream ” is a matter which I leave the Psychical Researchists to decide. It may not be unin- teresting to your readers to give the experiences of others who have dreamed poems or books or speeches and have just caught hold of the last line or last sentence as they awoke. Twice I have, on coming up to the surface of consciousness, finished, once a poem and once a sermon, out loud. The poem ended with the sonorous line And stemmed the torrent with a pervious prone; the sermon with Churches are the martello towers of religion. I have not “tampered with these dream-gifts,” and leave others to discover their literary or philosophic value ! April 9. G. S. LAYARD, Lorraine Cottage, Great Malvern. III.-GoD AND THE ANT. May I ask Frederick Langbridge if he has ever published the sonnet he gives on p. 304 of the Author? If not, both he and Coulson Ker- nahan are “parallelists,” for I have seen exactly the same thought somewhere, though I cannot place it, and in extremely similar words to those which Mr. Langbridge uses. Or am I a “parallelist” also P ALAN OSCAR.  ## p. 330 (#344) ############################################ 33O THE AUTHOR. IV.--THE RIGHT, OR THE WRONG, To MUTIILATE A PAPER. It would be interesting to all writers who contribute papers to magazines to know certainly whether in so doing they render themselves liable to have their paper mutilated to suit editorial difficulties concerning space. It seems to me that, although an editor has the absolute right of refusing any paper, once he accepts it he binds himself to reproduce it as it stands, unless by special agreement with the author. Personally I have always held this ground, and am happy to say that in the course of fifteen years of very extensive work for many magazines I have only on two occasions had any cause for Complaint. I regret to have to say that one of these has oc- curred in the present year. Early in 1893 I offered an article to one of the illustrated magazines to which I have frequently contributed, and by which it was accepted, but publication delayed, About December, 1893, I prepared a very care- fully written account of the details of an event of which I was anxious to preserve a permanent record. As I had secured a good illustration, I offered it to the same magazine, which, as usual, welcomed it. Publication, however, was delayed, and only the following autumn were proofs sent to me. I corrected these most carefully, bringing the subject up to date. In December another copy of these proofs, not corrected, was sent to me, and I again corrected them, the editor expressing his regret at the prolonged delay in publication. The paper was announced as being in the February number, and various persons interested ordered copies, to find a dull, matter-of-fact article compressed into three pages, without illustration, upwards of twenty paragraphs having been cut out from ten distinct places, the result naturally being as bald as the letter of a hurried newspaper correspondent. Supposing that the editor must have been suffering from influenza, and that some stranger was responsible for this discourtesy, I wrote asking for an explanation, and, receiving none, I wrote again more strongly, requesting the return of the paper and illustrations sent in 1893. To which the editor replies: “He is glad to be able to repudiate entirely the charge of dis- courtesy—a charge which would with more justice be brought against a contributor who demands an apology for the absolutely necessary abridg- ment which every editor is fully entitled to make in any article sent to him for publication.” Is he P. That is just the question. Does every contributor to a magazine lay himself open to find his most careful work mutilated in this barbarous manner, and then presented to the public with his (or her) signature at the end of it P I hope not. But when an editor who has printed perhaps a dozen of my papers verbatim suddenly deals thus with one—and, strangely enough, the only one of the whole lot which was really of consequence—where does security lie? On my requesting the return of the article accepted two years ago, it was sent with some minor illustrations. I wrote back stating that two large paintings had not been sent. To this the editor replies that they had been photo- graphed and returned to me by parcel post about the end of December, and that he is not respon- sible for accidental loss. That is to say, they were despatched in the busiest week of the year without any notice or any subsequent inquiry as to their receipt not having been acknowledged. This seems to me another point which ought to be clearly defined. When illustrations or MSS. are returned by parcel post, ought not an intimation to that effect to be sent by ordinary post? A general business agree- ment on these points would be satisfactory. C. W.—MINOR POETs. Your correspondent of April, “Mary Augusta Salmond,” is probably unaware that when a minor poet publishes a volume of verses, he does so almost invariably at his own risk. In any case, the chances of profit accruing to himself from such a source are infinitesimal. Again, there are few, if any, periodicals that will pay for a poem in lyrical form. For these reasons, it is rarely indeed that the writer of the words of a song, however popular it may become, makes anything beyond his fee for the musical copyright. Therefore, whilst heartily agreeing with Mrs. Salmond on other points, I must, in the interest of brother minor poets, point out that, though the price paid for the copyright may be considered a fairly adequate return for a mere drawing-room or schoolroom song, in the case of a ballad or more important work being taken up by a public singer it is not so, and some arrangement should in justice be made by which the poet would have a share, however small, in the performing rights of his work, as well as the composer, singer, and publisher. The words are manifestly the raison d'être of the composi- tion. HELEN MARION BURNSIDE. VI.-A CoINCIDENCE. May I ask for a few lines of your space? In the Times of March 29 last I read: “The monologue is less an English than a French off-  ## p. 331 (#345) ############################################ THE AUTHOR. 33 I shoot of the drama, but it would soon cease to be so were many such pretty sketches or dramatic episodes written as that produced last night by Mr. Henry Hamilton under the title of ‘For- tune’s Fool.” An unhappy lover in his lonely chambers bewails the fate that has snatched away from him the woman of his dreams. * Life has no more charm for Philip Challoner, and, after evoking all his sweetest souvenirs by reading her letters, and, seated at the piano, singing her favourite song, he swallows a dose of poison. The postman knocks, and the doomed man takes from the letter-box two letters, one informing him that he is heir to a fortune, the other from the lady herself, declaring her inability to live without him, and her resolution to marry him at all hazards. As he dies, a dis- creet knock at the door announces the lady’s arrival, whereupon the curtain falls.” The omis- sions indicated are not material, and, with one exception, the above account very closely renders the course of the monologue acted by Mr. Lewis Waller. The exception—I attended at the Hay- market Theatre on April 5—lay in the fact that, not two letters, so far as I myself could gather, but only one, the second of the two noted above, was delivered by the postman, and received by the lover—too late. A short story entitled “Arsenic” appeared in Beecham's Christmas Annual (Messrs. F. J. Lambert and Co., Temple-chambers and Bouverie- street) for 1889. The contributors to the number included Joseph Hatton, James Greenwood, Fergus Hume, Florence Marryat, and Manville Fenn, and I was informed that at the price—viz., one penny—more than 400,000 copies had been sold. “Arsenic ’’ purports to be the narrative of a man who, committing suicide by means of that poison, writes of his ruin and his hopelessness, and watches for the gradual symptoms as long as he can hold the pen. In this way he is made to tell the story; and between the lines the reader should discern a tale of feminine infidelity which the writer, the deserted husband, does not suspect. He evokes his sweetest souvenirs. These, how- ever, are not associated with a wealthy person whom he loves apparently in vain, but with his little dead child, upon the slenderness of whose resemblance to her mother he seems to dwell with gratification—all such gratification as may be left to him in his last hour. He becomes delirious; he dies. The next morning the postman knocks at his door with a registered letter. The post- man's comment, “It’s the unexpected, voyez-vous, that happens,” forms the last word. “Arsenic ’’ was contributed to the number in question by myself; and it bore my name. The differences of treatment in the two cases are obvious, but it has been pointed out to me that a republication of the story, with some others, might expose me to an unfounded charge of plagiarism. My sole object, therefore, now, is to beg, Sir, for an opportunity of stating in your columns that the appearance of my little story “Arsenic’’ did not follow, but preceded, and by about five years, the production of Mr. Hamilton’s monologue “Fortune's Fool.” H. F. WooD. 3, Rue de Miromesnil, Paris, April 17. [The resemblance is worth noting. It is also worth noting that Mr. Wood does not suggest any kind of plagiarism. Such a situation—the unfortunate suicide just when everything was coming right—is one likely to suggest itself to any imaginative writer.—ED.] VII.-‘‘JANE | ?” In the last of Mr. R. Sherard’s interesting letters from Paris, he says that the finding in “Moll Flanders ” a passage similar to one in “Jane Eyre' has led him to think less as a work of art of the latter powerful and most common of stories, and, though he does not say this, it has certainly led him to think less of, Charlotte Bronté as a woman. For “when asked,” he writes, “how she came to think of so striking a scene (the hearing by Jane of blind Rochester's far-away cry for her), she wsed to drape herself in some mystery ğı and reply, ‘ I wrote it because it is true,” leaving one to imagine that this was a thing of her own experience”—surely, if Mr. Sherard’s ex- planation be the right one, a mean and unworthy subterfuge, and one altogether at variance with the character we know of honest, single-minded Charlotte. 3. That the dire need of some loved one in distress —the cry across the gulf of separation of one human soul to another in sympathy—may make itself heard in some plane of emotional conscious- ness normally latent is a truth too vital to have confined itself to the recognition of Defoe alone. For my own part, that little note of Mr. Sherard's confirms a conviction I have always had—viz., that the love of Jane for Rochester is the story of some unrecorded love in Charlotte Brontë's own life. - I have never read the passage in question without having been strongly impressed with the sense that that cry for “Jane ! Jane ! Jane!” had at some time or another entered, iron-like, into the writer’s own soul. The intense and passionate tenderness por- trayed—the love tearing itself up by its bleeding human roots in order that its ideal shall not suffer—is too vivid to have taken origin wholly in  ## p. 332 (#346) ############################################ 332 THE AUTHOR. fancy. The writer interprets a passion she knows—a thing as different from mere delinea- tion of a passion she knows about as genius is from talent. In “Jane Eyre’ Charlotte Brontë has interpreted, perhaps more truly and touch- ingly than any other. writer, a woman's love— intense, sincere, high-minded, yet all the while tenderly human. I greatly doubt that Defoe had anything to teach her. ARABELLA KENEALY. VIII.-AMERICAN DELAYs. I began to write a novel a year last October. By the following March it was in a publisher's hands, and by the end of May my agreement with an English firm was signed. In the mean- time a friend in the States arranged with an American firm to copyright the story there. The American contract was signed by me in September last. The book is not yet out, and my English publishers write that they cannot get the Americans to fix any positive date. It will be said I should have insisted upon a certain time in my agreements. To this I reply that I am not a “known” author, and, considering myself fortunate in having received fair offers from two well-established publishers, I was satisfied to trust them, especially as the making of any such decided arrangement would have entailed much delay in signing contracts, and endless correspon- dence. Moreover, the book is one whose value depends greatly on an early appearance—a fact, I thought, obvious to any press reader, and which my London publishers recognised. They wanted to get it out last season, and advertised it in their autumn announcements. Here, then, is a “frightful example” for English writers and publishers. My novel would have been published six months ago, or earlier, had it not been for the American copyright. Are we to have the same trouble with Canada? By the way, has the Authors' Syndicate agents in the States ? And, if not, would it not be possible to establish a branch there? We newly- hatched ones are so ignorant NEW COMER. IX. —OUR ExTRAVAGANT DINNER. Mild private protests availing nothing, here, with your permission, a public one. Is the annual dinner intended for all the members of the Society, or only the more wealthy P. If all, then why guinea tickets P Cannot we have the pleasure of meeting one another once a year without an unnecessary, in many cases prohibitive, tax P Public dinners are always indifferent, and a satis- fying meal can be obtained for a quarter of this tax. I was well (as the place goes) and sufficiently fed the other day for just that sum. The occasion also a club dinner, and at the same restaurant. We are not gluttons, but come to the dinner less to devour our half-guinea's worth than to meet one another and hear the speeches and uphold the Society. Why, again, must those who do not drink wine pay for it—even those who are wine bibbers not choosing their wine, but having that which is given them P The cost of the dinner is equal to the cost of one year's subscription to the Society; the satis- faction transient, and the benefits nil. I feel so disgusted with this extravagance I contemplate resigning. Those who have the management of the dinner should consider all the members, and not merely their own particular tastes and means. I believe this grumble will be echoed by many members of the Society, particularly those living outside London, who to come to the dinner incur the additional cost of about a sovereign for bed, breakfast, and railway fare. This sort of thing is all very well for wealthy publishers, but not for those like A Dw ELLER IN RURAL GRUB STREET. P.S. Grumble No. 2.--Why should we waste Our money in advertising the dinner and the list of big and medium guns who are going to be present at it P Every member receives the notice privately, and we do not invite the public to come in their thousands, so the money seems absolutely thrown away. The publication of such a list of names is, I venture to assert, in questionable taste. A. D. IN R. G. S. [Perhaps an answer to the “grumble’” may be found in the following considerations: (1) The “tax * is not demanded of members; no one need pay it who does not choose. (2) Public dinners are expected to have a certain amount of show. (3) The dinner is a public occasion at which the Society shows to the world something of its im- portance. (4) The wine question and the charge of wine to those who do not drink it is one of practical management. The issue of cheaper tickets without wine has been tried, and proved unworkable for various reasons. (5) The adver- tisement of the stewards is the best advertisement we can have of the Society itself. To these con- siderations it may be added that frequent sugges- tions have been made to hold a conversazione or a series of lectures or readings, at which the Society may gather without payment. It is to be hoped that some practical suggestions may be brought before the committee. Perhaps the evening might take the form of a private dinner among ourselves at very moderate cost, without advertisement or publicity.—ED.] 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. 05 Issue 12 (May 1895) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 05 Issue 12 (May 1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-05-01-The-Author-5-12 publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/4/277/1896-The-Author-6-index.pdf c60ebb51365a2d2d2d110492c3447eea PDF Text Text ������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Society of Authors Publications Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context publications Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1896 Volume 6 Publisher(s) When used for publications, publisher of the periodical or book. When used for people, list of publishers they worked with during their lifetime The Society of Authors Horace Cox Location The location of the event or organisation London 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 Index to The Author, Vol. 06 (1896) Subject The topic of the resource Index to <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 06 (1896) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Index Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1896-The-Author-6-index publications The Author https://historysoa.com/files/original/5/278/1895-06-01-The-Author-6-1.pdf e81368930bf64a68822d249cb21b2723 PDF Text Text ���������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Author Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em> Description An account of the resource A digitised run of the Society of Authors' monthly periodical, <em>The Author</em>, 1890<span>–</span>1914, made available together for the first time.<br /><br />Currently users can browse issues and <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?search=&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Index&amp;collection=&amp;type=&amp;tags=&amp;exhibit=&amp;date_search_term=&amp;submit_search=Search+For+Items&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle">indices</a> (not available for all volumes). Full text search for all issues, and other additional search functionality, will be added in 2022. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890–1914 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context The-Author-Issues Publication Date The date of an event (in YYYY, YYYY-MM or YYYY-MM-DD format) 1895-06-01 Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages Page range in volume 1–28 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 18950601 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin C be El u t b or, (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) CONDUCTED BY SIR wal.TER BESANT. VoI. VI.-No. 1.] JUNE 1, 1895. [PRICE SIXPENCE. For the Opinions earpressed in papers that are signed or initialled the Authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as eacpressing the collective opinions of the committee unless they are officially signed by G. Herbert Thring, Sec. *- - --" - - - HE Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and requests that all members not receiving an answer to important communications within two days will write to him without delay. All remittances showld be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery-lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other sub- jects whatever. Articles which cannot be accepted are returned if stamps for the purpose accompany the MSS. *- A - •- w - WARNINGS AND ADVICE. I • RAWING THE AGREEMENT.--It is not generally understood that the author, as the vendor, has the absolute right of drafting the agreement upon whatever terms the transaction is to be carried out. Authors are strongly advised to exercise that right. In every form of business, this among others, the right of drawing the agreement rests with him who sells, leases, or has the control of the property. 2. SERIAL RIGHTS.—In selling Serial Rights remember that you may be selling the Serial Right for all time; that is, the Right to continue the production in papers. If you object to this, insert a clause to that effect. 3. STAMP You R AGREEMENTs. – Readers are most URGENTLY warned not to neglect stamping their agreements immediately after signature. If this precaution is neglected for two weeks, a fine of £10 must be paid before the agree- ment can be used as a legal document. In almost every case brought to the secretary the agreement, or the letter which serves for one, is forwarded without the stamp. The author may be assured that the other party to the agree- ment seldom neglects this simple precaution. The Society, to save trouble, undertakes to get all the agreements of members stamped for them at no ea pense to themselves eaccept the cost of the stamp. WOL. VI. 4. ASCERTAIN WEIAT A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GIVES TO BOTH SIDES BEFORE SIGNING IT.-Remember that an arrangement as to a joint venture in any other kind of busi- ness whatever would be instantly refused should either party refuse to show the books or to let it be known what share he reserved for himself. 5. LITERARY AGENTS.–Be very careful. You cannot be too careful as to the person whom you appoint as your agent. Remember that you place your property almost un- reservedly in his hands. Your only safety is in consulting the Society, or some friend who has had personal experience of the agent. Do not trust advertisements alone. 6. COST OF PRODUCTION.—Never sign any agreement of which the alleged cost of production forms an integral part, until you have proved the figures. 7. CHOICE OF PUBLISHERS.–Never enter into any cor- respondence with publishers, especially with those who ad- vertise for MSS., who are not recommended by experienced friends or by this Society. 8. FUTURE WORK.—Never, on any account whatever, bind yourself down for future work to anyone. 9. PERSONAL RISK.—Never accept any pecuniary risk or responsibility whatever without advice. Io. REJECTED MSS.—Never, when a M.S. has been re- fused by respectable houses, pay others, whatever promises they may put forward, for the production of the work. II. AMERICAN RIGHTS.—Never sign away American rights. Keep them by special clause. Refuse to sign any agreement containing a clause which reserves them for the publisher, unless for a substantial consideration. 12. CESSION OF COPYRIGHT.-Never sign any paper, either agreement or receipt, which gives away copyright, without advice. - 13. ADVERTISEMENTs. --Keep some control over the advertisements, if they affect your returns, by a clause in the agreement. I4. NEVER forget that publishing is a business, like any other business, totally unconnected with philanthropy, You have to do with Be yourself a business man. charity, or pure love of literature. business men. Society’s Offices :- 4, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN's INN FIELDs. *- A --" HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. I. VERY member has a right to ask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub. lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. If the advice B 2  ## p. (#356) ################################################ 2 THE AUTHOR. Sought is such as can be given best by a solicitor, the member has a right to an opinion from the Society’s solicitors. If the case is such that Counsel’s opinion is desirable, the Com- mittee will obtain for him Counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publisher's agreements do not generally fall within the experience of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society first—our solicitors are continually engaged upon such questions for us. 3. Send to the office copies of past agreements and past accounts with the loan of the books represented. This is in order to ascertain what has been the nature of your agree- ments, and the results to author and publisher respectively So far. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The infor- mation thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. If the examination of your previous business trans- actions by the Secretary proves unfavourable, you should take advice as to a change of publishers. 5. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the pro- posed document to the Society for examination. 6. The Society is acquainted with the methods, and—in the case of fraudulent houses—the tricks of every publish- ing firm in the country. 7. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of literature in promoting the indepen- dence of the writer. 8. Send to the Editor of the Author notes of everything important to literature that you may hear or meet with. . . 9. The committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fireproof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as con- fidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers:—(1) To read and advise upon agreements and publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. > THE AUTHORS’ SYNDICATE, EMBERS are informed : 1. That the Authors' Syndicate takes charge of the business of members of the Society. That it submits MSS. to publishers and editors, concludes agree- ments, examines, passes, and collects accounts, and, gene- rally, relieves members of the trouble of managing business details. 2. That the terms upon which its services can be secured will be forwarded upon detailed application. 3. That the Authors' Syndicate works only for those members of the Society whose work possesses a market value. 4. That the Syndicate can only undertake any negotiations whatever on the distinct understanding that those negotia- tions are placed eaclusively in its hands, and that all communications relating thereto are referred to it. 5. That clients can only be seen by the Director by appointment, and that, when possible, at least two days’ notice should be given. 6. That every attempt is made to deal with all communi- cations promptly. That stamps should, in all cases, be sent to defray postage, 7. That the Authors' Syndicate does not invite MSS. without previous correspondence ; does not hold itself responsible for MSS. forwarded without notice; and that in all cases MSS. must be accompanied by stamps to defray postage. 8. That the Syndicate undertakes arrangements for lectures by some of the leading members of the Society; that it has a “Transfer Department' for the sale and purchase of journals and periodicals; and that a “Register of Wants and Wanted” is open. Members are invited to communicate their requirements to the Manager. There is an Honorary Advisory Committee, whose services will be called upon in any case of dispute or difficulty. It is perhaps necessary to state that the members of the Advisory Committee have no pecuniary interest whatever in the Syndicate. - - -º NOTICES. HE Editor of the Awthor begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 6s. 6d. subscription for the year. The Editor is always glad to receive short papers and communications on all subjects connected with literature from members and others. Nothing can do more good to the Society than to make the Awthor complete, attractive, and interesting. Will those who are willing to aid in this work send their names and the special subjects on which they are willing to write P Communications for the Author should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate o the Editor any points connected with their work which t would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Members and others who wish their MSS. read are requested not to send them to the Office without previously communicating with the Secretary. The utmost practicable despatch is aimed at, and MSS. are read in the order in which they are received. It must also be distinctly under- stood that the Society does not, under any circumstances, undertake the publication of MSS. The Authors’ Club is now open in its new premises, at 3, Whitehall-court, Charing Cross. Address the Secretary for information, rules of admission, &c. Will members take the trouble to ascertain whether they have paid their subscriptions for the year P. If they will do this, and remit the amount, if still unpaid, or a banker’s order, it will greatly assist the Secretary, and save him the trouble of sending out a reminder. Members are most earnestly entreated to attend to the warning numbered (8). It is a most foolish and may be a most disastrous thing to enter into an agreement binding for a term of years. Let them ask themselves if they would give a solicitor the collection of their rents for five years to come, whatever his conduct, whether he was honest or dishonest ? Of course they would not. Why then hesitate for a moment when they are asked to sign them- selves into literary bondage for three or five years P Those who possess the “Cost of Production ” are requested to note that the cost of binding has advanced 15 per cent. This means, for those who do not like the trouble  ## p. (#357) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 3 of “doing sums,” the addition of three shillings in the pound on this head. In other words, if the cost of binding is set down in our book at eight pounds, to this must now be added twenty-four shillings more, so that it now stands at £948. The figures in our book are as near the exact truth as can be procured; but a printer's, or a binder’s, bill is so elastic a thing that nothing more exact can be arrived at. Some remarks have been made upon the amount charged in the “Cost of Production” for advertising. Of course, we have not included any sums which may be charged for inserting advertisements in the publisher's own magazines, or in other magazines by exchange. As agreements too often go, there is nothing to prevent the publisher from sweeping the whole profits of a book into his own pocket, by inserting any number of advertisements in his own magazines, and by exchanging with others. Some there are who call this a form of fraud; it is not known what those who practise this method of swelling their own profits call it. *-- * ~ * g- ºr -ºs. LITERARY PROPERTY, I.—CANADIAN COPYRIGHT. HE following “case” has been drawn up for the committee by Mr. James Rolt, barrister- at law — “It is impossible to deal with the Canadian Copyright Act of 1889, or to estimate the effect it will produce if it is allowed to come into force, without in the first place, shortly referring to the present position of copyright (a) as an imperial question, and (b) as an international question. (I) International copyright. (i.) The principal countries of Europe, and, in fact, from a literary point of view, the principal countries of the world, with the exception of the United States, have at last, in the Berne Con- vention, recognised that the rights of an author in the fruits of his labour should be free from all conditions and restrictions whatever, except such as may be enforced by the laws of the country where it is first produced. (ii.) The United States unfortunately, owing to political and trade pressure, have not been able to allow authors their full and just rights. Foreign authors can, however, under the Act of 1891, obtain protection on the terms of printing their works in the States. The condition is unquestionably wrong and unfair in principle, but the recognition by the States of the rights of foreign authors is, even where subject to such a condition, of immense importance, especially to British authors. Acceptance of the terms imposed does not imply a recognition of their justice, and should not under any circumstances be allowed to be drawn into a precedent. On the other hand, we should be most careful to avoid doing anything which might imperil the recognition of the rights of British authors which has been so hardly won from the United States of America. The Canadian Act, if allowed to come into force, would, it is believed, lead to the with- drawal from British authors of the United States Act of 1891. (2) Imperial copyright. The foundation of imperial copyright as it at present exists is to be found in the Act of 1842, which gives protection throughout the British dominions to every work which is first published in the United Kingdom. The Colonies justly complained that under this Act a work which was published in a colony had no copyright in the United Kingdom or in any other colony, but this grievance has been removed by the Act of 1886; a work published in a colony now enjoys precisely the same protection as one first pub- lished in the United Kingdom, (3) Canadian copyright as it exists at present. It was a common complaint of the Colonies, especially of Canada, that owing to the operation of the Imperial Copyright Act they were unable to obtain a sufficient supply of English literature. In order to remove this ground of complaint the Foreign Reprints Act was passed, and under its provisions Canada has been allowed to import pirated copies of English works on the under- taking that a duty of 12% per cent. should be collected by the colony upon all such copies for the benefit of the author. As a matter of fact the duty has not been collected, nor has any serious attempt been made by Canada to comply with the undertaking. In 1875 an Act was passed in Canada giving copyright to foreign authors upon condition of their republishing in the colony either simul- taneously with or at any time after publication elsewhere. This Canadian Act was expressly authorised by an Act of the Imperial Legislature, and therefore the Canada printers and publishers contended that the Imperial Copyright Act was repealed so far as Canada was concerned, and that English authors could only obtain copyright in Canada upon complying with the conditions of the Canadian Act. This contention was, however, decisively negatived by the Canadian courts in the case of “Smiles v. Belford,” and the position therefore at present is that English authors are only obliged to republish in Canada if they wish to avoid the operation of the Foreign Reprints Act. (4) Canada’s present proposals. The Canadian Act, passed by Colonial Legisla- ture in 1889, but reserved for the sanction of the Imperial Government, provides that, in order to obtain copyright in Canada, works must be regis- tered with the Minister of Agriculture before  ## p. (#358) ################################################ 4. THE AUTHOR, or simultaneously with their first publication, wherever such publication takes place, and must be reprinted and republished in Canada within one month of their publication elsewhere; and (2) that if the author does not comply with these conditions the minister may grant licences for the publication of the work, the licensees paying a royalty of Io per cent. for the benefit of the author. This Act is promoted solely by and in the interests of the Canadian printers and publishers, who claim to have the right to make a profit out of the works of English authors. The following are some of the reasons why the Act should not be allowed to come into force : (I) It is reactionary, and contrary to the prin- ciples adopted by this country after full con- sideration in acceding to the Berne Convention. It would, of course, deprive the Canadian author of the benefit of that Convention. (2) It is an attempt to deprive authors of their recognised rights for the benefit of the Canadian printers and publishers. (3) It is (except from the view of the printer and publisher) entirely unnecessary. The Cana- dian reader is amply provided for under the Foreign Reprints Act. (4) It will involve the repeal, so far as British authors are concerned, of the United States Copy- right Act of 1891, and the revival of legalised piracy in that country. (5) If it should by any chance accomplish its object, the action of the Canadians will thus recoil on their own heads. Canada will again be flooded by pirated copies printed in the United States, and the last condition of the Canadian printers and publishers will be far worse than the first. The short-sightedness of the Canadian policy is almost incredible. It will involve the flooding of English and other markets with cheap reprints, to the great detriment of publishers who have to pay a fair price for the work they publish. It has been proved over and over again that legislation is powerless to prevent the importation of these cheap reprints. (6) Having regard to the entire failure of Canada to collect the duties under the Foreign Reprints Act, there is no security whatever that authors will receive even the Io per cent. royalty provided by the Act. A manifesto has been issued by the Canadian Copyright Association in support of the Act. The reasons given may be stated as follows: (1) Canada has the right to legislate fully on copyright. Canada's right to legislate on copy- right is confined to the case of Canadian authors. She has no right whatever to take away from British authors their rights under the Imperial Acts. This was expressly decided by her own courts in “Smiles v. Belford,” and is the reason why she is now seeking the advice of the Imperial Legislature. (2) Copyright is analogous to patent right, and the Imperial Government did not disallow the Canadian Patent Act. But, in the first place, copyright is not analogous to patent right. Copy- right is given to the form only, not to the thought expressed. It does not prevent another author dealing, with the same subject or idea. Patent right deprives the second inventor, who has independently arrived at the same result, of the profits of his labours. Patent right is a monopoly in restraint of other original inventions. Copy- right is not. Secondly, the Canadian Copyright Act is not in the least on the same lines as the Canadian Patent Act. The Patent Act allows twelve months for obtaining a patent in Canada, after one has been obtained in England, and a further twelve months for commencing to manu- facture. This gives time to ascertain whether the market will warrant the outlay. (3) That under the present conditions the Canadian rights of English authors are included in the sale to United States publishers, to the injury of the Canadian printers and publishers. Here we have the true and only reason for the proposed legislation. It is based on a fallacy. It is no injustice what- ever to Canadian printers and publishers that British authors should be able to choose for them- selves where and through whom they will print and publish their works. To be consistent, the Canadians should demand that no artists should have protection for their works except such as used paints and canvas made in Canada. And the remedy is simple. English authors have to reprint in the United States. English publishers do not therefore demand protection or set up imaginary rights, but meet the difficulty in a business-like way. They set up branches in New York and Boston. Let the Canadians do the same. English authors, other things being equal, would rather deal with a Canadian publisher than an American. And let the Canadians join with us in endeavouring to obtain the removal of the unjust restrictions imposed by U.S.A. legislation instead of endeavouring to perpetuate and extend them. The real interests of English authors and Canadian publishers and printers in this matter are the same, and the latter are pursuing a most short sighted and suicidal policy. In any case the English authors submit with some confidence that the Canadian proposals are not such as ought to receive the sanction or assistance of the Imperial Legislature. May 13, 1895. J. ROLT.”  ## p. (#359) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. s II.--THE LAW of CoPYRIGHT. Amongst the Bills proposed to be introduced during the ensuing session of Parliament is one to amend the law relating to the protection of copy- right against the importation of foreign reprints into this colony, and to the registration of books. The second clause provides that Act No. 4 of 1854, and so much of the seventh section of the Copyright Act, 1873, as entitles the proprietor of the copyright of any book to demand the delivery to him of all copies of foreign reprints of such books unlawfully imported under that Act, shall be repealed. Clause 3 will suspend the existing order prohibiting the importation of foreign reprints of British books, and give force and effect to every provision of Acts of the Imperial Parliament having regard to the prohibition against the importation of foreign reprints of British books into this colony. Clause 4 makes it illegal for any person not being the registered proprietor of the copyright, or some person authorised by him, to import into the colony any reprint of any book in which there shall be registered copyright under the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1873, as to which such proprietor shall have given to the Collector of Customs a notice, in writing, duly declared before a justice of the peace, that such copyright exists, such notice also stating when such copyright will expire. And if any unathorised person shall import or bring any such reprint into the colony, or shall knowingly sell, let, publish, or expose for sale or hire any such reprint, then every such reprint shall be forfeited, and shall be seized by any officer of customs, and shall be destroyed or disposed of in such manner as the Governor shall direct; and every person so offending, being duly convicted, shall also for every such offence forfeit the sum of £Io and double the value of every copy of such book which he shall so import into the colony, or shall knowingly sell, let, publish, or expose for sale or hire, or shall have in his possession for sale or hire; £5 of such penalty to the use of the officer of customs, and the remainder to the proprietor of the copyright. By clause 5 the proprietor of the copyright is reserved the right of action for damages for infringement of the Act. According to the seventh clause lists of all books in respect to which copyright shall be subsisting in the colony must be posted at the customs houses of Colonial ports.-Cape Times, April 6. III.-AMERICAN CoPYRIGHT LAw.—IMPORTANT DECISION. The Law Department of the United States gave an important decision yesterday bearing . upon the law of copyright. It says that the law in the United States as it at present stands does not prevent the sale in the States of American copyright books that have been printed in Canada. The point is one of such importance to United States authors that an agitation for their better protection will be started forthwith.-St. James’s Gazette, May 4. IV.-BoITON v. ALDIN AND OTHERs. (Queen's Bench Division.—Before Mr. Justice Grantham and a Common Jury). This was an action to recover damages for the infringement of copyright in a photograph by publishing it in the Sketch and in another publi- cation, and an injunction was asked for to restrain future publication. The representatives of the Illustrated London News, it was said, were ready to submit to an injunction going against them, and to pay costs up to a certain point; and they were therefore discharged from the action. Mr. Willes Chitty was for the plaintiff, and Mr. Kemp, Q.C., and Mr. Willis Bund for the remain- ing defendant. It was said that Mr. Gambier Bolton, the plaintiff, was a Fellow of the Zoological Society, and he had spent a large part of his life at the Zoological Gardens and in travelling in various parts of the world taking photographs of a great number of wild animals in various attitudes. He had a collection of 30OO of these photographs, which the authorities of the British Museum had framed and hung upon their walls for the benefit of future generations. This was very important, as many varieties of animals were fast becoming extinct, and, indeed, the plaintiff had in his possession photographs of two or three kinds of animals which were already extinct. The photo- graphs in the Museum would show to future generations the animals as they now exist. He had incurred great expense, and had run very great personal risk in getting the photographs. He had been in great danger on two or three occasions at the Zoological Gardens. Among others, he took at the Zoological Gardens a photo- graph of a tigress yawning. The difficulty in that particular case was that the tigress was asleep, and he had to wait for hours and hours until she should wake and yawn, and then there was great doubt as to whether the yawn could be caught at a proper attitude. He registered the photograph under the Copyright Act of 25 and 26 Vict. c. 68, in June, 1894, and it would be shown that the re- maining defendant made a sketch of this photo- graph and sold it for publication. It was pub- lished in the Sketch, and it was to stop a proceed- ing of that kind that the present action was brought. It was most important to the plaintiff  ## p. (#360) ################################################ 6 THE AUTHOR. that this should be accomplished, because artists of high standing were in the habit of using his photographs for studying wild animals in various positions, and his source of profit would be endan- gered if people were allowed to publish sketches of them. Evidence was given that the tigress in question had a cancerous mouth, and the tigress in the sketch had the same complaint. Mr. J. P. Nettle- ship, artist and animal painter, expressed his opinion that the published sketch was taken from the plaintiff’s photograph. It was admitted that the defendant’s sketch was sold for £3. There was other evidence that the publication of the sketch would be likely to seriously affect the sale of the plaintiff's photographs. Mr. Kemp, upon the conclusion of the evidence, submitted that the plaintiff had made out no case, and he quoted various decided cases in sup- port of his contention that what had happened was no infringement of copyright within the mean- ing of the Act. Mr. Justice Grantham had no doubt that the sketch was taken from the photograph, and that there was an infringement of copyright. He therefore gave judgment for the plaintiff for an injunction, and he awarded him one penalty of £IO and 34o damages. Judgment for the Observer, May 17. plaintiff with costs.- W.—MUSICAL COPYRIGHT. A telegram from America has been received by the plaintiffs in the musical copyright test case of Novello v. Ditson to say that the Appellate Court last Friday upheld the decision of the court below, in favour of the British publishers. The question referred to the so-called “manufacturing ” clauses of the American Copyright Act of 1891 ; or, in other words, the point raised was whether music, like books, must be printed from plates engraved or type-set in the United States in order to secure copyright at Washington. Both courts have now decided that music is exempt from the “manu- facturing ” clauses, and although it would perhaps be somewhat rash to consider the matter quite settled until the full text of the judgment is received a week hence, it nevertheless seems to have been held that music, unlike books, need not be reprinted in the United States in order to secure American copyright. The action was so far a friendly one in that the facts were agreed to by both parties; but the case was regularly fought out, the costs as we understand being defrayed by the members of the Music Publishers' Association of England.—Daily News, April 30. *... a -º sº- w - THE PROBLEM OF PUBLISHING, I" has been remarked by many of our members that the Society has never put forward a model agreement, or a series of model agree- ments. The reasons for not doing so are obvious. At the outset, while the facts were as yet only partly known, and the whole question was obscure, it would have been absurd to attempt a model agreement. For instance, no one had then ventured to demand the audit of accounts; no one had dared claim the right of learning the real facts as to the administration of his own estate; no one had even begun to understand that there is no risk whatever in the publication of a very large number of writers' works; no one had as yet begun to understand that there ought to be any connection between the price paid when a work was bought and the sum it realised ; and, though the royalty system had been introduced, no one had even begun to ask what any royalty offered meant for the publisher as compared with the author. All this is now changed; we know what it actually costs to produce a book; we know what the publisher charges the retail bookseller; and we know what is meant by risk. The time may seem, therefore, convenient for some consideration of the problem from the author's point of view, with the increased light thrown upon it since the question first arose, now ten years ago. There are three methods of publishing: I. Those in which the author sells his work for what it will fetch ; or, which is another way of putting it, prefers to capitalise his royalties. In the case of a successful writer this method should only be adopted with the advice of an agent. 2. That in which a profit-sharing agreement is accepted. 3. That in which a royalty is accepted. There are sub-divisions in these three classes. As, for instance, when the profit-sharing agreement means a half or two-thirds to the author; and, in the third case, what amount of royalty is offered, and whether the royalty is deferred or to begin with the first copy. We will consider some of the relations of the publisher to the book he issues. I. He used to say that he took the risk. We do not hear so much about the risk of late. As regards successful writers, that is, two or three hundred writers at least, there is no risk, no risk at all. Not the least shadow of risk. The publisher knows very well beforehand that he is safe for a certain minimum of copies, and that this minimum will not only cover his expenditure but will leave a margin of profit. Outside this  ## p. (#361) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 7 circle of successful writers there may be, no doubt, risk; most publishers, however, in such a case make the author pay for production, or, at least, guarantee such a number of copies as will repay themselves, with a margin. The number of books thus paid for by the author is enormous ; there are small firms which do nothing else. 2. When there is risk, what is it P Of course we are not considering the starting of a magazine, or the production of great works like an encyclopædia, a dictionary of natural biography, or the like ; or a book elaborately and expensively illustrated; or an edition de lua.e; or technical books in small demand. The author in such a case must generally be considered as the employé of the publisher; he contributes his work; he is paid for his work; he is not concerned with the rest. In this place we are talking only of ordinary books—travel books, history, memoirs, and biography, essays, poetry, plays, fiction, theology, sermons, educational books, &c. The risk is the difference between the number that the publisher can reckon on being taken by subscription, and the initial cost. Thus a book may cost £120 to produce and advertise, which the publisher will only subscribe at the outset for £1 12. The risk in that case is therefore 38. Most people talk as if the risk was the whole cost of production. On the other hand, those who pay for producing their own poetry and fiction will do well to remember that the risk will probably be represented to them as the whole cost of produc- tion. In some cases, where the book is worthless and ought not to be published, the risk really may be the whole cost of production. A case was brought to the Society the other day in which an author had paid for the production. The number of copies sold was nineteen 3. The use of money. Accounts are made up, as a rule, once a year, and payment is made three months afterwards. This means the use of all the money received, and since the first run of the book is by far the most important, the use for eight to twelve months. In the case of a highly suc- cessful book, say a 6s. book, of which 40,000 copies go off in the first three months, the pub- lisher retains in his own hands for nearly a year the difference between the returns and the cost of production ; that is, he has the use of all the author's royalties, amounting in such a case to about £3000. This would mean to the author about £IOO interest, but to the publisher, as money used in his business, a sum which may be estimated at from IO to 20 per cent., i.e., from £300 to £600. extreme case, and very unusual. Quite so ; but we must always take an extreme case in order to test an agreement in publishing, just as in a WOL. VI. But, it will be said, this is an theory of mathematics. Take, however, another case, in which only 2000 copies are sold. Here the publisher holds in hand for a year royalties at, say, one shilling a copy, amounting to £IOO. He therefore pockets from £10 to £20 in addition to what the royalty leaves him. This extra profit is, it will be seen, a serious factor in the accounts of a book, and one which must be taken into con- sideration. 4. The agency for American rights. An author should be careful to retain these rights. A literary agent will take care of them for him at IO per cent. Several publishers’ letters have been received lately in which, while denouncing vigorously the extreme wickedness of the literary agent who takes IO per cent., the writer has kindly offered to undertake the American rights at 30 per cent. or 50 per cent. 5. The cost of production. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon authors that cost of production must be taken to mean actual cost — money actually paid and nothing else. There are st'll some people left who systematically falsify their accounts. Readers of the Author will remember that a case was submitted to counsel, whose opinion, published in tº e Author, was that no judge would uphold such falsification on any pretence what- ever. Whether such a case could be brought into the criminal courts remains to be seen. Perhaps this may be ascertained by experiment before long. Nothing, to repeat, must be charged that is not actually paid, e.g., not advertisements in a publisher's own organ ; not advertisements that are actually, or practically, exchanges. Discounts, which are sometimes very heavy, must be entered in the joint account. 6. There must be no secret profit of any kind. 7. The accounts must be open to inspection 8. The author must be told the whole of the facts about the production and the sale of his own book. - 9. Then comes the question of the “establish- ment expenses.” A charge for these expenses is sometimes made in the agreement. Should it be allowed P There are three persons connected with every book. I. The author, who creates the property. Has he no “establishment expenses P” One does not reckon his household expenses; but there are many other things, He has to pay his agent; his study is his office; he has probably a shorthand clerk; he employs people to copy things; he has to buy many books; he has sometimes to go many journeys; he has to spend large sums in acquiring his knowledge—surely these are C  ## p. (#362) ################################################ 8 THE AUTHOR. ‘' establishment expenses.” Hitherto, however, he has not charged them. 2. There is the bookseller. He has a heavy rent to pay; he has taxes, assistants, and all the charges of a shop to defray before he touches anything at all for himself. These are his “esta- blishment expenses.” Hitherto he has not asked them to be allowed first, before his “profit” begins. The simple man continues to call the difference between the price he gets and the price he pays, his profit. 3. The publisher, alone of the three, demands a first charge of “establishment expenses.” But he is careful not to recognise the same claim in the case of the other two. Io. Then follows the question of the proportion that should be paid to the publisher. What are the services which he renders He lends his office and his servants; his clerks give out the book, they also collect the money. The publisher arranges with printer and binder; he decides on the amount that may be spent in advertising the book. As a rule it is per- fectly simple routine work. What should he receive P There must be a margin, of course, over and above the establishment expenses, for the publisher as well as for the author and the bookseller. How large should that margin be P A publisher has been complaining lately in the New Budget that all he could get for himself out of a certain book which had a very wide circulation was a paltry 6d. a copy. Note that with a very successful book—it is only a very successful book for which so large a royalty can be claimed— namely, 25 per cent.—with a book selling 40,000 copies, the wretched 6d. over which this person whines means 29 Iood | This 6d. was reckoned after deducting sevenpence for alleged establish- ment expenses. Imagine the happiness of an agent who should be allowed to take £IOOO out of £5000 for himself, with his office expenses as well ! The case is highly instructive. II. The deferred royalty ought not to be, but too often is a trick of the very worst kind. It seems perfectly reasonable that the cost of production should be first defrayed before profits are declared. Thus, suppose an edition of 3OOO copies is printed —all that the publisher thinks will be sold. Suppose also that the publisher is nearly right. IIe sells 2500 copies. The book has cost him 216o. He sells it at 6s., i.e., 3s. 6d. It therefore takes him 920 copies to clear himself: every other copy is clear gain. What do we think then of publishers offering a miserable IO per cent. or 15 per cent. royalty to begin after a thousand copies? At the latter royalty, for instance, the author would receive about £70 and the publisher about £200. This can hardly be called a just share of profit for managing this little estate. What, then, ought the publisher to receive P Obviously, more in proportion for a book of small circulation than for one of wide circulation. With these facts before us let us endeavour to arrive at some kind of conclusion. A proportion actually based on principles of equity cannot be expected from the nature of the case. For who can decide what ought to be the pay- ment of an agent P One can only state the facts, and deduce from them some conclusion that will be accepted by honourable men on both sides. Sir Frederick Pollock, speaking at a public meeting of the society when he took over the chairmanship, said, very strongly, that it was simply impossible that honourable men should be unable to arrive at an agreement as to the rights of author and publisher respectively. It does seem impossible. Let us therefore make an attempt to arrive at a solution of the problem. The above are, roughly speaking, the data. If the members of the society will consider the problem, (I) for a book about which there can be no talk of risk, and (2) for a book which carries risk there may be found some way out of the difficulty. For my own part, I would suggest, as a small contribution towards clearing up this question, that we leave off talking about the author's royalty and begin to speak and think of the royalty granted by the author to the publisher. This will be a practical method of asserting the pro- prietor's rights in his own property. *~~ * -- NOTES FROM PARIS, \ LPHONSE DAUDET has no intention of writing his impressions about London. He emphatically said so this very morning. He said that he has se-n far too little of our great city to venture to express an opinion on it that it would be presumptuous, and so on. He will probably, however, use his experiences in some future novel. His stay on the whole has been a pleasant one, and he will leave England on Monday next, “not without regret.” He has been greatly interested in all he has seen, and has filled note-books with notes on the same. He says that the characte- ristic of the English race is pride, that the French have no such pride, and that it is a good thing. Our English habit of tea-drinking, on the other hand, he thinks a detestable thing. “Tea in the morning,” he says, “tea at noon, tea all day. I  ## p. (#363) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 9 gave it up in time. It was ruining my nerves.” He still suffers a great deal. “I feel as if my legs were being stabbed with knives, and as though there was a harrow going over my body.” However, he keeps in good spirits, and may often be heard singing. His favourite tune just now is that of “Her Golden Hair,” which, he says, is the Leit-Motiv of London. I say that his stay has been a pleasant one “on the whole”; that is to say, in spite of various annoyances from which, it would appear, no celebrity on a visit to London is exempted. The interviewers, to begin with, who by indiscreet statements have involved him—as thanks to him for placing himself at their disposal—in inter- minable controversies. Then the Leo-Hunters. Various people—including one or two noble ladies —treating him like an actor or curiosity on show —have written—strangers to him a stranger—to bid him to their houses, without taking the trouble of showing the preliminary courtesy of calling on him or of leaving cards. These have received lessons in savoir vivre which one hopes may profit them. Anonymous letters, many con- taining insults, have reached him by every post. Inventors have asked him to further their inven- tions, and needy Frenchmen have demanded funds where with to repatsiate themselves. I was present the other day at an interview between M. Daudet and a person who described himself as a French musician, who wanted a “few words in private.” Daudet told him to speak up, and he began speaking offensively about the English. However, seeing that Daudet by no means agreed with him in his comments on “ces Anglais,” he deftly turned his insults into compliments, and went on to say that he wanted the money to pay his fare back to Paris. Daudet said he had no money with him, but asked Léon, who was present, for his purse. Léon said that there was very little in it, and Daudet then told the man that he should have all there was, and emptied the purse on the table. The destitute musician went away, radiant, with about two pounds in his pocket. That was a week ago. To-day I saw him in the bar of a public-house in the Strand. He has not left for Paris yet. Léon Daudet has just finished correcting the proofs of his satirical novel “Les Kamcatka,” which will be published at the beginning of June by Charpentier, who expressed himself to me at the Wernissage of the New Salon as very sanguine about it. He will then start upon a work of imagination, to be called “Le Voyage de Shakespeare.” He imagines Shakespeare travel- ling in the North of Europe collecting the impres- sions from which “Hamlet” eventually springs. WOL. VI. It will be a difficult task, but, if successfully worked out, should make a very interesting book. I understand that George Hugo, who has been staying in London with the Daudets, will illustrate the work. I hear that of late many of the most dis- tinguished men of letters in France—the Daudets, the Rosnys, Pierre Loti, and others—have placed the management of their entire English and American business interests in the hands of Mr. A. P. Watt. Crockett writes me a charming letter from Bellagio. “Since I came to Italy,” he says, “I have been full of work. My book of ‘Cleg Relly, Arab of the City,” begins in the Cornhill for July, and this in addition to ‘The Grey Man’ for the Graphic, and other things. Then there have been incidentals to do, short things, which are neither here nor there, but which take time.” I have often thought that for writing a book for children a child would be one's best col- laborator. S. R. Crockett seems to share my opinion, for he tells me that he is writing a Christmas book in collaboration with his little daughter Maisie, the bonniest little child that God ever sent to earth. “It is a Christmas book about our travels,” he writes. “It will make the superior person very sick; but will please all children, big and little, or so I think. And I care little what the person who can’t write himself, but tells you how you must write, will say of the matter.” He is exemplary in his remarks on criticism. “I heard that I had been annihilated in some review by a gentleman whose name was un- familiar ; but I did not see the article, which must, I think, have been blank cartridge, since nobody was a penny piece the worse.” He also tells me that he hopes to be back in July, “when we are going to St. Andrews for the seaside, to dig in the sand—all of us.” Amongst the late Leconte de Lisle's papers was found a set of notes, in which the great poet summed up, in a few words devoted to each, his opinion on his comrades in the Muse. Of Lama - time he says: “An abundant imagination, an intelligence endowed rather with a thousand noble and ambitious desires than with real capacities. A nature d’élite, an incomplete artist, a great poet by chance. He has left behind him—as it were in expiation—a multitude of stillborn beings, with liquified brains and hearts of stone, the Wretched family of an illustrious father.” Alfred de Musset, in Leconte de Lisle's opinion, was a “mediocre poet, nil as an artist, a very witty writer of prose.” Victor Hugo was “the greatest known lyrical poet. Exaggerated in all things, C 2  ## p. (#364) ################################################ IO THE AUTHOR. puerile and yet sublime, with an inexhaustible reservoir of splendid and incoherent images, a marvellous dreamer, with extraordinary blanks in his intellect.” About Baudelaire he wrote: “Very intelligent and original, but of limited imagination, lacking in breadth. His art is too often clumsy. About Théodore de Banville: “Witty, amiable, good- natured, a skilful, brilliant, but superficial artist.” Alfred de Vigny, according to the great Parmas- sian, was “a great and noble artist, in spite of frequent laches of expression, who has always lived in retirement, poor and dignified, faithful to the end to his one creed—the beautiful.” Theophile Gautier : “An excellent poet, an excellent writer. Very unjustly neglected.” As to Béranger, he is of opinion : “His chansons de circonstance and his God of a cabaret philanthro- pique have all had their vogue ; and having all had their vogue, are now and for evermore dust and ashes.” One would like now to be able to have the opinions of Béranger, Theophile Gautier, Baudelaire, and the others on Leconte de Lisle. I hear that arrangements have already been made in London for the publication in serial form of Mr. Vizetelly's translation of Emile Zola's new novel “Rome.” That is to say, arrangements in anticipation, as but little of the book has been written. The story, apart from descriptions of Rome and Roman life, deals with a tragic love affair. Zola is working himself to death over it. I met him at the Wernissage, and asked him why he was looking so pale. “Le travail,” he said, “Le travail!” Work ought not to make one pale. It is absurd if it does. Why are literary men, who usually lead a very healthy life, almost invariably “sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought " ? De Musset said their faces gave a reflection of the white paper which was always before them. But then the paper is not long white, and I, for my part, never saw an author turn negro from the reflec- tion of the written sheet. The doctors might explain the matter. I have seen it reported that Madame Sarah Bernhardt is engaged in writing her memoirs. This is not true, and the report was doubtless spread abroad with the kind intention of injuring a work which has been in preparation for some time. I saw the lady shortly before her depar- ture from Paris, and she said that she was in no wise so engaged. What leisure she enjoys is spent in her atelier on sculpture, in which art she has already achieved some success. A model attends her every day when she is at home in Paris. I do not know what she does when en voyage. I had a grotesque experience at her house in the Boulevard Pereire on the occasion referred to. We were talking about a very pathetic and tragic thing, and the great lady was wringing her hands and had tears in her eyes. She was sitting with her back to a cage in which was a large Senegalese monkey, and the whole time that she was speaking the ape was grimacing horribly, sticking out his tongue, blinking his eyes, and performing various gymnastic feats. The contrast was a striking one, and, heavy- hearted as I was, I could not master a laugh—a laugh of the Sardinian kind. I suppose that everybody is reading Mr. Roche’s masterly translation of the “Memoirs of Barras.” One wants to hear the other side about Napoleon, and Barras gives it, full and strong. Of course Barras, by reason of his jealousy about Josephine, was a prejudiced witness, but then most of the witnesses on the other side, from Ménéval downwards, were also prejudiced. Mr. Charles Roche is a very dis- tinguished journalist, of world-wide experience, of whom M. Daudet has expressed a very high opinion. He is connected by marriage with the family of Charles Dickens. May 23. ROBERT H. SHERARD. Authors’ Club, 3, Whitehall Court. * * ~ * a- - --e. NEW YORK LETTER, New York, May 18. ITH increasing experience of the diffi- W W culty of expression in black and white, I am coming more and more to be of the belief that it is absolutely impossible to say any- thing in print so that it cannot be misunder- stood. For example, there was a letter in the Author two or three months ago in which it was shown that a British series of books is pretty certain to find an American publisher, while an American series is very unlikely to find a British publisher ; and now comes Mr. Andrew Lang in the Illustrated London News and calls this plain statement of fact a complaint. Certainly it was not prompted by any feeling of grievance. It was prompted by a desire to fulfil the wishes of the editor of the Author, who requested me to explain any conditions in the American book market which the reader in England was not likely to know. Now, one of the conditions an English reader is not likely to suspect is that the American market is more freely opened to a British book of average merit than the British market is opened to an American book of average merit. This is a fact. To state it is not to make a complaint. -  ## p. (#365) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. I I To account for it is not easy, although the reason is probably to be found in the former colonial dependence of the United States toward Great Britain; the effect of which was to give the British a poor opinion of what came from America, and to give the Americans a high opinion of what came from England. Many American authors have noticed that there is still in the United States a lingering survival of colonial deference toward British authors. Curiously enough, this colonialism exists in America only in regard to literature. For example, British art, pictorial or plastic, is held in very low esteem, as the American painters and sculptors and architects look to France for their masters. In a recent essay on “Trade Winds in Literature,” Col. Higginson discussed the subject with his usual felicity of illustration. “The sailors of Columbus,” he began, “ in crossing the Atlantic were not alarmed by oppos- ing winds, but because the wind blew always in their favour. It was certain, they held, that such winds cut off all hope of return. In literature these same winds have blown ever since; the fame of an English author spreads rapidly to America, whereas that of an American, though it may ultimately reach Europe, goes far more slowly. Dr. Conan Doyle, who has thus far identified his name with but a single character in fiction, comes here and receives 500 dollars per lecture; whereas if Edgar Poe had gone to England, in his day, and had offered to lecture, he would have been fortunate if he had cleared a profit of 3s. 6d. Americans to whom the very names of Dr. Doyle and Mr. Christie Murray and Dean Hole were previously unknown, made haste to read some of their books in order to attend their lectures. It is impossible to see in this any- thing but a survival of that trade wind called Colonialism.” And after giving other instances, Col. Higgin- son declared that “The history of literature is, far more than we recognise, a series of vibrations of the pendulum for the two great branches of the English-speaking race; sometimes the one takes the lead, sometimes the other. Forty years ago no book produced in England compared in world-wide circulation with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and even to this day it is said to be found in English farmhouses more frequently, with ‘The Wide, Wide World,’ than any other book. Twenty years ago the travelling American rarely met an Englishman who was not familiar with Mark Twain, or an English woman who was not eager to hear anything about Longfellow. It is probable that Emerson had, and still has, on the minds of thoughtful Englishmen more direct influence than Carlyle had among Americans. It is only a few years since American magazines conquered London, which they still hold; and since it was generally admitted that Americans excelled their transatlantic cousins in short stories. This year there is a swing of the pendu- lum. In spite of Mr. Howells—who doubtless prophesied somewhat rashly—there is a reaction in favour of tales of historical romance, in which English writers have taken the unquestioned lead.” The fact is that England is the older country, and that, therefore, there is a certain prejudice in England against an American author ; while America is the younger country, and therefore there is a certain prejudice in America in favour of an English author. That is why an American publisher was readily found to issue Mr. Lang's series of volumes on “English Worthies,” although that series proved to be a financial failure, and was abandoned before two of the most interesting of its books appeared—Mr. Lang's own “Izaak Walton’’ and R. L. Stevenson’s “Wellington,” both of which remained unwritten. That is why the “Great Educators’” series, which was planned here in New York by Prof. Nicholas Murray Butler (who assigned the separate volumes to writers in America, in England, and in France), and which is printed here by Charles Scribner's Sons (who sell sheets to Mr. Heine- mann), is published in London with a new title- page, from which Prof. Butler's name is omitted —this new title-page being the only part of the so-called “Heinemann’s Great Educators’ Series'’ which is printed in England. It is pleasant to be able to record that books of solid merit have sales sometimes as large as those of the mere book of the hour. I was told not long ago that two thousand sets of the new edition of Mr. James Bryce's book on the “American Commonwealth” were placed with the trade here in the city of New York alone in a single day. By the publisher's advertisements I see that Mr. John Fiske’s “Discovery of America” is in its thirteenth thousand, while most of his other historical and philosophical works have reached at least a tenth edition. Macmillan and Co. will commence in May the publication of their “Miniature Series,” one number of which will appear each month. The little books will be bound in paper, and will be sold at 25 cents each. In shape and in size, and in neatness of typography, they resemble the pretty little collection of books by American authors issued by Mr. David Douglas, of Edin- burgh. The volumes announced for the coming year are: “Shakespeare's England,” by William Winter; “The Friendship of Nature,” by Mabel Osgood Wright; “A Trip to England, by Gold-  ## p. (#366) ################################################ I 2 THE AUTHOR. win Smith; “From a New England Hillside,” by William Potts; “The Pleasures of Life,” by Sir John Lubbock; “Old Shrines and Ivy,” by William Winter; “The Choice of Books,” by Frederick Harrison; “Gray Days and Gold,” by William Winter; “The Aims of Literary Study,” by Hiram Corson, LL.D. ; The Novel— What It Is,” by F. Marion Crawford; and “Amiel's Journal,” translated by Mrs. Humphry Ward. It is to be noticed that, although the publishers are a British house, only two of these eleven books are by residents of England. In the May number of the Book Buyer, the little monthly publication issued by Charles Scribner's Sons, appears the first instalment of a Bibliography of First Editions of John Greenleaf Whittier, compiled by Mr. Edward H. Bierstadt, of the Grolier Club. No detailed and descriptive bibliography of this writer has been published here- tofore, and the compiler has endeavoured to make his work complete, and as fully descriptive as is convenient in view of the undertaking. It is the purpose of the publishers of the Book Buyer in future to make contributions of literary study, which they believe will be found convenient standards of accurate information upon the subject. The Whittier Bibliography will be completed in four instalments. The publishers expect to follow it with bibliographies of James Russell Lowell, Nathaniel Hawthorn, Robert Louis Stevenson, and other authors whose works are of interest to collectors. The May number of the Book Buyer has for its frontispiece an engraving on wood of the latest portrait of Mr. Stedman. The editor of the new American edition of the Bookman—which now owes very little to its London namesake save the name—is one of the Columbia College Professors of Latin ; and it is therefore perhaps not unfair to credit him with the following adaptation, called “Titerary Log-rolling in Ancient Rome’’:— Hor. Epist. ii., 2, 87. Frater erat Romae consulti rhetor, ut alter Alterius sermone meros audiret honores, Gracchus ut hic illi, foret huic ut Mucius ille, Qui minus argutos vexat furor iste poétas P Carmina compono, hic elegos. “Mirabile visu Caelatumque movem Musis opus !” Adspice primum, Quanto cum fastu, quanto molimine circum- Spectemus vacuam Romanis vatibus aedem - Mox etiam, si forte vacas, sequere et procul audi, Quid ferat et quare sibi nectat utergue coronam. Caedimur et totidem plagis consumimus hostem Lento Samnites ad lumina prima duello. Discedo Alcaeus puncto illius ; ille meo quis P Quis nisi Callimachus P Si plus adposcere visus, Fit Mimnermus et optivo cognomine crescit. Multa ferout placem genus irritabile vatum, Cum scribo et supplex populi suffragia capto ; Idem, finitis studiis et mente recepta, Obturem patulas impune legentibus aures. [The same, Englished.] Two Romans, counsellor and pleader, went Through life on terms of mutual compliment; One called the other Gracchus, he supposed His brother Mucius ; so they praised and prosed. Our bards to-day the selfsame madness goads: My friend writes elegies, and I write odes. O how we puff each other “’Tis divine ! The Muses had a hand in every line.” Remark our swagger as we pass the dome Built to receive the future bards of Rome; Then follow us and see the fame we make, How each by turn awards and takes the cake. Like Samnite fencers with elaborate art, We hit in tierce to be hit back in quart. I’m dubbed Alcaeus, and retire in force : And who is he P Callimachus of course ! If this seem feeble, then I bid him rise Mimmermus, and he swells to twice his size. Writing myself, I’m tortured to appease Those wasp-like creatures, our poetic bees; But when my pen's laid down, my sense restored, I rest from boring and from being bored. The Paris correspondent of the Author voices M. Marcel Prevost’s protest against an unautho- rised American translation of his unspeakable Demi-Vierges.” The translation, it is true, is pub- lished in America, but the translator, Mr. Arthur Hornblow, is an Englishman. H. R. *– ~ --> sº- ~~ NOTES AND NEWS. THINK that I may very properly make this the place for a brief note concerning the distinction lately conferred upon me. It is, in fact, a national recognition of this Society and of its work in advancing the dignity and the inde- pendence of literature. The Earl of Rosebery in his letter to me expressly pointed out that this distinction was offered in recognition of services which, he kindly says, have been rendered by me to the dignity of literature. These humble services could only be effective through such an organisation as our own. It is, therefore, the Society itself which has, for the first time, received recognition. We have also to chronicle the same distinction conferred upon our chairman, Sir William Martin Conway. The fact that he is our chairman, in addition to the many achievements by which he has lifted himself above the heads of his fellows, may be taken as having had its weight. Last, but not least, is to be noted, as very suggestive of new departure, the same distinction bestowed upon a poet—Sir Lewis Morris.  ## p. (#367) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. I3 In the lamented death of Lord Pembroke the Society has lost one of its strongest friends. Lord Pembroke was a member of our council; he attended the meetings of council—which are few ; he was present at several of our public meetings; he took the chair for us at one of our dinners; and he always showed the greatest interest in our work and aims. In a recent “interview,” which appeared in the Daily Chronicle, Mr. Hall Caine gave public utterance, for the first time, to a suggestion which has been in the minds of many, and is now being talked of freely. “The authors,” he said, “who have the hearts of the public would’—under certain circumstances—“ have to do as Ruskin did—create new publishers—or else attempt the perhaps not impossible task of doing without publishers altogether, and going direct to the booksellers.” This is what is whispered or spoken outright. What is to prevent, if authors choose, the opening of an office, with a manager paid on Commission, and not allowed to publish on his own account P The thing is perfectly plain and perfectly simple. For my own part I hope— though my hope is not, I confess, so strong as formerly—that the old machinery will continue, but adjusted to altered conditions. All that we demand as a preliminary to any serious attempt to settle the question is the recognition of four points which no honest man can, for very shame, refuse, viz.: - I. No secret profits—i.e., no falsifying of a CCOUnts. 2. No charge unless of money actually paid—as no charge for advertisements except those paid for ; all discounts to be entered in the books, &c. 3. Open accounts—i.e., an author to see the account books which concern himself. 4. A clear understanding of what the agree- ment leaves to either party in the event of SUICCéSS. I have submitted these points to many business men. Their opinion has uniformly been the same. If anyone in the City, they say, should dare to object to any such conditions between himself and his partner or fellow venturer in any enterprise, he would be shown the door instantly. If, therefore, we find that a certain publisher is constantly vomiting charges of this and of that against the Society or any of its committee; if he further learns that this publisher is one of those who still falsify their accounts, keep the books dark, and persevere in the bad old ways of treating the author as their humble dependent, it is surely our plain and obvious duty at least to avoid that person; not to give him our books; and not to admit him to our society. Do we not owe so much—it is not much—to the cause of literature, as well as our own self-respect P. This is one of the points which we ought to cultivate— the absolute social boycotting of the dishonest and the tricky publisher. Here is a case, not of dishonesty, nor of tricki- ness, but one which exposes the way in which certain publishers have come to regard their own rights over a book. The man in question was interviewed by a certain paper, and he wept over the wickedness and the greediness of the un- speakable author. The case of wicked greed was this. He produced a book by a highly popular, though, perhaps, unspeakable, author. This author took a royalty of eighteenpence out of a nominal six shillings. How did the case stand P The figures are not to be denied. They are as follows: The average price of the book to the trade is s. 6d. 3 The cost, with advertising, is less than a shil- ling—say I I d. The author receives Is. 6d. for every copy sold. The publisher receives Is. Id. This man said that he must first subtract the “establishment expenses” and, these all deducted, he was left only sixpence. The “expenses” therefore amount to about as much—say 31250 for the one book, which had a sale of about 50,000 copies, and is still going on. Really, when one looks at the modest exterior of this publisher's establishment, one is surprised that one book can cost so much merely to manage, without counting the production. Therefore, the publisher having had no risk whatever—having simply used the machinery of a small office, and ordered the advertisements—gets 31250 for himself by his own showing. And he goes on to say that things are coming to such a pass—i.e., when a publisher can make no more than £1250 for himself out of one book—that “the successful author will find no publisher willing to undertake his books at the price he demands.” What? Not for twelve hundred and fifty pounds? Really Here is self sacrifice But is not this demanding almost too much of a credulous public P As for “establishment expenses,” the question will have to be argued out. For my own part, I should begin by arguing that the bookseller's and the author’s “establishment expenses” must be allowed as well as the publisher's. The former, clearly, has rent and assistants and taxes to pay : and he has also the very considerable risk of  ## p. (#368) ################################################ 14 THE AUTHOR. unsold stock. The latter—the author—has at least the rent of his study, which is his office; his shorthand clerk; his agent; his typewriting; the books he must buy ; the journeys he must take. For instance, I once wrote a little book on Captain Cook. It was one of Macmillan's series, for which T received a hundred guineas. The price was, I dare say, quite as much as the book was worth, commercially. I do not complain at all about the price. I was very glad to write the book for other reasons apart from the small cheque. Now, this book took me down to York- shire twice; and once to a certain cathedral city to see a certain clergyman, who had information of a kind previously unpublished, and very useful for the book. I had to pay for the copying of a previously unpublished log. I had to get a good deal of typewriting done. All these were “esta- blishment expenses,” and they amounted, I reckoned up, to about £45. But it never entered my head to charge these expenses, although they swallowed up nearly half the little cheque. If, however, the practice of charging for “establish- ment expenses” is allowed to one of the three persons named, I shall argue that it must be allowed to all. It seems likely that we shall have a good deal of talk upon these subjects before long, perhaps with some results. The booksellers, whose case is really hard, seem waking up. One of them, Mr. Burleigh, wrote to the Times saying, with great bitterness, that authors and publishers between them are killing the bookseller. Sir William Conway pointed out in an able letter that authors, at least, are innocent of any such action or intention. As a matter of fact, the alleged Squeezing by agents, which has by no means as yet even reached the old half-profit system, is a thing of the last half dozen years, and no change whatever, as Mr. Burleigh must know very well, has been made of late in the relations of bookseller and publisher. The booksellers, in fact, if they only knew it, are the real masters of the situation. They should combine, but not to run up the prices of books. They should combine, leaving to each perfect freedom as to the price at which he would sell his books. upon me I will show him certain other objects for which booksellers could combine with very excellent results to themselves. But if he calls he must not begin by calling authors bad names: first, because I won’t allow it; next, because we don't deserve these bad names; and lastly, because calling names doesn’t advance matters. At the Authors’ Club on the 27th ult. Rider Haggard was the guest of the evening. If there And if Mr. Burleigh will call was wanted a proof that literary men are not, as a rule, devoured with jealousy and hatred towards each other, it was provided in the recep- tion which he met with at that dinner. A friend of many readers of this paper is dead. George Bentley died last week at the age of sixty- seven. He had long been suffering from asthma, which drove him every winter to take refuge at Tenby. Courtly, genial, kindly, he was the model of the old-fashioned publisher of the most honour- able kind. Nor was he without literary ability, as was shown by the occasional papers which he con- tributed to his own magazine, Temple Bar, of which he was for nearly thirty years the editor, These essays he collected into a little volume, which he published some years ago, with what success I know not. His magazine continues, I believe, to enjoy a wide and increasing circulation; and it has always been remarkable for its excel- lent novels, written chiefly by ladies, and for its biographical sketches. At this moment, that of going to press, it is impossible to do justice to the memory of George Bentley. In our next number I hope that one who knew him intimately will communicate to the Author a longer notice of this kindliest of publishers. I hear also at the same moment that James Dykes Campbell, the author of the “Life of Coleridge,” is dead. It was his one book, but it is the life of Coleridge. No other memoir of the philosopher-poet will be written, unless it is one based upon Campbell's. The author was for many years a partner in the house of Ireland, Fraser, and Co., in Mauritius; he was always, from boyhood. attracted towards literary pursuits; and when I first made his acquaintance, now thirty-two years ago, was already deeply interested in every- thing that concerned Coleridge and his friends. He was fortunate in being able to retire from business soon after forty with a moderate fortune, which enabled him to live as he pleased, and to take up in earnest the literary life without being shackled by the necessity of providing the daily bread. To this enviable independence we owe the “Life of Coleridge"—a book which contains the research, the travels, and the patient labour of years. He died at a comparatively early age, but his life was happy, fortunate, and successful. To have written that one book, which will remain long after the perishable work of more popular writers, to be inseparably associated with the name of Coleridge, is an achievement which by itself makes a successful career. WALTER BESANT.  ## p. (#369) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 15 ANNUAL DINNER OF THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OF AUTHORS, R. MOBERLY BELL presided last even- ing (May 23) at the Holborn Restaurant, over the annual dinner of this Society, at which about 180 ladies and gentlemen were present, including the American Ambassador, Sir F. and Lady Jeune, Mr. A. W. a Beckett, Mrs. Oscar Beringer, the Rev. Canon Bell, D.D., Mr. Mackenzie Bell, Mr. C. F. Clifford Borrer, Mr. J. Theodore Bent, Mrs. Brightwen, Mr. Walter Besant, Miss Marie Belloc, Mrs. Moberly Bell, Professor C. A. Buchheim, Mr. F. H. Balfour, yet I am not here to ask absolution, to plead Mrs. H. C. Black, Dr. Sutherland Black, Mr. Poulteney Bigelow, Miss Mathilde Blind, Mr. Henry Blackburn, Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, Sir W. T. Charley, Q.C., Mr. Edward Clodd, Mr. W. Martin Conway, Mrs. Conway, Mr. Moncure T). Conway, Miss E. R. Chapman, Mr. A. Chatto, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Cox, Miss Beatrice Chambers, Mr. and Mrs. Hall Caine, Mr. Ralph Hall Caine, Major Seton Churchill, the Earl of Desart, Mrs. Gerard Ford, Miss L. Friswell, Sir William Fraser, Mr. Harry Furniss, Mr. Edmund Gosse, Mrs. Aylmer Gowing, Dr. R. Garnett, Mr. Upcott Gill, Mme. Sarah Grand, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, Dr. G. Harley, F.R.S., Mr. Holman Hunt, Mr. Isaac Henderson, Pre- bendary Harry Jones, Mr. C. F. Keary, Miss Florence Marryatt, Lord Monkswell, Mrs. Millie, Mr. S. B. G. M'Kinney, the Rev. C. H. Middleton- Wake, Mr. Justin C. MacCartie, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Norman, Miss E. Pitcairn, Mr. W. H. Pollock, the President of the Royal College of Surgeons, the President of the Institute of Journalists, Lord Reay, Mr. W. Fraser Rae, Mr. John Rae, Mr. J. Morgan Richards, Mr. J. Ashby Sterry, Mr. A. M. M. Stedman, Mr. M. H. Spiel- mann, the Rev. Clementi-Smith, Mr. Douglas Sladen, Mrs. Burnett Smith, Dr. Burnett Smith, Miss Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Stanley, Miss L. Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Sheldon, Mr. Clement R. Shorter, Sir Henry Thompson, Mrs. Alec Tweedie, Mr. Andrew W. Tuer, Mr. G. Herbert Thring, Mrs. Thring, Miss Grace Toplis, Miss Tobin, Miss G. Traver, Mr. H. Townsend (New Pork Herald), Mr. Thomas Townend, Mr. William Tirebuck, Mr. P. Villars (Figaro), Mrs. Neville Walford, Mr. C. T. Hagberg Wright, Mr. Walter, Mr. Sydney F. Walker, Mr. Theodore Watts, and Mr. Wesselitsky. The following is a report of the speeches:— The CHAIRMAN.—Your Excellency, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen: I ask you to drink to that toast which needs no words——“The Queen.” The CHAIRMAN.—Your Excellency, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen : Before I propose the toast of the evening, I think it incumbent on me to offer some explanation of my apparent pre- sumption in venturing to address from this chair a Society of Authors. I am painfully conscious that I stand, as it were, in the footprints of men whose shoelatchets I am unworthy to unloose; that I address authors whose names are “household words,” and that to most of you to whom I am utterly unknown, except by name, if by that, I must seem to have rashly and unnecessarily placed myself amongst that vast majority of man- kind who “rush in where angels fear to tread.” guilty, nor even to urge extenuating circum- stances, for if on my own merits I have barely right to ask admission as a simple member of the Society of Authors—for I hold that the term “author’’ is not too lightly to be applied to every scribbler (hear, hear) — if I have still less the right to speak with the authority which befits your chairman, yet I ask you to see in this chair to-night not my own insignificant personality, but rather the representative, if an inadequate one, of that great author who, though anonymous, may yet in some respects claim to be the greatest author of all time, the Press. (Hear, hear.) I am deeply sensible that the Society of Authors, in asking me to take the chair to-night, have been anxious to pay a graceful and generous compliment not to myself, not to any section of the Press, but to the Press as a whole, to the Press in the widest acceptation of the term, to that power, great for good and evil—I trust greater for good than for evil—which owes its existence to a large extent to the co-operation of authors, and to which authors themselves some- times owe a little. (Hear, hear.) I speak of the Press as an author because I like to think of every portion in it as forming a part of one individual whole, animated by one common object, choosing, it must be, different ways of arriving at that object, quarrelling, it may be, within Our body corporate, but yet, if differing in our means, never differing in our end, and that end I take to be to voice without fear or favour, without bias or prejudice, above all without personal motive— (hear, hear)—that which we honestly believe to be the public intelligence and the public con- science. I call the Press a great author because to ninety-nine hundredths of readers authors are known not by their individuality, but by their Works, and I think that even in this distinguished assembly of authors it will hardly be denied that the Press, if not the greatest, is, at all events of all authors, the most prolific and the most voluminous. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) The  ## p. (#370) ################################################ I6 THE AUTHOR. most popular amongst you count your readers by thousands—we count ours by tens and hundreds of thousands. The most industrious amongst you can only write—well, ten or a dozen volumes in the course of a year. (Laughter.) We publish that every day. (Laughter.) The most versatile amongst you cannot claim to be a profound authority on more than three or four subjects. The author I represent is omniscient. (Laughter.) . He speaks with profound authority on every subject and at the very shortest notice. We write tragedy in our police courts, we write comedy in our Parliamentary reports, and fiction in our advertisements (laughter); but the Press, though it uses the first personal plural, is never egotistic, and our business to-night is with the Society of Authors. There are two societies of authors. To the greater it is given to but few in a generation, or even in a century to belong; but the long list of immortals, which begins, perhaps, with Homer and will not finish, with the names of your two presidents, the late Lord Tennyson and Mr. George Meredith. If few can attain all can aspire, and you and the world will be better for the aspiration, and I think it fitting in proposing the toast of what must be an ephemeral society of authors not to altogether omit mention of that great immortal Society, of whose works it was said more than four hundred years ago “they are the masters who instruct us without rods or ferrules, without harsh words or anger, without money or clothes. If you approach them they are not asleep. If inves- tigating you interrogate them they conceal nothing, if you mistake them they never grumble, if you are foolish they never laugh at you.” The other society of authors is Our noble selves. If we cannot illuminate all time we shed a very brilliant light upon the pre- sent generation. We are a most virtuous society, the most virtuous that ever existed. Imake that assertion on the unimpeachable authority of a committee of the society itself, for we have been informed in the public press that no member of this society is greedy—(laughter)—inordinately greedy. That remark was not made in reference to this banquet. It referred to the greed of pecuniary profit. I do not know that it is a serious charge to bring against anyone that he should be greedy of the full remuneration which he can honestly claim for his work (hear, hear), but, however that may be, we are devoid of even that, and therefore I am sure I am justified in saying that we are a peculiarly virtuous Society, that we have a strong sense of virtue —whether we have an equal sense of humour, that, as one of our Society hath said, is quite another story (laughter)—but we have great claims upon your goodwill. We have led a respectable, useful, and not utterly obscure existence, for more than eleven years. Originally started, I believe, for the protection of the unfledged authors from the wiles of those animals. —ferae naturae—who prowl in the field of litera- ture in the guise of the Profession we all honour and respect, the publisher, you now number twelve hundred members, all authors more or less. distinguished, more than half of whom have sought the assistance of the committee : and we have another claim—we are co-operative and self supporting. We do not send round the hat. (Laughter.) We ask nothing of our visitors, except to dine with us, and that which is, perhaps, I admit, already a severe tax, to listen. to our speeches, but even that is not compulsory. (Laughter.) I have spoken of your past and present. Allow me a few words as to your future. As a member of your Society, as one whom you have peculiarly honoured to-night, I naturally wish you a long and prosperous career, but I fear that my hopes are stronger than my faith. I am credibly informed that many of you neglect the latest gospel of labour. Some of you work more than eight hours a day, many of you have other professions, and are therefore out- siders; others, I am told, are so devoted to literature that they work without exacting a living wage, and then, worst of all, you do not each of you insist upon exactly the same payment— pounds, shillings, and pence, per word, or per page, or per week. (Laughter). Well, if these horrible charges are true, it is my duty to tell you that you are blacklegs, and that you must expect in a very short time that either the House of Commons or the London County Council, or one of those numerous institutions which exist to restore to us the beneficent socialism of the sixteenth century, will come down upon you, and they will, perhaps, establish a ministry or a department for the protection of the authors, and thus will destroy the reason of your existence. The department will collect statistics, they will be able to say that two, or possibly three, men are studying at the same time the same period of history, that possibly half a dozen young ladies are writing novels, in each case the motif of which may be the gentle passion, and it would be very easy for them to point out that this is an enormous waste of labour, that it could be done much more cheaply and much more expeditiously by a ministry of literature, with the help of assistant secretaries for prose, poetry, and so forth. This is not utterly irrelevant, because in the past you have fought the pseudo publisher, otherwise the pirate. For the future your object is to combat pseudo philanthropy, otherwise Socialism  ## p. (#371) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 17 —it is the only way by which you can keep the Society alive, and by which we in the Society can exist. I have to associate with this toast the name of your chairman, Mr. William Martin Conway, a gentleman who has climbed to dis- tinction on the Alps, the Apennines, and the Himalayas; who is equally prominent as an art lecturer, mountaineer, author, and who now desires to enter into that singular assembly con- sisting of commoners who desire to become peers, and peers who desire to become commoners. I am peculiarly unable to speak of Mr. Conway; luckily you know him better than I do. I am unable, because my opportunities have never led me much into the study of art, and my inclina- tions have never led me to mountaineering, except with the friendly help of a locomotive. But there is just one point for which Mr. Conway is very remarkable, and upon which I am able to speak with the highest authority. Mr. Conway is a man of a most extraordinarily good judgment, and ex- traordinary good taste. He has brought the proofs of that here to-night, and they sit on my left hand. (Laughter and hear, hear.) Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to drink to the toast of the Incorporated Society of Authors, associated with the name of Mr. W. M. Conway. M.R. W. M. ConwAY.—Mr. Chairman, Your Excellency, My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen : I have often thought that this annual dinner of the Society of Authors might be made a very much more amusing function than it is. We un- fortunately meet only to dine. We don’t meet, I am thankful to say, to collect money, neither do we meet to sell the products of our labour. I have sometimes thought that if on these occasions every member of the Society of Authors attended with his manuscripts, and if we invited the publishers of London to dine with us, and if, after duly baptising the whole show in champagne, we held an auction, that the frolic would be some- thing worth attending. (Laughter.) However, you have drunk the health of the Society of Authors, and it is for me to attempt to justify that some- what rash act. Sir, the Society of Authors is at all events an active society—when it has nothing else to do it falls upon Mr. Gosse (laughter), we fill up odd moments by quarrelling amongst our- selves, and when we get a chance we fall upon a common enemy. Squabbling is said to be a sign of life, and I am sure that the Authors’ Society, throughout the whole course of its not too long existence, has been engaged in one successive series of squabbles. It was once my pleasure—at least, my duty—to be the secretary, or, rather, to run, a thing called the Art Congress for the three years of its chequered existence. During that time I attained a somewhat minute and peculiar dinner. acquaintance with the attitude of the artistic mind in the face of business. Since I have been intimately associated with the Society of Authors I have had proofs—derived from this former experience—I have had proofs that the author is really an artist. I find that in many matters of business the author approaches the situation with that kind of attitude which is distinctly characteristic of the artist who abuses everyone all round, but more especially his own attorney (laughter), and we who have sat for some time on the committee of this Society are now thoroughly accustomed to the artistic attitude of authors—we have become so accustomed to it that unless we are abused by the members we don’t consider that we can be possibly doing our duty. (Taughter.) There is my friend Mr. Besant, who at intervals boils with indignation. I say that this boiling with indig- nation on the part of our founder, Mr. Besant, is the great source and origin, and, I hold, the moving force, that has created and maintained this Society. (Applause and laughter.) Unfor- tunately for myself, I am unable so to boil when I hear that an author has entered into a ridiculous agreement. Mr. Besant does the boiling with indignation, and it is for me to advise him to carry out his contract. It seems to me that the first thing that an author who has played the perfect fool in the matter of the making of his agreement has to do is to suffer the penalty of his folly for the time being, and to afterwards go to the Society of Authors to guard him in the future against similar blunders. (Hear, hear.) Another member of the Society wrote to us the other day and said he would like to become a member of the Society, not because he intended to make any use of it, but because he wanted to have a guinea's worth of fighting for his money. We elected that gentleman immediately (laughter), being, I hope, a sporting committee, and we have since been sitting around waiting for the fray. (Laughter.) Un- fortunately the only sport we have been able to have out of him has been a letter communicated to the public press in which he abused us for dining here to-night. (Loud laughter.) Well, we have heard something of late about book- sellers, and I had a sort of idea of talking about them myself, but it occurred to me that it would lead to a disquisition on political economy which 1 feared would be rather a heavy morsel after So we will pass by the booksellers, and come to our other friends the publishers. Gentle- men, our relations with publishers—the relations, that is to say, with the main body of authors with whom we come in contact—appear at the present time to be highly satisfactory, for the number of disputes—most of them small ones — that has been brought to our notice of late has been ex-  ## p. (#372) ################################################ I 8 THE AUTHOR. tremely low, and I conclude that, through the medium of the Society of Authors, publishers and authors have come to understand each other a little better than before, and this common understanding has been brought about by the common recognition of each side of its own folly and its own interest, and I believe that hereafter we shall find that the Society, far from being a necessarily militant body, will be in friendly contact with that body of men who are really its partners, and should be its allies. I believe that in future we shall find that we are attaining more and more to a common understanding, and are able better and better to work to our common end. But at the present time we are united — we and the publishers are assuredly united in One common cause, for we are threatened by a common danger. I allude, of course, to the ques- tion of the Canadian copyright. (Hear, hear.) There, gentlemen, is a question which has arisen recently in an acute form, and which, if there had not been a Society of Authors to take it up, would assuredly have been settled in a manner that would have done the greatest possible injury to the interests of British authors. I trust that, owing to the vigorous ini iative that we have taken in this matter, no injurious decision will be come to; but there, at all events, is a matter which threatens authors and publishers alike, and in which both are equally and keenly interested. (Hear, hear.) Well, gentlemen, I think I have said enough, and more than enough, to justify in having drunk to the health of yourselves—to the Society of Authors —and I trust that in the coming year, until we meet here again, we shall go on along the lines we have adopted, and shall advance in the pro- motion of those just interests which the Society exists to promote. (Loud applause.) The RIGHT Hon. SIR FRANCIs H. JEUNE, P.C., in proposing the toast of “Literature,” said— Mr. Moberly Bell, Your Excellency, My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen: I have the honour to propose to you the toast of “Literature,” asso- ciated with the name of Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins. (Here a band, playing in a neigh- bouring room, opportunely interrupted with a startling burst of music, which, to the merriment of the company, seemed specially designed to pay honour to the toast and to the name of Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins.) I could hardly imagine, sir, a more inspiriting incident, under what must be admitted to be circumstances of some difficulty, then the sound of that distant, but, I hope, not distressing band. (Laughter.) But I admit I do acquire some comfort and some consolation in entering upon the task which has devolved upon me, for I presume that I have been selected to propose this toast because I never wrote a book, and because my contributions to ephemeral literature have been so few as to be a negligable quantity, and I am quite content to be ranked in that large class of meritorious persons whose only business with newspapers is to read them, and whose only additional duty with regard to books is to buy them. (Laughter.) But, sir, I think it is not unfitting that a man whose life has been spent in the pursuit of a laborious pro- fession should make his acknowledgments to the charms of literature, because it is he, and persons such as he, who owe to literature the happiest relaxation of their lives, with an occupation that never wearies, and with pleasures that never pall. (Applause.) But, Sir, a prudent lawyer never makes an admission except for the purpose of avoiding an inconvenient inquiry, and I am not prepared on this occasion, especially after the speech of the chairman, to admit a complete dis- severence between literature and law. It is quite true, sir, that in those legal treatises in which we delight, or are supposed to delight, you cannot find those charms of literature other than such as may be obtained by clearness of style and lucidity of arrangement. It was not, Sir, always so. We have, I am afraid, in later days changed for the worse. Old writers allowed themselves greater license. Lord Coke, in commenting on a mis- taken and earlier author, after his observations proceeded to a sort of obituary notice of it, and said: “He lived without love, and died without pity, save that of those who thought the pity was that he had lived so long.” (Loud laughter.) Sir, I regret to say characterise the personal qualifications of our predecessors, however erroneous we may think their notions to have been. But, Sir, the connection between Litera- ture and Law is, I venture to think, a close one. I don’t claim that many have found their place on the roll of fame, and I do not forget that England contributed Lord Bacon, or that Sir Walter Scott hailed at once from the land of lawyers and the land of Scotland, but I admit that the roll of fame is short. But when we come to that branch of literature which your chairman represents, there, I venture to say, a wholly different position may be taken up. Your chairman has told you that every day some twelve volumes—I think it was— of ephemeral literature are produced. Well, Sir, I think that we lawyers contribute our full share to that. I believe that public speakers attain a length in the columns of the daily papers propor- tionate to their eminence—that the first-class man is allowed to say all he has said at full length, that the second class are those who are allowed to say a part of what they have said, and that the third class consists of those who have to content themselves with reading what they ought to have  ## p. (#373) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. IQ said. (Doud laughter.) Now, Sir, I think that we may claim the first of those places. I recollect a short time ago—well, a time ago— reading in the same day a judgment by a certain Lord Chancellor—whose name I decline to mention (laughter)—and a political speech by the same authority. The judgment, Sir, occupied two columns and a half — the speech occupied something less than half a column. I do not know whether the political and judicial utterances were of value in direct relation to their length, but I think it must be admitted that in his legal capacity the Chancellor made a larger contribution to journalism. than ever he could or did as a politician. (Laughter.) Well, your chairman has reminded you that there is another side where we may contribute largely, at least to daily literature. He has told you that the Courts produce at once tragedies and come- dies, that literature from the time of Shakespeare down to those of Molière, Trollope, and Dickens have been always ready to produce these scenes, and I am sorry to say they are chiefly charac- terised by a sense of humour rather at the ex- pense of the lawyers, or by some extremely bad law. (Laughter.) But, Sir, I am not altogether surprised, or at all surprised, that literature finds a field for its exertions in that direction. A trial combines many elements of interest. There is the continual display of gladiatorial skill. There is the constant revelation of incident, and there is the glorious uncertainty of result. A famous trial seems to combine the various attractions of an interesting cricket match with those of a suc- cessful drama. (Laughter.) I think, Sir, for these contributions journalism ought to be thank- ful. It may well be that there are some parts of these contributions which could be better spared, and I think this is no unfitting occasion, speaking as I do to an audience composed both of men and women, and to an audience highly capable of judging on such a subject, to express a respect for those journals which, exercising their independent judgment, have thought it right to refuse publication to matter which, in their opinion, ought to be suppressed. (Applause.) But, Sir, I am quite conscious that those journals who practise that abnegation do so at considerable loss to themselves, and they deserve respect because it may well be that they give advantages to less scrupulous rivals. I should be glad, Sir, if it were not so. I think it impossible that the proceedings in Courts of Justice should be held otherwise than in public, and from personal experience I have no reason whatever to complain of the proceedings of the public Press, but I am aware that there are some papers who cannot put a sufficient check upon themselves, and I confess I should be glad if it were possible to provide that some authority, responsible and cognisant in the matter, should be allowed to forbid the publication of that which ought not to be published. I think that would be for the interests of morality, and I believe it would be for the interests of journalism, because I think it would tend to raise the lower class of journals, perhaps against their will, but still to raise them to the standard of the highest (applause). Sir, I approach the task of saying something about literature—and it has fallen to my lot to do it more than once—with a somewhat uneasy feeling in one respect, and the presence of your chairman brings about that feeling. I was once in the chairman’s presence, and the presence of the American Minister reminds me of it, and I was once rash enough to say that journalism was “literature in a hurry,” and after I had said it I received so many remonstrances and read so much criticism in the papers that I almost began to think that my poor little obser- vation was original. (Laughter.) Mr. George Augustus Sala told me it was not true that all newspapers were produced in the small hours of the morning. An authority, Mr. Arthur Walter, in a judicious and even judicial spirit, said that a part of literature was so produced and part was not ; but, Sir, our chairman this evening has reinforced me because he has told me that it is the great merit of the Press to produce its matter at the smallest possible notice. There- fore I decline the white sheet, I am not prepared to do penance for the observation, and I still venture to maintain that journalism is literature in a hurry. (Taughter.) You attend the theatres on the first night, and you see the busy pencils all around you, and you read the criticism next morning. It is brilliant criticism, but is it not brilliant criticism in a hurry P (Laughter.) There is a story told of Mr. Delane, coming down late at night to his club full of the account he had heard of the illness of Mr. Disraeli. It was said that Mr. Disraeli was seriously ill—even danger- ously ill—and Mr. Delane's terror and regret were extreme. He said to everyone “Have you heard the terrible news, the awful news P” His friends heard him somewhat surprised, and someone said “No doubt it is very sad and very sudden, but I never knew you had such an admiration for Mr. Disraeli,” and Mr. Delane said “Oh no, it is not that at all, but here it is ten o’clock at night and I have not got a word written about him. (Laughter.) Now, sir, I daresay that if Mr. Disraeli had then died there would, after all, have appeared a brilliant and complete biography of him, but would it not have been biography in a hurry P  ## p. (#374) ################################################ 2O THE AUTHOR. Sir, I have the greatest possible respect for the leading articles of the Times; I think they are very full of good sense, of profundity and wisdom— and I nearly always agree with them. (Laughter.) But, sir, I have never heard that it was given to many men in the world, to quote Mr. Russell Lowell, “lifelong convictions to extemporise,” and when I have read these articles I have sometimes thought it is wisdom in a hurry. Well, sir, I hope I have justified that phrase. it is—as I trust it is not—disparaging to journalism, it is certainly not disparaging to literature. (Applause). I say all honour ought to be paid to the laborious student by whom our great works have, with toil and labour, been pro- duced; and, sir, what is more, the whole history of the literature of this country is the history of a literature that has not been in a hurry. The remarkable feature about it is that century after century the tree has put forth flowers ever new, although of varied beauty, and has produced fruits ever new, although of varied value. Well, sir, I think that is a great comfort to which we look. I am sorry to hear from Mr. Conway that authors have their domestic and external difficulties. They apparently have difficulties both with their home and foreign policy. (Laughter.) They apparently have difficulties with the publisher and with the |bookseller; and the trio of publishers, booksellers, and authors form a combination which does not altogether appear to be a happy family. I can- not, Sir, offer them the consolation of a lawyer, because I am afraid that the instinct of a lawyer is that where three people are quarrelling there must be something very substantial to be quarrel- ling about. consolation of the distressed agriculturist. The relations between them appear to be very much the same as those of landlord and farmer and the labourer, and I think it is true that whatever else has happened in these unfortunate difficulties which have arisen in that sphere of life, whatever else has happened it is not the labourer who has suffered. Sir, there may be other difficulties and dangers which beset the labourer. It may be that at the present time some clouds rest upon his prospects. It may be that writers such as Mr. Max Nordau, in pointing out degeneracy, apart from matters of great exaggeration, put their fingers upon some points of truth; it may be, sir, that in an age which apparently is unable to elect a Poet Laureate, that there is something wrong with the poets or with the age ; but if some of these matters tend to a foreboding I think we may look at the past of our literature, and take comfort in the fact that literature is the best antidote to pessimism ; and if it be true that literature, high, and pure, and national, filled the At any rate, if Perhaps, sir, I may offer them the “spacious times of great Elizabeth,” it is equally true that the sounds of that literature have often echoed since and echo still. Sir, I have great pleasure in connecting with this toast the name of my friend, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins. I had almost said my relative, because he is, I am glad to think, connected with my legal brother, the brilliant and distinguished Sir Henry Hawkins. At any rate, I am sure that in Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, not even Max Nordau himself, in his most scientific moments, could discover the stigma of degeneracy. It was no decadent, I think, that produced the weird and startling fiction of the “Prisoner of Zenda,” or the raillery of the “Dolly Dialogues,” or the easy sarcasm and startling incident of his last effort “The Man of Mark.” Mr. Hawkins has, I hope, himself made a mark upon the literature of the day, and I hope that he will gain for himself a notable place in the literature of the country. (Applause.) r. ANTHONY HoPE HAWKINs, replying to the toast, said—Mr. Chairman, Sir Francis Jeune, Your Excellency, My Lords, Ladies, and Gentle- men : I regret for some reasons that one who pursues the branch of literature that I do should have been called upon to reply to this toast. Almost the first remark that I heard when I came into this room was the question of why I should be selected to reply to this toast. Gentle- men, I am unable to answer the question, but I am, after all, glad that it is so, because it has given me the opportunity and the pleasure of listening to the kindly and generous words which Sir Francis Jeune has spoken of me, but I was afraid that it would foster that vanity to which novelists, I understand, are prone. Gentlemen, that is an unjust charge. We are very conscious of one another's defects. (Laughter.) And if you were aware of the dispassionate consideration, in a very limited amount of time, we bring to bear upon One another’s writings, you would not consider that we unduly exalted our branch of literature. The fact is that we authors are somewhat in the position of ladies, who, believing themselves sus- pected of beauty, take refuge in an exaggerated appreciation of the charms of others, to which they have not paid much attention. (Laughter.) Mr. Conway, as became his position, did not speak in terms of extravagant eulogy of the Organisation of which he is the active chief, but we who occupy less responsible positions may speak more freely of what we consider our merits and our mission. For my part, I look forward to a great mission for this Society, and I am prepared to endure as many jokes as the wit of our opponents may suggest for the price of taking it seriously. Our primary object is to  ## p. (#375) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 2 I abolish Grub-street. (Hear, hear.) But I think there is another, and I think that the committee of this Society did well to think that there was another—and that is that in time, and as this Society justifies itself in the eyes of the world, it may establish not onlv a Court of Appeal for distressed authors, but also a court of honour for its own members. (Hear, hear.) If we look round at the other professions—I don’t need to say “learned professions,” for it needs no learning to write books (laughter)—you will See corporate bodies existing to which members of the profession willingly submit their disputes, and by whose decrees they willingly allow their conduct to be governed. Gentlemen, I believe that that reputation and position is not beyond the prospects of this Society. (Applause.) I think that the Society will live above criticism, and we shall see it come to occupy that position to which, in my opinion, it has a right to aspire. We don’t want this Society to be merely a society for the prevention of cruelty to children (laughter)—that is a very laudable and excellent function, and a function with which this Society is employed from day to day, but we also wish it to be a Society to which its own members and our friends the enemy—the publisher—can come with confidence, sure that a dispassionate judgment will be taken, and sure that the Society will be as Severe towards the faults of its own members as upon those with whom members come into con- tact in the course of business. (Hear, hear). I think there is one more word that I ought to say before I sit down, for I should not be doing my duty, having the honour to reply for literature, if I did not say one word about the great loss which literature has suffered in the year gone by in the death of Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson. The romantic school of English fiction was deprived by his death of its acknow- ledged king and chief, and a personality was lost of rare thought and distinction and sweetness. It is not possible for most of us—I may say safely without offence that it is not possible for any of us—to hope to emulate Mr. Stevenson’s achievements, or claim to share his gifts. (Hear, hear.) . But we are many of us able to remember the kindness which he invariably showed to younger and less distinguished Writers, and we are all able to learn some- thing from the example of his high ideal, and the untiring, unresting energy with which he pursued it. So, sir, although we cannot stand on his high level, we may feast our eyes upon the high mountains that it is not for our feet to tread, and, with a thousand un- satisfied aspirations, rest at least in the tranquility of the satisfaction of our own little piece of . work done as well as we could do it. (Loud applause.) Mr. WALTER BESANT then proposed the toast of “The Visitors” in the following terms: Mr. Chairman, your Excellency, my Lords, ladies and Gentlemen,_I have to propose the toast of “The Visitors.” I am sure that at this late hour of the evening you will not think it shows any disrespect to our visitors if I give you this toast in a very few words. We have always been particu- larly happy and fortunate at all our dinners in the visitors who have done us the honour to attend, and on this occasion I think we are more fortunate than usual. For, first of all, we have with us this evening the American Ambassador. Wherever English authors are gathered together, on the rare occasions that they do assemble, it is only fit and right that America should be represented in the most adequate form possible, because those of us here, or in America, who are able to contribute anything towards literature at all, are doing it not only for America, but for both countries, and for all that vast world which comprises the English-speaking race. We have next with us the President of the Institute of Journalists, and I am sure that no one is more fittingly here, because literature and journalism so closely overlap that no one knows where one begins and the other ends. We have also with us the President of the Royal College of Surgeons, whom I take to repre- sent the literature of surgery. Then we have next with us representatives of the chief London papers, and some of the provincial ones, and we also have representatives from France, Australia, America, Italy, and from Russia, all gathered together as Our guests on this occasion. Law is represented not only by our own members who are lawyers, of whom we have many, but also by one of our judges, to whom you have already had the pleasure of listening. India is repre- sented by one who has administered a province, and lastly Africa is represented by a most dist nguished traveller—perhaps the most dis- tinguished traveller of any time or any country. I have therefore the pleasure and the honour, in the name of the Society, to we'come the visitors On this occasion, and I ask you to do honour to the toast, with which I couple the name of the American Ambassador. (Applause.) His Excellency the AMERICAN AMBAssADoR, replying to the toast, said: Mr. Chairman, My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am deeply sensi- tive to the cordiality of your welcome. I am asked to respond for the guests of the English authors. The paradise of politicians is supposed to lie in a majority, and were Ia politician I should find my- self in the largest majority that the most hopeful politician could expect, for if I speak for the  ## p. (#376) ################################################ 22 THE AUTHOR. guests of the authors it is not for the little repre- sentative handful that have gathered round this charming board to-night, but it is for the count- less army of the vast majority of civilised men and women who have fed so well and so long at the tables of the authors, and have enjoyed the fine fruits of the authors’ wit and fancy. In order to enlarge the scope of Literature, the phrase was invented, “The Republic of Letters,” and yet I am inclined to take a leaf from the book of one of my countrymen, and let the American sailor, Captain Mahan (applause) show the superiority of sea power over land power, to call to your mind how Nelson, with the sea power of England, made the safety of England possible under Wellington at Waterloo. It is therefore upon the high seas of authorship and literature that I would ask you to embark : Far as the breeze can bear the ocean’s foam, Behold your empire, and survey your home. I don’t think that the land can hold the mind of man—it must embark upon the sea, and it must be wafted as the gales may blow—freely, unhesitatingly. Wherever genius shall direct the course, there the human mind must follow it. And so authors must become seafaring folk— they have been so, they must be so, and, coming from a country kindred in literature and in feeling to this—(loud applause)—I feel that literature forms the strongest bond between the two nations. (Applause.) You are free to freight your ship with what you will—with learning, with poesy, with prose, with wit, with fancy, with philosophy —you may freight your ship with what you will, and you may choose your course. You are not confined by hard dry land, but on the high seas of human feeling and human relations you steer your bark to what course you will, and whatever port you find open to the good things with which your vessel is freighted. There can be no such thing to-day as exclusion of the human mind— there can be no such thing as a pent-up author. If he is pent-up, depend upon it the bonds and shackles are found within his own mind. I am disposed to think of this empire of authorship and literature that there is no thing into which it does not enter, and over which it does not exert a potential control. In these islands, and everywhere else almost, there is great agricultural depression, and the question might be asked “What have authors to do with the tilling of ground, and what has literature to do with agri- culture ?” Now, I would put it to any clear- minded Scotchman, and I would put it also to his hard-headed English brother, what effect upon the principles of real estate in Scotland and in England has the literature of Sir Walter Scott had P Subtract that influence and let the calculation be made—how much poorer on the whole score of money value, of houses and lands, would the kingdom of Great Britain be without the mind and the soul of that magician. (Applause.) Why, Gentlemen, I would ask my friend Sir Francis Jeune whether there was not lately tried in the court over which he presides, a suit to avoid a contract for real estate upon the ground that a ghost inhabited the house that had been purchased, and whether Amy Robsart was not brought into court, and his purchase sought to be avoided, because the man found that Sir Walter had killed Amy Robsart in the wrong place P (Laughter.) Now, Gentlemen, if the ghosts of literature can be brought into court and have their money value essayed, what are we to say of the realities of literature, and of the power of authorship in our daily transactions? So that I think we can expand, by very easy efforts of logical and rational deduction, the touch of authorship and literature to everything that affects the happiness of men, women, and children the civilised world over. Thus you see that in attempting to answer for a small portion of your guests, I speak in the tongue of my own land—and, I suppose, with a certain inflection (“No, no,”) I may also say I speak yours—and I thank you most sincerely for the pleasure that we have derived from the Society of Authors to-night, and for the pleasure that all derive from the work of authors every- where. (Applause.) Mr. H. M. STANLEY then proposed the last toast of the evening, that of “The Chairman.” He said: Your Excellency, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,_-From what the American Minister has said just now, I gather that in behalf of the visitors here to-night he has expressed the feelings of pleasure of all your guests at being here this evening and I gather that they have enjoyed a great deal of pleasantness. To me this is a memorable evening, because it is the first time I have had the pleasure and honour of being at an Authors' dinner. From what Mr. Conway has stated it appears that there is a great deal of un- happiness sometimes within the circle of Authors, but I never expected to see any disturbance at an Authors' dinner; and if I were to express my own feelings I should describe them as being those of extreme felicity that I have the honour to sit at this table this evening. In fact, I am free to confess that, from what I have seen and heard of the party here present, a somewhat warmer feeling takes possession of me now than when I entered this hall, for you are all so modest and unassuming in manner—in fact this is the quietest public dinner I have ever been at ; but it seems to me that you do not carry in your bearing that  ## p. (#377) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 23 pride which we might have expected from children spoiled by the world’s applause. (Laughter). I have to propose the last toast of this evening. The fluency with which speeches have been deli- vered made me almost despair of being able to interest you at all, but I gather some confidence and comfort from the nature of my subject. You have heard your chairman—you have seen him for yourselves. You have heard a speech, weighted with good sense and humour, and you will take him, as I take him, to be more than a mere ornament for a banquet, and you may gauge his worth each one for yourselves. I do not think Mr. Moberly Bell has distinguished himself in the fields of fiction—of which there are so many representatives here this even- ing, ladies and gentlemen—but he has dis- tinguished himself in other fields of litera- ture. He has been away for many years in a distant land, as a narrator of facts, as a student of history, as an observer of political strategy, as an analyst of human motives. Week after week his letters have appeared in this country, and by them we were able to diagnose public feeling in that land. I dare say that he will submit to your superior 'gifts of divine imagination. He may not be able to raise a mortal to the skies, or bring an angel down to earth, like some of you can, but he can at least write most veracious political letters, and in his book “ Pharaohs and Fellahs '’ you will be able to find the keen discrimination and varied talents of a Plutarch. (Laughter.) I have known Mr. Moberly Bell for many years. Those who may only have been able to claim a slight acquaintance with him may be able to say that they would like to cultivate his acquaintance more closely, but I am sure those who are already possessed of his friendship can boast of a thing of which they are, and may well be proud. This is the gentleman to whose health I ask you to drink heartily—to his health and long life—and it is with all affection and sincerity that I give you “Our Chairman, Mr. Moberly Bell.” (Applause.) The CHAIRMAN.—Mr. Stanley, Your Excellency, My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen: I thought I had forgotten how to blush, but Mr. Stanley is an artist of the renaissance, and he has dis- covered the lost art. I never before heard myself compared with Plutarch, and I never knew half the great things I had done, but I attribute a great deal of what Mr. Stanley has said to an acquaintance of twenty-eight years, and I beg that you will take Mr. Stanley's remarks about myself in a very different way to what you would take his remarks upon other matters with which he is even more acquainted—that you will take it with a grain of salt. (Laughter.) As I was coming into this room I was told by a lady that the speech of the chairman in reply to his health was expected to be extremely witty. That would have appalled me—did appal me, until I sud- denly remembered what is the soul of wit. I therefore approach my task with that consolation in mind, and I have nothing more to do than to thank you very heartily for the support you have given me, for the way in which you have welcomed me, for the warmth with which you have drunk my health, and on behalf of the Society of Authors I thank everyone here for their presence to-night. (Applause.) The company then rose. ** * * g- ºr -se BOOK TALK. UTOBIOGRAPHICAL memoranda, were left by the late Lord Selborne, and are now in course of preparation for issue. The work will be published by Messrs. Macmillan. Mr. George Barlow has written a story of artistic life, styled “Woman Regained,” which will appear shortly from the Roxburghe Press. Two art works of importance are announced by Messrs. Geo. Bell and Sons for publication in the autumn. One is on the paintings of Velasquez, and is being brought out by Mr. R. A. M. Steven- son, the eminent art critic, who is also cousin of the late Robert Louis Stevenson. The other con- cerns Sir Frederick Leighton, and among the hundred reproductions of his pictures which it will contain will be that of “Cimabue,” by per- mission of Her Majesty. Mr. Ernest Rhys has written a biography of the P.R.A. for the work, while an appreciation of him as artist is from the pen of Mr. F. S. Stephens. A technical dictionary of sea terms, phrases, and words used in the English and French languages has been compiled by Mr. William Pirrie, and will be issued shortly from the house of Messrs. Crosby Tockwood and Son. M. Alphonse Daudet, who has, of course, been the centre of attraction for literary London during May, is writing the story of his youth—or, rather, he is telling it to his intimate friend, Mr. Robert H. Sherard, who will put it into form and write it. For “Premier Voyage—Premier Mensonge ’’ is to be published in English, and the work of collaboration has been begun. Works relating to the Far East come just now not singly but in battalions. Another book on Rorea has just been published under the title of “Quaint Korea,” the writer being Mrs. Louise Jordan Miln, who is known for her larger work  ## p. (#378) ################################################ 24 THE AUTHOR. “When We Were Strolling Players in the East;” Mr. Lafcadio Hearn will shortly make a further addition to the stock with “Out of the East : Reveries and Studies in New Japan,” with the same publishers, Osgood, McIlvaine, and Co. Japan is also the subject of a volume of letters by Amy Wilson-Carmichael, which Messrs. Marshall Brothers are bringing out under the style “From Sunrise Land.” Then Mr. J. Morris, who was many years in Tokio, in the service of the Board of Works, has written a work called “Advance Japan: A Nation Thoroughly in Earnest,” a feature of which will be the Japanese national anthem done into English by Sir Edward Arnold. It is in the press of Messrs. W. H. Allen and Co. “Old- World Japan,” by Mr. Frank Rinder, is a volume which Mr. George Allen will issue shortly. Mr. Henry Norman’s important and already well- known work, too, “The Peoples and Politics of the Far East,” has during the month entered its third edition. Two other works on subjects of contemporary political interest are “Five Years in Madagascar,” by Colonel Francis C. Maude (Messrs. Chapman and Hall), and a book on Nicaragua by Mr. Archibald Colquhoun, special corresponeent of the Times. Mr. Charles G. Leland has gone in among the people of Florence, and sought to know their world of legend, and his book of record is announced for early publication by Mr. Nutt, entitled “Legends of Florence.” Mr. Aubyn Trevor-Battye's adventures in the Arctic regions are embodied in “Icebound on Rolguev,” which Messrs. Archibald Constable and Co. will publish for him very soon. Mr. Lionel Johnson and Mr. Le Gallienne have written the letterpress of “Bits of Old Chelsea,” which Messrs. Kegan Paul will issue in an artist’s proof edition, Mr. Walter Burgess having drawn for it about forty etchings. Few subjects could be more interesting, associated as Chelsea is with the great names of Carlyle, Turner, Rossetti, and Leigh Hunt — to mention only these. One notable sketch is of “A Corner in Sir Thomas More's Garden.” Only a hundred copies will make up the edition, and the price is Io guineas. An association has been formed among the prominent houses which do business in foreign books, with the object of keeping a look-out upon questions concerning the improvemant of their trade, and generally to live in harmony and defend their interests. The society is called “The Association of Foreign Booksellers in London.” Mr. H. Kleinan, of Messrs. Hatchette and Co., is president, and Mr. Kohn, of Messrs. Asher and Co., hon. Secretary. Mr. D. Christie Murray will publish, in the course of a week, through Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co., his new novel in one volume, “The Martyred Fool.” The story “Lochinvar,” which Mr. S. R. Crockett is writing, deals with the life of a High- lander exiled in Holland. Messrs. Methuen will publish it. A new romance by Mr. Gilbert Parker, entitled “When Walmond came to Pontiac; the Story of a Lost Napoleon’’ is due from Methuen's press to-day. The Hon. Denis Arthur Bingham will shortly issue, through Chapman and Hall, a volume of “Recollections of Paris.” He is the author of “A Journal of the Siege of Paris” and “The Marriages of the Buonapartes.” French life is also the subject of a book by Mr. Albert D. Vandam, which the same publishers have in hand, entitled “French Men and French Manners.” A new series of short novels by well-known writers will be commenced towards the end of the month by Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co. The first volume is to be “The Story of Bessie Cottrell,” by Mrs. Humphry Ward, which is appearing serially in Cornhill and Scribner's. Messrs. Routledge and Sons also announce a new fiction series at 3s. 6d., of which the first will be “Two Women and a Fool,” by H. Chatfield Taylor.” Another is to be produced by Messrs. Archd. Constable and Co., who in it will make no distinction of names, but regard simply the merit of a story. Mr. Lang edits a new edition of “The Death Wake,” the poem by Thomas Tod Stoddart, which first appeared in 1831, and is now ex- tremely rare. It will be issued from the Bodley Head. Two works of history which are to appear shortly are “The Model Republic,” in which Mr. Grenfell Baker traces the evolution of Switzer- land; and a history of the Australasian Colonies, from their foundation to the ye, r 1893, by Pro- fessor E. Jenks, of University College, Liverpool. The latter will be the next volume in the Cam- bridge Historical Series, edited by Professor Prothero; while Mr. Baker's book will be pub- lished by Messrs. H. S. Nichols and Co. Mr. Grant Allen (who is dramatising his recent much-debated novel, “The Woman Who Did,” assisted by a theatrical collaborator in the person of Mr. Dyce Scott) is one of several leading authors who will contribute to a new series of complete stories to be published by Messrs. Tillot- son and Son, of Bolton. Mr. Crockett is of the  ## p. (#379) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 25 number, with a tale called “The Enlistment of a Cameronian; ” and Miss Corelli contributes “The Withering of a Rose.” - Chief among the books published during May was “The Life and Letters of Edward A. Free- man, D.C.L., LL.D.,” by the Dean of Winchester (W. R. W. Stephens, B.D.), which Messrs. Macmillan issued in two volumes. It is interest- ing to note that the great historian had an “ insuperable repugnance to reading or writing in a public library.” “As if,” he said once, “to take the lowest ground, money were not better and more cheaply spent in buying one's own books, than in buying railway tickets to go read other men's books a long way off.” From the same publishing house early in the month came the first volume of a notable work, “A History of English Poetry,” by Mr. W. J. Courthope. The definition of English poetry given by Mr. Court- hope is metrical compositions in the language “from the period at which it becomes fairly intelligible to readers of the present day.” The author anticipates his work will be completed before the end of the century. The first two volumes of the “Memoirs of Barras, Member of the Directorate,” were published by Messrs. Osgood, McIlvaine, and Co. Mr. George Duruy edits the work, and in his introduction defends Napoleon from the attacks of Barras, and gene- rally exhibits the latter as a scoundrel. Mr. H. S. Hoole Waylen has compiled a selec- tion of “Thoughts from the Writings of Richard Jefferies,” which Messrs. Longmans will publish immediately. The same firm will send out Sir Edward Arnold’s new book of verse, called “The Tenth Muse, and Other Poems; ” and a volume of “Russian Rambles,” by Isabel F. Hapgood, who relates inter alia a visit to Count Tolstoy in his home. What is likely to be an excellent catalogue of the manuscripts in the Fitzwilliam Museum has been prepared by the director, Dr. M. R. James, and will come from the Cambridge University Press on an early day. Twenty pages of photo- graphic reproductions of important manuscripts are given. The work is priced net at 25s. “The Rise and Growth of the English Nation, with special reference to Epochs and Crises,” by Dr. W. H. S. Aubrey, is announced for publication by Mr. Elliott Stock. It will be completed in three volumes, the first being published early in May and the rest at short intervals. The June number of the Antiquary will con- tain an interesting illustrated paper on “Some of the Round Towers of France;” also an article on the R. A. Exhibition under the title “The Anti- quary among the Pictures.” The London Library has added 40,000 volumes to its shelves since 1888, when the present catalogue was published, and the census of January showed that the stock has grown to a total of 167,000. While the accommodation is thus severely taxed, the income also increases steadily—there are 2279 members—and at the general meeting on the 13th inst, a proposal will come up for the appointment of a professional auditor. A new catalogue will be ready three or four years hence. Mr. J. F. Hogan, M.P. has written “The Sister Dominions,” in which he gives the impressions Canada and Australia made upon him during a recent tour. As he is secretary of the Colonial party in the House of Commons, the author had special means of receiving the opinions of public men in the colonies. The book will be published soon by Messrs. Ward and Downey. Australian life (along with that of Scotland) is also the concern of a novel called “By Adverse Winds,” which Mr. Oliphant Smeaton, editor of the Liberal, has written, and Messrs. Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier will publish. The produce of the past month in the depart- ment of periodicals includes a new monthly, on general lines, edited by Mr. William Graham, and called the Twentieth Century, devoted to articles on subjects of the day, but containing also fiction and verse; and a new quarterly of the same price as the Yellow Book and, like it, concerned with literature and art. This latter is the Evergreen, “a northern seasonal,” published in Edinburgh by Patrick Geddes and Colleagues, and in London by Mr. Fisher Unwin. The contents of each issue are to correspond with the season of the year it appears in. Mrs. Emma Marshall will shortly add to the series of her historical romances a story entitled “The White King's Daughter. Messrs. Seeley and Co. are the publishers of these stories, of which “Under Salisbury Spire’ and “Ken- sington Palace ’’ are amongst the most popular. “Roughly Told Stories,” is a book apparently by a new hand, named John Ingold. He aims at originality and epigram. He is also a cynic. One sketch in the volume at least is noticeable —that called “The Tramp.” (The Leadenhall Press.) The authorship of “A Superfluous Woman” has at length become public. That it was from a practised hand every one knew, but there was some doubt as to the sex of the writer. The book was quite one of the successes of 1894, and ran through several editions. Another novel by the same author, Miss Emma Brooke, entitled “Tran- sition,” has just been published. Let us wish it as large a success.  ## p. (#380) ################################################ 26 THE AUTHOR. A prettily bound book, with its silver and grey, is Mathilde Blind’s “Birds of Passage.” It is a book of songs—“Songs of the Orient”— “Songs of the Occident’” — “Shakespeare Sonnets”—and miscellaneous poems. Let the poet speak for herself in one of her Shakesperian Sonnets, that called “Cleve Woods: ” Sweet Avon glides where clinging rushes seem To stay his course, and, in his flattering glass, Meadows and hills and mellow woodlands pass, A fairer world as imaged in a dream. And sometimes, in a visionary gleam, From out the secret covert's tangled mass, The fisher-bird starts from the rustling grass, A jewelled shuttle shot along the stream. Even here methinks where moon-lapped shallows smiled Eound isles no bigger than a baby cot, Titania found a glowworm-lighted child, Led far astray, and, with anointing hand Sprinkling clear dew from a forget-me-not, Hailed him the Laureate of her Fairyland. “A Life's Mistake” is a story told by Charles Garvice, and published in New York by “George Munro’s Son’s.” Mr. Garvice writes like one who has a future before him. But he should compress. A story ought to be very good indeed to be continued for 35o long pages of closely packed type. - “Creation’s Hope” (Baker and Son, Clifton) is a religious poem whose aim and scope are indi- cated by the title. It is by the Rev. Marcus S. C. Rickards, M.A. The following is an extract : In this fair life scene, over everything There hangs a chilling fear—as the bright Noon Is spoilt by haze, or as the smiling Spring Is marred by blight—a fear, that late or soon Tempers all bliss, and clouds each native boon. Close as an ever-brooding presence sits That fear of death, which now makes Nature swoon, Now braces her for what this clime befits, Which Ignorance alone for a brief spell outwits. The warbler flitting on from spray to spray Fears not the gun that compasses its doom : The schoolboy stealing up to cap his prey Starts not the shy moth settling on the bloom ; The sunny May-fly scorns eve's pending gloom : The feasting grub recks not that ampler size Yields the hid foe within more food and room : The gleaming trout darts at the summer flies, Nor shuns the murderous hook arrayed in kindred guise. But we know we must die, and can but wait: We lounge 'mid flowers and shine while distant claps From gathering thunder-clouds forebode our fate; Large rain-drops fall, and inky gloom enwraps, Tho' Sunbeams linger on awhile perhaps. We roam life’s strand, and eye the nearing tide, Which gains on each, and all at length entraps : We gather shells, we strut with childish pride, We play about while Death creeps on with fatal stride. The Rev. Atherton Knowles has produced a little book which ought to become widely popular, for its subject alone. Most of us are interested in Anglican Service Music, its history and de- velopment. It is a contribution not only to the history of religion but also to that of social manners and customs in which churchgoing occupies so large a place. (Elliot Stock.) “Poems,” by Louis H. Victory, is published by Elliot Stock. Here is one of them : * I walk the world in thought-engendered grief: I grieve for all the pain that taints the years; I grieve for wrongs that rend the soul of seers Who find no power to bring the world relief. I grieve for kings whose golden-sorrowed leaf Of life's brief book is filled with kingly fears; I grieve for beggars starving through their years, Whose consolation dwells in sweet Belief. If I could weep for all the wrongs I see I would be blest with some relief from woe, But my dim eyes will never yield the flow My wearied heart one moment to set free. And as I wander down the path of years, I pray to God for His good gift of tears. “A Japanese Marriage” (A. & C. Black), by Douglas Sladen. Here is a novel laid in that enchanted land of colour and sunshine which is now being talked about by everybody. The setting is strange, and the characters move about under new conditions among an Anglo-Japanese life which is new and delightful. It should be as popular as Loti’s “Chrysanthème.” - A new and cheaper edition of “A Prince of Como,” by Mrs. E. M. Davy has just been issued by the authoress’s publishers, Messrs. Jarrold and Sons. We are glad to see this solid recognition of the work of a young author. . It will be followed, we venture to hope, by many other editions. Miss Eleanor Holmes has completed a new novel entitled “To-day and To-morrow.” It will be issued shortly in 3 vols. by Messrs. Hurst and blackett. A completed edition of the “Works of the late Griffith Edwards,” consisting mainly of local histories in Wales, will be produced shortly (Elliot Stock). A number of the author's poems, both in Welsh and English, are added to the work, which is edited by Mr. Elias Owen, and is fully illustrated. Mrs. Stevenson has just had another story published. It is in Messrs. Hutchinson’s “Home- spun Series,” both in cloth and paper covers. It is called “Woodrup's Dinah,” and is a tale of Nidderdale, the beautiful Yorks Valley, lying between Great Whernside and Knaresbro' and Harrogate. One who knows the dale says: “It simply makes me live there again, and the dialect, customs, and habits come back with more vivid-  ## p. (#381) ################################################ THE AUTHOR. 27 ness than I could have believed possible after twenty years.” The author of “Ernest England,” mentioned in “Book Talk” of last month, is not “J. A. Tucker” but “J. A. Parker,” to whom an apology is due for the mistake. It was also in error that Mr. Harry Furniss was stated to “ have accepted control of the art section ” of the New Budget. He is the originator, chief proprietor, editor, and manager of the New Budget. The March edition of 2000 copies of “A Maid of the Manse,” by Mrs. E. Rentoul Esler, being exhausted, Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston, and Co. are preparing a larger edition for immediate ISSUl€. Messrs. Bliss, Sands, and Foster have just published a novel by Miss H. P. Redden, entitled “McClellan of McClellan.” The book is illus- trated by the author. Price 6s. *-- ~ -º CORRESPONDENCE, I.—MUSIC AND WoRDs. N reading Miss Helen Marion Burnside's reasonable letter regarding the lot of minor poets, I would take exception to one remark only. #he poet should certainly have a share in the performing rights of a larger musical work, but in a song these rights are practically worth nothing, they having completely lapsed from force of circumstances. Unless they were recog- nised universally insistence upon them would kill the song. I should suggest that the poet's initial remuneration should cover the sale of a certain number of hundreds of copies, and upon the sale exceeding this amount a royalty should be given by the publisher to the poet. MRs. MARY A. C. SALMond. 21, St. Leonard’s-terrace, Royal Chelsea Hospital, May 24. II.-DREAM POEMs. May I add to the number of dream-poems? Many a time I have wakened with metre and rhyme on my lips; but of only three such in- spirations have I kept a record. Once I dreamed that I was pouring out tea for a large party, and, growing tired, made the following remark: It is not fair To make poor little me, Who am small and spare, Pour out all the tea. The word spare must have been used for sake of the rhyme, as it does not at all describe my figure | Another night I dreamed a whole long poem, describing, as if for children, the career of a good little boy. I woke with the following couplet: To follow this goodly example he’s bound, And he’s sure to be happy wherever he's found. My third example is an excerpt from a serious poem, all of which is lost except these lines: Faces we have not seen for years, And some which last we saw in tears. They struck me as rather pathetic. F. BAYFor D HARRISON. TTI.-PERSONAL. The American journalist who, in the Mail and Eapress (New York), has seen fit, on what he terms “internal evidence,” to formulate the charges categorically denied by Mr. John Bloun- delle-Burton in the following letter, appears to have indulged in an outbreak of abuse that is not common even on the other side of the Atlantic. What that abuse and those charges are will be plainly seen by Mr. Bloundelle-Burton’s plain and convincing denial of them : Constitutional Club, London. May 13, 1895. The Editor, the New York Mail and Ea'press, New York. SIR,-A cutting from your paper, published last month, has been shown me, in which, under the heading “Mr. Safe,” you state that there is an edition of my novel “The Hispaniola Plate,” published in America by the Castle Pub- lishing Company,” and that in this edition there is a bio- graphy of me which “bears internal evidence of having been written by the author.” Permit me to show you, therefore, what such “internal evidence” is worth. |Until I read the column so headed in your paper, I was totally unaware that any arrangements had been made by the publishers of “The Hispaniola Plate ’’ (Cassell and Co., London) for reproduction by any firm in the United States, and, consequently, did not know that the edition from which you are undoubtedly quoting was in existence. Con- sequently, also, I know nothing of the biography to which you refer as “bearing internal evidence ’’ of having been written by me. And, “internal evidence ’’ notwithstand- ing, the statement that I wrote the biography is false. I have never seen it yet, since naturally it is not in the London edition; I repeat that I know nothing whatever about it, except that which I can glean from your article, and, moreover, no biography of me has ever been written or suggested by myself. I gather also, from what you say, that comparison favourable to me has been made in this production between myself and Mr. , a piece of vulgarity which—in this country at least !—would have been quite sufficient to prove to any critic (as I imagine the writer of your article considers himself to be) that it could not possibly emanate from any author claiming to possess the slightest feelings of self-respect. But, since the discussion of such a claim as this is,  ## p. (#382) ################################################ 28 THE AUTHOR. perhaps, superfluous in my refutation of your writer's ideas and statements, I desire simply to inform you that this part of the so-called “biography” was no more written by me, or known by me, than was any other portion of it, and also that, until doing so at this present moment, I have never written Mr. — 's name. In conclusion, I ask you to give this denial as much pub- licity as you have given the statement, And I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) JOHN BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. IV.-DISCOUNT. Here is a case for the consideration of pub- lishers. A firm offers a 7s. 6d. book for 5s. 9d., and to encourage the publishers we order the work. It arrives by Carter, Paterson, and we have to pay 4d. carriage. If we order the book of Bickers, or Bumpus, we obtain it for 5s. 7#d. or 5s. 8d., and it is delivered free of charge. Does the arrangement profit the author more in case I than in case 2 P And if not, why should we pay 4d. to oblige the publisher, and put a few extra pence in his pocket P S. [The author has nothing at all to do with it.— ED.] W.—ENCOURAGEMENT v. DISCOURAGEMENT. My vicissitudes as an author may be of inte- rest as somewhat remarkable. My first novel, published anonymously, was accepted by a leading firm, had excellent reviews in first-class papers, was pirated in America most successfully. The second, in my maiden name, brought out in first- class style by the same firm, had still better reviews. However, it attracted no attention. I was asked by my publishers if I were not disap- pointed, They had expected much from it; but the subject was painful—that of a woman's intemperance, and its telling was “too graphic, too clever, to get the second reading it deserved,” so they said. A master in fiction has since said “It was a book for a second edition.” Then came my third. The same approbation from the reviews, but I verily believe it was killed by one that breathed the word “psychological.” Hard for it was not so. I would not insult the Spirit of the Times by crediting it with time or digestion for such subtlety. This hurrying age adds to its fever by demanding incident in fiction on a par with that which society and travel endeavour to secure for it. The terse and pungent are in favour, no longer the discursive which takes you by pleasant bye-paths off the high road of the story into touch with the writer's personal thoughts and opinions, out of broad sunshine into restful shade. What is there in the modern novel to make you close it with a careful thumb as your marker, and look out of the window and reflect with the writer? Nothing. Tife is hard facts, and so are latter- day books. I thing it is Mr. Hall Caine who says a writer has no right to digress to his own opinions and observations; one must be kept at full strain after the characters. But “The Golden Butterfly ’’ is in a sixpenny edition, and there are readers who hail digressions such as we find in it as milestones where one may pause and meditate. Well, my third novel died before its best reviews —Guardian, Athenæum, and Academy—were out; the former foretold great things for me. On the strength of my book the C.E.T.S asked me to write a story for them. I did so, in a fort- night. It come out in their Chronicle, and both paper and cloth editions—a stroke of success. My last story is just out, both in paper and cloth too, a large edition in a well-known series. I am venturing on another three-decker, and have another short one in the market. But my reviews warrant me in expecting far greater success. Is the reviewing system at fault some- where P A book is often reviewed when it is either everywhere or virtually dead. All my books have been called powerful and realistic. In my temper- ance story, it was almost suggested in the columns of a paper that my facts must be personal—I hope not from myself as an inebriate | These terms are fashionable praise, but I have not been the fashion. Shorter stories, however, seem to be “getting me forwarder.” But how tantalising is the buffeting between intensely appreciative reviews bearing out a publisher's confidence and public indifference I have been warranted in nourishing great expectations of a full tide, and found myself stranded high and dry on the beach. I have been likened, to my own astonishment, to Mr. Thos. Hardy and Mr. Geo. Meredith. But the public remain stolid. My “pathos, humour, picturesqueness and power” are not for their enthusiasms. Yet I must write. I believe as firmly as Mr. Crockett in the gift being God- given, to be used. I live greatly with imaginary people; when they live with me I must put pen to paper and oust one set to make room for another. But I am not now working up to my powers—deliberately. I have found it exhaust- ing to do so, realising my emotional and dramatic situations too strongly ; so am lowering my standard. Was I born under an unlucky star, and is it my fate to have to be most discouraged by encouragements P Where are the powers that will adjust the balance by making recognition consistent with reviewing P I don’t grudge labour, but I yearn for its just reward. Mean- while I hear my case is a rare one, so I chronicle it. M. E. S. 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. 06 Issue 01 (June 1895) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 06 Issue 01 (June 1895) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013732253</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1895-06-01-The-Author-6-1 publications The Author