26 20 545 https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/502/1905-02-01-The-Author-15-5.pdf 3df4cb8cba728744b11c3d64de03e69e 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) 1905-02-01 Volume 15 Issue 5 Pages Page range in volume 121–152 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly. ) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XV.—No. 5. FEBRUARY IsT, 1905. [Prick SIxPENcE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —_———_+——_ —_____ NOTICES. 9 OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. —— + List of Members. THE List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —t1——1+ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tux Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to purchase £250 London and North Vou, XV. Western 3 % Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the investments of the Pension Fund at present standing in the names of the Trustees are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock ; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Conse 2s £1000 0 0 Wocal Hoang, 0 a 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... War lian 7. London and North Western 3 % Deben- bare StOCK t. : 291 19 11 201 9 38 Total Subscriptions from May, 1904. May 6, Shepherd, G.H. . : : June 24, Rumbold, Sir Horace, Bart., GCB . : : : July 27, Barnett, P. A. 4 : Nov. 9, Hollingsworth, Charles . 1905 Jan. 12, Anonymous Donations from May, 1904, May 16, Wynne, C. Whitworth June 23, Kirmse, R. ; June 23, Kirmse, Mrs. R. July 21, The Blackmore Committee : Aug. 5, Walker, William 8. Oct. 6, Hare, F. W. E., M.D. Oct. 6, Hardy, Harold Oct. 20, Cameron, Mrs. Lovett Nov. 7, Benecke, Miss Ida . Noy. 11, Thomas, Mrs. Haig Noy. 24, Egbert, Henry 1905 Jan. Jan. oon anc oS So Memorial bo CNH COHRDMS He MNWHECOHOCS coococo$o , Middlemas, Miss Jean , Bolton, Miss Anna coo _ aoe co FROM THE COMMITTEE. rW\HE first meeting of the Committee in the new year was held on Monday, January 16th, at the Society’s Offices, 39, Old Queen Street. Mr. Douglas Freshfield took the chair. Twenty- four members and associates were elected. The list of these will be printed in the March number ot The Author, together with the February elections. There was much important business hefore the Committee. In the first instance, Mr. A. Hope Hawkins, Mr. Owen Seaman and Mr. J. M. Lely were re-elected members of the Managing Committee, and a vote of condolence was passed to Mrs. Rose on the death of her husband, Mr. Edward Rose, who had been for many years a constant and earnest worker on the Committee. A short article, written by his friend Mr. A. Hope Hawkins, appears on another page. Mr. Jerome K. Jerome attended the meeting and placed before the members particulars of an action which he had pending against a United States firm for infringement of copyright, and asked for the Society’s support. The Committee decided to give Mr. Jerome their assistance in carrying the case through to a successful issue. The address which is to be presented to the Spanish Academy on the tercentenary of the publication of “ Don Quixote ” has now been signed by all the members of the Council whom it has been possible to reach. The Committee decided to have the address bound in morocco-leather and forwarded to the Academy in time for the Cervantes Celebrations. Its text is printed in another column. The correspondence that has recently appeared in the Standard was laid in full before the mem- hers of the Committee, and a letter drafted by the Secretary and approved by the Chairman was finally settled by the Committee, and appeared in the Standard on the 19th of January. The Committee propose to take steps in order to press home the feeling of English authors on the question of United States Copyright on the legislature and on the public in the States. Members will be informed of the form their action will take at a later date. The Secretary reported that the Chairman had given his consent during the past month to three cases in the County Court. Two of these have been settled satisfactorily, and the third, a Scotch case, is still proceeding. The letter from the gentleman whose name had been placed before the Committee by Mr. James Bryce, as a suitable agent for the Society in the United States, was read, and, as he expressed his willingness to undertake the work on behalf of the Society, the Committee confirmed his appointment. THE AUTHOR. Cases. Srnog the last issue of Zhe Author there have been twelve cases in the Secretary’s hands. Seven of these, or more than half, were for money due to members. Four have been settled satisfactorily and the money has been paid. In the fifth case part of the amount due has been paid and a promise of a further sum in the course of a week or go has been obtained. The two remaining will be terminated at no distant date; one of them with an American magazine must necessarily be somewhat delayed. A case dealing with the settlement of an agreement has been satisfactorily terminated. Another dealing with an infringement of copyright and damage for such infringement has also been concluded. ‘The money has been paid and the infringement acknowledged. ‘There were two cases for the return of MSS. In one of these money was also due. The money has been obtained and the MS. returned in the one case; but in the other the Secretary is still waiting for an answer. The last case dealt with a dispute between a member and an agent. The member’s contention has been admitted by the agent, and the matter is at an end. It is pleasing to state therefore that eight of the twelve cases have been brought to a conclusion in a manner satisfactory to the members concerned. There are still four matters open from the former month. In one the money due has been promised. In another, it has been impossible to find the correct address of the delinquent who holds the MS., and it is doubtful therefore whether the Society will be able to accomplish anything. Another case for money due concerns a publisher in Munich, and the secretary is still in correspon- dence on the matter. There have been three cases sanctioned by the Chairman for County Court action. Two of these have terminated satisfactorily, and the third is in the course of settlement. ——————_e—<— —__— BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. i (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will. enable the Editor to supply such particulars.) BIOGRAPHY. THOMAS MoorE. By STEPHEN GWYNN. 7} X 5, 203 pp. Macmillan. 2s. n FICTION. Tur SPECIALIST. By A. M. Irvine. 7? X 5}, 317 pp. 4 Lane. 6s, THE AUTHOR. STORIES FROM THE PLAYS OF ALEXANDER DUMAS: Henri Trois, ANTONY, MDLLE. DE BELLE ISLE. By Harry A. Spurr. 72 xX 5, 250 pp. Cottingham: Tutin. 2s. 6d. n. THe Kina’s ScarLeET. By HorAcE WYNDHAM. 73 x 5, 305 pp. Brown Langham. 6s. CONFESSIONS OF A YouNG LApDy. By RICHARD MARSH. 7% X 5}, 303 pp. John Long. 6s. AUBREY ELLISON. By St. JOHN LuUCAs. 317 pp. Brown Langham. 6s. THE PROVINCIALS. By LADY HELEN FORBES. 320 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE FACE IN THE FLASHLIGHT. By FLORENCE WARDEN, 7% x 5,318 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE NIGHT OF RECKONING. By F. BARRETT. 318 pp. J. Long. 6s. LorpD oF HIMSELF. By Mrs. AYLMER GowinG. 7? x 5, 320 pp. J. Long. 6s. Mrs. CURGENVEN OF CURGENVEN. By S. BARING GOULD. 72 x 54, 357 pp. Cheap Edition. Methuen. 1s. THE SECRET WoMAN. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 7% x 54, 356 pp. Methuen. 6s. Lapby PENELOPE. By Morey RoBerts, 73 X 5, 309 pp. White. 6s. THE WAR OF THE SEXES. 298 pp. J. Long. 6s. ie Xs 35, 73 x 5, 73 5 (ZF XK.0, By f. 8: Youne. 2 x 5, GARDENING. A GARDENER’S YEAR. By H. RrpER HAGGARD. 9 x 53, 404 pp. Longmans, 12s. 6d. n. LITERARY. SHAKESPEREAN TRAGEDY. Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. By A. C. BRADLEY. 9 x 53, 498 pp. Macmillan. 10s. n. THE MYTHOLOGY oF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. By C. SQUIRE. 9 Xx 52,448 pp. Blackie. 12s. 6d. n. FRENCH PROFILES. By EDMUND GOSsSE. 72 X 5, 372 pp. Heinemann. 7s. 6d. THE LEGEND OF THE TWILIGHT. 64 X 5, 96 pp. Burleigh. Is. n. By H. A. ROLLo. MILITARY. ANECDOTES OF SOLDIERS IN PEACE AND WaAR. Arranged by J..H. SETTLE. 73 X 5, 600 pp. Methuen. 3s. 6d. n. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr. Puncn’s Diary. By W. EMANUEL, 7 Xx 54, 144 pp. Punch Office. 1s. POETRY. Mirror Mrtopigs. By J. M. Sruart-Youna. 7% x 54, 109 pp. Kegan Paul. 2s. 6d. n. SCIENCE, A Popular GuIpE To THE HEAVENS. By Sir R. 8. Batt, LL.D., F.R.S. 84 x 74, 96 pp. 83 plates. Philip. 15s. n. THEOLOGY. By RAYMOND JACBERNS. 2s, 6d. 0. SUNDAY TALKS WITH GIRLS. 7% X 5,162 pp. Brown Langham. TRAVEL. Carro or To-Day. By BE. A. REYNoLDS BALL. Fourth Edition, revised and enlarged. 72 x 4}, 264 pp. Black. 123 LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. — 9 SMALL volume of short stories, entitled “ A Legend of the Twilight,” by the author of “His Political Conscience,” will be published immediately by Mr. Thomas Burleigh at 155, Victoria Street, S.W. We understand that Mr. Richard Bagot is about to publish a new novel which he has just completed. As the readers of his former novels are no doubt aware, Mr. Bagot is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, which he joined so long ago as 1881. The novel which first brought his name before the public was entitled “ The Casting of Nets.” Messrs. Skeffington will shortly publish a work by Norman Porritt, M.R.C.S., entitled “ Religion and Health, their Mutual Relationship and Influence.” Miss May Crommelin, whose last volume of short stories “ A Pretty Maid and Others,” published by Mr. John Long, has been well received, is now engaged on a novel which will appear in the autumn season. Miss Gertrude Warden is passing the winter in Sicily, collecting materials for her next novel. We have received a syllabus of lectures to be given under the auspices of the Dante Society during the first six months of the current year. On February 15th, Mr. Luigi Ricci will lecture on “Countess Matelda of Tuscany,” the Right Hon. the Earl of Lytton in the chair. On March Ist, the Rev. W. J. Payling Wright, B.A., will lecture on “La Lupa Dantesca,” Mr. Edmund Gosse, LL.D. in the chair. On April 5th, the Rev. Newton Mant, M.A., will lecture on Italian architecture in Italian cities, the Right Hon. the Lord Suffield, P.C., in the chair. On May 38rd, Professor George Saintsbury, M.A., will lecture on “ Dante and the Grand Style,” Mr. Alfred Austin in the chair. On June 7th, Mrs. Craigie will lecture on “Plato and Dante,” Sir Theodore Martin, K.C., V.O., in the chair, All tke lectures will be Pfeiffer Hall of Queen’s College, 45, Street, W., and will start at 8.30 p.m. “Pawns of Destiny” is the title of a new complete novel by Miss HE. T. Miller, which Messrs. William Stevens have issued in their sixpenny Jlagazine of Fiction. A new work by the same author, under the title of ‘ Ridgewell Bells,” will be published first in serial form, and later in book form. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. will publish imme- diately “ Great Lawn Tennis Players : their Methods delivered at the Harley 124 Illustrated.” The work has been produced by the collaboration of Mr. G. W. Beldam, who is respon- sible for the illustrations, and Mr. P. A. Vaile, who supplies the text, and the book has been prepared on the same lines as Mr. Beldam’s “ Great Golfers.” The illustrations, which number over two hnndred, are not “posed” photographs, but are in every instance taken in actual play. Hach picture is dealt with in detail by Mr. Vaile. The work contains an article by Mr. EB. G. Mears on “The Advanced Tactics of the Game,’’ and one on «The Half Volley,” by Mr. G. A. Caridia, the well- known exponent of that stroke. A German translation of Mr. Ferrar Fenton’s “Bible in Modern English” is in preparation by Meta Clausius, of Glion, Vand. The first volume, which he will issue shortly, is ready for the press. We understand that Mr. H. A. Vachell, whose novel “Brothers” has just run into a seventh edition, has finished a work which will be published at once. Mr. Eden Phillpott’s new novel ‘The Secret Woman,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. towards the end of last month, has for its centre the little village of Belstone, and the story is concerned with certain folk who dwell near at hand and pursue the various occupations of the district. Mr. Edmund Gosse’s new book “French Pro- files,” which Mr. Heinemann published in the middle of January, contains essays on most of the distingushed men of letters of contemporary France—Zola, Daudet, Anatole France, Pierre Loti, René Bazin, to name only a few. The book also contains the paper which Mr. Gosse read before the Société des Conférences in Paris on “The Influence of French Literature upon English Poetry.” «The System ” is the title of Mr. Percy White’s new novel which Messrs. Methuen will issue shortly. It is the story of a young man of original talent whom quixotic temperament leads into disaster, generally of an amusing nature. Love and courtship form the theme, and a quiet cathedral town the locality of Mr. E. T. Benson’s new novel “An Act in a Backwater,” which Mr. Heinemann will publish. “Lost Angel of a Ruined Paradise,’ by the Rey. P. A. Sheehan, is the title of a drama dealing with the lives of three school girls. The first part of the drama is located in Dublin, from which the author transfers to London the entire group of characters. Messrs. Longmans & Co. are the publishers of the book, the price of which is 8s. 6d. The paper which Mr. A. 8. E. Ackermann read before the Jubilee Meeting of the Royal Society of THE AUTHOR. Engineers in the beginning of May of last year, was awarded a prize of three guineas by the “ Society of Engineers” last month. The Rev. J. J. Gratrex, of Putford Rectory, Brandiscorner, N. Devon, has issued a little (celluloid) card, 82in. by 24in. in size, which pro- vides a calendar for all years from Saturday, January Ist, a.D. 1, by which the day of the week or any date in these years can easily be ascer- tained. Mr. Gratrex entitled his work “ The Regal Calendar.” Copies can be purchased at the rate of 6d. each or 2s. 6d. for half-a-dozen. “Great Friends,” a modern comedy by G. 8. Street, was produced by the Stage Society at the Court Theatre on the 30th and 81st of January. “Prunella” or “Love in a Dutch Garden,” written by Laurence Housmann and Granville Barker, was produced at the Court Theatre on Friday, December 23rd. The play is described by the Zimes as a blend of the quaint, the sentimental, and the weird. Closely following this production, Mr. Barrie’s play of “Peter Pan, or the Boy who wouldn’t Grow Up” was mounted at the Duke of York’s Theatre. The play was favourably received. Miss Nina Boucicault as “ Peter Pan,” Miss Dorothea Baird as Mrs. Darling, the “ grown up” mother, and Mr. Gerald Du Maurier alternately as Mr. Darling and Gus Hook, and the other members of the company, helped to insure its success. PARIS NOTES. —+—> + A Société francaise sous la Troisieme République,” d@’apres les romanciers con- temporains, by Marius-Ary Leblond. ‘The volume is divided into six chapters, in which are studied the child, the officer, the financier, the nobility, anarchists, and socialists. ‘T'aine’s idea was that, during the last hundred years in Ger- many and sixty years in France, history had been entirely transformed by the study of literature. The author of the above volume therefore studies the novelists and the characters in their books, with the idea of getting a picture of our times. “Les Etats Unis au XXe. Siécle,” by M. Leroy Beaulieu, is, as the author describes it, “ an inven: tory of the forces and resources of the United States.” The author has a perfect knowledge of his subject, and in this volume he not only studies the factors which have served to bring about the eat)  present position of the American nation in the universe, but he also gives figures and calculations which appear to be indisputable. “La Guerre Russo-Japonaise,” by Léon Tolstoi, translated by M. E. Halpérine-Kaminski. To this article, which gives its title to the volume, the translator has added other writings by the Russian author expressing the same theories. The titles of these are: “Les deux guerres,” “Carthago delenda est,” “La Guerre du Transvaal,” “ Sou- venirs de Sebastopol.” There are long quotations from Voltaire, Anatole France, Isaiah and Lao Tseu. “La Macédoine et les Puissances,” by M. Gaston Routier, is a volume containing a series of inter- views with all the important politicians of the Balkan Peninsula on the Macedonian question. This inquiry throws a great deal of light on this much-discussed subject. “ues Lois de la Guerre continentale” is a book of considerable interest for all nations at the present time. It was originally published by the historical section of the German military staff. The present volume is a translation by M. Paul Carpentier, who is an advocate and also a lauréat of the Institute of France. M. Carpentier’s work is particularly valuable, as he points out by means of notes certain passages which would otherwise be misleading, because the German author has omitted certain important articles of the Hague Convention and various other details which are of great importance. “Ot allons-nous ?” by C. Coignet, is the title of a pamphlet published some little time back, which gives a clear and concise account of the events which have gradually brought about the present crisis in France. The author, who has lived through many changes and known some of the leaders in French politics, takes us back to the days of Jules Ferry, and shows us just what has led to the present conflict between Church and State. According to the author, if Jules Ferry’s policy had been continued the present crisis would certainly have been avoided. An extremely interesting book for travellers intending to visit the Holy Land is the volume entitled ‘ La Palestine,” published by the Assump- tionist Fathers stationed at Jerusalem. For more than twenty-five years the Fathers have been organising pilgrimages to Palestine, and this valuable work is the result of their experiences, There are maps and accounts, too, of the various archeological researches in that country. “Newman,” by Henri Bremond, is another volume published in the collection La Pensée contemporaine. “Les Malheurs d’une Grande Dame sous Louis XV.,” by M. de Coynart, is the story of THE AUTHOR. 125 Mme. de Montboissier. The facts are taken from history, and the whole book is as interesting as a novel. “La Vie au Palais-Royal,” by M. Augé de Lassus, is a book to be read at once before the famous old palace undergoes any further trans- formations. “Mémoires du due de Choiseul” is the title of the new volume published by M. Calmettes. The chief part of this work consists of a number of letters, hitherto unpublished, concerning the journeys and campaigns of the writer of them, the war and the Austrian succession, Choiseul’s experiences as Ambassador to Rome and Vienna, the preliminaries and consequences of the Seven Years’ War. ‘La Maison de la Petite Livia,” a posthumous volume by Pierre de Querlon, the author of “Les Tablettes romaines,” and other novels. Among the new books are “ Bergeries,” by M. Claude Anet; “L’Obstacle,” by M. Pierre Perrault ; ‘ Sécularisée,”’ by M. Jean Bouvier ; “Vie de Chateau,” by M. Claude Ferval ; “Madame Fulbert,” by Mme. Jeanne France; “Le Maitre du Monde,” by Jules Verne; “Les Serments ont des ailes,” by the author of “Amitié Amoureuse”; ‘La Cruche Cassée,” by Gabrielle Réval; “Histoire de la France contemporaine,” by Gabriel Hanotaux. M. Guy de Chantepleure’s new book is a volume containing three short stories. “ L’Aven- ture d’Huguette”’ gives the title to the volume. “Le Roman de 1’Espagne héroique,” by M. Gaston Routier; “ Le Vent emporte la poussiére,”’ by Georges Bonnamour. ‘“‘L’Envers de la Gloire,” by M. Adolphe Brisson. In this volume the author gives us a series of articles on Victor Hugo, Quinet, Zola, Pére Didon, Charles Garnier, and Henri Heine. M. Bergson has succeeded to the chair of Modern Philosophy at the College of France, occupied hitherto by M. Gabriel Tarde. The recent pamphlet by C. Coignet, entitled “ Nouvelle: Philosophie, Bergson,” gives an excellent résumé of the chief lines of the theory of Bergson, who, as the author says, has not yet touched directly on moral and religious questions, ‘Mais, qu’il le veuille on ne le veuille pas, sa métaphysique humanisant la nature et divinisant I’humanite, lie au souverain affranchissement l’immortelle espérance.” Once more America is in advance of England. A course of lectures on American Literature is now being given in the English language at the Sorbonne by an American. Some years ago America took the lead in this direction by inviting some of the first literary men in France to lecture  126 at her Universities. This hospitality has now been returned by France. In La Revue des Deux Mondes, January 1st, there is an article of great interest by Th. Bentzon entitled “Impressions d’Eté a Londres.” It is always curious to note the impressions of a foreigner in England and to see ourselves as others see us. There is an optimistic note throughout the article, which is cheering when we hear 80 much on all sides about modern degeneration. The French author is charmed with many of the innovations of recent years in England, and appears to see many improvements since a former visit. Many subjects are touched upon; philanthropic works and the various clubs for women are discussed. No two nations, perhaps, are such sealed books to each other as England and France, so that an impartial article of this kind is worth reading in both countries. At the Renaissance “La Massiére,” by Jules Lemaitre, appears to be a success. The scene is laid in one of the Schools of Painting so numerous in Paris. A great artist, who visits the studio regularly to criticise the work, falls in love with one of his pupils. As he is a married man, with a son of about the same age as the girl in question, there are complications. In the end, everything happens so that the piece may terminate in the most satisfactory way. The artist’s son and the young girl marry, and the father is elected a member of the French Academy. At the Nouveau-ThéAtre M. Lugné-Poe has been giving an admirable translation, by M. Georges Heérelle, of @’Annunzio’s “ La Gioconda.” Early in February he will put on at the same theatre “Ta fille de Jorio.” Auys HaLLarp. a SPANISH NOTES. —— + — O the Government has again fallen in Spain, and this without any loss of prestige to : Sefior Maura, who was Prime Minister. The important post of Chief of the General Staff of the Army to which the Minister of War wished General Leon to be appointed was declared by the King to be more fitting for General Polavieja, and his Majesty’s refusal to sign the order brought for- ward by his Minister led to the resignation of the Cabinet. It is interesting to see the tribute now paid to the Prime Minister, who has during the whole period of his power not only been the butt of every kind of attack in the Press, but, as we know, received THE AUTHOR. knife whilst with the King a stab from a during his historic visit to Barcelona. “Sefior Maura,” says the Hspana, “had a firm and lofty con- ception of the dignity of the Government, and his resignation under the particular circumstances was the most parliamentary event that has happened during the latter years of the Regency and since the majority of Alfonzo XIII. The omnia pro dominatione serviliter was far from being the line of action of the Prime Minister,” continues the writer, “and it was this which gained him the respect of the country in spite of continual opposi- tion ; and nothing but the King’s dissent from the wish of the Cabinet would have led to his present resignation. General Azcarraga having been asked by Alfonzo XIII. to succeed Maura as head of the Government, he has appointed to the Ministry the Marquises of Vadillo and Aguilar de Campoo, General Villar and the Seriores Castellano, Ugarte, Cardenas and Lacierda. In the Academy of the Fine Arts Senor Silvela,. the quondam Prime Minister, has particularly. delighted his hearers by his erudite discourse on —(1) the supreme efficacy of art, (2) art in relation to science, (3) the power of music and eloquence over a nation ; and when Sefior Salvador returned thanks to the new academician for his: able discourse it was to give a brief epitome of the illustrious man’s literary career, which has always been more to his taste than that of politics. Senor Rousifial, who wrote such an interesting biography of Balaguer, the late famous Cataloniam poet, has just distinguished himself by publishing a very striking play called “The Mystic” This. play has been translated from Catalan into Spanish by Seftor Dicenta, and it is now having a most successful run in Madrid. “Ta Estirpe de Jupiter” (“The Race of Jupiter”) is the title of a new and very forcible: drama from the pen of Seftor Linares Rivas, in which Sefiora Guerrero, Senorita Suarez, Seforita. Villar, Seior Diaz de Mendoza, and Senor Santiago- have taken their parts on the stage. As the story treats mainly of the various conquests of an artist, the interest of the performance hangs chiefly on the power of the actresses to portray the passions of love and jealousy, and in this the applause of the audience shows they were not unsuccessful. The psychological truth which the playwright seems to wish to enforce is that neither rank nor — wealth can give the stimulation to an artist for his work which is induced by real attraction— hence the triumph of the artist’s model over the Countess Amarilis. Spain is showing an increasing interest in the new books of other countries, and we not only find  THE AUTHOR. translations of Wagner, Tolstoi, Kropotkine, Reclus, etc., but the last work by P. J. Moebius, the German philosopher, has just been published in Spanish by Madame Carmen de Burgos Segui, under the title “ La Inferioridad mental de la Mujer.” And it is interesting to see that the German’s premiss of the mental inferiority of woman is vigorously opposed by the vindication of female intelligence from the pen of Colonel Figuerola Ferretti, the enthusiastic Spanish pioneer of Feminism. With the power of true logic the colonel shows that his countrywomen do not suffer from mental inferiority, but from lack of educa- tion, for wherever the opportunity for study is given they excel—be it in the realms of art, litera- ture, or philanthropy. Striking examples are quoted from the author's personal experiences of the superior brain power of women, and the passages relating to the necessity of love in mar- riage being supported by the culture of a wife’s intelligence shows that the Spaniard is some- what more advanced in his ideas than is usual in his country. The eternal feminine is certainly exercising the masculine mind just now, for Don Edmundo Gonzalez Blanco has just published a work called «Feminismo en las Sociedades Modernas,” which is not only a biological and psychological study of the weaker sex, but the position of woman is scientifically treated from a domestic, economic, and esthetic point of view. Pio Boroja’s “Aurora Roja,” (‘The Rosy Dawn’) is quoted just now as “the book of the day.” But the pessimism of the work must prevent it being very popular. The author's evident power of describing men and nature can- not outweigh the depressing influence of such passages as ‘‘Man lives if he can, and if he cannot he dies, and if he dies he is buried, and that is the end of his rights and his philosophy.” The idea of a Spanish-American University at Salamanca is steadily gaining ground, thanks to the enthusiastic propagandist efforts of Dr. Cobos. The advantages accruing to the New and Old World by an educational centre combining the advan- tages of both have now been set forth in all the chief cities of Spain. A meeting has recently been held by the Minister of Education to insure the forthcoming Ter-Centenary of Don Quixote being celebrated befittingly by all the schools of the country. The Spanish Press refers to Don Tomas Tamayo de Vargues and Don Nicolo Antonio as the only two supporters of Cervantes in the seventeenth century, which is only another instance of the little appre- ciation accorded to a genius in his lifetime. The cordiality shown by the Cubans to Don Ramon Gaytan de Ayala, the Spanish Minister in 127 the Island, has given great pleasure in Madrid, for King Alfonzo was toasted with enthusiasm at the banquet given in honour of the Spaniard. It is interesting to hear that the laurels of the Nobel Prize for poetry are divided between Eche- gary and Mistral. Neither of the celebrities lost in this division of honours, for it only showed the power of judges to recognise that the opposite lines of thought were pursued by the two poets with equal power, albeit of different countries. Mistral, we hear, will devote his prize to the foundation of an ethnographical museum in Arles. It is interesting to read the generous tributes paid to each other by the two poets of France and Spain who have met with such success. Mistral in his reply to Evhegaray’s beautiful letter assures the Spanish poet that his great dramatic power savours of the palmy days of Ancient Greece, and grateful as he is to the Swedish Academy for uniting France and Spain in the triumph of the Nobel prize, he himself has done nothing but devote his life to the restoration of his native language and the glorification of his dear land (the South of France). The pro- vencal poet then refers to his father having served as a soldier in the campaign of the Pyrenees of 1793, and he then touched upon what he termed his own “triumphal progress” in Spain in 1868 when he was presented to Zorrilla, Nufiez de Arce, Runz Aguilera, and many other leading spirits of the land. The Southern tour of the Duke of Connaught and his family is exhibiting the Spaniards in the province of matchmakers in a marked degree, for on January 9th., the Jmparcial, the well known Madrid newspaper, not only published the portrait of Princess Victoria Patricia of Connaught as the probable future Queen of Spain, but the same page also presents the picture of her sister, the Princess Margaret of Connaught, as the destined bride of the heir apparent of Portugal. The correspondent certainly says that “nothing certain is known of these projects either in Madrid or Lisbon ;” and need one refer to the proverbial “Chateaux en Espagne?” But one thing is certain, and that is that the desire for such an alliance with England is a very real feeling in Spain, and doubtless it is the same in Portugal. The Jmparcial is offering a prize of 5,000 pesetas for the best project for the regulation of the Budget with regard to the Army, Navy, Public Education and the Ports. When the deputies are elected at the public polls such a project will command attention, and it was this vox populi for which Colonel Ferretti pleaded in his Petition to high quarters in November, 1902. RACHEL CHALLICE.  128 THE PROPERTY IN DRAWINGS REPRO- DUCED IN MAGAZINES AND NEWS- PAPERS. —t 1 N action was tried in December of last year by Mr. Justice Darling, with a special jury, which involved a question of considerable interest to artists, and indirectly also to authors ; a question also of importance to editors, who are inclined to assume rights over drawings and articles sent to them which are not recognised by their contributors, or by law. The following extract from the Zimes’ report of the trial (used with the kind permission of the proprietor) contains all the points material to the consideration of this question. « AyRTON v. C. ARTHUR PEARSON (LIMITED).” This was an action brought by Mr. Ormrod Maxwell Ayrton, an architect, for the sum of £173 5s., the value of certain drawings alleged to have been wrongfully detained by the defendants. In the alternative the plaintiff claimed damages on account of the said drawings having been lost or destroyed owing to the negligence of the defendants as bailees of the said drawings. The defence was that the drawings were the property of the defendants, and, alternatively, that the sum claimed was excessive. Mr. Dickens, K.C., in opening the plaintiff’s case, said that the plaintiff had formed the novel idea of making studies for weather-vanes which should be applicable to particular buildings. With this object in view he had made certain designs representing, among other things, a coach and horses, which would be appropriate for an inn, a sportsman with agun and dog for a gamekeeper’s cottage, and a man engaged in studying the line of a putt with a caddie standing at the flag, which would be suitable for a golf clubhouse. Certain designs of this nature were published in an art journal known as the Studio, and attracted the attention of the editor of Pearson's Magazine, who wrote to the plaintiff in the early part of the year (1903), asking him to furnish some of his designs for the purpose of being repro- duced in the pages of the magazine, together with an explanatory article. The plaintiff agreed to supply sixteen designs and an article, for which he was to receive the sum of £10, and the article and designs were in due course sent to the editor. In the course of correspondence between the editor and plaintiff, the former wrote: “ We should not, of course, require the full copyright of your designs.” On December 3rd, 1903, the plaintiff wrote to the editor of Pearson's Magazine asking for the return of his drawings, and on December 7th received a letter in reply which contained the following passage: The original drawings have been mislaid or lost, as I fear, ina gigantic spring cleaning which the office has recently undergone.” Five of the drawings which had not been made use of were returned to the plaintiff. The designs which the plaintiff had made were not for sale, and con- sequently their value must be assessed by what they were worth to the plaintiff for the purpose of exhibition and for hanging in his office, so that his clients might see the kind of work which he was capable of doing. __Mr. Ormrod Maxwell Ayrton, A.R.I.B.A., said that the idea of weather-vanes was partly his own and partly a revival of an old custom. His object was to exhibit them and to show them to clients. He valued the drawings at an average of £15 15s. each. In cross-examination he said THE AUTHOR. that he knew of no custom where pictures sent for a magazine article belonged to the people who published the article. He had not registered the copyright either in the pictures which had been returned or in those which were published. 1t would be impossible to take copies from the reproductions in the magazine. They could be reproduced in a way, but all the character would be gone. He was practically certain that all the drawings which were lost were coloured, and not in outline. In re-examination he said that it was never his intention to part with the property in the pictures for £10, the sum which he was paid for the article in Pearson's Magazine. Mr. Arthur Blomfield, F.R.I.B.A., stated that the pictures in question had great artistic merit. An average of £15 15s. was, in his opinion, not at all excessive. Professor Moira, of the Royal College of Arts, South Kensington, said that the artistic merit of the designs was very high, and that the amount claimed was not excessive. Mr. Alfred Lyss Baldry, an art critic, said that in his opinion the drawings were clever, with a good deal of originality and power, and the composition was good. He thought the average of £15 15s. was very moderate. On the second day of the trial Mr. Dickens said that he was unaware that the defendants were going to set upa custom by which they claimed the property in the illustra- tions sent to them. He therefore asked leave to recall Mr. Baldry on the point. Mr. Baldry, recalled, said that where an article was sup- plied to a magazine with illustrations he had never heard of any custom under which the illustrations became the property of the magazine. Illustrated journals generally bought the illustrations outright, but it was an understood thing that illustrations accompanying articles in magazines should be returned in the absence of any special stipulation. For the defence, Mr. Clement Shorter, formerly editor of the Illustrated London News and Illustrated English Magazine, and now editor of the Sphere, said that in the absence of any contract to the contrary it was the custom that illustrations sent with articles became the property of the proprietor of the paper to which they were sent. There was no distinction whether the illustrations were sent to magazines or illustrated journals. He thought that the price asked by the plaintiff for his drawings was absurd. Cross-examined by Mr. Dickens, witness was of opinion that where the contributor sent valuable drawings for reproduction with an article, in the absence of any stipula- tion, the drawings would become the property of the magazine contributed to. His experience was that when they bought an article with the drawings the price included the drawings. Mr. Justice Darling : There was a personnamed Whistler who at one time had no reputation and drew etchings. (Laughter.) Witness: Yes, I remember when his things fetched nothing. Mr. Justice Darling : Now they are very valuable. Witness: Yes. Mr. George Hammond, art editor of the Illustrated London News, said that they invariably kept the drawings sent them in the absence of any special contract with regard to them. He thought in the present case that to. ask fifteen guineas a piece for the lost drawings was preposterous, and two guineas would be a fair price. Mr. Stanley Wood, artist, and well-known contributor of drawings to magazines, said that the drawings became the property of the magazines to which they were sent. — The illustrations in question he thought ought to cost about 10s. each. Mr. H. P. Adams, architect and surveyor, of Woburn — Place, said that he had seen the article and some of the drawings. As architectural drawings they were useless, but they were clever drawings. He thought that two to — three guineas apiece was a fair price. 2  THE AUTHOR. Counsel having addressed the jury, Mr. Justice Darling summed up, and the jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for £40, and judgment was given accordingly. The issue in this case was, as the report shows, one of fact for the jury. The defendants endea- youred to set up a custom by which they alleged that an editor (or proprietor and a magazine as represented by the editor) obtained the property in the original drawings used by him for the purpose of illustration, in the absence of any stipulation to the contrary. ‘The jury found that no such custom existed, or at all events none of such universal application as to include drawings valued by some of the witnesses at fifteen guineas apiece, but paid for (by agree- ment) with a sum of £10 to cover sixteen drawings and an article. It will be observed that the» witnesses for the plaintiff had professional knowledge of the value of such work for the purposes for which he required the original designs, and that the witnesses for the defence looked on them from a purely journalistic point of view, and seemed to think that an artist’s work when once enshrined in the pages of a magazine was valueless for all other objects. In many instances this latter aspect of the matter is substantially true. A drawing made to illustrate a@ current event or a story in a newspaper or magazine is frequently of little value for sale as a work of art, but although this is often the case, it is by no means always so. Some drawings are works of art which are of considerable merit in themselves and of value as such, or they may become valuable at a future time when the artist has become famous, and in such a case may be a useful asset to their owner, whoever he may be. The originals in these days of process reproduction are preserved (when editors do not lose them during spring cleanings), and there is no difficulty in the way of restoring them to the artist should they in fact belong to him. In the days when Fred Walker, Millais, John Leach, and a host of others did the work that has helped to make their names household words in the world of art, the wood-engraver cut to pieces the drawing on the block, and the question could not in such instances arise. None, however, can deny that the question of ownership would have been of importance had this been otherwise. How the question of fact is to be determined when disputes of this kind arise depend upon the circumstances of each case. The matter, as has been said, affects authors as well as artists, because so far as the law is concerned their position is similar. These disputes arise because they send their contributions to the editor, and allow them 129 to be published without providing specifically by contract for all the contingencies which may arise, and editors having the advantage of the defensive position, usually decline to give way until they are compelled to. The recent case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, ended in a decision of the House of Lords against the author, but it went very little further than laying down what was known already, namely, that the facts of each case must guide the decision of the issue. The head- note to the report of the judgment in the House of Lords stands thus in the Law Reports :— “ Where the proprietor of an encyclopedia em- ploys and pays anoth_r person to compose articles for publication in the encyclopedia, the question whether the copyright in the articles belongs to the proprietor within section 18 of the Copyright Act, 1842, depends on an inference of fact, not law, to be drawn by a reasonable man from the nature of the contract and all the circumstances. The contract need not be in writing; no express words need be used, and the inference that the copyright was intended to belong to the proprietor may be fairly drawn where there are no special circumstances, and the only material facts are the employment and the payment.” The attention of the public generally must be called to the fact that the case refers to encyclo- peedias and not to periodicals. No doubt, both kinds of literary property are mentioned in the 18th section of the Copyright Act, but there is a strong distinction between the two. As each case is settled on its facts, if the House of Lords made a deduction of the transfer of copyright with regard to encyclopeedias which have a permanent value, it does not follow they would draw the same deduction with regard to periodicals. Many papers have carelessly stated when re- ferring to this case, that as a matter of course the ruling in Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen would apply to “contributors to magazines and periodi- cals.” This deduction, however, should not be rashly taken. In Mr. Ayrton’s case the facts were eloquent. He had not been employed to make the drawings in dispute, but his existing designs had attracted attention ; the correspondence as quoted above reserved for him the copyright (which would be useless without the drawings) and showed that only a right to reproduce in a particular magazine was stipulated for, while the price agreed was one which was small enough if only paid for the right to reproduce once. It was ridiculous if regarde? as payment for drawings which would be useful for other purposes, after they had been used for that of illustrating the article in question. In all cases of this kind the question of price is strictly material in determining the question, “ what was 130 it that the artist or author meant to sell, and which the editor meant to buy ?” In such cases as that of Aflalo and Lawrence and Bullen, in all cases where editors claim and authors dispute as to whether the copyright has passed in articles published in periodicals, in all cases where original drawings are sought to be recovered, and upon many similar occasions, price agreed upon is of the utmost importance as independent testi- mony to the intention of the parties. Authors and artists have to live by their pens and their pencils, and are not likely to give away copyrights and other rights without adequate payment, or without attempting to obtain it should their attention be called to the point at the time of making their bargains. Where their attention is so called, they insert in their letters or introduce into their verbally-made agreements some con- ditions referring to the ultimate fate of their property; when they assume that this will be pre- served to them and say nothing, they have to rely on all the facts surrounding the transaction, and of these the price accepted should be placed before the jury and should be carefully considered by them. Mr. Ayrton is to be congratulated on the verdict obtained, although it fell short of what he asked for, and the jury should be congratulated also upon the verdict by which they upheld the artist’s rights, under the guidance of a judge who himself has had some personal experience of dealings with editors and proprietors. EA: —_—_—_—_——_—>__+—____- LAW OF COPYRIGHT.* os HE first edition of Mr. W. A. Copinger’s “Law of Copyright” appeared so long ago as September, 1870, and was then the only book which attempted to deal in a large way with this very difficult subject. The second edition, revised and brought up to date, was published in 1881, and the third edition in 1893. All these editions were re-written and re-edited by the same master-hand. The present volume has been entrusted to Mr. J. M. Easton, and comes before us as the fourth edition. There are many books on Copyright at present before the public, some dealing with special questions such as Dramatic Copyright, Artistic Copyright, Musical Copyright, or Literary Copy- right, some books as Mr. Scrutton’s and Mr. me The Law of Copyright.’’ By W. A. Copinger. Fourth edition, by J. M. Easton, Published by Stevens and. Haynes. THE AUTHOR. MacGillivray’s valuable works dealing with Copy- right from the point of view of the authors of Great Britain ; but none of the books covers such a wide range as the work originally published by Mr. Copinger, and now re-edited by Mr. Easton. Tt deals not only with Copyright in Great Britain, but also with International Copyright, United States Copyright; Copyright in the Colonies, and the Copyright Laws of all the prin- cipal countries of the world. So large a subject must necessarily demand large space. We are not surprised therefore that the book. contains between eight and nine hundred pages, and an Index and Appendices covering nearly another three hundred. The book has been divided into seven parts, and commences with Part 1, Literary Copyright. Part 2 deals with Musical and Dramatic Copyright ; Part 3, Artistic Copyright ; Part 4, Copyright in Designs ; Part 5, International and Colonial Copy- right ; Part 6, Copyright in Foreign Countries ; Part 7, Arrangements between Authors and Pub- lishers, and Appendices. The arrangement of the book is, on the whole, very satisfactory, and the most important questions. are handled with studious care and an intimate view of the subject. The work of the present editor, in order to bring it up to date, has indeed been heavy. He discusses the very latest questions and the very latest cases, and in an addendum ineludes the fact of Sweden’s adhesion to the Berne Convention in August of last year. He has commented at some length on the case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, which was. taken to the House of Lords by the support of the Society, and which for some time will be the leading case on the rights of authors in articles written for encyclopedias. He quotes also the case of Gollancz and Dent, which under the Society’s auspices terminated in favour of the author. These points are of considerable interest, as many publishers and even some authors assert that the actions the Society supports are often vexatious. and frivolous. If the result of the decisions in two of these actions tends to make clear a difficult and complicated law, the efforts of the Society have not been spent in vain, and those who stand outside the Society should remember that their security is the result of the public spirit of the other members of their profession. In the article on Literary Copyright, the editor deals at length with questions of infringement— that most difficult of all points which has to be settled from the facts when the deduction to be drawn from those facts is often doubtful and uncertain. In order to give the most liberal opportunity for those interested in Copyright Law, and for those who deal with Copyright Property, to come to a decision, he puts forward all the — THE AUTHOR. leading cases on the point with considerable minuteness, and brings into prominence all the points on the subject which would be likely to assist the inexperienced. He deals also with the very interesting case of Walter v. Lane, and the House of Lords decision on the point. Musical and Dramatic Copyright have their fair share of attention, though hardly the same space is devoted to these subjects as is devoted to literary property. The result is all that could be desired, as the same care has been bestowed on these portions as on those dealing with literary as distinct from dramatic work. Then follows Artistic Copyright, beginning with the Copyright Law in engravings, prints, and lithographs, con- tinuing with Copyright in Sculptures, and con- cluding with the most important of Artistic Copyright Laws—Copyright in Paintings, Draw- ings, and Photographs. The subject is an exceedingly difficult one, and might well call for a book by itself. It is much more complicated owing to the confusion in the Acts, and the lack of leading cases, than is Literary Copyright. Finally, he deals with International Copyright— a question of growing importance owing to the spread of inter-communication, and the powers granted to the citizens of most of the countries of Europe under the Berne Convention. Outside the Berne Convention the only two countries with which Great Britain has an arrangement are Austria- Hungary and the United States of America. Our arrangement with Austria-Hungary is practically on the lines of the Berne Convention, and it will, no doubt, be possible for that country at no distant date to join the union of nations. Owing to the correspondence in the Standard, the arrangement with the United States must be before the minds of all who have any literary, dramatic or musical property to market. The chapter dealing with Colonial Copyright is most interesting and instructive. Several of the Colonies have passed Copyright Laws of their own for various purposes within their respective limits, but no Colonial Act can override the Imperial Acts. The great advantage of this to the Colonies, as well as to Great Britain, is that a book published in any part of the Empire obtains copyright throughout the Empire. Therefore, anyone who may spring into eminence as a writer, musician, or dramatist in any of the Colonies has at once an enormous market before him, and an enormous power of disseminating his views if his works are properly handled. Some of the Colonies which have passed separate Copyright Laws are New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Canada, Newfound- land, Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange 131 River Colony. The editor discusses the question of Canadian Copyright—in the past one of the most difficult subjects before the Government—u to its latest development in the Act of 1900, This Act appears now to be working satisfactorily, and it is hoped has settled the question, at any rate until the Imperial Government once again brine to the fore a Copyright Act which will do away with the many difficulties at present surrounding the Act of 1842. : The next section deals with the Copyright Laws existing in foreign countries. Although it’ is true that under these Acts not many cases arise, yet it is of great value to have a book which includes a resume of the features and limitations of copyright in foreign countries. Questions have come before the Secretary of the Society of Authors, dealing with infringement of copyright in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and the United States, and further questions will arise as time goes on. The German Copyright Act is the latest legisla- tion of any importance. This law was passed in 1901 and came into force on January Ist, 1902. There are, in fact, two laws—the Law of Copyright and the Law of Publishers’ Contracts. They are both exceedingly long and minute, and will, no doubt, prove difficult of interpretation. It is all the more important, therefore, to have a clear statement of their contents, They differ consider- ably from the Statutes on Copyright ina country like France, where the law is settled chiefly by leading cases rather than by minute statutory details. On the whole, the French have a freer interpretation than the Germans are ever likely to have. Lastly, comes a chapter on the arrangements between authors and publishers. This is an eminently useful chapter, for many questions do not come directly under Copyright Law, but deal directly with literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic property, and no book on the subject can be quite satisfactory unless it contains a chapter under this heading or unless it refers to agreements of this kind between publishers and authors. This chapter is followed by the Appendices, containing copies of the Berne Convention, United States Copyright Act, Forms for Registration of Books and Other Property. The Appendices G and H contain short Forms of Agreement between Authors and Publishers, and Assignments of Copyright and Forms of Agreement referring to Artistic Property. After a careful consideration of the whole book these two Appendices are the only points about which we raise any serious cause for complaint. A careful perusal of them by any one who has knowledge of the main points which should be protected shows them to be  130 it that the artist or author meant to sell, and which the editor meant to buy ?” In such cases as that of Aflalo and Lawrence and Bullen, in all cases where editors claim and authors dispute as to whether the copyright has passed in articles published in periodicals, in all cases where original drawings are sought to be recovered, and upon many similar occasions, price agreed upon is of the utmost importance as independent testi- mony to the intention of the parties. Authors and artists have to live by their pens and their pencils, and are not likely to give away copyrights and other rights without adequate payment, or without attempting to obtain it should their attention be called to the point at the time of making their bargains. Where their attention is so called, they insert in their letters or introduce into their verbally-made agreements some con- ditions referring to the ultimate fate of their property; when they assume that this will be pre- served to them and say nothing, they have to rely on all the facts surrounding the transaction, and of these the price accepted should be placed before the jury and should be carefully considered by them. Mr. Ayrton is to be congratulated on the verdict obtained, although it fell short of what he asked for, and the jury should be congratulated also upon the verdict by which they upheld the artist’s rights, under the guidance of a judge who himself has had some personal experience of dealings with editors and proprietors. E. A. —_____——_.—~—_+—_ LAW OF COPYRIGHT.* 1 + HE first edition of Mr. W. A. Copinger’s “Law of Copyright” appeared so long ago as September, 1870, and was then the only book which attempted to deal in a large way with this very difficult subject. The second edition, revised and brought up to date, was published in 1881, and the third edition in 18938. All these editions were re-written and re-edited by the same master-hand. The present volume has been entrusted to Mr. J. M. Easton, and comes before us as the fourth edition. There are many books on Copyright at present before the public, some dealing with special questions such as Dramatic Copyright, Artistic Copyright, Musical Copyright, or Literary Copy- right, some books as Mr. Scrutton’s and Mr. * “The Law of Copyright.’ By W. A. Copinger. Fourth edition, by J. M. Easton. Published by Stevens and Haynes. THE AUTHOR. MacGillivray’s valuable works dealing with Copy- right from the point of view of the authors of Great Britain ; but none of the books covers such a wide range as the work originally published by Mr. Copinger, and now re-edited by Mr. Easton. Tt deals not only with Copyright in Great Britain, but also with International Copyright, United States Copyright; Copyright in the Colonies, and the Copyright Laws of all the prin- cipal countries of the world. So large a subject must necessarily demand large space. We are not surprised therefore that the book. contains between eight and nine hundred pages, and an Index and Appendices covering nearly another three hundred. The book has been divided into seven parts, and commences with Part 1, Literary Copyright. Part 2 deals with Musical and Dramatic Copyright ; Part 3, Artistic Copyright ; Part 4, Copyright in Designs ; Part 5, International and Colonial Copy- right ; Part 6, Copyright in Foreign Countries ; Part 7, Arrangements between Authors and Pub- lishers, and Appendices. The arrangement of the book is, on the whole, very satisfactory, and the most important questions are handled with studious care and an intimate view of the subject. The work of the present editor, in order to bring it up to date, has indeed been heavy. He discusses the very latest questions and the very latest cases, and in an addendum ineludes the fact of Sweden’s adhesion to the Berne Convention in August of last. year. He has commented at some length on the case of Affalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, which was. taken to the House of Lords by the support of the Society, and which for some time will be the leading case on the rights of authors in articles written for encyclopedias. He quotes also the case of Gollancz and Dent, which under the Society’s auspices terminated in favour of the author. These points are of considerable interest, as many publishers and even some authors assert that the actions the Society supports are often vexatious. and frivolous. If the result of the decisions in two of these actions tends to make clear a difficult and complicated law, the efforts of the Society have not been spent in vain, and those who stand outside the Society should remember that their security is the result of the public spirit of the other members of their profession. In the article on Literary Copyright, the editor deals at length with questions of infringement— that most difficult of all points which has to be settled from the facts when the deduction to- be drawn from those facts is often doubtful and uncertain. In order to give the most liberal — opportunity for those interested in Copyright Law, and for those who deal with Copyright Property, to come to a decision, he puts forward all the  THE AUTHOR. leading cases on the point with considerable minuteness, and brings into prominence all the points on the subject which would be likely to assist the inexperienced. He deals also with the very interesting case of Walter v. Lane, and the House of Lords decision on the point. Musical and Dramatic Copyright have their fair share of attention, though hardly the same space is devoted to these subjects as is devoted to literary property. The result is all that could be desired, as the same care has been bestowed on these portions as on those dealing with literary as distinct from dramatic work. Then follows Artistic Copyright, beginning with the Copyright Law in engravings, prints, and lithographs, con- tinuing with Copyright in Sculptures, and con- cluding with the most important of Artistic Copyright Laws—Copyright in Paintings, Draw- ings, and Photographs. The subject is an exceedingly difficult one, and might well call for a book by itself. It is much more complicated owing to the confusion in the Acts, and the lack of leading cases, than is Literary Copyright. Finally, he deals with International Copyright— a question of growing importance owing to the spread of inter-communication, and the powers granted to the citizens of most of the countries of Europe under the Berne Convention. Outside the Berne Convention the only two countries with which Great Britain has an arrangement are Austria- Hungary and the United States of America. Our arrangement with Austria-Hungary is practically on the lines of the Berne Convention, and it will, no doubt, be possible for that country at no distant date to join the union of nations. Owing to the correspondence in the Standard, the arrangement with the United States must be before the minds of all who have any literary, dramatic or musical property to market. The chapter dealing with Colonial Copyright is most interesting and instructive. Several of the Colonies have passed Copyright Laws of their own for various purposes within their respective limits, but no Colonial Act can override the Imperial Acts. The great advantage of this to the Colonies, as well as to Great Britain, is that a book published in any part of the Empire obtains copyright throughout the Empire. Therefore, anyone who may spring into eminence as a writer, musician, or dramatist in any of the Colonies has at once an enormous market before him, and an enormous power of disseminating his views if his works are properly handled. Some of the Colonies which have passed separate Copyright Laws are New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Canada, Newfound- land, Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange 131 River Colony. The editor discusses the question of Canadian Copyright—in the past one of the most difficult subjects before the Government—up to its latest development in the Act of 1900, This Act appears now to be working satisfactorily, and it is hoped has settled the question, at any rate until the Imperial Government once again’ brine to the fore a Copyright Act which will do away with the many difficulties at present surroundins the Act of 1842. r The next section deals with the Copyright Laws existing in foreign countries. Although it is true that under these Acts not many cases arise, yet it is of great value to have a book which includes a resumé of the features and limitations of copyright in foreign countries. Questions have come before the Secretary of the Society of Authors, dealing with infringement of copyright in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and the United States, and further questions will arise as time goes on. The German Copyright Act is the latest legisla- tion of any importance. This law was passed in 1901 and came into force on January Ist, 1902. There are, in fact, two laws—the Law of Copyright and the Law of Publishers’ Contracts. They are both exceedingly long and minute, and will, no doubt, prove difficult of interpretation. It is all the more important, therefore, to have a clear statement of their contents. They differ consider- ably from the Statutes on Copyright in a country like France, where the law is settled chiefly by leading cases rather than by minute statutory details. On the whole, the French have a freer interpretation than the Germans are ever likely to have. Lastly, comes a chapter on the arrangements between authors and publishers. This is an eminently useful chapter, for many questions do not come directly under Copyright Law, but deal directly with literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic property, and no book on the subject can be quite satisfactory unless it contains a chapter under this heading or unless it refers to agreements of this kind between publishers and authors. This chapter is followed by the Appendices, containing copies of the Berne Convention, United States Copyright Act, Forms for Registration of Books and Other Property. The Appendices G and H contain short Forms of Agreement between Authors and Publishers, and Assignments of Copyright and Forms of Agreement referring to Artistic Property. After a careful consideration of the whole book these two Appendices are the only points about which we raise any serious cause for complaint. A careful perusal of them by any one who has knowledge of the main points which should be protected shows them to be  132 THE AUTHOR. unsatisfactory for the author, the publisher, and the artist. ‘Che forms are full of omissions, and in addition there are forms which should have been included which have not been mentioned at all. In a book which shows so deep and so intelligent a study of so vast a subject, to find only one serious fault is a matter for generous approval. Mr. Easton must be congratulated on the very complete manner in which he has carried forward what, in its original form, was a very efficient book ; that he has so laboriously brought up Mr. Copinger’s last edition to the present date; that he has so exhaustively studied the various difficulties to which the subject gives rise; and that, after so much labour and such deep study, he has been able in a manner so satisfactory to place his results before the public. : There can be no question, therefore, since the fourth edition of Mr. Scrutton’s valuable book was brought forward, since Mr. MacGillivray issued his important work, and since the fourth edition of Mr. Copinger’s work is now produced, that the Copyright Law has been neglected, and lacks the necessary interpretation. G. H. T. —_——__o—__o___—_ LITERARY YEAR BOOK. 1905. — ++ — HE ninth annual issue of the “Literary Year Book” is now published. It comes with a different imprint—Messrs. George Routledge and Sons—with certain changes and new features. On the whole the principle which has guided the editor has produced satisfactory results, but the present reviewer has only been able to look closely into those portions of the book which refer to law and copyright, leaving the tables and catalogues set forth to be dealt with by others in a subsequent number of this magazine. The question of copyright has been handled in a manner and by a treatment entirely different from that in former issues. As the former productions were, from one point of view, satisfactory, so the present production from another point of view is by no means unsatisfactory. But copyright law cannot be healthily masticated in the form of tabloids. In the present tabulated form its incongruities are made particularly apparent. Take, for example, one or two points. The period for which copy- right endures in books, is for the life of the author and seven years after his death, or forty-two years from the date of first publication, whichever is the longer period; but publication is differently defined in the case of a book and in the case of a play. In engravings, however, copyright endures for twenty-eight years from first publication, and in paintings, drawings and photographs for the life of the artist and seven years after his death, whilst in sculpture it lasts for fourteen years. Again, the law covering the assignment of copy- rights varies considerably. The assignment of books must be in writing or by registration ; of dramatic pieces in the handwriting of the author or his agent. Assignments of engravings must be with the written consent of the proprietor attested by two witnesses ; of paintings, drawings and photographs must be in writing and must also be registered. The assignment of sculpture must be by deed signed by the proprietor and attested by two witnesses. The law of registra- tion in its effect on books differs from its effect on pictures. Among all these complexities it is very difficult to arrive at any satisfactory knowledge, and it is to be hoped that the Government will once more take in hand the question of consolidating the Copyright Acts. In dealing with the question of Canadian copy- right, the editor makes no mention of the Act which was passed through the Canadian House and was assented to by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on July 18th, 1900. How is this? There is no doubt, as stated in the Zsmes when the Act was passed, that this solution of the Canadian copyright question was brought forward mainly at the instigation of the Society of Authors, who spent much time and money in their endeavours to bring the matter to a satis- factory issue. It has been possible to commend the form of the article on copyright law. Its substance may prove inadequate and misleading. Special attention should be drawn to the 18th section of the Copyright Act and the judgment given in the House of Lords in the case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen. ‘The editor says, “In an ordinary case the agreement that copyright shall belong to the editor or proprietor may be inferred from the mere employment and payment of the author.” This is not so. The Judges in the House of Lords deduced the fact that in an encyclopedia the copyright may belong to the proprietor, owing to a large sum of money having been expended on the production of the book. The deduction seems to be false, as it does not take into consideration the amount paid to the author. This amount would, of course, vary with the sale of the copyright or with the sale of the article for use in the encyclo- pedia only. But the point hes never been settled p% in regard to periodicals, and most probably the — ° judgment which applied to an encyclopaedia  THE AUTHOR. would not apply to periodicals, as the contents of an encyclopedia have, when published in that shape, @ permanent and lasting position, which con- tents of periodicals when published in periodical issue have not. In dealing with authors’ agents and agreements, the editor is inclined to think that authors are apt to under-estimate the share due to the publisher in the successful production of a book. This hardly appears to be the case. Again, he says: “The publisher should be a man of some literary attainments.” On the contrary, it is much better for the publisher to leave the literary attainments to his reader and adviser and confine himself purely to business. He takes a very strong view against the agent, and justly so. To a constant reader of The Author the following point has always been made clear. If a writer goes to a publisher, he does to a certain extent keep him at arm’s-length, and is prepared to look at any agreement offered him from the legal point of view. To the agent, however, the author entrusts his honour as to a confidential family solicitor, and, as in the latter case, not in- frequently finds his trust misplaced. Finally, the editor exclaims : “ Who will protect the author against the rapacity of the agent?” Quis custodiet ipsos custodes 2? Why did he not append a note and refer to the Society of Authors ? As this society is in no way connected with the financial success of the production of books, it can take an absolutely impartial view. On many occasions the committee have on behalf of its members been compelled to take strenuous action against agents, as well as against publishers and others. Following the articles referred to comes an article on agreements. Although the introduction to this article shows a healthy spirit of fairness, the agreements lack many important points and leave many points to be cleared. Take, for instance, the commission agreement. The difficulties of this kind of agreement are fairly represented, and the chances against the success of the commission book are fully cata- logued, but in one clause the editor says, “The publishers hereby agree to print, publish, adver- tise and sell the first edition.” If a publisher undertakes to “sell” the first edition, he is going a little far, and would himself naturally object to enter into such a contract. He would, no doubt, use his best endeavours to obtain a gale. In the second clause, copies are sold in the United Kingdom at the regular trade price and are most commonly accounted for to the author at two- thirds of the published price less a discount of 10 per cent., and the editor proceeds to state : “‘ This calculation is reached by taking the lowest price 133 charged by the publishers to the wholesale book- sellers and exporters.” But why should the author be credited with the lowest price a publisher receives, when many of the copies may be sold at a higher figure! Surely, when the author pays for the cost of the production of his book, he is en- titled to receive the same figure as the publisher receives, less 10 per cent., the publisher’s com- mission. The editor, later on, proceeds to take the publisher’s side of the case very decidely, and says: “It would be especially unfair to him—the publisher—in a commission agreement that he should account to the author for copies as sold, which he has actually supplied as odd or 18th copies.” The latter case is no more unfair to the publisher than the former is to the author. The publisher, again, is given a free hand to sell the book, by auction or privately, to a dealer at reduced prices or by way of remainder. This may be all very fine from the publisher’s point of view, but again the author might strongly object to having his book sold below cost price. Other points might be mentioned concerning the same agreement, but it is impossible to give an exhaustive criticism. ‘Take the second agreement for the sale of copy- right. From the author's point of view the omis- sions are very heavy. We mention one alone, publication is of the greatest importance to the author ; but if he sold his copyright without any clause binding the publisher to put the book on the market he might find his work utterly wasted. The agreement dealing with the division of profits may be passed over. This method of pub- lication is in all ways unsatisfactory from the author’s point of view, and should be avoided. Some of the remarks respecting the royalty agreement are interesting and should be carefully studied by those who think of entering into a con- tract of this kind, but the arguments against the advance on royalty are fallacious. No doubt the publisher puts in a certain amount of capital, but surely the author puts in the same amount, though not in the form of money. Sometimes, indeed, the author may put into his MS. the work of a whole lifetime ; but even if this view of the posi- tion is not accepted, the economic law of supply and demand comes into force. If a publisher, who is a man of business, considers it worth his while to advance money on royalties in order to purchase a licence to produce a certain book, it is absurd to say that such an arrangement is un- reasonable. Business men do not readily enter into unbusinesslike arrangements, and they must know when they enter into the bargain, that such payment will be amply restored to them, as far as their judgment can tell, by the sales of the book, or else they cannot be reckoned as men of business.  132 THE AUTHOR. unsatisfactory for the author, the publisher, and the artist. ‘The forms are full of omissions, and in addition there are forms which should have been included which have not been mentioned at all. In a book which shows so deep and so intelligent a study of so vast a subject, to find only one serious fault is a matter for generous approval. Mr. Easton must be congratulated on the very complete manner in which he has carried forward what, in its original form, was a very efficient book ; that he has so laboriously brought up Mr. Copinger’s last edition to the present date; that he has so exhaustively studied the various difficulties to which the subject gives rise; and that, after so much labour and such deep study, he has been able in a manner so satisfactory to place his results before the public. : There can be no question, therefore, since the fourth edition of Mr. Scrutton’s valuable book was brought forward, since Mr. MacGillivray issued his important work, and since the fourth edition of Mr. Copinger’s work is now produced, that the Copyright Law has been neglected, and lacks the necessary interpretation. G. H. T. ————___+—>_o—__—__ LITERARY YEAR BOOK. 1905. —1+—— + — HE ninth annual issue of the “ Literary Year Book” is now published. It comes with a different imprint—Messrs. George Routledge and Sons—with certain changes and new features. On the whole the principle which has guided the editor has produced satisfactory results, but the present reviewer has only been able to look closely into those portions of the book which refer to law and copyright, leaving the tables and catalogues set forth to be dealt with by others in a subsequent number of this magazine. The question of copyright has been handled in a manner and by a treatment entirely different from that in former issues. As the former productions were, from one point of view, satisfactory, so the present production from another point of view is by no means unsatisfactory. But copyright law cannot be healthily masticated in the form of tabloids. In the present tabulated form its incongruities are made particularly apparent. Take, for example, one or two points. The period for which copy- right endures in books, is for the life of the author and seven years after his death, or forty-two years from the date of first publication, whichever is the longer period; but publication is differently defined in the case of a book and in the case of a play. In engravings, however, copyright endures for twenty-eight years from first publication, and in paintings, drawings and photographs for the life of the artist and seven years after his death, whilst in sculpture it lasts for fourteen years. Again, the law covering the assignment of copy- rights varies considerably. The assignment of books must be in writing or by registration ; of dramatic pieces in the handwriting of the author or his agent. Assignments of engravings must be with the written consent of the proprietor attested by two witnesses ; of paintings, drawings and photographs must be in writing and must also be registered. The assignment of sculpture must be by deed signed by the proprietor and attested by two witnesses. The law of registra- tion in its effect on books differs from its effect on pictures. Among all these complexities it is very difficult to arrive at any satisfactory knowledge, and it is to be hoped that the Government will once more take in hand the question of consolidating the Copyright Acts. In dealing with the question of Canadian copy- right, the editor makes no mention of the Act which was passed through the Canadian House and was assented to by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on July 18th, 1900. How is this? There is no doubt, as stated in the Zsmes when the Act was passed, that this solution of the Canadian copyright question was brought forward mainly at the instigation of the Society of Authors, who spent much time and money in their endeavours to bring the matter to a satis- factory issue. It has been possible to commend the form of the article on copyright law. Its substance may prove inadequate and misleading. Special attention should be drawn to the 18th section of the Copyright Act and the judgment given in the House of Lords in the case of Afialo v. Lawrence and Bullen. The editor says, “In an ordinary case the agreement that copyright shall belong to the editor or proprietor may be inferred from the mere employment and payment of the author.” This is not so. The Judges in the House of Lords deduced the fact that in an encyclopedia the copyright may belong to the proprietor, owing to a large sum of money having been expended on the production of the book. The deduction seems to be false, as it does not take into consideration the amount paid to the author. This amount would, of course, vary with the sale of the copyright or with the sale of the article for use in the encyclo- pedia only. But the point hes never been settled in regard to periodicals, and most probably the judgment which applied to an encyclopedia .  THE AUTHOR. 133 would not apply to periodicals, as the contents of an encyclopedia have, when published in that shape, a permanent and lasting position, which con- tents of periodicals when published in periodical issue have not. In dealing with authors’ agents and agreements, the editor is inclined to think that authors are apt to under-estimate the share due to the publisher in the successful production of a book. This hardly appears to be the case. Again, he says: “The publisher should be a man of some literary attainments.” On the contrary, it is much better for the publisher to leave the literary attainments to his reader and adviser and confine himself purely to business. He takes a very strong view against the agent, and justly so. To a constant reader of The Author the following point has always been made clear. If a writer goes to a publisher, he does to a certain extent keep him at arm’s-length, and is prepared to look at any agreement offered him from the legal point of view. To the agent, however, the author entrusts his honour as to a confidential family solicitor, and, as in the latter case, not in- frequently finds his trust misplaced. Finally, the editor exclaims : “ Who will protect the author against the rapacity of the agent?” Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Why did he not append a note and refer to the Society of Authors ? As this society is in no way connected with the financial success of the production of books, it can take an absolutely impartial view. On many occasions the committee have on behalf of its members been compelled to take strenuous action against agents, as well as against publishers and others. Following the articles referred to comes an article on agreements. Although the introduction to this article shows a healthy spirit of fairness, the agreements lack many important points and leave many points to be cleared. Take, for instance, the commission agreement. The difficulties of this kind of agreement are fairly represented, and the chances against the success of the commission book are fully cata- logued, but in one clause the editor says, “The publishers hereby agree to print, publish, adver- tise and sell the first edition.” If a publisher undertakes to “sell” the first edition, he is going a little far, and would himself naturally object to enter into such a contract. He would, no doubt, use his best endeavours to obtain a sale. In the second clause, copies are sold in the United Kingdom at the regular trade price and are most commonly accounted for to the author at two- thirds of the published price less a discount of 10 per cent., and the editor proceeds to state : “ This calculation is reached by taking the lowest price charged by the publishers to the wholesale book- sellers and exporters.” But why should the author be credited with the lowest price a publisher receives, when many of the copies may be sold at a higher figure ! Surely, when the author pays for the cost of the production of his book, he is en- titled to receive the same figure as the publisher receives, less 10 per cent., the publisher’s com- mission. The editor, later on, proceeds to take the publisher’s side of the case very decidely, and says: “It would be especially unfair to him—the publisher—in a commission agreement that he should account to the author for copies as sold, which he has actually supplied as odd or 13th copies.” The latter case is no more unfair to the publisher than the former is to the author. The publisher, again, is given a free hand to sell the book, by auction or privately, to a dealer at reduced prices or by way of remainder. This may be all very fine from the publisher’s point of view, but again the author might strongly object to having his book sold below cost price. Other points might be mentioned concerning the same agreement, but it is impossible to give an exhaustive criticism. Take the second agreement for the sale of copy- right. From the author’s point of view the omis- sions are very heavy. We mention one alone, publication is of the greatest importance to the author ; but if he sold his copyright without any clause binding the publisher to put the book on the market he might find his work utterly wasted. The agreement dealing with the division of profits may be passed over. This method of pub- lication is in all ways unsatisfactory from the author’s point of view, and should be avoided. Some of the remarks respecting the royalty agreement are interesting and should be carefully studied by those who think of entering into a con- tract of this kind, but the arguments against the advance on royalty are fallacious. No doubt the publisher puts in a certain amount of capital, but surely the author puts in the same amount, though not in the form of money. Sometimes, indeed, the author may put into his MS. the work of a whole lifetime ; but even if this view of the posi- tion is not accepted, the economic law of supply and demand comes into force. If a publisher, who is a man of business, considers it worth his while to advance money on royalties in order to purchase a licence to produce a certain book, it is absurd to say that such an arrangement is un- reasonable. Business men do not readily enter into unbusinesslike arrangements, and they must know when they enter into the bargain, that such payment will be amply restored to them, as far as their judgment can tell, by the sales of the book, or else they cannot be reckoned as men of business.  134 It is somewhat difficult to criticise the agreement itself, as the editor has covered the wording of the clauses by a careful explanation, but it should be stated that, in no circumstances, should an author sell the copyright of his work, the translation rights, or any of the minor rights. The habit of paying royalty on thirteen copies as twelve has come into contracts of late years, but authors should remember that this takes away 8 per cent., and that, in consequence, where they would otherwise have received the royalty on every copy, they would be entitled to a higher royalty if they receive it on thirteen copies reckoned as twelve. In the case in which the author’s royalty is subject to a reduction, if the sales are made at reduced prices or by way of remainder, it should be distinctly understood what a sale at reduced prices is, as trade sales vary con- siderably ; cases have arisen in which publishers have desired to pay a smaller royalty on the ground of a sale at reduced prices, when really the book had been sold to the trade at a slight reduc- tion on account of a large purchase. In the correction clause the editor allows the author a margin of only 6s. per sheet of sixteen pages. This is certainly small. ‘there are one or two additional clauses of importance which should have been suggested in this agreement. To sum up, 1t would appear that the editor in his desire to be fair to both parties, has fallen between two stools. He has put forward a series of agreements which are of no advantage to pub- lishers (they do not show the difficulties to be avoided or what bargains they should strive to make for themselves) nor to authors. They do not show them what their rights are and how they should retain them. Even if the editor had been desirous of keeping the balance fixed between the author and the publisher, he has certainly in this matter thrown some extra weight into the publisher’s scales. The forms of agreement which the editor has chosen to criticise are certainly by no means the best forms of agreement that come on the market. There are one or two publishers who have the printed forms which are the subject of editorial comment, and it would seem rather that the agreements have emanated from their offices. It would be advisable in future editions, for whoever is responsible for this part of the work, to study more varied forms of agreement, and consider the different methods by which different publishers and different authors have been accustomed to deal with the property of the author. RT, H, THER AUTHOR. UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. 1 VERY interestmg correspondence dealing with the question of the United States copyright law has been initiated in the Standard by Mr. Douglas Sladen. The con- tributors seem to be unanimous on one point, that is, the unfairness of the United States copyright law to British authors and British copyright property, but they take different views as to the manner of dealing with the difficulty. Some desire still to rely on argument and per- suasion, whilst others desire to retaliate in order to force the United States to adopt a more equitable position. Thus the writers are divided into two parts, the majority desiring to bring pressure on the United States rather than to force retaliatory legislation on this side. The columns of The Author show that the Committee of the Society have always kept a keen eye upon the question of United States copyright, and, according to a letter that appeared in the Standard on January 19th, they have now decided to take some active steps. Last year the United States Copyright Association asked for the criticism of the Society on the copy- right law, but especially excluded the question of United States printing. The Author printed the correspondence in full. Members interested in the subject should read it carefully. It should be mentioned by the way that the competition in literary commodities cannot be placed on the same lines as the competition in other commodities, as some authors seem to think. The liberal minded, therefore, must not be alarmed at the words “ protection” and “ retaliation,” and must not think that the doctrines of Cobden are being overturned; in fact the protection demanded for literature is free trade in its widest sense. Lord Avebury in his letter touches on this oint. The Author has from time to time pointed out that the United States copyright law is even more severe against foreign nations than it is against England. ‘The United States publisher does not care to produce a simultaneous publication of a foreign book in the language of the original, and, in consequence, the unfortunate foreign author is compelled to translate into English, in addition to setting up in the United States and publishing simultaneously, if he wants to secure copyright. Germany for the past two years has fought vigorously against this position, and the German Authors’ and Publishers’ Associations have urged their Government to withdraw from the agreement with the United States. : Mr. G. H. Putnam, a prominent member of the Publishers’ Association in the United States, and a  THE AUTHOR. 135 staunch upholder of a wide copyright, has used his best endeavours to prevent what they term in the States ‘“‘retrogression,” and has made every effort to amend the United States law and place foreigners in a better position. The proposed amendment will give a year from the publication of the original in the foreign country for the publication of the translation in the United States before the copyright is lost. The first attempts were unsuccessful, but there appears to be a good prospect of the Bill becoming law at no distant date. It is this effort on the part of the United States and the consequent proposed law that has prompted the correspondence in the Standard. If the action of Germany is taken as an example, it would seem that retaliatory measures, or the threat of retaliatory measures, would have the desired effect, and it may fairly be deduced that if the same or even stronger retaliatory measures were taken in Great Britain, the same or even better results might accrue. But there is this further point to be taken into con- sideration, which will also serve as a strong argu- ment. In the days when the first United States Act was passed, owing to the fact that the United States author had practically no protection, the production of literature was small, and the number of publishers limited. Since those days, however, the partial protection which has been granted has raised the number of authors in the United States ten fold, and the number of pub- lishers in equal proportion. Retaliatory measures, therefore, would at the present time affect a larger number of people than they would have affected years ago, and it would be easier for the United States publishers and authors to bring more ample pressure to bear now than when, with such a de- termined and praiseworthy struggle, they passed the first United States Act. It is needless to say that as matters at present stand all the United States authors and certainly the great majority of the United States publishers, with the cultured minority of the United States citizens, are in favour of taking up that position in copyright legislation which all other civilised nations have taken. But, unfortunately, the politician and the trade care for none of these things, the advancement of their literature offers no attraction, and the opinion of the author has to bow before the greed of the printer. Mr. Bernard Shaw, in his letter to the Standard of Junuary 4th, is the true exponent of the position. He shows—and with justice—that if the United States should join the Bern Convention, their printers would not lose but would most likely gain by the change. Firstly, they would gain an enormous amount in the printing of English books that are not printed and published simultaneously now, but are shipped over in sheets ; and, secondly, they would gain by the increased production of United States literature, as it is a fact that the larger the scope given to men of talent in any direction for protection of their work, the larger the number of men of talent likely to adopt that work as a profession. This has been, and must be, a necessary law of evolution, and the enormous increase of United States writers during the past ten years is a witness to this law. But English authors must be quite clear on one point, ze., that if the United States joined the Bern Convention, the competition with the United States author would be increased and not diminished. Mr. Douglas Sladen, in his letter, seems to think that retaliatory measures would sweep the United States competition off the market. This is not so. Those authors of the United States who have an English public would still be copyrighted and have an English public. Those who have no English public, whose works it would not pay to copyright, would be sold in cheap editions all over the United Kingdom, and the competition would be greater. Retaliatory measures, therefore, would produce a more disastrous result from this point of view than would be produced by persuading the United States to join the Convention. It is unfortunate, as Mr. Matthews in another letter whimsically suggests, that we are kin to the Americans, otherwise we should be treated as foreigners and gain a similar advantage. In the excitement caused by the discussion about the law above referred to, a phase of United States copyright even more important has been overlooked. From the Umited States Publishers’ Weekly it appears that Mr. Tawney, who introduced a Bill into the House of Representatives on March 2nd, 1904, has recently brought forward the same Bill, the final clause of which runs as follows :— “And provided further, that accompanying the two copies of a book, photograph, chromo, or lithograph, required to be delivered or deposited as above, there shall be an affidavit under the seal of a registered notary public of the United States, and made by the person desiring the said copyright, or his United States agent or representative. setting forth that the two copies required to be so deposited have been printed from type set within the limits of the United States, or from photos made therefrom, or from negatives or drawings on stone made within the limits of the United States or from transfers made therefrom: Provided also, that a penalty of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars shall be imposed for the violation of any of the provisions of this section.” Copyright registration is already sufficiently difficult, but if every copyright owner or his 136 agent has to support his deposit of copies by an affidavit, copyright registration will become almost unbearable, and no agent or publisher would undertake the risk of making such an affidavit at a penalty of not less than £50 and perhaps as high as £250. If the United States in their first copyright law only advanced half way from their barbaric condition the present law referring to foreigners would take them a little further towards civilisation, but Mr. Tawney’s Bill would take them back again almost to the starting point. These two points, then, should be carefully con- sidered : 1. Whether it is better in order to obtain equitable legislation to adopt retaliatory measures in Great Btitain, or whether it is better to bring more pressure to bear on the United States. From the conduct of Germany the first course would appear to be the best. 2. Whether Mr. Tawney’s amendment to the present Act should be opposed tooth and nail by all, both in the United States and in Great Britain. Finally, before the subject of United States copyright and international relations is laid aside, it might be as well to draw attention to a lament by Mr. W. D. Howells in the Christmas number of Harper's Magazine on the existing condition of things. He publishes a letter he has received from a correspondent raising a complaint against the present position of the United States, and setting out that no solid Engish book is now printed there, and his correspondent ends by saying “in conse- quence we shall relapse into barbarism, and then resort to piracy, which will so improve our minds that we shall again seek a lawful alliance, then degenerate again, and so on and so on.” Mr. Howells’ correspondent seems to forget that though the present law may exclude a certain number of English authors it has stimulated the literature of the United States, and surely the literature of their own countrymen ought to be able to raise the citizens to a level of civilisation : but both the writer of the letter and Mr. Howells seem to doubt whether this can be the case, and in lamenting the fact that the English authors are not published in cheap editions, think that there is no corresponding stimulus to American author- ship. Further, Mr. Howells, in commenting on the letter, says : “ English authors have now less currency in America than they had before the passage of the Act, and American authors have less currency in England, although in the social, political, and commercial interests there has been so great an affination of their respective nations.” The real fact of the case is that in this matter the United States have only emerged half way. THE AUTHOR. If they had emerged entirely and placed them- selves on the same basis as other civilised nations, neither the complaint of Mr. Howells’ corre- spondent nor his own would arise. But it is impossible to confirm the last part of Mr. Howells’ statement. He mentions that twenty years ago all the best United States authors were known in England. He includes in his list about eight names, but he may gain comfort with the full knowledge that where one author was known in England twenty years ago there must be at least five known at the present time. Without difficulty it would be possible to write down thirty United States authors who are not unknown this side of the Atlantic. This fact merely disproves Mr. Howells’ statement, and does not afford any permanent satisfaction. Mr. Howells proceeds : “That the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race no longer drink from the same wells of Eng- lish.” Again this can hardly be upheld. It is possible that the United States do not drink from our British well, owing to the fact that the United States trading element, dealing with property which does not belong to it, has insisted on the printing clause, but the British are drinking from the United States well in ample abundance. It is pleasant, however, to see Mr. Howells terminate his article with the following words: “ Better our historical novels and a good national conscience than the best English fiction and the sense of having robbed the author.” May this statement be a growing sentiment in the minds of the politician and the trade. R. M. —_—___e—>—_+-—____—__- MIL WERCKMEISTER v. AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC AND AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY. + HIS case was tried in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals. The main issue was whether the exhibition of a picture in the Royal Academy in London was such a publication as would necessitate the American copyright notice being printed upon it in order to secure United States copyright. Some very interesting remarks were made as to what constituted publication. As an obiter dictum it is stated that the Courts have found the rule that the capacity for public repre- sentation of a dramatic piece is distinct from the publication of other literary productions. This, of course, we know has already been decided, and is one of the points of distinction between the United States law and. the British law, as first THE AUTHOR. 137 public representation in England is tantamount to first publication. Again ‘the exhibition of a work of art for the purpose of securing a purchaser or an offer to sell does not adversely affect the right to acquire copyright.” This question of the copyright notice which the United States Courts insist upon may prove a great difficulty in special cases. The one advantage of the method adopted under the Bern Convention is the fact that there is no need to comply with the particular formalities in other countries—signatories to the Convention—if in the country of origin the formalities are complied with, until publication in the other countries actually takes place. It seems absurd that a work of art put on the public market or a work of literature published in England should be bound to have a United States copyright notice upon it, and it is submitted that this position cannot be upheld. This question, unfortunately, was not at issue in the case above quoted, although it might have been determined had the dispute not been settled on another point, whether the exhibition of a picture ina public gallery amounted to publication so as to bring it under the statute, and, therefore, upset the common law right of the artist to control the reproduction before publication. The decision come to was that exhibition at the Royal Academy did not amount to such publica- tion. This is satisfactory, as the artistic effect of all the pictures being labelled with United States Copyright Notices would hardly be pleasing, although from the commercial view of the land of the almighty dollar it might be sound. _ MAGAZINE CONTENTS. —— JANUARY, 1905. BLACKWOOD’s MAGAZINE. Recollections of a Visit to Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton at Knebworth in 1857, By E. H. J. THE BOOKMAN. The New Young Islanders. By A. Macdonell. Hawker of Morwenstow. By C. E. Byles. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. School Books Old and New. By Katherine Burrill, CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Utilitarian Secondary Education. By A. Macnaughton. Robert Browning and Alfred Domett. By Wm. Hall Griffin. The Oxyrhynchus Sayings of Jesus. By Vernon Bartlett. The Dual Nature of Deity. By Geo. Barlow. CoRNHILL. Blackstick Papers, No. 10: “Ja ium.’’ rs Poe) edhe sa : 10 Jacob Omnium. By Mrs. The Tereentenary of Don Quixote. By Austin Dobson A Welsh Rector of the Last Century. By His Honour Judge Pavey. G. D. Friend of Lamb. By E. V. Lucas. A Rhodes Scholar from Germany on Oxford. By H Evan Lindeiner Wildau. r oe THE EDINBURGH REVIEW. Aubrey de Vere, Poet. The Fall of the Directory. Bishop Creighton. Spenser in Ireland. Homer and His Commentators. Burne-Jones. THE FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Psychological versus Armchair Historians. 3y Emil Reich. Anton Rubenstein. By A. E. Keeton. Sainte-Beuve. By Francis Gribble. Swinburne’s Collected Poems. By Ernest Rhys. THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW. One View of Christian Faith, By C. R. Buxton. The Ideas of Anatole France. By Olgar Thorold. Bishops and Historians. By Herbert Paul. LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE, Aubrey de Vere. By Mrs. C. Towle. The Hills of Dream: a Poem. By D. J. Robertson. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. The Dutch Undergraduate. By J. D. Hoare. Some Contemporary Criticism. By H. H. Dodwell. Shakespeare’s Books, By Geo. Bartram. THE MONTH. Blessed Edward Campion’s “ Decem Rationes.” By J. H. Pollen. The Plague of the Text Book. MoNTHLY REVIEW. Umbrian Art. By Edward Hutton. Vittoria Accoramboni. By Christopher Hare, NATIONAL REVIEW. Some Aspects of Children’s Books, By Miss Catherine Dodd. Field Names. By the Rev. Canon Ellacombe. Correspondence between Frederick Nietzsche and Geo. Brandes, with an introduction. By Elizabeth Forster Nietzsche. NINETEENTH CENTURY, Fantin and Boudin. By Frederick Wedmore. Higher Education in India. By Henry Madras, THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. William Stubbs, Churchman and Historian, Horace Walpole and Wm. Cowper. Matthew Arnold. The Direction and Method of Education, WorLp’s WORK AND PLAY. Religion in the Novel. By Hall Caine There is no article dealing with literary, dramatic, or musical subjects in Zemple Bar,  138 THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ++ ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. ‘There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a pad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to : C1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (8.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in The Author. IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account pooks which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. ——__—_+—__o___—_ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. 1 IN sex sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established mabager. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays: in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts, Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts- in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect, The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights ina play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be, included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantia) consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11, An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. : ‘As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, om account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. —__—_——_—<—_o—_——_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must; however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two. rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He ay THE AUTHOR. should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement,and should take into part.cular consideration . the warnings stated above. —— ee ee HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. i. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members, 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10, The subscription to the Society is £1 4s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. — igs Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or _ part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. ———— ) THE READING BRANCH. Cae es EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this Vi branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. ‘The term MSS. includes ‘not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. +—>_¢ ______ NOTICES. Sn a coe See HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subseription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. —— > + The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. ———0—~<>_ — LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. +> i PENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. : Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C.  AUTHORITIES. —_-—~>—+— TuuRE has been some doubt in the minds of members of the Society as to those countries which are at present members of the Bern Convention. Tt may be of some use, therefore, again to catalogue the signatories. The subject is of considerable importance, looked at from any point of view, but owing to the fact that Sweden joined in August of last year, there is thisadditional point that the three Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, are now members. As the difference of language in each of these countries is stated in their own Copyright Law to be merely a difference of dialect, the trans- Jation in one country is secured in all three, and there is no longer fear of piracy. The Signatures. Germany, Tunis, Belgium, Monaco, Spain, Luxembourg, France, Japan, Haiti, Norway, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden. In order to complete the record of international relations as far as Great Britain is concerned, there remains the United States Copyright Act and the treaty with Austria-Hungary. The latter runs very much on the same lines as the clauses con- tained in the Convention of Bern. We desire again to call the attention of authors to the value of translation rights, as the matter is constantly coming before the Secretary. Translators in foreign countries often write to authors in the United Kingdom and inquire whether they may have the honour of translating their works. When the question of payment is brought forward, the reply comes back either that the translator cannot afford to pay any sum whatever, but considers the author obtains a good advertisement, or that translations are exceedingly badly paid for in the country of which the trans- lator is a citizen, and that the utmost it is possible to offer is £—. This offer sometimes goes as high as £10, but more frequently is much lower. It is true that translations are not paid for at a high rate, for in addition to the remuneration due to the original author, the remuneration for the translator has to be taken into consideration, but the following example will show that the statement THE AUTHOR. of the position is not always in accordance with fact. ‘A well-known English author was asked for the right of translation in his work, and on inquiry for payment received the answer already put forward, that the translator would be unable to obtain any money beyond what would cover his work as translator, but hoped the author would be able to get a certain amount of advertisement. The author finding that he failed to get cash, con- sented to receive nothing for the translation of the story. Our attention was called to the matter by a correspondent, who informed us that the trans- lation was being published as a serial in one of the largest and richest papers. Did the translator obtain a nice sum for this publica- tion ? or did the proprietor of the paper obtain the advantage by purchase of cheap copy ? What became of the book publisher ? In other cases also the rights have been given away by the authors. Again, examples have come to our notice where authors of the highest rank have received in foreign countries the paltry sum of £5 for translation rights. Authors, therefore, should take note of these points, and should not permit their works to be translated for nothing in countries which are members of the Bern Convention without having a most accurate statement as to the marketable quality of the translation, for they may rest assured that if the translator knows how to manage his business he will obtain a good recompense for his work, What has been stated applies to all countries bound together by International Agreement. Amone the correspondence we have the pleasure of printing a letter from the English representative of the North American Review, correcting a mistake made in Zhe Author in an article touching the dispute between Mr. G. W. E. Russell and that magazine. We regret the mistake, but the correction does not seem to alter, to any great extent, the un- accountable action of the North American Review and the circumstances surrounding the publication of the article referred to. Mermeers of the Society will be pleased to hear that the replica of the Besant Memorial has now been affixed to one of the granite bases by Waterloo Bridge. The exact locality is just to the west of the pridge, opposite the road coming down from the  THE AUTHOR. Strand to the Embankment. The’ County Council, who undertook to fix the site and place the work, gave no formal unveiling. As far as the Society was concerned the formal tribute to Sir Walter Besant was completed when the original was unveiled in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Amusing errors in nomenclature are sometimes to be found in the “books received” column of the great dailies, which are presumably “edited ” by one of the counting house clerks. Sometimes the variant given to the title is a distinct im- provement on the original. For instance, we notice “The Silent East” instead of “ The Silken East.” But an entry we once came across in a “books received” column, which dealt with an indian romance, was scarcely an improvement. The book was entitled “ Before the British Raj.” This was altered to “ Before the British Rag!” It appears from the papers that the idea of a permanent Shakespeare memorial is at last assuming its proper proportions. The County Council have agreed to provide a site if the necessary funds are forthcoming, and a provisional committee has been brought together. The names contained in the list show the support the movement is receiving, The President of our Society is one of the com- mittee, Dr. Furnivall has accepted the position of Chairman, Lord Avebury has consented to act as Treasurer, and Professor Israel Gollancz as Honorary Secretary. There seems to be no doubt that with the strong support already promised no difficulty will be experienced in ‘obtaining the necessary funds. For the sake of those who desire to interest themselves in the matter, it is as well to state that all communications should be sent to the Secretary, 32, George Street, Hanover Square, W. + EDWARD ROSE. 1° the last hours of the old year Edward Rose passed away at his house in Hampstead. By his death, at a comparatively early age, the Society loses a faithful friend and the members of the Committee a valued colleague. Having joined the latter body in 1900, he continued a regular attendant at its meetings till the end. His long and intimate acquaintance with the 141 theatre—as actor, as critic, and as playwright— gave him a knowledge of the dramatic side of the Committee’s work which was of the greatest service in its deliberations. He was also keenly interested in educational literature, being himself the author of more than one school book ; and he brought to the consideration of all questions an open mind, a_ well-balanced judgment, and a courtesy and kindliness of manner which made him a model Committeeman. He was a man of many interests—an educationalist, a politician, a student of social questions (he was an early and ardent supporter of the “ Garden City” movement) ; but his life’s work lay in the theatre, and here he was best known as a very skilful and successful master of the difficult art of adaptation. His original work is not, indeed, to be disregarded. “In Days of Old” will be remembered as a charming and graceful romantic play. But as an adapter he could claim at least three notable successes, * Vice Versa,” “The Prisoner of Zenda,” and “ Under the Red Robe,” and he did much—perhaps more. than any other man—to re-establish the “ drama- tized novel” in popular favour. The work of an adapter, as he conceived it, was by no means mere carpentry. While taking singular care to preserve. all of the original which was valuable for the uses. of the stage, he added much from his own store, rightly understanding that, before a novel can make a good play, it may well need addition as well as subtraction, a stronger infusion of the dramatic no less than an elision of what is not dramatic. So he made a play of his own out of a book which was not his own, and stood entitled to. the credit of its success. Devoted to his work, always full of new projects, yet at the same time with an outlook and interest stretching far beyond the walls of the theatre, he lived till the end a life rich in mental activity, although of later years his health was delicate and his spirit overshadowed by a great and enduring sorrow which had befallen him in the loss of a dearly-loved daughter. To his friends—to those who had the good fortune to know him well, whether in holiday hours or in days and weeks of work done together—he leaves behind him a pleasant memory, the memory of a man who, not himself dowered with high spirits, had such a gift of affectionate sympathy, and so complete a freedom from repining for himself and from envy towards others, that the joys and successes of his friends became to him as his own. He will live in their recollection as a good man, a good work- man, and a good friend. A. H. H.  THE MASTERS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.* — > — CCORDING to the preface, “The Masters of English Literature,” by Stephen Gwynn, is a book for young or busy people who do not wish to remain ignorant of what “every school- boy knows,” and whose knowleage and time are limited. Whilst it will doubtless fulfil this purpose (which puts it merely on the level of a handbook or literary “Who’s Who”), we venture to think that it will serve better ends than this, and that the author’s tentative hope that it may send the readers to the fountain head will also be fully realized. He has the art of putting the reader in touch with the various authors and their times by clear and sympathetic criticism of the passages cited, and, whilst pointing out their leading charac- teristics, he leaves enough unsaid to induce the reader to search further and think for himself. It is this which raises the book above the level ‘of a mere book of reference. His criticism is suggestive, and will be of interest to all lovers of literature who will recognize fresh beauties in familiar passages, and be led to study the originals with greater insight. It cannot be too highly recommended to students reading for examinations where time is short, and accurate knowledge, combined with scholarship, of great value. The author is so much in touch with his subject that in one case at least, whilst commenting on “Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist,” a few lines are written in criticism, which might easily have flowed from the pen of the essayist himself. Yet there is no favouritism or over-praise of any special work; from Chaucer to Tennyson the balance of impartial judgment and clear narration is well kept, so that neither prejudice nor confusion is raised in the mind of the reader searching for information. The extracts given show unusual knowledge and insight, but in the case of Wordsworth, too much stress has been laid on the weaker side of his simplicity. One fine sonnet at least should have been quoted for the benefit of those who have not got beyond “ We are Seven,” and verses of that description. We fear that the ordinary reader, after perusing the “Idiot Boy,” will but echo the couplet thrown long ago at the heads of the poets of the Lake School : & They lived in the Lakes, an appropriate quarter For poems diluted with plenty of water.”’ _* “The Masters of English Literature,” by Stephen Gwynn. Published by Macmillan & Co. THE AUTHOR. The majority are but too well aware of the simplicity which at times borders on the inane, comparatively few have realised the incomparable beauty of “ Harth has not anything to show more fair,” the deep feeling of “ The world is too much with us,” the dreamy charm of the sonnet on Death, or the exquisite light touch which describes the daffodils in the lyric, “ I wandered lonely as a cloud.” In literature, as in everything else, local colour is of great value, and the stress laid by the author on the circumstances under which the works were written is as useful to the student as the criticism of the works themselves. The chapters on Milton, Dryden and Pope are notable instances of this. It is impossible to cultivate a catholic taste in literature without getting in touch with the times (often strange and antagonistic to our own day), in which some of the finest works were written. The author is well aware of this, and has noted it in the chapter on the 18th century novelists. In it he explains much of their former repute, and more of their disrepute in the present day. They are in a sense “caviare to the general,” and the reason why is set forth in clear terms by one who understands. No one who reads this little book can fail to have a very effective grasp of the main points of English literature, and in addition they will possess a feeling for the spirit of each age which will be of material advantage to them in pursuing their researches. i THE TERCENTENARY OF “DON QUIXOTE.” (Published at Madrid, January, 1605.) (Reprinted from the January Number of the Cornhill Magazine by kind permission of the Editor.) DVENTS we greet of great and small, Much we extol that may not live, Yet to the new-born type we give No care at all! This year, three centuries past,—by age More maimed than by Lepanto’s fight,— This year Cervantes gave to light His matchless page, Whence first outrode th’ immortal Pair,— The half-crazed Hero and his hind,— To make sad laughter for mankind ; And whence they fare Throughout all Fiction still, where chance Allies Life’s dullness with its dreams,— Allies what is with what but seems,— Fact and Romance :— ‘essenateesiiah  O Knight of fire and Squire of earth ! O changing give-and-take between The aim too high, the aim too mean, T hail your birth, Three centuries past, in sunburned Spain, And hang, on Time’s Pantheon wall, My votive tablet to recall That lasting gain! Austin Dosson. SO “DON QUIXOTE” TERCENTENARY. ae N the “From the Committee ”’ mention has been made from time to time of the action the Committee of the Society has taken in order to mark the literary importance of the Tercentenary of the publication of “Don Quixote.” The text of the address which will be sent to the Spanish Academy, drafted by Mr. Austin Dobson, approved by the President of the Society, Mr. George Meredith, and the Managing Committee, and signed by all the members of the Council, is now printed. ADDRESS TO THE SPANisH ACADEMY. The Council of the Society of Authors desires to express, on behalf of the members of that Society, the pleasure and entire sympathy with which they have learned that steps are being taken to celebrate the tercentenary of the publication of * Don Quixote.” There is a special, and, indeed, exceptional reason why Englishmen should wish to associate themselves with the contemplated ceremonial.. We in England were, from the first, among the most enthusiastic admirers of “ Don Quixote.” We have translated the book repeatedly and elaborately ; we have printed it in Spanish, and one of the most searching and scholarly of its commentators is to be found in the ranks of our ecclesiastics. Its Knight and Squire have become part of our national life ; its incidents have stimulated the invention of our artists, and lent imagery to our poets and dramatists, and the impress of its genius is upon all our great novelists, from Fielding and Sterne to Dickens and Thackeray. But there are further reasons—more general in their nature, and less local in their application—why we should join in doing honour to your illustrious compatriot. Spaniard of the Spaniards, he was also a cosmopolitan in fiction—a citizen of the world of letters. His method and his matter are alike imperishable, because they are based in universal humanity. Wherever is waged that endless war between metaphysics and mother-wit ; wherever imagination quits the beaten track of THE AUTHOR. 143 commonplace for the haunted bye-ways of romance: wherever the old heroic spirit is stirred once more to the sublime ambition of self-sacrifice - there must men remember and revere the name of Miguel de Cervantes. “Don Qurxorte” Dinner. In London on Thursday, January 19th, dinner was held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole, under the chairmanship of Major Martin Hume, to celebrate the same event. The chief guest of the evening was the Spanish Ambassador. Among the company present were Mrs. Craigie, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, Mr. Edmund Gosse, Mr. Clement Shorter, Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Edward Clodd, Mr. Sidney Lee, and Mr. Justin H. McCarthy, Sir Henry Irving (representing the Stage), Prof. Ray Lankester, (Science), and Mr. George Frampton, R.A., (Art). The Spanish Ambassador, in responding to the toast of “ The Immortal Memory of Don Quixote,” proposed by the chairman, pointed out that the idealism destroyed by “Don Quixote” had not left Spain without lofty aims, and expressed the pleasure which he felt at the present cordial relations existing between Great Britain and his native country. Mr. Edmand Gosse, in proposing prosperity to the literatures of England and Spain, declared that in his opinion Spanish influence had implanted upon Elizabethan drama its love of splendour, colour and music. Sir Henry Irving, replying for the Drama, con- trasted the position of modern dramatists with that occupied by Cervantes, whom he stated at no time received more than about £7 10s. for any of his plays, and expressed a desire to meet a present- day dramatist willing to sell his work on similar terms. Sir Henry also dealt with the difficulties con- nected with the satisfactory production of “ Don Quixote” on the stage, and concluded his speech by remarking on the possibility of Shakespeare having had the opportunity of recognising a kindred soul before he died. ee CHARACTER-DRAWING. + HERE was a time (Plancus was consul then, if you are exacting for a date), when I used to be a great admirer of the paintings of G. D. Leslie, R.A., finding, I suppose, rest and refreshment in a certain grace which they possess, and their studied sobriety of tone. And I can THE THE MASTERS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.* ——————— CCORDING to the preface, “The Masters of English Literature,” by Stephen Gwynn, is a book for young or busy people who do not wish to remain ignorant of what “every school- boy knows,” and whose knowleage and time are limited. AUTHOR. The majority are but too well aware of the simplicity which at times borders on the inane, comparatively few have realised the incomparable beauty of “ Harth has not anything to show more fair,” the deep feeling of “The world is too much with us,” the dreamy charm of the sonnet on Death, or the exquisite light touch which describes the daffodils in the lyric, “ I wandered lonely as a cloud.” In literature, as in everything else, local colour is of great value, and the stress laid by the author on the circumstances under which the works Whilst it will doubtless fulfil this purpose (which puts it merely on the level of a handbook or literary “Who’s Who”), we venture to think that it will serve better ends than this, and that the author’s tentative hope that it may send the readers to the fountain head will also be fully realized. He has the art of putting the reader in touch with the various authors and their times by clear and sympathetic criticism of the passages cited, and, whilst pointing out their leading charac- teristics, he leaves enough unsaid to induce the reader to search further and think for himself. It is this which raises the book above the level of a mere book of reference. His criticism is suggestive, and will be of interest to all lovers of literature who will recognize fresh beauties in familiar passages, and be led to study the originals with greater insight. It cannot be too highly recommended to students reading for examinations where time is short, and accurate knowledge, combined with scholarship, of great value. The author is so much in touch with his subject that in one case at least, whilst commenting on “Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist,” a few lines are written in criticism, which might easily have flowed from the pen of the essayist himself. Yet there is no favouritism or over-praise of any special work; from Chaucer to Tennyson the balance of impartial judgment and clear narration is well kept, so that neither prejudice nor confusion is raised in the mind of the reader searching for information. The extracts given show unusual knowledge and insight, but in the case of Wordsworth, too much stress has been laid on the weaker side of his simplicity. One fine sonnet at least should have been quoted for the benefit of those who have not got beyond “ We are Seven,” and verses of that description. We fear that the ordinary reader, after perusing the “Idiot Boy,” will but echo the couplet thrown long ago at the heads of the poets of the Lake School : fe They lived in the Lakes, an appropriate quarter For poems diluted with plenty of water.” * “The Masters of English Literature,’ by Stephen Gwynn. Published by Macmillan & Co, were written is as useful to the student as the criticism of the works themselves. on Milton, Dryden and Pope are notable instances of this. It is impossible to cultivate a catholic taste | in literature without getting in touch with the | times (often strange and antagonistic to our own 7 H day), in which some of the finest works were 2 oe written. pu has noted it in the chapter on the 18th century novelists. repute, and more of their disrepute in the present |e day. They are in a sense “caviare to the general,” lect and the reason why is set forth in clear terms by one who understands. little book can fail to have a very effective grasp 4 of the main points of English literature, and in addition they will possess a feeling for the spirit of each age which will be of material advantage to them in pursuing their researches. wei The chapters The author is well aware of this, and In it he explains much of their former | \oat No one who reads this +> ___—_ THE TERCENTENARY OF “DON QUIXOTE.” (Published at Madrid, January, 1605,) (Reprinted from the January Number of the Cornhill Magazine by kind permission of the Editor.) DVENTS we greet of great and small, Much we extol that may not live, Yet to the new-born type we give No eare at all! This year, three centuries past,—by age More maimed than by Lepanto’s fight,— This year Cervantes gave to light His matchless page, Whence first outrode th’ immortal Pair,— p> The half-crazed Hero and his hind,— f° To make sad laughter for mankind ; : And whence they fare Throughout all Fiction still, where chance Allies Life’s dullness with its dreams,— Allies what is with what but seems,— Fact and Romance :— eat co € eS 9 oe THE AUTHOR. O Knight of fire and Squire of earth ! O changing give-and-take between The aim too high, the aim too mean, T hail your birth, Three centuries past, in sunburned Spain, And hang, on Time’s Pantheon wall, My votive tablet to recall That lasting gain ! Austin Dogpson. Or “DON QUIXOTE” TERCENTENARY. ee N the “From the Committee ” mention has been made from time to time of the action the Committee of the Society has taken in order to mark the literary importance of the Tercentenary uf the publication of “ Don Quixote.” The text of the address which will be sent to the Spanish Academy, drafted by Mr. Austin Dobson, approved by the President of the Society, Mr. George Meredith, and the Managing Committee, and signed by all the members of the Council, is now printed. ADDRESS TO THE SPANISH ACADEMY. The Council of the Society of Authors desires to express, on behalf of the members of that Society, the pleasure and entire sympathy with which they have learned that steps are being taken to celebrate the tercentenary of the publication of “ Don Quixote.” There is a special, and, indeed, exceptional reason why Englishmen should wish to associate themselves with the contemplated ceremonial.. We in England were, from the first, among the most enthusiastic admirers of “ Don Quixote.’”” Wehave translated the book _repeatedly and elaborately ; we have printed it in Spanish, and one of the most searching and scholarly of its commentators is to be found in the ranks of our ecclesiastics. Its Knight and Squire have become part of our national life ; its incidents have stimulated the invention of our artists, and lent imagery to our poets and dramatists, and the impress of its genius is upon all our great novelists, from Fielding and Sterne to Dickens and Thackeray. But there are further reasons—more general in their nature, and less local in their application—why we should join in doing honour to your illustrious compatriot. Spaniard of the Spaniards, he was also a cosmopolitan in fiction—a citizen of the world of letters. His method and his matter are alike imperishable, because they are based in universal humanity. Wherever is waged that endless war between metaphysics and mother-wit ; wherever imagination quits the beaten track of 143: commonplace for the haunted bye-ways of romance : wherever the old heroic spirit is stirred once more to the sublime ambition of self-sacrifice - there must men remember and revere the name of Miguel de Cervantes. “Don Quixote” Dinner. In London on Thursday, January 19th, a dinner was held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole, under the chairmanship of Major Martin Hume, to celebrate the same event, The chief guest of the evening was the Spanish Ambassador. Among the company present were Mrs. Craigie, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, Mr. Edmund Gosse, Mr. Clement Shorter, Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Edward Clodd, Mr. Sidney Lee, and Mr. Justin H. McCarthy, Sir Henry Irving (representing the Stage), Prof. Ray Lankester, (Science), and Mr. George Frampton, R.A., (Art). The Spanish Ambassador, in responding to the toast of “ The Immortal Memory of Don Quixote,” proposed by the chairman, pointed out that the idealism destroyed by “Don Quixote” had not left Spain without lofty aims, and expressed the pleasure which he felt at the present cordial relations existing between Great Britain and his native country. Mr. Edmund Gosse, in proposing prosperity to the literatures of England and Spain, declared that in his opinion Spanish influence had implanted upon Elizabethan drama its love of splendour, colour and music. Sir Henry Irving, replying for the Drama, con- trasted the position of modern dramatists with that occupied by Cervantes, whom he stated at no time received more than about £7 10s. for any of his plays, and expressed a desire to meet a present- day dramatist willing to sell his work on similar terms. Sir Henry also dealt with the difficulties con- nected with the satisfactory production of “ Don Quixote” on the stage, and concluded his speech by remarking on the possibility of Shakespeare having had the opportunity of recognising a kindred soul before he died. Se eee CHARACTER-DRAWING. 9 HERE was a time (Plancus was consul then, if you are exacting for a date), when I used to be a great admirer of the paintings of G. D. Leslie, R.A., finding, I suppose, rest and refreshment in a certain grace which they possess, and their studied sobriety of tone. And I can 144 recall saying to one who, to my inexperience, represented the height of mature culture, that at the Academy I looked for the Leightons and the Leslies, and did not care for anything else. She gave a deep assent—in those sesthetic days deep assents took the form of a sigh—and I felt proud of my judgment. But the next year I went to the Royal Academy with an artist, who, standing before the mob-capped Leslie maiden of that particular year, pointed out to me that the girl’s hands came about where her elbows should have been. And henceforward the charm of G. D. Leslie faded away for me. In mental things you cannot point out malforma- tions as easily as in things physical ; and it is perhaps well for the happiness of most novel- readers that you cannot. Yet even in the mere drawing of a figure, I for my part needed to have the defects made plain. And I feel a moral con- viction that if I could take the reader’s arm and stroll with him through a gallery of our most popular fiction, I could convince him of misdraught- ings of character quite as fatal as Leslie’s mis- drawings of mob-capped maidens : limbs too long or too short, necks all awry, every kind of impossi- bility. And he should soon learn to distinguish— though I do not think he does so yet—the unusual from the impossible. Nobody expects a gallery of portraits to be all alike ; and yet in a gallery of portraits you can easily, or easily learn to dis- tinguish between bad drawing and good drawing. When Velasquez paints you a dwarf, he is a dwarf and nothing more. But when Madox Brown does so—as in his pot-boy in “‘ Work’”’—he has painted a horror who haunts you just because the deformity of nature is complicated by the deformity of bad draughtsmanship. He did not intend that, no more than he intended his St. Peter, whose feet Christ is washing, in our Tate Gallery picture, to have a head almost twice too large for his body. I am sure that if we were equally sensible to malformations in character-drawings, all those personages of fiction whose merits or defects were outside nature would haunt us in the like fashion. Then those impossibly courageous heroes whom young ladies adore would not be pleasant to contem- plate at all—they would be more monstr’, horrend’, inform’ than Quasimodo; just as the Farnese Hercules is much more horrible than heroic. But alas ! we—we in England are the worst in this respect—seem hardly to have begun to understand the laws of character-drawing, and even to have declined in this regard of recent years. There are no studios where this kind of draughtsmanship can be taught. It is not studying the works of the great classics which will do the business. Had not the book illustrators of fifty years ago the classic masters in their own art before them ? THE AUTHOR. But who would now tolerate the hands and feet of Richard Doyle, say, or of Phiz? I am not saying that in these cases, as in that of Madox Brown, you do not get great excellences. Looking at their merits alone, you pardon their defects, which yet reach down to the elements of their art. So I make no doubt it will be with some of our best contemporary novelists fifty years hence. People will read them still with delight ; but they will wonder how the mere technique of the character- drawing could have gone so wonderfully astray. For my part I surmise that the failure of technique in the two arts—in figure-drawing and in character- drawing—springs from very much the same cause in either case. I imagine a Madox Brown (or a Richard Doyle; it doesn’t matter which you choose), getting his model in front of him, but so much occupied with what he wants to show of the face—minutest hairs, wrinkles, what-not, in the one case ; humorous touches in the second—that he almost forgets to look at the figure. At any rate, he never thinks of the face as a part of the body as a whole. Least of all does he think of face or figure as moving or caught under sudden aspects of light, and so forth. Well, it is the same with the drawer of character, ninety-nine times out of a hundred. The “ personality” with him plays the part which the head played for the Pre-Raphaelite. ‘And he on his side never thinks of that personality in motion, displaying itself as it only could display itself in reality in the rough-and-ready speech of actual life, in the sudden calls of common affairs. Of course we do not to-day—as Scott and Dickens did, at least with their hero and heroine—make the folk of our novels “talk like a book.” That that has been as much abandoned as the soliloquy on the stage is so far a sign of advance. But the pook-folk almost always speak—if I may use the word—in vacuo. They say what in the opinion of the author of their being would be at the back of their minds. They do not show the influence on themselves of the personality with whom they are in contact, nor any one of the thousand acci- dents which in real life always deflect speech from the perfect straight line. I call that speaking m vacuo. At any rate, it is an atmosphere which is not of earth, like the atmosphere of a Pre- Raphaelite picture. I say that a study of the classics will not alone correct this evil. 1 have listened a hundred times to Shakespeare on the stage, and I am absolutely convinced that the actor never really imagines © himself the personage he presents. He gets as far perhaps as imagining he imagines himself that personage. What he really does is (at best) to appreciate in its general bearing the essential emotion which the lines express. And all his brother actors (at best) do the same. Thus you THE AUTHOR. got a series of separate studies arranged into a picture ; which once again is the Pre-Raphaelite method. You never got the enveloping atmo- sphere which unitesthem all. To get that atmosphere in the case of Shakespeare is indeed almost a superhuman task. One can guess it, half appre- hend it in reading, no more. For here the atmo- sphere is not that of every day: it is transformed by the poetical setting. And yet even in this divine air the characters play upon each other, create each other, as they do not in any other poetical drama even of that time : not to the same extent, not nearly to the same extent. Shakespeare himself felt this without doubt, when he insisted so much on naturalness, on naturalism. And though his sentence has become a cant one with us, it is most noticeable how on either side of Shakespeare the Elizabethan dramatists shade off into extravagance, slip away into the non-natural (in love as in other things)—Marlowe does upon one side, Webster and Ford upon the other side. Even when they do not this, even when they turn the folk that strut and bellow out of doors, there is still the same kind of separation between the different characters that I have spoken of already—individuality in the wrong sense of the word. Their utterances read almost as if they were all speaking soliloquies or “talking like a book” in the Dickens-Scott fashion. More than anything does the technique of an art that is vital vary from age to age. And it is of no use to urge that good character-drawing belongs to all ages—to Shakespeare, to Sterne, to Richardson, to Thackeray. For it will not belong to our productions, if we set ourselves to imitate the manner of Shakespeare or Sterne or Richardson or Thackeray. It will not come through any elaboration of upholstering either—no more in the novel than on the stage. There is no harm in M. Antoine’s realism of stage-setting, and there is no harm in all the details in which the naturalist, he who prides himself on that title, takes delight. But unless you can get real folk to walk the boards all such stage-management is of little worth. C. F. Keary. $< —_ THE DECAY OF HUMOUR. —— + N Forster's “Life of Dickens” it is related that “The Pickwick Papers” were not absolutely successful until the character of Sam Weller was introduced. This witty type of a cockney servant stamped the inimitable book with the saving grace of humour. Perhaps the quaint turns of speech, the sly wisdom of the devoted Sam’s ideas, may not commend themselves 145 nowadays; their ancient flavour may not whet the modern, fastidious, literary palate; but genuine whimsicality must always appeal to the sense of humour which to a greater or less extent is latent in all of us. And over all the works of this master of fiction the spirit of drollery hovers and wanders to illumine the shadows of life. And this is why his popularity has kept pace with the growth of modern readers. Some years ago a few choice spirits, with exuberant pens and laughing intentions, embodied their ideas in certain books which had a measure of popularity. Brilliant wit and epigrammatic force did not lurk in their pages, which were only seasoned with inoffensive jokes and mild incon- eruities. But a wonderful result happened! These exuberant platitudes were styled the new humour! as if real humour could ever grow old, or actual wit become stale. But a large section of the reading public, perhaps, oppressed with the solemn seriousness of nearly all imaginative literature, exultingly welcomed these appeals to their laughing instincts. The constituents of this so-called new humour were only pinchbeck and veneer, but it served. It has already become obscure and forgotten. It has lived its little day and is heard no more. Why amongst our various periodicals are there no humorous or even semi-humorous ones ? Where is the light play of thought, the touches of persi- flage, the fantastic grace of whimsicality, the subtle egigram, the shaft of satire, the grotesque absurdity, or even the twist of verbal meanings, all bordering on or relating to the saving grace of humour? What mystic spirit of solemnity has clouded modern thought ? It may be said, however, that there is a certain ancient comic institution to supply the humorous needs of the public. Certainly its illustrations often sharply outline the shows and vanities of the hour ; but its venerable quips and irksome sallies hardly provoke hilarity. Nevertheless, the institu- tion claims its votaries, for the spirit of the past, when genius stamped its pages with brilliancy and brightness, still endears this publication. But there is ample room for a modern rival. When are we to have it ? The fiction of the period is sometimes brilliant, but seldom diverting. here are a few popular novels full of generous farce or touched with a keen spirit of humour, on others a bizarre wild- ness and curious vein of drollery ; but the general tone of modern fiction is dejecting, pessimistic and solemn. Yet the genius of the modern novelist ranges in every direction. Plots, inci- dents, characters, are as varied as the countries of the earth ; but wit or humour is almost nd ; and the busy, reading world is so eager to laugh and  146 to chuckle! Surely the novel which photographs life’s episodes, events and aspects ought to reveal its lighter and mirth-compelling moods. The times are crying out for merry thought, lively characters, hopefulness, gladness in the domain of imagination and life. Poetry nowadays seems almost a caput mor- fwum, and our few bards only pipe doleful music. Their ditties are set ina minor key. There is no Thomas Hood to evoke smiles as well as tears; no Byron to electrify the world with brilliant wit. Even the lighter fantasies of society verse are not popular. The strife, stress and endeavour of life have shadowed song. ‘The saving grace of humour has departed from it. The modern comedy of manners and men, with a consistent plot, natural incidents and situations, seems to be non-existent. But the solemn serious- ness of the times finds its inevitable reaction in the forced buffoonery of a three-act farce written around the distinguished actor-manager. Still its unreal panorama of life and the inconsequent vagaries of the puppets arouse mirth. The jaded, solemn citizen finds relief in the grotesque, incon- gruous play that amuses without making any appeal to the intelligence. The glimpses into an absurd, humorous, but unconvincing world are still a transient pleasure. Even the modern poetic drama, such as it is, is devoid of humorous interludes. There is no mirth-provoking purpose to illumine its glint and glamour ; no iridescent wit to bring the trope and metaphor into relief. Evidently the clowns and fools of the poet of all time have not taught the modern poetic playwright any preparatory lessons. He has not sought the effects of contrast, the light play of incongruous thought, the vivid impression of an epigram. Consequently, his plays, marred with incompleteness, only partially interest. Is it any wonder that the jaded public, oppressed with the solemn austerity of what it hears and reads, enjoys inept musical farces ? What if their melodies are weak echoes, the lyrics a jingle and jangle of nonsense, and the dialogue sprinkled with threadbare inanities ; dejected humanity enjoys the relief. It laughs and forgets. The light, mirthful hours banish memories of the solemn platitudes, the dreary gush of sentiment that infect literature and the Press, which, for all we know to the contrary, may be the cause of the alarming increase of patients in lunatic asylums. We not only take our pleasures sadly, but our work, conversation, and social intercourse seem pervaded with gloom. The dismal silence in an omnibus or railway carriage might be the precursor of the final Judgment Day. ‘The stolid, sad faces THE AUTHOR. of the passengers seem to mirror doleful cares or unhappy experiences. Oh, for a chuckle or a titter to break the oppressive silence and the brooding solemnity ! The old Puritanical spirit still seems to darken our lives and our homes. ‘There are tens of thousands of sensible people in London to-day who deem theatre-going a sin. In hundreds of chapels the iniquity of the Stage is insisted on, and doleful hymns and sermons are presumed to add to the happiness of humanity. The religion of innocent amusement and merry thought is tabooed. It is said that conversation is becoming a lost art ; thus one of the prerogatives of mankind, the propensity to laugh, seems also to be gradually disappearing in this country. In course of time, unless severe and prompt measures are taken to check our dismal tendencies, our laughing powers will become atrophied through disuse. The art of smiling graciously will be lost, until gradually the haman face divine will revert to its old sad ape-like appearance. Everyone will frown or have a lugubrious aspect. The music of the coming time will only consist of funeral marches ; the plays will only be dire tragedies, and everyone will have suicidal tendencies ! How delightful it is to be associated or live with those who see the humorous side of things, the mirthful oddities of life. The person who can transform a serious remark into a joke, or a plaintive saying into a jocular one is the world’s benefactor. How one’s heart warms to one who can brighten lagging moments with a happy anecdote, jest or repartee. These choice, mirth- ful souls are the salt of home life. Their inflaence kills care and stifles despondency. The stress, worry and the pin-pricks of existence vanish in the atmosphere of their liveliness. To dwell with one of these joyous temperaments is like breathing the air of pine woods or the ozone of the sea. It is the hopeful, vigorous atmosphere of real happiness. Perhaps the scholastic training of the future will include the study and appreciation of jokes! There must be a school for anecdotes, epigrams and conundrums. ‘The teachers must be wits ; there must be regular examinations in drollery, and prizes and scholarships must be awarded to those who can distil the most merriment out of life’s toils, abstractions and cares; whilst to be dull, grave, solemn or dismal without sufficient reason shall be considered a punishable offence. Of course, the professors at these gay institutions must be Professors of the Saving Grace of Humour. IsrporE G. ASCHER.  THE AUTHOR. A MODERN FRENCH HISTORIAN. +o ONSIEUR FRANTZ FUNCK-BREN- TANO is having a most successful tour in the United States, where he is engaged in _ giving eighty conferences on “ Ancient France” for the Federation of the French-American Alliance. No one could be better fitted for such an under- taking. Monsieur Brentano has lived in that great past of France in a manner altogether unique and special. For ten whole years he devoted his life to classifying the archives of the Bastille and com- piling a catalogue for the Government of those thrilling and dramatic human records, many of them written in the blood of the prisoner on strips of linen shirt, on the plaster of the walls, on anything which would retain a mark. There is a small room at the Bibliothéque de TArsénal, the old palace of the Duc de Sully, the walls of which are entirely lined from floor to ceiling with neatly covered and catalogued folios —all records of the once famous Bastille. It is not surprising that Monsieur Brentano, having lived on intimate terms for so many years with these unfortunate, and in many cases illus- trious, prisoners, deciphering their most heart- rending confessions, dying petitions, and sometimes maledictions, should write of them with the pen of one who knows, not only as the historian and scholar, the President of the ‘‘ Société des Etudes Historiques,” the Professor of the Collége de France, the Librarian of the Bibliotheque de l’Arsénal, but as one who has dwelt among them, felt their heart-throbs, witnessed their tears. No priest in the confessional could have got in closer touch with the strange, capricious nature of that abnormal criminal, the poisoner Marquise de Brinvilliers ; or the noble, heroic soul of the unfortunate Marie Antoinette. It is this insight into character and motive which gives to the work of Monsieur Brentano its peculiar interest and hold on the imagination. His style is terse and singu- larly lucid. There is no touch of sentimentality, no attempt to work on your feelings—just a care- ful statement of facts, a careful analysis of motive, borne out by documentary evidence supplied by letters, reports of trials, sentences, etc. ; but you feel these are human beings of like passions with those now living, not historical lay-figures seen through a dim past. The principal works of Monsieur Brentano are *‘Légendes et Archives de la Bastille ” (in which the author solves the problem of the “ Man with the Iron Mask”), the “ Drame des Poisons,” “ Histoire du Collier,’ its tragic sequel, ‘La Mort de la Reine,” and “ Les Brigands de France.” With regard to the last-named, it is one to 147 rejoice and thrill the heart of every schoolboy, though there is much in it to make his mother shudder. The original of Blue Beard, the monster Barbe Bleue comes under this head, and one can hardly sympathise with Monsieur Brentano’s para- doxical theory that the main difference between brigands and respectable members of the community, is, that the former are honest fellows “ hating any sham,” when you read that after doing to death in an unspeakably horrible fashion two hundred and forty young boys and girls, the monster finally repented and made a most pious ending upon the scaffold ! This year Monsieur Brentano will become known to the public also as a dramatist. Three of his plays, one a collaboration with Monsieur Sardou, have been taken by leading theatres in Paris, and the American rights for, I believe, two of the plays are already bought. The “ Mort de la Reine” and “ Histoire du Collier” have both been translated into English, and are well known, at all events in literary circles. If the author could be induced to repeat his American conferences in London his books would soon certainly not fail to become widely popular, for they are living romances. The conferences, too, are of a popular kind, not the dry-as-dust lectures in the French tongue one is occasionally invited to attend in London drawing-rooms, but full of the same human and dramatic element which characterises his books. ‘They are illus- trated also by magic-lantern slides of old France and portraits of the men and women who are the subjects of the lecture. No one minds going to school again under the auspices of Frantz Funck-Brentano, and no one ever gets a chance of going to sleep. CoNSTANCE ELIZABETH MAuvD. <> —_____— TYPE-WRITING : A PROTEST. op AM going to enter a protest, under the depress- ing conviction that all protest is useless, and that there is no remedy for the evil. I refer to the increasing tendency of typists to lower their prices, which were low enough before in all con- science. I write, also, subject to a correction which is even more depressing. Whenever I say that personally I object to employing any type- writer who charges less than 1s. a thousand words, I am told that in this I display a wanton ignorance of economics; I am besought to consider the facts, and reminded that many people, who could not possibly afford 1s, a thousand and can afford 8d. or 9d. are spending as much as £30 or £40 or more:  148 on type-writing in the year, and that if the charges were higher the inevitable consequence would be that these valuable people would simply cease to give out their work. But would this happen so inevitably ? Would not they continue to spend their £30 or £40 on copying, since they can afford it, anid merely give out rather less MS. in the year than they did before? A consequence by which both the type-writing trade and the self-respecting type-writing individual would gain. The others deserve all the discouragement they can get; or would, if their case were not so hard. And of course there is the argument from speed. It is only obvious, I am told, that typists who can turn out 2,000 words in the same time that others take to copy 1,000, actually gain by charging 9d. instead of 1s. Possibly (if they cannot get the 1s.) ; but to the simple mind it seems (quite apart from the fact that these cheap persons are ruining the market for other people) curious that skilled workers should be paid less rather than more for their extra dexterity. Then there is the argument from incompetence (curiously, again, it is the very reverse of the argu- ment from speed). Some typists, it is said, are not worth more than the low terms they offer. Very likely, and nobody could complain if the hire were in all cases proportioned to the labourer’s worth. But this is not so. Sometimes the lower terms are offered by incompetent persons setting up on their own account. As often as not the inferior work is turned out by the prentice hands of firms charging the higher rates ; while it is just the superior speed of the skilled operators which enables them to undersell their competitors. I know the subject is by no means so simple as I may seem anxious to make out. All sorts of things have to be taken into consideration. For instance, I was roused to this protest by the insi- dious solicitations of a circular, addressed to me by a firm in a provincial town, offering to type my MSS. for me at the seductive rate of 6d. a thou- sand. My answer was a strong, and, as I believed at the time, well-deserved remonstrance. It drew forth an elaborate explanation. The town in ques- tion had a season, and the season affected the firm. These sixpences, therefore, were only its winter terms; in the summer it asks and has no difficulty in getting as much as 1s. 3d. a thousand. But in the dead season work is so scarce in that place that the only alternative to offering these low terms is to dismiss the staff, and the staff prefer to be kept on at any terms. : Now, such an arrangement may be perfectly justifiable as between employer and employed ; its effect on the market is none the less deplorable. The fault is not with the typists, and not always (in fact, seldom, one imagines) with their employers. THE AUTHOR. Neither is the remedy altogether in their hands. It is hard to say what remedy there is. Can we expect them to take a noble altruistic attitude by foregoing their only chance of finding employment in this over-crowded market? Or may we hope for a more moral view on the part of the class which at least controls the out-put if it has no direct power over the price ? In all this I am sure I am displaying a wanton ignorance of economics. What does it matter, if it only provokes somebody else to display the sort of knowledge that suggests a remedy ? May SINcLarr. rs ARS LONGA—YITA BREVIS. a Scene: London.—A drawing-room in MAGDALEN Daty’s house. Time: The Present. PERSONS : Magpauen Daty, a novelist. CHARLOTTE JOHNSON, her friend. SCENE I. Cuar. What? After waiting years to get your work accepted, do you mean to say you're going to fling the whole thing up now ? Mac. Yes, no doubt whatever of my intentions. Do you see this? (Holds up a packet of papers.) To put me quite out of the reach of temptation, here goes my last manuscript. (Throws the packet anto the fire.) CuHar. Oh, Magdalen! Maa. Short work, wasn’t it ? (She watches the papers burning, while CHARLOTTE tries to save them witha poker.) Well, what do you think of me now ? I haven’t got a copy, you know ? Cuar. I think you insane. Why, editors are simply snapping at everything you send them, and in another year youd have made your name. And wasn’t George Matthews going to take you on his staff? What’ll you do about that ? Mac. Nothing ; [ve refused Mr. Matthews’ offer. CHAR. Whatever for ? Mac. I'll tell you, if you'll let that poker alone ; there’s no good raking among those ashes, they’re done for. Do listen instead of making that horrid row. Cuar. Well? (Drops the poker.) Mac. (shuddering). Oh! I knew you'd go and do that! Sit down and try and look more intelli- gent; I’m going to talk seriously—not that you'll  THE AUTHOR. understand it in the least. People are pleased to say my stories are “so true to life,” and I daresay they are. J’m not. I’ve never lived—never until now. CHAR. (with sublime contempt). Oh, now. Mag. I was fool enough to think I could run the two things comfortably together. But I can’t. Therefore, as you see, I’ve jilted “ art.” Car. But why—when there was another alternative Maa. Because—because art is long and can wait, and life is short and must be accepted now or never. Caar. Oh come, I can’t take ‘hat in ; what do you mean ? Mac. I mean that I’m going to marry Leslie Copeland, as you know. CHAR. Oh, now I see what you're driving at. You’re—actually—going to—sacrifice your career vo Mr. Copeland ? Mac. “Sacrifice” is not exactly the word I should use. CHar. Isn't it? He’saliterary man himself— would he do as much for you ? Maa. (with hesitation): He needn’t ; men are different, you see. CHarR. (with a sniff). Are they, are they ? Mac. Yes, you may blink the fact, since it seems to annoy you, but it remains. One woman can’t live two lives, though one man may. Cuar. He may, by shirking the responsibilities of both. Mac. No, by sheer strength. A man has more staying power, for the simple reason that he has more self-restraint. Car. Skittles! That’s the last thing he’s got. Maa. At any rate he doesn’t mix up his heart with his brains in order to write a novel. That’s what a woman does as arule; andit’s fatal. Say what you like, we are handicapped. You can never tell how a woman may end, but if a man’s an artist once, he’s an artist to the end of the chapter. His mind’s built in water-tight compartments, and if he springs a leak in one it doesn’t affect the rest, while ten to one a woman finds herself sinking before she knows there’s a storm. That’s where it is ; I couldn’t be Leslie’s wife and an artist (how I hate the word ! ) in the same lifetime. CHAR. Well, I can’t see it. Mac. Can’t you? Do you realise what it means? It means to live with your own ideas night and day, to be always listening to their voices, thinking their thoughts, till you see and hear and care for nothingelse. ‘T’o be Leslie’s wife means I can’t tell you, for I don’t know myself yet. I only know that the woman who puts her whole heart into a book won’t have much of it left for her husband. And I’m equally certain that I 149 should ruin Leslie’s life, if I went on working after I married him. I know the sort of things that would happen. Every word I write carries away a bit of me with it, and when my final masterpiece has left me as dull as a University Extension Lecturer, would it console Leslie to know that my works are full of sparkling dialogue ? Cuar. It ought to, if he wasn’t a selfish brute. But there’s no good arguing. I know most women are fools when there’s a man in the case, though I thought you had a soul above that sort of thing. Mac. Ah! You didn’t know me; I didn’t know myself a year ago. I believed I had a mind, perhaps a heart, and I was very positive I had a will ; but as for a “soul,” it wasn’t till I knew Leslie that I found out I had one. ‘There's another brilliant discovery for you. CHar. So you immediately go and commit suicide on the strength of it—throwing yourself away in this fashion ! Mac. Throwing—myself—away. Perhaps; but I gain more than I lose. CHar. And supposing you were to lose him 2 What would you do then? Maa. Then—I shouldn’t want to do any- thing. But why do you saggest such hideous possibilities ? Cuar. Because you talk as if life had no other interest for you beyond your absurd infatuation for that man. Why, life’s full of interests. Look at me Mac. You! I never saw a sadder sight—a woman who spends eight hours a day in an office, because she thinks it manly. (Stghs heavily.) Well, I suppose one can magnify one’s office—even if it is in the City. Cuar. (rising). Oh, it’s one opening, you know; then I’ve got my typewriting, that’s another. Catch me giving up my career! And if I’d your chances—well Maa. Then possibly you’d do as I do. Cuar. (shaking hands). Ymnot afool. Good- bye, dear, I must be off. What are you going to do next week ? Mac. Oh,my cousin Violet Laybourne’s coming up for the season, She’s promised to give up flirtation if I'll take her in for a month. She wants to see a little of life, so I shall have my hands full. Cuar. (meditatively). Yes. (Holding her at arm’s length and examining her critically.) Do you know, you really ought to get a smarter gown. ‘And—couldn’t you make rather more of your hair, ‘ or does Mr. Copeland like it best as it is ? I don’t know, really, Mac. (laughing). perhaps he does. (They kiss, and Charlotte goes out.)  AN INTERVAL OF SIX WEEKS. SCENE II. Cuar. (enthusiastically). Oh, yes, rather, dear, I’m getting on like a house on fire. I’m in your line now, you know—I do the ‘Notes for Our Pantry” column in Zhe Woman’s Weekly; it’s a good opening. And what are you doing ? Mae. (wearily). 1? Im doing nothing at present. (An awkward pause, ) Cuar. (tentatively). Is it true you’re not going to marry Mr. Copeland after all ? Mac. Yes, and it’s still truer that Mr. Cope- land’s not going to marry me. Cuar. Dear me, you don’t mean to say so! I heard the report, but I don’t know any particulars. Mac. There weren’t any. Cuar. Nonsense? How did it all happen ? Do tell me, dear, I’m dying to know. Maa. There’s nothing to tell; it was all over inaweek. Let me see——(couwnting on her fingers ) Violet came on a Monday. On Wednesday he began to protest against things in general. On Thursday he said he couldn’t stand the modern world and modern ideas—the decadents bored him, and the advanced people made him ill. On Friday he remarked, in a casual way, that I was terrifically complex—saturated with the modern spirit. All Saturday he talked about the simplicity of the golden age (she had on a sprigged white muslin blouse that day), and on Sunday he expressed a wish tu be in Arcady. At his own request I gave him leave to go there, and he’s there now, I believe, engaged to my cousin—a charming little anachronism. Cuyar. What? Has he thrown you over for her, the fluffy-brained thing? She’s only got one idea in her head. Mac. And that not a very modern one; Violet is simplicity itself. Don’t get excited, it’s all for the best, in this best of all possible worlds. Cnar. It isn’t, it’s shameful. Such a genius, too! Of course, that makes it all the worse to bear. My poor Magdalen, I know how you're feeling it, though you look as cool and hard as a cucumber. Well, there’s one consolation for you—they’ll be so miserable ! Maa. You consider that a comforting reflection? Cuar. I do. Serves him right, too! She won't care a rap about lis genius and all the rest of it ; she won’t understand one of the things he writes Maa. On the contrary, she thinks him “awfully clever’; and if she doesn’t, what matter? He can apreal from Violet to posterity. As I once THE AUTHOR. remarked before, Art is long, and—the future wil} be his. CHar. (rising indignantly). It’s hers, too; can’t you see that? Or don’t you care? Why, that little idiot will simply wear his fame as the finest feather in her cap! Mac. Possibly. Violet always had excellent taste in dress. (Looks abstractedly at a photograph on the mantelshelf. ) Cuar. (afler an awkward pause). Well. Come and see me soon, dear. ( They part.) Mace. ((o the photograph). Oh, Leslie, I wouldn’t. mind if only you had a future. — a CORRESPONDENCE. 1 Mr. Grorce Russevt ano “ Tus Nortu AMERICAN REVIEW.” Srr,—A recent article in Zhe Author has been brought to my notice, dealing with Mr. George Russell’s letter to the Zimes respecting his article in the North American Review upon the late Sir William Harcourt. It is stated in your comments upon this topic that you ‘understand that the editor had notice of the writer’s objection ” to the article appearing after Sir William’s death. In fairness to my colleague at New York, I must. inform you that this was not the case, as Mr. Russell’s remonstrance was only made upon seeing the article in the November number. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, G. LEVESON GOWER (European representative of the North American Review). —— oe THE VALUE OF “ORIGINALS.” I. Sir,—Permit me to draw attention to the important case reported in The Daily Telegraph, with the title of “‘ Weather Vanes,” on Dee. 20,. 1804, and in preceding issues. Several editors gave evidence in the case, and substantially agreed with that of Mr. Stanley Wood, who put the whole matter in a few words. by the definite statement that originals, ae, original drawings, sent to a magazine were the property of the proprietor, unless there were some special contract. The claim of £173 for plaintiff's. eleven designs was outrageous ; ten shillings each was sufficient.  y # Antoni er, THE AUTHOR. What I desire to know is, by what right does an original sent to a magazine become “the pro- perty of the proprietor?” Does the same claim extend to original written contributions ? The greatest puzzle of all is to know how the editor came to appraise the value of the originals at “ten shillings each.” On his own showing such an original must, if sent to him, have become his own “property.” Then why give “ten shillings” for what belongs to you already ? Will anyone explain this ? Waiter W. SKEAT. + II. Sir,—By a happy printer's accident, whereby Dr. Skeats’s letter appeared in proof on certain galleys which you were so good as to send me, I have had the luck to see and read it before other readers of 7'e Author. Will you therefore kindly aliow me to play the humble part of the mouse in the fable to this king of letters, who has himself often befriended me in greater matters. The question he proposes is this: I sell to a magazine either the copyright or the serial right (or both) in certain drawings—to whom do the actual drawings afterwards belong ? Now, in four cases out of five, the actual drawings have, after reproduction and publication, little saleable value. The result of this upon these business transactions is that artists have grown careless about their rights. They sell the drawings —that is, copyright, serial rights, and the physical property in the drawings. True, they do not actually intend to sell so much, and there is the vice of the whole matter. Artists and authors are only now waking up to the fact that they should practice the same methods of doing business as other business men. A photographer, for example, sends an editor a printed form, explicitly stating the right given— including size and the vehicle which alone is to carry the right. But as regards artists, my experience is that only the older men ever dream of subdividing and reserving their rights. Yet this matter is quite simple. An artist has only to say : “ Please note, I sell you only such and such right, reserving all others to myself; and the originals are to remain my property, and to be returned to me after reproduction.” The portentous words “special contract” mean nothing more than this. The same thing applies to MSS. In this case, similarly, only the actual MSS. of celebrated men is of money value. Ruskin’s MSS., for example, have changed hands at considerable prices since his death. But there is no reason why authors who believe the MSS. of their works will one day be valuable should not reserve the right in them and get them back. 151 Why an editor who loses drawings should, on a claim being made for them, estimate their value at: ten shillings each”’—although he believes them to be his own property—this appears to be one of those judicial jokes which are funny only to the onlookers. : CG. YV. A: Malpas, Chesire. eC SWORD AND PEN. Str,—I have read with much pleasure Mr. Horace Wyndham’s interesting article, ‘“ Sword and Pen,” in the December number of Z'he Author. May I suggest that a list so comprehensive as to include Julius Ceesar and “ Linesman ” should also contain the name of that well-known Canadian Imperialist Lieut.-Colonel George T. Denison, whose *‘ Modern Cavalry,” published in 1868, was afterwards translated into both German and Russian, and was the undoubted source of certain reforms and improvements in the cavalry of the former nation. Colonel Denison’s “ History of Cavalry,” for which he obtained the prize of 5,000 roubles offered by the Czar for the best work on the subject in 1877, is also well known; while his “ Soldiering in Canada,” published in Toronto and England four years ago, is one of the most interesting and chatty of military autobiographies. It is a significant fact that “ Modern Cavalry” and “The History of Cavalry” have had their greatest vogue among foreign military readers, who were not slow to perceive their value. In England, where the military constitution is subject to chronic conservatism, it was perhaps considered an unheard-of and disagreeable innovation that the best works on the topics treated should pro- ceed from the pen of a colonial citizen-soldier, out- side of the sacred pale of the “ regulars,” who, at the time he wrote them, was industriously following his profession of law. I do not think for a moment that this had anything to do with the exclusion of Colonel Denison’s name from Mr. Wyndham’s chronicle. Since tne Boer War we have had to come to the conclusion that the citizen- soldier will be the soldier of the future, and that it is upon his competence, in a great measure, that the fortunes of war will depend. Bernarpd McEvoy. Vancouver, B.C. oo Book BrGaaars. Sir,—Authors have for years been more or less subjected to the annoyance of applications for free copies of their works, all kinds of specious reasons being given by the writers. This system appears to be a very cheap way of forming a library, and from the recent increase In the number of such applications it is apparently a  152 successful one. I can understand some people wishing to possess more or less entertaining books without paying for them, but when they apply for the dry stuff I write (technical) it would appear likely that there is a channel where they get rid of them at a profit. During the last few months I have had several such applications from complete strangers, couched, I need hardly say, in the most flattering terms ; but as my vanity was satiated years ago I refused them all. From what I hear, this sort of thing appears likely to become an unmitigated nuisance unless checked, and my object in writing is to ask all authors to absolutely refuse such unfair requests. Literature, luckily, has its compensations, but most of us do not write entirely for amusement. If our begging friends happened to be hatters or drapers, for instance, what would they think if authors called and asked to be presented with a new silk hat—or say one trimmed with ostrich feathers for nothing—Verbum sap. Yours faithfully, M. Powis Baus, M.I.C.E. a oe TITLES. Srr,—Will you allow me to uplift my humble voice and air three grievances ? I wrote a children’s book called “Pat” which sold merrily for some years. Suddenly I found the title changed to “ Patricia” without my know- ledge or consent, because some other publisher had a book of that name (which I never heard of) and insisted on my title being changed. Some twenty years ago I read a charming novel called “The Sword of Damocles.” Quite lately I saw it advertised in a sixpenny edition. I ordered it, and find myself possessed of a sensational tale by a totally different author. This Christmas I ordered what purported to be a new edition of “ Mrs. Leycester’s School.” I find all the delightful account of the school, including the young ladies fighting and scratching, is entirely omitted. The book consists merely of the histories related by the aforesaid young ladies. Should it not have been advertised as abridged ? The ways of the publisher as regards titles are too much for me. Puzziep. ee IncomE Tax FOR AUTHORS. DEAR Srr,—Your counsel’s admirable com- parison between authorship and coachbuilding has filled me with such profound conviction that I venture to ask him or any other kind Christian soul to resolve a few difficulties which still stand in the way of my adopting it as an axiom. We may take it for granted, I presume, that THE AUTHOR. both author and coachbuilder are God’s creatures of a day, that their brains are about equal, that they both, alas ! have to pay an iniquitous tax on brains. Also that the brains of a coachbuilder and an author equally require raw material on which to work. The coachbuilder’s is, let us say, largely varnish, with minor items of wood, iron, horsehair, etc., superadded. Of all these he has a supply only limited by his purchasing power. The author like- wise has pen, ink, paper in quantities only limited by his pocket. So far it seems as if both brains had a satisfactory medium in which to work. But unfortunately pen, ink, paper and brains do not make it possible to produce imaginative or creative work indefinitely. There is such a phrase “ He has written himself out.” There is no phrase “ He has coach-built himself out.” Why? Because the building of one coach does not in any way detract from the builder’s power of production, while it adds to his technical skill. In like manner the writing of fiction adds or ought to add technical skill to the author, but it also uses up irrevocably plot, incident, description, all of which are limited in relation to the limited experience. Take my own case. I was five and twenty years laboriously buying with time, brains, health the raw material for “On the Face of the Waters.” I can use none of that material again. But I was not allowed to deduct anything for deterioration of plant, while the coachbuilder may buy a new varnish brush at the expense of the State! It may be said that this applies equally to others besides authors. Undoubtedly it does to all en- gaged in any brain work in which the only raw material available is a by-product of the same brain. But a very little consideration will show clearly that, strictly speaking, the only brain work of this character is imaginative art. Take the case of a doctor or lawyer. If they work themselves out it is from no lack of raw material. The sick and the litigious are with us always. In addition each case of diphtheria or divorce treated, so far from being deterioration of plant, adds to the likelihood and possibility of treating exactly similar cases. Whereas, so far as my experience as an author goes, the only phrase which once uttered in black and white is not gone for ever is “ My Darling.” The B. P. does not mind repetition in a love scene. All else, plot, incident, description, is so much clear deterioration of a plant which is . necessarily limited by the personal experience of the brain which is at once raw material and manu- facturer. May I therefore beg your counsel to give his analogy in detail. F. A. STEEL. Talgarth Hall, Machynlleth. 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. 15 Issue 05 (February 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 05 (February 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-02-01-The-Author-15-5 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/503/1905-03-01-The-Author-15-6.pdf 185d74b7909ebdf292db0a477b137cc9 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) 1905-03-01 Volume 15 Issue 6 Pages Page range in volume 153–184 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050301 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XV.—No. 6. Marcu Isr, 1908. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ———__+—@—+_____ NOTICES. —1<—+—__ OR the opinions expressed in papers that are EK signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. —1+-—<>— + —_ List of Members. Tux List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —_-———9_—__ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tux Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to purchase £250 London and North Western 3 % Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the investments of the Pension Fund at present Vou, XV. [Prick Srxpencr. standing in the names of the Trustees are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock ; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— ey £1000 0 0 Local Loans 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 °% Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... Zot 19 V1 War fan en 201: 9- 38 London and North Western 3 % Deben- BUTS SOCK. ee 250 0 0 Potel 2 £2243 9 2 Subscriptions from May, 1904. & 8. a. May 6, Shepherd, G. H. ; = 0 5 0 June 24, Rumbold, Sir Horace, Bart., G.C.B. : : : 1 tO July 27, Barnett, P. A. : : 010 0 Nov. 9, Hollingsworth, Charles . 010 O 1905 Jan. 12, Anonymous . : ; ~ 0 2.6 Donations from May, 1904. May 16, Wynne, C. Whitworth . 2720 0200 June 23, Kirmse, R. . . : 5.045. 0 June 23, Kirmse, Mrs. R. : : 5 0 July 21, The Blackmore Memorial Committee ; : - 20 0 0 Aug. 5, Walker, William S. : - 2:0 0 Oct. 6, Hare, F. W.E., M.D. . os let 0 Oct. 6, Hardy, Harold : : ~ 0160 0 Oct. 20, Cameron, Mrs. Lovett . - 0-10. 0 Noy. 7, Benecke, Miss Ida . : » 1b 0 Noy. 11, Thomas, Mrs, Haig : uo? 2 20 Nov. 24, Egbert, Henry : : <0 6 0 1905 Jan. , Middlemas, Miss Jean 10 0 Jan. , Bolton, Miss Anna 5 0 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 27, Bencke, Albert 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. Jan. Jan. Feb. Feb. mMooccoooc }S on o  FROM THE COMMITTEE. — T the meeting of the Committee, held on the 6th day of February, the following business was transacted. Mr. Douglas Freshfield, who has for the past two years so ably and so disinterestedly under- taken the arduous duties attached to the post of chairman, retired under the constitution of the Society, and Sir Henry Bergne, who has for many years been a member of the Committee, was elected to fill the post. Sir Henry Bergne’s past connection with the Foreign Office and with international copyright questions is known to all members of the Society, and will be of advantage at the present time, when United States copyright legislation is coming so prominently forward. Twelve members and associates were elected to the Society. The list, together with the January elections, is printed below. On the proposal of Mr. A. Hope Hawkins, Mr. Bernard Shaw was unanimously elected a member of the Council and Committee to fill the place left vacant by the death of Mr. Edward Rose. Mr. Shaw’s qualifica- tions for the post to which he has been elected are so well known, that it is needless to bring them before members of the Society. In pursuance of the resolution passed at the last meeting, the question of United States copyright was further discussed. Details will be given when the line of action has been finally adopted. The date of the General Meeting has been fixed for Thursday, March 30th. The report and notice of General Meeting will be sent out in due course. The Committee decided to take up, on behalf of one of the Society’s members, a case against a publisher in Munich, and the Secretary has been instructed to write to H.B.M. Minister and request him to advise the Society as to the best course to pursue. If necessary the matter will be placed in the hands of a German lawyer. Under the constitution of the Pension Fund of the Society, Mr. A. W. a’Beckett, the Committee's nominee, retired in due course, and, submitting his name for re-election, was unanimously re-elected. The Society’s nominee will, according to custom, be elected at the General Meeting. —— Cases. Srnoz the last issue of The Author seven cases have been in the Secretary’s hands, three for money, two for the return of MSS., one dealing with an intricate question of copyright law, and the remaining case referring to the wrongful use of the THE AUTHOR. name of one of the Society’s members. The last case has been settled, but none of the others has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion at present, although negotiations are still being carried on. All the matters in dispute in the Secretary’s hands that remained unsettled at the end of last month have now been terminated in favour of the members. During the past month the Society has obtained judgment in a County Court case which has been hanging on for some time. It has also succeeded, through the aid of its solicitors, in collecting the payment due to a member from an Edinburgh publisher. The Committee have sanctioned an action against a German publisher. The papers have, on the advice of His Majesty’s Minister at Munich, been placed in the hands of a German lawyer. One other case in the solicitors’ hands has been satisfactorily settled, as the accounts demanded have been obtained, and a cheque will, no doubt, be forthcoming as soon as the accounts have been approved by the author. In the case of Mr. Grant Richards’ bankruptcy, a receiver has been appointed. When he has had time to look into all the contracts he will be ina position to negotiate with authors for the transfer of their property, but there are so many different kinds of contracts involved in any publishing business, and the legal questions are so complicated, that authors must have patience. et January Elections Alden, W. L. 61, Cloudesdale Road, Balham, 8.W. ‘“ Ballin, T. S. Dean” Barnett, Rev. T. R. Fala, Blackshiels, Mid- (Torquil Macleod) lothian. Barry, Miss F. Lewesdon, Lyme Regis, Dorset. : Bencke, Albert H. Oliva, West Derby, Liverpool. Bonfield, J. T. (Mar- maduke Lannes) Crawford, Mrs. Dunsfauld Ryse, Chid- dingfold, Surrey. Clooncahir, Lough Rynn, Dromod, Ireland. Wayside, Eltham, Kent. Digges, Rev. J. C. Felkin, A. L. (A. St. Lawrence ) Figgis, Darrell E. . 84, Darenth Road, Stam- ford Hill, N.W. Joubert, Carl Le Riche, P. J. 96, Marine Parade, Worthing, Sussex.  THE AUTHOR. Moyes, The Right Rev. Mer. Canon Muriay, Major S. L. Cathedral House, Francis Street, Westminster. 1, Southside, Wimble- don. Ullenhall Vicarage, Hen- leyin Arden, Warwick- shire. 1, Forester Road, Bath. Springbank, | Woking- ham, Berks. 149, Harley Street, W. Pelton, Rev. W. F. Rothwell, Charles KE... Salwey, Mrs. Charlotte M. (née Birch) Scharleib, Mrs., M.D., M.S. Stuart-Young, J. M. Ardwick Green, Man- chester. 548, Halburn Street, Aberdeen. —_*——»——_ Watson, W. Petrie : February Elections. Alford, Lincolnshire. Strathmore,St. Bernard’s Road, Olton, Warwick- Brown, Haydn Caldicott, J. W. shire. Chater, Arthur G. - 41, Porchester Square, W. McDonnell, Randal Home Leigh, Grey- stones, co. Wicklow. Roker, Sunderland. 4, Harcourt Buildings, Temple, E.C. 2, Regent Street, Oxford. 36, Walker Street, Edin- burgh. Willson, Beckles . . 60, Acacia Road, St. John’s Wood, N.W. Wilson, H.W. . . 144, Elgin Avenue, W. Three members do not desire the publication either of their names or their addresses. Monks, Rev. Gilbert Paine, Wyatt Roberts, Miss Jean Stodart-Walker, A. ee BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. ——>+ =m (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply such particulars.) BIOGRAPHY, ! Lire oF Sirk JoHN BervERLEY ROBINSON, C.B., D.C.L., Chief Justice of Upper Canada. By MAgor GENERAL C. W. Roprnson, C.B. 94 x 6}. 490 pp. Blackwood. 16s.n. DRAMA, THe MAN@uvREs or Jane. An Original Comedy in Four Acts. By Henry ArTHuR JONES. 63 x 42. 124pp. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. %. BaRr., 155 EDUCATIONAL. THE NEW TEMPLE READER. Tdited by E. E. Sprieur. 7% X 5. 288 pp. Horace Marshall. ‘1s. 6d. n. LAMB’s SCHOOLDAYS AND OTHER Essays. Macaulay’s First Chapter ; Boccaccio, Tales from the Decameron. Edited by W. H. D. Roussz, Litt.D, 64 x 41. 128 + 1364+ 119 pp. Blackie, 8d. : ; FICTION. LANGBARROW HALL. By THEODORA WILSON WILSON, Harper & Bros. 6s. THE REBEL .WoorIne. By J. 368 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. SopHy Bunce. By THomAS Copp. Nash. 6s. Count REMINY. G. Long. 6s. GEORGE'S GEORGINA. By RENNIE RENNISON. 334 pp. Simpkin Marshall, 6s. THE PILGRIMS. By E. BeLAsYsE. 74 x 5. Greening & Co. 6s, < AN ACT IN A BAcKWater. By E. F. 276 pp. Heinemann. 6s. THE INFoRMER. By FRED WHISHAW. 72% 5. J. Long. 6s. THE SYSTEM. Methuen. 6s. THE RELIGION OF EVELYN HASTINGS. Cross. 73 x 5}. 255 pp. Co. 5s. WINNIFRED’S WAY. By MAsgor A. GRIFFITHS. 306 pp. White. 6s. A QUIXOTIC WOMAN. John Murray, THE GATE OF A. STRUART. 72 x 5, 1s: xX 6. 316 pp: sy JEAN MIDDLEMASS. 72 x 5. 304 pp. 1k-x< D. 323 pp. BENSON. 72x 5. 317 pp. 3y PueRcy WHITE. 73 Xx 5. 330 pp. 3y VICTORIA The Walter Scott Pub. 7? x 54. By IsaABEL Firz Roy HECHT. 6s. THE Desert. By JoHN OXENHAM. 7% x 5. 323 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE BELL IN THE FOG AND OTHER STORIES. By GERTRUDEATHERTON, 7} X 5. 380 pp. Macmillan. 6s. i THE SIRDAR’S SABRE. White. 6s. PETER’S MOTHER. 1% x 5. 344 pp. A CouNTRY DIARY. 244 pp. Allen. 68. {OSAMOND GRANT. By Mrs. LOVETT CAMERON. 7? X 5. 309 pp. J. Long. 6s. GARDENING. By Lous Tracy. 73 x 5. 241 pp. By Mrs. Henry De La PASTURE. Smith Elder. 6s. By Mrs. ALFRED Cock. 7} x 5. FLOWERS AND FRUIT FoR THE HomeE. By J. L. RICHMOND. 7 X 5. 247 pp. Edinburgh, Morton; London, Simpkin Marshall, 5s. n. HISTORICAL. HisToRY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. By W. C. MACKENZIE, I'.8.A. Scot. 9} x 6. 623 pp. Gardner. 21s. THE PROBLEM OF FIORENZO DI LORENZO OF PERUGIA. A Critical and Historical Study. By JEAN CARLYLE GRAHAM. 8} xX 7}. 123 pp. 25 Plates. Loescher. 21s. LITERARY. Essays AND AppRESSES. By THe RiguTr Hon. A. J. BALFouR, M.P. Third and_ enlarged edition. 7i x 5. 443 pp. I Edinburgh, Douglas. 7s. 6d. n. BOOKS AND THINGS. A Colleetiou of Stray Remarks. By G.S. Street, 73 X 5}. 247 pp. Duckworth. 6s, MEDICAL Their Mutual Relationship and By NorMAN Parritt, M.R.C.S. 74 X 5. 3s, 6d. RELIGION V. HEALTH, Influence. 186 pp. Skeflington,  156 MILITARY. ‘A SECRET AGENT IN Port ARTHUR. 72 x 5. 316 pp. Constable. 6s. : WELLINGTON’S CAMPAIGNS. Peninswla—W aterloo, 1808- 15. Also Moore’s Campaign of Corunna (for Military By W. GREENER. Students). By Masor-GENERAL C. W. Ropinson, C.B. Part 1, 1808-9-10. Roleia to Busaco. 8} x 54. 141 pp. Rees, 3s. 6d. n. PHILOSOPHY. DARWINIAN Fanuactes. By J. SCOULLER. 296 pp. Simpkin Marshall. 3s. 6d. n. POLITICAL. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TSAR, AND THE PRESENT STATE m1 (g OO. oF Russia. By CARL JoUBERT. 9 x 5}. 265 pp. Nash. 7s. 6d. SPORT. GREAT LAWN ‘TENNIS PLAYERS. Their Methods Illustrated. By G. W. Benpam & Pp, A. VAILE. 9 x 6. 403pp. Macmillan. 12s. 6d.n. THEOLOGY. SERMONS ON SOCIAL SUBJECTS. Compiled by the Rev, W.H. Hunt, 252 pp. Skeffington. 5s, TOPOGRAPHY. THe THACKERAY CountTRY. By Lewis MELVILLE. 8} X 5}. 223 pp. Black. 6s. n. TRAVEL SICILY, THE New WINTER Resort. An Encyclopedia of Sicily. By i:Dovgnas SLADEN. 7} X 5. 616 pp. Methuen. 5s. n. THE LAND OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia. By W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM. 8} x 6. 228 pp. Heinemann. 6s. n. —____—_+-—@—+—___—_ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. —+—>—+ ISS VICTORIA CROSS, the author of “Anna Lombard,” “Six Stories of a Man’s Life,” and other works, has pub- lished through the Walter Scott Publishing Com- pany a new novel entitled “The Religion of Evelyn Hastings.” It is a simple love story in which the faith of the heroine is strengthened by her belief in the spiritual power of telepathic suggestion. We have received notice that Mr. J. A. Cooper, a member of the Society of Authors, will preside at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Press Association of Toronto, when seven important topics will come before the Association for con- sideration. The Association will hold a supper at McConkey’s, in Toronto, on the evening of the first day. The following is alist of the Officers of the Association :—John A. Cooper, President ; A. McNee, 1st Vice-President ; A. H. U. Colquhoun, 2nd Vice-President ; Joseph T. Clark, Secretary- Treasurer; John R. Bone, Assistant Secretary- Treasurer; D. Williams, W. E. Smallfield, J. F. THE AUTHOR. McKay, M. A. James, W. Ireland, Executive Com- mittee ; H. J. Pettypiece, M.P.P., Past President. The third volume of Mr. Austin Dobson’s annotated edition of the “Diary and Letters of Madame D’Arblay,” will shortly be published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. It deals with the period from 1786 to 1788, and, in Fanny Burney’s inimit- able manner, throws much light on the inner life of the English Court, and also on the doings of the literary and artistic circles of that time. Jt has been arranged that Lord Avebury’s recent book on Free ‘'rade, which sets forth his views on the great question of the day, is to be published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. in a_half-crown edition in the course of a week orso. The author holds the opinion that before the country gives its decision the subject should be discussed in the widest possible manner, and it is hoped that in its new form this work will reach a greatly increased circle of readers. “The Bell in the Fog and other Stories,” by Gertrude Atherton, published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co., is a collection of ten tales. The three first have a more or less common interest in that they deal with theosophical and supernatural subjects, with the scenes laid in Hertfordshire, Yorkshire, and Brittany. The romantic story of Wilhelmina Margravine, of Bayreuth, an influential woman of the eighteenth century, who moved in Continental Courts, and founded the fortunes of the town, has been written by Mrs. Edith E. Cuthell, and will be published in the spring by Messrs. Chapman & Hall. The book will be an 8vo. volume, and fully illustrated. The price will be 12s. 6d. Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. have just published a new novel by J. A. Steuart, under the title of “The Rebel Wooing.” The scenes of the story, the hero of which is a Scottish divine, are laid in Scotland and England. Messrs. Routledge have included in their New Universal Library an authorised selection of Sir Lewis Morris’s poems under the title of “ The Golden Treasury.” “ Sicily,” by Mr. Douglas Sladen, has just been published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. The first part of the work aims at giving a general idea of the Island of the Sun as a winter resort, while the second is a road guide, giving the names of all the towns of Sicily to which there is any reasonable means of access by road, rail, or steamer. “ Hearts of Wales,” an old romance, is the title of a new work by Allen Raine, which will be published during the present month. Mrs. Humphry Ward’s novel, “ The Marriage of William Ashe,’ which is appearing serially in Harper’s Magazine, will be published in book form on the 9th of this month in this country by Smith, Elder ‘s 4  & Co., and by Messrs. Harper Bros. in the United States. The social and political setting in which the characters move, and the unconventional element in the rising statesman’s marriage, suggest for their foundation passages from the career of a famous minister of three centuries ago. Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. have also published Mrs. de Ja Pasture’s new book, “ Peter’s Mother,” the scene of which is laid in a Devonshire country house, the mistress of which is Peter’s mother. : “The Silver Key, a Romance of France and England,” by Nellie K. Blissett, will be issued during March by Messrs. Chapman and Hall. Charles II. and his favourite sister, Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans, figure prominently in the plot, which deals with the alleged poisoning of the Duchess and the signing of the Treaty of Dover. Miss Theodora Wilson Wilson has just finished revising a novel, “ Ursula Raven,” which appeared serially in Te Daily News, for publication in book form by Messrs. Harper Bros. in the early autumn. “The Desire of the Nations,” by Mary A. Mocatta, is a simple attempt written for educated children to illustrate from Old Testament history preparation for the Incarnation and continuity of worship. The price of the work, which Messrs. Mowbray are publishing, is 5s. Messrs. Jarrold & Sons have just issued a cheap edition of “The Poets Laureate,” by J.C. Wright. It contains an additional chapter on the present laureate, Mr. Alfred Austin, and is thus brought up to date. “Sir Claude Mannerley,” by Edith C. Kenyon, will be published by Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co. on the 3rd of March. Miss Kenyon’s last book, “ A Girl in a Thousand,” is still on sale. Its pub- lishers, Messrs. S. W. Partridge & Co., have secured Miss Kenyon’s promise to write them another tale for the autumn. “The Brooches of many Nations,” by Harriet A. Heaton, edited by J. Potter Briscoe, has been published by Murray’s Nottingham Book Company. The author has devoted herself to the study of the history, art and symbolism of brooches, and the evolution of the brooch as traced from the bone pins found in British barrows of the stone age and in remains ofa later period. She deals with the brooches of countries as widely divergent as Assyria, Egypt, Scandinavia, Greece, Rome, and the British Isles. “The Problem of Fiorenzo di Lorenzo of Perugia,” a critical and historical study by Jean Carlyle Graham, which has been published by Messrs. Loescher at the price of 21s., has been well reviewed in the Italian journals Nuova Anthologia, Roma Letteraria, L’ Unione Liberale, and L’ Italie. “The Voice of the Fathers,” by S. T. A. Caul- feild, will shortly be published by Messrs. Brown, The work, to which the Right Langham & Co, THE AUTHOR. 157 Hon. the Viscount Halifax contributes an intro- duction, deals with the doctrine and ritual of the first six centuries. The notice that appeared in The London Gazette to the effect that 7'he Monthly Review had been voluntarily wound up does not mean, as many people thought, that the Review has ceased to appear. ‘This is the legal formula by which the Review ceases to be the property of a limited liability company. It is now, we understand, the property of Mr. John Murray, by whom it will be published as before. “A Country Diary,” by Mrs. Alfred Cock, has been published by Mr. Geo. Allen at the price of 6s. The book contains three stories, into all of which the supernatural element enters. Mr. Charles Lowe’s novel of the Tuileries and the Siege of Paris has been published by Mr. T. Werner Laurie. The tale is called «A Lindsay Love,” and depicts French Court life. The two final volumes of Mr, E. V. Lucas’s edition of the Lamb writings will be issued in a few days by Messrs. Methuen. They consist of the “ Letters,” about which Mr. Lucas says, in his preface :— ‘In this edition of the correspondence of Charles Lamb, that of his sister, Mary Lamb, is for the first time included. In it also appear, for the first time, between seventy and eighty letters, many of them of the highest importance ; and it is’ the first edition to take note in chronological order of those letters printed by other editors that are not available for the present volumes—a step which should, I think, add to the correspondence’s biographical value.’ The Literary World, which since 1867 has been published as a penny weekly, is now published as an illustrated threepenny monthly. The first issue appeared in February. A serial entitled “ Roger Temple,” by Norman Gale, is ramning through its pages. Mr. Norman Gale has been a constant writer in the Literary World during past years. Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton, the author of “Wild Animals I have Known,” is publishing through Messrs. Constable & Co. a new book entitled “ Monarch, the Big Bear of Tallac”’ The work will contain one hundred drawings by the author. Miss Olive Katharine Parr has just completed a book of short stories entitled “ Back Slum Idyls.” Though in the form of fiction, they are all fact, observed during her mother’s unusual experiences as honorary prison visitor to three of H.M. prisons and guardian of the poor of a large London parish. : Messrs. Macmillan & Co. make some interesting announcements in connection with the new series of “ English Men of Letters”? which has been for some time in course of publication. Mr. Stephen Gwynn’s life of Thomas Moore has been issued.  8 Mr. Arthur C. Benson has completed his monograph on Edward Fitzgerald for this series, and it is now in the press. Messrs. Macmillan have now added “The Manceuvres of Jane” to their uniform edition of the plays of Mr. Henry Arthur Jones. A cheaper edition, price s., of Carl Swerdua’s” (Miss ©. C. Andrews) novel, ‘On London Stones,” is to be issued shortly by Messrs. James Clarke & Co., under the amended title of “A Town Romance ; or, On London Stones.” A new work by the same writer, entitled “The Penance of Penelope,” will be published imme- diately by Messrs. William Stevens, first as a serial and later in book form. «“ Mollentrave on Women,” by Alfred Sutro, was produced at the St. James’s Theatre on February 13th. The play ismainly concerned with the various schemes, of a matrimonial nature, engineered by Mollentrave, a character portrayed by Mr. Hric Lewis, whose pet delusion—a profound knowledge of women—retained by him to the conclusion of the piece, causes complications which, however, are set right at the fall of the curtain. Mr. Sydney Grundy’s new play, “The Diplo- matists,” mounted at the Royalty Theatre on February 11th, and described as a farce in two acts, deals with the attempt of two neighbouring families to maintain an appearance unwarranted by their pecuniary position, each to persuade the other of the advantages of an alliance between them. Itis an adaptation from the French. A further play by a member of the Society— Captain Robert Marshall’s “Lady of Leeds ’— appeared at Wyndham’s Theatrein the middle of last month. ‘The piece deals with the determination of three rejected suitors to be revenged upon a lady who has refused each of their advances, and, incidentally, affords Mr. Weedon Grossmith scope for the exercise of his drollery. Mr. R. ©. Carton’s play, “ Mr. Hopkinson,” appeared at the Avenue Theatre on Tuesday, February 21st. Miss Compton took the leading part as “The Duchess of Braceborough,” and Mr. Frederick Kerr acted as “The Duke.” We understand that Mrs. Humphry Ward’s play written in collaboration with Mr. Louis N. Parker, entitled “ Agatha,” will be produced by Mr. ‘Tree on the afternoon of March 7th. The performance will be given on behalf of the Princess Mary’s Village Homes, and the Princess of Wales has promised to be present. Mr. Granville Barker, of the Stage Society, and Mr. J. E. Vedrenne, have arranged for a further series of matinées at the Court Theatre at the beginning of March. Among the plays to be produced will be Mr. Bernard Shaw’s burlesque of himself, ‘ How he lied to her husband.” THE AUTHOR. PARIS NOTES. Oe € A Vie Future,” by Louis Elbé, is a most L interesting book, and the work of a thinker and savant. The author tells us that the object of his researches has been to study the problem of the survival of the human soul, as taught by the philosophers of ancient times and by the traditions handed down from distant ages, and to consider all this by the light of modern science. With the greatest competence and the most abso- lute impartiality M. Elbé gives us a brief sketch of the various beliefs and religions dating from the most remote ages of civilisation. He then touches on the various sciences from astronomy to experi- mental psychology, and the historical and scientific arguments which justify faith in another life, but although he shows us clearly that modern science does not destroy the hypothesis of a future life, he admits that it cannot give any idea as to what the future life will be. As the titles of some of the chapters will show, this book is not one to be scanned hastily. It requires careful reading, and is well worth studying from the first line to the last. The first part of the volume is devoted to “The Wisdom of the Ancients,” and the various chapters are “‘ L’idée de la survivance dans les civilisations antiques,” “ Tra- ditions et monuments préhistoriques,” ‘ Les peu- plades sauvages,” ‘Les Chinois,” “Les Egyptiens,” ‘Les Hindous,” “ Les Chaldéens,” ‘* Les Gaulois,” “Les Juifs,” ‘‘ Les Grecs,” ‘ Les Romains,” “ Le Christianisme,” ‘‘ L’immortalité conditionnelle dans les églises protestantes,”’ ‘Le spiritisme et la théosophie.’ The second part of the book treats of ‘‘ Modern Science,” and is divided into the chapters following: ‘‘ Déductions tirées des sciences fondamentales,”’ “ L’astronomie,” “ La terre dans Punivers,” “Les sciences physiques,” “ La perman- ence de la matiére et de l’énergie,” “ Les sciences physiques et chimiques,” “ La conception de l’éther dans la constitution de la matiére et les mani- festations de l’énergie,” ‘Sciences physiques et mécaniques,” ‘Le réle de I’éther dans l’univers,” “ Biologie,” “ La matiére et la vie,” ‘ Le tourbillon vital,” ‘‘Les fronti¢res de la science,” “ Le fluide odique,” “ L’éxtériorisation du double fluidique,” ‘Manifestations 4 grandes distances,” ‘ La télé- pathie,” “Examen des hypothéses propos¢es,” ‘“* Conclusions.” The great argument which M. Elbé brings forward to support his theory is “the law of | permanence which governs all the manifestations — We must conclude,” he says, “that this law could not allow conscious force to perish when we see with what incorruptible fidelity _ of universal life. it watches over the preservation of the minutest ee  THE AUTHOR. material atom, the transformation of physical energy, and the registering of accomplished facts.” The review published by Messrs. Hachette, Za Vie Heureuse, has awarded a prize for the best book written recently by a woman. Most of the promi- nent French authoresses were on the jury, so that their works could not be taken into consideration. The idea of this scheme must therefore be to bring to the front writers who are not well known. Among the members of the jury were Mmes. Arvéde Barine, Blanc-Bentzon, Pierre de Coulevain, Judith Gautier, Damel Lesueur, Marcelle Tinayre. The prize was awarded to Myriam Harry for her novel “Ta Conquéte de Jérusalem,” a book which attracted great attention at the time of its publi- cation. Myriam Harry’s first volume was a collection of short stories entitled ‘‘ Passage de Bédouins,” published in 1899. The subjects are ali taken from Oriental life, and the writer has succeeded in getting the atmosphere of the places she describes into her stories. Myriam Harry’s next book was “ Petites Hpouses,” an exquisitely written idyll, the subject of which is the love-affair of a Frenchman and a young Annamite girl during the sojourn of the former at Saigon. This book is an extremely clever psychological study. The mentality of the child-wife, Frisson de Bambou, with her mingled simplicity and subtlety is most delicately portrayed, while the influence of environ- ment on the character of the European is, in itself, an interesting subject. In “La Conquéte de Jerusalem” the authoress gives us a graphic de- scription of the Jerusalem of to-day. Hélie Jamain ig a young Frenchman whose great-uncle had accompanied Chateaubriand to Palestine, and had brought back with him all kinds of curious relics and souvenirs from the Holy Land. Hélie, from his earliest childhood, had dreamed of Jerusalem, and had pictured himself there as a Crusader, a pilgrim, or a martyr. Later on, when he had finished his education, travelled in various countries and lived long enough in Egypt to learn Arabic and to know something of the manners and customs of Oriental people, he decides to go to Jerusalem. Some Lazarist priests had fired him with enthusi- asm and endeavoured to persuade him into under- taking a mission to the Holy Land, where the Church of Rome had lost its prestige. After a short sojourn in Jerusalem, Hélie begins to lose faith in being able to accomplish the task he has in view. In this country, from which the whole world had received its charitable and holy inspira- tions, he now finds the greatest religious intolerance, jealousy, and hatred. “On all sides people were praying and disputing. They no longer sang in order to praise God, but to drown the voices of those who held another creed and to prevent them being heard in Heaven.” We are told that “No 159 one in Jerusalem belongs to a country but to a religion, no one adheres to a class, but to a creed. All the different beliefs are equally detested, but everyone admits this reciprocal hatred, and respects the fanaticism of his neighbour,” so that Hélie comes to the conclusion that the only man who would be universally despised in Jerusalem would be a just and tolerant individual with broad views, who recognised what was good in every different religion and creed. In the ghetto quarter Hélie is looked upon with suspicion, as he has ventured to suggest certain innovations, and one night he is found lying in a deserted street wounded and unconscious. He is taken to the nearest hospital, which happens to be one founded by Protestants. Hélie during his convalescence falls in love with one of the nurses, the daughter of an Alsatian pastor, and a few weeks later marries her. The chief interest of the story lies in the psychological study of this man imbued with all the poetry and idealism of the Catholic religion and the Latin race. His wife, Cécile, has all the positivism and narrowness of a Calvinist, so that it is only in rare moments that there is any true communion between them. Hélie is persuaded by Cécile to adopt her religion, and his existence from thenceforth is one long mental combat and a series of disappointments. There is a great fascination about the book, but one closes it considerably disillusionised on the subject of modern Jerusalem. After the celebrated exhibition of paintings by the French early masters, M. Henri Bouchot’s study, “Les Primitifs Francais” (1292—1500) is very apropos. 'The author gives many details about the various artists, and particularly about Jean Perréal. Among the recent books are “ Histoire de la guerre Russo-Japonaise,” by M. Gaston Donnet ; “Le Reveil de la nation arabe dans I’Asie Turque,” by Negib Azoury. * Reliquoe” is a posthumous publication of a collection of stories and descriptions of voyages, by M. Louis Guéry, with a preface by M. Edouard Rod and M. Stryienski. M. Guéry died last year at the age of twenty-three, and had already published two novels, “Le plus heureux Temps de la vie,” and ‘“ L’Autre Voie.” “Ta Rose du Bocage,” by Francois Casale, is a novel dating back to the time of the First Consulate. “La Valise Diplomatique,” by Léon de Tinseau, is a volume of short stories, the scene of most of them being laid in the East. “ Les Sophistes Francais et la Révolution,” by M. Th. Funck-Brentano. “‘Madame Récamier et ses amis,” by Edouard Henriot ; © Un ouvrage inédit de M. de Staél,” by Edouard Henriot ; “ Histoire de l’Emigration,” 160 by Ernest Daudet ; ‘La Princesse Charlotte de Rohan et le Duc d’Enghien,” by Jacques de la Faye ; “ Classification sociale,” by Edmond Demolins ; ‘ L’Etat social de lAvenir,” by Professor Bilz; “ Une vie d@’ Officier Russe,” by Colonel Vereschaguine; ‘“ La Vie de Paris,” by Jean Bernard. M. F. Brunetiére is now giving a course of lectures on “The History of Free Thought in the Kighteenth Century, or the Encyclopedistes.” In La Nouvelle Revue, a diplomatist writes on ‘Les Ambitions du Japon.”” M. de Pouvourville in an article on “ L’Armée moderne et ses cadres,” discusses the reforms to be made in the army. In La Quinzaine, Henry Madeleine writes on “TL’Esprit militaire des officiers allemands.” M. Goyau continues his study of “ Fébronianisme et Joséphisme.” In the Revue des Deus Mondes there is an article by Général de Négrier, ‘‘Le Moral des Troupes ” ; and Madame Arvede Barine continues her history of “‘ La Grande Mademoiselle.” In the Revue de Paris there is also an article, “A propos du Japon et de la Paix,” and in the Revue Philosophique, Charles Richet discusses the consequences of peace and war, arguing that war does not exalt the greatest virtues of a man. Madame Sarah Bernhardt is at present giving Victor Hugo’s ‘‘ Angelo.” At the Thédtre de l’Oeuvre, M. Lugné Poe has just recently given “ La Gioconda,” ‘* Maison de Poupée,” “ Phedre,” and “ La Fille de Jorio.” M. Bour, of “ Alleliiia’ fame, has come to the front as an actor-manager. We have mentioned in The Author his various enterprises and his great success as an interpreter of some of the chief roles in the plays he has introduced in France. We have to thank him for the opportunity of having seen some excellent Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and German plays, and he is now about to found a theatre for the poets, and to do for idealism what Antoine has done for naturalism. M. Bour is at present playing “Cadet Roussel,” by Jacques Richepin, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, and a subscription has been raised in order to subsidise that theatre for him. One of the greatest successes of the month has been “La Retraite,” the German play, by M. Beyerler, which is now running at the Vaudeville. It is a study of German military life, and curiously enough there is only one woman’s role in the whole play. The piece has been admirably translated by M.M. Rémon and Valentin, and it was awaited impatiently here. At one time it was thought that it would be difficult to put it on in France, as French actors might not be willing to appear in German uniforms. Auys HALLARD. THE AUTHOR. NOTES ON AGREEMENTS. —_+-—<—+—__ TY is some months since any agreement has I been put forward for criticism in the columns of The Author. There are certain agreements which come before the Secretary from time to time, and which, in con- sequence, need repeated explanation. It need not necessarily follow that agreements will work out badly, even if they are badly drawn. LHverything, in these circumstances, must depend upon the methods of the publisher, but a badly drawn agree- ment in the hands of a publisher who desires to take the utmost advantage of his legal position is necessarily disastrous to the author. It is in order that the author may be able to see clearly, before entering into an agreement, what terms he could safely accept, that it is advantageous from time to time to criticise forms of contract. It is necessary to draw attention to the wording in the description of the parties to the agreement printed below. ‘‘ Whereby it is mutually agreed between the parties hereto for themselves and their respective executors, administrators, and assigns or successors, as the case may be.” It is most unsatisfactory to contract with the successors or assigns of a publishing house. Many members of the Society are beginning to find, in the case of a recent bankruptcy, how awkward their position is when they have entered into these terms with a publisher. A publishing contract should be a personal contract, and authors should always endeavour to keep it so, in spite of what pub- lishers may say to the contrary. In Clause 1 the words “with due diligence ” are very indefinite. It should be clearly stated that the book should be on the market before a certain date. In many cases this is of importance, as pay- ments are made on the date of publication. The form in which the book is to be produced, and the price at which it is to sell to the public should be definitely mentioned, and the publisher should also be bound to produce a first edition of at least 1,500 copies in the form and at the price agreed upon. The second Clause is, in some respects, not unreasonable, as in many cases the author is the only person who can tell whether a book is an infringement of copyright or contains anything libellous, but although he should guarantee the publisher against expenses which have been. incurred owing to his (the author’s) neglect, he should not be responsible for any costs which may be taken or incurred by the publisher. This clause might lead the author into unknown diffi- culties, should the publisher without proper advice, take action to protect the work from alleged infringement. ii as es  _ cism. Clause 8 is much too wide and comprehensive, and in the hands of a bad publisher has been utilised with disastrous effect against the author. The last part of the clause from “ and the author shall not” down to ‘“‘dramatised version of the work” should be entirely deleted. Cases have been known where the publisher has refused to give his consent unless he received 50 per cent. of the profits arising from the sale of translation rights—an absurd position, even if the sale of these rights have been negotiated through the publisher’s agency—and it is impossible to tell what he might ask in the case of a successful dramatic version. These rights of translation and dramatisation have nothing whatever to do with the publication of the book, and ought never, in any circumstances, to be under the control of the publisher. Although it is possible that the publisher, who has not negotiated the sale, may not desire to exercise his option, it is not equitable to the author that he should be given the option. It is not always satisfactory to let the equitable rights be settled by the business party to a contract. Clause 4, section A, cannot be too severely con- demned, as there is no stimulus to the publisher to sell beyond the 1,000 copies of the book or, count- ing 13 as 12, say 1,080 copies. Every clause is a mistake which places the publisher’s and author’s interests in opposition, and should the publisher see the sales dropping just as he is nearing the 1,000 copies, it is quite certain that he will not be in a hurry to sell the last 50; for he will be bound to pay the author a royalty from the begin- ning and on all further sales. If it were clear that the sale of 1,000 copies would fall far short of the expense incurred on cost of production, there might be some stimulus for the publisher to keep the book on the market, but the sale of 1,000 copies of the ordinary 6s. book and subject to no royalties would not only cover all expenses, but bring back a good 50 per cent. on the capital invested. In some circumstances it might be better for the pocket of the author and for the circulation of the book to have a royalty from the 1,001st copy only, than to agree to the clause just under criti- In the hands of an unscrupulous publisher it is not impossible that only 1,100 copies would be printed, and the type then broken up. The next point arises under Section B. of the Same clause. A royalty is to be paid on the published price of all copies sold to America, 13 being reckoned as 12. About twenty years ago it was customary for all publishers to pay English authors a royalty on all Copies sold, and it was on this basis that the profits ‘quoted in the “Cost of Production” and “ Methods of Publishing ” issued by the Society were based. ‘The publishers, however, owing to their desire to THE AUTHOR. 161 make larger profits, complained bitterly that they should be forced to pay royalty on copies that were not actually sold but given away, for they stated that the thirteenth copy was really given in with the twelve others. The authors, instead of meeting this position with a stiff back, gradually gave way to what appeared a reasonable argument, and the point in many cases has been yielded. It is hoped, however, that in consequence, they ob- tained higher royalties, as there was no real basis for the cutting down of 8 per cent. of their profits. The publishers’ appeal to the author that it was unfair that they should have to pay royalty on copies that were not sold, may, or may not, have been sound, but in the Clause referred to above, the publisher has reversed this process, and is asking the author to consent to a royalty payment on 13 as 12 when the books are not sold 13 as 12. It is true that many sales on the English market are made in this way, but at the lowest, from 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. are not, so that the pub- lisher gains a small advantage. Butin the sale of books to the United States, they are never sold 13 as 12. If, therefore—according to the publisher’s own argument—it is unfair for the author to demand a royalty on every copy from the publisher when the books are sold 13 as 12, it is unfair for the publisher to ask the author to receive a royalty on 13 as 12 when the books are not sold according to this calculation. In consequence authors should be careful to see in a clause dealing with sales to America that the reference to 13 as 12 is deleted. Section C of the same clause, again, is full of pitfalls. Who is to decide whether copies of the book are sold at a reduced rate. Frequently, when large quantities of the book are bought an extra discount is given to the purchaser. In fact, a case came before the Secretary in which a publisher claimed the payment of the lower royalty, because he had consented to make one of the largest sales of the book at what he was pleased to call a reduced rate. When asale is made to the Colonies it is generally made in sheets, and a reduced royalty is generally paid, but everything must depend even then upon the method of sale and the price the publisher obtains; on remainder sales the reduction in royalty is fair. In Section D of the same clause one or two points of serious interest to authors arise. In no circumstances should the author allow the pub- lisher to deai with serial or Continental rights. If no clause of this kind were inserted and the publisher received an offer for the book from a cor- respondent, or from someone who desired to use the serial rights, he would, if his business were conducted on proper lines, with due courtesy, com- municate direct with the author, who would be willing or unwilling to accept the proposal. If 162 willing, he would gladly pay the ordinary agency charge of 10 per cent. to the publisher. It is true that the publisher cannot deal without the consent of the author, but then on the other hand the author is bound to pay the enormous charge of 50 per cent., which is utterly absurd, as agents are willing to undertake this kind of business for much more moderate charges. Sections E and F are comparatively unobjectionable. Clauses 5 and 7 must be taken together. They do not apply to the ordinary work of fiction, and should, therefore, be deleted, but in a con- tract for the sale of an educational or scientific work they are of the utmost importance, and it should not lie in the power of the publisher to demand the alteration or amendment of the work from the author, but it should be at the option of the author to amend or alter his work as the demands of the public or the evolution of his subject may require. He should be able, therefore, to re-edit the work at certain stated periods—after the sale of a given number of copies, or at the end of a given time. It is most important that the author should retain this control, and the publisher should’ be bound to accept such alteration or cancel the contract. Concerning Clause 6 little need be said, except to point out under this contract the amount allowed for corrections is low, and the author should, therefore, be exceedingly careful not to run up this item. Clause 8 may pass without comment. In Clause 9 the accounts should be rendered semi-annually. Under the arrangement put forward, if the book was issued at the end of January—not at all an unfavourable period at which to issue books—the publisher would retain the author’s money for nearly a year. This might be very unsatisfactory. In Clause 10 the stock and plates should be taken over ata valuation, and not at a fixed price, as they may be useless when the author desires to purchase them. Strong objection should be raised to Clause 11. Not only is arbitration as a rule more expensive for the author, but it saves the publisher from that publicity which he is often anxious to shun. Whereas, if the publisher has treated the author unfairly or unreasonably, the Public Courts are the best places in which to discuss the point, and the publicity which is given to such treatment will act as a warning to the other members of the publishing trade. Clause 12 should be deleted. The reasons for this were pointed out at the beginning of the article. Everyone should read exceedingly carefully the comments which have been made on this agree- ment, in case he may at any time have similar terms before him. For when a legal document THE AUTHOR. between two parties is signed, there is no further dispute possible, and it is unsatisfactory to throw yourself on the generosity of the other party. AGREEMENT, Memorandum of agreement made this between hereinafter termed the author of the one part, and (hereinafter termed the publisher of the other part). Whereby it is mutually agreed between the parties hereto, for themselves and their respective executors. administrators and assigns (or successors as the case may be) as follows :— 1. The publisher shall at his own expense and with due diligence produce and publish a work at present entitled “ ” by the author and use his best endeavours to sell the same. 2. The author guarantees to the publisher that the said work is in no way whatever a violation of any existing copyright, and that it contains nothing of a libellous or scandalous character, and that he will indemnify the pub- lisher from all suits, claims and proceedings, damages and costs which may be made,.taken, or incurred by or against him on the ground that the work is an infringement of copyright, or contains anything libellous or scandalous. 3. The publisher shall during the legal term of copyright have the exclusive right of producing and publishing the: work in England, the Colonies, and the United States of America. The publisher shall have the entire control of the publication, sale, and terms of sale of the book, and the author shall not during the continuance of this agree- ment (without the consent of the publisher) publish any abridgment, translation, or dramatised version of the work. 4, The publisher agrees to pay the author the following royalties ; that is to say :-— (a) A royalty of per cent. on the published price of all copies (13 being reckoned as 12) of the British edition sold, provided always that in the event of less than 1,000 copies being sold no royalty whatever shall be paid, and that till the sales exceed 1,000 copies no advance on: account of royalties shall be made (13 copies to be reckoned as 12 throughout). (b) A royalty of on the published price of all copies. (13 being reckoned as 12) of the American edition, (c) In the event of the publisher disposing of copies or editions at a reduced rate for sale in the Colonies, or else- where, or as remainders, a royalty of per cent. of the: amount realised by such sale. (d) In the event of the publisher realising profits from the sale, with the consent of the author, of serial or con- tinental rights, or from claims for infringement of copy- right, a royalty of fifty per cent. of the net amount of such: profits remaining after deducting all expenses relating thereto. (e) No royalties shall be paid on any copies given away for review or other purposes. (£) The author shall be entitled to six gratuitous copies, and any further copies required at trade price. 5. The author agrees to revise the first, and, if necessary,. to edit and revise every subsequent edition of the work, and from time to time to supply any new matter that may be needful to keep the work up to date. 6. The author agrees that all costs of corrections and alterations in the proof sheets exceeding twenty per cent. of the cost of composition shall be deducted from the royalties payable to him. 7. In the event of the author neglecting to revise an edition after due notice shall have been given to him, or in the event of the author being unable to do so by reason of death or otherwise, the expense of revising and preparing” such future edition for press shall be borne by the author,. and shall be deducted from the royalties payable to him. day of  THE AUTHOR. 8. During the continuance of this agreement the copy- right of the work shall be vested in the author, who may be registered as the proprietor thereof accordingly. 9. The publisher shall make up the account annually to December the thirty-first and deliver the same to the author within two months thereafter, and pay the balance due to the author on the same date. 10. If the publisher shall at the end of three years from the date of publication or at any time thereafter, give notice to the author that in his opinion the demand for the work has ceased, or if the publisher shall for six months after the work is out of print decline or, after due notice, neglect to publish a new edition, then and in either of such cases this agreement shall terminate, and on the determina- tion of this agreement in the above or any other manner, the right to print and publish the work shall revert to the author, and the author, if not then registered, shall be entitled to be registered as the proprietor thereof, and to purchase from the publisher forthwith the plates or moulds and engravings (if any) produced specially for the work at half cost of production, and whatever copies the pub- lisher may have on hand at cost of production and if the author does not within three months purchase and pay for the said plates or moulds, engravings and copies the pub- lisher may at any time thereafter dispose of such plates or moulds, engravings and copies, or melt the plates, paying to the author in lieu of royalties ten per cent. of the net proceeds of such sale, unless the publisher can prove from his books that the publication has resulted in a loss to him in which case he shall be liable for no such payment. 11. If any difference shall arise between the author and the publisher touching the meaning of this agreement, or the rights or liabilities of the parties thereunder, the same shall be referred to the arbitration of two persons (one to be named. by each party) or their umpire in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration Act, 1889. 12. The term “publisher” throughout this agreement shall be deemed to include the person or persons or com- pany for the time being carrying on the business of the said and under as well its present as any future style, and the benefit of this agreement shall be transmissible accordingly. As witness the hands of the parties. —>— LITERARY YEAR BOOK.* [Second Notice. | GENERAL REVIEW. <6 HERE is nothing so difficult,” wrote Dr. Johnson, “as the art of making advice agreeable.” In the friendliest spirit, we offered, last year, a lengthy criticism of the eighth edition of this work, believing that, if advantage were taken of the hints we gave, the result would be profitable to the publishers and especially to the immense community to which a good “ Literary Year Book” would appeal, for there is no reason why authors and journalists should not have, year by year, as reliable a handbook as the Peerage possess in “ Dod” or the Clergy in “ Crockford.” * «¢The Literary Year Book and Bookman’s Directory, 1905,” 9th annual volume. Routledge. 163 But, although the new edition of the “ Literary Year Book” has been sent us to review, it would appear that advice is not wanted, and that appro- bation only is desired, for whilst we gave the book a bucketful of the former last year, the publishers Sa been contented with using a mere tea-spoonful of it. With all deference we suggested that upwards of a dozen well-known authors whose names we mentioned might find a place in the 1905 edition. We cited the works they were best known by. Neither these authors, under the alphabetical list, nor their books, under the “new” Index of Titles, are to be found. The mistakes in London news- paper addresses which we pointed out remain. In the Calendar we pleaded that the English poet William Shenstone might have his birthday noted. We fail to find it in the new edition, although it is usually given as 18th November, 1714. On the other hand, our recommendations which have been adopted include the leaving out of the “Survey of Bookland,” and the signed Resumé of English literature in the preceding year. The suggestion that the book, in order to reduce its bulk, might be printed on thinner paper, has also been taken advantage of. But we certainly never suggested that the Index should be deleted. Strange to say, this is omitted in the 1905 edition, although a page headed ‘ Index to Advertisers ’ is retained! A better advertisement for the book itself would have been to have increased the copiousness of the former alphabetical lists of sub- jects at the end of the book, a table of contents at the beginning being of less use than were the six columns in smaller type affixed to former editions. Onr suggestion that the usefulness of the “ Year Book ” would be increased, if a Catalogue Raisonné, or list of books classified under Theology, History, Travel, Fiction, and so forth were included, has been adopted. InpEX oF TITLES. An “ Index of Titles” has also been incorporated. But we never anticipated, when recommending it, that books published over thirty years ago would be enumerated in such a catalogue, so as to form a supplement occupying 235 pages. If the compilers had borrowed a catalogue of titles, covering that period, from any of the large Public Libraries, it would have been far better than the supplement before us, which is anything but complete. In future years it is to be hoped that the ‘Index of Titles” will be confined to the books published during the preceding twelve months. The useful list of artists and book illustrators, which only occupied twelve pages, and the lists of literary Clubs (another four pages) can then again be included. 164 THE AUTHOR. Oprtuary, 1904. In the Obituary section last year, we noted the omission of six names of writers of importance. On glancing through the list given this time, no fewer than seven names occur to us which ought to have beeninserted. They are as follows :—Charles Williams, the well-known journalist and war correspondent, who died February 9th ; Samuel Capper, author of “ Wanderings in War Time,” etc. (died, April 8th) ; Edwin Hodder, author of * Life of the VIIth. Earl of Shaftsbury,” ete. (died, March 1st); Julian Sturgis, the novelist and opera librettist (April 13th); W. F. Collier, LL.D., author of Histories of Great Britain, Ireland, Rome, Greece, etc. (November 25th) ; Adeline Sergeant, the distinguished novelist (December 5th) ; and Norman Mac Coll, author of ‘Greek Sceptics from Pyrrho to Sextus,” etc., and editor of the Athenwum from 1869 to 1901 (December 15th). PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS. Last year we pointed out that the list of periodi- cal publications needed more careful revision, and that the London addresses of the Belfast News Letter, Daily Dispatch, Newcastle Chronicle, Norfolk Chronicle, etc., had been changed. Yet the editor of the new “ Year Book” has not taken the trouble to put such matters right. The same old list, with very few changes, reappears. It begins with the Aberdeen Evening Gazette, Aberdeen Free Press, Aberdeen Journal, and Aberdeen We eekly News. This is an unfair proportion to give to the “Granite City,” considering that there is no men- tion of any Brighton paper, nor of such important organs as the Northern Whig, of Belfast, the great Presbyterian weekly the Witness, of Belfast, nor the old-established Cork Eaaminer. Surely these periodicals are of more importance to authors, as far as reviews are concerned, than the Alerandra Library of Complete Novels, price 1d. each, to which prominence is given. To the professional literary man, what, again, is the use of adver- tising the Alpine Journal, to which contributions are invited, and the words no payment are appended ? Although the Anglo-Russian is given five lines, the Anglo-Japanese Gazette (39, Seething Lane) is left out. Why occupy valuable space, moreover, by inserting an annnal like the Charities’ Register and Digest, which is of no use to authors, or the Anthropological Institute Journal, price £1 per annum? And if these are notified, why omit the quarterly Archwological Journal? In the name of common sense, what sane author would submit MSS. to the Army and Militia List, issued annually, price £1 1s. ? Surely, if this is inserted, the Army and Navy Chronicle, price 6d. monthly, should have been included. At all events, the defunct Naval and Military Magazine need not have been noted. ‘There seems to have been no method in choosing periodicals for this list, in- tended to be of service to writers. The Art Annuals, published once in twelve months, are noted, but the Art Decorator, an_ illustrated monthly, price 1s., is left out. ‘It is most im- portant,” says the introduction to this list of periodicals, “ to use discretion and judgment in the matter of submitting MSS.,” but neither discretion nor judgment seem to have been used in compiling this section. The Australian Handbook, a useful annual in its way, price 10s. 6d., isno more in need of outside literary contributions than is Kelly’s London Directory. Since motoring has become so much written about, it is difficult to understand why the Aufomotor Journal should have been for- gotten. The Bankers’ Magazine, price 1s. 6d. monthly, is mentioned, but the Weekly Bankers’ Journal is omitted. Surely the Boudoir, published monthly, of which no mention is made, is of more service—especially to women writers—than the Botanical Gazette or the British Empire Year Book. Again, there is no mention of the Bur- lington Magazine, published on the first of the month, but the defunct British Realm and Animal Life ave given. Certain religious periodicals of little account are noted, but the Christian, published on Thursdays, which is a quarter of a century old and has a large circulation, is overlooked. The editor has been careful to notify two periodicals rejoicing in the title of Critic. But one gathers that he does not approve of the national pastime by his omission of Cricket, an old - established paper, and of the Cricket and Football Field, now in its eighteenth year. It is strange that while these periodicals are ignored, the Football Times, of Inverness, should be inserted! Of more service to writers than the latter paper would have been the inclusion of the Figaro and Irish Gentlewoman, a smart, if at times scurrilous, weekly, which solicits, nevertheless, outside contri- butions. Mr. C0. B. Fry—who has done, and is doing, much in a literary sense for healthy sport— surely will not bless the “Literary Year Book 2 for disregarding his remarkably successful illus- trated monthly magazine. The compiler, however, appears to think that a halfpenny weekly produc- tion entitled Funny Cuts is of more importance. Mr. E. Ledger is no longer editor of the Mra. Whilst the Gas World Year Book is drawn atten- tion to, we note that the Geological Magazine, — issued monthly since 1864, is left out. Itis evident that the compiler is not a Scot, as he has omitted the periodicals known as (olf Iilustrated, Golfing, etc., published weekly. Under the heading of “ Home,” the somewhat exclusive quarterly, Home a Counties Magazine, is carefully recorded, but Home  THE AUTHOR. Words, a popular weekly, which has been in exist- ence twenty-five years and takes contributions, is omitted. ‘That, however, is of minor importance compared with the omission of the Illustrated Official Journal, published on Wednesdays, price 67., which is of great use to writers on scientific sub- jects, recording, as it does, the latest patented inventions. Under “I” we note the omission of Trish Society, which has a special London letter, and is read all over Ireland. “Mrs, E. Mac- donald”’ no longer edits the Ladies’ Field. An- other injustice to Japan is the exclusion here of the Japanese Journal of Commerce, published both in Tokio and London. Although the Journal of the Ex-Libris Society is given, the more important Journal of Botany, British and Foreign, published since 1863, is left out. No doubt the #x-Libris Journal, of Plymouth, is admirable in its way, but surely the Journal of the Society of Arts does not deserve to be shelved. Ainy and Country, we believe, is no longer published, although it is given here. The “ Literary Year Book” (which the reader presumably possesses) is, of course, carefully in- cluded, but the quarterly magazine, known as Legal Literature, which has done good work since 1899, is regarded as of no account. After that, one can quite understand why the London Argus, a well - known weekly dealing with municipal life (8, New Bridge Street) is left out, but a German paper, the Londoner Anzeiger, is left in. With the ** M.’s”’ one comes to the musical papers, of which we gave a considerable list of omissions last year. As not one of those papers has been inserted in this list, it is waste of space to pursue this care- lessly drawn-up compilation any further. Before leaving this section, however, we would add that an improvement on the “1904 Year Book” is made in the short paragraphs attached to certain of the periodicals as a guide to the contributor. This, nevertheless, has been more systematically done in the Writer’s Year Book (price 1s.), in which, wherever possible, indications are given of the actual rate of payment for contributions, when payment is made, if a preliminary letter is required, whether the contributor is expected to send in an account, the day and hour when contributors are interviewed, and other useful information. But even in the Writer’s Year Book one vital matter is overlooked. It is of great importance to an author that publishers and editors should give information as to the approximate time they require for the reading of books and articles submitted to them. The irresponsible way in which this is done at present is often most unjust to the literary man. An editor who invites outside contributions, or a publisher who accepts manuscripts to read, over- looks the fact that he is in the same position as a person who receives goods on approval, and that 165 he is under a moral (if not legal) obligation to return those goods without delay and in proper condition, should he decide not to buy them. The long waiting to which authors are unfairly sub- jected would not be tolerated by a publisher’s or editor’s tailor or bootmaker. Yet whereas coats or boots may not be depreciated in value by being kept, it often happens that articles not promptly returned lose their value, and the wrong is further aggravated when type-written sheets come back dog’s-eared and soiled, so that it is impossible for the author to submit them elsewhere. Literary men of experience may know those firms that are the greatest sinners in this respect and avoid them. Publishers of enterprise, therefore, who conduct their business on methodical lines, would find it to their advantage to state, approximately, the period of time they require to make up their minds whether to reject or accept MSS. A correspondent points out how carefully, in this 1905 Year Book,” the word editor has been printed ‘‘ editress,” to indicate a female editor, the only instance where the affix has not been altered being in the case where the rédacteuse is a “countess,” the “ess” in countess apparently sufficing for both substantives. ForEIGN PUBLISHERS. The same correspondent remarks that “ the list of Foreign Publishers is very incomplete.” It isa pity that Mr. David Nutt or Messrs. Dulau were not consulted on such a subject. For instance, under the heading “Switzerland” (p. 448), not a single publishing firm of Geneva or Neufchatel is mentioned ; whilst under “ Italy,” the publishing houses of Rome are overlooked. LIBRARIES. This section (commencing on p. 572) has been amplified, and now contains much valuable informa- tion. In place of eight pages in the “1904 Year Book,” it here occupies 32 pages, entries regarding the cathedral and college libraries, as well as pro- vincial collections, being most acceptable. It is to be hoped that the list of foreign libraries in the tenth edition of this “ Year Book” will be done more justice to in the same way. Paris—it is a truism to say—is better provided than London or any other city with great public libraries. Besides the Bibliothéque Nationale, there are four great libraries, each containing upwards of 120,000 volumes. Particulars of the many valuable collec- tions belonging to various learned and _ scientific societies throughout France would be of interest and value. As regards Germany, no mention is made of the Royal public libraries of the great towns, nor of the renowned book collections at Dresden, Stuttgart, Darmstadt, Gotha, Leipzig, 166 Gottingen and elsewhere. Of the many public libraries of Italy, there is not one word. This is not courteous either to Florence, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Rome, Milan, Venice, or Padua. Holland, as everyone knows, is a very “ booky” country, but it is invidious to mention the Royal Library of The Hague, and three other places, omitting Utrecht. Again, what about Belgium, with its magnificent libraries at Brussels, Ghent, and Liége ? Also, what about the libraries of Madrid, Lisbon, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Christiania? The deletion of the present “Index of Titles” padding should give plenty of space for such matters. Forrign ANNUALS. Writing from abroad, the same correspondent suggests that, in future, the title of each annual shoutd be given as published, and not be translated into English, when it is more difficult to recognise. This list, also, is sadly incomplete. Finally, it is not to be expected that any work of reference can be made perfect. Omissions must occur. Perhaps more allowance would have been made generally for the present edition of the “Literary Year Book” if it had not been announced with such a flourish of trampets. By the way it was advertised, writers expected at last to find that really reliable reference book they have so long desired to possess. Even as the shoe- maker is generally noted for wearing the worst ‘shoes, so, it appears, is the British author doomed to put up with a “ Year Book ” which falls short of what such a “year book” should be. But, accord- ing to Schiller, “ Hope is sent ¢0 the unfortunate.” As there are many unfortunate slips in the 1905 Year Book,” it will perhaps comfort the publishers to know that we fervently hope, and bid them resolve, that the tenth edition may be an improve- ment on the ninth. A. R, __¢—<—9-—__—_ MAGAZINE CONTENTS. FEBRUARY, 1905. BLACKWOOD’S MAGAZINE. The Renascence of Sycophancy. Mrs. John Hunter, The Surgeon’s Wife. By Flora Masson. Two Singers. Musings Without Method :— 1. Of the Making of Historians. 2. Disraeli’s First and Last Novels. BooKMAN. Cervantes and His Musterpiece. By Major Martin Hume, THE AUTHOR. The Hunting Ground of Don Quixote. By Henr. Bernard. j 7 Book MONTHLY. Gladstone as Bookman. Ambnassadors of Letters. A Children’s Library. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL, The Memory of an Old Young Author. By W. W. Fenn. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. The Bankruptcy of Higher Criticism. By Dr. Emil Reich. Plutarch the Humane. By Countess Martinengo Cesaresco. Patriotism and Christianity. By Augustine Birrell. THE FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. By Maurice Materlinck. By Horace B. Samuel. By J. Churton Collins. By John F. “ King Lear” in Paris. The Psychology of Disraeli. Greek at the Universities. French Life and the French Stage. Macdonald. THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW. How Long Halt Ye? By G. Lowes Dickinson. The Poetic Quality in Liberalism. By G. K. Chesterton. Side Lights on the Franciscans. By G. G. Coulton. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. The Study of Colonial History at Oxford. By the Rey. Wm. Cresswell. “ Art and the Athlete.” By Martin Hardie. “ Sainte-Beuve.” By H. C. Medowall. MonrTH. By the Rev. John Gerrard. By Darley Dale. The Perogatives of Science. The Poems of William Nassington. MonTHLY REVIEW. The Papal Medals of the Italian Renaissance. By Earl Egerton of Tatton. Living Legends of the Fianna. By Lady Gregory. Counter Reformation Plots. By G. W. P. Religious Instruction in Primary Schools. Edward Bickersteth Otley. By the Rev. NATIONAL REVIEW. On the Proposal to Erect a Statue to Shakespeare in London. A Poem. By Alfred Austin. NINETEENTH CENTURY, Training the Youth of England. By General Lord Methuen. Compulsory Greek as a National Question. A Waning Glory of England. The Madrigal. By J. A. Fuller Maitland. PALL MALL MAGAZINE, Studies in Personality. The Lord Avebury and Mr, John Hare. By Herbert Vivian. TEMPLE BAR. Wordsworth in Somersel. By Miss Esther Hallam Moorhouse. There are no articles dealing with literary, dramatic or musical subjects in Cornhill, Longmans Magazine, or The World’s Work and Play. Seca ek  THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCER OF BOOKS. oo ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: C1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides, It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. Weare advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. ge WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. eg EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 167 3. There are three forms of dramatic contra , in three or more acts :— Be (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills, (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of g7oss receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. 66 WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. <p ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  168 THE AUTHOR. should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into part. cular consideration the warnings stated above. ———_+———_____—_ HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. —-—— — 1, VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4, Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no. benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. This The 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 14s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —1—~<—+ —_ HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. Ce et Se THE READING BRANCH. oe EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. —_—__——_-—<>—_2 —___—_. 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 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, §.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. —— The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Se ag ee LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. 1 ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C.  THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. ———+ —_ A VERY interesting point has been decided in France, dealing with the subject of musical repro- duction. Correspondents writing in the English papers state that quite a crisis has occurred in the phonograph trade by a judgment given in a Parisian court, which has placed a talking machine in the same category as an orchestra, with a result that all the instruments contrived for the repro- duction of popular songs and airs for which copyright is unpaid, owing to the fear of in- fringement, must be, for the present at any rate, silent until a fresh adjustment takes place. In the case of Roosey v. White tried in the English courts some time ago, perforated rolls of paper were sold, reproducing certain songs in which the plaintiff had copyright. It was con- tended for the plaintiff that these rolls were sheets or music under the Copyright Act of 1842, and for the defendants that they were strictly part of a machine, and in consequence, not within the scope of the Copyright Acts. Mr. Justice Stirling held that the Act of 1842, fairly construed, did not prevent the defendants from making and selling these rolls, so far as they contained perforations, but in adding to them words taken from the plaintiff’s music sheets, for the purpose of indicating to the player on the instrument the pace and expression at and with which the music ought to be played, the defendants had gone beyond their rights, and he granted an injunction to restrain them from so doing. On appeal, this decision was affirmed as to perforations and reversed as to the words. On the point of mechanical reproduction, there- fore, the Paris courts and the British courts appear to be at variance. It would, no doubt, however, be quite a simple matter to stop the sale of mechanical reproductions in the English courts by an action for infringement of performing rights, not for infringement of copy- right. As, however, the performing rights in music are subject to peculiar modes of treatment, owing to the Whall Act, and owing to the fact that few composers ever reserve these rights of performance when selling the copyright, it is not at all likely that the question will ever arise ; though if the composer was as careful about his property as the dramatist, he could, no doubt, make a large income by obtaining a royalty on performances, and a fixed sum for the rights of mechanical repro- duction. We are glad again to have the oppor- tunity of calling the attention of composers to this point, 169 TE second report of the Advanced Historical Teaching Fund and the third (interim report) is now before us. Wecommented on the importance of this Society when it was first started, and are glad to see that it has made steady progress. The present syllabus of lectures and work of the Fund requires an annual income of £250, and it is hoped that it will be possible, when the work meets with a more generous support, regularly to endow lectures. The members of the committee are the Richt Hon. James Bryce, M.P., Mr. W. A. 8. Hewins, Dr. G. W. Prothero, Dr. A. W. Ward, Mr. Sidney Webb, and Mr. H. R. Tedder. The last-mentioned gentleman is acting as Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. All subscriptions should be sent to him. The receipts for 1904 amounted to £525 13s. 81. The report states that the exposition and criticism of medizeval and Tudor sources by Mr. Hall and Mr. Leadam have been taken as starting points for courses given in the School, on “The Development of the Great Powers from the Close of the Middle Ages,” “ Economic History since 1485,” and “The Development of English Local Government from the 15th Century’; and they have been illustrated not only by these courses, but also by others on “Historical Geography,” and on “The History 0 > of Political Ideas in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance,” “The Monetary System in the Middle Ages,” and the “Elizabethan Poor Law.” Tt will be seen from this statement how important and how thorough is the work undertaken by the managers of the Fund, and what strong stimulus such work, properly undertaken, would be to a thorough knowledge of the deductions that may be made from a study of historical science. In the February number of The Author we pub- lished a letter from one of our members on “ Book Begging.” The same member has been kind enough to forward to the office a printed letter received from India. We omit the district and name of the writer. The letter may be perfectly bond fide, but the mere fact that such printed cir- culars are issued tends to show how the practice is growing, and, as our correspondent rightly says, “is fast becoming a real nuisance.” In the printed letter the writer asked for books to the value of £2. ‘The cost of passage to India must be added to this. If any other members of the Society have suffered from the same kind of complaint they might forward their experience to the Kditor. INDIA, Dated the , 1905. Sir,—I have the honour to inform you that, with a view to the advancement of scientific and  THE AUTHOR. own behalf. ‘The pirate would thus secure the 170 technical knowledge among the public and for behal supplying the needs of students whose poor cir- copyright in the United States for an unsatisfactory cumstances do not allow them to buy valuable translation and the position of the author of the books, I have established the “Free Scientific original would be worse than it was before the Library,” where any student or any other person passing of the amendment. can freely use any book for promoting his know- ledge in any line of life. The library has been so arranged as to give each person the kind of instruction he specially needs; LITERATURE AND LAW IN THE UNITED thus all those who may desire to avail themselves STATES. * of the branches of instruction while pursuing the oo regular work in their own profession have an o [Turrp ARTICLE.] excellent opportunity now. fo n from its readers, this \\ 71TH such alarming things happening in a Realising no subscriptio library depends entirely upon my scanty private our own publishing world at home income, which is hardly sufficient for its main- during the past year or 80, quarrels tenance in proper way so as to meet the beneficent between publishers and authors, and publishers and object for which it is established. booksellers, cannot be quite without interest for us. Under the circumstances I am led to most In America such quarrels have been much more humbly and respectfully appeal to your generosity numerous than with us, for America is not only a that you will be kind enough to help my project young nation still engaged in testing her institu- by making a gift to this library of your under- tions, she is, even in the matter of books, on their mentioned works, which will be very useful to the commercial side at least, more go-ahead than we students and to the community at large. are. Hoping my appeal may meet with your favour- Some of these quarrels, illustrating her own able consideration and that you may be pleased to trade methods, throw an interesting light upon direct your publishers or Kooksellers to send me ours. Many of them touch us directly, for they are an outcrop from that distressing period when the above books, - I have the honour to be, Sir, she gave to our work —little protection as she gives Your most obedient servant, now——practically no legal protection at all; when she flew the Jolly Roger, and was the pirate on the Secretary and Librarian. high seas of literature. Thus (taking the second group of cases first, On another page of The Author is printed the and dismissing them for good) her Act of Copyright Amendment to the United States Copyright Law dates from 1891. Mr. Barrie’s “ Little Minister” and the Report of the Committee on Patents to had the misfortune to be published here the year whom it was referred. before, and was duly pirated. Similarly, a good deal Little need be sal k suffered the same din addition to what has of Mr. Kipling’s earlier wor already been put forward in The Author on this fate, resulting in many quaint attempts on the part subject. of his publishers to get legal redress, notably the The Committee on Patents seem to have touched “pills and soap” (otherwise known as the “ literary the two vital points—contained in the letter from trade mark’) action of Seribners v. Putnams, in Mr. Solberg, the Register of Copyrights, and Mr. which Mr. Kipling’s side lost. Herbert Putnam, the Librarian of Congress, to the Such actions as these are some of the undesirable Committee. legacies bequeathed to us by the state of original Under Section 3 they consider that the lapse of sin in which the American copyright law remained twelve months should extend to all books published till the passage of the Chace Act of 1891. Under abroad, and under Section 4 they point out that that Act the English author may now obtain copy- owing to the wording of the amendment the inter- right in America by having his book set up 12 pretation of the Act may beconfused. Onreading America, and by publishing there simultaneously the Bill carefully it would appear that the words referred to in that section might seriously invali- * Copyright Cases: A Summary of leading American date the benefit of the Act to all foreigners, a8 it Decisions on the Law of Copyright ey cn Literal ther with the Text of the would be possible for a pirate, looking out for the Property, from 1891 to 1903 ; toge and a Selection of Recent books of well known authors in France, Germany, pases oe. cope ee and Soret Beta her i : Jopyrig ecisions of the Courts of Grea! ritain : Italy, and other countries, to translate them In @ Canada. Compiled by Arthur 5,, Hamlin. Published for ight League by qa. P. hurried fashion, and bring them out before the ihe American Publishers’ Copyri authors had time to undertake the work on their Putnam’s Sons. 1904. $2.  THER AUTHOR. 11 with the publication of itin England. This is still a considerable disability under which to labour ; and there has recently been a newspaper agitation for retaliatory measures—for laying America under similar disability with regard to us: that is, by obliging American authors to set up their books here if they desire to enjoy the benefit of English copyright Lat us not be led away by this attrac- tively downright attempt at settling the difficulty. The quarrel is not one between the English author and the American author. It is a quarrel between commercial men. Such quarrels frequently yield to the downright method of treatment, for in com- merce nobody’s feelings are considered, nobody’s word is taken for anything. Authorship is a different matter. The literary world flares up at the arrest of a Russian author, and talks as seriously about it as commercial people would abonta finan- cial loss. That is the difference. Authorship is aa international affair; an affair—let me get it out—for gentlemen, in which they should, and will, stand by each other, and ultimately combine to do the proper thing by each other all the world over. Matthew Arnold was right in attributing the combining of European men of letters under the Berne Convention to this sense which authors and educated people generally have of the proper treatment, internationally speaking, of literature and its makers. From American authors then we may expect some move to come. We may, at least, expect support for the case which English authors will shortly make to them, as foreshadowed in the February number of this journal. We do not yet know the precise form in which that case will be presented ; but “retaliation” will certainly not form part of it. Tur Ner Book AGREEMENT. Turning now to the subject of this article, the purely trade side of the book world as we find it represented in Mr. Hamlin’s compilation, the most notable case reported there is that which turned on the question as to whether publishers can compel booksellers to sell their publications at met prices ; whether they can legally enforce what we know here in England as the ‘Net Book Agreement.” The American Publishers’ Association (like the English Publishers’ Association) had for one of its objects the maintaining of the prices of books published by its several members. Combinations of this kind are often made necessary where large retailers of certain articles engage in such ruinous cutting of the prices of these articles as practically to drive the smaller retailers in the same trade out of business. The huge “department stores” of ‘New York are great sinners in this respect, and some of their methods have been, from time to time, imitated by our own stores at home. Books are very attractive things, and the selling of books at prices even below cost is found to be a great inducement for getting people into a shop and then selling them profit-bearing articles, Probably the American “ Net Book Agreement” was aimed directly at this practice. Anyhow, Mr. Straus, the proprietor of one of these “department. stores,” took action for an injunction against the Pub- lishers’ Association, contending that it was a violation of the American law prohibiting such combinations. In other words, to obtain a ruling that he, Straus, could sell books at any price he liked. There were three trials. At the first, Straus was beaten on the ground that his complaint did not state a cause of action. The Appellate Division reversed this order, and the Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment of the Appelate Division by a divided Court. Parker, C.J., in a very interesting judgment told the Publishers? Association where it was wrong and how far it could go in maintaining the prices of books. The American Constitution, he said, did recog- nise the right of such an association to prescribe conditions under which certain books might be sold ; for the protection afforded by law. to books was a legal monop:ly for promoting progress in science and art. But what were these books ? Obviously they were such books as were thus pro- tected by law—in other words, books then enjoying copyright. There was the mistake of the Associa- tion. [t endeavoured to shut out of the bookselling business those who sold “ books ” below the prices named by it. No doubt its case was based on copyright books ; but in effect it made no distinc- tion between copyright bouks, the sale of which it might legally control, and uncopyrighted books, the sale of which it could no more control than it could control the sale of stationery or soap; for it declined to supply any books to dealers who sold copyrighted works below a stated price. Indeed, dealers who were even suspected of selling copy- righted books to those who resold them at less than their net prices could not obtain books on any terms from members of the Association. The combination, therefore, was so far illegal, and Mr. Straus won his case. The rules of the Association have, therefore, since the decision, been amended so as to restrict them to the case of copyright books only. REBINDING CHEAP EpITIons. A very interesting trade point which has been the subject of dispute between publishers and booksellers more than once here at home was settled in the case of Dodd.v. Smith. The ques- tion was: Ifa publisher has two separate editions of the same work, one bound in paper and selling, say, at one and sixpence, the other bound in cloth,  172 selling at half-a-crown, may a bookseller, who has a stock of the eighteenpenny edition, take off the paper covers, bind in cloth, and sell at two shillings, thus bringing this two shilling cloth edition into competition with the publisher’s half-crown cloth edition ? This case was decided before the judg- ment was delivered in the Publishers’ Association y. Straus, so no guidance could be obtained from that ruling. The Court below held that the action of the bookseller could not be restrained, and the Supreme Court affirmed the decision. In an English case, which came under the writer’s personal notice some time ago, the bookseller was warned by the publisher that the practice was a contravention of the spirit, if not of the letter, of the Net Book Agreement, and the bookseller, after some correspondence, consented to see it in this light and withdrew his offending cheap cloth edition. I believe the English Booksellers’ and Publishers’ Association have frequently had similar cases to deal with, but, so far, none has become the subject of litigation. An action arising on the question would be interesting, for it would test the legality of our own “ Net Book” combination. ‘A similar case was that of Doan v. The American Book Company. Here the bookseller purchased from the publishers second-hand copies of various works, rebound, and sold them at a reduced price. The action was for infringement of copyright. Even publishers, like authors, seem to be under the impression that “infringement of copyright” is the only safe action in the defence of literary property. The publishers won, but Doan took the case to appeal. The Appeal Court held that there was no infringement, and reversed the judgment. It was unfair competition to rebind second-hand books so as to resemble the new ones, and sell them at a reduced price, but—that was another story. REPRINTING OLD EDITIONS. Readers of Darwin will remember that the original edition of the “ Origin of Species” fell out of copyright a few years ago, and that an English publisher put on the market, as against Darwin’s publisher, a cheap reprint of this work, without those additions to, and revisions of, the book subsequently made by Darwin, which still enjoyed copyright. Was that unfair competition ? The American Circuit Court of Missouri had a similar question put to it in the case of Webster's Dictionary, the original edition of which fell out of copyright, and was reprinted by a competing publisher without the subsequent additions. The Court held that it was unfair competition and granted an injunction. Wrona Use oF WASTE PAPER. When an author’s book meets with the unhappy fate of being sold as waste-paper, and the waste- THE AUTHOR. paper merchant, instead of either destroying the edition, or otherwise using it only as waste paper, allows it to get into the hands of booksellers, who bind and sell it—is that an infringement of copy- right? Yes, if the person suing is in possession of the copyright ; for such a person can impose restrictions upon the manner in which and the people to whom the work may be sold. But No, if it is only a case of breach of trade contract between one dealer and another. BANKRUPTCY.—WHAT IS A PERSONAL CONTRACT ? If a publisher die, or become bankrupt, having contracted with the owner of a copyright to publish for him in a certain manner or at a certain price, how far is the person into whose possession the work may come bound to carry out the terms of the original contract. This is a question of importance to many authors just now, and it was answered by the New York Supreme Court in the case of Murphy v. Christian Press Association much as the Court would answer it over here. The plaintiff, Murphy, acquired from the Catholic Publication Society a set of plates of a prayer book with permission to publish. It was agreed between the parties that the book should not be sold below a certain price. The Catholic Publication Society was dissolved, and the receiver sold other sets of the same plates to the Christian Press Association, who proceeded to sell under the stated rate, though, it appeared, they had knowledge of the contract. Held, at two trials, that though technically the original contract between Murphy and the Associa- tion was a personal one, it yet related to the use of property in a certain way and obliged all who might acquire that property, with notice of the agreement, to fulfil its conditions. CHARLES WEEKES. (To be continued.) ge UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. a Aw Act ro AMEND SECTION FORTY-NINE HUNDRED ~ AND FIFTY-TWO OF THE REVISED STATUTES. E it enacted by the Senate and House of a4 Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Section forty-nine hundred and fifty-two of the Revised Statutes be, and the same is, hereby amended so as to read as follows: Sec. 4952. musical composition, engraving, cut, photograph, or negative The author, inventor, designer, or ; proprietor of any book, map, chart, dramatic or thereof, or of a painting, — drawing, chromo, statue, statuary, and of models —  THE AUTHOR. or designs intended to be perfected as works of the fine arts, and the executors, administrators, or assigns of any such person shall, upon complying with the provisions of this chapter, have the sole liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing, com- pleting, copying, executing, finishing and vending the same; and, in the case of a dramatic composi- tion, of publicly performing or representing it, or causing it to be performed or represented by others. And authors or their assigns shall have exclusive right to dramatise or translate any of their works for which copyright shall have been obtained under the laws of the United States. Whenever the author or proprietor of a book in a foreign language, which shall be published in a foreign country before the day of publication in this country, or his executors, administrators, or assigns, shall, within twelve months after the first nublication of such book in a foreign country obtain a copyright for a translation of such book in the English language, which shall be the first copyright in this country for a translation of such book, he and they shall have, during the term of such copyright, the sole liberty of printing, re- printing, publishing, vending, translating, and dramatising the said book, and, in the case of a dramatic composition, of publicly performing the same, or of causing it to be performed or repre- sented by others. Provided, That this Act shall only apply to a citizen or subject of a foreign State or nation when such foreign State or nation permits to citizens of the United States of America benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to tts own citizens. Passed the House of Representatives December 14th, 1904. Attest : A. McDowELL, Clerk. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PATENTS. The Committee on Patents, to whom was referred the Bill (H.R. 6487) for the amendment of Section 4952 of the Revised Statutes, recommended the said Billdo pass with the following amendment : Strike out the words “benefit of copyright on the same basis as is given to its citizens by this Act,” lines 1 and 2, page 3 of the printed Bill, and insert in lieu thereof the words “‘ benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens.” The following letter is submitted in support of this favourable report :— Liprary OF ConGRESS, COPYRIGHT OFFICE, Wasuineton, D.C., January 26th, 1905. Srr,—In compliance with your request of January 28rd for an expression of opinion from this office on House Bill 6487, to amend Section 173 4952 of the Revised Statutes, relating rights, I beg to report as follows :— p 1. That the purpose of this Bill appears to this office equitable and unobjectionable. 2. That the proviso passed by the House in the way of an amendment to the original bill would seem to require some slight alteration in order to bring its provisions into harmony with the Act of March 3rd, 1891. This alteration should be that in lines 1 and 2, on page 3, the words “ benefit of copyright on the same basis as is given to its citizens by this Act,” should be changed to read, “benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens.” 3. The Bill provides for a period of one year within which to comply with the requirement that the work shall be typeset within the limits of the United States, but this term of twelve months is allowed only when the book is originally published in a foreign language. In equity there would seem to be no reason why the allowance should not equally extend to all books originally published abroad. 4, That the words in lines 16 and 17, page 2, reading, ‘“‘ which shall be the first copyright in this country for a translation of such book” would cause difficulty of construction, and, if construed literally, are calculated to nullify the benefit proposed by the Bill. They should, we think, be stricken out. Conflicting claims between translations entered for copyright would require to be settled by the Courts as other matters of dispute. This is not to object to the present Bill, but to suggest that it might go further with advantage. THORVALD SOLBERG, Register of Copyrights. HERBERT PUTNAM, Librarian of Congress. Approved and transmitted. Your Committee deem it inadvisable at this Session to enlarge the scope of this Bill to extend to all books originally published abroad. It is the purpose of your Committee to attempt a codifica- tion of the copyright laws at the next Session of Congress. to copy- —“~- ON A LITTLE OLD BOOK. ~~ UMBER rooms hold these little volumes now ; the tops or the backs of book shelves where the old hymn-books are, the obsolete manuals of devotion, and the tattered school books ; some, as I have discovered, may be rescued from the penny or the twopenny box of the second- hand bookshop; a few are treasured. ‘T'reasured, my little old book, though it may have known the  172 selling at half-a-crown, may a bookseller, who has a stock of the eighteenpenny edition, take off the paper covers, bind in cloth, and sell at two shillings, thus bringing this two shilling cloth edition into competition with the publisher's half-crown cloth edition ? This case was decided before the judg- ment was delivered in the Publishers’ Association y. Straus, so no guidance could be obtained from that ruling. The Court below held that the action of the bookseller could not be restrained, and the Supreme Court affirmed the decision. In an English case, which came under the writer’s personal notice some time ago, the bookseller was warned by the publisher that the practice was a contravention of the spirit, if not of the letter, of the Net Book Agreement, and the bookseller, after some correspondence, consented to see it in this light and withdrew his offending cheap cloth edition. I believe the English Booksellers’ and Publishers’ Association have frequently had similar cases to deal with, but, so far, none has become the subject of litigation. An action arising on the question would be interesting, for it would test the legality of our own “ Net Book” combination. ‘A similar case was that of Doan v. The American Book Company. Here the bookseller purchased from the publishers second-hand copies of various works, rebound, and sold them at a reduced price. The action was for infringement of copyright. Byen publishers, like authors, seem to be under the impression that “ infringement of copyright ” is the only safe action in the defence of literary property. The publishers won, but Doan took the case to appeal. The Appeal Court held that there was no infringement, and reversed the judgment. Tt was unfair competition to rebind second-hand books so as to resemble the new ones, and sell them at a reduced price, but—that was another story. REPRINTING OLD EDITIONS. Readers of Darwin will remember that the original edition of the “ Origin of Species” fell out of copyright a few years ago, and that an English publisher put on the market, as against Darwin’s publisher, a cheap reprint of this work, without those additions to, and revisions of, the book subsequently made by Darwin, which still enjoyed copyright. Was that unfair competition? The ‘American Circuit Court of Missouri had a similar question put to it in the case of Webster’s Dictionary, the original edition of which fell out of copyright, and was reprinted by @ competing publisher without the subsequent additions. The Court held that it was unfair competition and granted an injunction. Wrona Use or WASTE PAPER. When an author’s book meets with the unhappy fate of being sold as waste-paper, and the waste- THE AUTHOR. paper merchant, instead of either destroying the edition, or otherwise using it only as waste paper, allows it to get into the hands of booksellers, who bind and sell it—is that an infringement of copy- right ? Yes, if the person suing is in possession of the copyright ; for such a person can impose restrictions upon the manner in which and the people to whom the work may be sold. But No, if it is only a case of breach of trade contract between one dealer and another. BANKRUPTCY.—WHAT IS A PERSONAL CoNTRACT ? If a publisher die, or become bankrupt, having contracted with the owner of acopyright to publish for him in a certain manner or at a certain price, how far is the person into whose possession the work may come bound to carry out the terms of the original contract. This is a question of importance to many authors just now, and it was answered by the New York Supreme Court in the case of Murphy v. Christian Press Association much as the Court would answer it over here. The plaintiff, Murphy, acquired from the Catholic Publication Society a set of plates of a prayer book with permission to publish. It was agreed between the parties that the book should not be sold below a certain price. The Catholic Publication Society was dissolved, and the receiver sold other sets of the same plates to the Christian Press Association, who proceeded to sell under the stated rate, though, it appeared, they had knowledge of the contract. Held, at two trials, that though technically the original contract between Murphy and the Associa- tion was a personal one, it yet related to the use of property in a certain way and obliged all who might acquire that property, with notice of the agreement, to fulfil its conditions. CHARLES WEEKES. (To be continued.) 9g UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. + An Act to AMEND SECTION FoRTY-NINE HUNDRED AND Firry-two OF THE REVISED STATUTES. E B Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Section forty-nine hundred and fifty-two of the Revised Statutes be,and the same is, hereby. amended so as to read as follows: Sec, 4952. 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, and of models it enacted by the Senate and House of  THE AUTHOR. or designs intended to be perfected as works of the fine arts, and the executors, administrators, or assigns of any such person shall, upon complying with the provisions of this chapter, have the sole liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing, com- pleting, copying, executing, finishing and vending the same; and, in the case of a dramatic composi- tion, of publicly performing or representing it, or causing it to be performed or represented by others. And authors or their assigns shall have exclusive right to dramatise or translate any of their works for which copyright shall have been obtained under the laws of the United States. Whenever the author or proprietor of a book in a foreign language, which shall be published in a foreign country before the day of publication in this country, or his executors, administrators, or assigns, shall, within twelve months after the first publication of such book in a foreign country obtain a copyright for a translation of such book in the English language, which shall be the first copyright in this country for a translation of such book, he aud they shall have, during the term of such copyright, the sole liberty of printing, re- printing, publishing, vending, translating, and dramatising the said book, and, in the case of a dramatic composition, of publicly performing the same, or of causing it to be performed or repre- sented by others. Provided, That this Act shall only apply to a citizen or subject of a foreign State or nation when such foreign State or nation permits to citizens of the United States of America benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens. Passed the House of Representatives December 14th, 1904. Attest : A. McDoweELt, Clerk. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PATENTS. The Committee on Patents, to whom was referred the Bill (H.R. 6487) for the amendment of Section 4952 of the Revised Statutes, recommended the said Bill do pass with the following amendment : Strike out the words “‘ benefit of copyright on the same basis as is given to its citizens by this Act,” lines 1 and 2, page 3 of the printed Bill, and insert in lieu thereof the words “‘ benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens.” The following letter is submitted in support of this favourable report :— Liprary or Concress, CopyRIGHT OFFICE, Wasuineton, D.C., January 26th, 1905. Sir,—In compliance with your request of January 23rd for an expression of opinion from this office on House Bill 6487, to amend Section 173 Ke ts . a a“ aloe ees, relating to copy- : g port as follows :— 1. That the purpose of this Bill appears to this office equitable and unobjectionable. 2. That the proviso passed by the House in the way of an amendment to the original bill would seem to require some slight alteration in order to bring its provisions into harmony with the Act of March 3rd, 1891. This alteration should be that in lines 1 and 2, on page 3, the words “ benefit of copyright on the same basis as is given to its citizens by this Act,” should be changed to read, “benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens.” 8. The Bill provides for a period of one year within which to comply with the requirement that the work shall be typeset within the limits of the United States, but this term of twelve months is allowed only when the book is originally published in a foreign language. In equity there would seem to be no reason why the allowance should not equally extend to all books originally published abroad. 4. That the words in lines 16 and 17, page 2, reading, “ which shall be the first copyright in this country for a translation of such book” would cause difficulty of construction, and, if construed literally, are calculated to nullify the benefit proposed by the Bill. They should, we think, be stricken out. Conflicting claims between translations entered for copyright would require to be settled by the Courts as other matters of dispute. This is not to object to the present Bill, but to suggest that it might go further with advantage. THORVALD SOLBERG, Register of Copyrights. HERBERT PUTNAM, Librarian of Congress. Approved and transmitted. Your Committee deem it inadvisable at this Session to enlarge the scope of this Bill to extend to all books originally published abroad. It is the purpose of your Committee to attempt a codifica- tion of the copyright laws at the next Session of Congress. <> ON A LITTLE OLD BOOK. ——1_—~<>e UMBER rooms hold these little volumes now ; the tops or the backs of book shelves where the old hymn-books are, the obsolete manuals of devotion, and the tattered school books ; some, as I have discovered, may be rescued from the penny or the twopenny box of the secoud- hand bookshop; a few are treasured. ‘Treasured, my little old book, though it may have known the  174 lumber room in its day or the backmost recesses of the topmost shelf before the penny box yielded it to me—treasured at some time, whatever the vicissitudes through which it had passed ! For narrow strips of stamp-paper (the mellow stamp-paper of the old red V ictorian stamp), applied with I know not what of tenderness and care, hold the covers in their place. Who fashioned the gentle bandages ? Who, with patience, loving kindness, and a straight eye, applied them? Senti- ment and the memory of some happy childhood are in every slender band. As I look at the little decrepit volume—time and hard times between them having dealt heavily even with its “ restora- tion” !—it seems to me right and fitting that the stamp-paper of which its props and ligaments are composed should be mid- Victorian. Neither the mauve borders of later Victoria, nor the “ pink” of early Edward would have provided quite the right mending. Sentiment was less rare in the latter half, even, of the nineteenth century, than in the age of the motor-car. Treasured, the Jittle old book ! The book itself is mid-William IV. The title- page is missing. so that we find ourselves face to face with the preface, as we lift the loosened cover. “ In the simple title of ‘Rhymes for the Nursery’ the pretensions of this little volume are fully explained,” says the preface humbly. “In the Vur- sery they are designed to circulate” (the “preten- sions” ?), “and within its sanctuary walls the writers claim shelter from the eye of criticism.” The writers—if their grammar, maybe, was a trifle shaky—were over-modest. The little book is in some ways a big book. The very spirit of the sheltered nursery and of child-life lies between the mended covers. “ Good Night ” holds it : “ Baby, baby, lay your head, On your pretty cradle-bed.” “Getting Up”: “ Baby, baby, ope your eye, For the sun is in the sky.” “Good Mamma,” “ What Clothes are Made Of,” “ Charles and the Animals””—most of all, perhaps, “The Sparrows” : “ Oh, dean, if you'd eat a erwmd out of my hand, How happy and glad I should be!” To turn the mended pages is to be reminded of your own childhood. All its little yearnings are here, its griefs, its lessons, its encouragements, its pleasures. Do you remember your first cut finger ? Tf so, but more especially if not, let me read you a verse of “ The Cut.” “Well, what’s the matter? There’s a face ! What! Has it cut a vein? And is it quite a shocking place ? Come, let us look again.” THER AUTHOR. “Come, let us look again!” The inspiration is there, I think—the minuteness of the shocking place, showing you in a moment your chubby finger fearfully extended for a horrified inspection. Come, let us look again! Do you remember the distinc- tion the bandages lent you, the “ indulgences” you claimed for the wounded member, the exemp- tions, the care? Apropos, I remember a proud young friend of five, a little scar on whose forehead constituted his title to the airs he gave himself when the topic of accidents was broached. He had fallen against the nursery fender, and Ais head had been cut open. “Cut quite open.” For years I looked at him with awe, believing implicitly that — before the wound had been “ sewn up”? (impressive term in itself!) you could lift up half his head, as you lift the lid of a kettle or pot, and lookin. He had a right to his pride. “About Learning to Read” is another of the subjects which stir memories. The modest writers seem to have forgotten nothing and to have under- stood everything—qualifications indeed for the task they had set themselves. Did a pin or a pen, or maybe a knitting-needle, “point” for you? A pencil “pointed” for me, I remember, and I recall now the delight of the day when it was discovered that my teacher (herself!) had made little straggling lines under the letters and words, thus doing what was called (when I did it) “defacing your books!” Too modest, I say, were the writers. We a something, all of us, I fancy, about ies. “So, so, you are running away, Mr. Fly, But I'll come at you now if you don’t go too high ; There, then, I have caught you, you can’t get away: Never mind, my old fellow, I’m only in play.” “ Oh, Charles! cruel Charles ! you have hilled the pour fly, You have pinched him so hard, he is going to die Follows, “The Cruel Boy and the Kittens” : “What! go and see the kittens drown’d, On purpose, in the yard!” On purpose in the yard! Then there is “ Harriet ” : « What is it that makes little Harriet cry ? Come, then, let mainma wipe the tear from her eye: There—lay down your head on my bosom—that’s right, ‘And now tell mamma what’s the matter to-night.” Harriet hardly knew what made her cry, but : knew, with us all, what it is to need comforting. The tragedies of the nursery are the tragedies of the world in little. ‘The modest writers under- stood Harriet, and those who should read of her, from the days of William IV. to Edward VII. Not a child but would find himself somewhere.  THE AUTHOR. Says “ One Little Boy” : *“T'm a little gentleman, Play and ride and dance I can : Very handsome clothes I wear, And Tf live on dainty fare : And whenever out I ride, I’ve a servant by my side.” Says “ Another Little Boy ”—a “ husbandman,” and, as I fear me, a prig: “ T've a hearty appetite, And I soundly sleep at night. Down I lie content, and say, ‘T’ve been useful all the day : Id rather be a ploughboy than A useless little gentleman.’ ” For a prototype in the mid-William nursery ‘there are plenty to choose from: “Idle Mary” (“Oh, Mary, this will never do! This work is sadly done, my dear!”) ; “ Sleepy Harry” (‘TI do not like to go to bed”); ‘The Little Girl that could not Read”; “The Little Girl that Beat her Sister” —some fifty or sixty in all. However naughty the little Original Sinner, it is, ‘‘ Come, let us reason together,” as in the Good Book of all. “What ! ery when I wash you, not love to be clean ! Then, go and be dirty, unfit to be seen : And till you leave off, and I see you have smiled, Tl not take the trouble to wash such a child. Suppose I should leave you now, just as you are, Do you think you'd deserve a sweet kiss from papa, Or to sit on his knee, and learn pretty great A, With fingers that have not been wash’d all the day ? “ Ay, look at your fingers, you see it is so: Did you ever behold such a black little row ? And for once you may look at yourself in the glass : There’s a face to belong to a good little lass! Come, come then, I see yow’re beginning to clear, You won't be so foolish again, will you, dear?” As I read, and see picture after picture conjured up by the magic of the modest pens, I wonder less and less that the volume was ‘‘ treasured.” What upheaval, what series of deaths or disasters brought it from sheltered places to the common grave of the penny box? Who sat on whose lap in far-off days to hear it read? Who “clamped” it with stamp-paper, trimmed its frayed edges, nursed it ? I shall never know, but I know why these things were done, and by reason of it and (indirectly) of them, I should, if I were a publisher of children’s books, rummage in lumber rooms, top shelves, and the penny boxes, that (to paraphrase a notable saying) when I was offered a new book I might publish an old one. : RICHARD PRYCE. 175 THE USE OF FICTION. + WAS sitting in my armchair one evening, at that time when the sky grows dusky and __ the street lamps are not lit; when the flickering firelight seems companionable and leads towards meditation. I was thinking of the words of a great modern novelist, in which he pointed out how much more potent a force than pulpit utterances was the novel, and in which he indi- cated future works would largely deal with human passion blended with religion. It is true under the present conditions of civilisation (conditions which we must hope for the honour and glory of humanity will not always exist) the great passions form the real foundations of life, and when blended with ideas of a religious tendency are strong factors in the well-being or otherwise of the social state. As civilisation is at present constituted they are as the foundation to the house or the roots to the tree; in the first instance giving strength and solidity to the upper stories which rise into the light and warmth of day, in the other furnishing sustenance to the aie to bring forth green leaves and golden ruit. As we walk through the streets the sun may shine on the windows of the houses and may light up the faces of happy men and women, of merry children, looking upon the comings and goings of the outside public. May we not think of these apartments and of the existence of those within them, and take some interest in it all, and yet not forget the humbler foundations and the humble workmen who made them? As we walk through the country lane may we not admire the beauty of the orchard, and if asked to do so, taste of the luscious apples? May we not do this and yet be mindful of the men who delved and covered the feeble roots with soil ; in due time to produce the tree with which and its products sight and taste are well pleased ? In other words, why should the future novel be all passion mixed with religion? Have we not even now a little too much of dismal scenes and just a little too much of that sort of sentiment which some may speak of as religious ? There is no doubt a great future for the novel. Sir Walter Scott spoke of himself and his novels as of aman who by opening a shutter let a little light into a dark room. The shutter has been opened a little wider since his day, but there has been super- imposed upon the white glass of the window many coloured glasses, mostly of various tints of red, which destroy the purity and truthfulness of the daylight which should stream in through the unstained panes.  176 The novel of the future should deal with life as it is. Taking a few illustrations from a sister art, its sentiment should range from the poetic solemnity of a “ Beata Beatrix” to the charming simplicity, full of lurking humour in the eyes, of the “Parson’s Daughter.” Passion deeper than that of the “ Beata Beatrix,” if passion is present in that exquisite picture, could and should be depicted ; fun lighter even than the jocund mood which hides about the lips of the “ Parson’s Daughter,” as beautiful and as winsome as a painting can well be, should be found in the alluring pages of the coming fiction ; but only in rare quantities. And this passion, this sentiment, this humour should only be expressed through the book’s individualism—individuals, not types. The joke, the feeling, the intense emotion, come home with treble force, with far more subtle effect when they are portrayed in individual characters and not in types of human nature. Abounding in individualism, the novel becomes at once a live book, because it has life palpitating within its covers. What a wonderful thing is this ; what a mighty power trending towards good! I say, unhesitatingly, for good. Only for good would a genius who could create men and women for all time consent to work. His theme would be as high and as ideal in range as the finest poetry, and wide in range as humanity itself, for through its individualism it would appeal to brothers and sisters throughout the whole world. We may well ask to what use could this immense influence be put? Ah! what subject too low, what too high, for the pen of the novelist con- nected in any way with what concerns us spiritually or materially! In all well-ordered governments employment should be found for willing hands held out asking for it. In all well-governed cities and towns hotbeds of disease in the form of insanitary dwellings should never exist. This poverty, this hideous approach of death will surely be eradicated in the future through the inventive faculties of man. Movements in that direction have already been made. And the novelist by his descriptive powers will hasten them on. From the stars and their light coming down to us through eons of time, from the tiny diatoms, so very minute and yet so perfectly formed as to defy detection of fault, from all things great and small, the writer would seek for inspiration ; for all these things, in heaven or earth, are of the utmost importance to man, who must ever be the proper study of the master of fiction. Under the sway of the master science shall proclaim and perform its wonders. It shall no more be an exotic, a thing apart from our daily THE AUTHOR. lives. It shall ever progress in aiding labour, in alleviating, perhaps destroying pain. It shall make clear the truth of religion, so that all doubters will be silenced and eternal hope shall be indeed universal. Science and religion shall be the sweetness and the light of existence; they shall become twin affections of the heart. J. Harris BRIGHOUSE. THE ABUSE OF WORDS. “When I make a word do a lot of work... I always pay it extra,’’—Humpty-Dumpty. “ Adjectives you can do anything with.’’—Zd. T is to be feared that the line of conduct toward the parts of speech put forward by the above-mentioned authority in the former of the two quotations has but few to follow it at the present day. With the great mass of people, both when they speak and when they write, the tendency is to employ a certain number of words, either individually or in set phrases, over and over again rather than to use a variety. The mind of the average man seems to recall with pleasure, in connection with certain ideas, certain familiar words and to shrink from getting out of touch with an old association. It would be difficult to estimate in what proportions the limitation of the ordinary vocabulary is produced by (1) this pleasure in the old association ; and (2) laziness, want of exertion to supplement the deficiencies of ignorance. For it must be acknowledged that there is a con- siderable difference between the case of the lady who characterises everything that she likes as “nice,” and that of the male novelist who invari- ably dresses his heroine in a robe of “clinging material.” But the effect is the same, to lessen the number of words in common use, and to sub- stitute for the free issue of language a currency of the debased coin, as it has been called, of speech and literature. The adjective, of whose adapta- bility Alice’s philsopher-acquaintance on the other side of the looking-glass spoke, is the most abused, in this way, of all the parts of speech. It would appear that some nouns have come to suggest to the mind of the sluggard some particular epithet at once. The original association may have been most appropriate, most poetical; but by constant repetition the union must become, if one is at all fastidious, merely nauseating. Why should we, for instance, not be allowed to hear of any crowd but a “madding crowd,” any anthem but a “ peal- ing” one? (Gray's “Elegy” has, unhappily,  M THE AUTHOR. 177 been a mine exceedingly well worked by the manu- facturers of clichés.) No doubt the constant epithet is of the most respectable antiquity, and was a great favourite with Homer. But quod licet Jovr non licet bovi ; and we do not live in an epic age, nor are we usually troubled by the exigencies of metre. With us there is no need ofa rule, One word, one epithet. It might be urged in defence of the stereotyped expression that it tends to imparta literary flavour. But there is little in this. What appreciation of literature does it show to associate, in season and out, certain phrases with certain ideas? We can but suspect, moreover, in a great number of cases, that the quoter is but half conscious of his quota- tions, since otherwise he would quote more, more widely—and, it may be added, more correctly. As it is, it matters nothing to him that the quotation is wrong or incomplete, as in the familiar (ah ! how familiar) ‘fresh fields and pastures new,” or “thick as leaves in Vallombrosa,” which in those forms, and not in their true forms, are part of the common currency of English speech. Cannot we express change of scene or the idea of multitude without mangling Milton? And really we can hardly suppose that any man hopes to raise the estimate of his talents by the aid of a hackneyed turn of speech. I cannot remember as a child thinking any better of my nurse because she was fond of talking about “ Patience on a monument.” Yet she was using the same device as very many speakers and writers—above all, leader-writers of a certain class, who know no means of pointing their arguments save with a quotation either from Dickens, from Shakespeare, or from the Bible. It is not, however, only the literary tag which annoys. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of other collocations of words in our language which the general mind cannot apparently avoid, and seems to regard it as indecent to vary. The resulting dialect—it is almost such—has been called **journalese,” though it is by no means limited to the newspapers. The diction of the minor writer both is affected by and reacts on common speech. To him every anniversary is an “auspicious occa- sion,” every entertainment a “ brilliant function.” Every marriage ceremony is a “very pretty wed- ding,” at every banquet the “festive board groans,” every host is “genial,” every actress and every coffin received “ floral tributes.” One cannot even be drowned without finding a “watery grave.” In descriptions of funerals most especially does such a writer revel in the trite. A very well-known “organ of public opinion ” (or perhaps I should say “advertising medium’’) once set up a record in its description of some great man’s burial by the number of times which it used the expression “the mournful corfége.” And cortége is now more than ever the stereotyped word for the procession which wends its way” to the cemetery, qualified by the epithet of “mournful” or “ funeral,” as you will. Nor do births escape the fate of marriages and deaths. Hard indeed is it for a son to come into the world without incurring the charge of being a “bouncing boy.” Daughters presumably never bounce. Their unfortunate brothers are almost invariably made to. Extreme youth can no more soften the heart of the relentless clicheur than can the years of the old man whose “ venerable head” he is so fond of describing, particularly when “bowed in sorrow.” It is a point which may be noticed that it is far more in expressions of praise than in those of cen- sure that the average man seems unable to escape the hackneyed word. He is in accord with Théo- phile Gauthier about the greater difficulty of expressing praise than blame. For he works his limited vocabulary of laudation very hard, whereas with words of disapproval he is seldom at a loss for variety. Herein he is evidently akin to the gentle- men famed for their ability to swear for half-an- hour without repeating themselves. One has only to study the wealth of epithets with which men are able to qualify the policy and the speeches of their political opponents, to be convinced of this. But such has been the case from the time of the early orators downward ; when they had called their own party “the good” they ceased to look further for a description of them, but they had a stock of elegant synonyms for their adversaries. Yet if we allow a certain greater richness in man’s vituperative power, compared with the resources of his praise, we still find the mass of undistinguished writers incapable of imparting variety to descriptions of the unpleasant or the disapproved. So it is that we get so often reiterated the conjunctions ‘‘ unutterable horror,” “unspeakable dread,” and the like. The saving in time and thought is, of course, great. The writer has brought himself to a point where progress is difficult. From the lumber-room of his mind he drags forth some well-worn, battered expression, assured that in the corresponding rooms in his readers’ minds are lying exact facsimiles. There can be no excuse for their not understanding him if he uses the expression ; and so he uses it. Is there any reason why he slould not? I know of none if his self-respect does not prevent him. So the question merely resolves itself into one of good taste. The last word suggests the tag which the bores might hasten to supply ; but in literature and in language the question of taste cannot be left out of dispute, for it is of their essence. PW. ee 9  178 THE COMMISSION AGENT AND THE WRITER. —<_ HERE are a number of persons con nected with various branches of trade who make a more or less precarious living by introducing buyers to sellers, without attaching themselves to any particular firm or being con- stituted the recognised agents of any particular principals. To a certain extent, T believe, these go-betweens act in the disposal of literary wares, but whether there are many of them, or a large number of authors and editors who require their services, and value them, I do not know. Probably the Secretary of the Society of Authors could say more than most people on the subject, as the agent of this class, who of course does not work for love, is a little apt to claim commissions which the person whom he has had to do with has not formally agreed to pay, and disputes arise as to the nature of the employment after the work has been done. In literary matters, T take it, commission agents, acting as free-lances, in the employment of no one in particular, do not do much in the way of bringing the author in contact with the publisher, but rather in the selling of stories, articles and other matter suitable for magazines, to editors. Editors sometimes want articles on special subjects, or they can be per- suaded that they do, and the agent may be an ingenious man who can invent a want for the editor, and lay his hand upon the right man_ to satisfy it. There is no particular harm in this. Tt does not affect the weil-known writer, whose work may be in the hands of an agent already, or who knows pretty well what to do with his books when they are written. It rather affects those who can write, but do not always understand what is most likely to be accepted, or who is most likely to need it. It is no doubt useful to these to have someone to carry through business for them, to do which for themselves may not be a congenial task. The trouble, however, from what I hear, arises most frequently in this way. The agent approaches the author and tells him that he can place for him a story or an article or a series of articles on such and such a subject, but says nothing about any payment to himself for doing so. The author expects to be told with whom he is dealing, not only because he wishes to be sure that the money is safe, but because he likes to know in what class of publication his work is to appear. He therefore, after the arrangement has been initiated, deals directly with the editor, or does so through his usual agent if he has one. He assumes, and possibly his agent does the same, that the person who first applied to him was the agent of the THE AUTHOR. editor, and that he will look to the editor only for the remuneration for his services. his, however, does not always turn out to be the case. At some late period in the transaction, perbaps when the bargain has been arranged, or possibly after publication has taken place, the commission agent applies to the author for a percentage of the sum paid in respect of it. The author naturally denies that he has ever agreed to pay anything, but finds that the demand made is being persisted in. The position then becomes an awkward one. ‘That there has been no arrangement whatever to pay a commission may be clear to the author, but a service has been rendered, and a jury may take the view that there was an implied contract, if not an express one, to pay for it at some customary rate, as to which the plaintiff may bring evidence. In any case the author wishes to ac® fairly, and perhaps the agent may be a useful man whom it would be impolitic to offend. When this last has been said, no doubt, there remains but little which can be said on behalf of the agent. He has come to the author unsolicited, he has quite possibly represented himself as pur- chasing, or arranging for a purchase, on behalf of a principal, who eventually agrees to take what is sold and to pay, and if the agent says nothing about reward from the vendor, he has no right to expect it. An author who does not mind running the risk will resist him, and possibly will do so successfully. Another will pay to save himself the worry of litigation, with the danger of increasing his loss thereby. The only safe plan, therefore, for the writer who is approached by one of these hangers-on of literature is to have it made perfectly clear at the outset whether there is or is not to be a commission due from him if what is proposed is carried out. He may as well remember that in ordinary transactions of a commercial character where this kind of introduction of business takes place, it is perfectly well recognised that the agent is going to make all he can out of the deal, and that business men, unless they are very careless, make the whole thing plain, as a matter of course. They generally, moreover, recognise tacitly the fact that the man who introduced the business is going to make a profit out of both sides. ‘The question of secret commissions is a thorny one, but as a rule in a strictly business transaction the buyer makes up his mind as to what he will give “to cover everything,” and the seller is equally assured as to what he will take and as to how much he will pay in order to get it. If there is any obscurity as to where the profit of the person is to come from who has brought the parties together, in order to make what he can by doing so, the ordinary business man makes it clear by asking a question or by making a stipulation, and if he does not know with a  + in a business-like manner. | to cases in which all the other parts of the contract + may be plainly stated between the writer and the THE AUTHOR. . whom he is dealing sufficiently well to be sure of _ his honesty, he takes care to have written or other - evidence to record what is arranged. These obser- yations only embody the advice which is given to writers pretty frequently in Zhe Author, that is, that they should make their business arrangements They refer, however, Editor, who have been brought into direct contact with one another, and in which the question of com- mission to the third person may well have been tem- porarily forgotten. The Editor, however, is quite likely to have remembered it, and to have told the agent clearly that from him nothing was to be expected. He says, in short, that the article, if published, will be paid for, but that the fee for the placing of it is to be obtained from the person who receives payment for it, and not from him who makes the payment. It would be interesting to know whether instances of this class of dispute are really of frequent occurrence, and what variety of circumstance introduces complication into them. E. ——————EE WHAT DOES THE NEWSPAPER PUBLIC WANT? sana a IXING, as I have occasion to do, with men and women of many sorts and conditions, T have been struck by hearing the remark made quite frequently of late years by high and low and rich and poor alike : “ Why don’t the papers give us more news and fewer ‘horrors ?’” The reply of the uninitiated generally is that there is no more news to give. The reply of the editor would of course be that the public wants the stuff. And these are the statements I wish to dispute. No believe, in the first place, that there is “no more news to give,” and that “the newspapers must fill their columns somehow,” is to believe what is wholly false, as all who have had to do with the editorial department of any great news- paper are aware. ‘The difficulty every editor of a “news” newspaper has to contend with is the problem of crowding news that would easily fill several columns into every single column he has at his disposal. “Every night day after day ”—as I heard an Irish editor say once—in the office of pro- bably every important daily paper published in the United Kingdom a quantity of interesting news already set up in type is at the last moment either omitted altogether, or condensed into a few lines of bare report, or “held over,” and yet space 179 is found for half-a-dozen or more reports of what I hope I may be forgiven for speaking of as murders of no consequence, and suicides of no interest, and divorce cases that even the “ masses” we so often allude to in tones almost of contempt are for the most part not greatly interested in and would much sooner not trouble to read about if they were given the chance of reading anything else. The chance, however, they seldom get. The reason they so seldom get it is that certain editors have, pre- sumably from force of habit, apparently grown to believe implicitly that the only news the “man in the street” cares to read consists of details of every provincial murder and every petty suicide—I call them so merely to distinguish them from crimes rendered of general interest owing to some excep- tionally remarkable feature or circumstance con- nected with them—with the result that news that would in reality prove far more acceptable to the general public, including the ‘“ masses,” has of necessity to be crowded out. If the public wanted this stuff I should say by all means give it to it and let it wallow in it to its heart’s content, for a newspaper to succeed must of course give the public what it wants. I maintain, however—and I speak of what, from constant observation, I know to be the case—that though, naturally, almost everybody is interested in hearing or reading particulars of an exceptionally remark- able or sensational crime, very few nowadays in the least want to read report after report of crimes that are, so to speak, commonplace and of purely local interest. As an example of what I mean, take the follow- ing. This list is compiled from a single copy of a Sunday newspaper that has approximately six pages of advertisements and ten pages of news, etc. I have copied the headings word for word, and the amount of space occupied by letterpress of the sort I have referred to I have set out in. inches. Inches, Doctor's petition against his wife... 2 BP Surgeon’s tragic death ; Miller’s: horrible death ... a - Se cee 2 Fruits of divorce (from Moscow) .-- : 23 Young woman sentenced for killing sweet- heart ; Woman committed on a charge of manslaughter ; Alleged attempted murder — 6} Bermondsey man confesses to cutting his wife's throat... ae ae a oa. Clergyman’s wife sued in the Dublin Courts 16 Sheffield man obtains a divorce —... eri Suicide from Yarmouth pier... ey oe) Yesterday’s law and police ... ae sie 0 Assize trials... =. ie as LG Cyclist’s suicide Be Ss ies es Dismembered wife left in a railway station Girl’s shocking story ... ae Bae ce Sensational sequel to society divorce case ... ) Hussar’s terrible death in a railway tunnel 33 Prison-breaker king; Woman partner in | burglary shares his fate... sk oe  178 THE COMMISSION AGENT AND THE WRITER. —_* HERE are a number of persons con- 1 nected with various branches of trade who make a more or less precarious living by introducing buyers to sellers, without attaching themselves to any particular firm or being con- stituted the recognised agents of any particular principals. To a certain extent, I believe, these go-betweens act in the disposal of literary wares, but whether there are many of them, or a large number of authors and editors who require their services, and value them, I do not know. Probably the Secretary of the Society of Authors could say more than most people on the subject, as the agent of this class, who of course does not work for love, is a little apt to claim commissions which the person whom he has had to do with has not formally agreed to pay, and disputes arise as to the nature of the employment after the work has been done. Tn literary matters, T take it, commission agents, acting as free-lances, in the employment of no one in particular, do not do much in the way of bringing the author in contact with the publisher, but rather in the selling of stories, articles and other matter suitable for magazines, to editors. Editors sometimes want articles on special subjects, or they can be per- suaded that they do, and the agent may be an ingenious man who can invent a want for the editor, and lay his hand upon the right man_ to satisfy it. There is no particular harm in this. It does not affect the weil-known writer, whose work may be in the hands of an agent already, or who knows pretty well what to do with his books when they are written. It rather affects those who can write, but do not always understand what is most likely to be accepted, or who is most likely to need it. It is no doubt useful to these to have someone to carry through business for them, to do which for themselves may not be a congenial task. The trouble, however, from what I hear, arises most frequently inthis way. The agent approaches the author and tells him that he can place for him a story or an article or a series of articles on such and such a subject, but says nothing about any payment to himself for doing so. The author expects to be told with whom he is dealing, not only because he wishes to be sure that the money is safe, but because he likes to know in what class of publication his work is to appear. He therefore, after the arrangement has been initiated, deals directly with the editor, or does so through his usual agent if he has one. He assumes, and possibly his agent does the same, that the person who first applied to him was the agent of the THE AUTHOR. editor, and that he will look to the editor only for the remuneration for his services. This, however, does not always turn out to be the case. At some late period in the transaction, perhaps when the bargain has been arranged, or possibly after publication has taken place, the commission agent applies to the author for a percentage of the sum paid in respect of it. The author naturally denies that he has ever agreed to pay anything, but finds that the demand made is being persisted in. The position then becomes an awkward one. That there has been no arrangement whatever to pay a commission may be clear to the author, but a service has been rendered, and a jury may take the view that there was an implied contract, if not an express one, to pay for it ab some customary rate, as to which the plaintiff may bring evidence. In any case the author wishes to act fairly, and perhaps the agent may be a useful man whom it would be impolitic to offend. When this last has been said, no doubt, there yemains but little which can be said on behalf of the agent. He has come to the author unsolicited, he has quite possibly represented himself as pur- chasing, or arranging for a purchase, on behalf of a principal, who eventually agrees to take what is gold and to pay, and if the agent says nothing about reward from the vendor, he has no right to expect it. An author who does not mind running the risk will resist him, and possibly will do so successfully. Another will pay to save himself the worry of litigation, with the danger of increasing his loss thereby. The only safe plan, therefore, for the writer who is approached by one of these hangers-on of literature is to have it made perfectly clear at the outset whether there is or is not to be a commission due from him if what is proposed is carried out. He may as well remember that in ordinary transactions of a commercial character where this kind of introduction of business takes place, it is perfectly well recognised that the agent is going to make all he can out of the deal, and that business men, unless they are very careless, make the whole thing plain, as a matter of course. They generally, moreover, recognise tacitly the fact that the man who introduced the business is going to make a profit out of both sides. ‘The question of secret commissions is a thorny one, but as a rule in a strictly business transaction the buyer makes up his mind as to what he will give “to cover everything,” and the seller is equally assured as 60 what he will take and as to how much he will pay in order to get it. If there is any obscurity as b0 where the profit of the person is to come from who has brought the parties together, in order to make what he can by doing so, the ordinary business man makes it clear by asking a question or ae making a stipulation, and if he does not know with” .  his honesty, he takes care to have written or other evidence to record what is arranged. ‘These obser- vations only embody the advice which is given to writers pretty frequently in Ze Author, that is, that they should make their business arrangements in a business-like manner. They refer, however, to cases in which all the other parts of the contract may be plainly stated between the writer and the Editor, who have been brought into direct contact with one another, and in which the question of com- mission to the third person may well have been tem- porarily forgotten. The Hditor, however, is quite likely to have remembered it, and to have told the agent clearly that from him nothing was to be expected. He says, in short, that the article, if published, will be paid for, but that the fee for the _ placing of it is to be obtained from the person who ' receives payment for it, and not from him who makes the payment. It would be interesting to know whether instances of this class of dispute are really of frequent occurrence, and what variety of circumstance introduces complication into them. E. —_—___+—~»—e—_— WHAT DOES THE NEWSPAPER PUBLIC WANT ? SL NE ae IXING, as I have occasion to do, with men and women of many sorts and conditions, I have been struck by hearing the remark made quite frequently of late years by high and low and rich and poor alike : “ Why don’t the papers give us more news and fewer ‘horrors ?’” The reply of the uninitiated generally is that there is no more news to give. The reply of the editor would of course be that the public wants the stuff. And these are the statements I wish to dispute. To believe, in the first place, that there is “ no more news to give,” and that “the newspapers must fill their columns somehow,” is to believe what is wholly false, as all who have had to do with the editorial department of any great news- paper are aware. ‘The difficulty every editor of a “news” newspaper has to contend with is the problem of crowding news that would easily fill several columns into every single column he has at his disposal. “Every night day after day ”—as I heard an Irish editor say once—in the office of pro- bably every important daily paper published in the United Kingdom a quantity of interesting news already set up in type is at the last moment either omitted altogether, or condensed into a few lines of bare report, or “held over,” and yet space THE AUTHOR. ' whom he is dealing sufficiently well to be sure of 179 is found for half-a-dozen or more reports of what I hope I may be forgiven for speaking of as murders of no consequence, and suicides of no interest, and divorce cases that even the “masses” we so often allude to in tones almost of contempt are for the most part not greatly interested in and would much sooner not trouble to read about if they were given the chance of reading anything else. The chance, however, they seldom get. The reason they so seldom get it is that certain editors have, pre- sumably from force of habit, apparently grown to believe implicitly that the only news the “ man in the street’’ cares to read consists of details of every provincial murder and every petty suicide—I call them so merely to distinguish them from crimes rendered of general interest owing to some excep- tionally remarkable feature or circumstance con- nected with them—with the result that news that would in reality prove far more acceptable to the general public, including the ‘‘ masses,” has of necessity to be crowded out. If the public wanted this stuff I should say by all means give it to it and let it wallow in it to its heart’s content, for a newspaper to succeed must of course give the public what it wants. I maintain, however—and I speak of what, from constant observation, I know to be the case—that though, naturally, almost everybody is interested in hearing or reading particulars of an exceptionally remark- able or sensational crime, very few nowadays in the least want to read report after report of crimes that are, so to speak, commonplace and of purely local interest. As an example of what I mean, take the follow- ing. ‘This list is compiled from a single copy of a Sunday newspaper that has approximately six pages of advertisements and ten pages of news, etc. T have copied the headings word for word, and the amount of space occupied by letterpress of the sort T have referred to I have set out in, inches. Inches, Doctor’s petition against his wife 27 Surgeon’s tragic death; M iller’s: death ... aoe = pee Fruits of divorce rom Moscow) horrible bo bo om Young woman sentenced for killing sweet- heart ; Woman committed on a charge of manslaughter ; Alleged attempted murder 63 Bermondsey man confesses to cutting his wife's throat... ie ry oo eis Clergyman’s wife sued in the Dublin Courts 16 Sheftield man obtains a divorce... Pee Suicide from Yarmouth pier... a ees Yesterday’s law and police ... ses re 90 Assize trials... ee ai ee 1G tyclist’s suicide ake He fas — Dismembered wife left in a railway station 24 Girl’s shocking story ... ee tee ae Sensational sequel to society divorce case ... 1 Hussar’s terrible death in a railway tunnel Prison-breaker king; Woman partner in | burglary shares his fate... as 8  180 Inches. More stories from the divorce court (illus- trated with ten portraits) ... cos oe Oe Betrayed girl's distressing suicide at Liver- pool . War news— Massacre feared ; Awful scenes at Port Arthur ; Mine explosion causes 700 easualties; A destructive shell; Steamers sunk ; Magazine explodes ; A charnel house ; Great conflagra- tions; Horrible scenes ; Tremendous losses; Plight of the wounded Soe Drama of love; Foreman and girl lover die together mee ne cs ae oad Attempted murder and suicide at Bethnal Green ... en aes we i po Os Mysterious murder : Woman _ shopkeeper killed near Glasgow : Bespattered with blood ... ce a eae a eos Leystone tragedy ae Be 1 East-end crime : Accused committed on the capital charge — cee ra cc Englishman’s attempted murder and suicide at Calais ae os es oe: e Discredited confession of murder... =e Brief courtship ends in a young woman’s suicide cos ke ae SS Body exhumed... ot Ne Total ... (Ten yards two feet.) Now, can any man who is not influenced by tradition really believe that the British public as a body wants to read in any one day ten yards and two fect of this sort of thing, that it prefers read- ing such stuff to reading the columns of sound miscellaneous news of general interest that have been omitted to make place for it? Hardly any of the cases reported under the above headings differ materially in general detail from the hun- dreds of similar cases that occur year after year ; yet were you to hint to the editor that his paper would “ go” better if, say, five or six yards of this class of “literature” were to be omitted and its place filled with accurate miscellaneous news and brightly- written articles dealing with the brighter side of life, he would probably declare with emphasis that you were entirely mistaken. Bast TOZER. <> e--— ~——— A UNIQUE LIBRARY. ——1—<— + —_ OOK-LOVERS may be interested to hear in Mr. Carleton Young’s own words, quoted : in the United States Ovitic, the origin of the unique library which is now becoming a literary monument of universal interest. “ I made a resolve that I would devote my life to forming a library which would be the most adequate tribute I could make to the Art of Literature. I proposed to THE AUTHOR. place under one roof in the beautiful city of Minneapolis, which I love, all the best books of the living writers of every country in the world, no matter in what language written. Each volume was to be inscribed by the author in a character- istic manner. If the writer were a poet, it would be desirable to have a poem written on the fly-leaf. A novelist should write of the manner he conceived his plot, or concerning the principal characters, of his romance; an historian something of the history he related; a biographer of the life of his subject ; a traveller of the lands he visited ; a theologian of the religion he advocated; a philosopher or scientist of the facts or theories he aad promul- gated, etc.” Such was the scheme of the well- known capitalist and bibliophile of America ; and as he has spared himself neither trouble or expense in the execution of this scheme—for he buys the most expensive copies of books, and sends them to the author with prepaid postage for return—the banks of the Mississippi will in time boast of an incomparable temple of literature. R. E. C. ——————_1—_>_+—__ AN INTERVIEW. — + AMES L’ESTRANGE, who has just risen to unlooked for fame by the publication of his first novel, is seated in an armchair by the fire, clad in a smoking coat, and smoking a cigarette. To him enters his old friend, Sypney MayTown. James L’Estrance.—Hullo, Syd, old man, just in time, come in. Sypyey Mayrown.—In time, why ? What for ? (Comes in and sits down.) J. L.—I am just expecting a scribbling cad from the Scorcher to interview me about this blessed old novel, and I don’t want to see him. 3. M.—Look here, my dear chap, if you are engaged (rises to go) J. U.—Don’t be a fool: sit down and make yourself comfortable. You afford a splendid excuse, now I won’t see him. S. M.—Very well, if you won't. What were you going to say to him? I suppose he would have begun by asking what you thought about your art. J. L.—I had prepared myself. (Stands with a cigarette in one hand and strikes an affected attitude.) «All art, my dear sir, is the first sign of that disease that marks the decay of civilisation.” What do you think of that ? Fresh, eh ? S. M.—Not bad; I do not think I have ever heard anything quite so foolish before. May I make a note of it ? J. L.—By all means. Would you like to have — cae  THE AUTHOR. afew more? By the way, old chap, awfully sorry : have a cigarette (hands him the bor) and help yourself to sherry. S. M.—You would not give the Scorcher a glass, I suppose ? J. L.—What! give him sherry and a cigarette, the most comfortable chair, yours for instance ? It’s no use being commonplace. In my case he must stand at the door or quit. S. M.—But he would slate you. J. L.—You are an old fossil. Of course he would: that is the high road to success. S. M.—AIll right; now go on. How about your own art? J. L.—H’m (posing again and addressing amaginary “ Scorcher”). My own art is the most virulent form of that disease. Its followers the most degraded and corrupt of beings. S. M.—Stop a minute, old man (writes it down). ‘That last is not quite new. I believe I have seen it from the pen of some disappointed scribbler. J. L.—It must pass. If not absolutely fresh, it is at any rate opposed to the opinion of the glorious masses. 8. M.—How about critics ? J. L.—Critics are nothing but common para- sites. S. M.—That is strong ; your views are growing with popularity. J. L.—The popular man is always the best hated. S. M.—Quite epigrammatical. I suppose as a matter of fact you are really enamoured of your art and work hard at it. J. L.—Of course, but it won’t do to say so. You musn’t work hard at anything now-a-days if you want to succeed, 8S. M.—Genius must be spontancous, otherwise it is merely realistic. How did you make your first plot ? J. L.—I took it from Dickens. S. M.—That is not new in the least. J. L.—On the contrary, I am the first confessed plagiarist. S. M.—Your characters ? J. L.—Wilkie Collins. 8. M.—Your local colour ? J. L.—Onida. S. M.—Your poetry ? J. L.—Andrew Lang. 8. M.—Your obscurity ? J. L.—George Meredith. S. M.—Your quotations ? J. L.—Myself. That will do for the writing S. M.—For absolute stupidity it takes the cake. You will be asked where your originality comes in. J. L.—What shall I say to that ? 181 8. M.—I can’t think of anything dull enough. Surely you are not at a loss. © 7 J. L.,—Originality—let me see--is the Brocken phantom of the pseudo-plagiarist. S. M.—That’s really very clever. It nothing and sounds very deep. J. L.—Stop a bit, Dll finish that by saying : “but plagiarism is the elysium of real genius.” S. M.—The Scorcher fellow I expect will be so confused by this time that he will change the subject. He will pass lightly on to your family and your relations and your domestic surroundings. J. L.—By that time I shall be getting awfully bored and shall turn airily round and say, “ You can go now.” S. M.—Yonu don’t get rid of these quill-drivers so lightly. J. L.—Oh, if he won’t go, I shall rise from my chair (r7ses), shall seize him by the scraff of the — (seizes imaginary person) and forcibly eject nim. S. M.—Well, old man, I have finished my cigarette, drunk my sherry, and been bored by your conversation, se I will say good-bye. (frets up from armchair and goes towards door.) J. L.—Good-bye. Awfully good of you to come and see me. You'll know what it all means when it comes out in the papers. I don’t think the scribbling cad will come now. (As S. M. goes out J. L. follows, watches him descending the stairs, and shouts after him): If you do see the writing ruffian coming up, tell him I’m not at home. S. M.—(Prom the ground floor, laughing) : You have entertained an angel unawares. I am the scribbling cad, the quill-driver, the Scorcher’s special. Look at my card on your table (archly). I shall know what it all means when I see it in the papers. J. L.—Here, Syd, stop you thief. Help! Murder! Fire! (/. L. returns disconsolate to his rooms, picks up card on which is written “ Mr. Sydney Maytown, ‘The Scorcher’? Office.’) Well, what a cunning old humbug. I really must take in the Scorcher. means AL B.C. <> CORRESPONDENCE. INCOME TAX FOR AUTHORS. . I, R. W. O. Hodges, whose opinion on the assessment of income-tax payable in respect of profit from authorship you published, intended as far I can judge from his  182 words, to supply an answer to a practical question of law. He iliustrated a lucid exposition of the law by means of an analogy with a view to making his point clearer to laymen, and apparently Mrs. F, A. Steel’s sarcasm in her letter published in the last Author is directed against his analogy rather than against his law. If I am wrong I shall no doubt be corrected. Analogies are sometimes misleading even when handled by lawyers. Lord Jessel, when he was first Solicitor-General, had once, I believe, to re- quest the Court of Appeal to “ listen ” before they interrupted him with “ hasty analogies,” but I doubt if Mr. Hodges’ analogy was either hastily conceived or is likely to mislead. Mrs. Steel would, apparently, distinguish in the assessment of income-tax between a coachbuilder and an author, allowing in the case of the latter for an expenditure of brains, or “time, brains, health ” ; that is to say, she would make a deduc- tion on account of this latter kind of expenditure such as is made for more material expenditure in every case before profits are reckoned. At present the law is equal ; no deduction 18 allowed for “brains” expended either by the author or by the coachbuilder, or by any other business man. Mr. Hodges would have been advising incorrectly had he suggested otherwise. Does Mrs. Steel consider that Mr. Hodges was called upon to express an opinion upon this, or to advocate some new principle to be introduced into income-tax assessment ? Could he have done so reasonably ? I take it that any such principle would apply equally ; or does Mrs. Steel intend to place authors alone among those who exhaust their brains, their inventive faculties, or their powers of observation, in their business ? Are business men, like authors, to be allowed to say, “ We have worn ourselves out with work over this scheme or that ; we shall never hit on such a brilliant idea again. ; we can use none of our material again; we have made many thousands of pounds, but you must deduct from our net profits, reckoned in the old way, a thousand or two for brain exhaustion and using of ideas?” Do authors as @ class write themselves out in the manner suggested very much more than other workers work themselves out 2? Is the instance (her own case) given by Mrs. Steel a typical one ? I will leave living authors out of the question. At what point in their lives were Dickens, Thackeray, Harrison Ainsworth, Bulwer Lytton, Dumas, Balzac (make the list longer, if you please, and assume that they lived in days of a shilling tax:in the pound) entitled to say, ‘ we put so much capital into this book and that, in the form of brains, that the State must make a return to us of income-tax over paid?” Take THE AUTHOR. at random a writer or two famous for one or a few books. Ought J. H. Shorthouse, or Tom Hughes, or Lewis Carroll, to have been enabled to say, ‘We wrote so well in the works. that have made our names household words, and have written so little since, that you must pay back to us all income-tax in respect of our works in con- sequence of the debilitated state to which we have reduced ourselves ?”” Ought they on the other hand to have been enabled to claim the exemption at the time when they first calculated their profits ? How would it have had to be done? Would the author of “John Inglesant” have been obliged to make a detailed statement, fortified by medical evidence, of the degree of cerebral impoverishment which he had suffered ? There seem to be practical difficulties in the way of any change in the present arrangements, and I submit that any alteration would at all events have to apply equally to the novelist and the coach- builder. The brain loss of the latter might be too trifling to be worth considering in many instances ; so also occasionally would be that. of the former, but both would have to be treated equally, and to be offered an allowance for any loss of brain proved to have taken place. At present they are treated equally in this, that the State does not attempt to ascertain an expendi- ture which would be, to say the least, difficult to assess justly and accurately. Tt says, in effect, “ Gentlemen and _ ladies, authors, coachbuilders, and others : If you make a tangible profit annually we must take a per- centage of it for State purposes, because we want ships, and abbreviated rifles, and other desirable things for States to possess, but we will allow for any tangible depreciation in your tangible capital, under what is known as Schedule D. If you choose to wear out your brains making money we must take a percentage of that money, we cannot allow for brain deterioration because we don’t know how to estimate it. suggestion to you, which we should not think of doing, we should point out that if you could manage to do with a little less money in the present, you will retain a little more brain for future use.” I may be entirely wrong, put I fancy Mr. Hodges’ legal opinion was correct, and that his analogy was — correct also. I also believe that he neither intended nor expressed any comparison at which any author — (or coachbuilder) need take offence. E. A. ARMSTRONG. Ce a ae Il. Sir,—Mrs. Steel does not stand alone in ad- — miring Mr. Hodges’ comparison of the author and One element of, surprise, the coachbuilder. If we made a i 2  THE AUTHOR. indeed, seems to have escaped her. It seemed to me that Mr. Hodges must have confused the character and functions of an author with those of a publisher. I do not know whether a coach- builder uses the designs of an artist. If he does, the comparison between him and the publisher is just. Hach of them reproduces an indefinite num- ber of copies of a work of art. He does thisin the way of business, pays away outgoings to various subordinate trades, varnish-makers or printers, ironmongers or bookbinders, allows for other ex- penses, and makes a certain profit, on which he pays income-tax. The likeness of either business to the operations of an author is lessobvious. In one point, indeed, Mrs. Steel sees difference where there is resemblance. The particular quart of varnish used in finishing one coach is irrevocably used up, just as are the particular words or ideas used in one book. Indeed, some critics will say that the author has the advantage here. But the more I allow the like- ness, the more bewildered I am by the duties which Mr. Hodges imposes upon me in respect of income-tax. ‘The coachbuilder, keeping proper books, knows exactly what his varnish costs him, and sets that off against his receipts for perfected coaches. But- how am I to estimate the cost of my words and ideas? How much, for example, has that last sentence cost me: and, if I received payment for this letter, how much should I deduct on account of it, to arrive ab my taxable income ? Mr. Hodges says :—“ The author is entitled to deduct any disbursement or expenses which he may have laid out or expended wholly or exclu- sively for the purposes of his vocation.” Since nothing is produced from nothing, and brain stuff requires renewal as regularly as a coachbuilder’s plant, and the butcher and baker have to be paid for this renewal, it is evident that I have expended something wholly or exclusively in the production of that particular sentence. I know that the law does not allow me to deduct anything for “maintenance’’ ; but my maintenance as a house- keeping, voting, taxable animal is one thing; the renewal of my literary stock-in-trade is another thing. Mr. Hodges makes the necessary calcula- tion less minute by allowing that the expenses need not necessarily be appropriated to any particular book or work; but even so, it seems to be my duty to keep very elaborate accounts, and I am threatened with the awkward consequence that my energies may be wholly absorbed in bookkeeping. Thus the calculation of my income for the purpose of taxation will extinguish my income altogether, and I shall be saved further trouble. Mr. Hodges, it is true, overlooks the cost of getting words or ideas, but of course he does not pretend to exhaust the subject. He gives only illustrations 183 of a general principle, and confines himself to certain parts of our stock-in-trade—photographs, sta- tionery, typewriting, books, and travelling expenses. But even these more easily calculated particulars fill me with dread. I will take a notorious ex- ample. Macaulay received a gross sum of £8,000 for the copyright of his History. If he had had Mr. Hodges’ opinion before him, he would have known that he ought to pay income-tax on his net receipts. But how was he to arrive at the net ? Think of the task of disentaneling his: book- buying accounts and his travelling expenses during the previous twenty years! Here, however, Mr. Hodges may afford relief —a relief, unhappily, which brings new pain. The expenses to be deducted must have been “incurred in the period for which the return is made.” This means, I suppose, that the average expenses of three years must be deducted from the average receipts. Let us suppose that Macaulay sold his copyright—I forget the real date—in 1855. His average income from this source, returned in the following year, was £2,666 13s. 4d.; and he would deduct his average expenditure on books and travelling during the last three years. But what about his ex- penses during the previous years of preparation ? A work like Macanlay’s History is not produced ab ovo in three years; and even if it were, the formation of the egg is a long and costly business. But, someone may say, Macaulay was always a writer by profession, a contributor to schedule D : each year he should have calculated his professional outgoings, and deducted them from his gross in- come. ‘The answer is just ; especially if we are agreed that an author’s calling is exactly com- parable with a coachbuilder’s, as steady and as uniform. But the analogy sometimes fails. I do not know whether Mrs. Steel was carefully balancing her annual accounts as author during the twenty-five years spent, as she explains, in buying materials for “ On the Face of the Waters” ; but I do know what was the case with Mr. Short- house. For more than twenty years he was elaborating “ John Inglesant,” and during this period he was certainly not a professional writer, and had no gross income as author from which to deduct the cost of ‘the material which he was putting into that book. When he began to draw an income from it, he could deduct only the average expenditure of the last three years. In one respect Mr. Hodges may bring us com- fort. When | wrote the article which formed the case submitted to him, I supposed, in my unbusiness- like way, that I was bound to return for income- tax the whole of the sums annually received as royalty. It was only the amount received by sales of copyrights about which I had doubts. I know now that I ought to deduct from my royalties the  184 annual expenses of the trade of authorship. They are difficult to calculate, but I must brace myself to the task. I only fear, as I have said, that my income may disappear altogether in consequence. On the whole, the comparison with the coach- builder seems to land us in great difficulties. The mention of “John Inglesant” suggests to me another comparison, which I will venture to put forward, though it does involve the impertinence of going behind Mr. Hodges’ opinion. A doctor amuses himself for a long time by building a house. He makes it his hobby ; he is continually altering and embellishing it, he takes his friends to see it, profiting by their suggestions as well as by those of his own taste. Tt is talked about, and within a certain narrow circle wins a reputation for beauty and comfort. It is at last finished ; he either goes to live in it, or lets it, or sells it, getting in the last case a good price because of its reputation. If he lives in it or lets it, he begins o pay income-tax on the annual value, If he sells it, must he return the price, less expenses, under schedule D, as a speculative builder? The case of “John Inglesant ” seems to me closely analogous. If Mr. Shorthouse received royalties for it, he would pay income-tax on them; but if he sold the copyright, would the sum received really be professional income ? TT, A. LACEY. CopyRIGHT IN Puays. Sir,—Some few years ago I heard Sir Henry Irving (then “Mr. Irving”) in “ Charles the First,” by the late dramatist Wills. Considering the deplorable dearth of good plays nowadays, it seems to me a matter for regret that “Charles the First” has not been revived. It is probable that Sir Henry Irving has the manuscript in his keeping, and he appears to have sole performing right. I have applied to him to know if I could get a chance to read the play, but received a reply merely stating that it has not been published. It will be a great pity if the public never hears anything more of it. Therefore, T venture to ask if nothing can be done to bring it before us again. I remember an amusing incident which happened on the occasion of my hearing the play. I did not know, at that time, the author’s name, and I turned to a man sitting near me, and asked him if he could inform me who was the author. by Shakespeare #” Probably the gentleman had mixed his dates somewhat ! E. Urwicr. THE AUTHOR. He, hesitated for a moment, and then said, ‘‘ Isn’t it. Tue REVIEWING SHAM. Sir,—Is it not time that reviewing should cease, inasmuch that it is a sham? Half the books noticed or reviewed are never read at all, being merely skimmed through, quoted from, condemned or praised, at the whim of the reviewer. Books have been frequently sent to me and I have been asked to review them. To have read conscien- tiously through each (taking only one bundle thereof as an example), and pronounced an honest opinion of the contents, would have taken me 365 days instead of 365 minutes, which is about the usual amount of time allotted by the ordinary reviewer to the same number of books, which I returned, with regrets that I had neither tame nor inclination to read them. I am not blaming the ordinary reviewer. This personage reviews for cash. He does it for a living, and the more books he gets through the larger is the income that he makes. Would it not be a much better plan, think you, for authors when they advertise their books to accompany same with an author's note stating the object and aim of the work, and leave it to the public to read it or not as it feels LS inclined, and form its own judgment thereon? If newspapers would afford space for such a note with | advertisements, and make a moderate charge much trouble would be saved, and the review- ing sham would be abolished. This would be a ~ good job indeed. The excessive expense of sending out “ Copies to the Press” would end, and literature be given fair play all round. Believe me, yours very truly, FuoRENCE DIxie. Glen Stuart, N.B. —-~p— — Tue Humours oF Books AND THE WAYS OF PUBLISHERS. Sir,—I am writing a book under the above title. Both parts of the title will come in for treatment, and I shall be glad of any little help in the way of facts, fancies, and fragments under either. My experience of publishers has been some-_ what extensive and rather mixed. My object will be to give an account of this experience, and par- ticularly of a case now in the hands of solicitors. I have appealed already and received some assist- ance. Iam quite sure that many of your readers — have some good stories to tell. Whatever their | nature be, I should like to receive them. May IT ask the favour of a bounteous reply and supply * Your obedient servant, J. P. SANDLANDS. Brigstock Vicarage, Thrapston. 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. 15 Issue 06 (March 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 06 (March 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-03-01-The-Author-15-6 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/504/1905-04-01-The-Author-15-7.pdf ff86d7b3aeedf554ffdc7079fcf2d69c 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) 1905-04-01 Volume 15 Issue 7 Pages Page range in volume 185–216 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050401 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che HMuthbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XV.—No. 7. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ——————— NOTICES. ——— + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are KE signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. i THE Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author ) #1) that the cases which are from time to time quoted “| in The Author are cases that have come before the ‘| notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the 6 Society, and that those members of the Society * who desire to have the names of the publishers ) concerned can obtain them on application. eG List of Members. THE List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —_— + The Pension Fund of the Society. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, | decided to purchase £250 London and North Western 3% Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the Investments of the Pension Fund at present VoL. XV. APRIL ist, 1905. [Prick SIXPENCE. standing in the names of the Trustees are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— CongOls 25%. ee eae. £1000 0 0 Whocaleioans: i ee 500 0 0 Victorian Government 8 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 War Ioan 4.6.0. ee... 201 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- EUG LOCK ec ge 250 0 0 otal. 2.80356. £2,745 92 Subscriptions from May, 1904. ey May 6,Shepherd,G. H. . : - 0 5 0 June 24, Rumbold, GCB . July 27, Barnett, P. A. : : Nov. 9, Hollingsworth, Charles . 1905 Aas Jan. 12, Anonymous : Donations from May, 1904. Sir Horace, Bart., May 16, Wynne, C. Whitworth D0. 0 June 23, Kirmse, R. . ‘ 0 5 0 June 23, Kirmse, Mrs. R. : - 055.0 July 21, The Blackmore Memorial Committee : - 20 0 0 Aug. 5, Walker, William S. 2 0 0 Oct. 6, Hare, F. W. E., M.D. 110 Oct. 6, Hardy, Harold : 010 0 Oct. 20, Cameron, Mrs. Lovett 010 0 Nov. 7, Benecke, Miss Ida . tL 1 0 Noy. 11, Thomas, Mrs. Haig 2 2 0 Noy. 24, Egbert, Henry 0 5 0 1905 Jan. , Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0 Jan. , Bolton, Miss Anna 0 520 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 0 5 O Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert 0-5. 0 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 O Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 010 0 L020 Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C.  184 annual expenses of the trade of authorship. They are difficult to calculate, but I must brace myself to the task. I only fear, as I have said, that my income may disappear altogether in consequence. On the whole, the comparison with the coach- builder seems to land us in great difficulties. The mention of “John Inglesant” suggests to me another comparison, which I will venture to put forward, though it does involve the impertinence of going behind Mr. Hodges’ opinion. A doctor amuses himself for a long time by building a house. He makes it his hobby ; he is continually altering and embellishing it, he takes his friends to see it, profiting by their suggestions as well as by those of his own taste. It is talked about, and within a certain narrow circle wins a reputation for beauty and comfort. It is at last finished ; he either goes to live in it, or lets it, or sells it, getting in the last case a good price because of its reputation. If he lives in it or lets it, he begins o pay income-tax on the annual value. If he sells it, must he return the price, less expenses, under schedule D, as a speculative builder? The case of “John Inglesant ” seems to me closely analogous. If Mr. Shorthouse received royalties for it, he would pay income-tax on them; but if he sold the copyright, would the sum received really be professional income ? T, A. Lacey. CopyRiGHT IN PLAYS. Str,—Some few years ago I heard Sir Henry Irving (then “Mr. Irving”) in “ Charles the First,” by the late dramatist Wills. Considering the deplorable dearth of good plays nowadays, it seems to me a matter for regret that “Charles the First ” has not been revived. It is probable that Sir Henry Irving has_ the manuscript in his keeping, and he appears to have sole performing right. I have applied to him to know if I could get a chance to read the play, but received a reply merely stating that it has not been published. It will be a great pity if the public never hears anything more of it. Therefore, I venture to ask if nothing can be done to bring it before us again. I remember an amusing incident which happened on the occasion of my hearing the play. I did not know, at that time, the author’s name, and I turned to a man sitting near me, and asked him if he could inform me who was the author. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, ‘“ Isn’t it. by Shakespeare ?” Probably the gentleman had mixed his dates somewhat ! E. URwick. THE AUTHOR. Tue REVIEWING SHAM. Sir,—lIs it not time that reviewing should cease, inasmuch that it is a sham? Half the books noticed or reviewed are never read at all, being merely skimmed through, quoted from, condemned or praised, at the whim of the reviewer. Books have been frequently sent to me and I have been asked to review them. To have read conscien- tiously through each (taking only one bundle thereof as an example), and pronounced an honest opinion of the contents, would have taken me 365 days instead of 365 minutes, which is about the usual amount of time allotted by the ordinary reviewer to the same number of books, which I returned, with regrets that I had neither time nor inclination to read them. the ordinary reviewer. This personage reviews for cash. He does it for a living, and the more books he gets through the larger is the income that he makes. Would it not be a much better plan, think you, for authors when they advertise their books to accompany same with an author's note stating the object and aim of the work, and leave it to the public to read it or not as it feels inclined, and form its own judgment thereon ? If — 7 newspapers would afford space for such a note with advertisements, and make a moderate charge much trouble would be saved, and the review- . ing sham would be abolished. This would be a good job indeed. The excessive expense of sending out “ Copies to the Press” would end, and literature be given fair play all round. Believe me, yours very truly, FLORENCE DIXIE. Glen Stuart, N.B. —-~<_+— Tur Humours oF Books AND THE WAYS OF PUBLISHERS. Sir,—I am writing a book under the above title. Both parts of the title will come in for treatment, and I shall be glad of any little help in — the way of facts, fancies, and fragments under either. My experience of publishers has been some- what extensive and rather mixed. My object will — be to give an account of this experience, and par- ticularly of a case now in the hands of solicitors. I have appealed already and received some assist- ance. I am quite sure that many of your readers have some good stories to tell. nature be, I should like to receive them. May I ask the favour of a bounteous reply and supply ? Your obedient servant, J. P. SANDLANDS. Brigstock Vicarage, Thrapston. Whatever their Iam not blaming eR RAED inl DAS a EL  if aid tdg aay Che Huthbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XV.—No. 7. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —___§_+-— 2 —______ NOTICES. +1 OR the opinions expressed in papers that are K signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. + List of Members. Tue List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. ae The Pension Fund of the Society. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to purchase £250 London and North Western 3% Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the Investments of the Pension Fund at present Vou, XV. Aprin ist, 1905. [PRicE SIXPENCE. standing in the names of the Trustees are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— COngOlS Pk o.oo. £1000 0 0 Wocal Woans: -.6.4.. 6.650 ioe. 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 War loan ..2...5 0.02.40... 201 9 3 London and North Western 8 % Deben- ture Stock (226. 250 0 0 Opal) wees. £2,245, 9, 2 Subscriptions from May, 1904. ‘eG May 6,Shepherd,G. H. . : 7 0.5 0 June 24, Rumbold, Sir Horace, Bart., G.C.B. : : : si 0 July 27, Barnett, P. A. : ‘ / 010 0 Noy. 9, Hollingsworth, Charles . 010 0 1905 | aah Jan. 12, Anonymous . : : . 0 2 6 Donations from May, 1904. May 16, Wynne, C. Whitworth 5 0 0 June 23, Kirmse, R. . ; 0 5 0 June 23, Kirmse, Mrs. R. : - 70 6 0 July 21,The Blackmore Memorial Committee é . 20,0 0 Aug. 5, Walker, William 8. 2 0 0 Oct. 6, Hare, F. W. E., M.D. bat 0 Oct. 6, Hardy, Harold : 010 O Oct. 20, Cameron, Mrs. Lovett 010 0 Nov. 7, Benecke, Miss Ida . 11> 0 Noy. 11, Thomas, Mrs. Haig 2 2 0 Nov. 24, Egbert, Henry 0 5 0 1905 Jan. , Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 O Jan. , Bolton, Miss Anna 0 5 0 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 0 5 0 Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert 0 5 0 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 O Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 010 0 10 0 Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C.  FROM THE COMMITTEE. ee FRBruary 20TH, 1905. MEETING of the Committee was held on Monday, February 20th, at 39, Old Queen — Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and signed, the Chairman, Sir Henry Bergne, proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Douglas Freshfield for the work he had done in conducting the affairs of the Society during the two years of his chairmanship, and for the attention and ability with which he had laboured for the best interests of the Society and its members. The vote of thanks was seconded by the Vice-chairman and carried unanimously. The election of Members and Associates followed. The number elected during the present year comes to forty-six. This is not so large as the number elected at the same period last year, which was a phenomenal year, as all members of the Society will perceive on perusal of the Report ; but the elections maintain the average of former years. The question of United States Copyright was again considered. The provisional date for the dinner was fixed for the beginning of May. Due notice will be sent to the members as the time draws nearer. FEBRUARY 27TH, 1905. A meeting of the Committee was held on Monday, February 27th, to enable the members to take into consideration some further points which had been placed before them dealing with the question of United States Copyright Law, and to determine the ultimate course to be adopted with regard to this issue. Note.—The amendment to the United States law, whereby a certain period of delay is granted in the case of a work published abroad ina foreign language, received the President’s signature on the 2nd of March. As the Act has thus passed. into law, the question whether any representation shall be made to the United States Government, with the view to a similar privilege being granted to works first published in England, is reserved for ulterior consideration. The text of the United States Act is given in another column. Five Members and Associates who had sent in their names between February 20th and February 27th, were duly elected. —— Cases. Srxce the last issue of the The Author ten cases have been before the Secretary. The members’ THE AUTHOR. complaints were in three cases for accounts, in one case for money and accounts, in five cases for money, and in one case for the return of MS. Two of the cases in which the Secretary demanded money have been satisfactorily settled, but so far none of the others have been brought to a success- fal issue, owing to the fact that six of them have been placed in the Secretary’s hands only within the last week. One of the cases in which money and accounts were demanded, has been placed in the hands of the Society’s solicitors by the sanction of the Chairman, and it is probable that the Secretary will have to take the same course in one other case where money is due. ‘AIL the cases left open from the previous month have been settled, cheques having been received or the MSS. returned and forwarded to the members, To this statement, however, there is one exception, and here the matter hasbeen placed in the solicitors’ hands with instructions to carry it through the Courts if necessary. It is satisfactory to report the successful issue of so many of the complaints which have been for- warded to the Society’s office. Mr. Grant Richards’ bankruptcy is still proceed- ing, but the business of winding up is necessarily slow. The debtor was to have come up for public examination at the beginning of March, but owing to his absence abroad his examination has been deferred till the 14th of this month. oo Elections. FEBRUARY 20TH. Dexter, Walter 40,Ommaney Road, New Cross, 8. E. 6, Christ. Church Place, Hampstead, N.W. Gray, Benjamin Lyall, the Right Hon. Sir Alfred, P.C. Lydston, G. F., M.D. 815-100, State Street, Chicago, Tll., U.S.A. Macdonald, R. Neele, Miss Ethel : Powell, Mrs. 23, Upper Addison Gardens, W. Herts. Ronald, Landon 118, Westbourne Terrace, Hyde Park, — Saunders, James Wolverhampton. Lomond, Hookwood, near Horley, Surrey- Shepherd, J. A. “The Spider ” Harmer Green, Welwyn, W. 43, Powlett Street, Abe 2  THE AUTHOR. FEBRUARY 27TH. Langbridge, V. . . 95, Ebury Street, 8.W. Marshall, Mrs. Orde Caxton Hi'all, West- minster, 8S.W. Great Baddow, Chelms- ford. Vernon, France. Sutton Vicarage, Dart- ford. Only one member does not desire the publication of his name or address. Maude, Aylmer Sherard, Robert . : Weekes, A.R.. : —_—__—__—_e——e___ BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. —_— oe (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply such particulars.) BIOGRAPHY. CHATHAM. By FREDERIC HARRISON. 72 X 5}. 239 pp. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. COVENTRY PATMORE. By EDMUND GOSSE. 252 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 3s. 6d, THE LIFE STORY OF CHARLOTTE DE LA TREMOILLE, CouUNTESS OF DERBY. By Mary C. ROWSELL. 9 X 53. 188 pp. Kegan Paul. 63. n. THE KING IN EXILE. THE WANDERINGS OF CHARLES II. FROM JUNE, 1646 To JuLy, 1654. By Eva Scorr. 9 x 53. 524 pp. Constable. 16s. n. WHISTLER. By HALDANE MACFALL. 73 Foulis. 6d. n. 72 X 52. x 4. 71 pp. CLASSICAL, THE TROJAN WOMEN OF EURIPIDES. Translated into English rhyming verse with Explanatory Notes. By GILBERT MuRRAY. 73 X 53. 94 pp. Allen. 2s.n. EDUCATIONAL. HAKLUYT?’s ENGLISH VOYAGES. Selected and Edited by E. E. Spricut, F,R.G.S. 74 x 5. 301 pp. Horace Marshall. 2s, 6d. FICTION. THE MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM ASHE. By Mrs. HUMPHRY Warp. 72 x 541. 506pp. Smith Elder. 6s. THe Kine’s SCAPEGOAT. By HAMILTON DRUMMOND, 7% <x 5. 320 pp. Ward Lock. 6s, Bioomsspury. By C. F. Keary. 73 x 43, 552 pp. Nutt. 68. THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HoLMEsS. By A. CONAN Doyte. 74 x 5. 403 pp. Newnes. 6s, THE Rose BrocaDE. By Mrs. PHILIP CHAMPION DE CRESPIGNY. 73 x 5. 323 pp. Nash. 6s. BARHAM OF BELTANA. By W. E. Norris, 310 pp. Methuen. 6s. CONSTANCE West. By E. R. PUNSHON. 72 x 5. 304 pp. Lane. 6s, THE Sinver Key. By NELLIE K. BLISsErr. 286 pp. Chapman & Hall. 6s. Laneparrow Hau. By THEODORA WILSON WILSON, 7% x 5. 399 pp. Harpers. 6s, CoMPRoMIsED, By GERTRUDE WARDEN AND H. E. Gorst. Cheap Edition. 84 x 54. 128pp. Greening. 6d, 7% x «#5. 74 x «5. 187 “ WIDDICOMBE.” By M. P. WiILLcocks, ee as John Lane. ratte 208 BY, A DauGuHTer oF Kines. By KATHERINE TYNAN. i <b, SIT pp. “Nash: ‘6s, Miss BADSworTtH,M.F.H. By Eyre Hussey. 8 x 5f 326 pp. Longmans. 6s, P THE Dryap. By Justin HuNTLY McCarruy, 72x 5. 320 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE SILveR PIN, By A. WILSON-BARRETT, 73 x 5. 320 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. SoME EMmoTIONS AND A MoRAL AND THE SINNER’S Comrepy. By JoHN OLIVER HOBBES. Cheap Edition, ts by 5. 199 pp. Unwin. Is. n. Sir CLAUDE MANNERLY. By E. C. Kenyon. 72 x 5. 364 pp. Ward Lock. 3s. 6d. A Doa’s Tate. By Mark Twain, (New Edition), 7% x 5}. 36 pp. Harper. 2s. n. FOLKLORE, SONGS OF THE VALIANT VOIVODE, AND OTHER STRANGE FOLKLORE, FOR THE FIrsT TIME COLLECTED FROM ROMANIAN PEASANTS AND SET FORTH IN ENGLISH. By Héléne Vacaresco. 8} x 53. 238 pp. Harper. 10s. 6d, THE SHADE OF THE BALKANS. GENCHO SLANLIKOFF AND E, J, DILLON, HISTORY. Earby DutcH AND ENGLISH VOYAGES TO SPITS- BERGEN IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. (Second Series, No. XI.), Edited by Str W. MARTIN CONWAY. 9 x 5%. 191 pp. The Hakluyt Society. THE FIGHT WITH FRANCE FOR NORTH AMERICA. By By HENRY BERNARD, David Nutt. A. G. BRADLEY. New Edition. 83 x 53. 400 pp. Constable. 3s. 6d. n. LITERARY. ADVENTURES AMONG Books. By ANDREW LANG. 8 x 54. 312 pp. Longmans. 6s. 6d. n. JOHN BUNYAN AND THE PILGRIMS’ PRoGRESS. A Lecture delivered before the members of the Lincoln Diocesan Higher Reading Society at Lincoln, December 6th, 1904, by the Rv. C. E. Bonam. With a Preface by the Very REV. E. C. WICKHAMPTON, D.D., Dean of Lincoln. Small post. 8vo. S.P.C.K. 6d. LECTURES ON THE HISTORIANS OF BOHEMIA. Being the Ilchester Lectures (Oxford) for the year 1904. By the Count Lutzow. 8 x 5}. 120 pp. Frowde. 5s. n. MILITARY. THE OFFICER’S FIELD NoTE AND SKETCH BOOK AND RECONNAISSANCE AIDE-MiMOIRE. Tenth Edition. By Lizut-Con. E, Gunter, P.S.C. W. Clowes & Sons. 6s. 6d. n. NATURAL HISTORY. NATURAL HISTORY IN ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. By F. E, BEDDARD, F'.R.S. 8 x 54. 310 pp. Constable. 6s. n. POLITICAL. IMPERIALISM: ITs Pricns; Irs VocATION. By EMIL Reicu, 7} xX 5. 177 pp. Hutchinson. 3s, 6d. n. SOCIOLOGY. SLAVERY: PICTURES FROM THE DEPTHS. By BART KENNEDY. 8 X 5, 367 pp. Treherne. 6s. THE CHILD SLAVES OF BRITAIN. By R. H. SHERARD, 8k x 62. 265 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 6s. THEOLOGY, THE VOICE OF THE FATHERS : Unanimity. By 8, F. A. CAULFIELD. Brown Langham. 3s. 6d. OBJECTIONS TO SPIRITUALISM. 7ix 5. 95pp. Spiritualist Alliance, Their Erudition and 74 x 5. 198 pp. By H. A. DALLAS, 1g. 0,  188 TH MopDERN PILGRIMAGE, from Theology to Religion. By R. L, BREMNER. Constable & Co. THE YOUNG PREACHER’S GUIDE. By the REV. GILBERT Monxs. 8} x 54. 514 pp. Stock. 7s. 6d. n. TRAVEL. Crrims oF INDIA. By G.W. FORREST. 83 x 5}. 354 pp. Constable. 5s. n. THE WorRLD or To-Day. A Survey of the Lands and Peoples of the Globe as seen in Travel and Commerce. By A. R. Hope MONCRIEFF. Vol. I. 102 x 7. Gresham Publishing Company. 8s. n. In Pursuit or DutcrinEA. By HENRY BERNARD. Geo. Allen. ————————__+ + LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. ——— R. G. H. PERRIS is engaged upon a work which will: be entitled “Russia on the Eve of Revolution.” It is founded upon personal observation of subterranean life in the country of the Ozar, and deals with the causes responsible for the present state of affairs. Messrs. Brown, Langham & Co. are producing a new novel by Miss Myra Swan, author of “Ballast” and several other novels. The title of the present book is “ Ground Ivy.” Mr. William Greener, author of “A Secret Agent in Port Arthur” read the chapter missing from that book to members and friends of the Camera Club on March 23rd. Mr. Frederic Harrison’s life of “ Chatham,” which forms the concluding volume of Messrs. Mac- millan’s well-known series of “Twelve English Statesmen,” was published early in March. With William the Conqueror, Edward the First, and Cromwell, Mr. Harrison places Chatham as one of the four great creative statesmen produced by our country in eight centuries ; and shows how, by the creation of the Colonial system, Chatham became the founder of the British Empire, and how, for a century and a half, the development of our country has grown upon the imperial lines of Chatham’s ideals. His Majesty the King has been pleased to accept a copy of Mr. Mark Synge’s work “ To Lhassa at Last.” Mr. C. F. Keary has written a story, which Mr. David Nutt has published, under the title of “Bloomsbury.” ‘The scene is laid almost ex- clusively in the quarter of London which the title indicates. For contrast, however, it is peopled with a great variety of intellectual types suggestive of the sects and “isms” among which society is to-day partitioned. Mr. John Foster Fraser’s forthcoming book THE AUTHOR. “Canada as it is,” describes the dominion as he saw it from one side to the other. Mr. W. E. Norris’s new novel, which Messrs. Methuen & Co. have published under the title of “ Barham of Beltana,” has for its hero a wealthy colonist, son of a convict, whose transportation to Van Diemen’s Land on a charge of embezzlement was apparently a miscarriage of justice. Mr. Edward Noble, whose novel, “ The Edge of Circumstance” published by Messrs. William Blackwood’s Sons, is now in its third impression, is publishing a new book, entitled “ Waves of Fate,” with the same firm. The work will be on the market in the course of a month or so. It has been proposed that a party of members of the British International Association of Journalists should make a tour through Bohemia, starting from London to Dresden. Mr. James Baker is arrang- ing the tour. His knowledge of Bohemia will be of great assistance to the party. It is proposed, if sufficient names are forthcoming, to start the trip, which will occupy about fourteen days, at the end of May or the beginning of June. Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. have just published Mr. Carlton Dawe’s new book, “The Grand Duke.” The story narrates the adventures of an Englishman, who bears such a striking resemblance to the Grand Duke Boris, the Governor-General of Moscow, that, for the sake of a Russian girl, with whom he is in love, he actually goes to Moscow and personates the Governor-General. Mr. E. A. Reynolds Ball has just issued through Messrs. A. & ©. Black, a new work entitled, “Rome: A Practical Guide to Rome. and its Environs.” The guide, which is published at the price of half-a-crown, describes in sufficient detail the principal objects of interest in Rome, and whilst mainly appealing to tourists who are only able to spend a few weeks in this city, does not neglect the interests of more leisured travellers, and, to some extent, those of residents and invalids. Mr. 8. R. Crockett has completed a new novel, entitled “Peden the Prophet,” which is running serially through The British Weekly. Mr. F. Howard Collins has compiled a guide for authors, editors, printers, correctors of the press, compositors and typists, entitled “ Author and Printer.” This work, which Mr. Henry Frowde is about to publish, is an attempt to codify the best typographical practices of the present day somewhat on the lines of a dictionary, and Mr. — Collins has had the assistance of many authors, editors, printers, and correctors of the press during the three years he has been engaged upon it. The book has also been approved by various trade associations, including the Executive Committee 2 the London Association of Correctors of the — Tess. -  id EE THE AUTHOR. A work of fiction called “ A Village Chronicle,” by Mrs. Katherine 8S. Macquoid, will be published before Easter by Messrs. Digby, Long & Co. The book will be illustrated by Forestier. Messrs. Constable & Co. have just issued a new work by Miss Marie Corelli, under the title of “Free Opinions Freely Expressed.’’ The opinions refer to certain phases of modern social life and conduct. Mr. Arthur Dillon, whose volume, “River Songs and other Poems,” appeared some years ago, will this month bring out in book form, a new comedy in verse, under the title of “The Greek Kalends.” Mr. Elkin Mathews is the publisher. Mr. T. Werner Laurie will publish shortly a travel book by Mrs. Katherine 8S. Macqnoid, entitled “Pictures in Umbria.” The work will be illus- trated with fifty drawings by Thomas R. Macquoid, R.I. The price will be six shillings net. There has been a considerable demand of late for “Old Days in Diplomacy,” the second edition of which isexhausted. The book contains much that is of special interest at this moment, on the first outbreak of Nihilism. Miss Montgomery Campbell is now engaged in preparing Sir Edward Disbrowe’s valuable collection of autograph letters from Royalties and statesmen for publication, as algo letters of Sir Herbert Taylor, secretary to George IV., William IV., and the Duke of York. ““Widdicombe” is the title of a novel from the pen of M. P. Willcocks, which Mr. John Lane pub- lished during the middle of last month. It is a story of agricultural life in Devon. Mr. Eyre Hussey’s new work entitled “Miss Badsworth, M.F.H.” which Messrs. Longmans published recently, sets forth the troubles of a philanthropic lady who finds herself confronted by the management of an estate, farm, and pack of foxhounds. Mr. Halliwell Sutcliffe has nearly finished his new book, “Red o’ the Feud,” which will be pub- lished by Mr. Werner Laurie. The author of “Through Sorrow’s Gates,” has returned to that wild atmosphere of the moor-feuds which seems to hold a special glamour for him. Mr. Harry Furniss has just written his first novel, a fantastic tale, which he has himself illus- trated. Messrs. Chapman and Hall will publish the work under the title of ““ Poverty Bay.” We understand from the United States Pub- lisher’s Weekly, that Messrs. Charles Scribner’s Sons are publishing a new story by Mr. E. W. Hornung, entitled “ Stingaree.” A second impression of Mr. Wilfrid Ward’s “Memoir of Aubrey de Vere” has been issued by Messrs. Longmans. The price of the work is 14s, net. Mr. Heinemann will shortly publish a work by 189 Mr. Henry Norman, entitled “ Motors and Men,” in which the theoretical and practical studies of the motor-car and its destined influence are considered. The same publisher is issuing a new and revised edition of “ The Complete Indian Housekeeper and Cook,” by Mrs. Steel and G. Gardiner. The work —which is published in one volume at 6s.— specifies the duties of mistress and servants, the general management of the house, and contains practical recipes for cooking in all its branches, “Duke’s Son,” by Mr. Cosmo Hamilton, will also be published shortly by the same publisher. The story refers to the younger son of a peer, who, being obliged to resign his commission in a crack regiment for financial reasons, resorts to cheating at bridge as a profession. The success which he achieves in this direction is, however, only tem- porary, his marriage to a girl who helps him to fleece his friends giving rise to suspicions which eventually lead to his undoing. Professor Skeat, who has carried through, in successive volumes, his modernisation of the “ Can- terbury Tales,” has now accomplished the same service for Langland’s “ Vision of Piers Plowman,” which will shortly be issued as a volume in the King’s classics. It has been rendered line for line into modern English, the metre of the original being practically kept throughout. The “ Vision” deals with social problems of the fourteenth century, which were not wholly unlike our own. “ Agatha,” by Mrs. Humphry Ward and Mr, Louis N. Parker, to which we referred in our last issue, was produced at His Majesty’s Theatre, on the afternoon of March 7th. The play deals with Agatha’s refusal, and her subsequent retraction of this refusal to marry the man whom she loves, the reason for the refusal being that she has kept him ignorant of the fact that she is an illegitimate child, and the reason for its withdrawal being that her lover’s devotion is sufficiently strong not to be affected by the fact. Miss Viola Tree as Agatha, Mr. Dawson Milward as her lover, and Miss Lillah McCarthy as the unhappy mother, took the leading parts. «The Monkey’s Paw,” by Louis N. Parker and W. W. Jacobs, was produced at the Haymarket Theatre, on Saturday, March 4th, in front of ‘“‘ Beauty and the Barge.” Mr. Cyril Maude and Miss Bella Pateman share the main burdens of the piece, which presents a striking contrast to the one which it precedes. The story is fantastic and gruesome. “ Everybody’s Secret,” by Louis N. Parker and Captain Robert Marshall, was presented at the Haymarket Theatre, on the 14th of March. Adapted from M, Pierre Wolff’s “‘ Le Secret de Polichinelle,” the play deals with an alliance between the son of well-to-do parents and a  190 flower girl, and shows how the lovable nature of the child of the marriage causes the son’s parents to forgive the parties to the union, The cast includes Mr. Cyril Maude and Miss Jessie Bateman. «The Three Daughters of M. Dupont,” trans- lated by Mr. St. John Hankin, was produced by the Stage Society on March 13th. The cast of the play—which is rather of a pessimistic nature —included Miss Ethel Irving and Mr. Charles V. France. 2 ee tS PARIS NOTES. —— + « CYUR la Pierre Blanche,” by Anatole France, is a yolume in three parts. It opens with a conversation between a group of Frenchmen who are passing the early part of the year in Rome. They meet, usually at the house of an Italian friend, and discuss the past, present, and future. Roman archeology, the question of race, colonial politics, the Russo-J apanese war, and religion are among the topics of their conversation. Nicole Langelier is induced by his friends to read them a story that he has been writing, entitled “Gallion.” It is the history of an interview between the Apostle Paul and the Pro-consul Gallion, together with a long and inte- resting discussion between Gallion and his friends. The third part of the book is taken up by another story, read aloud to the friends by Hippolyte Duiresne, and is supposed to be a prophetic dream. The author of the story wakes up one morning and finds himself in a Paris that is completely trans- formed. ‘The magnificent house near the Bois no longer exist, but there are smaller houses surrounded by gardens. Gradually he discovers that he is living in the year 220 of the European Federation. Feeling hungry, he wishes to enter a restaurant, but a man standing at the door asks him for his ticket, and as he has not one refers him to the house where people are employed. Another man conducts him to a great bakery, and he is obliged to watch the machinery at work for some hours before he is allowed to satisfy his hunger. It appears that under the new réyime the Federal Committee has appointed that there shall be six hours of work for everyone. Alcohol is abolished and war completely done away with. It was explained to Hippolyte that out of the capitalist régime the proletariat had grown, as during the last years of the old era there had been great disorder in the production of the various nations and wild competition. The working classes had been drawn together, and in this way had been able to demand and obtain higher wages and greater liberty. They had no doubt made great mistakes, but in the end had become a great power. ‘The words Liberty, Fraternity, and THER AUTHOR. Equality were no longer used in their old sense, but the new watchword was “Harmony,” and the great ambition of the new Federation was that all people should work together for their mutual benefit. England refused to belong to the United States of Europe, but she was an ally. She had become socialistic, but still re- tained her king, lords, and even the wigs of her judges. Under the new dispensation in Europe there were no armies, but the frontiers were defended by electricity. The book is full of ideas expressed in the perfect style, and with the delicate veiled irony peculiar to Anatole France. There are home truths on every page. Speaking of the various races of mankind, it is proved that there are inferior and superior ones, and those which consider themselves superior have, of course, the right to massacre and oppress the others. ‘As regards the yellow peril, this seems to be traced to the invasion of China by the Christian missionaries and European merchants, thus proving to the Chinese that the white peril existed. The troubles of Pekin in 1901 were among the results of this, and in order to restore order five Powers covered with military glory signed a_ treaty in order to guarantee the integrity of China, while allowing the Powers to share her provinces. Russia then occupied Manchuria, so that Russia is now paying the price of the colonial politics of alk Burope, and expiating the crimes of all commercial and military Christianity. “Ta Lueur sur la Cime,” by Jacque Vontade, is a novel by the author of the well-known articles signed “ Fermina” in the Figaro. ‘As a psychological study the whole book is excellent: the characters introduced are so diverse, and at the same time each one lives and appears to stand as a type of the individuals which make up a certain set of modern society in France. There is the handsome, accomplished man of the world, agreeable and pleasant to everyone, bent on getting through life in the most delightful and luxurious way possible. His wife, a beautiful, clever woman, extremely self-centred, but capable of better things if she had been rightly influenced. Her illusions, disillusions, struggles and curiosities form the chief theme of the volume. There is also a woman of character, a fascinating, impetuous creature, who is a musician and an idealist. ‘A Swedish anarchist and a French journalist, who, by sheer force of wi and perseverance have attained a powerful position in the world, are among the other personages of the story. The book is written in a charmingly natural way, and there are man. excellent ideas expressed in the long harangues of Léonora BarozZl, the musician, and also of those of the Swedish anarchist. As a contrast to the two chief women  THE AUTHOR. of the book the author introduces us to a woman with an English name, a cold, sarcastic, unsym- pathetic person. There are several minor characters, too, which are admirably well drawn. ‘“‘ Emancipées,” by Alphonse Georget, is the story of an artist who marries his model. The manners and customs of the world in which these people live is cleverly told—the ambition of the wife, her anxiety to shake off all that belonged to her former existence, the way in which she schemes to obtain money in order to buy furniture and dress, urging her husband on to work for the sole reason that she may spend. Her vulgarity and her jealousies are endured by the long-suffering husband. Various incidents are introduced which make the story more dramatic, until at last the wife leaves her husband, and he devotes himself from that time forth to his little daughter. The idea of the book is to show up the unscrupulous- ness of our times and the esteem that is often the reward bestowed upon people who can “make their way ”’ in the world by dishonest means. Among the new books are the following: “La Baignoire 9,” by Henri Lavedan. This is another collection of dialogues, most of which are amusing, some of them dramatic, and all witty. “Le Prisme,” by Paul and Victor Margueritte, is a study of the manners and customs of our times, a satire on the importance given to wealth and position. The prism is the deforming mirror of money into which Madame Urtrel is always look- ing. The authors have painted a faithful picture of life in its most commonplace aspects. “Les Trois Demoiselles,” by Georges de Peyre- brune, a volume containing three short novels— “Mariageen palanquin,” La Gardienne” and “ Gris- perle.” “Prisonniers marocains,” by M. Hugues Le Roux ; “Ta Cité ardente,” by M. H. Carton de Wiart ‘Le Calvaire d’un docteur,” by M. Johannes Gravier ; “Esclave,” by Gérard d’Houville. In the reviews among the most interesting articles are the studies of Roumania by M. A. Bellessort in the Revue des Deux Mondes ; another on the souvenirs of Alfred Mézitres ; and a scien- tific article by M. Dastre. In the Revue de Paris the letters of Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonk, an article by Georges de la Salle on the warin the East ; and one by Maxime Leroy on the organisation of the working classes. In the Correspondant there is an article by M. de Lacombe comparing the controversies on the divinity of Christ in the time of Bossuet with those in our times. In the Nouvelle Revue M. Jules Delvaille writes on the moral crisis we are going through, and attributes it to our repugnance to ideas. 191 “Les Ventres dorés,” by Emile Fabre, has been the success of the month in the theatrical world, The whole play is of great interest and extremely powerful ; the great theme is money, and how it can be made in these days. The Odéon Theatre hag not put on so strong a piece for some time. “Les Experts,” by M. Beniére, is a humoristic play on the question of accidents in factories, A workman treads on a piece of orange peel and breaks his leg. Four experts are called in to discuss the matter. The employer pays one hundred pounds, but when all the legal expenses and costs of the experts are paid the unfortunate victim only receives four pounds. M. Antoine has given several of these satires on legal points at his theatre with great success. “La Belle Marseillaise,” by Pierre Berton, is being played at the Ambigu. It is a piece in four acts, historical and dramatic. The scene is laid in the time of Napoleon. The Marquis de Tallemont has taken a restaurant in order to be able to conspire more easily against the Emperor. After an attempted murder he is believed to be dead, and his young widow alone knows that he is alive. She is in love with an aide-de-camp, whom she marries when the Marquis de Tallemont is killed in a duel. ALYS HALLARD. Or SPANISH NOTES. t+ HE King of Spain’s forthcoming tour will afford England the opportunity of giving expression to the enfente cordiale between the countries. The prompt way in which King Alfonzo recently overcame the difficulties of the Cabinet resigning for the second time in about two months shows his power as a politician, and although Villaverde persists in the long prorogation of Parliament till May, which caused the resignation of General Azcarraga, the last Prime Minister, the King’s hopes for the success of the new Conservative Leader’s pro- gramme for the Reform of the Customs, the Coinage, and the Services will it is hoped be realized. The King’s deep interest in the welfare of his kingdom is seen in the prompt way he sent 2,500 pesetas to be added to the prizes offered by the Imparcial for the best project for the regulation of the Budget, with regard to the army, navy, public education, and the ports. The cordiality felt for England in Madrid was particularly shown in the warm and festive character of the reception at the Royal Palace of Sir Arthur Nicholson, the new English Ambas- sador. The four semi-state carriages and a company of the Royal Horseguards were in waiting 192 The staircase at the Palace was and after replying to the King’s gracious speech of welcome, Sir Arthur Nicholson paid his respects to HM. Queen Christina and her daughter and Dona Isabel. _ The well-known writer Perez Galdos has just published Volume XXXVII. of his “ Episodios Nacionales,” and VI. of the fourth series, under the title of “ Arta Tettauen.” The recent death of the poet Gabriel Galan has caused universal regret, and the literary “Conference” given at Caceres in his honour, subsequent to the funeral ceremony, was SIg- nalised by the reading of several of his poems, a fine speech by Senor Ibarrola, his great friend, and a musical composition written for the occasion by Seftor Patricio Cabrera. : Don José Echegaray, the well-known Spanish dramatist, has now been appointed by the King to the Chair of Physics and Science at the Cen- tral University. The National Festival in honour of the famous poet held on the 18th and 19th of March, assumed such importance that a royal decree was published suspending the Law of Domenical Rest for the occasion, so that the Press could publish early on the Sunday morning the proceedings of the Saturday fanctions. His Majesty King Alfonzo at his express desire presided at the great concourse of the repre- sentatives of all the professors and societies of the country. Sefior don Silvela, the quondam Prime Minister, made the -first speech at the brilliant assembly in the Congress, and after an address from the Minister of Sweden, explaining the origin of the Nobel Prize, King Alfonzo himself handed the medal and diploma to the illustrious poet. A gala performance was given in the evening of Echegaray’s plays, “ El libro Talonario” and “ El gran Galeota,” after which the dramatist received the gifts sent by the corporations and the scientific societies of the provinces. On the second day of the ovation the Plaza de Oriente, facing the Royal Palace, was the scene of a great popular manifestation to the poet, and the procession passed through the city to the Prado, where it finally dispersed. The great assembly held that evening in the Atheneum was particularly interesting, for Sefor Ramon y Cajal spoke upon Science, Sefior Perez Goldés took up the parable for Literature, and Senor Moret, the president, closed the proceedings with a brilliant oration. It is to Senor Ramon y Cajal that Spain owes her present place of distinc- tion in the scientific world of Germany, for he has just received the gold medal commemorative of Hermann von Helmholtz, the great physiologist and physicist, So Spain has distinguished herself at the station. decorated with flowers, THER AUTHOR. nobly this year in the great international contests in both science and poetry. The realm of Art has recently suffered a great loss in the death of the well-known painter, Manuel Yus. He was born in 1845, so he was still in possession of his artistic powers, and he died in Nuévalos, amid the charming scenes he has im- mortalized in his pictures, and the whole place followed him as mourners to his grave. His portrait of H.M. King Alfonzo and that of H.M, Queen Christina have been as much admired as hig typical peasant dances and village scenes. The Tri-Centenary Fétes of Don Quixote will evidently be both characteristic and picturesque. A royal decree has been sent to the Minister of Instruction and the Fine Arts, commanding that — (1) every centre of instruction shall mark the 8th May by some literary or artistic work, com- memorative of the centenary ; (2) the schools are all to send up their three best scholars, who, being poor, may have free opportunity of contending for the academical distinctions in their respective line of instruction to be conferred on one of each triad by the Minister of Education ; (3) that the reports and photographs of all the scholastic fétes be forwarded to the Minister of Education. The programme of the fétes in the Capitol include a battle of flowers, a grand meeting of delegates of foreign and national societies in the Congress, a military review, a national open-air fete, and a presentation of wreaths to the statue of Cervantes from foreign and Spanish literary societies. The congratulatory address from the English Society of Authors has met with due recognition in the Press and has been forwarded to the Royal Academy of Letters. In Valladolid the Society of Monuments is seeking to celebrate the approaching tri-centenary of “Don Quixote” by obtaining Cervantes’ house as a national possession. The increasing feeling against duelling is voiced by the publication in book form of the articles on the subject (“Contra el duelo”) by Baron de Albi in El Correo Catalan. “Bl Problemas agrario en Andalucia” erudite work by Don Juan Gallardo Lobato. « Bll sitio de Baler ” (“ The Siege of Baler”) is 8 very powerful presentment of this period of the Cuban War, and as the author is Don Saturnino Martin Cerezo, the infantry captain in comma: at the disaster which so marked Spanish heroism, the book is of an especial, though painful, interest. The publication of a book which promises to become almost a classic in Spain is saddened by the death of the author. The title of the work, “Gran Diccionario de la Lengua Castellana autorizado con ejemplos de escritores antiguos ¥ modernos,” shows the immense scope of the work is an  THE AUTHOR. undertaken by Don Aniceto de Pagés. It seems that he had been editor of the ‘ Diccionario Enciclopedico Hispano-Americano.” He some- times said that albeit he might be immortalised as a poet in Catalonia, his great work, the dream of his life, the now published dictionary, would make ‘| him live as a writer in Castile and Spain. Echegaray - said the first sight of the book filled him with sur- prise, and then its erudition overwhelmed him almost to dismay. Valera, Pereda, and Pi.y Margall ‘© also express their admiration of the great work. Silvela, the former Conservative leader, is exciting | increasing interest in his lectures on Moral and ' Social Biology in the Atheneum. After discoursing «on the struggle of Good and Evil, Creation and ) Destruction, which is ever present in all philosophy, sociology, and religion, he said: “ We exist in an environment of ephemeral things, and yet every © one really /ives in the eternal relations which he » creates. We all know the love of man and woman, - but what is this love when not based on the sense - of eternal truths ?” Armando Palacio Valdés, the celebrated Spanish writer, known to England by such novels as 1° “Froth,” “The Grandee,” etc., has just sent for the English press a very philosophical article on “Art and her Schools,” which promises to excite as ' much interest as that on “The Decadence of Modern . Literature,” which I had the honour to translate © for the Introduction to Vol. XX. of “The Library |) of Famous Literature,” from the pen of the same (js author. RACHEL CHALLICE. —————_+—<>—e —_____ UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. I. “i! Tue American Pusiisuers’ Pornt or View. — ++ To the Editor of the Standard. Smr,—I have read with interest from week to week the letters that have been addressed to the ' Standard from representative authors, in which are set forth various grounds of complaint concerning _the provisions and the working of the present " American copyright statute. I may say at once, ‘1 writing as one who had some measure of responsi- Wide bility in securing the enactment of this statute /) and in maintaining it on the statute book against ey various later assaults and criticisms, that the “> grievances of which our literary friends in England ‘7 © are making complaint are in my opinion substan- © tially well founded. The American copyright law © now in force contains incongruities and inconsis- 1 tencies, and in the interpretation of its provisions '® the Courts find no little difficulty in arriving at “o* consistent decisions ; while in its application to 193 literary conditions and publishing conditions on both sides of the Atlantic, it does work inconveni- ence and injustice to authors, American, English and Continental, and to the publishers who make investments in copyright material. I can but think, however, that while the injustice and disadvantage to authors whose works are pro- duced in languages other than English are manifest and do constitute a very considerable grievance, the difficulties obtaining at this time with the authors of England in connection with the American editions of their works, may more properly be described as an inconvenience than as a serious business disadvantage. I note among your recent correspondents the names of a number of distinguished authors who have, during the past decade, secured very large returns from the American sales of their books, returns which, according to the general under- standing of the book trade, are in not a few instances larger from their American readers than those that have come to them from readers in Great Britain. It is the case with some at least of these authors that their more noteworthy successes have been secured during the last ten years, so that they may not themselves have personal realisation of the differences between the condi- tions of to-day affecting English works reprinted in the United States, and those which obtained before the enactment of the law of 1891. I can but think that if a trustworthy comparison could be made of the amounts going over the Atlantic each year from American book-buyers to English authors, as recognition for the service rendered to them by these authors, could be com- pared with the similar payments made prior to 1891 by publishers who could secure through such payments no copyright control, there would bea more adequate recognition on the part of English authors of the service rendered to English literary workers by the law of 1891, defective and inadequate as the law certainly is. The grievances presented by your literary corre- spondents in regard tothe provisions of the American statute may be classified under four headings : 1. The requirement that books securing the protection of American copyright must be manufactured within the territory of the United States. 2. The requirement for such books that publication shall be made in the United States not later than the date of publication elsewhere. 3. The imposition of a duty on books imported into the United States (a condition which belongs, of course, to the tariff policy of the country and for which the copyright act can bear no responsibility). 4, The preference given, or rather proposed to be given, by the amendment to the copyright law that is now pending to works originating in language other than in English, in the matter of the certain time allowance with which the translation and manufacture of such works can  194 be completed before the opportunity for securing copyright has lapsed. : 5, The fact that certain writers are not securing from the great American public the sales that they were depending upon, and the further annoyance that they find an increas- ing competition on the part of American writers for the favour of the English book-reading public, more part icularly of course, the readers of fiction. The manufacturing clause does not represent, as has sometimes been assumed in England, an expression of greed on the part of the American publishers. I may report, speaking with direct knowledge of the record, that the copyright Bill as first framed in 1887, under the direction of the Authors’ Copyright League and the Publishers’ Copyright League, did not contain any such condi- tion, The view was accepted quite generally by the publishers, no less than by the authors, that a manufacturing requirement was not germane to a copyright statute, and ought not to be made a con- dition of copyright. It seemed to us that what- ever “protection” might be considered due to the book-manufacturing interests of the country ought to be provided for in the tariff and not to be confused with the question of copyright. We did what was practicable, during a contest lasting for some years to secure the enactment of the Bill as framed. After an experience of two years or more in presenting the matter to the attention of Congressional committees, and in conferences with the Typographical Unions and with certain other Unions that claimed a right to be heard in the matter, those of us who had charge of the pill in Washington were obliged to report to the Copyright Leagues that it was not going to be practicable to secure its enactment. But the representatives of the Typographical Unions said frankly that no copyright Bill should become law that did not provide for the manufacturing in this country of the books securing copyright protection, and it became evident to us that they were in a position to maintain their contention. It was finally concluded that, rather than abandon the attempt to secure some measure of international copyright, an attempt that represented more than half a century of effort, it was better to secure the enactment of a modified Bill. It is, unfortunately, the case that, under what I myself believe to be the necessarily demoralising influence of the protective system, our legislators are much more ready to listen to the views of the Labour Unions and of manufacturing interests generally than to contentions submitted on the part of authors and publishers. ‘The former claim to represent or to control hundreds of thousands of votes. The latter stand for but few votes, and are not in a position to influence that class of public opinion which controls legislation. It has been my experience in presenting in a THE AUTHOR. committee room in Congress arguments in behalf of copyright amendments to be told by the Chair- man of the Committee that he and his associates were “entirely in accord with my views.” A representative of a Typographical Union takes the. ground, however, that his Union “ does not believe in Mr. Putnam’s Bill, and that he, the typographer, is speaking for forty thousand votes.” The conclusion of the Chairman is, “ Mr. Putnam, we are in accord with you in this matter, but there is no advantage in presenting to the House from this Committee a Bill to which the Unions are opposed. You go outside and satisfy these representatives of the Unions and come back to us and we will pass your Bill.” This, I point out, is the kind of action that can be expected of legislators who have for years been maintaining at the expense of the community as a whole, a system of so-called “ protection” for the benefit of certain classes of manufacturers and of labourers. While it is the case that, if it had not been for this sharp antagonism of the typographers, the Bill would have been passed without the manufacturing clause, it is proper to record, as part of the history in the matter, that certain objections were presented which had nothing to do with the claims of the typographers. It was pointed out by representatives of the book trade who had knowledge of publishing conditions that these conditions and methods differ very materially on the two sides of the Atlantic. It was suggested that if the English publishers were placed in a position through the enactment of a Copyright Bill without a manufacturing condi- tion, to supply, as long as they found it convenient,. their own editions for the American market in place of arranging with an American publisher for the production of authorised American editions, they would quite naturally follow on this side the routine that prevails in Great Britain. They would secure for a first term of, say, twelve months. as large a sale as seemed to be practicable for the comparatively high-priced form of the original issue; and they would delay the supplying of the market, either making sale for the first issue. It is the case that — the requirements of the two markets differ very materially. The English publisher finds it to his — advantage to issue a first edition of a book at — thirty-six shillings, sixteen shillings, and to secure sale with the more pecunious buyers, of such supplies as can be dis- posed of at that price. A year later the same book may be published at ten shillings or seven shillings The American publisher finds that and sixpence. direct or through an American publisher, with a cheaper edition until they were sure that they had exhausted the possibilities of or twenty-four shillings, OT  THE AUTHOR. he better meets the requirement of his public, and, therefore, better serves himself and his author, by printing at once an edition at the lowest price at which it can be afforded, suited for the widest possible sale and for the needs of the comparatively impecunious buyer. The publisher on this side makes his sale to a large public, securing on each copy sold a com- paratively small margin of profit. The English publisher, with a very differently situated public to deal with, finds a better advantage in securing, at least at the outset, a comparatively large profit from the circle of pecunious buyers. The im- pecunious buyer has to wait for a year or more for the cheaper form. If such a method had been attempted in the American market, the large mass of the book buyers, obliged to wait for a year or more for the books of English authors that they had heretofore been securing promptly, would unquestionably have brought to bear such a pressure of indignation upon Congress that the international provision of the copyright law would have been repealed within two years. It may be concluded, therefore, that the manufacturing clause affects the best but a portion, and, in my judgment, very much the smaller portion of the English books copyrighted in the United States. The larger number of such books would, even if there were no such American requirement, be reset in the form suited for the American market. The requirement of simultaneous publication involves, as stated, certain inconveniences. I may remind your readers, however, that this require- ment is not peculiar to the American law. It is also a condition of the British copyright statute. I may point out further that, as a matter of practice, there is at this time no essential difficulty in securing consideration in American publishing offices, well in advance of the day fixed for the publication of the book in Great Britain, for all books which are likely to prove of interest to American readers and to present any prospect of satisfactory returns to the authors from this market. The production of typewritten copies of a work of any commercial value is neither difficult nor expensive, and such typewritten copies can be submitted, and are submitted, from publishing office to publishing office on this side weeks or months in advance of the date fixed for publication in Great Britain. Books can also be submitted, and are submitted, in the form of advance proofs as fast as the material is put into type in Great Britain. An arrangement by cable for a publication date follows as a matter of routine. _ It does from time to time happen that a volume Supposed at first to be of little commercial import- 195 ance, which fails, therefore, to secure favourable consideration from (more or less obtuse) publishers, proves later to possess vitality and commercial value, and that such evidence of its value takes shape after the opportunity has been passed of securing American copyright. The occasional loss of a copyright of value in this way constitutes, however, but a small offset to the substantial gains that are secured by the English writers of books that are suited to the interests of American readers and that secure from such interests a satisfactory return. One ground for the requirement of simultaneous publication has not occurred, as it naturally might not occur, to your literary correspondents. It is, of course, the manifest interest of the English author to secure for his American market the largest price possible. Such price can, however, be obtained only if at the time he makes the sale, he is in a position to assure the buyer that he controls such market and can dispose of the entire usufruct or possible profit belonging to such market. If, however, a term of twelve months, as is suggested by your correspondent, were allowed for the fulfilling on the part of English authors of the requirements of the American copyright, within which term of twelve months no unauthorised edition of the book could appear, the book would, during such term, be in an anomalous condition. Hither the English edition would, during such term, be allowed to come into the market while arrangements were pending for the proposed American edition, or during such term the importation of the English edition would be prohibited. In the latter case, the American reader, who sees promptly from week to week English reviews, would have an annoyance which would easily accumulate into an indignation, at not being able to secure at once books which were already in print in the English market. In the former case, the American market would be “ occupied ” to a greater or less extent, in advance of the production of the authorised American edition, by supplies coming over from the English publisher, who naturally would make sale of his own edition in any territory in which he had a legal right so to do. The English author would, therefore, not be able to guarantee to the American publisher, purchasing the copyright, any control of the American market. He would be obliged to admit that such market had doubtless already been more or less “occupied” by the English copies. The consideration therefore that he would secure (in the form either of a fixed price, or of a rate of royalty, or of an advance against royalty), would be lessened not only by the extent of any actual injury or interference that could be determined, but (as is always the case with a business risk) by the greater amount that would be required to  196 “insure” against a larger interference than there might be actual evidence for. In my judgment, therefore, the English author, while securing a certain convenience in an additional time within which to make his bargain, would have a definite loss of net receipts, which would very much more than offset such convenience. ‘he difficulty on the part of authors of books originating in language other than in English, in meeting the requirements of the American law constitute, however, not an inconvenience, but an obstacle that is almost insurmountable. The records of the Copyright Office in Washington show that during the past decade the entries of authorised American editions of continental works have been so inconsiderable as to constitute practically no business under this heading. The authors on the Continent, and more particularly in Germany, are complaining, and complaining with justice, that the American law gives them copy- right in form, but not in fact. It may in the first place be borne in mind that the expectations on the part of these Continental authors, French and German, in regard to the possibility of returns from the American market were very much exaggerated. The experience of publishers show that it is by no means easy to interest American readers in books of a popular character (I am referring more particularly to fiction), which are written from the Continental point of view of social conditions, and which present relations and methods of thought that are foreign to American knowledge and sympathies. With the most perfect protection obtainable under any copyright law, the sales of American editions of Continental books would in any case be for years to come but inconsiderable. Under present conditions, however, it is true that such books cannot secure adequate attention in the publishing offices, and do not, therefore, have even a fair chance of comparison with or of fair com- petition with books of the same class coming from English and from American authors. The American publishers require to secure, in regard to Con- tinental works, the counsel of a rather special group of literary advisers. It would, as a rue, be undesirable, if not impracticable, to ask these advisers to pass upon German material in script, even if a duplicate script or typewritten copy could be secured from Germany in advance of the date fixed for the first publication of the book. The counsel of the adviser of the American publishing office must, as a rule, for foreign books, be given upon the material in print. After such counsel has been secured (and as above explained, the chances are at the best very much adverse to the prospect that the publisher will be tempted to make the investment), it is necessary, if the work is accepted, to secure the services of a translator, and THER AUTHOR. to allow the necessary time for the translation. It is only when this translation has been completed, that the work of the German author is in a position to be placed in the American market in competition with the similar work from his English or American competitor. The amendment now pending in Congress simply provides that, for the purpose of securing this necessary time for the consideration of the Continental work and for the production of the translation, a book originating in language other than in English shall, if copyrighted in this country within a term of twelve months and in advance of the production of any unauthorised edition, secure the full protection. The law as at present worded gives protection in the case of a book which has been published abroad before being issued in this country, only to the particular trans- lation that has been copyrighted, leaving the original free to the “ appropriation” of any unauthorised reprinter who may desire to take it up. Such a lack of copyright protection con- stitutes, of necessity, 4 large additional ground for the general unwillingness of the American pub- lisher to invest in Continental material. What I want to make clear is, however, that the amend- ment, if it should become law, will not give to the Continental author any “advantage” over his English rival, but will at best fall short of placing his book on as favourable a basis for consideration as that now available for the similar English work. It is the fact that with a certain group of English authors, as with similar groups of the American authors, the returns from the American market have been smaller, and are from year to year smaller, than these authors would like to be able to depend upon. Such a complaint reminds one of the grievance that came up in the boarding- house of Mrs. Todgers. “There never was a joint that could yield as much gravy as the young gentlemen expects.” Before the enactment of the law of 1891, the mass of English fiction of what may be called the “third” or “ fourth grade” which came into print for American readers with- out the necessity of any payment to the authors, constituted a very serious hindrance to the publica- tion and sale of American fiction of the same rade, It is undoubtedly true that since the law of 1891, the American writers, who address them- selves to the wider popular circles, circles whose literary standard is not very high, have secured a fuller measure of consideration in the publishing offices, and much more substantial successes with the public at large, than was possible when their books had to compete with literary productions that had not been paid for. It is quite possible also that the development of this class of writing on our side of the Atlantic (and the market for fiction is, | may say, in an  THE AUTHOR. 197 overcrowded and unsatisfactory condition), has, since the enactment of the law, stood in the way of the production of American editions of a large number of perfectly reputable English novels which are deserving of coming into print, but which do not possess what the publishers call a ‘‘ commanding interest.” There is, in fact, more than enough of such material produced on both sides of the Atlantic, and, to put it frankly, there is no present need as far as the literary wants of American readers are concerned, for any large additions to the mass. It is doubtless true, therefore, that the literary agents who have such books to dispose of, have been obliged to advise a number of their English authors that it was not practicable to secure from the American market the rates of royalty and the cash advances for which these authors were hoping. The authors of the first class, however (I am still using the term in the publishing or commercial sense), whose books are fitted to secure a world-wide reputation and which possess a commanding interest, have a larger assured market in the United States than had ever before been possible, and, as suggested, this market is, in the case of a number of books, sufficiently remunerative to produce larger returns than could be secured from the same books on the other side of the Atlantic. There is also, as ought naturally to be the case, an increasing sale in Great Britain for the works of American authors, and particularly of American writers of fiction which possesses (to use the pub- lishing phrase before quoted) a ‘“ commanding interest.” These writers belong (speaking still from the point of view of the publishing office) to what may be called the first group. It is, how- ever, the experience of American publishers that it is by no means easy to secure the favourable atten- tion of English book-buyers, and particularly of English readers of fiction, for American books of the lesser degree of importance, using the term “importance” either in the literary sense or as expressing the quality which secures a popular appreciation. From my own knowledge of condi- tions on both sides of the Atlantic, I doubt whether there is any adequate evidence for the statement that American books are being “dumped” in large quantities on the English market, or that the English market is being “swamped” or even interfered with to any material extent by such importations. The interest on the part of English readers of American books is increasing, and ought to increase, but the increase is very much slower than had been hoped for, and by no means rapid enough to meet the very general expectation on the part of American writers that they were going to secure large transatlantic returns. The imposition of a tariff duty on books (and I may add, although not directly pertaining to the present discussion, the similar duty on works of art) which has come into force under our Dingley system of protection is in my judgment an inex- cusable barbarism. Such duties are not required as income for the treasury. They are certainly not asked for on the part either of the American pub- lishers or of American authors. They are the result of the contention of the Labour Unions and of cer- tain manufacturing concerns that they are entitled to their share of the spoils of the public treasury, spoils which, under a protective system, are divided not with regard to the interests of the community, but in proportion to the greed of the claimants and to the effectiveness of their organisation. The duty on the materialsrequired for the production of books is, of course, a still more serious burden upon the higher educational interests of the community than is the duty on the books themselves. Such duties cause an unnecessary increase in the cost of nineteen twentieths of the books sold in this market, while the duty on the books themselves affect the selling price only of the remaining twentieth. According to my understanding, however, the inevitable tendency of the system of “ protection ” that originated with the taxes of the Civil War, and has been retained with steadily increasing rates, and irrespective of the requirements of the national income, shows an increasing disregard on the part of the legislators for the interests of the consumer. Under the protective system, legisla- tion is dictated and controlled by well organised business interests that secure, or that believe they secure, a direct advantage to themselves through the shaping of legislation. I may add that the Authors’ Copyright League and the Publishers’ Copyright League have now in train a plan for the revision of the American copy- right statute by means of a commission to be appointed for the purpose under an act of Congress. We believe that through the labours of such a commission composed of experts, who shall be allowed the necessary time for the collection of information and for the sifting of opinions, it ought to prove practicable to secure a more con- sistent and satisfactory copyright measure than that which is now on the statute book. It is intended that this commission shall comprise from eleven to thirteen members, and shall include, in addition to representatives from both Houses of Congress, representatives of the authors, the artists, the publishers, the book manufacturing interests and the other interests that have a direct concern with copyright, or that, under the present system, have established a claim to be heard in connection with copyright.  198 We should be glad to learn that, by the time we have in train a satisfactory revision of the American statute, steps are being taken to secure for Great Britain also a more consistent and effective law than that which now controls copyright for the British Empire. : I am in accord with your correspondents in the conclusion that the United States could have no legitimate ground for complaint,or for criticism, if Great Britain might decide to place upon American books a duty similar to that which is imposed on this side on English books ; or if the British copy- right law might be so modified as to impose a manufacturing restriction similar to that in force on this side. The only question that Englishmen have to consider in regard to such a radical change from the present British policy, is whether the change would be likely to prove of any direct service to English readers or to English authors and publishers. : 5 My apology for the length of this report is the fact that it naturally takes longer to give informa- tion in regard to the matters complained of than to state the complaint. Trusting that the suggestions here submitted may prove of some service in connection with the interesting discussion that has taken shape in your columns, I am, Yours faithfully, Gro. HAvEN PUTNAM. The American Publishers’ Copyright League, 27 and 29, West 23rd Street, New York. TE An Act to AMEND Section ForTy-NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO OF THE REVISED STATUTES. E it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Section forty-nine hundred and fifty-two of the Revised Statutes be, and the same is hereby, amended so as to read as follows : Sec. 4952. 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, and of models or designs intended to be perfected as works of the fine arts, and the executors, administrators, or assigns of any such person shall, upon complying with the provisions of this chapter have the sole THE AUTHOR. liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing, com- pleting, copying, executing, finishing, and vending the same; and, in the case of a dramatic compo- sition, of publicly performing or representing it, or causing it to be performed or represented by others. And authors or their assigns shall have exclusive right to dramatize or translate any of their works for which copyright shall have been obtained under the laws of the United States. Whenever the author or proprietor of a book in a foreign language, which shall be published in a foreign country before the day of publication in this country, or his executors, administrators, or assigns, shall deposit one complete copy of the same, including all maps and other illustrations, in the Library of Congress, Washington, District of Columbia, within thirty days after the first pub- lication of such book in a foreign country, and shall insert in such copy, and in all copies of such book sold or distributed in the United States, on the title page or the page immediately following, a notice of the reservation of copyright in the name of the proprietor, together with the true date of first publication of such book, in the following words : ‘‘ Published , nineteen hundred and Privilege of copyright in the United States reserved under the Act approved : nineteen hundred and five, by ,” and shall within twelve months after the first publication of such book in a foreign country, file the title of such book and deposit two copies of it in the original lan- guage or, at his option, of a translation of it in the English language, printed from type set within the limits of the United States, or from plates made therefrom, containing a notice of copyright, as provided by the copyright laws now in force, he and they shall have during the term of twenty-eight years from the date of recording the title of the book or the English translation of it, as provided for above, the sole liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing, vending, translating and dramatizing the said book ; Provided, That this Act shall only apply to a citizen or subject of a foreign State or nation when such foreign State or nation permits to citizens of the United States of America the benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens. Approved, March 8rd, 1905. The amendment printed above is a copy of the text as it was signed by the President. It will be seen that this differs considerably from the draft printed in the last number of The Author, which appeared to be inadequate on @ good many points. The redraft is by Mr. Thor- vald Solberg, the registrar of Copyrights of the Library of Congress, and was undertaken upon the request of the Senator in charge of the Bill.  THE AUTHOR. 199 Members who desire to compare the two should refer to the last number of The Author. They will see that to protect the foreign author securely during the interim period of twelve months this Bill now requires that one copy of the original book—not necessarily printed in the United States—shall be lodged within thirty days after the first publication, at the Library of Congress with certain notices printed in it. In the letter of explanation which Mr. Solberg has written to the Society, he states that this will give complete warning to persons interested to keep their hands off such literary property during the interim period of twelve months. He further shows that the deposit within the thirty days will save the foreign author from the embarrassment of the pro- vision of the present law requiring the copy to be deposited on or before the day of publication. Further the amendment effects the protection of the foreign author without it being absolutely essential for him to publish a translation of his book. The author is allowed during the interim term of twelve months to deposit American made copies either of his original work or of a translation of it. Protection is given against infringement, during the interim term of copyright, and during this term of twelve months the foreign author is allowed free access to the American market. His book can be exported to the United States ; intro- duced into that country and sold without payment of any duty. Mr. Solberg continues: “This privilege of importation should give the author an opportunity to demonstrate such a market for his book as to justify refabrication of it in the United States. If, therefore, the foreigner reproduces his original work, complying with the statutory formalities now in force in regard to filing title, depositing two copies of the American type-set book and printing notice, he then secures not only possible protection for forty-two years, but the absolute reservation of the right of translation for the same period of time.” We must thank Mr. Solberg very heartily for his kindness in putting before the Society this full information. <p 4 —- MAGAZINE CONTENTS. So MARCH, 1905. BLACKWOOD’s MAGAZINE, At the University. Claverhouse in Literature. By Michael Barrington. A Plea for the Abolition of All Learning. By Marcator Anglicanus, BOoOKMAN. Benjamin Disracli. By Thomas Seccombe, 300K MonTHLY. Lubbock on Books. By J. M. What Greater Britain Reads. Harrison Ainsworth as the Real Father of the English ‘Penny Dreadful.” By Archibald Sparke. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Shall We put the Clock Back in Biblical Criticism. A Remonstrance. By Canon Cheyne. Science and Education. By Sir Edward Fry. Early Friends of Robert Browning. By W. Hall Griffin. THE FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Ibsen in His Letters. By William Archer. A Forgotten Soldier Poet. By May Bateman. Was Bacon a Poet? By George Stronach, Eugene Fromentin. By C. G. Compton. Harrison Ainsworth. By Francis Gribble. French Life and the French Stage. Macdonald. THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW. A Levantine Messiah. By H. N. Brailsford. Watts and National Art. By Laurence Binyon. A Farm School in the Transvaal. By An English Teacher. Myers’ Posthumous Writings. By Arthur Sidgwick. By John F, LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE. At the Sign of the Ship: United States Copyright. By Andrew Lang. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. The Profession of Art. By Lewis F. Day. The Fellow Workers of Voltaire: Dierdot. By S. G. Tallentyre. MontH. The Scientific Frontier. By The Rev. John Gerard. The Battle of the Schools in Belgium. By Pierre Verhaegen. MonTHLY REVIEW. Edward Burne Jones. By Julia Cartwright, NATIONAL REVIEW. Street Music. By Miss Virginia Stephen. NINETEENTH CENTURY, George Frederick Watts: From the Utmost to the Highest. By Sir W. B. Richmond, K.C.B. The Experiment of Impressionism. Burne Jones, Bart. Greek Mysteries and the Gospel Narrative. By Slade Butler. By Sir Philip PALL MALL MAGAZINE. Personalities of the Paris Press. By Charles Dawbarn. Some Popular Novels and Why they are Popular. By James Douglas. TEMPLE BAR. From South to North Spain. By Miss H. H. Colvill. Wor.p’s WorK, An American Artist : John W. Alexander. By Charles H. Caffin. There are no articles dealing with literary, dramatic or musical subjects in Cornhill or Chambers’ Journal,  200 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCER OF BOOKS. — ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (8.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book, General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author, Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :-— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —__+—_2—____—_- WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. Lge EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager, THE AUTHOR. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties («.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5, Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, om account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. —_————_1—_—_e—__—_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —»—— + —— ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that,. as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  THE AUTHOR. should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into part. cular consideration the warnings stated above. i HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. es i VERY member has a right toask for and to receive BK 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. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This The 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements, must be done within fourteen days of first execution, Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members, 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. _10, The subscription to the Society is’"£4 41s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. 201 TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. TS Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. ——$_+~— THE READING BRANCH. —+~o + EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. ‘The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. ++ ____ NOTICES. —_1+— HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Hvery effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. —1~< +. The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Oe LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. a Dae to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.  200 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCER OF BOOKS. — to ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. ll. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IVY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other. forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. ————_+——_+____- WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. Se EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- __ petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager, THE AUTHOR. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.¢., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, 0B account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ——__—_.——_—___<_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —_.— 1 — ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that,. a8 a rule, the musical publisher demands from the music composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into part. cular consideration the warnings stated above. Oo HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. i 1, VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a” pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinarysolicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is'"£1 4s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. THE AUTHOR. 201 TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. she: Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. —_—_+—~@—.+—____ THE READING BRANCH. —_t——» —_ EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience, The fee is one guinea, —————+—_—_+ NOTICES. + HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever, Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. St The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. — LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. — 4 ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, P either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C.  202 AUTHORITIES. — In recognition of the work the Society has done in copyright matters, Mr. George Haven Putnam has forwarded to the office the original of the letter which, in a curtailed form, appeared in the Slandard. He thought that the members of the Society might like to have before them a full statement of his opinion on the subject of the amendment to the United States Copyright Law. We have much pleasure in carrying out Mr. Putnam’s wishes, even though the session has closed. There are many points of interest dealt with in the letter, and it is possible that many may not have had the opportunity to study the communication which appeared in the Standard. Russta remains one of the few countries in Europe that stands outside the Bern Convention, and no copyright treaties exist with the Russian Government. It is interesting, therefore, to find that in the Treaty which has just been arranged between Germany and that country there is a clause referring to copyright property. By this clause, the Russian Government binds itself “ within three years from the date of the Treaty to enter into conference with Germany for the conclusion of a convention for the reciprocal protection of the rights of authors in Germany and Russia, in works of Art, Literature and Photographs.” Whether such efforts will come to anything it is impossible to say, but it is, ab any rate, a step in the right direction. The main reason why Russia is at present unable to enter into any Treaty consists in the fact that its internal copyright law is in a chaotic state. It would be necessary for the Russian Government to take this matter into consideration before they could bind themselves by any firm arrangement with another country ; but the fact that the Russians are willing to enter into a conference with Germany has aroused the wrath of their allies the French, and justly so, as the following statement will show :— We learn from the Echo de Paris that in 1904, 2,800 theatrical pieces were represented in Russia under the protection of the Society of Dramatic Authors. Of these, 500 alone were essentially Russian ; 218 were German, and the rest, about 2,000 in number, were French. It is quite clear, then, that the French have a sound cause for complaint. The same paper states that for every nine volumes published in Russia, three are Russian, six are French. It is to be hoped that if Germany is able to make some arrangement with the Russian Government, THE AUTHOR. other European countries will do so also, and that finally, Russia will join the Bern Convention. Tus annual meeting of the Royal Literary Fund was held at the society’s rooms in Adelphi Terrace on March 8th. The report showed that during the year 1904 £2,680 was granted to 33 applicants. Mr. Edmund Gosse, who took the chair, in pro- posing the adoption of the report, made some ex- ceedingly interesting remarks on the purposes of the fund. He stated that the managers of the fund were trying to correct as far as they could, and in strict relation to literary merit, the injus- tices of fate and accident. No one need consider it an indignity to accept the help of the fund. He pointed out that it was too commonly supposed that there was no method of drawing attention to a case save that of a direct appeal from the author who wanted help. That was not so. In the majority of instances it was from the report of others that the council learnt of those misfortunes which appealed most vividly to its sympathies. ok it was that friends could most practically elp. What.Mr. Gosse stated in his remarks applies with equal force to the Pension Fund of the Society of Authors. It often occurs that those who are most in need of assistance retire from the publicity of a per- sonal appeal. It is essential, therefore, that their friends should take the matter up and give the assistance that their more intimate knowledge affords. All the details of the cases which come before both the Royal Literary Fund and the Society’s Pension Fund are treated in the strictest confidence, and where the aim and object of both funds is to help the most worthy, it would be a pity if, at any time, those aims and objects were turned aside owing to the lack of reliable information. We would, therefore, strongly urge those who know, to give their assistance to the management of the two funds who want to know. —_—_—_———__+—>_ + F. R. DALDY. ot - HAVE been asked to write a short account of Mr. F. R. Daldy for The Author, and I gladly avail myself of the opportunity of placing on record some account, inadequate though I. fear it 2 may be, of one with whom I had worked on very close terms for nearly thirty years, and for whom L had a very genuine regard and respect. some years For before I knew him, and  THE AUTHOR. continuously to the end of his life, Mr. Daldy’s energies were devoted mainly to the cause of copy- right, and there has been no one, during the past quarter of a century, to whom that cause owes so much as to him, and this doubtless is the reason why the Editor of 7he Author desires to pay some tribute to his memory. His latter years, in this connection, were so intimately associated with the Copyright Association that it is impossible to give any account of them without a brief mention of that body. In 1870 the need of a new Copyright Bill was urgently felt ; the Act of 1842 had been found to be inadequate to the needs of the craft of letters, which had undergone a rapid development in the intervening period. Not only did the authors require fuller protection and advantages at home, but the growing needs and aspirations of the Colonies had raised difficulties and complications which did not exist in 1842. In 1870 there were no Authors’ Society and Publishers’ Association to devote themselves exclusively to the affairs of these two classes respectively, so authors and publishers combined in 1872 to form an association to “ watch over the general interests of owners of copyright property, and to obtain early information of all measures affecting copyright property, and as opportunity offers to suggest and promote improvements in existing copyright laws.” Lord Stanhope, a veteran who had done mach to bring about the Act of 1842, was the first chair- man, and among the original members who took an active part in the proceedings were Lord Houghton, Lord Lytton, Sir Arthur Helps, Sir Charles Trevelyan, Dr. William Smith, Robert Browning, Wilkie Collins, Anthony Trollope, J. A. Froude, and Henry Reeve, while the publishers were represented by the late Thomas Longman, George Bentley, Alexander Macmillan, my father, and others. Mr. Daldy was appointed honorary secretary, a post which he held till the time of his death, which occurred only a day or two after he had attended a meeting of the Association in my house last month, For the past thirty years the relations of the Imperial Government with Canada have given rise to the chief difficulties which have beset the preparation and passing of a new Copyright Act, and in many of the negotiations which have passed between the Mother Country and the Colony, Mr. Daldy has acted as the principal go- between. He paid three visits to the Dominion “between 1872 and 1894 on behalf of the Copyright Association, for the express purpose of carrying on the negotiations, or settling some point which had arisen on emergency, and on nine different 203 occasions he crossed the Atlantic on similar errands. He was in close touch with successive officials of the Colonial Office, the Board of Trade, the Canadian Executive, and other departments responsible for some part of the transactions, and I am sure Lord Thring would bear testimony to the unwearying and valuable service rendered by him in the preparation of the Bill which passed the House of Lords in 1900. Mr. Daldy was indeed a mine of information in all that concerns copyright; not only had he studied all the books and State papers (in them- selves a voluminous mass) dealing with the subject, but having been in personal touch with all that was passing for many years, he was acquainted with the views of all the influential men, and could at once give an account of every turn and phase of the complicated negotiations which have taken place. I have often been surprised by the ease and readiness with which he could unravel the tangled skein in which some point or other calling for discussion, was involved. His methods were those of suaviter in modo rather than fortiter in re, and placed as he was, his success was doubtless in a great measure due to this fact. Inever heard an ill-natured or impatient word from him, in circumstances which might try the temper of any man, and I never knew him spare himself when he was called upon to assist in promoting the interests of copyright holders. In 1897 the members of the Copyright Associa- tion subscribed to present him with a service of plate in recognition of the valuable aid which he had rendered to the cause—practically gratuitously, for except.the payment of his expenses in going to Canada, he received no remuneration for his work. The gift, together with an address signed by a large number of leading authors and publishers, was formally presented to him by Lord Avebury. Mr. Daldy claimed descent from the famous Aldine family, after which his house at Belvedere was named. At the time of his death he was within a few months of completing his eightieth ear. ? Copyright owners have lost a staunch and true ally in Francis Daldy, and I do not see at present how the special position which he occupied is to be adequately filled. JouN Murray. I should like to add to the above tribute a few words referring to Mr. Daldy’s services to the cause of International Copyright. At the time of the negotiation of the Bern Convention, Mr. Daldy supplied the British Dele- gates with the most complete information in regard to the complicated matters under discussion. He was present at Bern throughout the negotiations,  204 and it is not too much to say that the successful result was in great part due to the complete know- ledge of the subject which he placed unreservedly at the disposal of the British delegates. For a long period of years all those who had been officially connected with the question of International Copyright have learnt to rely upon Mr. Daldy’s knowledge and experience, which have always been given with perfect sincerity and single-mindedness. He has sought no reward nor public acknowledgment of the services thus rendered—services which were given gratuitously, and even enthusiastically, to promote the cause which he had at heart. His place will not readily be filled. H. G. Berane. —_____—_—>__—__ UNITED STATES NOTES. — 1 —_ ISCUSSION seems to be in the literary atmosphere of America just now. Mr. Howells’s half-serious attack upon the International Copyright Act at the end of last year was naturally not allowed to pass, his con- tentions being riddled through and through by Mr. Putnam and Mr. George Platt Brett, not to speak of various leader-writers in the literary journals. One of these last, not content with confuting the rash novelist and reproving him for the manner in which he had raised “this buried subject of discussion,” proceeded to advo- cate an amendment of the law in favour of the further protection of English and Continental authors. It was pointed out that the double type-setting provision was inserted at the bidding of mere class-interests, and that the case of trans- lated works was still unsatisfactory. Then the question of the ethics of book-selling has been on the carpet. A correspondent of the Publishers’ Weekly put the purely business view point with refreshing vigour, inveighing especially against the impolicy of recommending books to customers on any ground but that of their recorded sales. One fears that he may be right ; but his conclusion that he would prefer the epitaph ‘‘ Here lies a successful bookseller” to the proposed “ He died an honest man” is surely a shade too cynical. Again, we have Mr. Charles Leonard Moore in the Dial making a venomous onslaught upon the American literary instinct, which he finds expressed in the formula “to live better and save more,” taken from an insurance prospectus. According to this writer, it is all the fault of women, commer- cialism, and the absence of outside pressure that things are so bad with our people. ‘The result is THE AUTHOR. that members become college professors, and so “ dry up and blow away,” whilst “ poets are driven into business and artists into exile.” This is indicting a nation with a vengeance. But, as yet, we haye seen no reply to it. = The very latest hare to be started is the condition of poetry—is there a “slump” in it, and, if so, why ? This, of course, began on your side with the poet Laureate’s address. Here it has been set on foot by that vivacious periodical, the Critic, which, by the bye, has amalgamated with the Boston Literary World. As in most symposiums, the issues became rather confused, some contributors taking into con- sideration poetry, both classic and contemporary, others only the latter ; whilst to some the criterion of health is sales, to others quality also. One is glad to find on the side of those who deny the slump Messrs. Houghton, Miffin & Co. and Mr, Richard G. Badger. Mr. Clinton Scollard gives up the puzzle set him by the editor ; but most of the others are dogmatic enough. Amongst the slum- pers, Mr. Maurice F. Egan puts down the débddcle to the decay of the art of home reading, the con- ventionality and academicism of the poets, and the lack of seriousness of the press. There is no doubt something in the first two causes, but the last, which is insisted upon by Mr. Cale Young Rice, but is best put by Robert Underwood Johnson, is to our thinking, the most cogent reason. Com- petent criticism of verse is badly needed in America. Not that this is sufficient to call poetry into being, if it be true that the spirit of the age is against it, and that the “gradual sophistication of the young” destroys the taste for it. One comment dropped in the course of the dis- cussion arrides us not a little. After the mournful statement that style in prose counts for almost nothing to-day, Mr. William C. Wilkinson proceeds + “When I was a youth, successful business men deferred to authors. Authors nowadays are apt to defer to successful business men.” We confess we should enjoy the experience of being deferred to by a successful business man ; but we have our doubts as to whether there was ever author who sayoured this particular morsel. The short story competition in connection with Collier’s Weekly, the awards in which}were announced a short time since, presented some features of interest. Mrs. Wharton, Margaret Deland, and Mr. Alden were among the prize-winners ; but a good proportion of the nine were unknown names. Senator Lodge disagreed with his colleagues, Mr. White and Mr. Page, as to the adjudication of the first two prizes, holding that Mrs. Wharton’s “The Best Man” to be by far the best composition sent in. The fact that only four writers wrote “what might be called foreign stories” was, in Mr. White's view, “the most hopeful thing for real literature  Qo ed OS pepe CD oq eE if 16 toh 199 THE AUTHOR. in America. (We may remark parenthetically that “a foreign book” figured at the top of the “biggest sellers” last month). Other features of the competition were the com- plete absence of civil war stories or Indian fighting tales, and the comparative rarity of historical setting of any kind. Modernity, in fact, largely prevailed. The judges encountered two auto- mobiles, a battleship, a big prairie-type engine, a pianola, a police scandal, a freak-woman reporter ; besides innumerable trained nurses, five o’clock commuters’ trains, and telephone buzzers. The favourite locale was New York, the desert west of the Rockies coming next, followed by New England and California. There was one war story, placed in the Philippines, whilst J apan and Alaska were the theatre of action in single tales. There is not much to record of the literary pro- ducts of the present year so far as it has gone yet. The highest native “big seller,’ Mr. Thomas Dixon’s “The Clansman,” is a story of the South during the Reconstruction period.” It has slight literary merit and is full of anachronisms, but contains some good chapters dealing with the conspiracy of the Ku Klux Klan. Much superior as literature is another Recon- struction tale, Emerson Hough’s “The Law of the Land.” It is curious as being the work of a northerner. “ Bethany,” a novel of Georgian life just pre- vious to the Civil War and touching upon it in its early stage, has the merit of sincerity and some pictorial power. The author, in this case, Thomas E. Watson, hails from the south, Burton E. Stevenson’s “ The Marathon Mystery,” is a capital detective story, though the accuracy of its dialect has been impugned. “ Cabbages and Kings,” by O. Henry, a book of Central American short stories, has humour and spirit, as well as an excellent background. A notable book announced for immediate publi- cation by McClurg is the autobiography of the late Theodore Thomas, the musician. “The Self-made Man” is not yet disposed of ; “His Wife’s Letters to Her Son” is the latest pendant promised to Mr. Lorimer’s work. Mr. G. W. Winkley has published “Personal Reminiscences of John Brown, the hero,” with an introduction by Frank B. Sauborn. The new edition, for which Mr. Herbert M. Lloyd is responsible, of Lewis Morgan’s “ League of the Ho-de-no-saunee or Troquois,” is an excel- lent reprint of aninvaluable work. It has personal reminiscences of Morgan by Charles T. Porter, his 08 collaborator, and embodies his own corrections. oM Morgan’s ethnological investigations are well i known, and _ their ‘976 over-estimated. importance can scarcely be 205 William Canfield’s “Tegends of the Troquois” has a more purely literary interest. But both books deserve more than a specialist’s public, The latest complete exposition of “The Monroe Doctrine” comes from T. B. Edgington, of the Memphis Bar. He illustrates its most recent phases, as seen in the Venezuela Boundary Case and the Panama Canal Treaty. There have appeared two volumes of Professor G. Santyana’s “The Life of Reason ” ; vol. xi. of Dr. Reuben Thwaite’s « Early Western Travels,” containing Part I. of Faux’s “ Memorable Days in America ” (1819-20) ; and vol. xxi. of “The Philippine Islands,” edited by Emma H. Blair and James A. Robertson. Mr. T. Nelson Page in “The Negro ” great racial question calm consideration. “The Future of Road Making in America” is a symposium on an important subject by Archer B. Hulbert and others, published by the Clark Company. Mr. Henry James has consented to a kind of informal interview during his visit to America, He has been much written about of late as a matter of course. The obituary list of 1905 already includes Theodore Thomas, the creator of modern American music, whose best work was done at Chicago, but was begun at New York ; John White Chadwick, the biographer of Channing and Theodore Parker ; L. Clarke Davis, father of Richard Harding Davis, and some time editor of the Ledger ; Alpheus Spring Packarel, many years Professor at Brown University, and author of some 400 scientific monographs, many of them of international repu- tation ; and William Cowper-Prime, vice-president of the New York Metropolitan Museum, whose fine collection of wood engravings is destined for Princeton. Nor must we omit General Lewis Wallace, best known as the author of “ Ben Hur,” but who also wrote, amongst other works, “The Fair God,” a fine Mexican story, and a life of President Benjamin Harrison, a veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars. He was some time United States Minister to Turkey. gives the Oo AUTHORS AND THE STAGE SOCIETY, —— 1+ — HOSE members of the Society of Authors, fe whose ambitions lie in the direction of play writing would do well to bear in mind the use which they may make of the Stage Society. One of the great difficulties which beset the path of the new dramatist is the impossibility of getting his plays produced. This is not entirely the fault  204 and it is not too much to say that the successful result was in great part due to the complete know- ledge of the subject which he placed unreservedly at the disposal of the British delegates. For a long period of years all those who had been officially connected with the question of International Copyright have learnt to rely upon Mr. Daldy’s knowledge and experience, which have always been given with perfect sincerity and single-mindedness. He has sought no reward nor public acknowledgment of the services thus rendered—services which were given gratuitously, and even enthusiastically, to promote the cause which he had at heart. His place will not readily be filled. H. G. BERGNE. —__—_—_—_—_——_1—__+—___——_ UNITED STATES NOTES. —_1—~>—+—_ ISCUSSION seems to be in the literary atmosphere of America just now. Mr. Howells’s half-serious attack upon the International Copyright Act at the end of last rear was naturally not allowed to pass, his con- tentions being riddled through and through by Mr. Putnam and Mr. George Platt Brett, not to speak of various leader-writers in the literary journals. One of these last, not content with confuting the rash novelist and reproving him for the manner in which he had raised “this buried subject of discussion,” proceeded to advo- cate an amendment of the law in favour of the further protection of English and Continental authors. It was pointed out that the double type-setting provision was inserted at the bidding of mere class-interests, and that the case of trans- lated works was still unsatisfactory. Then the question of the ethics of book-selling has been on the carpet. A correspondent of the Publishers’ Weekly put the purely business view point with refreshing vigour, inveighing especially against the impolicy of recommending books to customers on any ground but that of their recorded sales. One fears that he may be right ; but his conclusion that he would prefer the epitaph ‘“ Here lies a successful bookseller ” to the proposed ‘“ He died an honest man” is surely a shade too cynical. Again, we have Mr. Charles Leonard Moore in the Dial making a venomous onslaught upon the American literary instinct, which he finds expressed in the formula “to live better and save more,” taken from an insurance prospectus. According to this writer, it is all the fault of women, commer- cialism, and the absence of outside pressure that things are so bad with our people, The result is THE AUTHOR. that members become college professors, and so “dry up and blow away,” whilst “poets are driven into business and artists into exile.” This is indicting a nation with a vengeance. But, as yet, we have seen no reply to it. ee The very latest hare to be started is the condition of poetry—is there a “slump” in it, and, if so, why ? This, of course, began on your side with the poet Laureate’s address. Here it has been set on foot by that vivacious periodical, the Critic, which, by the bye, has amalgamated with the Boston Literary World. As in most symposiums, the issues became rather confused, some contributors taking into con- sideration poetry, both classic and contemporary, others only the latter ; whilst to some the criterion of health is sales, to others quality also. One is glad to find on the side of those who deny the slump Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. and Mr, Richard G. Badger. Mr. Clinton Scollard gives up the puzzle set him by the editor ; but most of the others are dogmatic enough. Amongst the slum- pers, Mr. Maurice F. Egan puts down the débacle to the decay of the art of home reading, the con- ventionality and academicism of the poets, and the lack of seriousness of the press. There is no doubt something in the first two causes, but the last, which is insisted upon by Mr. Cale Young Rice, but is best put by Robert Underwood Johnson, is to our thinking, the most cogent reason. Com- petent criticism of verse is badly needed in America. Not that this is sufficient to call poetry into being, if it be true that the spirit of the age is against it, and that the “gradual sophistication of the young” destroys the taste for it. One comment dropped in the course of the dis- cussion arrides us not a little. After the mournful statement that style in prose counts for almost nothing to-day, Mr. William C. Wilkinson proceeds : “ When I was a youth, successful business men deferred to authors. Authors nowadays are apt to defer to successful business men.” We confess we should enjoy the experience of being deferred to by a successful business man ; but we have our doubts as to whether there was ever author who savoured this particular morsel. The short story competition in connection with Obilier’s Weekly, the awards in whichiwere announced a short time since, presented some features of interest. Mrs. Wharton, Margaret Deland, and Mr. Alden were among the prize-winners ; but a good proportion of the nine were unknown names. Senator Lodge disagreed with his colleagues, Mr. White and Mr. Page, as to the adjudication of the first two prizes, holding that Mrs. Wharton’s “The Best Man” to be by far the best composition sent in. The fact that only four writers wrote “what might be called foreign stories” was, in Mr. White’s view, “the most hopeful thing for real literature epntrnioneeR Ro wins  THE AUTHOR. in America. (We may remark parenthetically that “a foreign book” figured at the top of the “biggest sellers ” last month). Other features of the competition were the com- plete absence of civil war stories or Indian fighting tales, and the comparative rari ty of historical setting of any kind. Modernity, in fact, largely pevailed. The judges encountered two auto- mobiles, a battleship, a big prairie-type engine, a pianola, a police scandal, a freak-woman reporter ; besides innumerable trained nurses, five o’clock commuters’ trains, and telephone buzzers. The favourite Jocale was New York, the desert west of the Rockies coming next, followed by New England and California. There was one war story, placed in the Philippines, whilst J apan and Alaska were the theatre of action in single tales. There is not much to record of the literary pro- ducts of the present year so far as it has gone yet, The highest native “big seller,” Mr. Thomas Dixon’s “The Clansman,” is a story of the South during the Reconstruction period. It has slight literary merit and is full of anachronisms, but contains some good chapters dealing with the conspiracy of the Ku Klux Klan. Much superior as literature is another Recon- struction tale, Emerson Hough’s “The Law of the Land.” It is curious as being the work of a northerner. “ Bethany,” a novel of Georgian life just pre- vious to the Civil War and touching upon it in its early stage, has the merit of sincerity and some pictorial power. The author, in this case, Thomas KE. Watson, hails from the south. Burton EE. Stevenson’s “ The Marathon Mystery,” is a capital detective story, though the accuracy of its dialect has been impugned. “ Cabbages and Kings,” by O. Henry, a book of Central American short stories, has humour and Spirit, as well as an excellent background. A notable book announced for immediate publi- cation by McClurg is the autobiography of the late Theodore Thomas, the musician. “The Self-made Man” is not yet disposed of ; “His Wife’s Letters to Her Son” is the latest pendant promised to Mr. Lorimer’s work. Mr. G. W. Winkley has published “Personal Reminiscences of John Brown, the hero,” with an introduction by Frank B. Sauborn, The new edition, for which Mr. Herbert M. Lloyd is responsible, of Lewis Morgan’s “ League of the Ho-de-no-saunee or Troquois,” is an excel- lent reprint of aninvaluable work. It has personal reminiscences of Morgan by Charles T. Porter, his collaborator, and embodies hig own corrections. Morgan’s ethnological investigations are well known, and _ their importance can scarcely be over-estimated. 205 William Canfield’s « Legends of the Troquois” has a more purely literary interest, But both books deserve more than a Specialist’s public. The latest complete exposition of “The Monroe Doctrine” comes from T. B, Edgington, of the Memphis Bar. He illustrates its most recent phases, as seen in the Venezuela Boundary Case and the Panama Canal Treaty. There have appeared two volumes of Professor G. Santyana’s “The Life of Reason” ; vol. xi. of Dr. Reuben Thwaite’s « Early Western Travels,” containing Part I. of Faux’s “ Memorable Days in America ” (1819-20) ; and vol. xxi. of « The Philippine Islands,” edited by Emma H. Blair and James A. Robertson. Mr. T. Nelson Page in “'The Negro” gives the great racial question calm consideration. “The Future of Road Making in America” is a symposium on an important subject by Archer B. Hulbert and others, published by the Clark Company. Mr. Henry James has consented to a kind of informal interview during his visit to America. He has been much written about of late as a matter of course. The obituary list of 1905 already includes Theodore Thomas, the creator of modern American music, whose best work was done at Chicago, but was begun at New York ; John White Chadwick, the biographer of Channing and Theodore Parker ; L. Clarke Davis, father of Richard Harding Davis, and some time editor of the Ledger ; Alpheus Spring Packarel, many years Professor at Brown University, and author of some 400 scientific monographs, many of them of international repu- tation ; and William Cowper-Prime, vice-president of the New York Metropolitan Museum, whose fine collection of wood engravings is destined for Princeton. Nor must we omit General Lewis Wallace, best known as the author of “ Ben Hur,” but who also wrote, amongst other works, “The Fair God,” a fine Mexican story, and a life of President Benjamin Harrison, a veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars. He was some time United States Minister to Turkey. ——_+~>—- AUTHORS AND THE STAGE SOCIETY. —— HOSE members of the Society of Authors, T whose ambitions lie in the direction of play writing would do well to bear in mind the use which they may make of the Stage Society. One of the great difficulties which beset the path of the new dramatist is the impossibility of getting his plays produced. This is not entirely the fault  206 of the theatrical managers. The work of the beginner, even when most promising, is apt to be unsuited for obtaining solid financial success In the theatre. In play-writing, experience—especially the experience gained from an actual production— counts for so much. And if the beginner cannot get a production, how is he to get experi- ence? This is where the Stage Society can be of assistance to him. For the Stage Society does not exist to make profits but to foster and encourage drama. It gives performances of the best examples of the contemporary Continental stage in order to give its members an opportunity of seeing works of artistic value which would otherwise never see the light in a London theatre. And it also gives performances of the work of English writers who thave not hitherto had plays produced and to whom the practical instruction in technique to be learned from a production will be of value. During the -six years of its existence the Society has produced thirty plays, and of these nearly a third have been the work of English dramatists who had not previously had a play produced. It is impossible for those who have not had -experience of dramatic writing to understand the fall value which this opportunity of seeing his work performed under proper stage conditions by a picked professional cast may be to the young play- wright. To watch one’s own play day after day through rehearsal, to realise with growing clearness -where the dialogue is weak or strong, which are the the situations which “ get across the foot-lights,” -and why they do s0, is a training in the art of play- writing such as nothing else can give. Much may be gained by a careful study of good models— Ibsen, Sudermann, Brieux, Hauptman, Augier and the younger Dumas—much by constant attendance at theatres and a critical examination of the plays presented, and the way they get their effects. But nothing is quite so instructive as the discipline of watching the performances of one’s own play. ‘Owing to the cost of production, and to some extent also to the timidity of the ordinary manager where the work of a beginner is con- cerned, this discipline for the new playwright is practically unattainable in London at any of the regular theatres. It can be gained at a Stage Society production, and authors who wish to work for ne theatre would do well to bear the fact in mind. The office of the Stage Society is 9, Arundel Street, Strand, W.C., and plays should be addressed to the Hon. Librarian. All plays sent in are sure of careful consideration by the Council, and if they decide to produce a play the whole cost is borne by the Society. It is not necessary to be a member of the Society to have a play considered or performed, but all persons who are interested in the higher THE AUTHOR. drama, and wish to show their interest in a practical way, would do well to join. The subserip- tion of one guinea gives one seat at each of the Society’s productions, usually five in the year, and the entrance fee isone guinea. Further particulars and forms of application for membership may be obtained from the Secretary at 9, Arundel Street. ——_1——_ + CANADIAN POSTAL RATES. st AST year some articles appeared in The Author on the question of Colonial postage, with special reference to the introduction of United States magazines into Canada. These articles produced one or two questions in the House of Commons, but the answer of the Post- — master-General was not encouraging. At the time the Committee wrote to the Society 4 of Authors in Canada and asked them to do what they could to assist the movement, and the Canadian Society has just forwarded the following resolution which has been passed by their Executive Committee : “That we, the Executive Committee of the Canadian Society of Authors, would respectfully urge upon the Postmaster-General of Great Britain the desirability of considering the question of @ cheaper postal rate on newspapers and periodicals between Great Britain and the Colonies. During the last fifteen years United States periodicals have almost entirely displaced British periodicals in this market, owing to the low rate of postage charged by the United States Government. The influence on this country once exercised by British periodicals has been displaced by an influence which cannot be said to be in the interests of Imperial understand- ing and solidarity, and is hostile to the extension of British trade throughout the Colonies.” The Canadian Authors’ Society is still in its infancy, but, no doubt, will be able to accomplish vigorous work on behalf of the authors of the Dominion if it continues as it has begun. Prof. Goldwin Smith is the honorary president of the Society, the Honble. G. W. Ross is the president. The treasurer is Mr. J. A. Cooper, the editor of the Canadian Magazine. : That the Canadians do not desire the matter lie idle is evident from the following article whi appeared in the Zoronto Globe :— IMPERIAL AND AMERICAN POSTAGE. Sir George Drummond started an interesting discussion in the Senate a few days ago by moving a resolution to call the attention of the Government to the discrimination favour of American and against British periodicals 1 Canada, and to affirm the principle that postal charges © bs THE AUTHOR. periodicals within the Empire should be lower than those on matter passing between it and any foreign country. Sir George gave specific instances of glaring discrimination, and pointed out the inevitable political and commercial effect of the impetus thus given to the importation of American literature and advertisements. Asa matter of fact, many magazines are sent from the United States into Canada as freight, and are distributed nere by agents, the country receiving little or no revenue from their circulation. It would be easy to make these dutiable, and go some way toward equalising conditions as between British and American magazine publishers. Those sent into this country by mail pay no postage to our Government, being carried free under the postal convention of 1875. To cancel this convention and put the country under the international postal union would considerably reduce the annual deficit of the post office department, which at present handles an immense volume of foreign periodical literature at the expense of Canada. All who took part in the debate on Sir George’s resolu- tion—Senator Scott, Sir Mackenzie Bowell, and Sir Richard Cartwright—agreed with the mover in his attitude, depre- cated the advantage afforded to the American publisher over his British competitors, and regretted the persistence of the British Government in refusing to aid in removing the discrimination against the latter. Canadians have no objection to receiving United States magazines at a cheap tate, but they would like to get British magazines of the same classes at no greater cost. It certainly does not tend to promote either Imperial feeling or British trade in Canada to have British periodicals handicapped in their circulation while American magazines with their advertise- ments are freely distributed at our expense. The Canadian Government, which forced on ocean penny postage, should be equal to finding a remedy that would be at once popular and effective. —_———_+——_2—_______ BUTTER, MUSIC, AND COPYRIGHT. — + UNDRY startling reflections are suggested by the last speech from the Throne. “A Bill,” said that speech, “ will be introduced for amending the law for the prevention of the adulteration of butter.” Good: butter should certainly not be adulterated. Our masses should have good butter—or what does civilisation amount to? We are all agreed as to this; and the Bill will be passed without opposition. But then comes in the parodox: Why make a law to prevent people stealing a part of our butter, and make no law to prevent other people stealing the whole of it? You reply that such a law already exists. Butter, you point out, is well looked after, well understood. Our millions use it—or something like it—every day. Butter is quite safe. It cannot be stolen. That depends. If you permit people to steal from a man his power of purchasing butter, you permit them to steal his butter ag certainly as if they took it directly away from him in firkins or pound packages. The only difference is that, in the latter case, the theft is removed a single step from the direct taking. Mark thatstep. For that 207 single step, so easy to understand—the pun was not intentional—itself so easy to remove, one would also think, makes, when it comes to practice, the most profound difference for practical politics, becomes an insuperable barrier. A casual observer, watching our legislature at work, would miss the point. He would say that the manifest object of our legislature was not to prevent acts of stealing generally, but only the stealing of particular things in a particular way ; since it does not prevent the same things being stolen if they are stolen in a roundabout way. Music, for example, may thus be the means of butter being stolen, and bread and butter. I have no excessive sense of the importance of music ; I am only an ordinary lover of it. But music afforded to me a very interesting case of this curious anomaly in our midst: that as a practical and highly-civilised nation we seem quite unable to get over that step which divides the direct stealing of our butter from the indirect stealing of it by way of music. As the case#of music illustrated this more and more for mefI began, some years ago, to be more and more fnterested in music and music-stealers. I began some time in the last century, but I shall not go further back than the year 1902. In that year, certain music publishers and others interested in music, by dint of tremendous efforts, managed to get a sort of Bill passed to prevent people stealing music, to put an end to the music-pirate. And an end to him I thought had been put when the Bill passed into law. But, as ill-luck or incompetence had it, the Bill omitted to include certain provisions which rendered it practically nugatory as a remedial measure. After all the trouble involved this was fiasco indeed. The stealing of music went on just as before; and the gentlemen interested in music—a noble Earl as their leader—put their heads together once again. Next year, 1903, they introduced another Bill which got as far as its second reading in the Lower House, and there expired of suffocation in the way we are used to seeing Bills expire. Not to be daunted, these gentlemen tried yet another Bill last year. A sort of remnant of it survived many a stormy passage till it got as far as the ‘‘ Report” stage, when it also was talked out. Its promoters had the consolation of knowing that, even had it passed, it would have been almost as useless as the Act of 1902. They finally relinquished altogether the hope of getting a private measure passed, and invoked the aid of the Government. Just before the present House met, it was, therefore, rumoured that the Home Office was to take the case of music-stealers into its charge. The House meets, plunges into the sea of fiscal, Irish, and other controversies, and we hear no more of music. The  208 Government has to look after more important things, including its own precious existence,’ yet not forgetting even butter. gos That, up to the present, is the case for music, In which, as I said, I am not overwhelmingly interested. It only illustrates what a practical and highly-civilised nation we are. Butter— everybody’s need, the poor man’s especially—no part of it must be stolen from us. But music— one step aside from butter—resists all attempts to deal with it, to prevent people stealing it. ‘And if that is the case with music, what is likely to be the case with the whole law of Copyright in which I am greatly interested, of which music and the care of it forms only a single but significant item? To speak of it as affording any hope of present amendment seems absurd. Yet the fact of its embracing the whole subject of the due regu- lation of literary and artistic property, the fact of its largeness and importance, might lead one to imagine that it would have its vastly greater claims publicly recognised. Vain idea! The Publishers’ Association, the Copyright Association, the Authors’ Society, the majority of authors themselves, and, lastly, the very gentlemen most likely to gain by its present inadequacy, to lose by its amendment, the lawyers, all are practically unanimous in desiring its amendment. We need not go into further details. We may take it that these individuals and associ- ations represent all the important interests con- cerned. ‘They include men of such distinguished names, men of such light and leading in the world, that not only are they not likely to be wrong in their desire, but, being right, it is inconceivable that such men should have now been agitating to get a reform of copyright for more than ten years and should up to the present have got absolutely nothing. Lord Thring’s Bill recasting the whole law passed the House of Lords in 1899 and 1900. It was then sent to the Colonies for their assent, recasting, as it also did, our relations with them. Australia expressed her approval of it. Canada— our never-never land for copyright purposes—was still demurring when we last heard of it. It had been mentioned in the Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament in 1901. It has not been mentioned since. It appears to have expired of senile decay. Meantime, the world outside passes us by. Other nations codify their law. Little countries like Den- mark and Sweden make a step forward. Even Russia—Russia, mark you !—talks about copyright reform. Our Parliament alone, including within it several distinguished authors, the Premier himself amongst them, says nothing, does nothing. Now and then, once a year or so, to show that we THE AUTHOR. are still alive, an author will burst out sporadically and start some side-issue—should we retaliate on America for her treatment of us? and so forth— like a red-herring across the trail. This consoles us. And, of course, we always have the consolation of knowing that we are a practical and highly- civilised nation. W. ——_——_0—>_+—___——_- NOTES ON AGREEMENTS. —1—~>— + — Il. To THE PUBLISHER. That in consideration of your bearing the whole of the expenses in producing and publishing the novel written by me and _ provisionally entitled , I hereby convey to you the copyright and all rights in the said novel, and further I agree to give to you the first refusal of the next ten new and original novels I may write suitable for publication in volume form on the following terms :— 1. A royalty of ten per cent. on the trade selling price of all copies sold of the English edition, thirteen copies count- ing as twelve. 2. A royalty of one penny per copy on all sales of the Colonial edition, thirteen copies counting as twelve. 3. Ten per cent. on any sum received for the foreign rights. 4. Ten per cent. on any sum received for the American copyright with simultaneous publication. 5. In the event of any cheaper editions being published a royalty of five per cent. on the trade selling price thirteen copies counting as twelve. 6. No royalties shall be paid on any copies given away for review or other purposes. 7. In the event of the publisher disposing of copies or editions of the said novels as remainders, a royalty of five per cent. of the net amount received. 8. I guarantee to you that the said novels shall be in no way whatever violations of any existing copyrights, and that they shall contain nothing of a libellous or scandalous character, and that I will indemnify you from all suits, claims and proceedings, damages and costs which may be made, taken or incurred by or against you on the ground that the said novels are infringements of copyrights, or contain anything libellous or scandalous, From the AUTHOR. The agreement printed above will prove to all those who are versed in the usual arrangements made for the sale and purchase of literary property, the ignorance of an author of the possible value of what he is selling when he endeavours to find a publisher for his book. It is only fair to preface the following remarks by stating that in the open market the buyer will always buy as cheaply as possible, and that, there- fore, the publisher, if he be so inclined, can enter into any agreement—even the one set out above—if he can find an author willing to affix his signature. But a serious cause for complaint would arise should the publisher, before purchasing the work from the author at a ridiculously low figure, mis- represent or misdirect the author as to the value  Sook 3 py ee THE AUTHOR. of what he is selling, or lead him to suppose that an agreement which he would not otherwise make is an ordinary form of contract. There is no such evidence in the present case. The agreement has been printed in the hope that its details may reach those who have not yet written a book, but intend uo do 0, or those who have written a book and are about to enter into an arrangement for its production. However bad and however worthless an author’s first book may be, he should under no circum- stances bind himself to a publisher for a series of books under any contract, good or bad. If the book is bad and worthless, it is fair that the pub- lisher should make a contract by which he should protect himself from the chance of loss, for this is merely ordinary business caution. If any pub- lisher cares to issue from his house bad and worth- less books as a business man, there is no reason why he should lose by the transaction, but the one book should stand or fall by itself. The first book, however, with the bad contract is frequently neither bad nor worthless ; it catches the public taste and has a considerable sale. In consequence the publisher reaps a share of the profits far larger than the author’s. The book referred to in the present agreement can hardly be worthless, otherwise the publisher would not have con- sented to undertake all the cost of production. The business man does not rashly throw his money away. For a book which, presumably, at the lowest estimate is passable, the present agreement cannot be said to be satisfactory. Ten per cent. is to be paid on the ¢rade selling price of all copies sold, 13 copies counting as 12. Everyone who has-any dealings with literary property is aware that royalties, however small, frum whatever house they issue, are always paid on the published price of the book. The difference between the two stands at the ratio of about seven to twelve, or nearly fifty per cent. difference, so that if the author is paid on the /rade selling price he would get about fifty per cent. less than if he were paid on the published price of the book. The royalty is small and inadequate if paid on the published price. It is absurdly insufficient when paid on the trade selling price. On the Colonial sales a royalty of 1d. per copy is paid. This, again, is an exceedingly low royalty. The ordinary payment, when Colonial sales are made is 8d. or 4d. on every copy in sheets. One penny per copy would make the agreement between twenty-five per cent. and thirty-three and one-third per cent. lower than the usual payment. For the foreign rights the author is to receive ten per cent. Over and over again it has been 209 necessary to point out in The Author that these rights should not lie with the publisher, but should be under the control of the author. Again, in Clause 5 the royalty in the case of a cheaper edition is paid on the trade selling price, 13 copies counted as 12. The same remarks passed with regard to Clause 1 refer to this clause also, Five per cent. is an absurdly low royalty in any event; and again, it is paid on the trade selling price, which makes it almost mfinitesimal. In Clause 6 no royalty is paid on copies given away for review or other purposes. No one desires a publisher to pay royalties on copies given away for review, but it is certainly advisable to have some closer definition of the two words “other purposes.” As a reward for this brilliant contract, and the sums that may accrue to the author therefrom, he is bound to indemnify the publisher in an ex- ceedingly liberal clause—Clause 8—from infringe- ment of copyright and libellous and scandalous matter. If the one book had a large sale the author would obtain no benefit, not even a royalty rising with its circulation, but this is not the only fault. The author is bound for ten books at the same price. It has come to our notice from time to time that some publishers have bound authors to them for two, or even three books, and it has been pointed out frequently what a severe tax this is upon the author—either when the contract is made on the same terms as the original contract, as in this case, or when, as sometimes occurs, the pub- lisher is to have only the option of publication of the next two or three books. It has also been shown that such an agreement is not a smart bit of business from the publisher’s point of view, for as soon as the tax is recognised by the author, and the contract at an end, he leaves the publisher. Whereas, if there had been no such clause, and the author had met with fair treatment, he would of a surety go back to the same publisher. No contract, with the exception of the present, has come before the Society by which the publisher has bound the author for ten books. If the author is bound toa publisher under an increasing royalty, or an improved agreement, there might be some temptation to enter into such a contract, although constant experience at the Society’s office would show what a heavy burden this is on the author’s powers; but the contract printed above, from the author’s point of view, wholly unsatisfactory for a first book by itself, becomes ludicrously impossible to contemplate for a series of ten. No author could make a living wage out  210 of an arrangement which would bring him in such a paltry return. No words are strong enough to condemn such a disadvantageous contract from the author’s standpoint. Gee. ———_- > + —___ THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 1 TPNHE Librarian of Congress at Washington has issued his annual circular setting forth the amount of business done in 1904. The increase, year by year, has been steady and continued, and it must be satisfactory to the office to find that the fees collected exceed the expenditure on salaries. The fees received during the past year amount to 75,520 dollars, and the total paid in salaries to 72,531 dollars. Not only this ; but the value of the property which the United States obtains in books, maps, and other filed matter is increasingly valuable. The total number of entries during the past year were 106,577 ; books, volumes and pamphlets number 16,690; periodicals 21,041 ; and musical compbsitions 28,740. It will be seen, therefore, that musical composi- tions yield the highest total. This may be accounted for by the fact that musical compositions need not be lithographed in the United States. The publishers, therefore, taking advantage of the reciprocity, obtain copyright to a larger extent. The largest number of entries during one day occurred on January 2nd, when 4,031 titles were registered ; the smallest number on a day in June, when only 107 titles were recorded. The increase n the total of entries over those of 1908 is 7,141. The most satisfactory point which the foreign writer should note is the smoothness with which he office undertakes its enormous task. It makes no unworthy boast in stating that at 4.30 p.m. on January 3rd, 1905, all applications received during 1904 were acted upon, all registrations made, all certificates mailed. To give some idea of the extensive labour involved in carrying out this enormons work, the number of letters received at the office during the past year was 85,365—87,000 of these contained remittances—and the number of mailed matter despatched from the office was 133,244 letters. Again, these figures show an increase on the 1903 mailed matter by 7,607 letters received, and by 19,000 letters despatched. —— + THER AUTHOR. LITERATURE AND LAW IN THE UNITED STATES. * 1 [ConcLUDED. ] HE recent decision of a Paris Court that phonographs infringe the musical author’s rights makes every case that has been tried either here or in America of interest. Phonographs are of so recent introduction that we have to look for previous decisions to cases analogous to them. In our case of Boosey v. Whight it was decided that a perforated musical scroll was not a “ copy” within the meaning of the Act. This followed the earlier American decision of Kennedy v. IcTammany to the same effect. Phonographs themselves then came up for judgment in the American case of Stern v. Rosey (1901), in which the defendant took two copyright songs, and had them sung into a phonograph in the usual way, thereby obtaining a “‘ master-record ” from which other records were then made. The Appeal Court held that such a record did not constitute a “copy,” basing its judgment on the fact that the marks upon the wax cylinders could not be read by the human eye, nor utilised in any way except as part of the mechanism of the phonograph. But, observe, that in such cases as these a Court is strictly confined to answering the question : Is or is not the copy alleged a “copy” within the meaning of the Act? Or, in other words, can redress be obtained by invoking the copyright law against infringers of this kind? since it cannot reasonably be contended that the rights of the composers of music are not to some extent encroached upon by means of these mechanical instruments. Indeed, the learned American judges in giving their decision felt it necessary to invoke the judgments in the previous analogous cases to support their view that there was no infringe- ment. In the German Statute, of 1901, especial cogni- sance is taken by that up-to-date people of phono- graphs, and it is provided that reproduction by means of them shall noé be held to be an infringe- ment of the right of reproduction provided that the reproduction do not as regards “strength and duration, tone and tempo, resemble a personal per- formance.” Observe the reasonableness of the German method of dealing with copyright, and * Copyright Cases: A Summary of leading American Decisions on the Law of Copyright and on Literary Property, from 1891 to 1903 ; together with the Text of the United States Copyright Statute, and a Selection of Recent Copyright Decisions of the Courts of Great Britain and Canada. Compiled by Arthur 8. Hamlin. Published for the American Publishers’ Copyright League by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 1904. $2. bt, a P  THE AUTHOR. 211 how very little is left by it to the wltima ratio of the law. For the German Statute provides that the communication of the essential contents of a work is an infringement: This covers everything. Then come its exceptions, amongst which are placed phonographs. Such mechanical means of repro- duction it excepts because they cannot, in its opinion, resemble a personal performance. But these fast-moving times, we shortly find, get in front, even of Germany. What about the pianola ? Does it not resemble a “ personal performance”? It certainly creates a contentious something betwixt and between, not quite mechanical, not quite personal. Now with us there are two definite rights open to infringement: (1) the copyright ; and (2) the performing right. We have seen that a perforated musical scroll is not a “copy.” We cannot get any redress at law by pleading that a copyright has been infringed in this way. Well, then, can we not get redress by pleading that performing right is infringed? We come back to the Germans, who say that mechanical reproduction is to be excepted from their general rule, that any method which reproduces the essential spirit of a work is an infringement. Why ? Because “as regards strength and duration of tone and tempo” it does not resemble a personal performance. But there is, lastly, our new friend the pianola! It seems to fulfil all these conditions, certainly strength is not lacking to it. Is it not a ‘ personal per- formance ?” The fact is, what we want, what inventive brains are gradually driving us towards, is a copyright law which makes any means by which the substance or the spirit of any literary, artistic, musical, dramatic or other copyright work is repro- duced, an infringement of the author’s right. Until we get this law, aimed at protecting the substance or the spirit of the work, we shall have no peace, but be up to our necks, as we now are, in arguments about mechanics. Ishall stop here. Mr. Hamlin’s admirable book seems, to at least a student of copyright, worthy of even a more unconscionably long notice than I have given it, for I find that, all said and done, I have only touched the leading cases in it. I have left untouched a large body of by-path cases, many of them of great interest to the student. I have not even mentioned the “ Decisions of the Treasury Department on Questions of Importation,” reveal- ing such interesting facts as that English music need not be set up in the United States in order to enjoy copyright ; and that a book, set up in the United States, may be printed elsewhere from plates [also made elsewhere? ] and yet enjoy copyright there. Nor have I touched the great questions hanging on the copyright in and impor- tation into America of foreign classics—other than English ; which would have to form the subject of a special article all to itself. For light on these- subjects, students and business men must go to Mr. Hamlin’s book. One question, however, I must not leave un- answered. ‘The courteous Editor of The Author asks me to express an opinion as to whether our Society should publish decennially, or at least quin- quennially, a compilation similar to Mr. Hamlin’s American one (whether for sale at a nominal price to “authors” or for free distribution amongst them) which would, like his, afford them an easy means of reference to what has been done in the way of copyright litigation during the preceding five or ten years. If it were a simple question of publishing such a book, or publishing none at all, [ should be dis- tinctly in favour of publishing one. Yet there would be certain objections to such a publication. The chief one is the expense it would involve falling upon a single year of the Society’s finances. The second one is almost as important: it is the inevitable tendency of cases which occurred ten, or even five, years ago to become stale and unprofit- able after such a lapse of time. This would to some extent militate against the sale of such a book supposing it to be offered for sale. There are other less striking objections with which I shall not deal at present. But these two chief objections I would propose to remove entirely by the publication, not of a book, but of a four or eight-page pamphlet, not to be published every tenth or fifth year, but every year. This, in my opinion, has everything to be said for it—very little to be said against it. It would be inexpensive ; its contents would be fresh; if it failed of support (though indeed it might well be given away to “ authors”), well, then, the experi- ment would not be repeated, and very little would have been lost. Also, the yearly parts could be bound, if desired. Not only do I see no objection to the publication of such a pamphlet, which would carefully condense, under clear titles of the actual questions at issue, the cases decided during the year, with the Society’s comments upon them, but T believe such a pamphlet would be of immense assistance to all engaged in literary or artistic work ; would enhance the value, by assisting the objects of the Society; and would, lastly, by keep- ing the subject of copyright continually before our eyes and the eyes of the public, tend to become a weighty factor in our getting at last that for which we all look so anxiously—a reform of our copyright law. CHARLES WEEKES.  212 MUSICAL COPYRIGHT. —— R. SOUSA, in a letter to Zhe Times, is justly indignant at the unauthorised sales of copyright musical pieces which daily occur in the streets of London and other large towns, and we are thoroughly in accord with him so far as his indignation is levelled against the present legislation that exists in England. M. Messager, the author of “ Veronique” has also made a complaint on the same lines in the same paper. The question of musical copyright and the laws dealing with the subject have been so fully dis- cussed in Zhe Author that there is no need to repeat the points on which the present Acts are inadequate; but whatever righteous indignation Mr. Sousa may show he is clearly at fault when he comes to discuss the question of the Bern Con- vention and the United States Declaration. He suggests that Great Britain does not fulfil the terms of her Agreement as far as foreigners are concerned. It is a pity that the article which appeared in the Law Journal dealing with the same subject was not printed in Zhe Times also, in order that the fallacy of Mr. Sousa’s arguments might be made evident. Inthe Law Journal it is clearly pointed out that under the Bern Convention the rights granted to foreigners are the same rights as are granted to natives, and there is no doubt what- ever that inadequate as these rights are, the foreigners obtain exactly the same protection as English composers. ‘he complaints that have been raised by the two gentlemen named have been raised with an equally loud cry on former occasions by all musical composers natives of this country. This is so far as the Bern Convention is concerned, but Mr. Sousa refers to the Agreement between the United States upon terms of International Copy- right with the countries comprising the Bern Convention, including Great Britain. Every one who has studied the question of copyright knows that there is no formal agreement. United States rights are granted by a Declara- tion of the President to citizens of a country that “permits to citizens of the United States the benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as its own citizens.” The Proclamation of the United States President has declared England to be such a country. When, however, Mr. Sousa goes further and talks of reciprocity as existing between England and the United States, he rather oversteps the mark. After the letters that have appeared in The Standard there is no need to raise the point again. THER AUTHOR. While, however, it is clear that Mr. Sousa’s impression—that England is treating foreigners unfairly—is unfounded, we do not in any way desire to commend the present Copyright Acts as they exist. Let Mr. Sousa cancel the declaration of his President and his last state would be worse than the present. The Society has for many years been endeayvour- ing to bring about alterations, and has, on one or two occasions, obtained a certain limit of success. It is hoped that the time is not far distant when not only the British author, the British artist, the British dramatist, and the British musical com- poser will have no complaint, but that the foreigner also, who obtains advantage of our existing laws, will find them adequate. ee THE PRODUCT OF THE INTELLECT. —1+~> + BRIEF account of the origin of this most valuable work will form the best introduc- tion to our notice of it. Messrs. Podesta and Scotti had acquired from the authors, A. Aroztegui and F. Pizano, two plays, “ Julian Giménez” and “Nobleza Criolla.” A certain Don Luis Anselmi thereafter produced two plays entitled, “ Julian Giménoz,” and “ Nobleza de un Criollo.” Podesta and Scotti brought an action against him for infringement of copyright, and alleged that the titles were but specimens of the species of piracy that existed in every part of Anselmi’s plays, in which the works had been very slightly altered, though in a manner by which they had been ridiculously marred. Anselmi as- serted that the works were not his, but from the pen of a “young man,” Juan J. Garay—who was not forthcoming. He also declined to submit the text of these two plays to the court. He had pre- viously refused the payment of the 10 per cent. royalties on the gross receipts, which Messrs. Podesté and Scotti had claimed ; declaring them- — selves contented to accept this customary Spanish dramatic author’s royalty without making further claims for compensation. The cause was tried, in the first instance, before on Dr. Ernesto Quesada, who gave sentence for the plaintiffs, with costs. Subsequently, this sentence was quashed, on technical grounds, by a superior court, but an appeal allowed. Pending this appeal Dr. Ernesto Quesada has published his judgment = —which forms the first and most important part . Dr. Ernesto Quesada. pp. xvi., 496. “La Propriedad Intellectual en : el derecho Argentino.” Buenos Aires. J, Menedez, 8  THE AUTHOR. of the work—together with a mass of documents in support of the sentence. The learned judge has had the courtesy to send us a copy of his book, and we have no hesitation in saying that no more luminous, valuable, or sug- gestive work on literary piracy has ever been laid before us. That the judge’s sentence is lucid and masterly is but a small part of its merit. With an intellectual insight, too often conspicuous by its absence in legal declarations, Dr. Quesada unfolds widely elemental views of the essential nature of property, and of the logical essence of proprietor- ship and of its rights in the case of intellectual productions. His theses are such that we shall not be surprised if his work becomes, among Southern American jurists, the classical authority on copy- right and piracy. The valuable nature of his conclusions will be more fully appreciated when it is mentioned that the Argentine Republic has no statute law ruling copyright. Nothing daunted by this, Dr. Quesada lays down the doctrine that literary property is implied by Article 17 of the Constitution—that in the application of the civil law to civil delinquen- cies affecting copyright, the dispositions of the Constitution must be interpreted in an extensive, and not ina restrictive sense—and that the absence of statute must not be interpreted to mean that no rights exist, because their existence is involved in the terms of the Constitution, whose articles cannot be set aside. He further appeals to the Convention of Montevideo, to which the Argentine Republic is a signatory, with the consequence that its provisions now have legal force in the Republic. And he then continues : “Liberty of intellectual theft has two conse- quences. It propagates, generally, by means of detestable translations, an unwholesome literature of an inferior character, not alone perfectly inade- quate to raise the national intelligence, but inade- quate even to maintain it at its present level. And it prevents national productions in the way of arts and letters from meeting with support and oppor- tunities of development ; because they are crushed in the competition with the foreign matter of the kind above mentioned.” Equally deserving of attention is another passage, for which the Argentine Society of Authors tendered their special thanks to Dr. Quesada, acknow- ledging the service that he had done the cause of ‘literature. “When a man has passed sleepless nights in con- ceiving and shaping a piece for the theatre, and has brought his work to a successful result, it is an indefensible action for some scribbler to snatch the fruits of his labour in some underhand way, by ‘Inaking pro pane lucrando a travesty of his work in which it is barely disguised. It is impossible to 218 leave actions of this kind unpunished ; it is indis- pensable that the law should strike with implacable rigour all persons guilty of similar proceedings, placing them in the same category as highwaymen who rob the traveller of his money and laugh at his expostulations, under the impression that no power exists which can punish them.” Whilst expressing our admiration for the insight that abounds in Dr. Quesada’s judgment, we should be doing his work an injustice did we not add that the appendix contains a mass of matter whose interest is second only to the actual sentence which it is adduced to support. Here we find various appreciations of Dr. Quesada’s judgment, expressed in influential quarters ; and then under the head of “General Bibliography,” a vast and carefully digested mass of documents that cover the whole of the law of the Republic, bearing in any way upon the subject under dispute, together with’a collection of cases of a similar character. In a word this is an addition to the literature of copyright of primary importance ; and one that will be found equally valuable to the legist, and to the student of the wider questions which are involved in the conception of intellectual property. —_———_—__>—__—_. INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.* —+ VERYONE who is interested in international publication and copyright—whether his point of view is commercial, literary, or social—naturally often feels the need of some handy volume which will furnish him with the main facts of the home, colonial, and international enactments of the various countries which have legislated on copyright. Professor Réthlisberger, of Bern, in his littie manual above named, of which the second edition is lying before us, has compiled exactly the sort of work which was wanted to meet these requirements. Here are set forth all the principal enactments of the various legislations, thus gathered into a repertoire that amply furnishes all the information that will be in any ordinary circumstances required, and indeed in most cases sufficient to spare the enquirer the trouble of consulting any more extensive work, Anyone with Professor Réthlisberger’s book in his hands will have need to turn to official documents and lengthy legal treatises only where troublesome minutize are involved, or when a necessity arises * Ernst Rothlisberger. ‘ Gesetze iiber das Urheberrecht in allen Liindern nebst den darauf beziiglichen Inter- nationalen Vertrigen und die Bestimmungen tiber das Verlagsrecht.” Zweite Auflage, Leipzig. G, Hedeler, 8°.  914 for bringing matters under the jurisdiction of the courts. In the earlier part of the work the legal enact- ments of the various countries of the world are arranged under the name of the States placed in alphabetical order. After this follow various international conventions; _ first, that of Bern, and then that of Montevideo, each one of which comprises a considerable number of different States, and then the particular conventions between various pairs of countries. Thus the British author can at a glance learn from the book with which States Great Britain is treaty bound, what are the exact terms on which copyright can be secured in the United States, and that the only other direct convention affecting Great Britain is the particular convention (1893) with Austria- Hungary. Indirect obligations which might arise between different countries will be also seen to bea more complicated matter. Thus England is by the Bern Convention bound up with Italy. Italy has conventions with Mexico, Montenegro, and Paraguay. A delicate problem might in conse- quence arise respecting the status in these dominions of an Italian translation of an English work. Great Britain is bound by no copyright treaty with the Union of Montevideo. But France, to which Great Britain is bound by the Bern Con- vention, has given her adhesion to the South American Union of Montevideo. How would that affect English translations of French works, made in London, if introduced into the States signatory to the Montevideo Convention ? Professor Roth- lisberger’s little work can, of course, only reveal the possibilities of these complications. In reality, no satisfactory solution of them will be found until the whole world is united in one uniform and all- embracing agreement. The various statutes of different countries, with their extraordinarily different provisions, present interesting phenomena—often revealing characteristic features. The Turkish Empire allows an author the imposing privilege of a copy- right (transferable to his heirs and assigns), which lasts four years—if the work is of large size. It must contain not less than 800 pages, nor less than thirty-five lines on a page. Great Britain alone enjoys a complicated method of calculating the duration of copyright, based upon alternatives, and capable of vying in inconvenience with her “weights and measures.” France, Germany, and Spain are by far more liberal in the protection accorded intellectual work ; Spain the most liberal of all. And Guatemala sets the whole world an example of equity in her enactment, “ The right of literary property is not time-bound : on the death of the author it passes to his heirs.” It is sad to - effect that more prominent States have not yet THE AUTHOR. discovered that the labour of a man’s brain is entitled at least to rank as high as the labour of his hands. But the work abounds with instances of that peculiar pusillanimity or superstition of the legal mind which seems to be incapable of looking beyond what has once been set down in a statute. Should Professor Réthlisberger’s work reach a third edition, which we sincerely hope that it may, we would suggest that its value would be enhanced by the mention of leading works in which further information can be found if desired. A complete legal bibliography would be equally out of place and impossible in a manual. But we think that under the heading of each state, a brief reference: to one or two authorities, such as is to be found at at the conclusion of the articles of a high-class encyclopedia, would, without adding much to the length of the book, render its usefulness still more universal. oo THE DICTIONARY OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.* — T is twenty-six years since the first monthly instalment of Sir George Grove’s “ Dictionary of Music and Musicians” appeared, and the fact that it came out in monthly parts caused many more musicians and amateurs to buy it than would otherwise have been the case. By issuing the revised edition of that remarkable work im volume form only, we fear Messrs. Macmillan will appeal to a smaller public of purchasers than did Sir George. This is to be regretted, because as & work of reference the new edition, judging by the first volume just published, is a great improvement on its predecessor. Without tampering with the masterly notices of Beethoven and other great composers of the original issue, glaring omissions, — such as the biography of Bononcini, Handel's — rival, have been corrected. The present edition oe contains a most interesting article on acoustics — which should never have been omitted from the | first issues ; and Bach, Berlioz, Brahms, and Chopin, — inadequately treated in the first edition, are noW — as is their due, dealt with at greater length. | The editor in his preface states that the average country organist will not find his name in the new edition more than in the old. Every editor of @ book of this kind is bound to meet with com-— plaints of omission and of inadequate treatment. But, if the remaining volumes are edited with the care and diligence of the first, even the most — captious critic ought to be satisfied. No one — really interested in music should be without such a * “Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians,” edited — : by Fuller Maitland. Macmillan & Co. : Foe RS THE AUTHOR. awork of reference. But what is of special interest to members of the Society—both musical com- posers and authors—is the article dealing with musical copyright. Six columns have been devoted to this subject, and the difficulties surrounding musical publication are clearly explained. The rights of the composer are more complicated than the rights of the author, owing to the fact that he holds the performing right as well as the right of publication ; and more complicated than the rights of the dramatist, for, although the dramatist owns both the right of publication and the right of performance, the former is not very often used, and the latter is more easily dealt with owing to the fact that there are fewer people who are able to conduct a dramatic performance than there are able to play a piece of music on a piano or some other instrument. These two rights—the copyright, that is, the right of duplicating copies and the performing right—are clearly and definitely separated. In order to obtain copyright in music it is essential that it must be original, but the courts have interpreted the word “ original” in a wide sense. As in the infringement of literary copyright everything must depend upon the particular facts of each case, so here to quote all the leading cases in order to convey a fair idea of the decisions would have been impossible, the necessary explanation is therefore somewhat cur- tailed. The author of the article maintains that publication before performance does not deprive the composer or his assigns of the performing right. We agree with him in adopting this view of the case, and think this is the proper interpre- tation of the law, but some writers on the subject have doubted this. Although the book is dated 1904, it is difficult to know the exact dates on which the different articles went to press. In referring to inter- national copyright, no mention is made of Denmark and Sweden’s adhesion to the Bern Convention. The omission of Sweden is, perhaps, excusable, as it only joined in August, 1904, but Denmark should certainly have been included among the countries named. The author refers to the decision in the courts which declared that the manufacture and sale of instruments for the mechanical reproduction of copyright airs is not a breach of musical copyright. This decision is clearly correct. ‘The infringement was, without doubt, an infringement of the per- forming right, and if musicians and composers took the same care of preserving their performing rights that dramatists do, they could, no doubt, make a considerable income, but many are very indifferent in this matter, and freely assign to the publisher what they ought to retain themselves, and the publisher, more intent on the reproduction 215 of the copyright than on the preservation of the performing rights, takes little interest in the issue. There is one advantage that musical composers obtain with regard to reproduction in the United States, namely, the fact that the copies to be sent to the Library of Congress in accordance with the United States Act, need not be printed in the United States. This must have been an uninten- tional omission on the part of the Government of that country, as it has clung so tenaciously ever since the Act was passed to what it erroneously considers to be the protection of the printing trade. The second part of the article refers to the infringement of musical rights. The infringe- ment of copyright follows the same lines as the infringement of literary copyright, but the infringe- ment of performing right, owing to the facts which we have already mentioned, has especial legislation. For the benefit of the public anyone is entitled to perform a piece unless a notice specially reserving the right is printed on every copy published. ‘he statutes necessary to carry out this regulation are fully explained. Finally, the article deals with the Musical Summary Proceedings Act, 1902, and explains how those desirous of acting under that inadequate statute should carry out their intention. G. HT, ee SENOR MANUEL GARCIA, C.V.O. T is appropriate that the Centenary of Sefor Manuel Garcia should have occurred in 1905 at the time of the celebration of the Ter- centenary of Cervantes, “ Don Quixote,” and when Spain is congratulating herself that her veteran dramatist, Echegaray, shares with the Provengal poet, Mistral, the last Nobel prize for literature, So much has the success of Sefior Garcia as a teacher of singing been drawn attention to by the press, that it is fitting to note, in these columns, that the maestro, who has been a member of the Society of Authors for some years, owes not a little of his distinction to the power of the pen. It was his treatise entitled “Mémoire sur la Voix Humaine” (afterwards given in London as ‘“¢ Physiological Observations on the Human Voice’) presented to the French Institut in 1840, which brought him the formal congratu- lations of the Académie, and was the foundation of most of the later investigations into the vocal organ. His international reputation, as the most famous teacher of song of our own time and the generation preceding our own, was, moreover, considerably enhanced by the publication of his “ Traité complet  914 for bringing matters under the jurisdiction of the courts. In the earlier part of the work the legal enact- ments of the various countries of the world are arranged under the name of the States placed in alphabetical order. After this follow various international conventions; first, that of Bern, and then that of Montevideo, each one of which comprises a considerable number of different States, and then the particular conventions between various pairs of countries. Thus the British author can at a glance learn from the book with which States Great Britain is treaty bound, what are the exact terms on which copyright can be secured in the United States, and that the only other direct convention affecting Great Britain is the particular convention (1883) with Austria- Hungary. Indirect obligations which might arise between different countries will be also seen to bea more complicated matter. Thus England is by the Bern Convention bound up with Italy. Italy has conventions with Mexico, Montenegro, and Paraguay. A delicate problem might in conse- quence arise respecting the status in these dominions of an Italian translation of an English work. Great Britain is bound by no copyright treaty with the Union of Montevideo. But France, to which Great Britain is bound by the Bern Con- vention, has given her adhesion to the South American Union of Montevideo. How would that affect English translations of French works, made in London, if introduced into the States signatory to the Montevideo Convention ? Professor Réth- lisberger’s little work can, of course, only reveal the possibilities of these complications. In reality, no satisfactory solution of them will be found until the whole world is united in one uniform and all- embracing agreement. The various statutes of different countries, with their extraordinarily different provisions, present interesting phenomena—often revealing characteristic features. The Turkish Empire allows an author the imposing privilege of a copy- right (transferable to his heirs and assigns), which lasts four years—if the work is of large size. It must contain not less than 800 pages, nor less than thirty-five lines on a page. Great Britain alone enjoys a complicated method of calculating the duration of copyright, based upon alternatives, and capable of vying in inconvenience with her “weights and measures.” France, Germany, and Spain are by far more liberal in the protection accorded intellectual work ; Spain the most liberal of all. And Guatemala sets the whole world an example of equity in her enactment, “ The right of literary property is not time-bound : on the death of the author it passes to his heirs.” It is sad to - eflect that more prominent States have not yet THE AUTHOR. discovered that the labour of a man’s brain ig: entitled at least to rank as high as the labour of his hands. But the work abounds with instances of that peculiar pusillanimity or superstition of the legal mind which seems to be incapable of looking beyond what has once been set down in a statute, Should Professor Réthlisberger’s work reach a third edition, which we sincerely hope that it may, we would suggest that its value would be enhanced by the mention of leading works in which further information can be found if desired. A complete legal bibliography would be equally out of place and impossible in a manual. But we think that under the heading of each state, a brief reference: to one or two authorities, such as is to be found at at the conclusion of the articles of a high-class. encyclopedia, would, without adding much to the length of the book, render its usefulness still more universal. ————_—_ + ——_-—__—__— THE DICTIONARY OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.* + T is twenty-six years since the first monthly instalment of Sir George Grove’s “ Dictionary of Music and Musicians” appeared, and the fact that it came out in monthly parts caused many more musicians and amateurs to buy it tham would otherwise have been the case. By issuing the revised edition of that remarkable work im volume form only, we fear Messrs. Macmillan will appeal to a smaller public of purchasers than did Sir George. This is to be regretted, because as & work of reference the new edition, judging by the first volume just published, is a great improvement on its predecessor. Without tampering with the masterly notices of Beethoven and other great composers of the original issue, glaring omissions, such as the biography of Bononcini, Handel’s rival, have been corrected. The present edition contains a most interesting article on acoustics which should never have been omitted from the first issues ; and Bach, Berlioz, Brahms, and Chopin, inadequately treated in the first edition, are now as is their due, dealt with at greater length. - The editor in his preface states that the average country organist will not find his name in the new edition more than in the old. Every editor of @ book of this kind is bound to meet with com- plaints of omission and of inadequate treatment. But, if the remaining volumes are edited with the care and diligence of the first, even the most captious critic ought to be satisfied. No one really interested in music should be without such * “@rove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians,” edited by Fuller Maitland, Macmillan & Co.  iy THER AUTHOR. a work ofreference. But what is of special interest to members of the Society—both musical com- posers and authors—is the article dealing with musical copyright. Six columns have been devoted to this subject, and the difficulties surrounding musical publication are clearly explained. The rights of the composer are more complicated than the rights of the author, owing to the fact that he holds the performing right as well as the right of publication ; and more complicated than the rights of the dramatist, for, although the dramatist owns both the right of publication and the right of performance, the former is not very often used, and the latter is more easily dealt with owing to the fact that there are fewer people who are able to conduct a dramatic performance than there are able to play a piece of music on a piano or some other instrument. These two rights—the copyright, that is, the right of duplicating copies and the performing right—are ciearly and definitely separated. In order to obtain copyright in music it is essential that it must be original, but the courts have interpreted the word “ original” in a wide sense. As in the infringement of literary copyright everything must depend upon the particular facts of each case, so here to quote all the leading cases in order to convey a fair idea of the decisions would have been impossible, the necessary explanation is therefore somewhat cur- tailed. The author of the article maintains that publication before performance does not deprive the composer or his assigns of the performing right. We agree with him in adopting this view of the case, and think this is the proper interpre- tation of the law, but some writers on the subject have doubted this. Although the book is dated 1904, it is difficult to know the exact dates on which the different articles went to press. In referring to inter- national copyright, no mention is made of Denmark and Sweden’s adhesion to the Bern Convention. The omission of Sweden is, perhaps, excusable, as it only joined in August, 1904, but Denmark should certainly have been included among the countries named. The author refers to the decision in the courts which declared that the manufacture and sale of instruments for the mechanical reproduction of copyright airs is not a breach of musical copyright. This decision is clearly correct. The infringement was, without doubt, an infringement of the per- forming right, and if musicians and composers took the same care of preserving their performing rights that dramatists do, they could, no doubt, make a considerable income, but many are very indifferent in this matter, and freely assign to the publisher what they ought to retain themselves, and the publisher, more intent on the reproduction 215 of the copyright than on the preservation of the performing rights, takes little interest in the issue. There is one advantage that musical composers obtain with regard to reproduction in the United States, namely, the fact that the copies to be sent to the Library of Congress in accordance with the United States Act, need not be printed in the United States. This must have been an uninten- tional omission on the part of the Government of that country, as it has clung so tenaciously ever since the Act was passed to what it erroneously considers to be the protection of the printing trade. The second part of the article refers to the infringement of musical rights. The infringe- ment of copyright follows the same lines as the infringement of literary copyright, but the infringe- ment of performing right, owing to the facts which we have already mentioned, has especial legislation. For the benefit of the public anyone is entitled to perform a piece unless a_ notice specially reserving the right is printed on every copy published. ‘he statutes necessary to carry out this regulation are fully explained. Finally, the article deals with the Musical Summary Proceedings Act, 1902, and explains how those desirous of acting under that inadequate statute should carry out their intention. G. der. a eee ae SENOR MANUEL GARCIA, C.Y.O. T is appropriate that the Centenary of Senor Manuel Garcia should have occurred in 1905 at the time of the celebration of the Ter- centenary of Cervantes, “‘ Don Quixote,’ and when Spain is congratulating herself that her veteran dramatist, Echegaray, shares with the Proyengal poet, Mistral, the last Nobel prize for literature. So much has the success of Sefior Garcia as a teacher of singing been drawn attention to by the press, that it is fitting to note, in these columns, that the maestro, who has been a member of the Society of Authors for some years, owes not a little of his distinction to the power of the pen. It was his treatise entitled ‘‘Mémoire sur la Voix Humaine” (afterwards given in London as ‘ Physiological Observations on the Human Voice’’) presented to the French Institut in 1840, which brought him the formal congratu- lations of the Académie, and was the foundation of most of the later investigations into the vocal organ. His international reputation, as the most famous teacher of song of our own time and the generation preceding our own, was, moreover, considerably enhanced by the publication of his ‘ Traite complet  216 de PArt du Chant,” which was translated into English and nearly every other European language. It is easy to understand why, if a giant of physique—such as the Russian exhibited daily at one of the London music halls—is attractive to the multitude, a giant of longevity, of the intellectual distinction of Manuel Garcia, should be so exceed- ingly interesting. That the sovereigns of Spain, England, and Germany have bestowed honours on him when giving their congratulations was to be expected. To Englishmen of the present day it seems incredible that we have, living amongst us, in good mental and physical health, a naturalised compatriot, who was born in the year of Trafalgar, when Pitt and Fox were living and George Ill. was King. Garcia was ten years of age when Waterloo was fought, fourteen when Queen Victoria was born, nineteen when Byron and twenty-seven when Scott died. Consequently, when he feels inclined, he can talk about Keats, Shelley, Charles Lamb, Tom Hood, Edgar Allan Poe, Wordsworth, Sam Rogers, de Quincey, Thackeray, Dickens, and other of his long since departed contemporaries, as if they lived but yesterday. To the musician of to-day, who shakes the hand of the illustrious maestro, that hand appears to be a connecting link that is even more wonderful, for Manuel Garcia was born at Zafra (not Madrid, as stated by Grove) in the year when Beethoven’s only opera, “ Fidelio,” and the great “‘ Eroica” symphony were first produced at Vienna. Haydn was then living. Garcia came into the world before either Balfe or Wallace, who seem, to the musician of to-day, to have lived in almost antediluvian times. Think of it! He was senior to Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Thalberg, and that other great teacher of singing, Lamperti, who lived to a good old age, but went over to the majority thirteen years since. When Verdi and Wagner were born, Garcia was already eight years old. He was eleven when Sir William Sterndale Bennett came into the world. Consequently, he was a good deal older than Gounod, and was already fifteen when his most famous pupil, Jenny Lind, drew her first breath. She died eighteen years ago at the age of sixty-seven. Then, Garcia was seventeen when Sims Reeves was born. When one thinks of the interesting volumes of reminiscences which have been given to the world by comparatively minor musicians, the hope is that this famous centenarian, whilst his memory is still active, will not omit to record his impressions of and correspondence with the great ones of the artistic world whom he has met. The distinguished son ought to have much interesting matter to tell the world concerning that extraordinary singer, THER AUTHOR. his father, Emmanuel Garcia, who was born in 1775. To the veteran whom King Edward has recently honoured, his father’s recollections of Mozart, Haydn, Cherubini, Paganini, Auber, and the great singers of the eighteenth century, must be familiar. And, if the centenarian himself is now disinclined to undertake the labour of writing an autobiography, his grandson, who is well known as a singer, would doubtless readily act as amanuensis, ALGERNON Ross. CORRESPONDENCE. ——>— + — PUBLISHERS’ DELAYS. Sir,—I think it will help to interest your readers, and to emphasise the importance of what you are always urging, if I mention three “ tricks” which have just been played on me :— 1. After a promise to publish immediately, and urgent letters requesting the MS. at once, a pub- lisher delays the publication for many months. Nowadays a book runs the risk of being not the best expression of the author's views if it is delayed even three months. 2. Owing to the author’s usual six presentation copies being taken for granted, the publisher refuses to supply them. 3. “Advance on royalties,” assumed by the author to have its usual sense of advance on receipt of MS., or on passing of proofs, or on publication, is interpreted as meaning “ (?) advance when books are made up ”—which is nearly a year, in this case, after receipt of MS., and nearly six months after publication. Moral.—Never tolerate a general agreement. Insist that every detail, however commonplace and obvious, shall be down in black and white. Do not lead the publishers into temptation. E. M. Wis’ “ CHARLES THE First.” Sir,—Sir Henry Irving must have forgotten that “ Qharles the First” was published (by Blackwood, I think,) when it was first produced at the Lyceum, I had a copy but have mislaid it. It is Wills “ Olivia ” I am hoping some day to see in print. 8. M. Fox. 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. 15 Issue 07 (April 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 07 (April 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-04-01-The-Author-15-7 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/505/1905-05-01-The-Author-15-8.pdf f9fd14b10ccf89ac5156b3bd0a85355a 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) 1905-05-01 Volume 15 Issue 8 Pages Page range in volume 217–248 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050501 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XV.—No. 8. May ist, 1905. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ————_—~<+-— NOTICES. ta OR the opinions expressed in papers that are RK signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. + List of Members. Tux List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. Set tae oe ee The Pension Fund of the Society. THE Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in February, 1904, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to purchase £250 London and North Western 3% Debenture Stock. Accordingly, the Mvestments of the Pension Fund at present Vou. XV. , standing in the names of the Trustees are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Consols 24% £1000 0 0 EO AOE ee es 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 14 Waroan 201. 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- LOte StOCK 3 6, 250 0 0 Total: oe £2,243 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. & is. ad. Jan. 12, Anonymous . 0 2 6 Donations, 1905. a Jan. , Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0 Jan. , Bolton, Miss Anna : - 0-5 6 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . : - 07 6 0 Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert : : - 0 5 6 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. . . 010 0 Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. . +0 10 0 Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. . . tf 0 0 Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. : - 010 0 April19, Hornung, E. W. . : “25 0 6 ————" o> —_____—__ COMMITTEE NOTES. Bie HE April meeting of the committee was held at the offices of the society on the 8rd ult., at four o’clock ; Sir Henry Bergne was in the chair. The agenda comprised a large number of matters and the sitting lasted over two hours. After the minutes of the last meeting had been read and approved, the members and associates whose names were before the committee were elected. The total number of elections during the year amounts to 74. The number elected at the April meeting was 23. The list is printed below. The committee then considered two cases against  18 THE the same publisher who, for certain reasons of his own, had withheld from authors payments shown to be due on his accounts. As the authors could not obtain a settlement they invoked the assistance of the society in order to enforce their demands. In the first case the matter had to be adjourned. It was necessary for the committee to be more fully informed respecting the exact terms of the agreement before they could come to a decision. The member, unfortunately, is resident abroad. In the second case, the committee decided to com- mence action if the author would undertake to bear a third of the expenses. This he has undertaken to do. Some months ago a judgment was obtained on behalf of one of the members of the society against a travelling theatrical manager. The solicitors of the society have, on one or two similar occasions, experienced great difficulty in making the judg- ment debtor pay. The member in this case com- plained that the judgment had only been partially satisfied, and he seemed to get no further. The committee decided to instruct the solicitors to exhaust all legal methods with a view to obtaining the amount still due, and it is hoped that, with renewed activity, the member and the judgement will be satisfied. The next case before the committee arose out of the difficulty of an author, who had paid for the production of his work, to possess himseif of his property, when the publisher became bankrupt. The binder claimed a general lien on the stock. The committee discussed the question very fully, but adjourned the matter, in order that they might gain fuller information which would enable them to decide whether or not action could be taken with advantage. The question of United States copyright was again brought forward. As the Amending Billhad passed into law at the end of the session, before it had been possible to make any satisfactory protest, the committee decided to adjourn the question until a fitting opportunity should arise. It has been reported that at the next session of congress a consolidation in the United States Copyright Laws will be taken in hand. If this information is correct, it is possible that an opportunity will then arise for taking action. In the meantime, any movement will be carefully watched. ‘The com- mittee are in a position to receive the fullest infor- mation from the most reliable sources. ‘The chairman reported that the secretary of the society had been offered the solicitorship in Eng- land of the famous French Society “la Société des Gens de Lettres,” and that as the position was practically honorary, he had sanctioned tle secre- tary’s acceptance of it. The committee approved the course the chairman had adopted. AUTHOR. A question of international copyright was placed before the committee, arising from the adherence of Sweden to the Bern Convention of 1886. Sweden has signed the Convention, but not the additional Act of Paris of 1896. Article 7 of the Bern Convention of 1886 runs as follows :— “ Articles from newspapers or periodicals published 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 prohi- bition 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.” This Article was altered by the Additional Act of Paris of 1896, so as to run :— “Serial stories, including tales, published in the news- papers or periodicals of one of the countries of the Union, may not be reproduced, in original or in translation, in the other countries, without the sanction of the authors or their lawful representative. This stipulation shall apply equally to other articles in newspapers or periodicals, when the authors or editors shall have expressly declared in the newspaper or periodical itself in which they shall have been published, that the right of reproduction is prohibited. In case of periodicals it shall suffice if such prohibition be indicated in general terms at the beginning of each number. In the absence of prohibition, such articles may be re- produced on condition that the source is acknowledged. In any case, the prohibition shall not apply to articles on political questions, to the news of the day, or to miscel- laneous information.” It will thus be seen that in those countries which have not signed the Additional Act of Paris, works which have not the notice “ All Rights Reserved” printed either generally in the periodical, or pat- ticularly with the article, may be reproduced with- out the consent of the author. The society's correspondent in Sweden has brought before the notice of the committee the fact that Swedish newspapers have taken advantage of this, and in consequence, the committee desire to impress upon all members of the society who desire to maintain their market in Sweden, the importance of having the notice printed with the serial use of short stories, essays, &c. ‘They also decided to issue a letter to the editors of the important magazines, periodicals, and newspapers, pointing out the diffi- culties that might arise if no notice were printed, owing to the fact that Norway and Sweden had — joined the Bern Convention without signing the Additional Act of Paris. The question of Canadian Copyright was further discussed. Readers of Zhe Author may remember that im the March issue, it was reported that the com mittee had decided to place the papers relating to a claim ’  Pee Son Caen een of one of the members of the society in the hands of a German lawyer. They have now decided to carry the case through the German courts if neces- sary. It is hoped, however, that the publisher will make some reasonable offer of settlement without this step being necessary. The Secretary reported that the chairman had sanctioned three county court cases, two of which, however, had not gone into court, one because the member, at the last moment, refused to commence action. (This is a difficulty which arises from time to time, and-sometimes with serious consequences to the society on account of its loss of prestige). The other owing to the fact that the publisher said the debt before the summons was issued. The third action is in the course of settlement. eg Cases, Since the last issue of The Author, although the business before the Committee has been heavy, the cases which have passed through the secretary’s hands have been but few. There have been two questions concerning contracts for publication between authors and publishers. One of these has been satisfactorily settled. The other may take some time, for the member involved resides in Australia. There have been two cases in which members have desired the return of their MSS. In both cases the MSS. have been returned by the editors and forwarded to the members. Three cases where money due to authors has been in arrears. In one of these the money has been paid in full; in another the secretary has received part payment; in the third no answer has been obtained owing to the fact that it has been impossible to find any trace of the debtor. There has been one case of accounts which has been satisfactorily settled. This makes eight cases in all during the month. All the matters in hand before April have been _ cleared up with one exception, which is still in the hands of the society’s solicitors for advice, and one case where money is due. The chairman of the society has given leave to place the latter in the solicitors’ hands in order to enforce the members’ rights. It will be a county court case. One of the county court cases referred to as unsettled in last month’s statement is now ended. The magazine paid the amount due before the issue of the summons. —_—t—> + April Elections, Bayliss, Miss Ellen . Blackmore, Gecffrey , Sander- Sander- “ Glenwood,” stead load, stead, Surrey. THE AUTHOR. Collins, J. Hawksworth . Cunynghame Francis, J. de M. Davies, A. T. Dryden, Miss ‘ Farrer, Reginald . Hills, Miss Katherine Tmeson, W. E. James, J. Barnard ‘ Jebb, Richard Kay, Richard Kindler, Mrs. : : Langan, The Rev. Thomas, D.D. Maxwell, W. B. . . y Rackham, Arthur. ; Robson, A. W. Mayo, DAS: : : : Sanders, Miss E. K. Scheu, Mrs. (Chris Sewell) Sewell, Mrs. (Christobel Hulbert) . : : Talbot, Miss L. Agnes . Worsley, Miss Alice. Weale, G. L. Putnam 219 The Glebe, Cranbrook School, Kent. 12, Lincoln Chelsea, S.W. Avon House, Kenysham, near Bristol. Kingsfield, Bradford- on-Avon, Wilts. 50, Ennismore Gardens, Ingleborough, Lan- caster. 11, Collingham Place, Kensington, S.W. Street, Clevedale, Downend, Gloucestershire. The Higher Grange, Ellesmere. Berrington Priory, II- minster, Somerset. 420, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Australia. Abbeylara, Granard, Treland. Lichfield House, Rich- mond, Surrey. 3, Primrose Hill Studios, Fitzroy Road, N.W. 8, Park Crescent, W. Park House, Curzon Park, Chester. Towerhurst, Leigh Woods, Clifton, Bris- tol. The Fourth House, The Stourport Road, Wrib- benhall, near Bewdley. todney Lodge, Clifton. Two of the members elected in April do not desire either their names or addresses published. ie BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. —_+—~—-_—_ (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply such particulars.) ART. sy DuDLEY Hratn, 208. Tl. MINTATURES, 101 x 74. 320 pp. Methuen.  220 BOOKS OF REFERENCE, Tue STATESMAN’S YEAR Book, 1905. Edited by J. Scort KnLTie, LL.D. 74 x 43. 142 pp. Macmillan. 10s. 6d. n. AurHorR AND Printer. A Guide for Authors, Editors, Printers, Correctors of the Press, Compositors and Typists. With full list of abbreviations. By F. Howarpb CoLLins. 74 X 5.° 408 pp. Frowde. 5s, EDUCATIONAL. Tun STORY OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE. A Simple Intro- ductory Historical Reader. By JOHN FINNEMORE. 7x 43. 167 pp. Blackie. 1s. 6d. FICTION. QuEER LaDy Jupas. By “Rita.” 72 x 43. 345 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. A Frontier Mystery. By BERTRAM MITFORD. 72 x 5. 307 pp. White. 6s. THE YOUNGEST Miss BrowN. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 72x 5, 320 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. A Sporter oF Men. By RicHARD MARSH. 72 xX «5. 306 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. SoRREL-Tor. By E. CRAWFORD (Mrs. J. A. Crawford). 73 x 5. 351 pp. Drane. 6s. CAPTAIN BALAAM OF THE “ CORMORANT,” AND OTHER Sea ComepiEs. By Morney ROBERTS. 73 X 5. 228 pp. Nash. 3s. 6d. Li TING oF LONDON AND OTHER STORIES. By Gro. R. Sims. 64 x 33. 222pp. Chatto & Windus. 1s. 6d. THE OLD CANTONMENT. By B. M. CROKER, 7] x 5. 294 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE GOLDEN Poon. By R. AUSTIN FREEMAN. 7} X 5. 341 pp. Cassell. 6s. Aw INSTINCTIVE CRIMINAL. By GILBERT COLERIDGE. 74x 56. Treherne. 6s. DUKE’s Son. By Cosmo HAMILTON. 7} x 5. 279 pp. Heinemann. 6s. MonarcH, THE Big BEAR OF TaLLAc. By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. 73 x 6. 214 pp. Constable. 5s. n. Grounp Ivy. By Myra Swan, 73 X 5. 332 pp. Brown, Langham. 6s. HEARTS OF WALES. By ALLEN Rate. 7} x 5. 347 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. A CouRrER oF FortunE. By A. W. MARCHMONT. 73 x 5. 384 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. THE Master MumMMeR. By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM. . 7% x5. 815 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. A Liypsay’s Love. By CHARLES LOWE. 420 pp. Werner Laurie. 6s. THE MANITOBAN. By H. H. BAsHForD. Lane. 6s. 8 x 5h. A Town ROMANCE, OR ON LONDON STONES. By Cc. C. ANDREWS (“CARL SWERDNA”). 73 X 5. 397 pp. Messrs. James Clarke. Cheaper edition, 2s. HISTORY. Tuer CHURCH IN MapRas; being the history of the Ecclesiastical and Missionary action of the East India Company in the Presidency of Madras in the 17th and 18th centuries, chiefly from the company’s own records preserved at the India Office. By the Ray. FRANK PENNY, LL.M., late Chaplain His Majesty’s Indian Service (Madras Establishment). 33 illustrations, demy 8vo. 9 x 6. 700 pp. including index. Smith, Elder & Co. 21s. n. MEDICAL. Tur Foop Inspectors’ Hanppook. By F. VACHER. 4th Edition. Illustrated. 73 x 5. 231 pp. The Sanitary Publishing Co. 3s. 6d. THE AUTHOR. MISCELLANEOUS. CHANGE FOR A HALFPENNY; being the Prospectus of the Napolio Syndicate. By E. V. Lucas and C. L. GRAVES. 81 x 64. Alston Rivers. 1s. n. POETRY. PENTHESILEA. By LAURENCE BINYON. 7} X 5. 63 pp. Constable. 3s. 6d. n. POLITICAL. RACIAL SUPREMACY. Being Studies in Imperialism. By J.G. GopARD. 8 x 54. 323 pp. Edinburgh: Morton; London: Simpkin. 6s. STUDIES IN COLONIAL PATRIOTISM. By RICHARD JEBB. 9 x 58. 336pp. Arnold. 12s. 6d. n. REPRINTS. THe WoRKS OF CHARLES AND Mary Lame. Vol. vi. Letters 1796—1820; Vol. vii. Letters 1821—1834. Edited by E. V.Lucas. 9 x 6. 1,025 pp. Methuen, 7s. 6d. each vol. SCIENCE. A StTuDENT’s TEXT Book oF ZooLoGy. By A. SEDGWICK. Vol. Il. 94 x 6}. 705 pp. Sonnenschien. 21s. SOCIOLOGY. A PECULIAR PEOPLE, THE DouKHOBORS. By AYLMER MaupeE. 8} xX 5%. 388 pp. Constable. 6s. n. A MopErN Utopia. By H. G. WELLS. 7} x 5}. 393 pp. Chapman & Hall. 7s. 6d. SPORT. An AnGurr's Hours. By BH. Tf. 8i x 54. 264 pp. Macmillan. 63. SHERINGHAM. THEOLOGY, THE BIBLE IN MopEeRN ENe@uisH. Old Testament, Four Vols. Introduction and Critical Notes (2nd Edition). 214+187+245+346 pp. New Testament in Modern English with some Critical Notes. One Vol. (8rd Edition of the Gospels and Seventh of St. Paul's Epistles translated afresh), 255 pp. By FERRAR FENTON, F.R.A.S. 73 x 5. Partridge. THE TRIAL OF JESUS. By G1ovANNI Rosapi. Trans- lated from the third Italian edition. Edited by Dr. Emin Reicw. 73 x 54. 342 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. 0. THe CHRIST IN THE TEACHER. Four Addresses given in the Chapel of Keble College, Oxford, January 14th. and 15th, 1905. By J. HUNTLEY SKRINE. 7} X 43. 46 pp. Simpkin, Marshall. 1s. 6d. n. —————_—_o ro —_— LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. — > E understand that the annual dinner of the London Shakespeare League will be held on the 6th of May. honorary secretary to the-dinner, at the price of 8s. 6d. to members and their guests and 10s. 6d. to non-members. All enquiries concerning Tickets may be — obtained of Mrs. Gomme, who is acting a8  THE AUTHOR. ¢) the dinner should be made of Mrs. © 24, Dorset Square, N. W. “The Irish Bee Guide,’ by the Rev. J. C. ‘| Digges is a new book on bees and bee-keeping, containing 150 illustrations. It can be obtained, in“a paper cover, for 2s, nett, and in art linen for /© 3s. nett, from Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., «i in London; and Eason & Son, Ltd., Dublin. Mr. J. M. Stuart Young is accumulating material o| for a new negro novel. Mr. Fisher Unwin has recently published a new work by Mr. Barry Pain, entitled ‘‘ The Memoirs of Constantine Dix.” The book narrates the career of a professional thief who keeps three banking © accounts as well as houses in Bloomsbury and Brighton, and is, moreover, a philanthropist v2 greatly interested in the reclamation of the lower > classes. “The Double Rose,” by J. W. Boulding, is the 29 title of a play, originally performed at the Adelphi i= Theatre, which Messrs. Jarrold & Son, have now we issued at the price of 1s. The play is of historical ‘ai interest, dealing with the fortunes of the houses of of York and Lancaster. : ““Marjorie’s Mistake” is the title selected by * Miss Bertha M. M. Miniken (author of “Where ) the Ways Part,” “Through Life’s Rough Way,” .* “An English Wife,” etc.) for her new novel, 6 dealing with life in the south west of England, “© mainly. It will be issued about May 18th, by Mr. ») George A. Morton, Edinburgh. ; “The Young Preacher’s Guide,” by the Rev. 1) Gilbert Monks, with a preface by the Archdeacon _1- of London, which was published recently by Mr. 19 Elliot Stock, is divided into two parts, the first part * dealing with the preparation of the sermon, andthe © second part with the mode of delivery. t Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., have recently “a: published a work entitled “Darwinian Fallacies,” % by John Scouller. As its title indicates, Mr. © Scouller’s book is mainly devoted to an exposure of “19 what, in his opinion, are the fallacies inherent in 4%) Mr. Darwin’s theory of evolution. He has, how- ¥ ever, in addition, given a demonstration of those szomme, at “principles which, he considers, will bring the. ef doctrines of modern science into complete harmony 10) with the teachings of Christ. a Rennie Rennison, the author of “ George’s o> Georgina,” has written another novel ‘“ Mixed ) Relationships,” which Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall ¥ + & Co. published in April. The story is one of > recent times, the Jocale changing from the worsted 2) districts of Yorkshire to the cotton districts of “® Lancashire ; mill life—as viewed by the manager “rather than the operative—is to a certain extent ' discussed. ‘The “Minor Masters of the Old British School of Painting” is the title of a work by George H. 221 Shepherd, which contains the name, birthplace, date of birth and death, and branch of art of over one hundred artists. It is published by Messrs. Shepherd Bros., 27 King Street, St. James’s, Messrs. J. B. Lippincott Co. have recently published a work entitled “The Diseases of Society ” by G. Frank Lydston, M.D. The special object of Dr. Lydston has been to indicate the origin, development, and influence of the anarchist, criminal and sexual pervert, and that class of offenders against the moral law who frequently do not fall under the ban of criminal or civil law. Mrs. F. E. Penny, whose last year’s novel “'The Sanyasi ” is now in a second edition, is publishing through Messrs. Chatto and Windus another novel called “Dilys.” It is a South Indian romance, in which some typical old soldiers of the East India Company, pensioners living in the cantonment bazaars, play a part. The sale of the first edition of Mr. Howard Collins’s “ Author and Printer, a Guide for Authors, Editors, Printers, Correctors of the Press, Com- positors and Typists” (Henry Frowde) was so satisfactory that within five days of publication the second edition—or rather impression, as there will be no alteration in it—was put in the hands of the printers, the Oxford University Press, and it is hoped will soon be ready for sale. That the work is of practical use, may be gathered from the fact that in one of the largest printing establishments in the provinces--employing nearly a thousand hands—-the compositors have requisitioned the principals to adopt and use it all through the works. Mademoiselle Helene Vacaresco has published with Harper Bros., London and New York, “Songs of the Valiant Voivode,” collected from Roumanian peasants. The author states in her preface that she has wandered through Roumania from village to village and gathered the strange stories that grow there like flowers in the country. The tales are drawn from Latin, Dacian and Asiatic sources, while the mysticism of the Slavonic race may sometimes be traced in them. Mr. Morton has recently published a new novel by Mr. Robert Aitken, author of ‘‘ Windfalls.” The title of the work is ‘The Redding Straik.” The Early English Text Society is now bringing out Part II. of Mrs. Mary L. Banks’ edition of the ‘“Alphabetum Narrationum” formerly attributed to Etienne de Besancon. Part III. will contain glossary and notes and is to come out later. Messrs. Smith, Elder have had to go to press with a third impression of Mrs. Humphry Ward’s novel, “The Marriage of William Ashe,” with a fifth impression of ‘ Peter’s Mother,” by Mrs. H. de la Pasture ; and with a fifth and thoroughly revised edition of Mr. Sidney Lee’s “ Life of Shakespeare.”  222 The scene of “The Dryad,” by Justin Huntley M‘Carthy, is Athens, but not the classic Athens, nor the Athens of to-day, which have often found their chroniclers. Mr. M‘Carthy has chosen the dawn of the fourteenth century, when Greece was governed by splendid French adventurers, whose courts were centres of wealth and chivalry. Messrs. Methuen & Co., are the publishers of this work. The same firm have also issued “ Miniatures,” by Dudley Heath, a history of the Art of Miniature Painting from its earliest origin and development in the I!luminated Manuscript under Byzantine, Carlo- vingian, Celtic, and Saxon influences, and in the French, Flemish, and Italian schools of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, showing the growth of realistic expression in the Miniature, and tracing its subsequent history as an indepen- dent art of portraiture “in little” down to the present day. Messrs. Constable & Co. have recently published, at the price of 6s., a book by Mr. Aylmer Maude, entitled “A Peculiar People: the Doukhobors.” The work, which contains seventeen illustrations, is a history and description of the remarkable Russian peasant sect, more than 7,000 of whom have settled in Canada, and whose virtues and eccentricities have attracted much attention. “ Alice-Sit-by-the-Fire,”’ by J. M. Barrie was produced at the Duke of York’s theatre, on Wednesday, April 5th. The piece, which is whimsical in tone, shows how an extremely young lady, applied her knowledge of human nature— derived from five visits to the theatre—to an entirely innocent action of everyday life, with un- fortunate results, which are not set right till the fall of the curtain. The caste included Miss Ellen Terry, Miss Irene Vanbrugh and Mr. Aubrey Smith. An original farcical comedy in three acts entitled “Daniel Dibsey,” by George Blagrove, , will be produced at the Royal Albert Theatre, on Monday evening, May Ist. —__—_—_+—<——__—_. PARIS NOTES. — HE name of Jules Verne has for years past been a household word in many countries. His books have been translated into most languages, including Arabic and Japanese. It appears that he commenced his literary career by publishing in a review some stories imitated from those of Edgar Poe. One of them, “ Un Drame dans les Airs,” attracted attention and, encouraged by his success, he at once commenced a novel. M. Hetzel was so convinced of his talent that THE AUTHOR. he advised him not to depart from the style he had adopted, and offered to sign a contract with him — for two novels a year. ‘This was agreed upon, and Jules Verne from that time forth produced the two books annually. In spite of the Revolution, the Franco-German War, and all other outside events, the work was accomplished scrupulously. He was a most conscientious author, and the despair of his printers, as he sometimes revised and corrected ‘ passages nine or ten times before finally approving ae them. Strange as it may seem, the writer of such —— #'" adventurous stories was not a traveller. He wrote most of his books at his home in Amiens, and his _ longest journey was probably an excursion in his aff yacht to the Mediterranean and the English Channel, at He owned a planisphere on which he had com menced to trace the voyages of all the heroes of hi piel books. He had a well-filled library, and quantiti of journals of travel and scientific publications 0 all kinds, both French and foreign. M. Adolphe Brisson tells us that “ Twenty tho sand Leagues under the Sea” was suggested to hi by George Sand in one of her letters to him. “T hope,” she writes, “that you will soon take us down into the depths of the sea, and that yo will let your personages travel in a diving apparat which with all your science and imagination yo will be able to improve for the occasion. . . Thanks a thousand times for the happy moments I have spent with your books in the midst of my troubles.” Some critics in France declare that Jules Ve had the gift of second sight. He prophesied admirably, fifty or twenty-five years ahead, about many of the most marvellous scientific inventions. Before there were any railways he affirmed that voyage round the world would require eighty da and at present it requires seventy-five. At about the same time his Captain Nemo goes down into the depths of the sea in his submarine boat, and in another of his books, “‘ Robur le Conquérant, we have the conquest of the air for travelli purposes. In an article on the works of Jules Verne, : Rzewuski says : “He shows us in his marvellow series of paradoxical studies how interesting @ picturesque this modern world is, in spite of all vulgarities and injustices, and how many elements of beauty, originality and activity manifested, changing every day the aspect of ti lobe.” M. Adolphe Brisson considers that there is som thing more than this in the books of J ules Ver' “ By taking his young readers into all parts of world,” he says, ‘he awakens their intelligence showing them something of life, and he gives the an idea of the relativity of things, which in 108 is the source of all wisdom and kindliness.  THE AUTHOR. ogo) teaches his readers that in every climate and conntry oi} the eternal terrestrial comedy is always being played, and that everywhere mankind aspires to a happier fature of justice and love, to some far-off ideal which may be chimerical like that of Captain Hatteras, but the prestige of which we cannot (se entively abolish. For forty years Jules Verne has os¢ been more than a savant, vulgarising his science ' a0) for the younger generation. He has been a novelist ow who at the same time was an idealist.” I He led an extremely simple life. He was an ise early riser, and had finished the greater part of his ‘ysh day’s work before luncheon. In the afternoon he ses read, and then went to do his duty as a citizen, 640) for as a member of the Municipal Council of Amiens se he took a keen interest in public matters. Twice »ow & & week he accompanied his wife to the theatre, and ) ed: the other evenings he usually retired early. ‘1. His long list of books are too well known for ‘mec comment. At the time of his death he had a book | @ in preparation entitled “ L’{nvasion de la Mer,” » ofl the subject of which occurred to him on seeing » 9d; the crumbling of the cliffs of Normandy and of seo those between Dover and Folkestone when on a i998" recent yachting excursion. oo: A subscription is being raised for a monnu- iaoa ment to Jules Verne by his young readers and us admirers. i? “ Le Serpent Noir,” by Paul Adam, is one of the ,joeP strongest and, at‘thesame time, most delicate of this oMmauthor’s novels. The scene is laid in Brittany oo: and the story is essentially modern. A doctor » es{ has discovered a marvellous serum, but has no -<0@ money to spend on the necessary publicity for sls making the most of his discovery. The serpent “iit enters his paradise in the form of a certain man oly who is always on the look-out for commercial |i enterprises. By specious arguments he endeavours ‘7 ® to persuade the doctor into a divorce in order to “%8@ marry a wealthy young widow. The great interest | of the book lies in the psychology of the chief ‘a characters. The devotion and self-sacrifice of the ¥wife, the utter unscrupulousness of the financial ‘onS schemer, and the struggles of the scientist and “i husband. In the end the doctor realises the base- » “9sness of the other man’s arguments, and appreciates eithe devotion and abnegation of his wife. ‘The wy dénouement is a triumph over the individualism ‘which tramples ruthlessly over all obstacles in its Yes way. __ Among the new books are: “ Le Millionnaire,” -Tby J. H. Rosny; “La Conquérante,” by Georges aeohast , “ L?Impossible,” by Jean de la Brete ; al me *Drames de l’Histoire,” by M. le Comte Fleury ; “1 * La Société francaise du XVI° au XX° Siécles,”’ y M. Victor du Bled ; “ Bonaparte et Moreau,” «yoy M. Picard ; “Memoires du Comte de Ram- /Miputeau,” published by his grandson; “ Sophistes 223 francais et la Reévolution européenne,” by M. Th. Funck-Brentano ; “Le Pape et l’Empereur (1804—1815),” by M. Henri Welschinger ; “ Au Service de lAllemagne,” by M. Maurice Barrés ; “Une Année de Politique Extérieure,” by M. René Moulin ; “Quatre Cents ans de Concordat,” by M. Bandrillart. In the reviews M. Emile Ollivier writes in favour of the “Concordat ” in the Correspondant. In the Nouvelle Revue Gilbert Stenger writes on “Le Clergé sous le Consulat.” The Marquis de Ségur publishes in the Revue des Deur-Mondes “ lies Années de Jeunesse de Julie de Lespinasse,” and M. Pierre Leroy Beaulieu examines “ La Situation et les Perspectives écono- miques de la Chine.” The Revue de Paris continues the publication of Wagner’s letters from Paris and from Vienna. In the theatrical world we have had “ Scarron,” by Catulle Mendeés, a great success at the Théatre dela Gaité ; “L’Age d’aimer,” a comedy in four acts, by Pierre Wolff, at the Gymnase; “Le Meilleur Parti,” by Maurice Maindron, a piece in four acts, at the Théatre Antoine. La Duse has had the triumphs of the month at the Nouveau Théatre. Madame Sarah Bernhardt, after “ Angelo,” has been giving a series of performances of ‘ Esther.” “ Monsieur Piégois,” by Alfred Capus, is another success for the author of “ La Veine.” ALYS HALLArp. SPANISH NOTES. — HE recent catastrophe of the bursting of the reservoir in Madrid has plunged the city in mourning. Senor Vadillo, the Minister of Works, will institute a searching inquiry into the reason of the disaster, as it has been said that it was preceded by many ominous signs. However, amid all the tragic scenes of the disaster, the fact that the young sovereign, in company with the Prince of Asturias, hastened in his motor-car to give his personal assistance to the rescue of those sub- merged in the ruins, and subsequently visited the sufferers in the hospitals, and added his royal mother’s and sister’s names to his liberal donations on their behalf, has been a ray of sunshine in the panic and gloom which has pervaded the city, _ A catastrophe often gives rise to reforms, and in this case the well-known engineer Don Carlos Santamaria was appointed to present plans for the new reservoir which is so urgently required in Madrid.  224 It was thought that the national disaster of the bursting reservoir might have led to the postpone- ment of the royal visit to Valencia, but the King rightly decided that a delay would cause a great deal of expense to the city when the preparations were so far advanced. Moreover, it was not only in such fétes as the beautiful battle of flowers, etc., that the Valencians did honour to their sovereign, but they had begged his Majesty to lay the first stone of the lighthouse on the dike to the north of the harbour ; and it was a great satisfaction to Don José Canalejas, the eminent politician, who has combined with General Pando and Don Ramon Castro in the institution of thirty-six perfectly sanitary houses at a moderate rent for workmen, to show the successful result of the labours to the king. Don Benito Galdos is generally associated with the historical romances which have become classics in Spanish literature, but his comedy Realidad marked him as a dramatist some time ago, and the judgment recorded by the well-known critic, Leopold Alas, who came from Oviedo on purpose to be present at the performance, set the seal to its success. So it was with great interest that it was heard that a new play from the pen of “dear Don Benito,” as he is generally styled in Madrid, was to be performed. The drama shows the power of the great writer to set forth the small details as well as the ruling passions of life ; and it is thus that the play, which takes its name from the heroine, “ Barbara,” never ceases to interest the audience, although her crimes naturally savour of Sicilian life in the nineteenth century, in which epoch it is laid. The story goes that the lady, in desperation at her husband's prutalities, managed to compass his death, and although the fact of the murder of this governor of Syracuse was known to the deputy Horace and two others, they all preserved silence in the hope that Barbara would marry the murdered man’s brother, who had returned from the East with a great fortune. The heroine’s love for Leonardo, an unpractical mystic, was a serious barrier to this plan, but the obstacle was removed by the plotters accusing the unhappy man of the murder of Barbara’s husband, and after a powerful scene between the two lovers, Leonardo suffers the result of the crime of his beloved, while she ultimately marries the rich man from the East. It is only the acute suffering of Barbara which seems to counterbalance in any way such “triumphs of the wicked,” and it requires the pen of a genius, with very powerful acting, to show that such triumphs are not synonymous with happiness. The present illness of Don Juan Valera, the well- known writer, is evoking much sympathy and interest in the social as well as the literary THE AUTHOR. world, where the veteran author is a well-known figure. ‘ Pepita Jiménez” was one of his books, which had an immense influence in society. When an illustrious lady, who was known for her worldliness once complained to the author that she could not put the work into the hands of her daughters, who were two veritable angels, the author replied: ‘‘I have not written the book, madam, for daughters such as, yours, but for mothers such as you are.” Valera has always had a contempt for politics, and when some years ago Canovas and Castelar were using their opposing influences with regard to the Restoration, Valera remarked that Canovas was stimulated in the struggle by the clever speeches directed by Castelar against his scheme, and that Castelar’s eloquence would never have reached such perfection had it not been brought to bear against such a powerful opponent, without whom he would have been like a fiddler with no audience. When approached by America to write a treatise on the reason of the decadence of Spain, Valera refused the offer, lucrative as it would have been. “No,” he replied, “ you ask me to write a satire on my mother. I have no pen with which to do it, and if I had, it would pierce my heart.” Valera was taken ill whilst engaged on a scientific work on Cervantes, and it will be a loss to the literary out- put of this season, so filled with tributes to the seventeenth century author, if it cannot celebrate the result of a student of such renown on the subject. It is interesting to note the stride now made by woman in Spain in literature. “Mis Flores” (My Flowers) is the title of a book just published by a poetess of the name of Concha Espina de Serna, and in the prologue from the pen of Enrique Menendez Pelayo, the writer says: “These verses are the spontaneous outcome of a woman's sensible, tender, loving, and ductile mind, swayed — by the breeze of life, and responding like a sensitive — plant to the emotions of the spirit.” Ricardo Leon, moreover, remarks that this authoress has the gift of Andersen for seeing stories in the — commonplace things of life, so that an old clock, a _ table, or a girl reading at a window, assumes & new interest under the magic power of her pen. “To posible,” now placed on the boards ab — Madrid, shows that Linares Rivas has by Ro ~ means exhausted his versatility. Eusebio Blasco’s last volume of verses entitled — “ Poesias Festicas” has just been published, and as — one of the critics says, “ He is, indeed, a poet, and | moreover, a modern human poet, who idealises the things of every-day life in a way unknown to the uneducated. His style is untrammelled by being that of any particular school, and it has am attraction peculiar to itself.”  -against 2,072 new editions for 1903. THE AUTHOR. 225 The ovation just accorded to Luis Morote shows that the Spaniards are very ready to give tribute to intelligence and pluck, and if I gave the names of all the celebrities assembled to do honour to the writer on his return from Russia, it would take two columns of print ; and the fact of Canalejas, the well-known democratic and liberal monarchist, making a speech in favour of the guest of the evening, shows the broad-minded nature of the assembly. The journalist’s accounts of his inter- views with Tolstoi, Gorky, ete., were listened to with the deepest interest, and as he told in simple language the story of his efforts in pursuit of his profession, it was felt that the Socialist only spoke the truth when he declared that whereas Valencia is his country, his life lay in the Spanish Press. RAcHEL CHALLICE. $$? > —_______ UNITED STATES BOOK PRODUCTION IN 1904. ——+ (Reproduced from the United States Publishers’ Weekly.) HE number of books recorded by The Publishers’ Weekly in 1904, through its “Weekly Record of New Publications,” was 8,291. The new editions of standard works, and the additions to series are included in this total, of which 6,971 are new books and 1,320 new editions. The whole number of books put on record in 1904 by the Weekly exceeded the number for 1903 by 426, when the total was 7,865. The table shows 1,178 more new books than in 1903, when the figures were only 5,793, and 752 less new editions ; that is, 1,520 new editions for 1904 The in- creased proportion of new books over all previous years illustrates in a marked degree the steady, normal growth of the publishing business in a year—a Presidential year—when great things were not looked for. The analytical table, dividing the year’s output into twenty classes, betrays few notable changes. Fiction keeps its old place at the head of the list, with one of the largest majori- ties it has had in many years. Theology and Religion, which in 1903 lost its position as the second in number to Fiction, regained it in 1904, being followed closely by Literature and Collected Works, Education and Law. Juvenile books were not as abundant as in 1903, Poetry and the Drama -and Biography both taking a step above this class. Physical and Mathematical Science moved to a position above History, while Description, etc., fell two steps lower than it has usually held. TABLE No, 1. CLASSES. Fiction ... oe se ae oe a S16 644 | 1,007 $14 Theology and Religion ee 233 280 | 7B de Literature and Collected Works 8| 331] 644] 538 Education = < a Db]. 721 6991 36 Law se re i i 98 | 606 | s Poetry and the Drama ao 25) 530 | 8 Biography, Correspondence ... 45 | 416 21 Be 42/ 408] 11 land Mathematical Science 245 322 | 52 Bae oe ote is 7 315 42 Political and Social Science See 12 297 | 39 Medicine, Hygiene... aes 97 186 92 Fine Arts: Illus. Gift Books 13 230 23 Description, Geography, Travel 25 215 | 25 Jseful Arts ae ae 26] 144) 3) sand Amusements 16 110 4 Works of Reference 17 87 1 Domestic¢ and Rural 15) 72) 8 Philosophy ae 8| 54] 4 Humour and Satire 4) 6] | 4 Totals 9,793 | 2,072 | 6,971 | 1,320 2,072 | 1,320 | 7,865 | $,291 | | There was little Philosophy in the year’s make-up, and even less Humour. Out of the whole total of 8,291 books recorded, 3,750 were received at this office, against 3,549 of 1903, being an increase of 201. The balance represents titles gathered from copyright entries, from information sent by publishers, and in various other ways. ‘There were of these 4,541 against 4,316 of the same class in 1903, an increase of 225. Table No. 1 gives in classes the figures, approximately, of the book production in this country in 1904, with those of 1903 for comparison. Table No. 2 attempts to show the number of books manufactured in the United States in 1904— first, those by American authors ; second, those by English or other foreign authors made in this country according to the demands of copyright law; and third, the books in English imported bound or in sheets, these three classes comprising the book production of the United States in 1904. The first and second classes are almost all copyright books. This table, like the former, scarcely claims to be exactly correct, as it is impossible always to trace the history of a work, from its author to its final publication. The table shows 5,978 books by American authors against 5,621 of 1903 ; 1,288 books by English or other foreign authors (made here), against 1,356 of 1903; and 1,025 books or sheets imported, against 888 of 1903. The reprints were, as usual, the largest in fiction, amounting to 491, far less, however, than in several years previous, when almost double that number of English or other  226 foreign novels were reprinted. The most evident fact demonstrated by this table is the great number of books by American authors published in 1904 in all classes of literature. TaBLe No. 2. CLASSES. Fiction .... os a Theology and Religion... ee Literature and Collected Works Education : ee Si Law es ae oN Poetry and the Drama... ane 68 Biography, Correspondence, «Xe. 121 Juvenile ... ave os a tes 35 Physical and Mathematical Science... 79 History... oe Ses, aes a 75 Political and Social Science ... 51 Medicine, Hygiene aS oe 13 Fine Arts: Illus. Gift Books 94 Description, Geography, Tra vel 75 Useful Arts a Fon a 36 Sports and Amusements is Works of Reference 8 Domestic and Rural 4 Philosophy ae 13 Humour and Satire 1 Totals Oo RUSSIA AND POLAND: THEIR AUTHORS AND THEIR COPYRIGHT LAW. —_——+— § Russia had given birth to such eminent poets as Puschkin, Lermontoff, and Kryloff, such dramatists as Griboedoff and Gogol, such novelists as Dostoyevsky, Turgenief, and Nekrasoff, in the first part of the past century, it was natural to believe that after such splendid promise the future should bring even more eminent authors to the knowledge of mankind, but the result of these expectations was rather disappointing. To-day there is neither poet nor dramatist of any exceptional merit, and the novelists and short story writers are not so numerous as the huge develop- ment of. literature gave a right to expect. Outside the writers best known to the English public, Tolstoy, Tschechof, Korolenko, and Gorky, there are only a few who merit special mention : H. Jasynsky and the well-known war correspon- dent, Nemyrovytz-Datschenko, and perhaps Mrs. Nadejda Vladimirovna Yakovlef, better known ‘ander her nom de plume of “ Lanskaya,” who is the THE AUTHOR. authoress of an excellent novel translated into many European languages, “ Obrusyteli.” There is algo the humourist Leykin, who in his excellent sketches gives, very well indeed, satirical and comic pictures of various classes in Russian society. The development of the Russian press at the end of the last century and in the present one has been very great, when we consider the colossal number of the illiterate in Russia. Over 700 periodicals have been issued, and out of these over 100 dailies, which command a large sale. Out of about one hundred millions of people* who can speak Russian, no more than twenty millions can be taken into account as readers of books and newspapers. The develop- ment of the press was helped by the cheap postal rates, and there are newspapers published and sent post free for a year for the sum of 8s. 6d., the postal payment being taken monthly, 20 per cent. of the subscription price for dailies, and even less: for other periodicals. Such an enormous journalistic output followed by large demands for books, without an adequate supply of original works, created the necessity of translating the work of foreign authors. The first in the field, of course, were the Polish novelists and playwrights whose writings were adapted; practically there is not a single Polish novelist, playwright, or short story writer worth mentioning, whose works were not published in the Russian papers or in book form. Next came the adaptation of the works of French and English authors, and these are translated and published in Russia, not only in single volumes, but in complete editions, accompanied sometimes by copies of the original illustrations which appeared in the English edition. The most popular English author in Russia at present is Mr. Jerome K. Jerome, whose books are: issued in Russia immediately after their produc- tion in England, often by several publishers. With the production of plays by foreign authors the same practice obtains. The Government stage is the first to set the example of pirating operas, comic operas and plays, without dreaming of paying any royalty ; of course, this malpractice is imitated by others. : But while in the case of the novelist the name of the author remains in the Russian adaptation, the adaptor or rather the translator of the play often omits to mention the name of its author, or the language from which he has taken it. Occasionally he may make some alteration to avoid detection, and will pose as an original play- wright. os ee * Out of a total of 125,680,682 persons living, in Russia, only 55,667,469 axe really Russians according to official statistical returns from census of 1897 just published.  THE AUTHOR. Lately, on the same principle, a good many scientific works have been published at very low prices to popularise science. A society called “the Union ” formerly existed, composed of authors and journalists, whose aims were similar to those of the members of our * Authors’ Society,” but for political reasons it was closed last year by the Government. *The existing copyright law does not materially protect authors, as it is very difficult to prove plagiarism or infringement of copyright. According to the law, one sheet, equal to sixteen pages of an ordinary-sized book, can be quoted without in- fringement of copyright, and as no special size of type has been settled upon as legal, even this law may entail much controversy. Articles and short stories can, of course, be borrowed legally ; trans- lation from foreign languages is sanctioned by law even of books and publications issued in Russia in the numerous languages of the various peoples conquered by the Russian nation. Only in the republication of original books more than one sheet is forbidden ; the performance of plays as long as they are not published in book form can be forbidden, if the original language in which the play was written is used. Knowing that the author of “Madame Sans Géne” + had taken all strict precautions when the play was produced in Paris to prevent any Russian theatrical managers from obtaining copies of the work, M. Korsch, the richest theatrical owner in Russia, travelled specially to Paris. Finding the price asked for the right of performing the play in Russia too high, and having been refused a copy of the work by the prompter (although he offered a thousand francs for it), the disappointed purchaser attended the theatre during a few performances, wrote down the play, and afterwards produced it in Moscow. Usually foreign operas and plays for the Imperial stage are bought from prompters ; the musical scores of “the Geisha” were bought from a touring company in Austria for a few pounds. When the Government leads the way in dishonour- able transactions, no wonder that its imitators are equally unscrupulous. Notwithstanding this unenviable condition of affairs in Russian Poland, owing to the strict censorship which rules there, Polish literature is prospering, and may justly claim the third place, after English and French, in European literature. Not only does the number, but the quality, of its authors give it this right. Unfortunately the world at large knows little of * .A book on Russian copyright law was published some years ago by an eminent lawyer, Spasovitch. t+ The English version is called, I think, “ Duchess of Dantzig,” 227 the rank which Polish authors have attained in the sphere of letters, for, with the exception of all the works of Sienkiewicz, one novel of Glowacki, and two novels of Miss Rodziewicz, nothing has been translated into English. Two novels of an eminent author are at this moment in course of publication. The yearly output of Polish books is over two thousand, and is considerably above a million of copies. There are over five hundred Polish periodi- cals, of which eleven daily papers and ninety-two weeklies and monthlies are published in Warsaw alone. In the United States, seven dailies and forty-three weeklies are published ; in Brazil three weeklies, two in Paris, one in Switzerland, and one in Italy ; all the rest are issued in provincial towns of Russian, Ausfrian, and German Poland. If it is said that the figures quoted are not large for a nation of over thirty millions of people, out of which twenty millions are in Russia, three millions in America, and the remainder divided between Austrian and German Poland, let the political situation be remembered, especially the fact that in nine provinces of Russian Poland no Polish publications are allowed, that even in Warsaw there was a time when permission for new publica- tions was refused by the Government, and that even now this is difficult to obtain; then it will be conceded that the results are astonishing. The development of Polish literature under such depressing circumstances is wonderful. Its many shades are well represented ; history and fiction have authors of standard va'ue as well as the largest number of representatives. Towards the end of the third quarter of the last century, between 1870 and 1900, the output of Polish fiction was not only meagre in quantity, but in value, for some of the greatest novelists, like Joseph Korzeniowski, had died; Kaczkowski was silent ; Kraszewski (the father of the novel in Poland, who had written more than 750 volumes of romances, poetry, and history) was in exile ; Sigismund Milkowski, another great writer of fic- tion, though still alive, had been forced to live in Switzerland, for he was a member of the late National Government of 1863. At this moment the first book of Henry K. Sienkiewicz, the author of “Quo Vadis,” appeared, and simul- taneously those of Alexander Glowacki, the Polish Dickens, Clemens Junosza Szaniawski, the writer who has faithfully described the nobility of the country as well as the country Jews in Poland, and Adolf Dygasinski, an excellent novelist, whose special art consisted in describing the heroism of animals, and who is unique in the world’s literature. Historical novels were represented in addition to the above by Adam Krechowiecki and T. Jeske- Choinski, all of them standard authors, whose  228 works were translated into many foreign languages, especially Russian and German. If we do not reckon Sienkiewicz, only one novel, the last of Alexander Glowacki’s, ‘‘The Pharaoh and the Priest,’ has been published in the English language and appeared in America three years ago ; all the others are unknown to the British public. At the same time, Mrs. Elize Orzeszko began to write. Some of her best novels, as “ Eli Makower” and “ Meir Ezofowicz,” are mainly concerned with descriptions of Jewish society. The subject is treated without prejudice and with great talent. The number of ladies who are novelists is very large, but two names merit special mention: Mrs. Gabriel Snieszko-Zapolska, the Polish George Sand, and Miss Mary Rodziewicz, whose novels ‘‘ Anima Vilis” and “ Distaff” are known to the English public, having been brought out*in English by a London publisher. The appearance of so many first-class stars on the Polish literary horizon had its effect on the previously large output of French novels, and the development of the literary movement was followed by an increasing demand of unprecedented strength, The end of the last century was marked not only by the appearance of a very large number of authors, but by their extraordinary talent, so that were one asked to name the greatest novelist in Poland, it would be impossible to select one from a dozen whose genius is pre-eminent. Dombrowski’s novel “ Death” is a masterpiece of its kind. Un- fortunately his other works suffer by comparison, and he will be celebrated as the author of one book. Waclaw Gasiorowski has written a whole series of novels from the time of Napoleon, two of which, one dealing with a descendant of the Stuarts and another called “‘ Countess Walewska ” (the mother of the Prime Minister of Napoleon III.), are in course of publication in London. The Polish Manchester “‘ Lodz” has been immortalised by Wladislaw Rejmont as “The Promised Land.” The Government, by sending Waclaw Sieroszewski to Siberia, unwittingly gave to that region a Polish Kipling, who discovered unknown nations in that vast country and depicted them with great talent in his novels and stories. Stefan Zeromski is the Polish Gorky, except that he has no personal experience of slum life. With the addition of the names of Baron Weyssenhoff and Casimir Glinski and Tetmajer, the list of great Polish authors may be complete. The most popular author of all is of course Sienkiewicz, but not as the author of ‘Quo Vadis,” but of “With Fire and Sword” and other historical novels which were found in the houses of the poorest peasants, and are the best defence against the Germanisation and Russification THE AUTHOR. of Poles. In this respect Sienkiewicz stands alone ; his work is partly shared by Alexander Glowacki, some of whose books are very popular among the working classes in the towns of Poland. One peculiar fact should be noted, viz., that all the leading novelists belong to the very oldest noble families of Poland, and in other branches of litera- ture the same class is conspicuous among the chief authors. History mostly dealing with national events is a very popular study in Poland, and the number of writers is extensive. The authors most widely known are ‘Tadeusz Korzon, Szymon Askenazy, Oswald Balzer, and Alexander Briickner. Essayists and critics are also numerous, Julian Klaczko, who is not only well known in Poland, but also in France, where his work on Pope Julius IJ. won him Continental fame, deserves special mention. Dr. Matlakowski’s work on Shakespeare belongs to the best of its kind in world literature, and most able studies may be found on Tennyson as reviewed by Dr. Swiecicki, Byron and Shelley by Matuszewski, French literature by Wladyslaw Jablonowski, Polish poets by Ferdi- nand Hoesick. All the English leading authors are not only well known to the reading public in Poland, but their works are discussed in periodicals and hand- books of literature, while many have their merits reviewed in essays, even such modern writers as. Hall Caine, Kipling, Hardy, and others. An excellent book on England was written: by Tadeusz Smarzewski entitled “Holidays in England.” It is by far the best study of life and manners in this country which has appeared in Poland; its judgment is sound, and the author's. appreciation is correct. Poetry also has many representatives, the leaders being Mrs. Konopnicka (also a very gifted short-story writer), Miss Jadwiga Luszczewska,. and Miss Terpilowska, whose poem ‘ Borys,” being unfortunately banned by the censor, is little known, but is a work of rare merit. As it dealt with the history of Rome, it was supposed to affect the Tzardom injuriously, and was therefore forbidden. Among the men the chief poets are A, Lange, K. Glinski, Arthur Uppman, Kasprowicz, and others. As arule short poems are the more numerous. Comedy is in course of revival. has many gifted authors who deal generally with local subjects. Of these the principal are Feldman, Jaroszynski, Kisielewski, Swietochowski, K. Zaleski, and Wyspianski. There is not a subject which has not been dealt with by distinguished authors. Even the cats found a historian in M. Jacques de Vermond Leonard, a Polish writer with a foreign name. In former — years Poland had her Moliére in Fredro ; now she — THE AUTHOR. The statement made in the Evho de Paris con- cerning the predominance of French literature in Russia caused me to look up statistics relating to foreign books published in Poland. The catalogue of Messrs. Gebethner and Wolff (large Polish pub- lishers) gives 1138 works, of which 222 are trans- lations. This makes two in ten to be foreign, more than half of which are English, a little less than a quarter French, the remainder being trans- lations from Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian, Russian, or other languages. The majority of foreign books are not novels, but publications for children or scientific works. Polish literature is very poor in popular scientific books or those which deal with trades of all kinds, as well as manufacturers’ manuals. In Poland there are more than 600 booksellers and above 100 publishers; over 2,000 works are published by the authors themselves, and given to Messrs. Gebethner and Wolff or any other leading book- seller (who also publishes on his own account) for sale on commission. The method of dealing between authors and publishers is exceedingly primitive: no agreement is made, but the author receives a certain amount of money in advance, gives a receipt for it in which he says that he has sold his book, or an edition of it, for such a price. The number of copies in an edition is usually limited, but no one can control the number the publisher may choose to issue. The publisher gives no written agreement to the author, but after five years from the publication of the work the author may legally sell it for the issue of a second edition to another publisher. The majority of authors are not professional writers ; they are landowners or have other means of living. Those who earn their bread by their pen are few, unless they work as journalists. Mr. Barrie’s two novels brought him larger profits than all Sienkiewicz’s works put together yielded to him, or indeed the combined publications of any vther five leading Polish novelists. With the exception of Sienkiewicz, no author would refuse £500 for a novel, most would accept £200 with pleasure, while the majority would sell their book for from £30 to £50. Ifan author is fortunate enough to secure the publication of his novel serially in a daily paper in Austrian or German Poland, and simultaneously in a Warsaw daily, he may hope to make from £150 to £200 in addition to what the publisher will pay. Many authors after aserial run are unable to find a publisher. With the exception of one daily, the Warsaw Courier, in most publications there is usually one original novel by a Polish author and one foreign one, generally an English one, as at the present time outside England there are not Many great novelists on the Continent. A trans- lator is only paid from £5 to £10 for his work ; 229 such novels, even of the best authors, are gel- dom published in book form. At the present moment “The Prodigal Son” is published by a Warsaw weekly, and a Warsaw daily is about to give serially “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.” Some of Kipling’s short stories are published in Lemberg. In book form I have seen the works of J. M. Barrie, T. Hall Caine, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Rider Haggard, A nthony Hope Hawkins, E. Hornung, Marion Crawford, Rudyard Kipling, Sir Gilbert Parker, and Mrs. Humphrey Ward. In Poland one may find many reference books. This is not the case in Russia. “The only Russian encyclopedia is about to be issued by Messrs. Brockhaus in Leipzig, but the Poles possess not only many general encyclopedias, but different ones on special subjects, as education, agriculture, Church, ete., and also many dictionaries of the Polish language, while the Russians have only one, and this was edited by a Pole, Dr. Baudoin de Courtenay, who is also editor of the new dictionary of the Polish language. Poland can also boast of the largest encyclopedia in the world, far larger than that published by the Zimes. The publica- tion of this work began in 1890, and up to the present forty-five volumes have been brought out, yet practically only a little over half the work has been achieved. The most wonderful fact is that the book is now published without a publisher! The Polish Harmsworth, Mr. Granowski, who from £20 made a fortune of £50,000 in a few years by the publication of various periodicals and farthing (not halfpenny) dailies, seeing that the encyclopedia did not pay, made a gift of it to the editors, who continue its publication. The work itself will be of great value, but owing to the lack of capital, with about 4,000 subscribers, the illustrations are scarce, and most of the contributors write for the credit of helping such a splendid pub- lication to a successful end. The work not only surpasses any other encyclopedia in the world, but has many original articles by 300 of the best Polish specialist authors. The Poles have in addition to this a good “ Literary Year-book,” in which not only the names and addresses of authors, periodicals, and publishers are given, but also those of the corps de ballet. The editor probably had heard something of the criticism of the Routledge Year-book, and to avoid a similar notice gave more than was wanted. One valuable fact given in the book is the particulars of all Polish libraries. A Polish weekly is published in St. Petersburg, but, being a pro-Government paper, is despised by the Poles. Unfortunately it is a masterpiece of editorship, and is read by all who desire reliable information as to what is going on in Poland and in the world. Really the Kraj is the best edited weekly paper in the world, being  228 works were translated into many foreign languages, especially Russian and German. If we do not reckon Sienkiewicz, only one novel, the last of Alexander Glowacki’s, “The Pharaoh and the Priest,’ has been published in the English language and appeared in America three years ago ; all the others are unknown to the British public. At the same time, Mrs. Elize Orzeszko began to write. Some of her best novels, as “ Eli Makower ” and “ Meir Ezofowicz,” are mainly concerned with descriptions of Jewish society. ‘The subject is treated without prejudice and with great talent. The number of ladies who are novelists is very large, but two names merit special mention : Mrs. Gabriel Snieszko-Zapolska, the Polish George Sand, and Miss Mary Rodziewicz, whose novels ‘‘ Anima Vilis” and “Distaff” are known to the English public, having been brought out* in English by a London publisher. The appearance of so many first-class stars on the Polish literary horizon had its effect on the previously large output of French novels, and the development of the literary movement was followed by an increasing demand of unprecedented strength. The end of the last century was marked not only by the appearance of a very large number of authors, but by their extraordinary talent, so that were one asked to name the greatest novelist in Poland, it would be impossible to select one from a dozen whose genius is pre-eminent. Dombrowski’s novel “ Death” is a masterpiece of its kind. Un- fortunately his other works suffer by comparison, and he will be celebrated as the author of one book. Waclaw Gasiorowski has written a whole series of novels from the time of Napoleon, two of which, one dealing with a descendant of the Stuarts and another called “ Countess Walewska ” (the mother of the Prime Minister of Napoleon III.), are in course of publication in London. The Polish Manchester “Lodz” has been immortalised by Wladislaw Rejmont as “The Promised Land.” The Government, by sending Waclaw Sieroszewski to Siberia, unwittingly gave to that region a Polish Kipling, who discovered unknown nations in that vast country and depicted them with great talent in his novels and stories. Stefan Zeromski is the Polish Gorky, except that he has no personal experience of slum life. With the addition of the names of Baron Weyssenhoff and Casimir Glinski and Tetmajer, the list of great Polish authors may be complete. The most popular author of all is of course Sienkiewicz, but not as the author of “Quo Vadis,” but of “With Fire and Sword” and other historical novels which were found in the houses of the poorest peasants, and are the best defence against the Germanisation and Russification THE AUTHOR. of Poles. In this respect Sienkiewicz stands alone ; his work is partly shared by Alexander Glowacki, some of whose books are very popular among the working classes in the towns of Poland. One peculiar fact should be noted, viz., that all the leading novelists belong to the very oldest noble families of Poland, and in other branches of litera- ture the same class is conspicuous among the chief authors. History mostly dealing with national events is a very popular study in Poland, and the number of writers is extensive. The authors most widely known are Tadeusz Korzon, Szymon Askenazy, Oswald Balzer, and Alexander Briickner, Essayists and critics are also numerous. Julian Klaczko, who is not only well known in Poland, but also in France, where his work on Pope Julius IJ. won him Continental fame, deserves special mention. Dr. Matlakowski’s work on Shakespeare belongs to the best of its kind in world literature, and most able studies may be found on Tennyson as reviewed by Dr. Swiecicki, Byron and Shelley by Matuszewski, French literature by Wladyslaw Jablonowski, Polish poets by Ferdi- nand Hoesick. All the English leading authors are not only well known to the reading public in Poland, but their works are discussed in periodicals and hand- books of literature, while many have their merits reviewed in essays, even such modern writers as Hall Caine, Kipling, Hardy, and others. An excellent book on England was written by Tadeusz Smarzewski entitled “Holidays in England.” It is by far the best study of life and manners in this country which has appeared in Poland; its judgment is sound, and the author's. appreciation is correct. Poetry also has many representatives, the- leaders being Mrs. Konopnicka (also a very gifted short-story writer), Miss Jadwiga Luszczewska, and Miss Terpilowska, whose poem “ Borys,” being unfortunately banned by the censor, is little known, but is a work of rare merit. As it dealt with the history of Rome, it was supposed to affect the Tzardom injuriously, and was therefore forbidden. Among the men the chief poets are A, Lange, K. Glinski, Arthur Uppman, Kasprowicz, and others. As arule short poems are the more numerous. Comedy is in course of revival. In former years Poland had her Moliére in Fredro ; now she has many gifted authors who deal generally with | local subjects. Of these the principal are Feldman, © Jaroszynski, Kisielewski, Swietochowski, K. Zaleski, and Wyspianski. There is not a subject which has not been dealt with by distinguished authors. Even the cats found a historian in M. Jacques de Vermond Leonard, a Polish writer with a foreign name.  THE AUTHOR. The statement made in the Evho de Paris con- cerning the predominance of French literature in Russia caused me to look up statistics relating to foreign books published in Poland. The catalogue of Messrs. Gebethner and Wolff (large Polish pub- lishers) gives 1138 works, of which 222 are trans- lations. This makes two in ten to be foreign, more than half of which are English, a little less than a quarter French, the remainder being trans- lations from Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian, Russian, or other languages. The majority of foreign books are not novels, but publications for children or scientific works. Polish literature is very poor in popular scientific books or those which deal with trades of all kinds, as well as manufacturers’ manuals. In Poland there are more than 600 booksellers and above 100 publishers; over 2,000 works are published by the authors themselves, and given to Messrs. Gebethner and Wolff or any other leading book- seller (who also publishes on his own account) for sale on commission. The method of dealing between authors and publishers is exceedingly primitive : no agreement is made, but the author receives a certain amount of money in advance, gives a receipt for it in which he says that he has sold his book, or an edition of it, for such a price. The number of copies in an edition is usually limited, but no one can control the number the publisher may choose to issue. The publisher gives no written agreement to the author, but after five years from the publication of the work the author may legally sell it for the issue of a second edition to another publisher. The majority of authors are not professional writers ; they are landowners or have other means of living. ‘Those who earn their bread by their pen are few, unless they work as journalists. Mr. Barrie’s two novels brought him larger profits than all Sienkiewicz’s works put together yielded to him, or indeed the combined publications of any other five leading Polish novelists. With the exception of Sienkiewicz, no author would refuse £500 for a novel, most would accept £200 with pleasure, while the majority would sell their book for from £30 to £50. Ifan author is fortunate enough to secure the publication of his novel serially in a daily paper in Austrian or German Poland, and simultaneously in a Warsaw daily, he may hope to make from £150 to £200 in addition to what the publisher will pay. Many authors after aserial run are unable to find a publisher. With the exception of one daily, the Warsaw Courier, in most publications there is usually one original novel by a Polish author and one foreign one, generally an English one, as at the present time outside England there are not Many great novelists on the Continent. A trans- lator is only paid from £5 to £10 for his work ; 229 such novels, even of the best authors, are sel- dom published in book form. At the present moment “The Prodigal Son” ig published by a Warsaw weekly, and a Warsaw daily is about to give serially “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.” Some of Kipling’s short. stories are published in Lemberg. In book form T have seen the works of J. M. Barrie, T. Hall Caine, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Rider Haggard, Anthony Hope Hawkins, E. Hornung, Marion Crawford, Rudyard Kipling, Sir Gilbert Parker, and Mrs. Humphrey Ward. In Poland one may find many reference books. This is not the case in Russia, "The only Russian encyclopedia is about to be issued by Messrs. Brockhaus in Leipzig, but the Poles possess not only many general encyclopedias, but different ones on special subjects, as education, agriculture, Church, etc., and also many dictionaries of the Polish language, while the Russians have only one, and this was edited by a Pole, Dr. Baudoin de Courtenay, who is also editor of the new dictionary of the Polish language. Poland can also boast of the largest encyclopedia in the world, far larger than that published by the Zimes. The publica- tion of this work began in 1890, and up to the present forty-five volumes have been brought out, yet practically only a little over half the work has been achieved. The most wonderful fact is that the book is now published without a publisher ! The Polish Harmsworth, Mr. Granowski, who from £20 made a fortune of £50,000 in a few years by the publication of various periodicals and farthing (not halfpenny) dailies, seeing that the encyclopedia did not pay, made a gift of it to the editors, who continue its publication. The work itself will be of great value, but owing to the Jack of capital, with about 4,000 subscribers, the illustrations are scarce, and most of the contributors write for the credit of helping such a splendid pub- lication to a successful end. The work not only surpasses any other encyclopedia in the world, but has many original articles by 300 of the best Polish specialist authors. The Poles have in addition to this a good “ Literary Year-book,” in which not only the names and addresses of authors, periodicals, and publishers are given, but also those of the corps de ballet. The editor probably had heard something of the criticism of the Routledge Year-book, and to avoid a similar notice gave more than was wanted. One valuable fact given in the book is the particulars of all Polish libraries. A Polish weekly is published in St. Petersburg, but, being a pro-Government paper, is despised by the Poles. Unfortunately it is a masterpiece of editorship, and is read by all who desire reliable information as to what is going on in Poland and in the world. Really the Kraj is the best edited weekly paper in the world, being 230 a kind of weekly Review of Reviews, with the best bits of other papers, in addition to contributions of some 200 correspondents from all parts of the world, and good literary original articles. « ALMAR.” +—~<>_ -—__- IMPERIAL POSTAL CHARGES. —— INCE the short article that appeared in the last number of Ze Author on Canadian Postal Rates was written, the report of the debate in the Canadian Senate has come to hand from our Canadian correspondent. We have taken the liberty of reprinting Sir George Drummond’s speech as it puts forward much more clearly and lucidly than we could attempt to do, the exact position of Canada as regards the United States and as regards Great Britain. It is hoped that the action of Canada will once again arouse some interest in this discussion in Parliament. The resolution proposed was : ‘“‘ That the atten- tion of the government be directed to the local, foreign and imperial postal charges, with the view of remedying certain ‘inequalities therein, and the Senate affirms the principle that the conveyance of letters, newspapers, books, periodicals, &c., should be at a lower scale of charges within the empire than at the time ruling with any foreign country.” Sir George Drummond spoke as follows : “In rising to propose this resolution I have to ask the indulgence of honourable members while I sub- mit some facts and figures bearing on the case. I desire to draw the attention of this House to one or two of the existing charges between this country and the United States and the United Kingdom, and to show, if itis possible to do so—as I think you will agree it is—that there are very wide and serious discrepancies in the rates current as between these countries. In Canada two cents per ounce is the present rate for the conveyance of letters all over the continent, both in this country and in the United States, while to England and the empire two cents covers only half an ounce; in other words, the rate is double that charged on letters to the United States. My resolution calls for an ex- pression of the opinion of this honourable House that the rates within the empire should be lower than those at the time ruling with any foreign country. The same discrepancy exists with regard to post cards. In Canada and to the United States they are conveyed for one cent each, while to England and the empire generally, the rate is two cents, again double. But the most serious discrepancy occurs in the postage rates for newspapers, magazines, and periodicals, which THE AUTHOR. Canada conveys to England at the rate of half cent per pound, while the rate from England to Canada is no less than eight cents per pound, and the rate from the United States to Canada is one cent per pound. It is difficuit to imagine on what principle the imperial government proceeds in charging a rate of eight cents per pound. It is in itself a monstrous rate, equivalent to $175 per ton, or say £36 per ton. In these days of cheap convey- ance such a rate is absolutely unjustifiable. It is quite true that mails from the United Kingdom have to cross the ocean, but it is equally true that the cost of conveyance across the ocean is much less than land conveyance, and if you take the extent of the United States and of Canada itself, if a rate of one cent per pound covers the cost of the land carriage, there is certainly something seriously wrong in charging eight cents per pound for con- veying the mails across the ocean. But I shall proceed to show that this rate, which the Post- master-General of England iniagines is a source of revenue, is evaded in substance and in fact. I am rather amused, and you will be I have no doubt, at the following remark of the Postmaster-General in the 49th report of the Post Office Department in 1903, the last bearing any reference to the subject. The Postmaster-General says :— “In reference to representations from the Cana- dian Post Office, I have agreed to accept news- papers and other periodicals from Canada for delivery in the United Kingdom prepaid only, at the Canadian domestic rates of postage. I regret that I have been unable to recommend to your Lordship the adoption of these very low rates in the reverse direction. I am of opinion that any rate of postage adopted for Canada must be eventu- ally applied to all other parts of the British Empire and I do not see any present justification for so wide and costly an extension of this unremunerative post. I have already said that I really believe that instead of the rate being unremunerative, it is such an exaggerated rate that, as in all such cases, it is sure to be evaded, and evaded it is. An institution called the American News Company, doing business in New York, imports all this literature by express at two dollars per hundred pounds to New York, that is two cents a pound, and then posting it by the United States post at one cent a pound, delivers _ it in Canada for three cents a pound, so that the Postmaster-General is to this extent cheated out of his revenue. Probably, if he reduced the rate to three cents, he would command the business and — make a handsome profit, but he charges eight cents — a pound and kills the goose that lays the golden eco, I ask this honourable House to consider the effect of this prohibitive rate, as compared with  THE AUTHOR. the rate charged by the United States, on the Canadian bookseller and distributors. The Cana- dian bookseller has this before him: If he accepts an order for a subscription for an English magazine or illustrated paper, he is in the first place charged eight cents a pound by the British Post Office, and then he has to pay to the Canadian Post Office one cent a pound in addition for the purpose of having his wares distributed, unless, indeed, he and the subscriber happen to be in'the same city, when he can do it by hand without the intervention of the post office. So he has to compete with an institution which can do business for three cents a pound, while if he employs the legitimate post office facilities, the postage on his wares amounts to nine cents a pound. Now that is a very serious thing. You ask, probably, as it occurred to me, cannot the Canadian bookseller evade the English Post Office in the same way that the United States bookseller does ? but he is met by the express company, which is, so far as I know, a United States institution ; while they carry such wares to New York for two dollars per hundred pounds, they charge four dollars to Montreal, and a proportionately high rate to other parts of the Dominion. Altogether, it appears to me that this rate is destructive to the business of the Canadian bookseller. It affects other classes also. I call every member of this House to witness, if he has not observed for himself, that the supply of read- ing matter of alight character is almost entirely monopolized by United States publishers, and the majority of English papers and magazines which come into this country are reprints coming from the United States and filled with United States advertisements. A Canadian magazine is almost an impossibility. Canada is flooded with United States literature and Canadian manufacturers are met with the free distribution of the advertisements of United States wares. This outrageous condi- tion of things is productive of many serious con- sequences. The United States magazine comes in filled with advertisements of the United States wares illustrated freely and distributed gratis, because out of the one cent a pound charged for the conveyance by post, the Canadian Post Office gets nothing. The charge of one cent a pound goes entirely to the United States government. If the publisher of a magazine in this country, with a limited circulation, struggling with the opposi- tion so improperly created by the flooding of the country with United States literature, has to im- port materials of any kind, type plates, prints or process plates, which are now so common, he is charged duty on them, but if a book is made up and printed on United States paper it comes in free. An arrangement made with the United States for the conveyance of this literature seems 231 a very easy thing. It seems fair to say to this country, as no doubt they do, if you will exchange rates with ourselves, we will carry all your maga- zines that you may send to us, and you will carry all we can supply to you; but in working it out, look at the discrepancy which results. The num- ber of publications, including newspapers, maga- zines and periodicals of all kinds, published in the United States, according to the census of 1900 was 22,072, of magazines monthly and quarterly 8,181 ; while the total number of publications in Canada is 1,227, of magazines, 169, so in entering into an arrangement of that kind we have to consider this difference. In addition, I have looked up some facts with regard to some of the magazines which circulate in this country. I am_ not going to trouble the House with details or statistics of the whole or even any considerable number of them. I will take only two. One magazine weighs 14 ounces, and is carried, as above stated, for seven-eighths of one cent to all parts of Canada. It contains 159 pages of reading matter and 106 of advertisements, on which there are 303 advertisements. Another magazine weighs 19 ounces, is carried for one and three-sixteenths cents, contains 112 pages of reading matter and 183 pages of advertisements, on which are pub- lished 457 separate advertisements. The more popular of the English magazines are now printed in the United States, and while they do not have anything like the number of advertisements to which I have alluded, they still have a fair pro- portion of United States advertisements. As against that we have nothing to offset, no quid pro guo, and I must say that it appears to me the manufacturers and producers in this country have a reasonable cause for complaint when they see the advertisement of rival wares to their own distri- buted at the expense of our government gratis, while if they, on their side, attempt to distribute advertisements or catalogues, they have to pay to their own government two cents per ounce. The difference is very material, but if they are satisfied with it, I have nothing more to say. A strong representation made to England, backed by the weight of this Senate, might probably fortify the hands of our government in dealing with this question, and do infinite good. I have no cog- nizance of the representations which have been made to the British Post Office on the subject, but the inference is very plain that if we are willing to carry our magazines and literature of that kind to England for one-half cent per pound, as against the eight cents per pound charged by the imperial government, our government is not to blame. I. have, in my resolution, made this statement, that— 232 THE AUTHOR. The Senate affirms the principle that the con- veyance of letters, newspapers, books, periodicals, &e., should be at a lower scale of charges within the empire than at the time ruling with any foreign country.’ Does that require any long argument? To my mind, it does not. This country has already shown how it stands by its preferential tariff, which, while I have always maintained it was rather a crude method of settling the difficulty, at least showed what the feeling of this country was, and I know that the country was behind the Government when it established that preference. It shows that the doctrine that there should be a preference within the bounds of the empire was the practically unanimous sense of this country ; not only so, but we led the way in the policy of reprisals adminis- tered to a powerful European government, a policy which was, in 1867, inaugurated by Bismarck him- self, when the German government had to deal with other countries. He put it in the most specific shape that resorting to reprisals, as he termed it, was the only way of dealing with foreign countries which discriminated against the exports of Germany. I am not going to deal with the general imperial question, but this I will say, that imperial sentiment, which is the deliberate policy of this country as affirmed, is the strongest and most effective bond of union in the empire.” Hon. Mr. Scott—‘ Hear, hear.” Hon. Sir George Drummond—“ And that in dealing with it in the miserable haggling way the British post office does, they are trifling with an important factor in the spread of imperial feeling and sympathy. The facts above stated prove that the present rates are in their operations unjust, partial, and prejudicial to the interests of several classes of our fellow citizens :— Ist. To the booksellers and distributors of literature who are sacrificed in favour of American organisations having the same business ends ; 2nd. To our manufacturers and producers who find the wares of their rivals in the United States advertised broadcast and distributed at the expense of the government of Canada ; 3rd. To the British publishers who have to meet the competition in this market of literature arti- ficially cheapened at the expense of the American and Canadian governments ; 4th. To the literary men and publishers of our own country, who have to maintain an unequal struggle against a flood of foreign productions ; Finally. In regard to the motion I have placed on record and hope to obtain the acceptance of by this honourable House, the imperial note with which it concludes is, I think, in strict accord with the present policy and practice of this country. Every one of my hearers knows that our rela- tions with the motherland and other portions of the empire are largely governed by sentiment. The debates now going on in England are almost entirely taken up with this subject, and the col- lateral one of retaliation. Now in this country we are in both subjects in advance of the parent state, we are in the fore- front in the practical adoption of a preferential tariff. We have shown the way to a policy of reprisal in our tariff relations with a great Euro- pean power, and I cannot conceive that any reasonable objection can exist to the terms of my motion. The party debates now running their course in Great Britain, centre on the proposal to give a fiscal preference within the bounds of the empire. Both sides recognise the value of the imperial sentiment evinced by the colonies, or affect to do so, but while one party advocates a tariff preference as a means of fostering this bond of union, by the consolidating influence of mutual interest, the other scouts any such step as a needless sacrifice, preferring to leave things to their own course. Indeed, the leader airily waves aside all such pro- posals as ‘ squalid bonds.’ Needless to say the latter view is not the view held in this country, but having made our prefer- ence and maintained it for years, having shown the practical value of the principle, even at some con- siderable sacrifices, we wait the answer of the mother country without excitement or haste. Now, I have nothing to say about the quality of the supplies we receive ; there are good, bad and indifferent examples, with, I am prepared to say, a preponderance of the best; but it is not Cana- dian nor is it English in tone, temper or tendency, occasionally very much the reverse, and generally and quite naturally, exhibiting a spirit of propa- gandism of American ideas and influences. The extent to which this supply has monopolised our market is largely due to the absurd, even monstrous, exactions of the English post office. I thank God that the good sense of our people has hitherto resisted and kept them immune to in- fluences of this kind, but I cannot believe that any statesman ean regard with indifference the continu- ance of this condition of things. ‘ Continual dropping wears the stone’ is a very old and a very true saying. You will observe that I do not advocate any exclusion of American reading-matter, but I do most earnestly protest against the practical ex- clusion—so far as prices can exclude—of the literature and news of our own country by postal regulations and imposts which are not justifiable, and which benefit the revenues of neither our own nor the mother country.” i ‘ 4 dg slag 4 THE AUTHOR. 233 MR. GRANT RICHARDS’ os UMMARY of the debtor’s statement of affairs at 17th January, 1905, date of receiving BANKRUPTCY. preparation for his autumn productions was greatly In arrear, and that to supply the necessary funds he borrowed £8,000 of the creditors, now treated as fully secured, on charges covering the series of order :— books entitled “The World’s -Classics ” ; the Gross LIABILITIES. | Expected to rank | SSETS istimate liabilities. (As stated and estimated by debtor.) for dividend. | (As stated ee ee by debtor.) pres La | | a | £ sll d. fc sd. ee) 44,301 | 0 | 8 | 368 Creditors unsecured... .| 44,301 | 0 | 8 | Stock-in-trade Ae ee STi 0 0 8,000 | 0 | 0 | 2 Creditors fully | bo | (Estimated cost £23,000.) : Lo secured £8,000 0 0 | Trade fixtures, fittings, utensils, | | | Estimated | &e. ee 150} 0 | 0 fed value of Copyright and publishing rights | 12,514 | 4 | 6 I securities... 16,920 10 8 | Lease of Smartt’s Building ~ 700] 0/0 | ——_——_ | Shares in a company ete 200/010 Surplus, to 1,004 Book debts— pet contra £8,920 10 8 | Good .--£6,994 6 10 | | — Doubtful 1,285 19 10 | 1 Liability on 3 Bad 108-12: 1 | Bills discounted SS other than (Charged to fully secured | debtor’s own | creditors. ) be | acceptances for | | Estimated surplus from securities | 620 | 0 | Oj cvalue cc. £620 0 0 | | held by creditors fully secured 8,920 |10 | 8 a | ————_— |_| Of which it is expected will | 41,195 |15 | 2 rank se i 250} 0 | 0 | Deduct Creditors for distrainable | } | rent, and for preferential rates, 3 Creditors for rent, | &ce., per contra ... 213 | 0 | 6 213 | 0 | 6) rates, &e. | es bo = | 40,982 |14 | 8 | | | Deducted contra. | Deficiency 3,568 | 6 | 0 ie i | a nee eee | 1} 2 | £44,551 | 0 | 8 44,551 | 0|8 | | | OBSERVATIONS. 1. The receiving order was made on the petition of creditors, the act of bankruptcy being notice by the debtor at a meeting of his creditors on the 10th November, 1904, that he had suspended, or was about to suspend, payment of his debts. 2. The debtor states :— (i) That from 1888 to 1890 he was employed by a firm of publishers, and between 1890 and 1896 was on the staff of The Review of Reviews ; that in 1897, with £1,400 borrowed of a firm of bankers and a friend, and since repaid, he commenced to trade as a publisher at 9, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, W.C., and that from time to time, as the necessities of the business demanded, fur- ther sums were advanced to him by friends and others, some of whom are now creditors of the estate. Gi) That the business grew very rapidly, the net profits since its establishment amounting to nearly £19,000 ; that in February, 1904, he was taken seriously ill, and for four months was unable to attend to business ; that on returning he found his sales had considerably decreased, and the work of leases of 2, Park Crescent, and 48, Leicester Square ; two life policies, and the book debts, and an accommodation bill for £1,000. (iii) That his illness caused certain firms to restrict his credit, and his expezses having been greatly increased by the rent of a new warehouse and a larger staff, he was unable in October, 1904, to meet his engagements ; that he then consulted his principal creditors, but owing to their inability to agree as to the proper course to be adopted, and to the mortgagees having obtained the appoint- ment of a receiver, negotiations for an arrange- ment broke down, and these proceedings were taken. 3. The debtor attributes his failure and insol- vency to his want of capital, over-trading, loss of profits owing to illness during the season of 1904, the refusal of his largest unsecured creditors to consent to a moratorium of sufficient length to enable him to recover his position, and household and personal expenditure, which, although ap- parently warranted by the profits, proved to be too heavy a draft on working capital. The debtor’s deficiency account is inaccurate, but he has under- taken to amend it.  234 4. The usual books of account have been produced. Many entries in the cash book require further and better explanation, which the debtor has been required to furnish. 5. The unsecured liabilities include £6,916 in respect of money lent; £11,259 for printing ; £10,913 for binding ; £4,713 for paper ; £1,576 for other trade supplies and expenses ; £5,048 for royalties due to authors; £1,220 for household accounts; £2,000 due to the trustees of the debtor’s marriage settlement, and £685 for sun- dries. A number of the creditors claim general and special liens over stock in their hands for binding and printing, and these liens are now under investigation by the trustee. 6. The debtor has been adjudged bankrupt. 7. The Official Receiver will be glad to receive from creditors any information respecting the debtor and his affairs. 8. The first meeting of creditors was held on the Ist February, 1905. Mr. A. H. Moncrieff, of 19, Ludgate Hill, E.C., accountant and trade valuer, was appointed trustee, with a committee of inspection. Ecerton 8S. GREY, Official Receiver. —_—____—__+—~>—_ FOREIGN PRESS-CUTTING AGENCIES. aes A USTRIA-HUNGARY. Concordiaplaz. BeLaium.—Bruxelles, European Press, 3, Place Royale. DrnmaRK.—Copenhagen, On Dit, Hobrogade, 13. France.—Paris, Le Courrier de la Presse, 21, Boulevard, Montmartre. GermAny.—Berlin, Berliner —_Litterarische Bureau, 127, Wilhelmstrasse, 8.W., 48. Hotianp.—Amsterdam, Handels Bureau Marcurius, Steenmeyer et Cie. Norway.—Christiania, Norske Argus, 21, Pruss- engade. : Sparn.—Madrid, Prensa de Madrid, 28, Calle de Serrano. SweEDEN.—Stockholm, Argus, Mlle. Andreson Observator, 5, Hamngaten. SwiTzERLAND.—Geneva, Agence de coupures de journeaux, case Stand 57. Unrrep States.—New York, American press information bureau, World Building, 61, Park Row. Vienna, Observer, Informatie A. IL. ~—_+____—- MAGAZINE CONTENTS. 1 BLACKWooD’s MAGAZINE. The Kingdom of Bath. By J. H. Lobban. The Scottish Religious Revolution. By Andrew Lang. THE AUTHOR. Book MONTHLY. 3y W. P. Ryan. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. The Grammarian of York. On Tavas’ Hill. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. The Bankruptcy of Higher Criticism, IT. Reich. The Reconstruction of Belief. Py W. H. Mallock. Liberal Chnrchmen and “The Reproach of Christ.” By A. W. Hutton. Parliamentary Reporting : A Reply. By A. P. Nicholson, CORNHILL MAGAZINE. Autor d’Evelina: Some Unpublished Letters of Fanny Burney’s. By Walter Frith. Reprints and Their Readers. By Joseph Shaylor. Compulsory Classics. By the Hon. John Collier. By Dr. Emit Sa ee OE Schools and Colleges: A Dialogue. By Magister Artium. Mr. G. B. Shaw and the British Public. By Stephen Gwynn. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Maxim Gorky and the Russian Revolt. By R. L. Japanese Poetry. By T. C. Balet and L. Defrance. The Poetry of Thomas Moore. By Arthur Symons. Sir Thomas Lawrance’s Love Affairs By J. B. Firth, INDEPENDENT REVIEW. The Tragedies of Voltaire. By G. 8. Strachey. Stanzas to Tolstoy. By Herbert Trench. “ De Profundis.” By G. Lowes Dickinson. The Appeal to the First Six Centuries. Huntley Skrine. Caidan. By E. M. Forster. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. Matthew Arnold as a Critic. By H. H. Dodwell. The Fellow Workers of Voltaire. By 8. G. Tallentyre- II.—D. Alembert. Ruskin at Hawarden. By W. Sinclair. The Ladder of Education. By Geo. Bourne. MONTH. Freethought. By the Rev. John Gerrard. “ De Profundis.” By M. D. Petre. MONTHLY REVIEW. Beethoven. By Arthur Symons, Popular Songs of Old Canada. By Geo. Stewart. The Later Bourbons. By G. W. P. Sainte-Beuve. By Ferdinand Brunetiere. NINETEENTH CENTURY, Musical Hours. By H.M. the Queen of Roumania (Carmen Sylvia). The Heart of the Mikado. By Suyemutsu. The Commemoration of Shakespeare. By Sidney Lee. The Public as Seen from the Stage. By Gertrude Kingston. The Luminists. By Arthur Nicholson. ‘An Artists’ Love Story. By Eliza Priestley. The Art of Classical Quotation. By J. H. C, Welldon. TEMPLE BAR. Hans Christian Andersen. By Arthur L. Salmon. The Last of Les Jeunes. By Laurence Jerrold. WorRLp’s WORK. Commerce in Literature and Music. Standing. There are no articles dealing with literary, dramatic or musical subjects in the Bookman, Longman’s Magazine, National Review, or Pall Mall Magazine. ‘ By John By Perey Cross  THE AUTHOR. 2 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCER OF BOOKS. 3 — ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an H agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a@ proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society, IJ. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement), In this case the following rules should be attended to: C1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the trnth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.). Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Seezetary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. a WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. Se EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. [t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 235 3. There are three forms of dr in three or more acts :— a i * . : (4.) vo the Pesformiing right. This a cane So ie ww who enters into f act sh stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills, (2.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on toss receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (¢.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.e., fixed nightly fees). ‘his method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are ey to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0, oly also in this case. oo 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event, It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. ‘I'he legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. amatic contract for plays ee ee WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. 5 eae ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. ‘he musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  236 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement,and should take into part.cular consideration the warnings stated above. 1 HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. --—<>— + — 1, VIERY member has a right toask for and to receive K 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. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel's opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of thesafe. ‘The Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This The 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —+— + HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. 1 +-_____- THE READING BRANCH. —+——» — EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. Bg NOTICES. = HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of a the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 2ist 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. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. very effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. — 1+ The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. ——_—_——_+—>—_+___——_- LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE 2 SOCIETY. — + ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City — Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, B.C. a  THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. — + THE Dinner of the society has been fixed for May 16th, at the Hotel Cecil. Members will by now have received notice to this effect. As this is the twenty-first anniversary of the incorporation of the society, it is hoped that there will be a good attendance in order to celebrate the event. The first beginnings of the society took place in September, 1883, when a small company of fifteen men met in Mr. Scoones’ chambers in Garrick Street in order to form an association for the protection of literary property. The society was actually incorporated on June 30th, 1884, so that on June 30th, of this year it will have been in existence in its incorporated form for twenty-one years. It is unnecessary to put before the members the steady growth of the society and its constant increase. The larger its membership the ereater the power possessed by the society not only in moral force; but also in those very necessary sinews of war, capital and subscriptions. In 1892 the society numbered 870 members. It has now almost doubled that number and is still steadily increasing. The aim of the founders of the society will, however, not have been completed, until all those who write, whether composers, dramatists, or authors, technical or otherwise—whether they adopt writing as a sole means of livelihood or as a means of supplementing their income—have joined its ranks. This would mean a membership of not less than 3,000. We appeal to the good fellowship of those who write, and to that esprit des corps which ought to exist, amongst those who adopt the art of letters, as amongst the followers of any other art or profession. We hope that long before the society reaches its jubilee this by no means improbable dream will have become an actual reality. During the last three months we have had reason to comment on some exceedingly bad agree- ments which have been submitted to authors. The fact presents itself that on many occasions authors come to the society after they have entered into their agreements, and after they have bound themselves to accept unreasonable terms. There is no excuse for members of the society who get into this difficulty, for not only are warnings printed every month in “ 7e Author,” explaining some of the many difficulties, but these warn- ings are constantly repeated in different forms in ‘articles which appear in the columns of this paper. 237 There is, however, some difficulty in reaching the younger field of authors. It not infrequently happens that those young in authorship are ignorant of the society’s existence. Even when they have produced their first book it is almost impossible to find out their address. Publishers do not make it an invariable rule to forward letters addressed to their care. We must therefore request members to insist that their friends whom they hear of in the springtime of authorship, should join the society. ON another page we publish some interesting details of the Book Market, taken from the United States Publishers’ Weekly. During the past year the output of books has largely increased. During the same period in England also the activity in the Book Market has been considerable. ‘One point in the list is especially interesting—the statement of those books in English and foreign languages manufactured in the United States, and particulars of those works of English authors im- ported in editions. Of the latter there were 1,025. It is quite possible if the Government of the United States had joined the Berne Convention, or had thought fit to rescind the printing clause or simul- taneous publication, that these books imported in sheets might have been actually produced by the printers of the United States. When once the copyright is lost it is useless going to the expense of printing across the water, and it is cheaper to. introduce sheets. REFERRING to the authority printed in the April number of Zhe Author on the question of Russian piracy, a Polish member is kind enough to send us the following paragraph :— “In the last Author the statement made in the French paper, Lcho de Paris, was repeated oe that out of every nine books published in Russia six are French; this is far from correct. In the months of March and April, 1904, 298 books and pamphlets were published in Russia, of which 30 were translations from English authors (four books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and one by Jerome K. Jerome, etc.) 25 from German, 21 from different European languages—Polish, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish, etc.—and only 17 from French. Thus in all, 93 books were of foreign origin, or more than three out of every ten published in Russia and more than one in ten was English. These statistics applied to the whole year of 1904 will give exactly the same figures. In periodicals, English authors also lead, followed  238 German and Polish and then only by French The most popular novelist in Russia is by authors. 1 not a Frenchman but Mr. Jerome K. Jerome. Next to him stands Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. One reason that fewer French works are translated into Russian than English and German is that publica- tions in these languages generally embrace not only novels but books on scientific subjects, and in this field the French are not regarded as authorities; another explanation may be found in the fact that a great part of the Russian reading public can read French authors in the original, therefore the demand for Russian translations is comparatively small. “What the Echo de Paris says regarding plays is more correct, although I do not know where the 2ussian found five hundred essentially Russian plays, and he omits to mention the number of English, Polish, and Italian plays which are also in the Russian repertoire. Is it necessary to look for them among French plays, or those essentially Russian ?” So much has been written in the papers during the month of April about Hans Christian Andersen and his position in the world of literature that the repetition of his life work is superfluous. We think, however, it is our bounden duty to insert a paragraph drawing attention once again to the fact that April 2nd, 1905, was the centenary of the birth of the great story teller. There is no writer of fairy tales possessed of the same poetic instinct. There is no writer of fairy tales who has been able to write with such deep insight into human nature. There is hardly a story which has not two meanings—its conscious meaning and its sub- conscious meaning. As in the parables of old so in these stories. Those who desire to remain ignorant of their hidden beauty can read them with infinite delight merely as children’s fairy tales, but those who search for truth can find the beautiful reality beneath. To the latter class of readers Hans Andersen’s stories will always be a valued treasure house. It is needless to quote examples, but some of the most self-evident are stories like “The Emperor’s New Clothes” or “The Ugly Duckling” or ‘The Snow Queen.” From whatever source he may have obtained his suggestions he still possessed a power in his treat- ment, entirely his own, and entirely beautiful. In the same way as Shakespeare was a plagiarist Hans Andersen was a plagiarist, but plagiarism in the hands of a genius is one of the greatest proofs of originality. Hans Andersen’s special appeal to future genera- tions will be made through his fairy tales. THE AUTHOR. THE GENERAL MEETING. oe HE meeting of the council (the shareholders) of the Society of Authors, was held at 20, Hanover Square, on March 30th, at 3.45, to consider and to pass the annual report. After the meeting of the council, the general meeting of the members of the society was held, when the following members were present :— A. W. « Beckett, the Hon. Mr. Justice Ameer Ali, Harold Avery, Mrs. Ada 8. Ballin, J. Tyrrell Baylee, the Rev. F. W. Bamford, Miss Clementina Black, R. Warwick Bond, C. E. Buckland, Miss Rachel Challice, Miss E. E. Charlton, Miss Ellen Collett, Miss Marian Roalfe Cox, Basil Field, R. Austin Freeman, Miss Hain Friswell, Walter M. Gallichan (“Geoffrey Mortimer”), Hubert Haes, C. Gasquoine Hartley (Mrs. W. Gallichan), Eyre Hussey, the Rev. H. N. Hutchinson, C. T. Jacobi, A. M. Jasienski, Mrs. Lechmere, the Right Hon. Sir Alfred Lyall, P.C., Miss M. M. Macpherson, Aylmer Maude, Miss Jean Middlemass, Miss K. L, Montgomery, W. Booth Pearsall, Mrs. Romanes, Charles Weekes, and J. H. Yoxall. Sir Henry Bergne, the chairman for 1905, opened the proceedings by proposing that, as usual, the report, which had been circulated to members of the society, should be taken as read. He then proceeded to comment on the most salient items. He thought the members might congratulate themselves on the satisfactory position of the society, for during the past year 233 members had been elected. This was the largest number of elections during any year with the exception of 1892 and 1893, when the elections totalled 260 and 246 respectively. The present membership of the society had reached the high figure of 1630. Sir Henry next dealt with the subject of copyright, and stated how fully the committee realised its importance to members of the society; that it had been impossible with any advantage to bring forward the question of domestic copyright during the past year, and that even if a favourable opportunity occurred, there were many great difficulties surrounding its dis- cussion, especially those connected with the position of the self-governing colonies. Turning to international copyright, he con- gratulated Sweden on its recent adhesion to the Bern Convention. ‘The list of countries which are now signatories to the Convention is as follows :— Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Switzer- land, Japan, Luxembourg, Tunis, Haiti, and Monaco.  THE AUTHOR. The society had, through the government, en- deavoured to persuade Roumania to join the Con- vention, but, unfortunately, without success. He regretted that one country whose market was of vast importance to English authors, was as yet outside the Convention. He referred, of course, to the United States. In this case, as in the case of domestic copyright, Sir Henry pointed out the many difficulties that had to be met, and explained that the committee earnestly desired to place the members’ interests prominently forward with a view to a solution of the problem whenever an oppor- tunity should arise. He considered that the gradual education of public feeling in the United States might, however, prove a surer means to a_ change in the present United States law than any representations from this side, and he certainly thougbt it would be highly inexpedient that any steps should be taken which could possibly provoke international controversy on the subject. Turning to the domestic affairs of the society he drew attention to the fact that the memorial to Sir Walter Besant had been placed on the Embankment. Finally, he dealt with the question of the society’s finances, and explained that the heavy expenses attending the loss of the action of Aftlalo v. Lawrence and Bullen, had made severe inroads on the society’s resources, but he was glad to announce that the matter had been met without the sacrifice of any of the society’s investments. He drew attention to the sum of £512 due to the society’s Solicitors. Of this amount £200 had already been paid, and it was hoped to pay a further instalment before the expiration of the year 1905. It had been necessary for the accountants to obtain an approximate estimate of the solicitors’ charges to the end of 1904, but as a matter of fact the bills for that year had not yet been delivered and would, probably, not be delivered till the autumn. It might, therefore, fairly be stated that this unex- pected strain on the society’s resources had been met without any serious inconvenience, and ex- pressed the hope that it might, ere long, be wiped out altogether, when the society would be financially _ stronger than ever. In confirmation of this statement he showed that although the balance against the society appeared in the balance sheet at £862, yet this was in reality covered, as the liabilities—legacy account £450, and life membership account £615—existed for the accountant’s purposes and could not be recognised as actual liabilities. He paid a well deserved tribute to the zeal and ability of his predecessor, Mr. Douglas Freshfield, for the manner in which he had conducted the affairs of the society during his two years of office. 239 Finally, he mentioned that in the case of the bankruptcy of Mr. Grant Richards, through the action of the society, an author’s representative— Mr. Aylmer Maude—had been appointed to the committee of inspection. This was the first time that the position of 7'he Author had been recognised In a question of this kind, and he congratulated the society on the event. He concluded by asking for any comments or suggestions from the members, which he stated would be carefully considered by the committee. : As no one desired to make any comments, he proceeded to the next matter on the agenda—the election by the members of the society of their representative to the pension fund committee. Mrs. Alec Tweedie, who withdrew under the rules of the fund, submitted her name for re-election, and was unanimously re-elected. Mr. A. W. a Beckett proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, pointing out how important it was for the society to have as its representative, one so intimately acquainted with Copyright and international affairs. The vote was carried unanimously and the pro- ceedings terminated. ee UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. 4 T the beginning of the year there was a con- siderable stir among those interested in copyright property, owing to the fact that the United States proposed to pass an amendment to the Copyright Act, giving foreigners a delay of twelve months in which they might secure copy- right for translations. This produced a series of letters in The Standard from English authors on the present position of United States copyright as far as it dealt with the works of English writers. This correspondence again gave rise to considerable discussion in publishing circles and among those allied trades that were interested in the production of books in the United States. Mr. William Heinemann, the English publisher, happened to be in the United States at the time, and he was overwhelmed with questions, discussions and arguments in connection with the whole con- troversy. He explained to Mr. George Haven Putnam and other publishers that Great Britain naturally resented the unreasonable treatment English authors had received in the matter, and pointed out the lack of real reciprocity between the two nations. He was referred by the publishers to the heads of the typographical unions, which really could do more to push forward fair reciprocity than  240 anyone else in the United States. At present the dread on their part of losing the printing business stood in the way of reform. There are over four hundred typographical unions in the United States, the most important lying in New York and Philadelphia. Mr. Heine- man commenced his negotiations by entering into communication with typographical Union No. 6, which is the New York typographical union, and endeavoured to demonstrate that he, as well as they, were desirous of making money, and that their present attitude was against his and their best interests. After he had gone into the matter in some detail with the heads of Union No. 6, it was decided to hold a meeting and call together the representatives of all those trade combinations in- terested. Accordingly, on March 2nd a meeting was held at the Aldine Association, at which the following gentlemen were present: Mr. Scott (Century), President American Publishers’ Asso- ciation, in the chair; Mr. George Haven Putnam ; Mr. Charles Scribner ; Mr. Sullivan, International Typographical Union, Washington ; Mr. Donnelly, Typographical Union No. 6; Mr. Jackson, Typo- graphical Union No. 6; Mr. William Green, President Typothete, City of New York; Mr. 8. H. Eggers, chairman executive committee, Typo- thete; Mr. H. V. Boyar, recording secretary, Typothete ; Mr. William Heinemann. Mr. Scott opened the proceedings. He stated they had met to discuss certain proposals which had been made to them with regard to the obtain- ing of American copyright on English books and he would ask Mr. Heinemann to outline the plan. Mr. Heinemann said that he found on arriving in New York a good deal of curiosity with regard to the apparent indignation of English authors as expressed in a recent correspondence in the Standard. It would appear that under the amendment concerning copyright in translations which passed congress on February 28th, foreign authors would be at an advantage over English authors inasmuch as they would have twelve months grace before a copyright need be completed. As a matter of fact the amendment as passed gave only a very moderate sort of protection, although in its original form it certainly would have seemed as if it favoured continental authors over English authors. Mr. Heinemann expressed an opinion that, if a provisional copyright could be obtained by entering a work at Washington, with the option of completing the copyright within a period of say two or three months, that would be a very helpful measure and one which would certainly reduce the feeling of injustice that many English authors and publishers cherish at the present moment. THE AUTHOR. Mr. Putnam, who had been instrumental in getting most copyright acts passed in the United States, suggested that the only means of obtaining such a measure of relief would be by enlisting the co-operation of the typographers of America and he suggested that as Mr. Heinemann was in America at the present moment that he might advantage- ously meet the representatives of the different typographical unions and see what reception they would give to such a plan. Mr. Heinemann thereupon wrote to typo- graphical union No. 6, requesting a representative of that Union to meet him, and after meeting first Mr. Jackson of typographical union No. 6, and then Mr. Jackson again, and also Mr. Donnelly, representing the typographical No. 6, it was thought well to call a meeting representing all the interests at stake and ask Mr. Heinemann to out- line the suggestion which he had originally made to Mr. Putnam. The present meeting was the outcome of this invitation, and Mr. Heinemann wished to empha- size the fact that this meeting was an entirely informal one and that none of those present were in any way able to pledge their Associations, so he also, although vice-president of the publishers’ association of Great Britain and Ireland, spoke in his private capacity and with no mandate from the publishers’ association of Great Britain and Ireland. Mr. Heinemann pointed out that his wish would be that a copyright could be applied for in America in the same way that a patent was applied for—on specification with a period of say to or three months to complete the copyright. He pointed out that the typographers of America could only benefit by supporting this proposal and, in order to show it, developed the theory that whereas books, the sale of which was quite assured, would always be copy- right in America, those commanding only a limited sale or exceedingly expensive in manufacture would always be manufactured in the country of their origin as they are now—so that the only books which it was necessary to discuss in this relation were those which had a moderate success assured (not sufficient to warrant two independent settings) and experimental books. Of the latter a few might, if Mr. Heinemann’s suggestion was adopted, be lost to American printers, but he had found only a very small number, and a decreasing one, of such books which were experimentally published in England and had proved sufficiently attractive to be reprinted unauthoritatively in America. There remained then the large number of books which were set with no view to American copyright under the present manufacturin clause. These generally published in Englan with no reference to the American edition were LEELA RE RI  : i THE AUTHOR. 241 usually under the present arrangement, imported either in sheets or in the shape of English plates, whereas in many cases it would be worth while to take out American copyright after the market had been tested in England, could in the firsst instance a provisional copyright be obtained. This then was what Mr. Heinemann asked for, aud he dwelt on the fact that it would constantly enable the English publishers to bring out a book at the psychological moment, which under present conditions was frequently lost through the delay in taking out American Copy- right. Most frequently this was the case, of course, in the rush of Christmas business, when it very often happened American copyright had to be sacrificed in order to place the book on the market in time for the season’s sales. Mr. Heine- mann contended that a great deal of type-setting would be acquired by American printers, and a great advantage given at the same time to English authors and publishers by the adoption of his suggestion. ~ Mr. Scribner suggested that it would be quite necessary, if such an amendment were proposed to the copyright act, that some provision should be made for the supply of the English edition during the interim period, and he thought that the words “with the consent of the owner of the copyright ” should be added to the section of the present copy- right Act permitting the importation of two copies of any book for use but not for sale. Mr. Putnam drew a comparison to the present proposal with the proposal which now had become a law concerning the rights of translation, and he was not sure whether the period that ought to be allowed should not be thirty daysrather than longer. A general discussion ensued in which it seemed to be generally agreed that the period of sixty days was the most practical period. In conclusion Mr. Scott, on behalf the American publishers, intimated that they would support such a measure, provided a proper means could be found to regulate the importation of the English edition during the period between application and completion of copyright. Mr. Sullivan, on behalf of the typographical unions, intimated that the typographers would equally support such a measure, which was bound to bring printing into the country, and which would foster the good feeling and business relations between English publishers and authors and American publishers and printers, so long as no attempt was made to place the English edition on the market in the interim period and then try to obtain American copyright. It would be necessary to make quite clear that the measure was asked in order to give the fullest possible latitude to those wishing to obtain copyright without the risk of infringing the manufacturing clause to which they always would most jealously adhere. Mr. Green, on behalf of the typothete, agreed with Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Heinemann, in con- clusion, assured the meeting that it had:never been his intention to ask for. this present measure with a view to circumventing the manufacturing clause, irksome as it was and always would be to English publishers and authors. —_—————+ += — ROBBING PETER TO PAY OUT PAUL. — HE Music Publishers’ Association on Friday, 7th April, unanimously agreed, as a protest against musical piracy, to issue no further new works by composers, to make no more con- tracts with executive musicians to exploit such publications, and to cease advertising the pieces already on their hands. This, assuredly, is a very drastic measure. Because certain tatterdemalions have made them- selves obnoxious by hawking about cheap and nasty reprints of copyright music, it is monstrous to turn round and smite the innocent composer by way of expressing disapproval of the law or conduct of the gutter-merchant. Mr. Carnegie has stated that Great Britain is not organised for commerce. With greater truth, he might have said that it is not organised for art. So taken up are composers in evolving harmonious effects from combinations of notes that they seem to give no thought to the value of social combina- tions for the protection of their business interests. Unfortunately, musicians have no Sir Walter Besant amongst them. Sir Arthur Sullivan, had he been alive now, would surely have taken up the cudgels on their behalf, not alone because of his sympathy with his professional brethren, but also on account of the pride he took in the dignity of his calling. To judge by the comments one hears, Sir Arthur, had he now been with us, would have resented the helm of the musical ship being taken possession of by the tradesman. The composer of the “Golden Legend” at this juncture seems to exemplify in the minds of a good many people the personage of whom the Waterloo veteran, Daddy Brewster, was so fond of saying, “ By Gosh! It wouldn’t ha’ done for the Dook ; the Dook would ha’ had a word to say over that!” There is no question here of the writer having any private axe to grind. THe is on friendly terms with several music publishers. In his limited dealings with them he has been satisfied with the results. The question of these lines being written ' 242 with any hostile intent against music publishers as a body may consequently be dismissed, together svith the idea which certain composers entertain, that, because they have come off second best in their dealings with publishers, the latter have an individual spite against them. Again, it must not be thought that the writer sides with Mr. Caldwell or approves of the tricks of the pirates. The point is that if wholesale infringements of copyright are grossly unfair to publishers, there is no reason to be unjust to the creators and originators of the works in question. A big meeting was recently engineered by the publishers at Queen’s Hall. At it much was said about the crusade against the music-pirates being mainly in the interests of the composer. It was necessary to emphasise this in order to create public sympathy. But does anyone imagine that the publishers, if they had not been primarily affected by the pirates, would have incurred the expense of organising a monster gathering simply to draw benevolent attention to the grievances of composers ? If so, the most credulous should be undeceived by the unanimous agreement now come to by the Publishers’ Association to stop summarily the sale of any new works. What with the devilish tricks of the pirate king on the one hand, and the deep schemes of Associated Publishers on the other, it would appear that the unenviable Briton, who happens to live by composing music is, at the present time, between the devil and the deep sea. Hitherto, nothing has prevented his casting his bread upon the waters of the deep sea on the chance of its being returned to him after many days in the guise of royalties. Now even this small consolation is ruthlessly taken from him. Composers themselves have a right to inquire whether the trade received the sanction of the heads of the musical profession before discharging such a bomb-shell in their midst. Have Composers BEEN CONSULTED ? Can it be possible that the trade have been counselled by musicians as a body to place this Mount Ossa of their (the latter’s) unpublished works upon the Mount Pelion of the pirates in order to enable the publishers to scale the heavens of their business with more facility ? Robert Adam, the Scots writer, many years ago, maintained that “we show wisdom by decent conformity to social etiquette.” If there is no “ Dook” to say a word for composers, the Publishers’ Association would have shown wisdom, when announcing to the world their decrees regarding what they intended to do with the brain productions of musicians, if they had been able to preface the display of their own names by stating that the resolution come to had been THE AUTHOR. recommended by Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Sir Frederick Bridge, Sir Villiers Stanford, Sir Edward Elgar, Dr. Cowen, Dr. Prout, Dr. Cummings, Dr. José, Dr. Culwick, Messrs. Macfarren, Algernon Ashton, German, Hamish McCunn, Tosti, Stephen Adams, Lionel Monckton, Sidney Jones, Leslie Stuart, and other distinguished men, who, in reality, ought to steer the ship of music in this country. Had this been done, it would have given to the manifesto what Dr. Johnson calls ‘‘ the true effect of genuine politeness.” Yet it is scarcely to be believed that composers as a body would have voted in favour of this resolution. If, thoughtlessly, individual musi- cians, on being assured that all the others have sanctioned the step taken, have agreed to it, it would appear that the recent valiant talk at Birm- ingham and elsewhere, about the coming school of British composers, has been naught save a vain flow of idle words. Assuming that the firms constituting the Music Publishers’ Association are able to do as they please with the composers, the instinct of self-preservation should impel the latter to cultivate more of the spirit of self-help which the late Samuel Smiles declared ‘‘ constitutes the true source of national vigour and strength.” It is futile for the com- poser, whose source of income can be cut off at any time by the fiat of the Publishers’ Association, to cry out that “nothing can be done against the publishers.” It were better for him if he remem- bered how Beethoven altered the pious inscription put by Moscheles at the end of his arrangement of “Fidelio.” It was “Finale, WITH GOD’s HELP.” To this Beethoven added “O man, help thyself.” This is precisely what the publishers are doing. Being men of business, they are helping them- selves. If the rank and file of composers were more wide-awake, they would do the like. They will not realise that limited liability business houses are not philanthropic institutions. The business man is in trade to make money, and indi- viduals born with the money-making gift take advantage of every circumstance to that end. When Cecil Rhodes arrived at Kimberley and witnessed hundreds of competitive miners engaged in extracting carboniferous gems from the earth, he realised that, under such circumstances, the supply would soon exceed the demand. It was evident to him that, as soon as the gems were no longer precious, they would go out of fashion and the mining community would suffer. What did he do? He persuaded the many competitive firms to combine as certain of the publishing houses have combined. Then some of the mines were closed down, even as, at the present time, the publishers have drastically stopped the output of new music. By thus controlling the market the  THE AUTHOR. prices of Kimberley diamonds were raised, and Mr. Rhodes, together with his associates, realised enormous fortunes. In doing this they inflicted no sufferings on dead diamonds ; but the clever com- poser happens to be a living creature. If his activities are stopped, mental and physical distress follows. An apt parallel in regard. to the stoppage of artistic output obtains to-day in Paris. According to Frances Keyser, “it is an open secret that the Autumn Salon is, in a great measure, manceuvred by the picture dealers.” The Rue Laffitte virtually controls the output of the artist. From among the hundreds of talented and obscure painters living in garrets called studios, one is selected by the fraternity of dealers, who possesses the qualities of originality and prolificacy. A couple of fur- coated delegates visit the poor artist and make a bid for all his work. The canvasses which have been accumulating in his garret after rejection by everyone to whom they have been shown, are will- ingly sold. A contract to buy up prospectively at a price all pictures the artist can paint is gladly entered into. The dealers next proceed to make a market for these productions. Invitations are sent to a select circle of amateurs to view privately the new “impressionist ” paintings. Public curiosity is aroused by paragraphs in the newspapers. Next, one of these much talked about pictures is included in a collection offered at a fashionable auction. The dealers bid against each other. They buy the picture at a high price, dividing the loss amongst themselves. Such tactics are pursued until a genuine bidder intervenes, and a huge profit is made. The syndicate, who possess all the pictures by the same artist, then proceed to reap their harvest. “This,” says Frances Keyser in her article, “ Parisians of Paris,” published in Zhe King some months ago, “has occurred with the unfortunate and talented Dutch painter, Jongkind, with Sisley and others, who died in poverty whilst the Rue Laffitte filled its coffers.” I cite these examples with no hostile spirit towards any person in the music trade, but merely to emphasise how, in business, it is to the interest of composers to look after themselves. It takes two to make a bargain. If it is to the advantage of dealers or publishers to get the control of the output of certain composers, and shut down the market as regards all the others, it is equally the concern of the creators of musical works to take care that no such injustice to the profession as a body can possibly happen. From the stand- point of the tradesman who is in business to make money, and therefore to buy at the lowest possible price and sell at the highest figure, he is perfectly justified in taking advantage of cir- cumstances to make a corner in any commodity, 243 whether it be wheat or music. If his conscience is troubled he has merely to repeat mentally the dictum of Diogenes that ‘ No man is wronged but by himself.” I maintain that the composer is being wronged at the present time by himself. If his leaders are asleep and utter no protest against the publishers for arrogating to themselves the right of vetoing the creations of the musical mind being made public, those adversely affected may well exclaim with old Daddy Brewster, “It wouldn’t ha’ done for the Dook! No, by Jimini! the Dook would ha’ had a word there.” Some years ago Sir Walter Besant gave a dinner at the Saville Club. It was attended by Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Villiers Stanford, Sir Alex- ander Mackenzie, and other stars of the musical firmament. Amongst the guests, if I mistake not, was the Secretary of the Incorporated Society of Authors. For the enlightenment of musicians I beg to be permitted to note here that he is a solicitor, who, for thirteen years, has devoted him- self to the study of intricate questions of copyright, and the way they affect producers of literary, pictorial, dramatic, or musical works. Seeing how much writers and dramatists had benefitted by the work of the Society of Authors, Sir Walter Besant was anxious that the aid given to creators of literary, pictorial and dramatic works should be extended to musical composers. In the course of his duties with the members of the Authors’ Society, the Secretary had noticed not one but many agreements between composers and publishers—for a few musical composers are members—which showed that most musicians lacked even a rudimentary knowledge of business whatever their artistic abilities might be. It was apparent that certain composers were unable to protect their own interests, because they failed to understand the wording of the documents they signed, and the legal effect of many of the technical phrases. The outcome of that meeting at the Saville Club was the formation of a music sub-committee in connection with the Incorporated Society of / Authors. Its purpose was, before composers had their works published, to advise them in an expert manner, so that, while they made the best bargain possible, their interests should be legally pro- tected. In addition the Society undertook to check and sign, on behalf of composers, all copies printed by publishers before they were offered for sale. In cases of infringement of copyright the machinery of the Society was also placed at the disposal of musicians. Surely there was some practical advantage to be derived by the musical community from such a proposal. Yet, the fact remains that, whilst the sub- committees dealing with Literary Copyright, Art 244 _ and Drama have done good work and prosper, the | Society being strongly supported by many in these branches of art, the sub-committee on music has died through lack of interest or inability to under- stand its importance. That this should have happened seems strange, when it is difficult, at the present time, to meet a musical composer who has not some sort of grievance or dissatisfaction with regard to his published works which weighs heavily on his mind. It would appear that whilst the soul of the musician organises his brain and fingers to give shape to the most artistic dreams imaginable, he is so obsessed by these dreams that he wilfully disregards the desirability of collective organisation with his fellows in order that, when it comes to negotiating matters of business which affect the pocket, he may be regarded as belonging to a strong instead of a disunited and weak community. MusicaL ORGANISATIONS. I shall perhaps be answered that the Union of Graduates in Music, the Musical Association, The Incorporated Society of Musicians, the Musicians’ Company, and the Orchestral Association already provide all the necessary organisation. Do they ? Those institutions, indeed, command respect. First, the “ Union of Graduates” worthily upholds the dignity of all who have taken University degrees and, under the energetic leadership of Mr. Southgate, exposes anyone who lays claim in public to bogus honours. Secondly, the learned “Musical Association,” which devotes its attention to the reading, discussing and publication of addresses dealing with the history, principles and criticism of music, is a dignified body which has done, unostentatiously, good work. ‘Thirdly, the “Incorporated Society of Musicians,” with its two thousand members, provides valuable opportunities for social intercourse between qualified professional musicians. It maintains an orphanage, gets re- ductions from railway companies and at hotels for its members, conducts excellent examinations throughout the Kingdom, advocates the registra- tion of all bond fide music teachers, and has made itself indispensable in many ways to those who belong to it. Fourthly, the Musicians’ Company, especially of late, has accomplished a good deal in promoting the cause of music by holding an exhibition of priceless manuscripts and ancient instruments, supplementing these by a series of lectures at Fishmongers’ Hall. It also bestows yearly a coveted reward alternately on the best student of the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College, and Guildhall School. Lastly, the “Orchestral Association”? busies itself with the THE AUTHOR. affairs of orchestral musicians, and is a very useful body, But the executive of none of these organisations has taken up the work of giving legal advice to composers regarding questions of musical copy- right, the drawing up of mutual business-like agreements with publishers, or of obtaining redress when the rights of composers have been infringed. To carry out such work successfully requires special knowledge and proper legal machinery, and none of the societies in question possesses among its officers an expert in the laws of copyright and cognate matters whose chief duty it is to advise individual members of the organisations alluded to. This fact seems to strike home to not a few musicians at the present time, when the Pub- lishers’ Association have decided to do as they please with composers. The want of legal pro- tection against street piracy is, of course, a matter calling for remedy. For the grievance to be re- dressed by the publishers making a scapegoat of the guiltless composer shows that the chief need of the latter is his lack of a business knowledge of how to take care of himself. It is as bad as if a bank manager, because a burglar pilfered the safe, turned round and gave his senior partner a black eye Surely, if forcible measures had to be taken, the first people to have been asked about it should have been the composers. Perhaps it was not to the interests of publishers to ask for such per- mission, music trade houses being run with the object of making money and not as benevolent institutions. Creators of literary, dramatic and other, works of commercial value have already found that out. Until those producers protected themselves, tradesmen had a tendency to take the affairs of the artist into their own hands and do with them as they pleased. There are other ways of amending copyright laws than by taking away the bread and butter from the composer. How Composers CAN REMEDY THEIR GRIEVANCE. To establish a new and representative society to deal with this matter is out of the question at a time when taxation and local rates press more severely on the composer of average merit and ability than on almost any other class, he having to keep up appearances, codite que covite. To expect the most prominent men in_ the musical world, whose time is fully oceupied, to worry over the business and legal affairs of their less fortunate brethren is unreasonable, and advice on such subjects is of little use unless it is given by an expert.  THER AUTHOR. What is wanted is that a representative of a responsible office, acquainted with business routine, who understands the requirements and views of composers and has their confidence, should be available for consultation at stated hours. The office of the Incorporated Society of Authors is always available for that purpose, whether it is supported by a musical sub-committee or not, and its exceptional knowledge of copyright law could be utilised by the musical community. They would then find themselves able to give expression to their wishes in a collective way, as they ought to be given at the present time, so that their rights, as a body, could neither be played with nor ignored. Perhaps the most practical step would be for the leading composers again to come together, and asking the Society once more to elect the musical sub-committee to joinina body as members. They would by this means not only strengthen the position of themselves and other members of their profession, but they would possess a united strength which they do not now. ALGERNON SIDNEY. $< —e_____ REVIEWS AND REVIEWERS. ae T seems as if it were becoming the fashion for women writers to attack the reviewers. We have been made acquainted with Miss Marie Corelli’s opinion of the latter folk: they are venial or incompetent, or both. Last year in a weekly paper appeared a series of articles in which the novelist who hides her identity under the pseudonym of “ Rita,” to quote the title, “exposes critics.’ Even more aggressive is Lady Florence Dixie, who has delivered herself of an onslaught in the March number of Zhe Author on what she calls “The Reviewing Sham.” Lady Florence Dixie asks if it is not time that reviewing should cease, inasmuch as it is a sham. She assures us half the books noticed are never read, “being merely skimmed through, quoted from, condemned or praised, at the whim of the reviewer.” She tells of a bundle of books sent her for review, which she returned, having neither time nor inclination to read them: ‘To have read conscientiously through each and pro- nounced an honest opinion of the contents would have taken me three hundred and sixty-five days instead of three hundred and sixty-five minutes, which is about the usual time allotted by the ordinary reviewer to the same number of books.” 245 _ Now, in the name of Truth—with a capital T, just out of her well—how has she made this calculation? Is it based upon fact? or is it a guess inspired by prejudice? And who, in her opinion is the ordinary reviewer? Is it Mr. Andrew Lang, or Mr. M. H. Spielmann, or the writer of notices for a small provincial newspaper ? Really I cannot help thinking we have some right to expect further disclosures. But Lady Florence Dixie excels herself when she continues : “I am not blaming the ordinary reviewer. ‘This personage reviews for cash.” How true! But why stop here? Why not tell us that the novelist writes novels for money, and the dramatist plays, and that the poet and even the poetess write verses without being averse to the receipt of mundane reward? But perhaps Lady Florence Dixie would prefer that only those who possess a competence should be permitted to pursue the literary calling. Does the reviewer ‘“‘scamp” books? I am inclined to think the man who writes for a high-class paper does not do so. This is an age of specialists, and books are sent to writers versed in the different subjects. A book on Dickens is sent to an authority on the life and writings of that novelist, who does not require to read every line of the volume to discover its merits and defects. Much old material will be included, and he will naturally pass by the letters and quotations with which he is familiar. Remember, too, the reviewer's business is with books. He reads quickly : some would say with incredible rapidity. It is a matter of training. The child spells his words, the lad reads a word at a glance, the critic sentences. In the case of novels the reviewer, by long practice, detects “padding” and can quickly arrive at the conclusion whether or no the book be worthy of serious consideration. If the book be valuable it will not be ignored. He has to peruse so much trash that a story above the average is read with avidity. It is an axiom that the reviewer is anxious to discover and proclaim talent, if only for the selfish reason that it redounds to his credit. He has the advantage over the publisher’s reader that it is not his business to consider whether it will sell. “Rita” complains, and with justice, of the reviewer who fills the space allotted to him with a list of misprints. ‘The man who does this irritates the reader, for he is so occupied with the compilation of the catalogue of trifling errors that he forgets to say anything worth hearing about the book. I think this class of reviewing is dying, as I trust is that which devotes itself chiefly to falling foul of the author’s preface to the exclusion of a discussion of the merits of the work.  246 Belated criticism is another of “ Rita’s” griev- ances. But all books cannot be noticed at once, if for no other reason than that of the limitations of space; and, if a review have any value, it will secure the desired effect even a month or two after the issue of the work. I have said, ‘if a review have any value,” because “ Rita” holds it valueless. “Does it not stand to reason that an author is quite aware of his own merits as of his own limita- tions ?”’ she asks. Well, I think there are few who will agree with her Some readers are excellent judges of their books, but as a guide for my reading I would rather follow the critic than the author. But ‘ Rita’ goes on to tell us that the author could never be laudatory, because the book written that seemed as perfect in accomplishment as it seemed in inspiration would never be written by any possessor of genius, “ for genius means that sublime discontent with achievement which praise cannot satisfy or blame discourage.” I fear I do not number any geniuses among my friends, but when any writer has proved he is the possessor of genius I will be guided by him as to the merits of his books. In the meantime I will pin my faith to the critics, as, I think, most readers will do. Much has been said concerning the effect of advertisements upon the reviewing columns. “Rita” assures us that an editor who receives a large and steady income from a firm of publishers takes good care that the books issued by that firm are tenderly handled by his staff. Perhaps there may be such editors. My experience as a reviewer is comparatively small, but so far I can say I have never been asked to judge a book gently because the publisher’s advertisement appeared in the paper, nor have I ever been handed a book to “cut up”; and, though I number among my acquaintance many critics, I cannot find one who has met with either practice. Reviewers are no longer, if indeed they ever were, the men who have failed in literature and art. ‘To attack reviewers is practically to indite the entire literary calling, for to-day the majority of writers are critics. There is the great man of letters who steps down into the arena to praise some book that has delighted him; there is the author-reviewer, who maybe is only an occasional critic ; and there is the journalist-reviewer. But there are few who live by reviewing alone. There- fore, when I read the attack of an author upon critics, I always want to know what papers he has been reading, Take the quarterlies, the best class of monthlies and weeklies: Zhe Mortnightly, Contemporary, Nineteenth Century, Speaker, Spec- tator, etc.; the great dailies: Z%mes, Chroniele, Telegraph, News, Morning Post, Standard. It is difficult to find fault with the vast majority of - aims. THE AUTHOR. reviews in these organs. An individual critic may be too easily pleased or too severe, but he writes to the best of his judgment. Those who complain forget that the literary editors would not tolerate dishonest reviewers on their staff. They will not send a book to a critic, who is a personal friend or enemy of the author, nor will they hand a work to a man who is notoriously out of sympathy with its Of course, when a man on a minor journal has to take all literature for his field, there may be cause for complaint ; for, though he may be an excellent judge of some class of work, he may not be able to form an opinion of any value concern- ing another. But, just as one does not derive one’s opinion of current fiction from the novels of Mr. or Miss Dash, so it is distinctly unfair to point to “ The Blankshire Herald” as a typical critical journal. I believe, however, that criticism is more honest in England than in any other country in the world, and the critic less likely to give expression to personal dislike of the author. Reviewers, being human, have likes and dislikes for different schools of writings, as every man of letters has his literary prejudices. To expect a reviewer to have tastes so catholic as to be in sympathy with all works of literature is to ask for the unattainable. Lewis MELvVILLE. 1+ “ K NEW BOOK FOR AUTHORS AND PRINTERS.* —_— R. HOWARD COLLINS has certainly done | \ this job extraordinarily well—so well, that there is really nothing to be said about it except to recommend his book unconditionally to all authors and printers, journalists and typists, proof-readers and compositors. In the matter of technical treatises authors have been half spoiled and half starved. Dictionaries, encyclopedias and gazetteers have been heaped on them ; imper- tinences about style and grammar come in a con- stant stream from people who cannot write to people who can ; but a codification of typographic usage has hitherto been lacking, except in Mr. — Hart’s little pamphlet, which was not in the general market. As to the ordinary school text- books of English composition (some of them * « Author and Printer: A Guide for Authors, Editors, Printers, Correctorsof the Press, Compositors, and Typists.”” With full list of abbreviations. An attempt to codify the best typographical practices of the present day. By F. Howard Collins, author of “ An Epitome of the Synthetic Philosophy of Herbert Spencer.’ (London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, New York, and Toronto: Henry Frowde, 1905).  THE AUTHOR. 247 actually in use at the universities), and the catch- penny guides to correct punctuation and the like, most of them would set every purchaser ridicu- lously and disastrously wrong if it were humanly possible to remember—or indeed in any real sense tc read—their ignorant and arid lessons. What was wanted was a man with literary faculty enough to write a bearable book, with judgment and common sense enough to hold the balance between usage and logic, with that rather special technical sense which enables a man to see the importance of apparently little and dry tidinesses, with an en- lightenéd appetite for socially useful work, and with means and leisure to devote himself to it. In short, a man in a million. Fortunately, he has been found; and his name is Howard Collins. The book is well planned technically. It is not a heavy shelf book of reference, useless to nomadic authors. It weighs only fifteen ounces, fits in the jacxet pocket, and yet contains éver four hundred well packed pages, more legible without spectacles than most dictionaries. In form it is a dictionary and literary encyclopedia, set in double columns. If you write “beleiveable,” and it strikes you as not looking all you expected, you turn the word up and find “believable—nof -able.”’ If you are in a difficulty about punctuation, or do not know how to mark corrections in your proof, you turn up Proofs or Punctuation, as the case may be, and find as many rules on these subjects as anyone can safely claim authority for. There are blank pages at the end of each letter to supply new references, or make good omissions, if you can find any. The price is five shillings. It is impossible to give a complete list of all the headings under which the references fall, for Mr. Collins has employed that elusive gift of the born indexer, an imaginative divination, often apparently whimsical, of the puzzles presented by the prepara- tion of books for the press, so that he helps you not only in your rational difficulties (which experience soon provides for), but in those addleheadednesses which often paralyze an author without rhyme or reason, Just as Roget’s Thesaurus is valuable because Roget was an oddity, so is Mr. Collins, too, in that sense, an oddity who knows that the right station for a lifebuoy is not always the most obvious place for falling into the water. As I began writing for the printer thirty years ago, [have not approached Mr. Collins’s book in the spirit of a learner; yet the first thing my eye lit on was something I had never noticed before: namely, that I have never in my life spelt M‘Gregor according to usage, always using the apostrophe instead of the turned comma, which, it appears, is right in O'Neill. I say “according to usage”, because in this, as in many other matters, there is neither right nor wrong. If there were, I could have argued the case out for myself. Usage in printing is like etiquette: it is mostly a matter af usage, not of morals or manners. The thing to be done is not important ; but it is highly impor- tant that everybody should do it, and be able to depend on everybody else doing it in the same way. In matters where reason enters, Mr. Collins does not hesitate to vote with the reasonable minority against the thoughtless majority. Take for example the usage as to whether inverted commas should follow or precede stops. In a sentence in which a quotation occurs there can be no question that it is simply a logical error to place stops belonging to the main sentence within the quotation marks instead of after them. But the contrary usage is so common that I have hardly ever had my copy accurately followed in this respect. Mr. Collins prescribes the correct way, following the careful usage of the few and not the thoughtless usage of the many. I do not praise Mr. Collins’s rules because they are invariably my own. ‘They are not. Every writer of dramatic dialogue soon finds that usages founded on the art of the essayist and historian defeat his attempts to convey a vivid impression of excited speech: for instance, that a torrent of questions and explanations cannot be represented by the stately series of separate sentences into which an inquiry into the characteristics of Marcus Aurelius can be broken. Yet even here I find that on the points at issue, Mr. Collins qualifies his rule so as to provide for me. Then again, every author with an eye for the appearance of a page of type (if any such there be) must by this time have several artistic quarrels with usages which have grown up during the period of desolating Philis- tinism which separates Caslon from Morris. Ever since Morris awakened our artistic con- science to the fact that a book has to be looked at as well as read, and that the most enchanting poem or absorbing story in the world may be made into a disgusting spectacle by vile manufacture and base materials, or, even more effectually, by elaborate and costly snobbishness, certain typo- graphical practices which are rational enough (however unnecessary), have become less and less bearable. Jor instance, inverted commas and apostrophes are so ruinous to the appearance of a printed page that people with cultivated eyes will finally refuse to buy editions in which The Merchant of Venice is printed ‘he Merchant of Venice’’; and don’ts and won’ts and haven’ts and: didn’ts (all quite harmless, pretty, and characteristic without the apostrophe) are peppered all over the page. Since Morris’s death the finest books produced in England, as far as I know, are the Ashendene Press books of Mr. Hornby, and the Doves Press books of Cobden Sanderson and Emery Walker.  248 But why did the Doves Press begin with a Latin Text to shew the noble type it designed on the lines of Jensen? And why did it go on to the Doves Bible now in progress ? No doubt because Latin and Scripture do not require the pepper pot. Mr. Collins leavesall this out of account. He even prints his title page in at least six different types, an outrage for which Morris would have slain him where he stood. But whilst I note the omission I do not blame it : on the contrary, I highly applaud the judgment and resolution with which Mr. Collins has resisted the enormous temptation to give a helping hand to pet reforms under the pretext of codifying usage. But he has not made the necessary rule an excuse for countenancing the slipshod abandonment of old usages, which are both handsome and correct. He insists on the use of z instead of s in the termination ize. He points out that £ should follow the pounds figure instead of preceding it. Both these usages are traditional as well as correct. Yet Mr. Collins is human enough to commit one crime. The blood-curdling vulgarism of pro- gramme for program is expressly prescribed by him. I must really send him a telegramme containing an appropriate epigramme on the point. G. B.S. 0 —— 0 CORRESPONDENCE. —1-—~— Tar ExtRAVAGANT DINNER. Srr,—It may be remembered how, in the spring of 1899, considerable dissatisfaction was expressed inthe columns of Zhe Author anent what was then regarded as the excessive cost of tickets for the Society’s annual dinner. I imagine such objec- tions will be renewed more forcibly, and with even greater reason, this year, when the coming of age of our popular combine is to be celebrated. It certainly seems to me, as it may occur to some fellow-members, that for so noteworthy an event reduction rather than increase in price would have been desirable. Thus the great army of scribes to whom half a guinea, with trimmings, is a distinct consideration might find it both con- venient and comfortable to attend in force so pleasant a function. I fear the price for many must prove prohibitive. Is it too late to hope that the cry of the less affluent penman be heard and suitably answered ? Authors’ Club, S.W. —— 9 —— Oup Birp. WantTED—— ! Sir,—When reading 7he Author I have often been struck by the want of something, which THE AUTHOR. may have occurred to other readers, though I have never seen any allusion made to it. We have the most interesting ‘“ Paris Notes,” from time to time we have the “ American Notes,” or “Cape Notes,” and latterly there have been the equally interesting ‘‘ Notes from Spain ;” but how does it come to pass that there are never any “Notes from Germany”? We surely owe a debt of gratitude to Germany for her literature, as well as for her deep scientific and philosophic research, and it is a matter of some surprise that no allusion should ever be made in the pages of The Author to the productions of modern German literature. Is there no member of the Society who could con- tribute a monthly paper on the subject, similar to. the French and Spanish papers which we already have? One of our highest aims should surely be to become more international—wider in our views. and opinions, and two of the strongest forces. towards the attainment of this end must ever be science and art. These know no limitations of race, and although literature—expressing itself as. it does through the medium of language—must be at a slight disadvantage in comparison with the other arts, yet in these days of rapid trans- lations even that barrier has been practically removed. There is one other form of literature upon which a competent paper would surely be welcome, though probably far more difficult to obtain, and that is the literature of modern Japan; not the old romances or living impressionist lyrics to which, for instance, B. H. Chamberlain and Lafeadio Hearn allude, and which they sometimes quote, but the war literature, the expression of the sentiments of an artistic people, with whom loyalty is nothing short of a religion. This were surely worth having, could we but obtain a reliable account of it, since in no other way can we, who have slowly evolved our civilization through centuries of experiment and failure, hope in the remotest degree to. enter into the feelings of a nation new-born from medigvalism, a child-prodigy amongst the grey- beards of the west—a true people of the Rising Sun. And by this entering into the heart and thought, the very soul of other nations, we join in and help to advance that great work for which so many are striving nowadays, the unifying of the nations. Not only every international congress, arbitration, or commission of enquiry, not alone — every welcome to some foreign soverign, shall help 5 2 towards this end, but—though more silently, it may be even more efficiently—the deepening of individual interest in the thoughts and ideals of other nations, the realisation of the deep underlying unity which is ours by virtue of a common humanity. M. Twycross. 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. 15 Issue 08 (May 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 08 (May 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-05-01-The-Author-15-8 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/506/1905-06-01-The-Author-15-9.pdf 2310a2bd6bc138b90a9ba908490b3b3c 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) 1905-06-01 Volume 15 Issue 9 Pages Page range in volume 249–280 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050601 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Euthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. JUNE 1st, 1905. [Prick SIXPENCE. Vou. XV.—No. 9. TELEPHONE NuMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —_§_-—<—_e NOTICES. — OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. ——+->+—— List of Members. Tue List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —1—~ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum of £230. When the purchase Vou. XV. is complete the amount will be added to the investments at present standing in the names of the Trustees, which are as follows. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— ON ae £1000 0 0 teal boeken 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 War Doan 201 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- bare Siecle 250 0 0 Motels. £2,243 9. 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £8. d. Jan. 12, Anonymous . : : 70 276 Donations, 1905. Jan. Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0 Jan. Bolton, Miss Anna 0 5 0 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 0 5 0 Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert 0.5.0 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 0 Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 010 O Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. 1 0 9 Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. 010 0 April19, Hornung, H. W. . . 25.0 0 May 7, Wynne, C. Whitworth . 5 0.0 May 16, Alsing, Mrs. J. E. : ? Y May 17, Anonymous . — se COMMITTEE NOTES. + HE committee of the society met at 389, Old Queen Street, on Monday, the 8th day of May, with heavy agenda for their consideration. After the minutes had been signed, the first matter dealt with was the election of members and 250 associates. ‘Twenty-five new members and asso- ciates were elected, making the total for the current year ninety-nine. The list is printed below. Then followed the discussion of a difficult question between a member of the society and a publisher. The secretary read a long report of the case which had been received from the solicitors, who had gone very carefully into all the papers and details. After full and serious consideration the committee decided they were unable to take the matter up, put were willing to accept, subject to the member's consent, the suggestion put forward by the pub- lisher, to appoint an arbitrator to settle the division of profits. The question of the general lien which the binders claimed on stock in their possession, brought forward at the last meeting, was further considered. A dispute arising out of Mr. Grant Richards’ bankruptcy, between a member of the society and the trustee, was also discussed. The secretary read the documents and the solicitors’ opinion upon the point, but as the questions in- volved were difficult and complicated the com- mittee decided to obtain counsel’s opinion, and to reconsider the case when this opinion came to hand. Another curious matter dealing with the right of an author to the publication of his name was carefully considered, and a long report of the solicitors was read to the committee, who decided from the information before them that it would be impossible for them to take action, but that if the member was willing to take counsel’s opinion, they would then reconsider the case. It has been the habit for the chairman for the current year to take the chair at the general meetings, although it often occurred that the questions dealt with in the report had arisen during the chairmanship of his predecessor. It was decided, therefore, that although the election of the chairman should be made at the customary time, that is, during the first month of the year, it should not take effect till after the general meeting. The appointment of correspondents in Canada and Sweden was discussed. ‘The secretary was instructed to make full inquiries with a view to appointing suitable representatives. The committee decided that the chairman of the committee should, on behalf of the society, sign the petition of the Music Defence League, in the hope of inducing the Government to pass an Act to stop the present musical piracy. There were various other matters of minor importance before the committee, but no further contentious work. The meeting lasted for two hours. THE AUTHOR. Cases. Five new cases have been in the secretary’s hands during the past month. The number is very small. ‘This should be taken as a good omen. Three were for money due, one for the return of a MS., and one related to a question of infringement of copyright. The money has been paid in one case. In the other two cases it turned out, on demand being made, that one paper was in bankruptcy, and that for the other a receiver for the debenture holders had been appointed. It will be impossible, therefore, to bring these cases to any satisfactory conclusion at present until the liabilities have been clearly set forth. In the matter dealing with MS., the MS. has been returned and forwarded to the author. The question of infringement of copyright is still in course of negotiation. ‘All the cases open from former months have been closed with the exception of a question of contract, where the member resides in Australia. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining information, this matter must necessarily be delayed. Mr. Grant Richards’ bankruptcy is still moving forward, but the progress is slow. The trustee at one time expected to be able to sell the business as a whole, but it would appear that the negotia- tions have fallen through, and there is considerable difficulty in arranging for the transfer of each book separately. “he society, through its secretary and solicitors, is doing everything it can on behalf of its members. —-——+— May Elections. Alsing, Mrs. J. E. The Cottage, Kopling, Sweden. 45, West End Avenue, Harrogate. c/o E. Marlay Carolin, Esq., Assistant Loco. Superintendent, 0.8. A. Railway, Volks- rust, Transvaal, 81, Westbourne Ter-. race, W. 6, Boundary Road, Hampstead, N.W. Heberton Hall, Leiston, Suffolk. Braithwaite, Miss Alice Carolin, Mrs. De la Rue, E. A. . Donaldson, 8. H. (Sid- ney Hunter) Doughty, Miss Gertrude Essex, John Ridgwell . Gordon, Major Evans, M.P. Gibson, Miss L. V. 4, Chelsea Embank- ment, S.W. 9, Gray’s Inn W.C oe Square, Griffith, Miss Lucy G.  Grylls, A. C. Glynn Inglefield, H. B. . Latham, Edward . Lobley, Prof. J. Logan, F.R.G.S. Masefield, J. E. (J. M.) Mosely, Miss Ettie I. Peacey, Howard Russell, Lady . Synge, Miss M. B. Tanner, James T. : Taylor, The Rev. R. H., D.D. Underwood, F. J. . THE AUTHOR. 117, Elgin Avenue, W. 24, Cadogan Place, S.W. 61, Friends Road, Croydon. 36, Palace Street, Buckingham Gate, S.W. 1, Diamond Terrace, Greenwich. Gloucester House, Kew. Rydal Mount, Meads, Eastbourne. South Woodfield Park, Reading. 15, St. Loo Mansions, Chelsea, 8.W. Savoy Mansions, W.C. Goddington _ Rectory, Bicester. Three of the members elected in May do not desire either their names or their addresses to be printed. —+-—<>— + —__ WE regret that in the last issue of The Author Mrs. Christobel Hulbert Sewell’s pseudonym, “ Chris Sewell,” was, in error, attached to Mrs. Charles Scheu’s name, also published in that issue. ——_—?+———___ BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. ——+ (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply such particulars.) ARCH AOLOGY. EHNASYA. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE. With Chapter, By C. T. CUNELLY, M.A. Twenth-sixth Memoir of the Egypt Exploration Fund. Roman EHNASYA (Herakleo- polis Magna). Ehnasya. Plates and Text. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE. Supplementary to 12 x 10, 41 + 15 pp. Plates. Offices of the Egypt Exploration BIOGRAPHY. Fund. JoHN KNox AND THE REFORMATION. Longmans. Lane. 93 x 6. 281 pp. By ANDREW 10s. 6d. n. DIARY AND LETTERS OF MADAME D’ ARBLAY (1778—1840), as Edited by her niece, CHARLOTTE BARRETT. a Preface and Notes by AUSTIN DoBsoNn. 524 pp. Macmillan. VOL V. 9 x bE. A Lire of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. 8 x 54. 495 pp. Smith, Elder. 7s. 6d. Fifth Edition. NApoLeon: THE First PHASE, With In Six Vols. 10s. 6d. n. By SIDNEY LEE. Some Chapters on the Boyhood and Youth of Bonaparte, 1769—1793. By OscaR BROWNING. 8% 10s. 6d. n. x BS; Lane. 315 pp. 251 CLASSICAL, HARVARD LECTURES ON THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING. By JoHN EpwIn Sanpys, Litt.D. 7 x 5, 212 pp. Cambridge University Press. 4s. 6d. n. DRAMA, Mrs. DANE’S DEFENCE. By HENRY ARTHUR JONES. 63 x 48. 127 pp. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. INDISCRETIONS. By Cosmo HAMILTON. 7% x 5. 268 pp. Treherne. 1s. THE GREEK KALENDS: a Comedy in Verse. By ARTHUR DILLON. 64 x 5. 123 pp. Mathews. 3s. 6d. n. EDUCATIONAL. STORIES FROM THE NORTHERN SaAGAs. Selected from various translations, and Edited by A. F, MAgor and K. E, SpercHr, With a Preface by the late Pror. YorK POWELL. Second Edition. Revised and Enlarged. 73 x 5. 282 pp. Marshall. 2s. 6d. GIPsy STORIES (112 pp.) THE STORIES OF ANTONIO AND BENEDICT MOL (120 pp.). FRom Borrow’s BIBLES IN SPAIN; HAWTHORNE’S TANGLEWOOD TALES; THE GOLDEN FLEECE, &¢. (English School Texts), Edited by W. H. D. Roose, Litt.D. 63 x 4}. Blackie. 8d. each. FICTION. THE REDDING STRAIK. By RoBERT AITKEN. 7} x 5. 324 pp. Edinburgh: Morton ; London: Simpkin, Marshall. 6s. Dorset Dear. By M. E. FRANcts (Mrs. Francis Blundell). 8 x 5}. 332 pp. Longmans. 6s. GrorRGE EASTMONT: WANDERER. By JoHN LAW. 73 x 5. 243 pp. Burns & Oates. 3s. 6d. THE ErRRoR oF Her Ways. By FRANK BARRETT. 7% x 5. 321 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. RosE OF THE WORLD. By AGNES AND EGERTON CASTLE. 7% x 5. 379 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s. THE PHANTOM ToRPEDO Boats. By ALLEN UPWARD. 7} x 5. 326 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. MIXED RELATIONSHIPS. By RENNIE RENNISON. 7} x 5. 381 pp. Simpkin, Marshall. 6s. THE Hint. A Romance of Friendship. By H. A. VACHELL. 8 x 5. 319pp. Murray. 6s. MARIAN SAx. By E. MARIA ALBENESI. 72 x 5, 370 pp. Hurst & Blackett. 6s. WAVES OF Fate, By E. NoBLE. 72 Blackwood. 6s. MARJORIE’s MistaAKE. By BertTHA M. M. MINIKEN. 74 x 4%. 424 pp. Edinburgh: Morton; London: Simpkin, Marshall. 6s. STINGAREE. By HE. W, HORNUNG. Chatto & Windus. 6s, THE FRIENDSHIPS OF VERONICA. 7% x 5. 296 pp. Rivers. 6s. THE PRIDE OF Mrs. BRUNELLE, By ARTHUR H. HOLMES, 74 x 5, 312 pp. Burleigh. 6s. LITERARY. Freely Expressed on certain phases of By MARIE CORELLI. x 6, 3846 pp. Te x 43. 324 pp. By THOMAS COBB. FREE OPINIONS. Modern Social Life and Conduct. 7% x 5. 353 pp. Constable. 6s. AUCASSIN AND NICOLETE. Done into English, By ANDREW LANG. 8 x 54. 91 pp. Routledge. 3s. 6d. n. MISCELLANEOUS, A HANpDBOOK of FREE STANDING GYMNASTICS. By E. ADAIR ROBERTS. 10 X 7}. 138 pp. Sherratt & Hughes. 3s. 6d. n. THE STAMP FrEenp’s Kalb. 28 pen and ink sketches by the Author, 2s, 6d. By W. E. Imeson. With Horace Cox.  252 PHILOSOPHY. THE PRINCIPLES OF Hprepiry. By G. ARCHDALL REID, ‘M.B. 9 x 53. 359pp. Chapman & Hall. 12s. 6d. n. POEMS. ‘+ PEACE AND OTHER Poems. By A. C. BENSON, 7 x 44. Lane. 5%. n. THE DANCE OF OLIVES. By ARTHUR MAQUARIE. 63 x 4. Dent. 4s. n. POLITICAL. Russia IN REVOLUTION. By G. H. Perris. 9 x 53. 359 pp. Chapman & Hall. 10s. 6d. n. REPRINTS. Kine RicHarp III. (The Red Letter Shakespeare). 6} x 38. 173 pp. Blackie. 1s. 6d, n. SPORT. FIsHING IN DERBYSHIRE AND AROUND. By W. M. GALLICHAN (Geoffrey Mortimer). 74 x 5. 184 pp. Robinson. 3s, 6d. n. THEOLOGY, St. JoHNn: The Revised Version. Edited with Notes for the Use of Schools. By the Ruv. A. CARR, M.A. 8vo. Sv. MATTHEW : The Revised Version. Edited with Notes for the Use of Schools. By the Rev. A. CARR, M.A. With three maps. Cambridge University Press. ls. 6d. n. TOPOGRAPHY. Lonpon Town. By EprIc VREDENBURG. Illustrated with 40 views in colour and black and white (photo- graphs). 9} x 7}. 29 pp. Raphael Tuck. 1s. n. A GARDEN OF EDEN: Kempton Park once upon a time. By EpirH A. BARNETT. 7$ x 5. 147 pp. Constable, 5s, 0. TRAVEL. By JOHN FosTER FRASER. 8 x 53. 6s. CANADA AS IT IS. 303 pp. Cassell. —__—_———_e—>__—__—_ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. \ | R. MURRAY is publishing “The British hs Trade Year Book,” edited by Mr. J. Holt Schooling. The aim of the work is to show in a thorough and lucid fashion the course of British trade in each important section, and more broadly the average yearly results during each successive decade. Mr. G. W. Forrest, O.I.E., is engaged on the Life of Field-Marshall Sir Neville Chamberlain, who was one of the “Illustrious Brotherhood of the Punjaub,” and who, at the time of the mutiny, kept a personal diary and wrote home very full and interesting letters. The work will be published by Messrs. Blackwood. Mr. Richard Bagot has now finished a new novel entitled “The Passport,” which will. be THE AUTHOR. eden in book form in Great Britain and the nited States in the early autumn of this year. Mr. Justin Huntley McCarthy is engaged on a novel which will be ready for publication in the autumn of this year or in the spring of 1906. “The Conflict of Owen Prytherch” is the title of a novel dealing with modern Welsh life, which Mr. Walter M. Gallichan is publishing shortly through Mr. George Morton. The story, which deals with the experiences of a Welsh Noncon- formist minister who is too “advanced” for his flock, contains a reference to the religious revival in Wales. A new novel by Sydney C. Grier will appear in The Graphic as a serial, prior to its publication in book form. A third edition of “How the Steam Engine Works,” by Randal McDonnell, has been issued at the price of 2s. 6d. Copies can be obtained from Messrs. Sealy, Bryers and Walker, and Messrs. M. H. Gill & Son, of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, and O’Connell Street, Dublin, respectively. In a preface to the work, the author states that his aim has been to give a clear and concise account of the steam engine, and one free from all unnecessary detail. “ Qccasional Verses ” is the title of a collection of poems by E. Urwick reprinted from London and provincial journals. They are mainly of a humorous character, though one referring to the death of President McKinley reveals the serious side of the writer’s art. Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. have recently published in 2 vols. a work by Dr. F. E. Hare, entitled ‘Common Humoral Factor of Disease.” The work is described as a deductive investi- gation into the primary causation, meaning, mechanism and rational treatment, preventive and curative, of the paroxysmal neuroses (migraine, asthma, epilepsy, etc.), gout, high blood pressure, circulatory, venal and other degenerations. The same publishers have also published poems by E. Nesbit, under the title of “ The Rainbow and the Rose.” Messrs. Constable’s list of forthcoming books includes “Extinct Animals,” by Prof. E. Ray Lankester. The work is the substance of a course of lectures which Prof. Lankester delivered at the Royal Institution to a juvenile audience during the Christmas season. Messrs. Methuen published last month, at the price of 2s. 6d. net, “ An English Church History for Children,” by Miss Mary E. Shipley, with a preface by the Bishop of Gloucester. | They have also published a re-issue of Mr. Baring Gould’s “Strange Survivals and Super- stitions,” at the same price. : Miss Netta Syrett’s novel, “‘ The Day’s Journey, . THE AUTHOR. recently published by Messrs. Chapman & Hall, is a story of temperament, revealing the effect of disillusionment after marriage, and the gradual working towards reconciliation which ultimately is effected. _ We are informed that Mr. Poultney Bigelow has been appointed by the Boston University to ‘act as their delegate at the International Congress called by the King of the Belgians to discuss matters of Colonial expansion. The Congress meets on September 25th, 1905. ‘““A Child of the Shore,” which some of the papers have erroneously described as the first work of a new writer, is, in fact, by the author of the play “The Waters of Bitterness ” (produced by the Stage Society two years ago), and of “Verses for Granny,” ete. The frontispiece to the work is from a statuette of the author’s. Mr. Egerton Castle’s new book, “Rose of the World,” which was published in England early last month,has already gone through two editions in America, where it was published on April 10th. “Zelia” is the title of a story by Miss Etta Buchanan Bennett, author of “A Scottish Blue Bell.” The price is 3s. 6d., and the publishers Messrs. Jarrold & Sons. It is a straightforward story of an old-fashioned kind, with a plain record of loves and hates. The scene is laid first in the Southern States of America and then in England. Mr. Anthony Hope, lecturing at the Queen’s Square Club on May 9th, compared the classic with the modern novel, and stated that what struck him most in the latter was the tendency towards . working philosophy into the story. Whilst the great writers of former days gave expression to their philosophy in explanations and asides, the modern method was to use the characters of the story in order to achieve this object. Hitherto, the main question had been what happened. In the new-style story, however, that point was of secondary importance, the real question being why did it happen ? or ought it to have happened at all ? Mrs. Craigie (‘John Oliver Hobbes”) will deliver a lecture on “Plato and Dante,” under the auspices of the Dante Society, on June 7th, at 3.30. Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B., president of the society, will take the chair. “The Stamp Fiend’s Raid,” by W. E. Imeson, has been published by Messrs. Horace Cox at the price of 2s. 6d. The work—which contains 28 pen and ink sketches by the author—is an inoffensive skit on many of the hobbies of the day, chiefly philately. It is written on popular lines, with a view to interest equally the general reader and those collectors whose pursuits are introduced. Messrs. Blackwood have published “ Elizabeth Grey,” by E. M. Green, which is the journal of an author written in a Somerset farmhouse. 253 Mr. Thomas Burleigh has recently publishe novel by Mr. Arthur H. Holmes, ander tik ne “The Pride of Mrs. Brunelle.” : Messrs. Chapman & Hall have recently pub- lished, atthe price of 12s. 6d. net, Dr. G. Archdall Reid’s new work, “The Principles of Heredity.” Whilst the work ig designed to supply the want of a text-book on the subject, the author expresses the hope that it may not be found lacking in general interest to the professional biologist and general reader. Mr. John Jackson has published, through Messrs. Kegan Paul & Co., a work dealing with “ Ambi- dexterity.” Specimens of ambidextral writing and drawings are given in the book, which contains an introduction by Major-General Baden-Powell. The price is 6s. net. Mrs. Katherine 8. Macquoid’s novel, “A Village Chronicle,” recently published by Messrs. Digby, Long & Co., is a record of joys and sorrows, comedies and tragedies of the inhabitants in a well-cared-for English village. The volume con- tains four full-page illustrations by Forestier. Mr. Oscar Browning’s work, «“N apoleon, the First Phase,” published by Mr. John Lane, deals with the youth and upbringing of the Emperor. | “The Friendships of Veronica” is the title of Mr. Thomas Cobb’s latest. novel, published by Mr, Alston Rivers. The story, whilst not entirely political, relies for its plot on an election campaign. In her new book, entitled “ It’s a Way They have in the Army,” Lady Helen Forbes has drawn a picture of regimental social life in India, which, though not always pleasing, may provide the public with food for thought. Messrs. Duckworth & Co. are the publishers. The sixth and concluding volume of Macmillan’s Madame D’Arblay’s “Diary and Letters, 1778— 1840,” will shortly be issued. It contains a lengthy postscript to Mr. Dobson’s preface in Volume [. explaining the principle of the edition. It also includes a Bibliography of the previous issues, a long Appendix on Rear-Admiral James Burney, and an Appendix on the recently published letters regarding “ Kvelina.” The volume is illustrated by photogravure portraits of Mrs. Crewe, Chateau- briand, Mme. de Staél, and Dr. Burney, and has also photographs of Madame D’Arblay’s house in Bolton Street, Piccadilly ; of Rogers’s house in St. James’s Place ; of Walcot Church, Bath, where Madame D’Arblay is buried, and of the memorial tablet to her in that church. A full general index terminates the volume. Messrs. Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co. are projecting a new series, the “ Dryden Library,” in eighteen-penny cloth volumes and two shillings leather. The first issue will be a selection of fifty pieces from the “Collected Poems” of Austin  254 Dobson, and it will include a photogravure frontis- piece reproducing a pen-and-ink drawing by the late George H. Boughton, R.A. The Rev. G. W. Allen, Vicar of St. James’s, Bradford, and author of “The Mission of Evil,” “Wonderful Words and Works” (Skeffington), is editing a new quarterly magazine, called 7'he Seeker, devoted to the search for God and the true self, The magazine will deal with the deeper spiritual apprehension of religion, and will include piblical interpretation, the relation of doctrine to life, the influence of thought on health and power, and why it is that Christianity has so little effect on the world. The first number has just been issued. It contains 28 pages, which will in future numbers be increased to 32. The subscription is Qs. 6d. a year, post free. The publisher is Mr. Philip Wellby. Mr. Sydney Grundy’s play, “ Business is Business” (adapted from M. Octave Mirbeau’s “ Les Affaires sont les Affaires”), was produced at His Majesty’s Theatre on May 13th. The main character in the piece is a modern financier, whose success in business has been achieved by methods which cause him to be loathed by his children. After driving his daughter from home for having frustrated his attempt to arrange a marriage between her and the son of a poverty-stricken earl, the financier learns of the death of his son, whom he adored. This last blow shatters all his ambitions and causes him to break down completely. The caste includes Mr. Beerbohm Tree and Miss Viola Tree. Mr. Louis N. Parker’s one-act play, entitled “The Creole,” was produced on the afternoon of May 6th., at the Haymarket Theatre, in front of Capt. Marshall’s play, “ Everybody’s Secret.” Mr. Parker’s piece deals with the domestic life of Napoleon Bonaparte, and shows how an estrange- ment between Napoleon and his wife, Joséphine, was terminated through the instrumentality of the daughter. Mr. Cyril Maude appeared as Napoleon, and Miss Alice Crawford as Jos¢phine. “Daniel Dibsey.” A farcical comedy. By George Blagrove. Was produced at the Royal Albert Hall Theatre on May 1st, before a crowded audience. 9 PARIS NOTES. —— 9 — HE third volume of “ 1815 : La Seconde Abdi- cation: La Terreur Blanche,” by Henry Houssaye, is one of the most interesting of recent books. The author has the great gift of knowing exactly what to omit, the art of selection. The subject he has taken is a huge one, and the amount of historical documents which must have THE AUTHOR. been studied for such a work must certainly have been enormous, and yet there is not a word too much in this volume. After reading it carefully from the first chapter to the last, a book of nearly six hundred pages, one has a remarkably clear idea of the period of history depicted, of the questions of the day, of the motives which actuated other European nations and of the terrible struggles, the individual ambitions and jealousies, and finally the heroic reaction of the French nation. It would be difficult to find any book giving in so few words so faithful an account of all that the whole nation endured during the period between the second abdication of Napoleon and the treaty of peace when “kings crept out again to feel the sun.” The whole story is given of Napoleon’s return to Paris after Waterloo, of the opinion in France, the intrigues of Fouché, of La Fayette’s speech to the Chamber, of Napoleon’s various messages and final abdication. ‘Then comes the departure of Napoleon to La Malmaison and the return of King Louis XVIII., the occupation of Paris by the Allied Armies and Napoleon’s decision to leave for America, the treachery of Fouché, the confidence of Napoleon in the English, and the ignoble story of the Bellerophon, St. Helena, and Hudson Lowe. The final chapters of the book are styled by the author “Crucified France.” In one part he treats of the exigencies of the Allies, and we have @ picture of France occupied by the English, Prus- sians, Austrians, Russians, Dutch, Belgians, Bavarians, and Spanish, so that in fifty-eight departments the French were supplying the enemy with money and provisions. Lord Castlereagh esti- mated that this occupation cost France 1,750,000 francs a day. For the English army alone the city of Paris had to provide 114,000 lbs. of bread a day, 76,000 lbs. of meat, about 30,000 pints of wine, etc. Wellington was finally indignant at the abuses of the Allies, and he wrote to Castlereagh to request that the sovereigns should be told that the oppression must cease and that the troops must not be allowed to pillage and destroy for the pure pleasure of it. Finally, after the treaty of peace was signed and the enormous indemnity agreed upon, France was in the most pitiable condition. With justifiable pride the author concludes : “ When a country can resist so many times similar © catastrophies, when it can triumph over such @ crisis, it must be that it possesses miraculous — vitality and inconceivable reserves of strength and energy. How can one have any doubts with regard to the destinies of a nation which for tea centuries has gone from one resurrection 0 another resurrection ?” After reading this book one is not surprised that the author should lay down his pen with “a stronger and more ardent faith in the fortunes of France.”  THE AUTHOR. The Napoleonic era is always a favourite period, and M. Gilbert Stenger’s series of books has had great success. The whole work is entitled “Histoire de la Société francaise pendant le Consulat.” The first volume was “ La Renaissance de la France,” the second “ Aristocrates et républi- cains ; les emigrés et les complots ; les hommes du Consulat.” The volume just recently published is entitled “ Bonaparte. Sa Famille. Le Monde et les Salons.” It is, perhaps, the most interesting of the three, and shows Napoleon in a light which will surprise many readers. The first chapter treats of his childhood, his early education and his life until the age of seventeen. We read of his studious habits, his poverty and pride, his devotion to his family, and his great ambition. We have, too, the story of Joséphine, and of her marriage with Napoleon. The next part of the book is taken up with an account of each member of the Bonaparte family, and the third part is devoted to an account of the society of that period, each chapter treating of the various sdlons, including those of Madame Récamier, Madame de Stael, Madame de Genlis, Madame de Houdetot, the Marquise deCondorcet, the Duchesse de Luynes, and the Marquise de Custine. It is a book which gives an excellent idea of the social life of the times, serving as a key to much that seems complex in modern French society. One sees the difference between the old salons and the new ones, and one learns to understand better the line of demarcation which Napoleon was so anxious to efface. There are two more volumes yet to appear before M. Stenger will have accom- plished his task. Another book by Pierre Loti, dedicated to his companions on the Redoutable, and entitled “La Troisieme Jeunesse de Madame Prune.” It was written three years ago, before the Russo- Japanese war had commenced. It describes another journey to Japan, to the city of Madame Chrysanthéme. Fifteen years in the history of most nations do not count in the same way as that period has counted in Japan. It is one long series of surprises and regrets for the poet who had formerly sung of the mystery and charm of the extreme Orient. Instead of the picturesque junks there were now boats of all kinds, such as one might see at the Havre, or at Portsmouth. Instead of the “mantle of verdure covering the rocks and giving to the bay the charm of Eden, a road bordered with manufactories and coal stores.” High up on the mountain, letters ten yards long, an American system of advertisement for some alimentary pro- duct! Fifteen years ago, the author tells us, there were no drunkards in Japan except the European At present the Japanese sailors have Sailors. 255 adopted Western customs and—alcoholic beverages. The tea-rooms are dirty and smell of absinthe 5 one may enter without taking off one’s shoes, and instead of cushions to sit upon there are chairs placed around tables, and there are rows of bottles containing whisky, brandy, and pale ale. The whole book has the charm of description, the melancholy poetry peculiar to Pierre Loti, but the things described now seem to have lost much of their charm. The practical West has invaded the East and sweptaway much of the mystery and poetry. Yokohama, with its electric wires everywhere, is, we are told, like an immense spider’s web, a mascarade a faire pitieé. Everything is changed, ‘‘ Kuropeanised,” and in despair when a yellow- faced journalist with a black coat and tall hat attempts to interview Loti he escapes to his ship, ne voulant plus rien savoir de ce Japon-la. He managed to find some spots, however, which were still charming, and he lingers over these. Itisa volume of impressions, a series of word-pictures given in the style that makes all Pierre Loti’s works so fascinating. “La Beauté d’Alcias,” by Jean Bertheroy, a book which takes us away from all that is prosaic and gives us a picture of life in an antique setting. The secret of the success of this author is the way in which he can give us warmth and life in these stories of the past instead of merely cold, colourless sketches. Doris, the daughter of the perfumer, Alexandre, loves a Grecian youth named Alcias. He is an athlete and the most handsome of young men. The whole story turns on the girl’s deep love for him. After one of his great athletic victories he returns blind. The anguish of Doris is terrible, for, with her intense love of beauty, she is heart-broken that Alcias should lose his eyesight. She persuades him to allow her to take him to Epidaure and to beseech Péan, the son of Apollo, to have mercy on him. They join the procession of pilgrims and climb the holy mountain where so many miracles have been performed. The terrible part for the young girl is to feel that the grace of their gods has not touched her lover; he has no faith, and has only consented to the pilgrimage in order to please her. Her attempts to convince him are most touching. The miracle finally is accom- plished, and Alcias, while asleep in the temple, is roused by the glory of the sunrise, opens his eyes, and to the joy and amazement of himself and of Doris his sight immediately returns. The great charm of the book is its life. Such colouring and atmosphere arerarely obtained in stories of this kind. Among other new books are the following : — “Hommes nouveaux,” by G. Fanton; “ Les Revenantes,” by Champol ; “ La Grande Aventure,” by Georges Labruycre; “ Fatale Méprise,” by Henri Barande. 256 THE AUTHOR. “Les Derniéres Années de Chateaubriand,” by M. Edmond Biré ; “ Victor Hugo & Guernsey,” by M. Paul Stapfer. “Age d’aimer,” by M. Pierre Wolff, has been a great success for Mme. Réjane at the Gymnase Theatre, and at the Thédtre Antoine; “Le Meilleur Parti,” by M. Maurice Maindron. Auys HALLARD. ——-——_—_ THE DON QUIXOTE FETES IN MADRID, —_-—<— + T has been worth while coming to Spain to see how the whole country has been permeated with the desire to do honour to Cervantes and his ‘*Don Quixote.” In the capital itself the tri-centenary of the publication of the great Spanish classic has been celebrated with so much enthusiasm by the chief centres of art, science, education, music, literature, the army, and the church and the stage, that could Cervantes himself have returned to the city where he died in want and neglect three hundred years ago, he would have thought it was one of those dreams of his imagina- tion which so often played him false. For the past week the Puerta del Sol has resounded with the cries of the vendors of programmes of the fétes, ~ with flaring coloured pictures of “The Knight of the Sad Countenance ” and some of his adventures ; special stamps bearing the portrait of Cervantes and the “‘ windmill scene’ of “ Don Quixote” have been issued for use in Spain for the fourteen days of the centenary celebration. ‘The fétes were pre- faced by ten lectures from the leading literary Spaniards of the day on the origin and the different aspects of ‘‘ Don Quixote” and its relation to science, politics, art, poetry, music and metaphysics. It is difficult to do justice to the flood of eloquence which emanated from the Chair of the Atheneeum on each of these occasions. The attention accorded to Sefior Navarro Ledesma, the well-known writer on Cer- vantes, was very marked, and impatient signs of displeasure met any cough or sound which threatened to impede the hearing of the sonorous voice of the speaker, which, with the regularity and rapidity of an express train, gave unintermittent expression for an hour and a half to the rush of ideas on the subject ; and every evening saw the same large attendance to the other lectures of equal celebrity. Art added her tribute to the inaugura- tion of the fétes by an exhibition in the Crystal Palace of the Park of Madrid of the pictures painted for the “Don Quixote” competition; and the Marquesa de Villahermosa celebrated the occasion by presenting the Society of Artists with a mag- nificent silver trophy. The exhibition of literary objects of interest relating to Cervantes and his works was opened by King Alfonzo and Queen Maria Christina on Saturday, the 6th of May, at the Biblioteca Nacional. As he grows to manhood, the young King’s resemblance to the well-known Velasquez portrait of his ancestor, Philip IV., is so marked that it almost seems as if he had walked out of the frame of the picture at the museum in the Prado. When the Wednesday preceding the commence- ment of the fétes brought no sign of help from my co-delegate of the Authors’ Society, who lives in Madrid, it seemed time to commence opera- tions on my own behalf. So, armed with an article which had appeared in a Spanish newspaper of that morning publishing my qualifications, I repaired to the Ministry of Public Education and the Fine Arts. There I saw the minister himself, and through his influence and that of the celebrated Spanish authoress, Sefiora Pardo Bazan, to whom the Marquis de Villobabar in London had written on my behalf, tickets soon arrived for every one of the fétes ; and as my countryman’s promise of a ticket for the function at the Royal Academy came to naught, I was glad to receive three for the same occasion. On Sunday, May 7th, military bands paraded the city from early morning, and in the afternoon the battle of flowers took place in the beautiful Boulevard of the Castellana. The bitter east wind did not prevent crowds of people filling every available space under the trees, whilst ticket- ] holders had seats in the gaily decorated boxes erected down the centre of the drive which formed — the course. ‘he Royal Pavilion, gracefully fes- tooned with flowers, was the chief seat of warfure during the afternoon, for from thence the King — launched his floral missiles with unintermittent — energy for an hour and a half; and it was here that the shouts of laughter were loudest as the — carriages filed by. Scenes from ‘Don Quixote” were, of course, the prevailing features of the festive — cars—“ The Watch of the Arms,” ‘‘ The Marriage of Camacho,” “‘ The Lepanto Prison,” being among — the most successful of the realistic representations ; — and the “Crowning of Cervantes” by a flying figure of Fate met with loud acclamations of delight. The military torchlight procession commenced at ten o’clock that night, and to give more force to the lights borne by the troops the street lamps were extinguished. The view from the War Office of the glittering bands of soldiers, passing from the Prado into the street of the Alcali, was very striking ; and the regiments formed a wide, moving line of light as they marched down the Alcalé on their way to the Royal Palace. The place of honour in the procession was occupied by a white effigy of Cervantes, backed with an illuminated presentment of his book, “Don Quixote,” and topped with a large lamp of varying hues, which cast weird shadows on the rich tapestries hung from the windows of grandees’ houses on the route. Monday was the day of the state function at the Royal Academy, and that of the coronation of the Cervantes statue by the deputations and delegates _ of all the literary and educational societies inte- * rested in the centenary. It was only then that I sd heard my co-delegate had retired from action. For “ij the moment I shrank from publicly presenting the _ wreath which I had that morning purchased as the tribute of the Authors’ Society. But it seemed a pity that its glistening laurel wreaths and red, blue and white streamers, bearing the inscription in gold letters, “To Cervantes, from the Society of oO ai English Authors,” should be wasted. So when the ml) time came! left my friends in the carriage, whichtook ‘g@ up its position as near as possible to the course of the procession,and tacked myselfon tosome young people. wo) = For as the Spaniards still mostly class women ,* “with children and idiots,” I thought I could thus, without exciting any resentment, meekly make my way to the statue facing the Houses of Parliament, » decked with the gorgeous canopy of state occasions, is, and the boxes filled with the Royal Family, grandees, diplomats, &c., and there I deposited the tribute of the Society of English Authors. This 62 coronation of the Cervantes statue function followed of) the Royal Academy festival, when the discourse on J* “Don Quixote,” written for the occasion by Juan s¥ Valera, was read aloud by Sefior Pidal, as the author died a month ago when he had not quite finished the task to which he had been deputed by the learned society. The reading of the posthumous | pamphlet was followed by the King signing a decree for the erection of a monument to the memory of Cervantes. The Cervantes tri-centenary week was theoccasion * ‘cof a great gathering - from Catalonia, Galicia, me? Valencia, &c., of the Orfeones (Societies of Orpheus), + ae and therespective bright-coloured capsofthe musical ‘mh unions and the sweet strains of their music added “b@ much to the cheerfulness of the city during the “9)> fétes. But their great festival in the bull ring of ‘elf Madrid was not a great success. The vast arena, ‘which reminds one so much of pictures of the ose ancient Amphitheatre of Rome, was lighted for the / ‘| first time with electric lights, which failed to reveal | of the beauty of the decorations, as they did not act ' ley well, and there was such a want of organisation in of the proceedings that it was midnight before half of «| od the programme was over. However, the “ Gloriaa ‘n@@t Espafia ” and the “ Gloria d Cervantes ” were worth ‘so hearing in their perfect rendering by the well- ‘"bet modulated voices of the massed choirs under their THE AUTHOR. 257 respective banners beneath the countless pennons strung from side to side of the creat cireus open to the deep blue sky ; and the King waved his cap in enthusiastic appreciation of the performance. The commemorative funeral service to Cervantes was certainly a triumph in realism. The dim-lighted church of San Jeronimo was draped with purple, and the catafalque was surmounted with the author’s books and surrounded by candles. Ministers, officers, diplomats and grandees assembled in full uniform in honour to the obsequies, and the King came in state to the service. The funeral oration was preached by the Bishop of San Luis de Potosi in Mexico, who came over especially for the occasion. a The final function of the gala performance at ~ the Royal Theatre was a splendid exhibition of the gorgeous uniforms and the jewels and _toilettes which grace society in Spain; and the well- rendered scenes from “Don Quixote” of “The Watch of the Arms,” “The Convicts,” and “ The Knight of the Mirrors” were followed by an apotheosis to the great author to the music of Sefores Fernandez, Shaw and Maestro Caballero ; and the King and all the brilliant assembly were loud in their applause of this spectacular expres- sion of “Gloria to Cervantes.” Space forbids more than these notes of the “ Don Quixote” fétes this month, but I hope next time to give a short account of the glimpse I had into the literary life of Madrid, and to tell of the kindness I received from such Spanish celebrities as Silvela, Moret, Pando y Valle, Blasco Ibafiez, Palacio Valdés, &c., and I must not conclude without say- ing that I was much pleased at being presented by the Minister of Instruction and the Fine Arts with the official bronze medal of the Cervantes Centenary with a kind address of appreciation. RacHEL CHALLICE. i AN AUTHOR’S RIGHT TO HIS WORK. ee (Statement of the case reprinted from the United States Publisher's Weekly.) UDGE McCALL, of the Supreme Court Special Term, handed down a decision in the suit brought by Basil Jones against the American Law Book Company, to restrain the defendants from publishing an article entitled “Army and Navy,” in the second volume of their “ Cyclopsedia of Law and Procedure,” except under the plaintiff’s name. It appears that the American Law Book Company of New York City, in order to attract attention to its cyclopedia, caused articles written by young law writers to be  256 «Tes Derniéres Années de Chateaubriand,” by M. Edmond Biré ; “ Victor Hugo & Guernsey,” by M. Paul Stapfer. “L’Age d’aimer,” by M. Pierre Wolff, has been a great success for Mme. Réjane at the Gymnase Theatre, and at the Thédtre Antoine; “ Le Meilleur Parti,’ by M. Maurice Maindron. Atys HALLARD. ———1-——_o_—_—__- THE DON QUIXOTE FETES IN MADRID. ——> + T has been worth while coming to Spain to see I how the whole country has been permeated with the desire to do honour to Cervantes and his ‘‘Don Quixote.” In the capital itself the tri-centenary of the publication of the great Spanish classic has been celebrated with so much enthusiasm by the chief centres of art, science, education, music, literature, the army, and the church and the stage, that could Cervantes himself have returned to the city where he died in want and neglect three hundred years ago, he would have thought it was one of those dreams of his imagina- tion which so often played him false. For the past week the Puerta del Sol has resounded with the cries of the vendors of programmes of the fétes, * with flaring coloured pictures of “The Knight of the Sad Countenance ”’ and some of his adventures ; special stamps bearing the portrait of Cervantes and the ‘‘ windmill scene ” of “ Don Quixote” have been issued for use in Spain for the fourteen days of the centenary celebration. The fétes were pre- faced by ten lectures from the leading literary Spaniards of the day on the origin and the different aspects of ‘‘ Don Quixote” and its relation to science, politics, art, poetry, music and metaphysics. It is difficult to do justice to the flood of eloquence which emanated from the Chair of the Athenzeum on each of these occasions. The attention accorded to Sefior Navarro Ledesma, the well-known writer on Cer- vantes, was very marked, and impatient signs of displeasure met any cough or sound which threatened to impede the hearing of the sonorous voice of the speaker, which, with the regularity and rapidity of an express train, gave unintermittent expression for an hour and a half to the rush of ideas on the subject; and every evening saw the same large attendance to the other lectures of equal celebrity. Art added her tribute to the inaugura- tion of the fétes by an exhibition in the Crystal Palace of the Park of Madrid of the pictures painted for the “Don Quixote” competition; and the Marquesa de Villahermosa celebrated the occasion THE AUTHOR. by presenting the Society of Artists with a mag- nificent silver trophy. The exhibition of literary objects of interest relating to Cervantes and his works was opened by King Alfonzo and Queen Maria Christina on Saturday, the 6th of May, at the Biblioteca Nacional. As he grows to manhood, the young King’s resemblance to the well-known Velasquez portrait of his ancestor, Philip IV., is so marked that it almost seems as if he had walked out of the frame of the picture at the museum in the Prado. When the Wednesday preceding the commence- ment of the fétes brought no sign of help from my co-delegate of the Authors’ Society, who lives in Madrid, it seemed time to commence opera- tions on my own behalf. So, armed with an article which had appeared in a Spanish newspaper of that morning publishing my qualifications, I repaired to the Ministry of Public Education and the Fine Arts. There I saw the minister himself, and through his influence and that of the celebrated Spanish authoress, Sefiora Pardo Bazan, to whom the Marquis de Villobabar in London had written on my behalf, tickets soon arrived for every one of the fétes ; and as my countryman’s promise of a ticket for the function at the Royal Academy came to naught, I was glad to receive three for the same occasion. On Sunday, May 7th, military bands — paraded the city from early morning, and in the afternoon the battle of flowers took place in the beautiful Boulevard of the Castellana. The bitter east wind did not prevent crowds of people filling every available space under the trees, whilst ticket- holders had seats in the gaily decorated boxes erected down the centre of the drive which formed the course. The Royal Pavilion, gracefully fes- tooned with flowers, was the chief seat of warfare _ during the afternoon, for from thence the King — launched his floral missiles with unintermittent energy for an hour and a half; and it was here that the shouts of langhter were loudest as the carriages filed by. Scenes from “Don Quixote” were, of course, the prevailing features of the festive cars—“ The Watch of the Arms,” “‘ The Marriage of Camacho,” ‘The Lepanto Prison,” being among the most successful of the realistic representations ; and the “Crowning of Cervantes” by a flying figure of Fate met with loud acclamations of delight. The military torchlight procession commenced at ten o’clock that night, and to give more force to the lights borne by the troops the street lamps were extinguished. he view from the War Office of the glittering bands of soldiers, passing from the: Prado into the street of the Alcald, was very striking ; and the regiments formed a wide, moving line of light as they marched down the Alcalé om their way to the Royal Palace. The place of honour in the procession was occupied by a white effigy of Cervantes, backed with an illuminated presentment of his book, “Don Quixote,” and topped with a large lamp of varying hues, which cast weird shadows on the rich tapestries hung from the windows of grandees’ houses on the route. Monday was the day of the state function at the q Royal Academy, and that of the coronation of the ne) Cervantes statue by the deputations and delegates +0 of all the literary and educational societies inte- = rested in the centenary. It was only then that I 1 —sciheard my co-delegate had retired from action. For 1) the moment I shrank from publicly presenting the wreath which I had that morning purchased as the tribute of the Authors’ Society. But it seemed a pity that its glistening laurel wreaths and red, blue and white streamers, bearing the inscription in gold letters, “To Cervantes, from the Society of English Authors,” should be wasted. So when the ai time came] left my friends in the carriage, which took up its position as near as possible to the course of the procession,and tacked myselfon tosome young people. oo For as the Spaniards. still mostly class women 7 “with children and idiots,” [ thought I could thus, without exciting any resentment, meekly make my way to the statue facing the Houses of Parliament, decked with the gorgeous canopy of state occasions, _ and the boxes filled with the Royal Family, grandees, diplomats, &c., and there I deposited the tribute of the Society of English Authors. This coronation of the Cervantes statue function followed the Royal Academy festival, when the discourse on “ Don Quixote,” written for the occasion by Juan Valera, was read aloud, by Sefior Pidal, as the author died a month ago when he had not quite finished the task to which he had been deputed by the learned society. The reading of the posthumous ‘185 pamphlet was followed by the King signing a woe decree for the erection of a monument to the "6 memory of Cervantes. iT The Cervantes tri-centenary week was the occasion ' 4 of a great gathering from Catalonia, Galicia, ole” Valencia, &c., of the Orfeones (Societies of Orpheus), ba and therespective bright-coloured capsof the musical ia) unions and the sweet strains of their music added ‘se much to the cheerfulness of the city during the / fétes. But their great festival in the bull ring of ' Madrid was not a great success. The vast arena, which reminds one so much of pictures of the S ncient Amphitheatre of Rome, was lighted for the ' '*« first time with electric lights, which failed to reveal Jd of the beauty of the decorations, as they did not act Je. well, and there was such a want of organisation in _ 90 the proceedings that it was midnight before half of oc the programme was over. However, the “ Gloriaa Espafia ” and the “ Gloriad Cervantes ” were worth earing in their perfect rendering by the well- odulated voices of the massed choirs under their 1698 THE AUTHOR. 257 respective banners beneath the countless pennons strung from side to side of the great circus open to the deep blue sky ; and the King waved his cap in enthusiastic appreciation of the performance. ‘The commemorative funeral service to Cervantes was certainly a triumph in realism. The dim-lighted church of San Jeronimo was draped with purple, and the catafalque was surmounted with the author’s books and surrounded by candles, Ministers, officers, diplomats and grandees assembled in full uniform in honour to the obsequies, and the King came in state to the service. The funeral oration was preached by the Bishop of San Luis de Potosi in Mexico, who came over especially for the occasion. The final function of the gala performance at the Royal Theatre was a splendid exhibition of the gorgeous uniforms and the jewels and _ toilettes which grace society in Spain; and the well- rendered scenes from “ Don Quixote” of “The Watch of the Arms,” “The Convicts,” and “ The Knight of the Mirrors” were followed by an apotheosis to the great author to the music of Sefores Fernandez, Shaw and Maestro Caballero ; and the King and all the brilliant assembly were loud in their applause of this spectacular expres- sion of “Gloria to Cervantes.” Space forbids more than these notes of the “ Don Quixote” fétes this month, but I hope next time to give a short account of the glimpse I had into the literary life of Madrid, and to tell of the kindness I received from such Spanish celebrities as Silvela, Moret, Pando y Valle, Blasco Ibafiez, Palacio Valdés, &c., and I must not conclude without say- ing that I was much pleased at being presented by the Minister of Instruction and the Fine Arts with the official bronze medal of the Cervantes Centenary with a kind address of appreciation. RacHEL CHALLICE. Or AN AUTHOR’S RIGHT TO HIS WORK. a (Statement of the case reprinted from the United States Publisher's Weekly.) UDGE MoCALL, of the Supreme Court Special Term, handed down a decision in the suit brought by Basil Jones against the American Law Book Company, to restrain the defendants from publishing an article entitled “Army and Navy,” in the second volume of their “ Cyclopedia of Law and Procedure,” except under the plaintiff's name. It appears that the American Law Book Company of New York City, in order to attract attention to its cyclopadia, caused articles written by young law writers to be  258 nominally “edited” by famous judges and jurists, and then published such articles without giving credit to the real author, but under the name of the distinguished gentleman who looked over the proofs. Judge McCall in effect holds that both usage and inherent right gave an author the right to have his literary production published under no name other than his own. The court’s opinion is as follows: “This is an action on the equity side of the court in which the relief sought is an injunc- tion against the defendant, restraining it from publishing an article entitled ‘Army and Navy,’ found in yol. II. of defendant’s publication entitled ‘Cyclopedia of Law and Procedure,’ except under the plaintiffs name. The said article, it is claimed, was prepared and written by the plaintiff while under contract with the defendant to do work of this precise nature, and the grounds upon which the plaintiff asserts he is entitled to the relief prayed for are: First. That a custom or usage in the publication of law encyclopedias was a part of the contract entered into as between the parties herein, and as such gave plaintiff a contractual right to have his article published under his name. Second. That irrespective of any custom or usage, the right of an author to the public credit of his work and to the publication of his name in con- nection therewith is inherent and resides in him until waived or surrendered. It may be accepted that the right to literary property is as sacred as that of any other species of property, and as has been forcibly said : ‘The rights of authors in respect to their unpublished works have been so frequently and elaborately considered and carefully adjudi- cated by the courts of this country and England, and are now so well understood, that in considering first publications there can be no doubt. The author of a literary work or composition has by law a right to the first publication of it. He has a right to determine whether it shall be published or not, and if published, when, where, by whom and in what form.’ These rights were vouchsafed to authors at common law and statute has in nowise impaired them. What is true as general proposi- tions is not at all altered by the fact that the crea- tion of a man’s genius or mind may have developed while he was in the general employ of another. ‘For a man’s intellectual productions are peculiarly his own, and he will not be deemed to have parted with his right and transferred it to his employer unless a valid agreement to that effect is adduced’ (Boucicault v. Fox, 5 Blatchford, U.S., p. 95). There is nothing in the contract before the court out of which can be spelled any such waiver, It is true that he stipulated that whatever he pro- duced should be submitted to a process of editing, but it would be a wide stretch of the imagination THE AUTHOR. that would work out of that proposition a sale or waiver of his rights to ownership to or credit for the results of his labour. The case is replete with evidence of a custom developed almost into usage of the right of this particular class of writers to have their productions published under their names. This defendant’s published volumes teem with such instances, and this particular author, plaintiff herein, has his first article published under his name. ‘That he wrote a letter of thanks to the representative of the publisher for so doing is rather a proof of his understanding of proprieties, and it would be absurd to treat it as an expression of any views that he was treated in any other manner than he had a perfect right to expect. Some proof has been offered that this particular article is not solely the work of the plaintiff. That may or may not be true, but to protect a person under such circumstances the law does not require thatit = should be his exclusive work. The work maybe ©. the result of the labours of one or many actingin = co-operation. Whatever may be the case, the right = is substantially the same and equally entitled to protection of the court (Z'rench v. Maguire, vol. LY. ei How Pr., p. 479). Upon all the facts I believe the — pat plaintiff has made a complete case and is entitled =~ o to the relief he prays for. Decree and findingst0 © be submitted accordingly.” CoMMENTS. The case quoted has been reprinted from the United States Publisher’s Weekly. It is of com siderable interest to authors on both sides of th water; but we regret to say that the evidence out in the report of the case is meagre and unsatis factory, first, because the actual terms of the con- tract have not been printed, and, secondly, because the evidence adduced in support of the alleged custom has not been quoted. ‘The report, however if we understand it correctly, is of a decisio delivered in a court of first instance, and is pre- sumably subject to review upon appeal, in whicl case we may have the opportunity of reading further discussion of the subject. With regard to the custom, Judge McCall m have had a question of fact only to decide, and may take it that if there was evidence upon wh he could reasonably found his decision as to the court of appeal will not be able to inter with it. The judges in such a case would exp their views upon it, and possibly might hint t their finding would not be the same, but t would not disturb it. The wording of his judgm is rather peculiar. The claim of the plaintiff, he quotes it, is based upon a “ custom or usage the publication of law cyclopwdias.” If by this are to understand that law cyclopzdias stand u a different footing from that of other cyclope literature in the United States, they must be very much more numerous there than they are in this country, or it would hardly be possible to establish the existence of a custom with regard to the signing of the articles in them. In England it would be difficult to assert that a custom existed regulating the publication of law cyclopedias although customs relating to cyclopzedias generally or to the publi- cation of articles with names appended to them might conceivably be proved. Perhaps the most curious “ custom” however, if it can be called one, which the case shows, consists in the publisher employing a lawyer, learned pre- sumably but not famous, to write an article, and then having it read over and edited by a legal luminary, famous, but possibly not learned, and signed by the latter who apparently acquiesces in the arrangement. Whatever effect American cyclopedic enterprise may have had in this country, it has hardly yet, as far as we are aware, arrived at this point. We can imagine an excellent article on Marine Insurance, for example, being written by a young practitioner in the Admiralty Court, but we can hardly picture the President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, or one of the gentlemen who practice within the bar before him, appending his name to it. Honesty, 9%, we hope, would not need the fear of exposure and ridicule to support it in prompting a refusal. That an editor publishing an article with a name attached to it should use the name of the true author of the work is a custom which has nothing _ Surprising about it. We could prove such a usage =) in this country, but it would not be one peculiar to | law cyclopedias. Judge McCall, by the way, talks * of “a custom almost developed into usage,” a distinction of terms which, as far as we are aware, ‘om @ is not recognised in England either in law courts 1 © or in ordinary “usage.” — “s —_-‘ Turning to the portions of the judgment which | 199 seem to deal more exclusively with the legal aspect oi) 1 of the case, the absence of information as to the “09% precise terms in which Mr. Basil Jones contracted With the American Law Book Company leaves us ‘ila little perplexed as to what the finding really is. 200 Does it amount to this, that the author, even if he #/@ sells his copyright, has the absolute right to have | his name appended to his article whether the editor ishes it or not. Apparently Judge McCall so olds, on the strength of the custom which he nds to exist, so that if the editor wished to publish cyclopzedia entirely composed of unsigned articles, € could not do so without the consent of all their authors. This goes along way beyond the right of the author to have no other name but his own am employed. i With regard to the use of another name than hat of the author, should such a case arise in THE AUTHOR. 259 England, we have little doubt that the remedy could be found. Such a deception would be a fraud upon the public; it might be a source of damage to the real author, and it might be a source of damage to the author whose name was used. It certainly would give rise to so much scandal that no publisher could afford to risk the possible discredit and loss attaching to methods such as those described, and no self-respecting editor would condescend to such an artifice in order to attain the doubtless desirable use of a well-known name for advertising purposes. The feelings of the well- known personage, whether lawyer or not, who discovered that his editing of an article entailed his being made known to the world as its author would probably in the first instance be expressed in private, but in plain terms, to the editor. What his feelings would be when he learnt that the transaction was coming into court for review (in the case of a lawyer) before his brother lawyers we can hardly imagine, but certainly the publisher and editor of the cyclopedia would get but scant support from the scandalised celebrity. Many legal writers receive considerable assistance from friends, generally junior to themselves collabo- rating withthem. This, however, is quite a different matter, and in legal text books, as in medical and other professional works, whatever indebtedness there may be to others is always frankly and cordially acknowledged in the preface or otherwise. In conclusion we would warmly congratulate Mr. 3asil Jones upon his success, and recommend the study of the case to the readers of the American Law Book Company’s publications. i 9 LITERARY AGENTS, —t-——+- —- N opinion often expressed, but only in part true, is that a literary agent is invaluable to the man who has made his name, but of very little use to the beginner. Now, asa beginner —one of some years standing, yet still a beginner so far as the English Press is concerned—I am convinced that a literary agent of the proper sort would be of immense assistance both to the writer and to editors. ‘There are many men and women, whose duties take them to the uttermost parts of the world, who, if they keep their eyes and ears open and possess some little skill in the scribbler’s craft, could furnish matter which editors would be glad to take. They are, however, prevented from disposing of their literary wares by their ignorance of the proper market. : The writer who lives in England may acquire,  260 by the judicious expendittire of a few pence weekly at the railway bookstall, a wide and very thorough knowledge of the style of work required by the various monthly and weekly periodicals ; but those whose lives are spent in distant lands may have never heard of the papers most anxious to get the very thing which they are able to produce. Time and money are other and vital considera- tions. A man in China or Peru may write an article on some topic which is of pressing interest at the moment, but if it has to travel to and fro— when each journey means a month’s delay—until it has found its proper goal, the opportunity will have passed and the article be valueless. Now what is required by such a man is an agent who is an expert in the requirements of the monthly and weekly Press, and who for a matter of a couple of shillings, to cover postage, etc., would dispose of short stories and articles short and long, reserving to himself the right to return such as he considers unsaleable (but making no charge beyond actual expenses for doing so), and making his profit out of a percentage on all money received by him from publishers. There may be such agents, but one does not hear much about them, and the little one does sometimes hear is not, to their credit. Yet it appears to me that such a business could be run honestly and yet profitably. Some years ago, at the close of a short visit to England and before returning to my duties many thousand miles away, I applied to several literary agents whose advertisements I had noticed in various literary papers, for I had a small collection of articles and stories which I had written in exile, and I hoped by disposing of them to add materially to an utterly inadequate income. One firm replied that they did not undertake small matter of that description as it was not sufficiently profitable : another offered to buy outright any they approved of at one pound a thousand words, which, if my work was good, meant that they would give one- half of what it was worth, besides which I should never be able to discover my real value in the literary market. A third firm offered to try and dispose of my work for a payment in advance of five pounds for every half-dozen articles or stories, taking no percentage on receipts. This plan appeared to me to offer them no inducement to dispose of my work. Finally I left England without having effected anything and disposed of my manuscripts to papers abroad. The ideal agent for the beginner would be one who would make his profit by taking a percentage on sums received. He would have classified and tabulated the monthly and weekly — periodicals somewhat in this manner. The two main classes would be “illustrated” and “ unillustrated,” and these would be subdivided into sections according THE AUTHOR. to the class of work they require: topical, personal,. anecdotal, religious, philosophical, scientific, and: soon. Further sub-divisions as to style might be necessary, such as short and crisp, solid, humorous, literary, etc. The names of the papers would appear under the class-heads, and a paper might appear under various classes. The heads of the firm could decide in a few minutes, by skimming through the article, which class or classes it would suit, and they would mark it accordingly, say, ‘1 B. 3,” which might mean “ Not illustrated— personal—humorous.”” A clerk could then send it the round of the papers classed under that head. A quick reader could class from fifty to sixty manuscripts a day averaging two thousand words. and worth anything from fifty to a hundred and fifty pounds. Such an agency would supply “a_ long-felt want,” and if some firm of undoubted integrity were to take up such business there can be little- doubt that they would find it immensely profitable: once they became known. “sige range RE Henry FRANCIS. a AUTHORS AND INCOME TAX. += —— N one of the past issues of Zhe Author there = appeared an article under the above heading, —_ 1! containing a case put before counsel for his = opinion by the Committee of Management of the = Society (summarised in the five questions with, — which it concluded) and counsel’s opinion on the case, with a reference to the Act under which income tax is levied, and his answers to those questions. — It is not here the intention to dispute the correctness of counsel’s opinion, but, assuming that,. to show the absurdity and insufficiency of the law in so far as it relates to the levying of income tax. on payments made for literary work, to show what should be the underlying principle which would place the question whether any such. payment should be regarded as capital or income beyond all. doubt, and finally, to suggest that there be intro- duced into any new Copyright Act a definition 0 what constitutes capital and what income payments made for literary. work. ‘According to counsel, all payments, whether fo copyright or “minor” rights, are to be treated 1 exactly the same way; they are all to be lumped together as income from which the expens incurred for the earning thereof are to be deducted in calculating the amount.on which income tax 1 payable. Under “minor” rights. are specifie serial rights, rights of translation, right. of drama: tisation, There is “etc.” added, but it is difficult to conceive what. rights.are.included thereunder. — Taking this as correct, then, the Government regards all payments for literary work, whether for copyright, serial rights, rights of translation or right of dramatisation in one light ; it is all income: thence it follows that, from the Government point of view, there is no such thing as capital in pay- ment for literary work. Now, no one, I think, will dispute that the value of a land freehold is capital. A freehold is a property from which income can be derived from leasing or hiring it out, from letting someone else have the use of it to enjoy or to derive a profit from. Now a literary work, a musical work, a sculpture, a picture, an invention, or any other work of the imagination ig really an intellectual d freehold; and that it is this is acknowledged by the } copyright or patent granted for it as a matter of justice. Every such work is a portion of the domain of the intellect reclaimed for mankind, and, as such, the universal freehold of the person acquiring it (rightly of limited duration). That being the case, it follows that payments for the copyright of literary works are really payments made for the purchase of freeholds, of properties from which profit is expected to be derived from if letting others have the enjoyment of their contents; ij thus, then, the value of an intellectual freehold, a © _ Copyright, is capital as much as is the value of .@ a land freehold. A literary work being an intellectual product, and not immoveable like land, is the author’s freehold for the whole surface of the earth ; his one creation is capable of being dressed in the garb of every nation into which the inhabitants of the earth divide themselves ; but it is still one and the same production, in whatever national garb, #.¢., language, it may be clothed. Therefore, then, an author has, in justice, as many copyrights as there are nationalities. From this it follows that when he sells a right of translation into any language he sells the freehold in one of the other countries than the native one; he sells a copyright which exists because mankind is divided into different nationalities ; and, as he sells a copyright + when selling a right of translation, any payment 1) for a right of translation is also capital. A literary production, besides being capable of changing its dress, is also capable of altering its 6) form without altering its essence; it may be “ist transformed from some other form into a drama, o & or froma drama into some other form. In whatever ‘ig form the work may originally exist, the right of “oe% transforming his own production is as much the ilat right of the originator of the work as is that to it © in its original form ; and, when a literary work is transformed, it is not the original work that is »iialtered on the original site, as would be the case if “7 e8the work were standing on the earth, but the old THE AUTHOR. 261 form is left existing and the new one created without interfering with it. A new portion of Intellectual domain is reclaimed—a new copyright is created. The right of dramatisation, or vice versa, is thus the right to a freehold or copyright, a right from which a profit can be made in an entirely different way from the original form of the work. The right of dramatisation is, in justice, as extensive as the copyright of the work in its original form; it is universal, and carries with it the right of translating the drama into every language. When, therefore, a writer sells the right of dramatisation he sells the right to create a copyright in a new form of hig work, and, that being so, what is paid for the right of dramatisa- tion is also capital. When a writer sells serial rights, whether for one country, one language, or more, he sells the right to use his property in a specific manner or for a. specific period. When that purpose has been carried out, or when that time has elapsed, he has made a profit from having thus sold a limited use of his property, but the freehold or copyright is still his to sell. Having, thus, still in his own possession the copyright, by utilising which only can a profit be made, what he receives for the use of his copyright in the form of serial rights in one or more languages or countries is income and not capital. Tncome tax is a tax upon one’s income, As it is levied yearly, the inference is that it is a tax upon the income obtained during the year for which it is levied. But whether it is go or not, that is what it should be, as it is called income tax and is levied yearly ; and, therefore, the income obtained during any one year should not be taken into consideration in any other year when the assessment for income tax is being made, because one’s income may in- crease or decrease, and an annual income tax can take notice only of the income of the year for which it is levied. The object of an income tax is to be a tax proportional to one’s income, to take cognisance of any increase or decrease therein, so that it may remain proportional, and, therefore, to calculate an annual income tax on a three-year or any other than an annual basis, is not only to depart from the very purpose for which an income taxis levied, but also to make the term a misnomer and what is done under it an act of injustice. In accordance with what is stated above, the questions propounded to counsel should, then, be answered as follows :— : (1) The sum received by an author in respect of a work of which he retains the copyright should, in all cases, be considered as income. (2) The sum received on the sale of a copyright is always to be considered as capital. “A lump payment for such minor [?] rights as serial use, 262 right of translation, dramatisation ”” is income to the extent of that portion of it which is paid for serial rights, whether for one country or the whole world ; the balance, being that portion paid for the right of translation and or of dramatisation, is capital, whether the former includes the right of translation into one language or into more ; the right of dramatisation carries with it the right of translating the drama throughout the world. (3) It can make no difference in an author’s liability to pay income tax in what manner payment is received for the copyright, a right of translation, or the right of dramatisation, whether “ (a) by a lump sum in full discharge ; (6) by a share of the profits ; (c) by a royalty ; (d) by a sum in advance of royalty”; because payment for all these rights is capital. With regard to payment “(e) by a lump sum on sale of serial use to a magazine, periodical, or paper,” it must be divided, as stated above, into payment for serial use, which is income, and payment for any other right or rights, which is capital, income tax being leviable only on the former. (4) An author has (in justice) the right to make deductions for expenses incurred in his literary work “ (a) directly, as railway journeys, purchase of books, purchase of photographs, stationery, typewriting, etc.; (4) indirectly, for rental of portion of his house as office.” (5) The amount received in any one year by an author for his literary work has no right to be calculated on a three-year basis when the assess- ment for income tax is being made. The income tax, being levied yearly, is a tax upon the income obtained during each one year, and, therefore, each year’s income is quite independent, the object of an income tax being the levying of a tax propor- tional to the income. Husert Hazs. —_—_———_-—>——__—_ A NEW MARKET FOR ENGLISH BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS. ee oot ee HE introduction of a postal order service between Russia and England opens a new and a great market for the output of English literature. Till last October it was impossible to send small amounts of money from Russia to England; thus the Tsar’s subjects were obliged to buy books from local booksellers only. ‘There was scant attention paid to the wants of customers, and the vendor had no catalogues of English publications ; the only catalogues obtainable were published by German booksellers, such as Messrs. Brockhaus & Co., of London and Leipzig. Notwithstanding the slight difference in value THE AUTHOR. between a shilling and a German mark—the mark being counted at 50 kopecks (real value 46), and the shilling at 60 kopecks (real value 47)—the six- shilling book was usually sold at 7s. 114d., and it was necessary for the customer to wait a month to obtain his book or to pay an additional 2s. for postage. As for cheap editions, their existence was unknown to the general public on this account. English books being difficult and costly to buy, the Tauchnitz edition of English authors was generally sought for, unless the purchasers could afford to pay the higher price. For this reason” the sale was small. The introduction of the postal order system between Russia and the United States has brought American literature on the market, and such publications as Success, Frank Leslie’s Monthly, Harper's Weekly, Every- body’s, and scores of other magazines may be found everywhere, subscribed for directly by the public through various American agencies. But still much time is lost in transit, and all advertisers are not honest. Some people have given orders to unprincipled -traders, or there has been a difficulty where the Post Office has altered the name in the Postal Order Exchange Office, and after payment was made no books or magazines were sent to the purchaser. ‘This naturally deterred many from giving orders. The Polish and Russian booksellers publish regularly a list of various English magazines, which, notwithstanding the fact that it is issued from rival houses, is practically the same list. : The selection seems to have been compiled by Messrs. George Routledge or their “ Literary Year- Book” editor, and how fanciful is the arrangement | of prices the following extract will show :— Annual Subscription, Roubles. £ 6d. Weeklies— Black and White... ee Oe 2 Country Life on ut 2e 2 Graphic eee oe a. | 20 2 Queen... en os ve) 2 1d, Weeklies— Golden Penny 6°50 0 Tit-bits As ee 6°20 O41 Penny Illustrated ... eee 5:50 0 Good Wordsand Leisure Hour 6:0 0 6d. Magazines— Cassell’s Family | 10°50 1 Family Herald Bee ae 90 0 Pearson’s Mag. ne 6°40 0 Windsor Mag. ve ee 50 0 1s, Magazines— Cornhill a a 9°75 1 Macmillan ... ae oe 9-0 0 2s. 6d. Reviews and Mags.— Blackwood ... <e aed pee 2 Fortnightly ... tae ot ee 2 Nineteenth Century eal 48 2  THE AUTHOR. It is only natural that most people will prefer to pay to Grumiau, Hanson, or any other American agency, 15s. for Country Life than to a Warsaw or St. Petersburg bookseller £2 12s. 1d., or for Pearson’s Magazine 7s. 6d. instead of 19s. 64d. ; and to have the right to buy the best American dollar-and-a-half book post free for 2s. 6/., rather than to give a local bookseller for the same book 8s. to 10s. There are few people in Poland or Russia who can speak English, bus many can read English and understand what they read, and they will seize very gladly an opportunity of buying English books and publications at a reasonable price if they can be sure of receiving them quickly and in proper order, At present publications and books are ordered from London in the following manner :—The Polish or Russian bookseller sends the order to his agent in Leipzig ; he, through Messrs. Brockhaus or any other German house, sends it to London, whence, once a week, the parcel is sent to Leipzig ; but previous to this all the advertisements are torn out by the Germans to save the weight. From Leipzig the agent sends the publications to the bookseller, who receives them at the censor’s office and then posts them to the customer, who thus receives a copy which has already been spoiled by German hands. Should he protest against this destruction of his property, he is told that it was torn at the censor’s office, but this is untrue. Most of the magazines which the censor knows do not contain articles on Russia or of a socialistic or immoral description he will pass without look- ing at. Some years ago a novel by Mr. Max Pemberton, I think in the Pearson or some such magazine, treating of Nihilists, passed the censor’s office, as he did not suspect the magazine would publish a tale dealing with such matters. Of course, The Clarion, Free Russia, J ustice, can under no circumstances pass the censor’s office, and various reviews may often be cut in half by his scissors. Books of the type of “The Woman who Did ” have not always passed under his favour- able criticism, but there are thousands of books with which the censor would not interfere. Now, then, is the opportunity for the introduc- tion of English literature. The literature of France has an enormous sale, not only in book-form, but also as periodicals. It is mostly directly sub- scribed for by customers from Paris, notwithstand- ing the fact that the French books and publications are everywhere on sale, and the price is reasonable, owing tothe competition of a few French booksellers who in Warsaw, St. Petersburg, and other towns, opened shops, and have cut down the price of books. It only remains to state what kind of books are likely to command a sale. 263 First, owing to the large number of English governesses who live not only in Warsaw, but everywhere in the provinces, all kinds of children’s books and publications for the young people of both sexes will meet with a ready sale ; secondly, novels and magazines, especially cheap novels ; then illustrated high-class papers. There is no restaurant or café where you will not find Black and White, the Graphic, or the Illustrated London News, which, with the Cornhill Magazine and Family Herald, are now universally popular. These five publications most probably have a larger sale in Russia than all other publications put together, even including the Review of Reviews. It would be difficult to start an English book- seller’s shop in St. Petersburg or Warsaw, but if a reliable English bookseller would take the trouble to publish a catalogue of well-selected publications and a catalogue of cheap English half-crown and six- penny books, even including in the catalogue scientific or literary books at an expensive figure, and would advertise the list in a few Russian and Polish papers, as Novy Mir, Kraj, Petersburgskye Vedomosty, in St. Petersburg, and Kurjer Warszaw- ski, Slowo, Gazeta Polska, Tygodnik Llustrowany, in Warsaw, in a few weeks he would see a splendid result from his advertisement. Customers would come in large numbers, and notwithstanding that the local booksellers would expect to improve their own trade, he would make a profitable and ever- increasing business. Many French publishers spend a good deal of money in advertisements in Russia every December, and certainly they reap great profits thereby. Now it is a question whether the English booksellers will seize the opportunity or will leave it to the Americans. Before the introduction of the postal order system there was no practical use in advertising, but now the whole position is altered. If English publishers were only to send their catalogues regularly to the principal newspapers and booksellers, or even their publications on commission or approval, as the Germans do to booksellers of standing and repute like Gebethner and Wolf, Wende & Co., J. Fisher, M. Borkowski, and I. Hoesick, in Warsaw, or N. Kimmel in Riga, and M. O. Wolf, Ltd., in St. Petersburg, it would help to a certain extent to push forward the sale of books and publications ; but advertisements in local papers are more likely to serve the purpose, even though the booksellers, a very conservative class, seeing business escaping from their hands, would also try to push their sales for- ward. Austrian or German Poland has no market for French or English books. Few people know English or French, and English governesses are scarce. The introduction of cheap English books  264 on the market would prevent their being adapted, translated into Polish or Russian, and pirated, as is now so often the case. “ ALMAR.” ——_—_—__+—>—_+-—___—__ FOREIGN PRESS-CUTTING AGENCIES. — + USTRIA-HUNGARY. Vienna, Observer, Concordiaplaz. Bupaprst.—Fygielo, 8, Nyar Ut. BreLGrum.—Bruxelles, European Press, 3, Place Royale. DENMARK.—Copenhagen, On Dit, Hobrogade, 13. Francr.—Paris, Le Courrier de la Presse, 21, Boulevard, Montmartre. GrerMANy.—Berlin, Berliner Litterarische Bureau, 127, Wilhelmstrasse, 8.W., 48. Hoiuanp.—Amsterdam, Handels Bureau Marcurius, Steenmeyer et Cie. Iraty.—Milano, Eco della Stampa. Mex1co.— Mexico, Camacho David, 8, Apartado postal, 37. Norway.—Christiania, Norske Argus, 21, Pruss- engade. Russta.—St. Petersburg, Université Populaire, 17, Nadezhdinskaja. Sparn.—Madrid, Prensa de Madrid, 28, Calle de Serrano. Swepen.—Stockholm, Argus, Mille. A. L. Andreson Observator, 5, Hamngaten. SwITzERLAND.—Geneva, Agence de coupures de journeaux, case Stand 57, and Argus Suisse de la Presse, Rue de Mont Blanc. Unrrep States.—New York, American Press Information Bureau, World Building, 61, Park Row. Informatie ———__+—_+____—_- MAGAZINE CONTENTS. + — BOOKMAN. Frederick von Schiller. By Elizabeth Lee. More Wampum. By Y. Y. Book MONTHLY. “To Be Continued,” or The Gentle Art and Craft of Writing Serial Stories. By Ernest Treeton. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. Social Pioneers of Science. By T. H. 8. Escott. A Journey with Sir Walter Scott in 1815. By A. Francis Steuart. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Hans Christian Andersen. By George Brandes. Has the Clock Stopped in Bible Criticism. By the Rev. Canon Cheyne. THE AUTHOR. The New Trend of Russian Thought. By the Count S. C. de Soissons. . Church Reform in Russia: Witte versus Pabedonosteff. By Laicus. The Scientists and Common Sense. By Professor E, Armitage. The Interpretation of Nature. By Professor C. Lloyd Morgan. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. The Real Chrysanthemum. By Ethel M. M. McKenna, The Calling of the Actor. By H. B. Irving. A Valuation of Mr. Stephen Phillips. Wodehouse. Journalism New and Old. By Edward Dicey, C.B. By E. A, Dramatic Thoughts —Retrospective—Anticipative. By Sir Squire Bancroft. A Causerie on Current Continental Literature. By S. W. The Irish University Question. By Stephen Gwynn. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. The So-called Science of Sociology. By H. G. Wells. The State and Secondary Education. By T. J. Mac- namara. “ Mere Technique”: An Answer by Simon Bussy. The Optimism of Browning and Meredith. By A. C, Pigou. Mr. Henry James and His Public. By Desmond MacCarthy. LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE. Sydney Smith. By the Rev. Canon Vaughan, The Demeter of Cnidos. By St. John Lucas. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE, Western Influence on Japanese Character, Moyna. The Quest of the Dactyl. The Fellow Workers of Voltaire : I1I.—Galiani. By 8, J. Tallentyre. By E. G. T. MONTHLY REVIEW. Music as a Factor in Everyday Life. Somervell. Walter Savage Landor. By Walter Sichell NINETEENTH CENTURY. The After Dinner Oratory of America. Crilly. What is the Raison D’Etre of Pictures. By H. Heath- cote Statham. Some Noticeable Books. By Walter Frewen Lord. Church and State in France. By Comte de Castellane. By Daniel PALL MALL MAGAZINE Real Conversations Recorded. By William Archer! J. Churton Collins. TEMPLE BAR. Nine Letters from Edward Fitzgerald to Mrs. Kemble. A God-Daughter of Warren Hastings. Grier. UNIVERSITY REVIEW. The University Movement: Introductory Note. Right Hon. James Bryce. | Shakespeare and Stoicism. By Professor Sonneschien. There are no articles dealing with literary, dramatic oF musical subjects in the Cornhill Magazine or The World's Work. By the << By Arthur By Sydney G. —  THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. oe ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author, (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author, Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this.is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —___+—_+—<>—e —___—_ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. ge N | EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 265 ; 3. There are three forms of dramatic contr: in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This IS unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. ().) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (¢.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are ae? to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (8.) ¢ also in this case. aide 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights’ can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7, Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘’hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10, An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative : that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11, An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. act for plays ——____ + WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. eps ITYLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  266 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. o> — HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. —_e I. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) T'o enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This The 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. > HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. o—~D> THE READING BRANCH. —e EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach, ‘he term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. <> NOTICES. ge HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. > The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. OO LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. a ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can — be obtained from this society. : Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance _ Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C,  THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. —— 4 HE Manchester Guardian has paid the society the compliment of writing a leader upon it on the occasion of its twenty-first birthday. The article is not merely laudatory, but shows an accurate grasp of the work that the society undertakes. It says: “The Society of Authors is more akin to a Trade Union. It aims at dealing with all questions affecting literary property, either as regards copyright or the commercial relation between authors and publishers.” This article has roused some remarks from a contributor to The Sphere, who writes over the initials “C. K.8.” With his expressed opinion on Mr. Kipling or Mr. Barrie’s work, however erroneous, we do not desire to deal, nor with his suggestion that literature is divorced from the drama ; but the following paragraph needs some explanation : ‘When Sir Walter Besant spoke of literature he really only thought of fiction, which is the least important factor of our literature to-day. Our best literature, our poetry— which the illiterate man in the street calls ‘‘ minor” because he thinks that Tennyson was the last of the poets—our history, our biography, and our criticism are none of them helped in the least by the Society of Authors or by the literary agent. The opening statement is entirely erroneous, as anyone who was an intimate friend of Sir Walter’s for many years could readily have informed the writer. But the latter part of the paragraph is altogether misleading, and, taking the mildest view, shows an absolute ignorance of the work of the Society. As a writer in The Academy phrases it when dealing with the matter : “Tt is no part of the functions of the Society of Authors to ‘help literature,’ whether good, bad, or indifferent. It exists to define and protect literary property, which is quite another matter. Does the writer mean that the Society refuses to admit poets, biographers, and critics to membership? Or that it takes the guineas of poets, biographers, and critics, but denies to them privileges which it accords to its other members? Or what does he mean? We have a strong suspicion that he has been : > é ; using at random words which mean nothing at all.’ But a further point: biographers, poets, essayists, critics, historians, all make contracts for the pub- lication of their works either with editors or publishers. It is of the utmost importance, since, according to the view of “0. K.8.,” they cannot make money by their work, that they should lose as little as possible. To attain thisend the Society can and does give most valuable assistance. But consider for a moment, is this statement of the commercial value true? Surely in a great many cases it is utterly untrue, although it may be for the benefit of both publishers and editors to persuade these biographers, poets, and critics that their labours must be financially unsuccessful. 267 Ir appears that a question has been raised in Italy concerning the reproduction of music by gramophones and phonographs. The information before us shows that such reproduction has been held not to be an infringement of copyright. France, we know—always the most forward country where copyright legislation is concerned — has held such reproductions to be an infringement of copyright. The English Courts have held that the stamped cylinder was not an infringement of copyright ; but, surely, the reproduction of music by this means, as we have pointed out in Zhe Author on former occasions, is an infringement of performing rights. Unfortunately, owing to the lax way in which music composers deal with their performing rights and owing to the control which publishers have obtained over musical property, these rights are seldom turned to account. Thereby much valuable property is lost. The matter is one of serious importance, when we take into consideration the fact that composers in England are unable, as a general rule, to live by the product of their compositions only, but are bound to teach or obtain some other appointment in order to gain a livelihood. Publishers have sneered at the French method of collecting royalties on performing rights. This is not surprising to those who have knowledge of the method by which they obtain control of the composer’s property in England and the means they use to market the same. We have received an interesting and amusing letter from the manager of one of the leading music-publishing houses in London, whose ire has been roused by the article that appeared in the last issue of Zhe Author. ‘The publisher sets out in glowing language what he and other publishers have done for composers in the matter of securing sound copyright legislation. It is very interesting to see the trade posing as the saviour of the com- poser. This will deceive no one who has any knowledge of music publishing. The composers at the present time are in a much worse way than the authors. As a matter of fact, there are very few in a position to make, and there is no combina- tion strong enough to insist on the making of agreements which will prevent the copyright and performing rights being transferred to the pub- lishers. In consequence, all these statements about the energetic and generous action of the publishers are not for the benefit of the composers, but for the benefit of the trade. Our correspondent concludes his letter by saying ‘‘ we have been fighting for the cause of copyright alone and unaided for five years, consequently we are unable to feel the respect and veneration for Mr. Algernon Sidney’s  268 Society of Authors which we might otherwise have oeen disposed to entertain.” As we have already pointed out, this struggle for reasonable copyright legislation is at present for the benefit of publishers only, to enable themselves to market and safeguard their own property. It is clear that our correspondent, though he may have some knowledge of his own business, is in woeful ignorance of the methods of the society, of what it has done and is willing to do for composers. Composers should strike at the root of the evil. At the present time it is not so much a matter of importance to them that these works, the outcome of their brains, in the possession of the publisher, should be protected for the benefit of the publisher, as that they should strive for better agreements and for more effective control and management of their own property. If they obtained this, then the copyright question would be to them one worth fighting for, and the society is anxious to show them what methods they should employ in order to obtain a more satisfactory position. We must take it as a compliment, therefore, that our correspondent is unable to feel respect and veneration for the Society or its work. This expression of opinion was frequently in the mouths of the book publishers when the Society was first started. Music publication has to pass through the same phase of evolution. A RATHER curious case of re-issue has come under our notice. Hight or nine years ago Sir Herbert Maxwell and Mr. F. G. Aflalo jointly edited half a dozen volumes for Messrs. Lawrence and Bullen, under the name of ‘ The Anglers’ Library.” After the reconstruction of that firm, Mr. Bullen, it appears, sold the rights in the library to Messrs. Routledge, who are reissuing it in a new binding and at a lower price than originally. Neither of the editors has in any way resented this, but the transaction is somewhat complicated by the fact that the Press has with one accord accepted these as entirely new books, apparently forgetting that they reviewed the originals (not a line having been altered) many years ago. ‘This, in the case of technical books, in which the very latest information is always desirable, might have two results equally distressing to the original editors and contributors. In the first place, the angling public might think itself hoodwinked into. buying old books as new. In the second, the angling writers who contributed to this library may justly deprecate their stale information of nine years ago being reviewed as if it had been written within the year. Such results would obviously be grossly unfair to the editors, who had no intimation of the proposed re-issue. THE AUTHOR. THE COMING OF AGE. —-— + Tue Soctety’s Work. a twenty-first anniversary of the incorpora- tion of the Society of Authors takes place on June 30th. It is not unfitting, therefore, that at its coming of age, a short retrospect of its aims and the work that it has done should be placed before the present members. The first meeting recorded in the books took place at a private house in Kensington on the 28th day of September, 1883, where the following gentlemen assembled with a view to making arrangements for its foundation. Sir Walter Besant (then Mr. Walter Besant), in the chair, Ulick Ralph Burke, A. Egmont Hake, Prof. Fleeming Jenkin, the Rev. W. J. Loftie, Wilfrid Meynell, 8S. G. C. Middlemore, J. Henry Middleton, Walter Herries Pollock, W. R. S. Ralston, W. Baptiste Scoones. Tristram Valentine acted as honorary secretary. The next recorded meeting occurred on the 18th day of February, 1884, in a room lent by Mr. Baptiste Scoones, and at that meeting, the first real meeting of the society, sixty-eight members were elected. In May of the same year Lord Tennyson accepted the presidency of the society, and Sir Walter Besant was elected chairman of the committee. In those days the society was composed of a president, vice-presidents, fellows and associates. This arrangement, under the present constitution, has been varied. There is a president and council, members and associates. The managing committee is elected from the members of the council, and in the hands of the managing committee the work of the society lies. The following is the first list of vice-presidents, which was afterwards much enlarged : R. D. Blackmore, Lord Crewe, R. G. Egerton- Warburton, F.S.A., Prof. Michael Foster, General Sir Frederick F. Goldsmid, His Eminence Cardinal Manning, Hon. Sir Henry Parkes, Sir William Frederick Pollock, Charles Reade, George Augustus Sala, Sir Henry Thompson, Canon Tristram, The Rev. Henry White and Miss Charlotte M. Yonge. — So that from the very first, with Lord Tennyson as president “and a representative list of the vice- presidents, the society reveived the substantial support of the literary profession. One of the first matters to engage the attention of the committee was the draft of a Memorandum and Articles of Association. When this was settled a Board of Trade licence under the Companies’ Acts was procured. The incorporation took place, as y  THE AUTHOR. already stated, on the 30th of June, 1884. In the same year the Lord Mayor of London (Sir Robert Fowler) invited the infant society to dinner at the Mansion House. In the early days of the society, meetings were held every week in order to get the work into shape, but it was soon found that weekly meetings were unnecessary. Since then, the committee have been called together once a month except in cases demanding immediate action, when they have met more frequently. On the death of the first president, Lord Tennyson, Mr. George Meredith was elected to fill the position, which he still occupies. Sir Walter Besant as the first chairman of the com- mittee was succeeded by Sir Frederick Pollock, father of the present baronet. Sir Frederick Pollock resigned the position in January 1888, and Sir Walter Besant was re-elected and held the post till November 1892. At that date he resigned with the full idea that the society was then able to stand by itself, and in order that those who desired to detract from the society’s work, might not, as was constantly their custom, state that the society was Besant’s Society. On his retirement, and till his death, Sir Walter Besant continued to act as Editor of The Author, and was aconstant attendant at the committee meetings, giving in both capacities a great deal of his valuable time to the general welfare. Sir Frederick Pollock, the present baronet, succeeded Sir Walter Besant. Then followed Sir Martin Conway, H. Rider Haggard, Anthony Hope Hawkins, Douglas Freshfield, and lastly, Sir Henry Bergne. These are the names of those who have so unselfishly given both time and money to help their follow workers, and to protect the property of their fellow authors. No one can appreciate how heavy and laborious is the work of chairman of the com- mittee, except those who have gone through the mill. Members of the committee may find the work a serious call on their time, but the comparison is as the chastisement with whips to the chastisement inflicted with scorpions. Dramatic authors and writers of books on all subjects, technical as well as essentially literary, were included as the first members of the society. The Memorandum and Articles of Association, how- ever, were drafted on wider lines in order to give the society scope—in the event of its success—for the protection of other kinds of copyright property. Since those early days its field has been somewhat widened. Now it deals with the works of musical composers and musical copyright, also artistic copy- right so far as refers to the illustration of books, for the artistic copyright of book illustrators is very closely joined to literary copyright. At present, 269 therefore, the society embraces four distinct classes, dramatic authors, authors of books, musical com- posers, and book illustrators. In the early days of the society, according to the old records, it appears that the committee were immediately overwhelmed with work, for many complaints were forthcoming, and much discontent was abroad, the copyright laws also were in a dis- graceful condition. There were many claims on the resources of the society, which at that time were very limited. In fact, in order to fight one or two actions, a special subscription was pro- posed, to which the members willingly con- tributed. Once or twice the balance at the bank ran perilously low. But the founders never despaired of the society’s ultimate success. To relate the early struggles of the society is not the purport of the present article. The record of unselfish labour on its behalf undertaken by many men of letters, and especially by Sir Walter Besant, is long. Instances of financial support, in addition to valuable time, freely and generously given, were many. To show in what manner and with what success the society has exerted itself to carry into effect the purposes of its original programme is the more immediate purpose of this paper. And here it may be convenient to record first what has been done for the consolidation and amendment of the law of domestic copyright and for the promotion of international copyright. The question of American copyright was one of the first to occupy the attention of the society. From the moment of its foundation the society threw all its weight and influence (by no means so great then as now) into obtaining a friendly understanding with American authors, and those other Americans who were interested in the passing of an equitable copyright law. New copyright legislation was obtained in America in 1891. As everyone knows, this law leaves much to be desired. ‘The society is still in constant touch with the promoters of equitable legislation in the United States, and will avail itself of every oppor- tunity to obtain a more generous legislation. To proceed with caution is, however, necessary. A false move might prove fatal. In the direction of the consolidation of domestic copyright, the society has been able to act more directly, and with important results. There existed no difference of opinion as to the unsatis- factory state of the law, and no need for hesitation. A copyright committee was appointed ; numerous meetings were held; other bodies interested in copyright were consulted, and finally a new copy- right law was drafted under counsel’s care. This was a full consolidating and amending bill, dealing with copyright property, literary, dramatic, artistic  270 and musical. To bring it before Parliament ultimately proved impossible, but it was found useful to have such a bill ready. Subsequent events have, it is true, demonstrated this bill to have been cumbersome and inadequate. The action of the society was, however, at the time sound, and beneficial to authors. In 1891, after the passing of the new United States law, the society found itself in a position to take a further step. Lord Monkswell brought forward a bill that had been drafted by the society. This bill reached a second reading in the House of Lords, but was not taken further. In 1896, a new copyright law committee was formed. This com- mittee, persuaded that the time for a consolidating Act had not yet arrived, decided to draft a small amending Dilf. This bill was drafted by counsel, and was, after much expense and labour, agreed upon in its final shape. Of this bill Lord Monkswell, always indefatig- able in questions of copyright, and ever willing to assist the efforts of the society, took charge. The pill passed its third reading in the House of Lords on the 23rd of July, 1897. In the autumn of the same year a consolidating bill was brought forward by the Copyright Association. The latter bill and the bill of the society ran concurrently at the beginning of 1898. Finally, however, the whole question was taken up upon a new basis. A bill was drafted by Lord Thring separating literary from artistic copyright. This bill was carefully studied by the members of the Copyright and Dramatic Committees of the society, and a number of valuable suggestions regarding it were offered, and the bill passed through the House of Lords. It was also adopted by the Government, but was finally put aside. In 1900, owing no doubt, in a great measure, to the persistent action of the society, the Government made a public declaration of an intention to take up the question of copy- right. It must be added with regret that since this declaration nothing in the shape of a draft bill has appeared from the Government offices, but the above record will suffice to show how perseveringly the society has laboured for the amelioration of domestic copyright. It need hardly be said that the expenses have been heavy, whilst the members of the committee and others have generously made ungrudging sacrifices in order to forward the interests of their fellows of the craft. Colonial copyright has, during the same period, presented serious difficulties. In this direction the importance of the society’s action can hardly be over-estimated. The committee of the society were the first body to perceive that the colonial position formed one of the chief impediments in the way of new copyright legislation on the part To put the matter on a more of the Government, THE AUTHOR. satisfactory basis became immediately one of the society's foremost aims. At one time Mr, Hall Caine was appointed delegate of the society during a visit which he paid to Canada. Subsequently, in 1899, the secretary of the society visited the Dominion. The persevering efforts of the society to solve the complex difficulties which existed were rewarded with some success when the Canadian Parliament in 1900 passed an Act embodying the ideas for which the society had been so long contending. Respecting international copyright, it may suffice to say that all its bearings, ramifications, and modifications have the society’s constant attention, and only last year the society endea- voured to obtain the accession of another country, Roumania, to the convention. The society is in touch with those interested in copyright property in France, Germany, Italy and other countries. All changes in the domestic or international copyright laws of different countries are carefully watched both from the domestic and international point of view. The information at the society’s disposal is kept strictly up to date, and everything of importance is duly chronicled in the pages of Zhe Author. To sum up, the society has done everything that it is possible to do in the way of procuring more liberal legislation in America. It has helped to bring about satisfactory legislation in Canada. Its perseverance has forced the question of the improvement of domestic legislation upon the English Government, and it is in constant touch with other countries on all questions relating to international copyright. On these grounds alone the society has a right to claim that such results merit the support of all members of the literary profession. The next point demanding consideration is what the society has done to maintain, define, and bela literary, dramatic, and musical property at 10me. It has, in the first place, published technical works on a number of questions of primary import- ance to authors. These works contain accurate information previously nowhere to be found. During the earlier years of the society’s existence, much time was devoted to the collection and due arrangement of a mass of statistics now embodied in these works. The publication of these books though a small undertaking when compared with the more important enterprises in which the society has been engaged, is one of serious moment to authors. Sir Walter Besant was the soul of this department of the society’s work. His time and labour were given without hesitation, and without prospect of return. His practical mind grasped and his mathematical talent enabled him to make  THE AUTHOR. plain what particulars were to be investigated, and how the results of the investigations could be lucidly presented. In both he was ably seconded by Mr. Squire Sprigge, whose name is associated with “The Cost of Production” and “Methods of Publication.” As copyright law is one of the most intricate and difficult laws to elucidate, so copyright property is one of the most difficult proper- ties to market to the best advantage. In conse- quence, members of the society are constantly seeking advice and assistance. The record of the reports for the past ten or fifteen years will show the enormons amount of money the society has spent in legal advice year by year, its annual bill with its solicitors amounting to about £300. The assistance the society must have given by this expenditure is easily gauged. The excellence of its solicitors, owing to constant practice in the special subject, must also be of very great benefit to the members. We should like to point out as an obifer dictum that all writers, dramatists, composers who are not members of the society, should hasten to join when they see a statement of this kind, for every legal opinion taken, every case fought, must benefit them as a body and bring them, indirectly, assistance. It is not fair, therefore, that they should increase their income from the subscriptions of their more generous fellow-craftsmen. An ordinary opinion upon an agreement would cost a writer from one guinea to three guineas. To obtain such an opinion is one of the commonest ways by which members make use of the society. A member can obtain opinions on as many agree- ments as he likes during the year for the fee of £1 1s. only, in addition to any other legal advice he may require on copyright questions. The benefit that must accrue to the member is clear, therefore, from this most sordid point of view. It would have been unnecessary to touch upon this point had it not been so frequently overlooked. The society has also, on several occasions, obtained opinions from counsel at great expense, and the record of the cases taken in hand during the past four years is as follows :— I. EL IT. 1901. 102 cases: 4 County Court. 5 High Court, 1902. 146 cases: 10 County Court. 8 High Court. 1903. 127 cases: 9 County Court. 4 High Court. 1904. 112 cases: 8 High Court, 6 High Court. No. 1 refers to those cases and disputes, in which the Secretary acts as between a member and the editor, publisher, or other delinquent ; No. 2 to those cases taken through the County Court ; No. 3 to High Court cases. Besides this list, again, there are many matters which, placed in the hands of the society’s solicitors, 271 are settled without being brought into Court—in fact, it may be stated that out of three cases placed in the solicitors’ hands for settlement only one will go to trial. It is not to the advantage of a trade defendant to obtain the publicity of a court of law. : _This record then may, on the whole, be con- sidered an honourable record of the society in carrying on the work of its founders. The society has been accused of being a bitter enemy to pub- lishers, editors and others. This, as Sir Walter Besant so often repeated, is not really the case ; but the members of the society when they have got a case which should be fought must be prepared to fight it, as the very vitality of the society must lie in its fighting strength. The general knowledge of this fact is the surest means of obtaining satis- faction for the author and fair dealing from the publisher. It is possible that at no distant date the time may arrive when the society will have no need to put this quality into practice; but although the society numbers fully 1,600 members, it is still far from the ideal laid before it by Sir Walter Besant and those others interested. It should have a membership of at least 3,000, and in proportion as. the society becomes more and more the association of all British authors and copyright holders, the more rapidly will it be able to accomplish the objects which it has set before itself. oe gg ge THE ANNUAL DINNER. Oe ‘ PFVYE annual dinner of the Incorporated Society of Authors took place on Tuesday, May 16th, at the Hotel Cecil, more than a hundred and fifty members and guests being present. The fact that the society was completing the twenty-first year since its incorporation, and was consequently celebrating its coming of age, added special interest to the occasion, and was a subject of frequent allusion in the speeches. These followed closely upon the conclusion of the last course, when the chairman, Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., proposed briefly the usual loyal toasts, followed by the permission to smoke, of which many of those present, not exclusively male members of the company, proceeded to avail themselves. In proposing the toast of the Incorporated Society of Authors, the chairman made reference to the twenty-one years which had elapsed since Sir Walter Besant had founded it, and inaugu- rated the policy afterwards followed during his lifetime and since his regretted death. In dealing with the objects of the society and indicating the  272 extent and manner in which these were being carried out, Sir Henry Bergne spoke first of the defence of literary property, conducted by the society throughout its existence. A defence which members were aware could be effected far better by combination and co-operation than by the isolated efforts of individuals. In carrying out this defence of literary property, the society had been taken in one of its actions to the House of Lords, with the result that at least a doubtful point of law had been settled. Secondly, in the Amendment and Consolidation of the Domestic Law of Copyright, the society had made and was continuing to make efforts on behalf of authors, and if not much had been actually achieved, a bill had been drafted, and the amendment of the existing law had been promised in a Speech from the Throne. Further progress, however, had been delayed by the difficulty of combining domestic with colonial law upon the subject. Possibly the best mode of dealing with that difficulty might lie in cordial consultation and co-operation with the great self-governing Colonies on the subject of Copyright, and he was not without hope that some progress in that direction might shortly be made. The first Government to succeed in passing a satisfactory Copyright Act would earn the lasting gratitude of authors. In the promotion of Inter- national Copyright, satisfactory advance had been made. Since the foundation of the society the International Copyright Convention of Berne and the additional Act of Paris had been signed, and a separate Convention concluded with Austria- Hungary. In speaking of this the chairman referred to the recent accession of Japan to the International Copyright Union. With regard to the recognition of the rights of British authors in America, good progress had also been made. This made a really good record in regard to International Copyright. Sir Henry Bergne expressed cordial appreciation of the co-operation and assistance of the Copyright Association, saying that wisdom, like water, took the form of the vessel into which it was poured, and that if, indeed, the wisdom of the Society of Authors differed sometimes in form from that of the Copyright Association it was at least certain that the endeavour of both societies had been directed to protect all the legal rights of intellectual property. He called attention, while upon this topic, to the presence of Mr. John Murray, who was seated near him on his right, and paid a ‘tribute of regret to the memory of Mr. John Daldy. In conclusion, he urged that the society had much left to do; and he specified three main objects for its efforts, namely : first, the securing of domestie copyright legislation ; second, the -obtaining of a more satisfactory position for authors with regard to their rights in the United States ; THE AUTHOR. and third, the obtaining of fresh accessions to the International Copyright Union. After the toast of the society had been duly honoured, Sir A. Conan Doyle, replying in a vigorous speech, expressed his regret that Sir Walter Besant had not survived to see the coming of age of the society, which in its younger days had had so much opposition to face and so few friends. It had ever fought the cause of the weaker brother against the oppressor, or still more so, that of the weaker sister. It had not, however, as some might think, to protect the fool from his folly, because the fool was so self-satisfied a person that he felt no desire to be enrolled as a member ; it was rather for the assistance of those handicapped by want of experience that the society existed. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle desired to say no word against publishers as a class, but referred to them as a profession, for which no qualification or licence was required before admission, and alluded humorously to the popularity due to Napoleon among authors for having once had a German publisher shot. In conclusion, he referred to the fact that all classes of writers were benefited by the society’s efforts, and appealed to members to support the pension fund. Mr. Egerton Castle next rose to propose the health of the “ Guests of the Society,” comparing them to the friends and neighbours assembled to do honour to a promising youth attaining his majority. He contrasted the position of author- ship in modern days with that which it once occupied, and referred to the man of intellect as recognising, in the words of Sheffield, that “Of all the arts in which the wise excel, Nature’s chief masterpiece is writing well.” Among the guests Mr. Castle first made reference to Sir Richard Henn Collins, the Master of the Rolls, whom he described as a ripe classical scholar, holder of every high university honour, chairman of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, arbitra- tor on the Venezuelan Boundary Commission, and the editor of “Smith’s Leading Cases,” with which he, Mr. Castle, confessed himself only acquainted in the metrical form known as “ Leading Cases done into English,” by Sir Frederick Pollock. Enumerating other distinguished men present, Mr. Egerton Castle named Mr. Fletcher Moul- ton, K.C., M.P., who, he said, had been defined as a rare example of the mathematical mind triumphant, and to whose connection with patent law, a kindred subject to copyright, he made special reference ; he also called attention to the presence of Mr. John Tweedy, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons ; of Sir Henry Howorth, K.C.1.E., whom he described as <P  5 THE AUTHOR. 273 an antiquary, a lawyer, a politician, and a dis- tinguished raconteur; of Mr. John Murray, the representative of the fourth generation of the great publishing house, a fifth generation of which, he mentioned, was now growing up. Mr. Castle referred to Mr. Murray as himself a scholar, a man of the highest culture, a past president of the Publisher’s Association, and a man of letters, and observed that no doubt many present would grate- fully acknowledge the invaluable intellectual help which he always so generously afforded to authors in the production of their books ; if all firms of publishers, he added, resembled that of John Murray in their methods, there would never have arisen any need for a Society of Authors. Among foreign guests by whose presence the society was honoured, Mr. Castle named Monsieur E. Pettileau, representing the Société des gens de Lettres, which suggested and formed the model upon which the Society of Authors was founded, and Mr. Hugenet, editor of La Chronique, the only French paper published in London, an instructor at Greenwich Naval College, an officer, a journalist, anda novelist. To the presence of these two gentle- men he referred as a contribution by the Society of Authors to the promotion of the entente cordiale destined to have such lasting and beneficent effect upon the peaceful progress of the world. Sir Richard Henn Collins, in replying on behalf of the guests, declared that he found it difficult not only to represent those whose distinguished names had been enumerated, but also to distinguish the large number of other guests unnamed among those present, and to do this without consultation and without hope of remuneration and reward, His real difficulty, however, lay, he said, not in voicing the thanks of his male guests, but of the ladies also. He humorously described himself as deeply impressed by the collective power of author- ship around him, which he averred inspired him with a sense of awe, and made him feel that the guests should have been provided at the door with slippers like worshippers entering a mosque. For the large output of printed matter for which judges were mainly responsible he disclaimed the title of “ literature,” but he was able to assert that judges and lawyers were much addicted to the study of novels. With regard to these he described the domain of fiction as having been conquered by lady novelists, who now no longer should be described, as they had been by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as the “ weaker sisters.” On the contrary he himself would predict that some day men would adopt feminine pseudonyms when publishing novels. He congratulated the society upon its attitude towards litigation and upon the satisfac- tion with which it viewed having obtained a binding decision in the House of Lords. Mr. A. W. A’Beckett, in conclusion, proposed the health of the chairman, and alluding to his own position as acting chairman of the committee of management, declared that with Sir Henry Bergne it had become a sinecure, as the chairman was never away. He also referred to the changed position of modern journalism in relation to litera- ture, making special allusion to distinguished literary men, members of the society, who were also journalists. The day was past when journalism could be described as the Cinderella of literature or as the grave of literary ambition. After the health ofthe chairman had been drunk with enthusiasm, and Sir Henry Bergne had briefly replied, an adjournment was made to another room, where the rest of the evening was spent. —_—_—t_—e— SOME REFLECTIONS ON CRITICISM. DES e VERY now and then—perhaps twice in the year—lI have noticed that the magazines and papers take it into their heads to dis- cuss the art and practice of reviewing. For some abstruse reason the public is supposed to enjoy these dissertations. Possibly, in the interests of fair play, they like to see the critics subjected to a taste of that discipline which they mete out to others : possibly, too, they enjoy getting a glimpse of the inner workings of journalism. I find, in most of these articles, a consensus of opinion as to the uselessness of Press notices (which 1s somewhat disturbing), and an equally strong conviction that the British public cannot do without its daily allotment of criticism (which is reassuring). For my own part, I like reading reviews. When I pick up a daily paper I generally turn to them as soon as I have satisfied myself that nothing very startling has happened in the world of politics or of sport. But then it must be admitted that I do not suffer myself to be influenced by what I read—to any great extent. [ have given up buying modern books: I do not even belong to a circulating library; but I probably read as many new novels in the course of the year as most people. The fact is—to be quite candid —I am myself one of the despised band of critics ; which may, or may not, make my opinion the more valuable on some disputed points. As a guide to purchasers, I dare say that reviews are useful enough. As a means of inducing the general public to buy, I believe them to be prac- tically useless. If we suppose that a man has already made up his mind to form a library of modern writers, it is conceivable that a good review might induce him to add a certain book to his collection ; but there are few indeed who are bitten with this mania. The mass of readers have to be  274 bullied, so to speak, into buying a book—they must run up against the name at every turn until it strikes them with an air of familiarity ; in most cases, even then, they will content themselves with borrowing the work from a more generous neigh- bour. Of course, I will allow that there may still be a considerable number who order books from their libraries on the strength of a flattering notice that happens to catch their eye, but these are chiefly ladies, exiled in the country, and the books they look for are lives of eminent men, reminis- cences (with plenty of anecdote), or, more rarely, a novel by some favourite author. It is very seldom indeed that they can be induced to venture upon a work by a new hand. Probably a series of favourable reviews (say even as many as twenty) scattered among what are generally considered the best papers, would not sell more than a very small edition of a new book by an unknown writer. The case of well-known authors is different. So long as the fact of their having produced a new work is given sufficient prominence, it matters little to their sales whether the reviews are good or bad. And as theirs are the only books (except in the rarest instances) that ever receive notices of a really useful length in any important paper, it must be admitted that reviewing does not exercise so great an influence, either for good or evil, upon an author’s career, as the world is apt to suppose. * I am speaking here of reviews properly so called —that is to say, reviews of a reasonable length, which may be defined as something over half a column in most papers. I suppose everyone is agreed that the short notices so liberally scattered about in many journals are almost entirely worth- less, except possibly for the purpose of quotation in publishers’ advertisements. Here, with the aid of judicious /acune, they often make a brave show enough. But in their original position they are not much regarded. In the eye of the public a short notice is evidence of mediocrity, at the best ; and, be it never so laudatory, it cannot hope to attract more than one or two casual purchasers. Not many people read these cursory comments at all: the few who do (with the exception of the author himself and the friends to whom he proudly displays them) read them merely in the hope of finding a touch of smart sarcasm. They are not infrequently well repaid for their trouble. Some- times it is possible to put quite a lot of venom into a few lines ; and when a hard-worked reviewer takes up a volume towards the end of a long day’s work, and finds himself with very little space to spare, this method certainly gives a quick and satisfactory finish to his labours. Many worthy books suffer because of the sins of their forerunners. And it is always easier to blame than to praise— when space is at a premium. THE AUTHOR. If short notices were entirely abolished, it is possible that good reviews might be of some value to the struggling author. But that would mean, of course, immensely increased labour in the matter of selection. As things stand, even now, the process of weeding out unworthy books is an extremely difficult one : it would become formid- able indeed (to a conscientious man) if a second and a third revision had to be undertaken in addition to the first. And then, there is always the personal equation of the selector to be con- sidered. Who is to attempt the ungrateful task ? Is the editor to go through the vanloads of new volumes delivered at his office personally, in order to separate the tares from the wheat, or is he to delegate this work to the reviewers themselves ? It is certain that very few editors could find time for this extra labour, in itself sufficient to occupy an able-bodied man pretty thoroughly. In most cases, at present, some member of the editorial staff settles, approximately, the amount of space to be allotted to each volume; but his ruling is commonly determined by matters quite foreign to the merit of the book submitted to him. Probably he is very much pressed for time ; he has a thousand other things to occupy his attention, and a very cursory glance at a new book has to determine its fate. If by an unknown writer, there must generally be something out of the common in its scheme, or it must bear the imprint of a good publishing house, in order to gain admission to his list at all. Sometimes, however, the reviewer has to do his own weeding. A parcel is sent out to him, with instructions to notice only such books as are worthy of remark. This practice, I have always thought, is alittle bit rough upon the reviewer, who feels the weight of added responsibility, and, in addition, is only too well aware that he is paid by the column. If he reads a book carefully from start to finish, and reluctantly finds it unworthy of discussion, he has an unpleasant feeling that he has wasted his time. Besides, it is undeniably easier to review a thoroughly bad book than a moderately good one. Most men, I fancy, enjoy writing a really severe critique, when they can assure themselves of the justice of their cause. I make no doubt that Macaulay enjoyed composing his onslaught on ‘Satan’ Montgomery more than his other contri- butions to the Edinburgh Review. Similarly, there is a certain gusto in Lowell's attack on Pro- fessor Masson’s ‘“ Milton,” which differentiates it, pleasantly enough, from his essay on Keats. Most reviewers, if they got the chance, would take the brightest and the dullest of their batch, and leave those that do not seem particularly interesting at first sight. This would be well enough, no doubt, from the reader’s point of view, but hardly from the  THER AUTHOR. 275 author’s. The brightest does not always mean the best. There is such a thing as solid worth, and it is not always very fascinating on a casual acquaintance. 1 apologise for uttering a commonplace when I say that the chief agent of the booksellers is the talkative lady who advises her friends to get the last book that has happened to catch her fancy. Conversation is the great factor in popularity, to an author; if he can get himself talked about at afternoon teas he is not far from success. It sounds degrading, but it is none the less true. And for that reason I take it that personal paragraphs are of more value to him than the best reviews. Somehow or other he must contrive to get his name known. When you come to consider it, sell- ing books is very much like selling mustard, or cocoa, or any other of the luxuries (or necessaries) of life. The public goes to the name it has heard of before ; and the oftener that name is repeated in the Press (in any connection or phrase) so much the better for its owner. It is true that authors do not, as yet, employ all the methods of advertise- ment used by manufacturers of soap and pickles. They say it would be beneath the dignity of a noble profession. But time will show. Methods of attracting attention have been used lately that would have astonished our fathers considerably ; it is not improbable that the hoardings of the future will be covered with pictorial recommendations to buy the immortal works of our descendants. <A few of the bolder spirits have inaugurated this new departure already. I am reluctant to enter into a debate here as to the competency, or the conscientiousness, of reviewers. Perhaps | am not altogether an unbiased critic of the tribe, and my opinion may not be worth much, but I will state my conviction that the common book-reviewer generally knows quite as much of his business as the musical and artistic critics do of theirs. This may not be a fulsome compliment, but it would not become me to say more. As to his conscientiousness, I believe him, in the main, to be sufficiently honest. “Log-rolling,” about which we used to hear so much some years since, is a moribund form of amusement, if not actually extinct. Frankly, I do not suppose that there were ever many reviewers who conspired together, of malice prepense, to puff each other’s wares. But, obviously, the per- sonal element must play its part in reviewing, as in other things. You may say that a critic should strenuously refuse to receive a book for review that chanced to be written by any personal friend—still more by an enemy—of his own. I can only reply that such a critic would have to live a very secluded life, or else to be content with very little work. Of course, most men will try to say something nice about a friend’s book—unless it is very bad : per- haps some of the less conscientious among us will even impart a trifle of personal animosity into a critique of an enemy’s book—especially if it be very good. But I fancy that there are not many critics who suffer their judgment to be warped to any great degree in this latter direction. We err, if at all, rather in the direction of undue kindliness. The critic is no longer the author’s natural enemy, as he was in the days of Pope, and Swift, and Sterne—who were never tired of having a fling at that “‘ most tormenting form of cant.” It is seldom now that you shall see an incompetent scribbler handled as he deserves. Perhaps we are afraid; perhaps we are more humane than our progenitors ; perhaps—and I fancy this is the most likely hypothesis—the critic is now almost invariably himself an author, and has a not unnatural sympathy with his victim. EK. H. Lacon Watson. ee se IF ONLY! aces By Onz wHo Dipn’t. ‘“ HAVE always said you were the coming man,” declared Ardale, with animation, “ and now you have come, my dear Lessing, no one rejoices in your good fortune more than I.” “Thank you,” said the man with a tired face who sat opposite to him, rolling a cigarette between thin, nervous fingers. “Only the other day,” pursued Ardale com- placently, “I was talking with Grantley about your stuff. He had just come across your first book and was effusing over it. Said he had never read such a first book. I told him that I had prognosticated your ultimate success from it, twenty-five years ago. You know I always boast that I discovered you.” “Yes,” said Lessing wearily. His face looked wan in the firelight, and his lips were strangely set. “One is always proud of having discovered genius before the great dunder-headed public realises it,” Ardale went on, warming with his subject. “Lord! what a time it takes to get anything into the common skull! I knew when I read your remarkable first book, that you’d get right there some day, sure enough; but it has taken the British public five-and-twenty years to recognise you.” He smiled in satisfaction at his own superior judgment, and flipped the ash from his cigarette as if it were vulgar opinion.  276 “You knew twenty-five years ago that I'd ‘ get there’ ; did you ?” said Lessing slowly. “JT did, by Jove!” declared the critic. “Then why the devil didn’t you say so, then?” demanded Lessing, with sudden fierceness. His friend gasped. “« My dear chap ’”’—he began. “Why didn’t you say so in print when I was fighting the uphill fight, longing and praying for the spark to set my name afire? What made you write columns about the men whose reputations were already established, who needed no aid to sell their thirty thousand copies? What?” “JT don’t remember ”—Ardale began to stammer. The content on his face had given way to a look of discomfiture. “No, you don’t; but I do. I remember well the time you were reviewing for the Daily Post, and I envied, with all my heart, your position on the staff of that important paper. I envied your power and those upon whom you bestowed it. I knew who wrote the notice of my first book in its columns. It was little more than a paragraph of commonplaces about ‘merit,’ ‘promise,’ and so forth, tucked away in a corner ignominiously as if to avoid the public eye. I knew, also, who wrote the two columns of pseudo-criticism and fulsome adulation that Sir Potter Patterson’s last novel received in the same issue. It was a silly, con- ventional pot-boiler, as you were well aware, but you treated it to an enthusiastic gush of applause that was read with an equally enthusiastic gush of acceptance from one end of England to another. Why did you do it? You knew the book was rot.” “My dear Lessing, how the deuce can I tell you now why I did idiotic things twenty-five years ago ! A boy like that—let me see—not more than six or seven and twenty—I s “You were no boy, Ardale. You held a responsible post as critic on a leading paper, and you were qualified for it. I’m not saying a word against your lack of ability. You had ability and knew your business. You knew then, as well as you know now, a good thing when you saw it. Why could you not say so then, as you say itnow ? Why could you not give me acolumn of support then, when I needed it a thousand times more than I need it now? You gave me two in the Pioneer last week. It was waste of time and space. Hveryone reads my books, they no longer need advertisement.” “But, my dear man, that has nothing to do with the case. What editor do you suppose would afford a column to a young and unknown writer, however great his merits ? Don’t you know better than that ? Pray, be reasonable.’’ “J am reasonable, and my common sense tells me that it is senseless to ‘ gild refined gold and THE AUTHOR. paint the lily’; that there is no earthly use in writing pages of gush about the work of an author whom everyone reads and judges for himself ; that it is worse than useless, it is degrading and abominable, to eulogise feeble work because the author of it has made a name; and that it is drivelling idiocy to write, as so many of you do, reams of abuse against some author you agree to despise. Your columns of vituperation against Ball Mayne’s last novel, a few weeks back, were as unnecessary and uncalled for as your adulation — of me.” “Upon my word, Lessing, you are in a strange mood to-day. What makes you so devilishly cornery ? Most men do not resent adulation, and as for Ball Mayne, he’s such a prig and self- advertising charlatan that a “You find it advisable to help advertise him by quoting yards of his stuff and exciting the curiosity of the public to know what has incurred your wrath! Really, Ardale, it surprises me that the absurdity of this does not strike any man with a sense of humour.” “Would you never, then, warn the public against rot?” demanded the critic testily. Lessing laughed. “Warn! Did you ever see a fence with ‘ Caution’ on it that you did not long to climb? Surely you, a man of the world, know the irresistible attraction of a warning. Every man Jack who read your savage onslaught the other day will have resolved, swr-le-champ, to read Mayne’s book, either to refute or agree with you. It’s human nature. ‘'There’s only one way to treat bad work—ignoreit. Or, better still, zive it the same kind of faint praise and patronage you gave my first book. That will help it to die comfortably !” “Tt is all very well,” said Ardale impatiently, “to talk in that strain, as if we poor servants of the Press had any voice in the matter. But you must be perfectly aware of the fact that we havn't, that we are the slaves of demand and of the men who employ us. The public like to read about its celebrities and notorieties. How can space be spared for new men whom nobody knows, or cares, anything about ?” “It is the manifest duty of the Press to make the public ‘know and care,’ to hail fresh talent when it appears. How else can it be discovered ? The critic’s function is to lead and guide opinion, not follow weakly in its train. Instead of that now-a-days, in England, at least, there’s a con- — spiracy against the new man, whatever his poten- tiality. He has to wrest his laurels from an unwilling Press, and if he has pluck and genius to succeed it isin the face of every obstacle the mind of man can devise. Whether this results most from ignorance, cowardice, jealousy or snobbery I can’t pretend to determine.”  .and I can’t have it. orange. THE AUTHOR. ‘Your candour is refreshing,” said Ardale, with tight lips, “ but you forget vi “‘T forget nothing. I only know, and I convict you out of your own mouth, that when I was a youth and showed, as you admit, distinct talent, you gave me no encouragement whatever ; you slowed me down, crushed me back, wasted my best years—you and your damned crew—when half a column of good, strong arresting criticism would have called attention to my work and given me my chance. Shall I tell you what I thought then ; what I think now? It is that you are all cowards— shrinking pitiful cowards! You dare not give an independent verdict until the world has applauded ; you are afraid to let your voices be heard above the crowd. Can you deny it?” Ardale was silent a few minutes. Then he spoke, gently, as if arguing with an angry and unreasonable chiid. “T can’t understand you, Lessing ; for the life of me, I can’t. If you were some callow youth just starting on a literary career, full of bumption and resentful of criticism, your attitude would be natural enough. We all think, at that period, that the world is conspiring against our marvellous genius. But you—you who have ‘arrived,’ the man of the hour, the talk of Europe—I’ll be hanged if I can see what you have to complain of. A great name, a great fortune, a great future—what more can you want ?”’ “JT want,” said Lessing slowly, “life, faith, enthusiasm. I want youth.” Ardale smiled. “Oh well, we all want that, when we’ve lost it. But it isn’t in the market.” “No; it isn’t in the market. It’s all I want, What I have, I don’t eare about. Under this flap,” he laid his hand upon his writing desk, ‘I have proofs of a new novel -and the last chapters of a serial ; I have requests for stories from several editors, on my own terms ; I have letters from foreign translators begging for right to translate my works ; I have offers from ' publishers that would make a young author's blood dance. I am getting royalties on all the books I ever wrote, and my plays are bringing me in seventy pounds a week. My income is fifteen thousand a year, and if I had time, or power, to write more words a day, I could double it. But what is the use of it all tome? I want nothing, need nothing, but peace and quietness.” “Oh come now,” protested Ardale. “T take little or no interest in my work. Some- times I hate it, and I know it is not so good as it was. I am wrung out, in fact, dry as an old And when I think of the days when one- hundredth part of what the world lavishes upon ‘me now would have made me deliriously happy— 277 more than happy—would have opened heaven’s gates for me on earth—when I think of this, the horrible irony of it eats into my very sonl. I want to stand up before my fellows and curse this damnable ‘scheme of things entire’ that ‘either gives a stomach and no food,’ or food and no appetite. It enrages me!” “No good getting enraged,” counselled Ardale, with a fatuous smile; “console yourself with the reflection that all the younger men envy you your good fortune.’’ : “Console myself!” cried Lessing, “It is the thought of them that stings and lacerates me. Are you prepared to listen to a short story of real life, or will it bore you ?” “Go on,” said Ardale, watching him anxiously. “You are always interesting, even when you're serious and truthful. Most men aren’t. Go on.” Lessing rose and poured some brandy into a glass. Ardale had begun to notice that his face was ash-coloured. “Help yourself,’ he said, drinking the spirit raw. “I forget the duties of hospitality in the ardour of this discussion.” He seated himself again, paused a few moments, and then began his story. “Twenty-five years ago,” he began, “I was full of ambition and enthusiasm. Moreover, I was in love—in the way one loves at twenty-two. There wasn’t any other girl in the Cosmos. But her people were in a good position and they were kind to me, trusted me. It was impossible to requite that kindness and confidence by a cool request that they would endow me with their only daughter and a sufficient income to keep us both. And my income was nothing a year, with occasional accidental windfalls. So I kept quiet and the girl and I were—friends.” He drew a long breath. a little uneasily. “Tt was at that time,” Lessing continued, “I put all my hopes, longings, even prayers, into the novel which you said just now was a remarkable first book ; from which you deduced my future success. It was remarkable. Crudeand unfinished, it yet had something in it that will never be in my work again. I could write nothing so power- fal and convincing now, though I have learnt all the tricks—to make much out of little. Well, it came out. The girl was enchanted, excited. 1 was in a burning fever of anticipation. ‘The reviews were all flattering, in that little easy, careless, patronising way which the young writer knows so well and finds so hard to bear. They were all nice, in fact, but they didn’t matter. They impressed nobody, least of all the most important persons— the autocrats and rulers of the market, those gigantic middlemen, the distributors upon whose Ardale shifted his seat  278 will and whim we rise or sink. So my ‘promising’ first book sank, buried under the heap of others that came out with it, Sir Potter Patterson’s silly pot-boiler atop. You, and others like you, might have saved it, might have run me, at least, into a second edition upon a wave of enthusiasm. But you dared not. I was a new man, and you distrusted your own discrimination too much.” “You do us an injustice, Lessing; we spoke well of the book, you admit that,” declared Ardale in a wounded tone. “JT admit that you poured a little stream of tepid praise upon it, while you exhausted all the complimentary adjectives in the language upon the work ofa well-known writer. Don’t be a humbug, Ardale. You know as well as I do that a certain sort of feeble praise damns a book more than any slating can. But to return to mystory. I was to receive a royalty of 10 per cent. on copies sold and £25 onaccount. I got the £25—and that was all. Then I began to debate with myself whether rat poison or the Thames offered the best mode of escape from a world that had no use for me.” “ Surely, it didn’t go as far as that with you!” said Ardale, shocked. “Just as far as that—the thought—but no farther. 1 accepted a post as war correspondent to a moribund paper, on very low terms. Some months later the girl wrote me a sweet, friendly letter asking advice. A nice man she rather liked, and her parents liked very much, had proposed to her. She did not wish to marry him, but she respected him, and might love him in time. Would I counsel her what to do. She knew I would understand and not think her horrid for writing. She would never be happy again if I thought her horrid. It was a pathetic little note, and tore me all to pieces. Of course I knew what she meant. There was no help for me. I wrote back and advised her to marry the nice man.” “You were a fool!” said Ardale with pleasure. lt gave him great satisfaction to return his friend’s candour. “T was—a proud fool. I ought to have told her the truth and left the matter with her. But you must remember I saw no prospects whatever of being able to keep a wife. The choice did not seem to lie between being a fool ora sensible man, but between being a rogue or a man of honour. So she married her nice man.” “ And you?” “J married, three years later, a writer, as you know. She was a journalist when we met, and we were excellent friends. But our wedded life wasn’t bliss. We did not often agree; we earned very little between us, and she hadn’t the remotest notion of engineering a frugal menage. We faced the sordid struggle, however, with some courage THE AUTHOR. for awhile. My second and third books came out, and each time we hoped afresh for the spark to fire it, the advertising puff that would give us some hold on the future. We even dared to have a child. But the books died and the child died, My wife lost heart—and faith in me. She left me for a bachelor existence, and I was not sorry. Since then I have lived alone. Five years ago she died.” “And now you are going to marry the most charming womanin London. Everyone raves of the beauty and goodness of Lady Evelyn. The masculine _ half of society envies you like the devil!” “Tt is true,” said Lessing, “that Lady Evelyn is charming. I think her the most perfect woman I ey ever met. But I am not going to marry er.” “Not!” Ardale laid both hands on the arms of his chair, and looked as if about to spring up in surprise. *« You are not going to marry her, after having the engagement announced in all the society papers! In Heaven’s name, why not ?” “Because,” replied Lessing, with quiet emphasis, “Tam not going to marry at all.” He paused, then went on, with some apparent effort : “T am dying.” “Good God !” The two men stared into each other’s eyes speechlessly. In Ardale’s face a ghastly horror appeared, but Lessing’s bore no expression of dread or panic. His eyes were dark with feeling, his face pale, but he was quite calm. “You don’t mean it,”’ Ardale breathed. ‘‘T do. To-day I have had the third verdict on my case. All three specialists are in accord, They wrap up the death sentence with infinite tact and assure me, in the most genial and cheerful manner that, with care and luck, I may live quite a time—perhaps even a year ! “Jt is horrible! horrible!” exclaimed Ardale, in sharp agony. ‘“ Just when you have made your name—when you have everything at your feet—I can’t believe it—I won’t.” The man of the world was thrown off his © balance, tears stood in his eyes, and he trembled. ‘Tt is true, nevertheless.” “ T have known men under the same verdict go on gaily into old age. Specialists often err. They are cocksure of necessity to preserve their reputa- tion. You'll live, Lessing, you must.” “ Why should 1?” asked Lessing, ‘since 've no desire for life.” “‘ No desire!” echoed Ardale faintly. “Not the least. I’m too tired to enjoy it, to care about it. Pain has worn me out lately. Don’t look so tragic, Ardale. You must not frighten me, you know. A person with acute heart disease must be soothed, calmed, and told *  THE AUTHOR. 979 lies about himself. You have no tact, man, or you would not look at me with such eyes.” j {His smile was whimsical; neither sad nor frightened, but a trifle nervous. For some time Ardale could not utter a word. Then he rose and held out his hand. “Tm sorry, Lessing,” he said in a voice that shook painfully. ‘‘ Forgive me for what I did not do, for the cowardice of which you so justly accuse me. But how should I know that you if only a “Tf only!” echoed Lessing. And the broken phrase, the most tragic in our language, melted like a twilight ghost into the silence of the room as Ardale went out with bowed head. se ee STORIES OF AUTHORS’ LOVES.* — 1 N writing “Stories of Authors’ Loves” Clara I E. Lauchlin has set herself no easy task. Perhaps such a subject is best treated lightly and sympathetically, without probing much below the surface, or “violating the fine reticences of life.” Even authors may be allowed some privacy, some plot of holy ground where'the public may not penetrate, where the intellectual man of science may not tear up the flowers with the questionable desire of seeing how they grow, or exhume long- buried bones of contention. The book contains much pleasant reading, though but little is added to the information already before the public to explain the motives or elucidate the mental development of those with whom the author deals. The style is easy and colloquial, almost too easy at times: for we are told tbat Byron was a “ preternaturally sensitive little chap,” and that his ancestors were a “ mixed lot.” By such phrases as these his subsequent lapses from virtue and general eccentricities are explained and condoned. Nowadays it is the fashion to whitewash every black sheep, but why should poor Lady Byron be dismissed with a few wordsof complacent ridicule for resenting his treatment of her; and Byron’s actions be gently alluded to as “very vexatious”? No early Victorian admirer could have said more for him. Shelley, on his side, might resent the playful raillery against his passions—such treatment re- minds us of a patronising Elder patting an excitable little boy on the head to calm him ;—with equal right he might object to the assumption that he was a child full of childishness up to the last hour of his life. But as the author states that “God only smiled * “Stories of Authors’ Loves,” by Clara E, Lauchlin. Published by Isbister & Co., London, patiently” on his blasphemy because he was so young: it is not for man—or woman—to take him seriously. Keats does not fare much better for another reason. His love was not ideal enough to save him from the tortures of jealousy, and, there- fore, loving in a low form, he was bound to be tormented where another would have found content. The tragedy of the Carlyles can hardly be dealt with adequately in a book which is intentionally superficial. ‘Therefore it is not surprising to find but a few pages devoted to their story. Love is the mainspring of the volume: it is natural, therefore, to find not only everything focussed on this point, but the character regarded as incomplete where that feeling is lacking or latent. Whilst acknowledging the truth of this view in the main, it does not quite reconcile us to the lofty pity extended to George Eliot’s earlier years any more than to the entire espousal of Byron’s cause on the plea that he had an early ideal in Thyrza, which led. him to find all other women who attracted him—and there were many—want- ing and unworthy of his fidelity. Surely the subjects under the author’s pen would infinitely prefer their original shortcomings left in all their bitterness and incompleteness : for they would then gain in strength what they Jost in sweetness. ‘The lack of strength is the principal fault in this book. The real success of the author lies in her de- scription of wedded bliss unmarred by storms or complications, though deferred by hard fate or obdurate fathers. The story of the Brownings affords an oppor- tunity for some charming writing and a real insight into a woman’s mind. ‘The Tennysons, too, have a graceful tribute to their love story, and a few lines at the close describing the wife who made his life so complete are worthy of quotation. “ Serene and sweet she walked by his side for more than forty years, quickening his insight, strengthening his faith, fulfiling his every heart’s desire : and when the eventide was come, “<«Pwilight and evening bell, And after that the dark.’ “She was still there, nor let go his hand until he put it in that of the pilot himself, when he had crossed the bar.” Other lives, not so fortunate, figure in these pages. Dickens, Thackeray, and poor Charles Lamb, who renounced so much for a different sort of love. The book has a wide range and aims high, but lacks the strength and breadth of a serious study for serious people. It would be an excellent book for girls if it were a little more bracing, but here also it fails. Whilst fall of high ideals and the praise of true love as distinct from  278 will and whim we rise or sink. So my ‘promising’ first book sank, buried under the heap of others that came out with it, Sir Potter Patterson’s silly pot-boiler atop. You, and others like you, might have saved it, might have run me, at least, into a second edition upon a wave of enthusiasm. But you dared not. I was a new man, and you distrusted your own discrimination too much.” “You do us an injustice, Lessing ; we spoke well of the book, you admit that,” declared Ardale in a wounded tone. “JT admit that you poured a little stream of tepid praise upon it, while you exhausted all the complimentary adjectives in the language upon the work ofa well-known writer. Don’t be a humbug, Ardale. You know as well as I do that a certain sort of feeble praise damns a book more than any slating can. But to return to mystory. I was to receive a royalty of 10 per cent. on copies sold and £25 onaccount. I got the £25—and that was all. Then I began to debate with myself whether rat poison or the Thames offered the best mode of escape from a world that had no use for me.” “ Surely, it didn’t go as far as that with you!” said Ardale, shocked. ' “Just as far as that—the thonght—but no farther. 1 accepted a post as war correspondent to a moribund paper, on very low terms. Some months later the girl wrote me a sweet, friendly letter asking advice. A nice man she rather liked, and her parents liked very much, had proposed to her. She did not wish to marry him, but she respected him, and might love him in time. Would I counsel her what to do. She knew I would understand and not think her horrid for writing. She would never be happy again if I thought her horrid. It was a pathetic little note, and tore me all to pieces. Of course I knew what she meant. There was no help for me. I wrote back and advised her to marry the nice man.” “You were a fool!” said Ardale with pleasure. lt gave him great satisfaction to return his friend’s candour. ““T was—a proud fool. I ought to have told her the truth and left the matter with her. But you must remember I saw no prospects whatever of being able to keep a wife. The choice did not seem to lie between being a fool ora sensible man, but between being a rogue or a man of honour. So she married her nice man.” “And you?” “TI married, three years later, a writer, as you know. She was a journalist when we met, and we were excellent friends. But our wedded life wasn’t bliss. We did not often agree; we earned very little between us, and she hadn’t the remotest notion of engineering a frugal menage. We faced the sordid struggle, however, with some courage THE AUTHOR. for awhile. My second and third books came out, and each time we hoped afresh for the spark to fire it, the advertising puff that would give us some hold on the future. We even dared to have a child. But the books died and the child died, My wife lost heart—and faith in me. She left me for a bachelor existence, and I was not sorry. Since then I have lived alone. Five years ago she died.” “And now you are going to marry the most charming womanin London. Everyone raves of the beauty and goodness of Lady Evelyn. The masculine half of society envies you like the devil!” “Tt is true,” said Lessing, “ that Lady Evelyn is charming. I think her the most perfect woman I have ever met. But I am not going to marry her.” “Not!” Ardale laid both hands on the arms of his chair, and looked as if about to spring up in surprise. «You are not going to marry her, after having the engagement announced in all the society papers! In Heaven’s name, why not?” “ Because,” replied Lessing, with quiet emphasis, “Tam not going to marry at all.” He paused, then went on, with some apparent effort : “T am dying.” “Good God!” The two men stared into each other’s eyes speechlessly. In Ardale’s face a ghastly horror appeared, but Lessing’s bore no expression of dread or panic. His eyes were dark with feeling, his face pale, but he was quite calm. “ You don’t mean it,” Ardale breathed. ‘‘T do. To-day I have had the third verdict on my case. All three specialists are in accord, They wrap up the death sentence with infinite tact and assure me, in the most genial and cheerful manner that, with care and luck, I may live quite a time—perhaps even a year ! “Tt is horrible! horrible!” exclaimed Ardale, in sharp agony. ‘Just when you have made your name—when you have everything at your feet—I can’t believe it—I won’t.” The man of the world was thrown off his ~ balance, tears stood in his eyes, and he trembled. ‘“‘ Tt is true, nevertheless.” «“ T have known men under the same verdict go on gaily into old age. Specialists often err. They are cocksure of necessity to preserve their reputa- tion. You'll live, Lessing, you must.” no desire for life.” “No desire!” echoed Ardale faintly. “Not the least. I’m too tired to enjoy it, to care about it. Pain has worn me out lately. Don’t look so tragic, Ardale. You must not frighten me, you know. A person with acute heart disease must be soothed, calmed, and told — * 4 ee ee eee “Why should 1?” asked Lessing, “since I've | | é  THE AUTHOR. lies about himself. You have no tact, man, or you would not look at me with such eyes.” f tHis smile was whimsical; neither sad nor frightened, but a trifle nervous. For some time Ardale could not utter a word. Then he rose and held out his hand. “Tm sorry, Lessing,’ he said in a voice that shook painfully. ‘‘ Forgive me for what I did not do, for the cowardice of which you so justly accuse me. But how should I know that you if only u “Tf only!” echoed Lessing. And the broken phrase, the most tragic in our language, melted like a twilight ghost into the silence of the room as Ardale went out with bowed head. ————_—__—>—_+-—___—- STORIES OF AUTHORS’ ee N writing “Stories of Authors’ Loves” Clara E. Lauchlin has set herself no easy task. Perhaps such a subject is best treated lightly and sympathetically, without probing much below the surface, or “violating the fine reticences of life.” Even authors may be allowed some privacy, some plot of holy ground wherethe public may not penetrate, where the intellectual man of science may not tear up the flowers with the questionable desire of seeing how they grow, or exhume long- buried bones of contention. The book contains much pleasant reading, though but little is added to the information already before the public to explain the motives or elucidate the mental development of those with whom the author deals. The style is easy and colloquial, almost too easy at times: for we are told that Byron was a “ preternaturally sensitive little chap,” and that his ancestors were a “ mixed lot.” By such phrases as these his subsequent lapses from virtue and general eccentricities are explained and condoned. Nowadays it is the fashion to whitewash every black sheep, but why should poor Lady Byron be dismissed with a few words of complacent ridicule for resenting his treatment of her ; and Byron’s actions be gently alluded to as ‘‘very vexatious”? No early Victorian admirer could have said more for him. Shelley, on his side, might resent the playful raillery against his passions—such treatment re- minds us of a patronising Elder patting an excitable little boy on the head to calm him ;—with equal right he might object to the assumption that he was a child full of childishness up to the last hour of his life. But as the author states that “ God only smiled LOVES.* *“ Stories of Authors’ Loves,” by Clara E. Lauchlin, Published by Isbister & Co., London, 279 patiently” on his blasphemy because he was so young, it is not for man—or woman—to take him seriously. Keats does not fare much better for another reason. His love was not ideal enough to save him from the tortures of jealousy, and, there- fore, loving in a low form, he was bound to be tormented where another would have found content. The tragedy of the Carlyles can hardly be dealt with adequately in a book which is intentionally superficial, ‘Therefore it is not surprising to find but a few pages devoted to their story. Love is the mainspring of the volume: it is natural, therefore, to find not only everything focussed on this point, but the character regarded as incomplete where that feeling is lacking or latent. Whilst acknowledging the truth of this view in the main, it does not quite reconcile us to the lofty pity extended to George Eliot’s earlier years any more than to the entire espousal of Byron’s cause on the plea that he had an early ideal in Thyrza, which led. him to find all other women who attracted him—and there were many—want- ing and unworthy of his fidelity. Surely the subjects under the author’s pen would infinitely prefer their original shortcomings left in all their bitterness and incompleteness : for they would then gain in strength what they Jost in sweetness. ‘The lack of strength is the principal fault in this book. The real success of the author lies in her de- scription of wedded bliss unmarred by storms or complications, though deferred by hard fate or obdurate fathers. The story of the Brownings affords an oppor- tunity for some charming writing and a real insight into a woman’s mind. The Tennysons, too, have a graceful tribute to their love story, and a few lines at the close describing the wife who made his life so complete are worthy of quotation. “ Serene and sweet she walked by his side for more than forty years, quickening his insight, strengthening his faith, fulfiling his every heart’s desire : and when the eventide was come, “* Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark.’ “She was still there, nor let go his hand until he put it in that of the pilot himself, when he had crossed the bar.” Other lives, not so fortunate, figure in these pages. Dickens, Thackeray, and poor Charles Lamb, who renounced so much for a different sort of love. The book has a wide range and aims high, but lacks the strength and breadth of a serious study for serious people. It would be an excellent book for girls if it were a little more bracing, but here also it fails. Whilst full of high ideals and the praise of true love as distinct from  280 expediency, or the “second best,” it is uncon- vincing, and leaves an impression of sweet senti- ments wanting tone. The idea is there, but the vigour is lacking. ——— + CORRESPONDENCE. —t——+ —— Is “AuTHor” A PROPER DESCRIPTION ? Srr,— In signing some legal papers recently I was surprised to have it objected by the solicitor then present that the term author was no proper “description.” “Journalist” and “ editor” he allowed were admissible, but not “author.” In fine, faute de mieux, there I was, reduced to brand- ing myself as “of no occupation.” I wish to ask, sir, whether the being reduced to so extenuated a condition does not, in duly qualified opinion, literally constitute a reductio ad absurdum. As a class, it seems to me, authors must be up to something ; and, if so, that something should be describable. Indeed, have they not, like Cowley’s wise man, “all the works of God and Nature under consideration,” and so more business than a first minister:of State? Can it be, then, that there is no name for so comprehensive an occupation as this ; and that, contrary to the rule, a man may be veritably in the midst of the most important affairs, and yet nominally ‘of no occupation ” at all? Shakespeare in his will describes himself briefly asa “gent.” That is not bad ; but too general to serve as a precedent here. ‘Thoreau, to make a. skip, experienced more difficulty in the matter “T don’t know”—he wrote in answer to a circular —‘T don’t know whether mine is a profession or a trade, or what not. ... It is not one, but legion. . . . My steadiest employment, if such it can be called, is to keep myself at the top of my condition, and ready for whatever may turn up in heaven or earth.” Consulting ‘‘ Who’s Who,” I find much the same uncertainty. Some writers call themselves writers, some authors, some men of letters, some novelists, some critics, some poets ; and, of course, there is a heavy percentage of the legitimate “ journalist ” and “editor,” with possibly a stray essayist, philosopher, or publicist thrown in. But, apart from too fine a specialization, the question is, what should be the accredited and authentic designation of a person who writes, not for any paper or magazine, nor exclusively in any way, but, in general, publishing a book every now and again? Further, the mere publishing of a book only makes one half an author (which is worse than none). Unless the public ratifies the title, it has a savour of presumption to appropriate There seems something it without more ado. THE AUTHOR. spurious about the “author” who, for all the reading world knows of him, is none. Yet what is such a one to call himself meanwhile ?—author- prospective, author-presumptive ? Norman ALLISTON. —-—~<> + SatomE: A REMINISCENCE. Sir,—The belated performance of Oscar Wilde’s play must have recalled forcibly to the minds of many of us the events of a certain evening just thirteen years ago when the inaugural dinner of the Authors’ Club was held at its first home, 17, St. James’ Place. Unless I am much mistaken the ban of the censor had been issued against Salomé that very afternoon. still smarted under the prohibition when he joined us on that memorable night in June. Those who listened to his speech on that occasion can scarcely have doubted this, or have been deceived by the “J don’t care” with which the dramatist announced the fact, as he waved his cigarette in the air with seeming indifference to a decision which, you may depend upon it, was very keenly felt. To-day, as things have gone, one is tempted to reflect how it might have been more wise and kindly to have still accepted the examiner’s inter- dict and withheld Salomé from the boards altogether. OLD Brrp. — + REVIEWING EXTRAORDINARY. Dear Srr,—May I draw your attention to an innovation in the matter of reviewing which con- stitutes, I consider, a dangerous abuse? In a review: of my book, “The Child Slaves of Britain,” which appeared in the Daily News on the 8th of April, the following sentence occurs + “But in his summary he singularly enough announces that ‘the real root of slavery m England rests in the free ingress of aliens.’” The passage I have italicised was put im inverted commas as though a quotation from my book. The reviewer next proceeded to show its inanity. I at once wrote to the editor to say — that no such passage occurred anywhere in my book, that it was entirely opposed to my own — views on the question, that I considered it absurd and imbecile, and I asked him to be so good as to insert my disclaimer. To tell the public that my book was based on such a theory was to discredit the book and injure its chances. the Daily News took no notice of my letter and inserted no rectification. Yours faithfully, Ropert SHERARD. At any rate, the gifted writer thereof The editor of — Is this fair play ?— a 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. 15 Issue 09 (June 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 09 (June 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-06-01-The-Author-15-9 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/507/1905-07-01-The-Author-15-10.pdf 562433552f09d84711cceb73f77a5c3b 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) 1905-07-01 Volume 15 Issue 10 Pages Page range in volume 281–312 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19050701 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR JULY Ist, 1905. Von. XV.—No. 10. WALTER BESANT. [Prick SrxPEnor. TELEPHONE NuMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. SS a oe ee NOTICES. —_+~<— + —__ 1. the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the’ papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. — oe List of Members. THE List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —1—~>—+ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation Vou. XV. Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. This is a statement of the actual stock ; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— CO a £1000 0 0 Hoeal Loans: 45 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock —.............. 291 19 11 War boen eo 201 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- (URE; BLOCK 200 0 0 Egyptian Government Trigation Trust 4 % Certificates 200 0 0 Hotal 3. £24439 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £ 8. a. Jan. 12, Anonymous . : : 0 2.6 June 16, Teignmouth-Shore, the Rev. Canon . : : : : 1 1 0 Donations, 1905. Jan. Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0 Jan. Bolton, Miss Anna i) 50 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny. 0. > 0 Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert 0:5 0 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 0 Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 0-100 Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. Lt 06 Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. 0710-6 April19, Hornung, HK. W. . 25.0.0 May 7, Wynne, 0. Whitworth 508 May 16, Alsing, Mrs. J. H. 0 5 0 May 17, Anonymous . ‘ Tl 8 June 6, Drummond, Hamilto B38 0 Oe COMMITTEE NOTES. + —<— # HE June meeting of the committee of management of the Society of Authors was held at 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, 8.W., on Monday, the 5th day of June. After the minutes of the last meeting had been read and signed, the committee proceeded with  282 the election of new members and associates. Eighteen were elected. This brings the total for the current year up to 117, a number quite up to the average of former years. A difficult question arising out of Mr. Grant Richards’ bankruptcy, on which the committee decided at their last meeting to take counsel’s opinion, was then brought forward, and counsel’s opinion was read. As it strongly upheld the justice of the member's contention, the committee decided, with the member’s approval, to take up the matter. ‘A case that came before the committee’s notice at their last meeting was reconsidered owing to some fresh evidence which had been obtained in further explanation of the present position of the member whose property was involved. The com- mittee decided to obtain counsel’s opinion on the difficult points of law with a view to ascertaining whether or not it would be possible to support the member by taking action. The secretary laid before the committee, at some length, the present financial position of the society. He informed the committee that the income of the society at the present date from subscriptions was approximately £120 in excess of its income from the same source at the corre- sponding period in 1904. The question of the general lien claimed by binders again came forward for discussion, as fresh information and documents were submitted from the Association of Wholesale Stationers. The question, however, had again to be deferred, in order that the committee might have an oppor- tunity of perusing the opinion of counsel, which the ‘Association of Wholesale Stationers had obtained, but had omitted to forward for the committee’s consideration. A curious point then arose touching a question of infringement of copyright, in which it was alleged that an American had altered the names and locale of a story belonging to one of the members of the society ; had sold it to a magazine in America, who had again sold the English rights to a maga- zine in England. In consequence, the magazine proprietor in England had infringed the rights of the member. The committee decided that if they had clear evidence of the facts the matter should be taken up on behalf of the member. It was, however, resolved to ascertain first whether the proprietor of the English magazine was prepared to take such steps as might obviate the necessity for the society’s intervention. One or two other minor matters were con- sidered. In one instance a member objected to pay his subscription because the committee, in accordance with the strong advice of the society’s solicitors, had refused to take his case THE AUTHOR. up. It is well to note, in connection with this case, that the committee, in the discharge of their duty to the society, must in all cases carefully weigh the expressed legal opinion of their solicitors and their secretary ; but that if individual mem- bers should be dissatisfied with any decisions so arrived at by the committee, it is always open to them to test the soundness of the committee’s decisions, by taking action on their own account. —+- <> Cases. Tux secretary has dealt with ten cases since the publication of the last issue of The Author. Three of these referred to claims for MSS. which have been detained by editors. In two the secretary has been successful, the MSS. having been returned and forwarded to the members. One question has arisen concerning the settlement of an agreement, and the matter is still in course of negotiation. Four cases have been brought forward where money overdue for work accepted or published has not been forwarded to the authors. One of these cases has been placed in the hands of the society’s solicitors to settle in the County Court if necessary, one is still in course of negotiation, and in the other two cases the money has been obtained and forwarded to the members. There have been two cases where accounts have not been rendered nor the money due, if any, paid, and it is hoped that these two matters will be settled shortly. One of the cases referred to in a former number of The Author, which was placed in the hands of the Society’s solicitors, has been settled. The publisher, in the first instance, offered to pay a portion of the amount claimed ; he made, as is his wont, the offer direct to the author, and ignored the society and its solicitors. The author, however, referred the matter again to the society, and on the advice of the solicitors that the case was @ thoroughly sound one, and that there was no reason whatever why he should accept the smaller amount, he instructed the solicitors to refuse the smaller sum on his behalf. Within three days of the date of the refusal, the full amount claimed was paid to the solicitors. ‘All the former cases mentioned in the previous number have been settled, with the exception of a dispute on an agreement, where the member resides — in Australia, The Australian case must take some — time before a final arrangement is arrived at. —-—<> + — June Elections. Aveling, Claud 105, Coleherne Court, S.W. a Barrow, Arthur G. 16, Drummond Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia.  E edd OS Se a es THE AUTHOR. Blair, Hugh, M.A. Osnaburgh House, Regent’s Park, N.W. Carstairs, R. Dodd, James J. 23, Scarborough Street, West Hartlepool. The Pool House, Astley, near Stourport. 27, Palace Street, W. Whitemere, Ellesmere. 39, Phillimore Gardens, Kensington, W. Meares Court, Mullingar West View, South Farm Road, Worthing, Sussex. 68, Oakhurst Grove, E. Dulwich, S.E. Viewhurst, Westerham, Everett, Mrs. Godfrey, Percy . Jebb, Miss Louisa Maitland, J. A. Fuller Moore, Miss Florence Naylor-Gobel, Miss Sarah (Harvey-Gobel) Nott, Frederick O. W. Robertson, J. M. Kent. Rose, Miss Ada M. Abbotsford, Ealing (Aveling Rose) Common, Rowe, Mrs. ; St. Anne’s, Surrey Road, Bournemouth. Pioneer Club, 5, Grafton Street, W. Rowlands, Mrs. Bowen (Robert Herriot) Teignmouth-Shore, The Rev. Canon Wilberforce, Basil, The Very Rey. the Arch- deacon of Westminster Athenseum Club, 8.W. 20, Dean’s Yard, S.W. 8 BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. Sr ee (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) BIOGRAPHY. THe LIFE OF Mary QUEEN or Scots. By H1LpA T. SKAE. 72 x 5. 207 pp. Maclaren. 2s. 6d. n. THE LIFE OF MAJOR-GENERAL WAUCHOPE, C.B., C.M.G. By Sirk Gro. Doucenas, Bart. 8 x 350 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. THE HEROES of Moss HALLISCHOOL. By E. OC. KENYON, With seven illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. 8 x 54, 383 pp. Religious Tract Society. 3s. 6d. DRAMA. HL Og: Manasena. A Play in Three Acts by MAURICE BARING. 7% x 5. Simpkin 49 pp. Oxford: Blackwell. London : Marshall. Is. n. EDUCATION. AN ENGLISH CHURCH HISTORY CHILDREN, FOR A.D. 597—1066. By MAry E.SHIPLEY. With a preface by Wm. Epwarp Couuins, DD., Bishop of Gibraltar. 7% x 5. 235 x 40 pp. Methuen. 2s. 6d. n. 283 Der UNGEBETENE Gast, AND OTHER PLAYS. By E. 8. BUCHHEIM (Short German Plays, Second Series). 6% x 43. 91 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 2s, 6d. FICTION. THE FLUTE oF Pan. A Romance, By JoHN OLIVER HOBBES. 72 x 5. 303 pp. Unwin. ‘6s. A VILLAGE CHRONICLE. By KATHERINE 8S, Macquorp. With illustrations by FORESTIER. (4 x 42 306 pp. Digby Long. 6s. A Mainsatin Haun. By JoHN MASErIELp. A oe 128 pp. Mathews. 1s. 6d. n. A GRAND DUKE OF RussIA. A Story of the Upheaval. By FrReD WHISHAW. 7% x 4%. 305 pp. White. 6s. THE YELLOW WAVE. By M.P. Shinn. 7% x 5. 317 pp. Ward Lock. 6s, MAID MARGARET. ByS. R. CRocKErT, 8} x 5. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. Don TarQuinio. A Kataleptic Phantasmatic Romance. By F.RouFE. 7% x 4%. 257 pp. Chatto and Windus. 6s. PoveRTY Bay. A Nondescript Novel. Illustrated by Bh 417 pp. Harry Furniss, and written by the Artist. 8 x 5g. 273 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. THE Day's Journey. By NETTA SyReErt, 7% x 48, 316 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. It’s a Way THEY HAVE IN THE ARMY. By Lapy HELEN ForBEs. 7} x 43. 309 pp. Duckworth. 63. THE MEMOIRS OF CONSTANTINE DIX, 7% x 49. 206 pp. Unwin. 3s. 6d. THE GRAND DvuxKeE. By CARLTON DAWE. 72 336 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE DoG FROM CLARKSON’S. By BARRY PAIN. x 43, A Vagary. By DESMOND F. T. Coke. 74 x 5. 268 pp. Illustrated. Jarrold. 3s. 6d. LAW. THE INDIAN ConTrAct Law. With a commentary, critical and explanatory. By Str F. Ponuock, Bart, Assisted by DIN SHAH FARDUNJI MuLLA, M.A., LL.B. 92 x 6. 623 pp. Sweet and Maxwell. 25s, n. LITERARY. CHAUCER; PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES. 6d. MILTON : SAMSON AGONISTES. 6d. MILTON: Comus. 6d. GOLDSMITH: THE DESERTED VILLAGE. 4d. Edited by C. T, OnIoNS, M.A., Lond., in The Carmelite Classics. 6 x 43. Horace Marshall & Son. MILITARY. WITH THE RUSSIANS IN MANCHURIA. By MAURICE BARING. 9 x 53. 205+40 pp. Methuen. 7s. 6s. n. POETRY. MoMENTS. By DouGLAS AINSLIE. 64 x 4. 68 pp. Constable. 1s. n. THE LOVE SONG OF TRISTRAM AND ISEULT, AND OTHER Porms. By Cyrit EMRA. 7% x 5}. Stock. 3s. 6d, POLITICAL, THE FALL oF TsARDOM. By CARL JOUBERT. 8 x 5}. 255 pp. Nash. 7s. 6d. THe Paras NAVY IN THE Russo-JAPANESE WAR. By CAPTAIN N. Knapo. Translated by L. J. H. Dickin- soN. Hurst and Blackett. 5s. SPORT. Diversions Day By Day. By KE. Eustace H, Miues. Illustrated. Hurst and Blackett. 4s. : PoLo: Past AND PRESENT. By T. F. DALE. 515 pp. (Lhe Country Life Library of Sport). 12s. 6d. n. F, BENson and 1% x 43. 282 pp. 94 x 5%, Newnes. 284 THE EMPIRE’S CRICKETERS. Part III. From drawings. By A. C. TAYLER. With Biographical Sketches. By G.W. BELDAM. 153 x 104. 4 Plates. The Fine Art Society and Dawbarn and Ward. Is. n. THEOLOGY, Sr. PAUL’s EPISTLES IN MODERN ENGLISH. FENTON. 6th Edition (with new preface). 74 x 43. 69 pp. Partridge. A MouNTAIN PATH, AND ForTY THREE OTHER TALKS TO YOUNG PEOPLE. By JoHN A. HAMILTON. Cheap Edition. Allenson. 2s. 6d. THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY. A Manual of Christian Evidences, by Lt.-CoLn. W. H. Turton, D.S8.0., R.E., 5th Edition, seventh thousand. Carefully revised throughout. Crown 8vo., cloth gilt. 529 pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 2s. 6d. n. PREACHERS FROM THE PEw. Lectures delivered at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, under the auspices of the By FERRAR London Branch of the Christian Social Union. Edited by the Rev. W. H. Hunt. 74 x 43. 187 pp. Lord 2s. 6d. n. TOPOGRAPHY, A Book oF SouTH WALES. By S. BARING GOULD. With 57 Illustrations. 73 x 43. 332 pp. Methuen. 6s. 4 TRAVEL. PICTURES IN UMBRIA. By KATHERINE S. Macquorp. With fifty original Tlustrations (pen and ink). By THomAS R. Macquoip, R.I. 72 x 5. 319pp. Werner Laurie. 6s. n. LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. —_-—>—+—__ _ REACHERS from the Pew”? is the title of a series of sermons preached at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, under the auspices of the London Branch of the Christian Social Union. They are published by W. H. Lord & Co., of 29, Wellington Street, Strand, W.C. Crown, 8vo., at the price of 2s. 6d. net. They have been edited by the Rev. W. Henry Hunt, and deal with a variety of subjects, from ‘Do we Believe” by C. F. G. Masterman, M.A., to “The Citizen, the Gentleman, and the Savage” by Gilbert K. Chesterton. Mr. Hunt, it may be remembered, has already edited a series of sermons on social subjects. “The Heroes of Moss Hall School: A Public School story,” by E. C. Kenyon, should be welcome to school-boys and also to their parents, founded upon and dealing with, as it does, the past history of a great west country school. The book, which is a large one, has seven, or rather eight, illus- trations. It is published by the Religious Tract Society. Miss Theodora Wilson Wilson’s novel, “ Ursula THE AUTHOR. Raven,” which was serialised in the Daily News, will be published in book form by Messrs. Harper Bros. in September. It is a novel dealing with the Westmorland Dales and Royalty rights, We regret that in announcing the publication of Miss Mary Shipley’s “ English Church History for Children” in our last issue, we stated that the preface to the work was by the Bishop of Glou- cester. This statement, we understand, is incor- rect, the Bishop of Gibraltar contributing the preface. Miss Victoria Cross’ new story, “ Life of My Heart,” which the Walter Scott Publishing Co. has recently issued, deals with a marriage between an Oriental and an English girl. Messrs. Joseph Williams, Ltd., have just published, at 1s. net, a collection of Infant’s Action Songs for the School and the Home, by Miss L. Budgen. ‘Musical Studies,” by Ernest Newman, which Mr. John Lane has just published, include a study of Berlioz and the Romantic Movement, a fuli analysis of Programme Music in the past and in the present. Faust in Music, Herbert Spencer and the Origin of Music. Messrs. King & Son have just published Dr. Reich’s monumental work, containing a selection of documents illustrating the history of medizval and modern times. The work, which runs to some eight hundred pages, necessitated the employment of four trained students of history in addition to the editor. Professor Dicey is publishing, through Messrs. Macmillan, a volume dealing with the relation between Law and Public Opinion in England during the nineteenth century. The basis of the book is a series of lectures delivered first in the Harvard Law School and afterwards, with modifications, in the University of Oxford. Mr. Henry James, who is travelling through America, after an absence of twenty years has amassed materials for a book, part of which will appear serially in the North American Review. Mr. Frank T. Bullen will publish in the early autumn a new book entitled “ Back to the Sunny Seas,” the outcome of his recent tour in the West Indies. Messrs. Constable have just published, under the title of “ Moments,” a collection of poems by e Douglas Ainslie. In order to avoid misapprehension, Messrs. Ward, - Lock & Co. ask us to call attention to the fact that ‘‘ The Conscience of a King,” the title of a newly-published romance by A. C. Gunter, author of — “Mr. Barnes of New York,” is practically the same as that used for a sociological work, “The Con- science of the King,” by Mr. J. C. Spence, which © still has a considerable sale.  aenmeatnnacieimantts THE AUTHOR. Mr. John Lane has brought out an Indian garden-book, “ My Garden in the City of Gardens.” The punning motto, “Nune Fortunatus Sum,” the despatch of Sir Colin Campbell’s A.D.C. after the Relief of Lucknow, indicates which the “ city of gardens” is. The work is illustrated with many original photographs. “The Love Song of Tristram and Iseult,” by Cyril Emra, published by Mr. Elliot Stock at the price of 3s. 6d.,in addition to the poem which forms its title, contains some twenty or so other verses dealing with man and nature. A second and revised edition of ‘Thoughts on Ultimate Problems,” by F. W. Frankland, described by the author as a synoptic statement of Two Theodocies, has been issued at the price of 1s. The publisher is W. J. Lankshear, of Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand. “The Exploits of Jo Salis,” by Will. Greener, author of ‘A Secret Agent in Port Arthur,” is a novel of the Russo-Japanese war from the Far Easterners’ point of view. Messrs. Hurst and Blackett are the publishers. Mr. William Patrick Kelly’s new novel, “The Assyrian Bride,” illustrated by Mr. F. C. Tilney, will be published by Messrs. Routledge, early in July. It is ahistorical romance of ancient Nineveh and Jerusalem, based on the latest archeological discoveries, and the second of a series by the same author, of which “ The Stonecutter of Memphis” (Routledge, 1904) was the first. In Amsterdam a society of authors is founded (Vereeniging van Letter kundigen). The principal object of the society is to put order into the literary out-put of Holland. The society has a committee which studies the Berne Convention, with the intention of joining it. Another com- mittee deals with the matters of the stage and play production, and a third gathers money to help workers in the literary field. Mr. Desmond F. T. Coke, author of ‘Sandford of Merton,” claims in his preface to the “ Dog from Clarkson’s,” which Messrs. Jarrold have published, that this “ vagary ” is an attempt to amuse without employing puns, problems, dialect, or split infinitives. Another fresh volume of poems we note from the well-known pen of E. Nesbit, published by Messrs. Longmans, G. Green & Co., of very varied interests. A strong religious spirit marks these verses, mingled with a deep love of Nature. We have received a small volume of miscel- laneous poems by Miss Ethel Neele, entitled “ The Ballad of Rosalie.” The volume is published by E. B. Gooderham, of 161, Holland Road, Kensing- ton, and copies may be had of the authoress at 23, Upper Addison Gardens. The verses are com- 285 prised under four headings—ballads, dedicatory, miscellaneous and sacred poems. Mr. Bernard Shaw’s comedy, “Man and Super- man,” which was published in book form about two years ago, was produced—minus the third act—at the Court Theatre on the afternoon of May 28rd. The caste included Mr. Granville Barker and Miss Lillah McCarthy. Mr. W. 8. Gilbert’s fairy comedy, “ The Palace of Truth,” was revived on May 23rd at the Mermaid Repertory Theatre, Great Queen Street, under the personal direction of the author. 9 PARIS NOTES. Be HE Académie francaise has awarded prizes to a the following authers :—M. Paul Decharme, for the “Critique des traditions religieuses chez les Grecs, des origines au temps de Plutarque”; M. Bossert, for “ Schopenhauer ” ; M. Dard, for “Le Général Choderlos de Laclog ” ; M. René Canat, for “Du sentiment de la solitude morale chez les romantiques et les parnassiens” ; M. Ab der Halden, for “ Etudes de la littérature canadienne francaise” ; M. Sturdza, for “La Terre et la Race roumaine depuis leurs origines jusqu’a nos jours” ; M. Derocquigny, for ‘‘ Charles Lamb, sa vie et ses ceuvres” ; M. Souriau, for a work on “ Bernardin de Saint-Pierre” ; M. Lauvriére, for “ Edgar Poe, sa vie et son ceuvre”; M. Doumergue, for “ Jean Calvin, les hommes et les choses de son temps’?; M. Edmond Biré, for a work on “ Armand de Pontmartin, sa vie et ses ceuvres.” Prizes have also been awarded by the Académie for recent works by the following authors :—Mme. Daniel Lesueur, M. Paul Adam, M. Paléologue, M. Paul Doumer, Madame Veyrin, M. Montégut, M. Martel, M. Buffenoir. Among recent books by well-known writers is “ Miroirs et Mirages,” by Madame Alphonse Daudet. The volume contains several stories which are all psychological studies. In‘ Grand’mére” the interest is centred in the feelings of the grandparents, on seeing their beloved granddaughter taken away from them, to be brought up by a step-mother in absolutely different principles and ideas from theirs. “Reminiscence,” ‘L’Accusée,” “ Automne pro- vincial.” In addition to these studies are two or three descriptions of voyages, “Notes sur Londres,” ‘Course rapide 4 Venise,” ete. There is also a new volume published by M. Léon Daudet, “Le Partage de ’Enfant.” This novel is in quite a different note from the books we have hitherto had from the son of Alphonse Daudet. Les Morticoles” and “La Déchéance’’ were ironical and bitter studies of certain systems, 286 THE AUTHOR. phases and abuses of modern life, whilst in this new novel there is more pathos than satire, and more pity than bitterness. It is the story ofa child who is the victim of the divorce of the parents—a child who suffers through the dissensions of father and mother. Volumes of souvenirs and reminiscences are very much in favour in France, and “La Cour et la Société du Second Empire,” by M. de Chambrier, gives an excellent sketch of many of the more prominent personages of that period. The author does not go into details, but just gives us an idea of the men and women he describes, and of the place they occupied in the Parisian world. He speaks of Veuillot, Barbey d’Aurevilly, Thiers, Jules Simon, Ollivier, Gambetta, Pasteur, Caro, Madame Adam, Madame de Metternich, Wagner, Gounod, Bizet, Sardou, Fonquie, Sue, de Musset, Feuillet Augier, Houssaye, Rosa Bonheur, Sainte- Beuve, Renan, Lamartine, Dumas, Georges Sand, Flaubert, Balzac, de Maupassant, Rachel Legouvé, Gérdme, Gréville, Alphonse Daudet, Jules Verne, and of many other well-known personalities. Another volume by Barbey d’Aurevilly has recently been published. It is entitled “ Roman- ciers d’hier et d’avant hier.” The chapters on Stendhal and on Balzac are particularly interesting. D’Aurevilly is an ardent admirer of Balzac. “A cette heure,” he says, ‘“‘le génie de Bazlac n’est discuté par personne... . Il avait dans le sang, et plus que personne puisqu’il était un génie francais, cette goutte de lait maternel, cette pro- pension au rire, 4la comédie, 4 la gaité qui touche aux larmes, tant sa force épuise vite la nature humaine!” He declares that the secret of the great power of Balzac was that he put into his work so much “ naiveté et bonhomie! Ni dans les arts, ni dans les lettres,” he says, ‘‘ pas de mérite supréme sans la naiveté et sans une bonhomie profonde.” D’Aurevilly declares that it was this “bonhomie” which made Walter Scott greater than either Goethe or Byron, and he con- siders that Balzac is superior in his “ Contes ” to what he is in the “ Comédie humaine.” There are chapters on Georges Sand, Erckmann Chatrian, Paul Féval, a scathing criticism of “ Manon Lescaut,” in which the author declares that, “<«Manon Lescaut’ est tout simplement l’expres- sion du matérialisme du XVIII®. siecle rejoignant et embrassant au bout d’un quart de siecle, le matérialisme du XIX®*. siécle, qui avale le livre et le trouve bon.”” He compares it with novels such as ‘ Delphine,” “Corinne,” “ Atala,” “ René,” the ideal of which was as elevated as that of ‘Manon Lescaut” was low. He regrets that “la Manon del’ abbé Prevost a pondu les autres Manons dont regorge la littérature actuelle... elle a produit les Dame aux Camélias, les ‘ Bovary,’ les “ Fanny ” et toutes ses sincéres qui suivent tran- quillement leur instinct comme un ane qui trotte suit le sien.” There are other chapters on Droz Le Sage, Marie Desylles and Paria Korigan, all written in the same brilliant, vivid style. Fortunately for the author and for lovers of litera- ture, these posthumous volumes of d’Aurevilly’s works are being edited with the utmost care and exactitude by the faithful friend to whom he left his manuscripts. Another curious retrospective book has just been published entitled “ Madame Atkyns” (Une amie de Marie Antoinette). The preface is written by M. Sardou. This volume is particularly inte- resting to English people, as Madame Atkyns is an Englishwoman, Charlotte Walpole, who made her début at the Drury Lane Theatre in 1777, and in 1779 married Sir Edward Atkyns. We are told that the young couple left England and went to live at Versailles. The Duchesse de Polignac introduced the bride into the circle of Marie Antoinette’s friends; she became devoted to the Queen, and the whole book is taken up with the efforts of this Englishwoman to be of service to her royal friend when adversity came. Madame Atkyns spent most of her life and fortune in endeavouring to save first the Queen and afterwards the Dauphin. M. Frédéric Barbey, the author of this volume, has spared no trouble in order to get all the documents on this subject, both in England and in France, and finally he discovered a huge collection of papers and letters which had not been opened for seventy years, all the correspondence addressed to Lady Atkyns up to the day of her death in Paris, Rue de Lille, in 1836. The whole story of her plots and her devotion and sacrifices is as interesting as a novel. Her chief accomplices were M. de Cormier, Jean Gabriel Peltier, the Baron d’Auerweck, and the Comte de Frotté. Among other new books, ‘‘La Soldate,” by M. d’Esparbés ; ‘‘Septiéme César,” a novel in the time of Christ, by M. Reepmaker. It isthe story of a wealthy Roman lieutenant, cruel and selfish, who is greatly influenced by the simple life of Christ. The story is dramatic and of great interest. ‘“‘T’Opprobre,” by M. Compain, is a book written with a purpose. The subject is treated thought- fully. It is the story of a young girl who is betrayed and deserted. The life and surroundings of the girl are well portrayed, and also the progress that is being made in so many ways, thanks to co-operation. “ La Conquérante,” by Georges Ohnet ; ‘ Leela,” by Mary Ghil; “L’Autre,” by Mme. Octave Feuillet ; “L‘Espionne,” by Ernest Daudet ; “Femme d’Officier,” by Pierre Maél ; “ A l’Aube,” by Myriam Thelen ; “ Hommes Nouveaux,” by G. Fanton ; ‘‘ Fatale Méprise,” by Henri Baraude ;  THER AUTHOR. “Deux Meéditations sur la Mort,” by Henry Bor- deaux ; “ Heures de Corse,” by Jean Lorrain ; “Naples, son site, son histoire, son sculpture,” by Pierre de Bouchaud ; “ Le Livre ” historique, fabri- cation, achat, classement, usage et entretien, by Albert Cim; ‘Le Retour a la Terre,’ by M. Jules Méline ; ‘La Guerre contre |’Allemagne,” by General Baron Faverot de Kerbrech. In the June number of La Revue des Deux Mondes there is a most interesting article on London by Madame Blanc Bentzon, who is a keen observer and a great admirer of many of the English institutions. A new magazine on the lines of Country Life is to commence in France with the title of Hermes et Chateaux. In the Mercure de France there is an interest- ing article on the illness and death of Guy de Maupassant by M. Thomas. “Le Duel” still holds the bill at the Francais ; ‘‘ La Race” by M. Jean Thorel, at the Théatre Antoine ; “ La Variation” at the Odéon ; and “ Pauvre Fille” by Hauptmann, at the Porte St. Martin. The Académie francaise has awarded the Augier prize to Henri Bataille for “‘ Résurrection,” to Emile Fabre for ‘‘ La Rabouilleuse,” and to Georges Mitchell for “L’ Absent.” Another prize is awarded to Alfred Capus for “ Notre Jeunesse,”’ and to M. Marcel Prévost for “La Plus Faible.” Atys HALLARD. — SLAVIC NOTES. N my article published in the May number of I The Author, 1 omitted the name of an eminent Russian novelist, Mereszkovsky, whose novels Ihave only read in Polish translation. I am puzzled to say why I regarded him as a Bohemian novelist, but I never suspected that he was a Russian. His novels, “The Death of the Gods,” ‘The Resurrection of the Gods,” and_ especially “Julian the Apostate” give the author every right to be included in the list of greatest living novelists. In the last few months the following works of English authors have been published in the Polish language. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘Sherlock Holmes”; this is perhaps the fifth or sixth time that this work has been produced. “The Return of Sherlock Holmes” is also in course 287 of publication in the Gazela Polska. Foster Fraser, “The Real Siberia”; E. Hopkins, “The Mothers and the Sons”; Rudyard Kipling, “Letters from Japan’’; E. G. Lancaster, “The Juvenile Age”; Sir John Lubbock, “The Pleasures of Life”; Rev. P. A. Sheehan, ‘ The New Vicar”; H. G. Wells, “Short Stories” and “'The Vision of the Future.” A new novel of Sienkiewicz is running in serial numbers in a weekly paper, Biesiada Literacka. Baron Weysenhoff has just published an excellent novel, entitled “ The Prodigal Son.” T. Hall Caine’s “ Prodigal Son ” is published as a supplement to the Z'ygoduik Ilustrowany, the Polish Jl/ustrated London News. Miss Wojcicka has published, in dramatic form, a powerful life-study of rare merit, entitled “ Eva,” which was well received on the Polish stage and was considered a great success. Unfortunately for the authoress, notwithstanding the value of the work, no English manager will accept it for production, as only five persons appear in the play. An eminent Polish novelist hidden under the nom de plume of W. Sclavus, has written a book dealing with the history of Russia during the last two-hundred years, bearing the title of “The Regicide.” It will be published simultaneously in Austrian Poland, in New York, and in London. Autumn being in Poland the real publishing season, no more works of interest and merit, are likely to be heard of for the present. A new American shilling Magazine The Tales, is entirely devoted to translations from foreign languages, and thus, many hitherto unknown works of Slavic authors will be brought before the English reading world. Not only does the litera- ture of Poland and Russia possess authors whose books are well worth reading, but the minor nations of this race can boast of some writers of real value. Bulgaria has one named Iwan Wazow, author of many novels and short stories, in the latter of which he excels. In these he not only depicts with great skill the life, so little known, led by Turks and Bulgarians, but he shows con- spicuous ability in observation. Some of his short stories are real snap-shots of life. T. Otto, publisher, of Prague, in Bohemia, is the only one to my knowledge in Slavic countries, who devotes himself to systematic publication of English works and novels. An eminent Bohemian author, Josef Bartos, writes of the English novelists : “Tn these days the English novel flourishes and flourishes charmingly, led by the uncommonly gifted deep thinker, Meredith, the gloomy Hardy, the cheerful Barrie, the falcon Kipling, and the good Bret Harte, Admiration and glory follow them throughout the whole world.” ‘he list of modern English novelists is headed by J. M. Barrie’s 288 “ Sentimental Tommy,” and Meredith’s ‘“ Richard Feveral.” This book was received by the critics with unprecedented but well merited praise. The success of Feveral was partly due to the excellence of the translation by Dr. B. Prusik. Ian Maclaren, Kipling, Mark Twain, Th. B. Aldrich, Conway, Zangwill, &c., are on the list of this publisher. The works of other popular English novelists are also adapted and published in the Bohemian language by other publishers of Prague as well as all the principal poetic and scientific works. Bohemian literature has not had a past of five hundred years of existence like the Polish, and is not even as old as the Russian ; but this nation, living under the conditions of a free country for the last fifty years, with no censor’s office to depress its energy, has in the last quarter of a century developed in a wonderful manner. It now possesses a number of very excellent authors in all branches, and has even its own opera and composers. The difficulty of learning the language, for which purpose a few seasons in Carlsbad or Marienbad are quite insufficient, makes the trans- lation of a selection of Bohemian works from the original a difficult task. The most eminent novelists are Cech, the Bohemian ‘“ Mark Twain,” Jelinek, Jirasek, Besnick and Svetla. Dr. Holub, who spent many years as explorer in Africa, wrote several books of a popular and scientific character, upon Africa. Dr. Tomek, is a_ well-known Bohemian historian, and Jirasek is the principal play-writer of Bohemia. There are several dramatic authors but a large proportion of the plays per- formed on the National Bohemian stage are adapted from French, Italian, Scandinavian, and Polish writers, with a prominent place for Shakespeare on the programe. The whole Bohemian literary movement, as well as the whole politics of Bohemia, is a struggle against German influence, and for this reason in the literary output of Bohemia, there is little or nothing taken from the German; Polish, English, and other literatures supply all that is wanted. There are also three other Slavonic nations, the Servian, the Slovac and the Croatian, all of whom possess some eminent writers, but these languages are so difficult even for members of the kindred races, that their works can scarcely find a student who can devote his life to study them, so as to be enabled to understand or read their books. J. ALMAR. THE AUTHOR. LAW RELATING TO COPYRIGHT IN WORKS OF LITERATURE AND MUSIC, JUNE 49th, 1901.* TRANSLATED BY G. H. T, follows: E, William, by the Grace of God, German Emperor, King of Prussia, etc., decree in the name of the Empire, etc., etc., as First Division. DECLARATION OF THE LIMITS OF PROTECTION. Section 1. Under this Act the following are entitled to protection :— 1. The authors of written works and of lectures or speeches serving the purposes of edification, instruction, or entertainment. 2. ‘The authors of musical works. 3. The authors of illustrations of a scientific or technical kind which, having reference to their main purpose, are not to be regarded as works of art. Plastic representations also come under this head. Section 2. The author of a work is the originator (Ver- fasser) of it. In the case of a translation the translator ; in the case of any other sort of adap- tation, the adapter (Bearbeiter) is defined as the author. Section 3. Corporate bodies with legal entity who publish a work as editors, when the author is not named on the title page, in the dedication, in the preface, or at the end, are regarded as authors of the work, in the absence of any stipulation to the contrary. Section 4. In the case of a collective work the editor is legally responsible as the author for the work as a whole. If no editor’s name is attached then the publisher is defined as the editor. Section 5. In the case of a written work being combined with a musical composition or with illustrations, then the several originators (even after such combination) still retain their separate rights as authors. Section 6. If several persons have collaborated in such a way that their work cannot be separated, then * As some of the later sections refer merely to legal technicalities it has been deemed sufficient to print a summary only.  THE AUTHOR. 289 an author’s partnership exists amongst them, and their shares are apportioned according to the civil code. Section 7. If a published work contains the name of a writer on the title page, in the dedication, the preface, or at the end, the writer so mentioned is prima facie responsible as the author of the work. In the case of a collective work the writer whose name stands at the head or at the end of each separate contribution is regarded as the author of that contribution. In the case of works which have appeared under a name other than the real name of the writer, or without the name of a writer, the editor, or if such a one is not mentioned, the publisher is entitled to uphold the author’s rights. In the case of works that before or after publi- cation have been publicly performed or recited, the author is presumed to be the person who has been designated as such at the announcement of the performance or recitation. Section 8. Copytight passes to the heirs. But if the “ Fiscus” or any other corporate body is the legal heir, the rights, as far as they belong to the legator, lapse with his, the author’s, death. The right can be transferred with or without limitations to others ; the transfer can also be made with limitations toa specified locality (Gebiet). Section 9. In the case of transfer of copyright the assignee (in the absence of special agreement) has not the right to effect any abbreviations or alterations of the work, the title, and the description of the author. Alterations are permissible only in the case of those instances in which the holder of the copyright (Berechtigte) cannot reasonably withhold his consent. Section 10. Compulsory execution (Zwangsvollstreckung) against the right of the author or his work cannot take place without his consent. Such consent cannot be granted by the legal representative. Compulsory execution is only permissible against the heirs of the author, without their consent, when the work has been published. SEeconD Division. AuTHorS’ Riauts. Section 11. The author has the exclusive right of reproduc- ing and circulating the work. The exclusive right does not extend to lending (Verleihen). The author, as long as the essential contents of his work remain unpublished, is, moreover, exclusively en- titled to the right of publication. Copyright in a dramatic or in a musical work also contains the exclusive right publicly to per- form the same. The author of a written’ work or a lecture has the exclusive right to deliver the same publicly so long as the work has not appeared. * Section 12, The exclusive rights which belong to the author under Section 11 also extend to any adaptations of the work, or to any of the following rights : 1. The translation into another language or into another dialect of the same language, even when the translation is embodied in a metrical form gebundener form). 2. The re-translation into the language of the original work. 3. The reproduction of a story in a dramatic form, or of a stage play in the form of a story. 4. The setting up of extracts from musical works as well as arrangements of such works for one or more instruments or voices. Section 18. The free use of the author’s work is permissible without prejudice to the exclusive rights which belong to him according to Section 12, Division 2, if the result is an original work. Any use of a musical work is inadmissible by which a melody recognisable as belonging to the original work, is taken and made the basis of a new work. Section 14. In the case of the transfer of copyright the author’s exclusive rights remain with him in the absence of stipulation to the contrary ; that is to Bay ° 1. The translation of a work into another language or into another dialect. 2. The reproduction of a story in dramatic form, or a stage-play in the form of a story. 3. The elaboration of a musical work so far as it is not merely an extract, or the transposition into another key, or an arrangement for another voice (Tonart oder Stimmlage).t+ Section 15. Reproduction without the consent of the holder of the copyright is inadmissible, no matter by what means it is accomplished. The number of copies reproduced does not affect the issue. * Presumably in book or pamphlet form. + German musical authorities are doubtful as to the exact legal interpretation of these two words, 290 Reproduction for personal use is admissible if it is not for the purpose of obtaining a pecunlary return from the work. Section 16. Tt is permissible to reprint code books, laws, ordinances, official proclamations and decisions, as well as other official writings prepared for official use. Section 17. It is permissible : : 1. To reproduce in papers or journals a lecture or speech, so long as the lecture or speech is a constituent part of a public proceeding. : 2. To reproduce lectures or speeches which have been delivered during the proceedings in the law courts, and at political, municipal, and ecclesiastical assemblies. But reproduction is nevertheless inadmissible in the case of a collection which consists mainly of the reproduction of speeches of the same author. Section 18. The reprinting of single articles out of the papers is permissible, so long as no notice is given that the rights are reserved ; nevertheless, a reprint is only permissible if the sense is not distorted. The source from which the article is taken is to be indicated clearly in the reprint. The reprinting of scientific, technical, or enter- taining matter in elaborated or altered form is inadmissible, even if there is no notice of the reservation of rights. General news founded on facts and current topics of the day may always be reprinted from papers or periodicals. Section 19. It is permissible to reproduce in the following CaKes : 1. When single passages or smaller parts of a written work, a lecture, or a speech are, after publication, quoted in an independent literary work. 2. When single essays of small compass or single poems after publication are included in an independent scientific work. 3. When single poems after publication are included in a collection, comprising the works of a great, number of authors, and specifically destined for the use of vocal recitals (Gesangsvortragen). 4, When single essays of small compass, single poems, or small extracts of a written work after publication are included in a collection, which embodies the works of a great THE AUTHOR. number of authors, and are specifically destined for the use of churches, schools, or education, or for a special literary purpose. In the case of a collection for a special literary purpose, as long as the author is alive, his personal consent is necessary. Consent is considered as granted if the author does not notify his refusal in the course of a month after the editor has communicated his intention. Section 20. Reproduction is permissible when small extracts of a poem, or poems of small compass after their publication are reproduced as text to a new musical work, and in connection with the same. For a performance of the work the poetry may also be reproduced by itself, if the reprint of the same is destined solely for the use of the audience. It is not permissible to reproduce poems which by their very nature are intended for musical composition. Section 21. Reproduction is permissible : 1. When single passages of a musical work already published are introduced into an independent literary work. 2. When shorter compositions after publica- tion are included in an independent scientific work. 3. When shorter compositions after publica- tion are included in a collection, which embodies the works of a great number of composers, specifically destined for use in schools which are not music schools. Section 22. Reproduction is permissible when a published musical work is transferred to such discs, plates, cylinders, strings, and similar component parts of instruments which serve for the mechanical repro- duction of musical pieces. This order is also applicable to interchangeable component parts, so long as they are not adaptable for instruments by which the work, in varia- tions of strength and durability of tone, and in variations of time (Zeitmass) can be reproduced in the manner of a personal performance. Section 28. Reproduction is permissible if single illustrations : out of a published work are added to a written work exclusively to elucidate the contents. Section 24. On the basis of Sections 19 to 23 reproduction of the work of another is only permissible if no af ah THE AUTHOR. alteration of the parts reproduced is effected. Nevertheless, as far as the purpose of the repro- duction demands, translations of a work are per- missible, and also such elaborations of a musical work which represent only extracts or transposi- tions to another key, or arrangements for orches- tration, or arrangements for instruments ag notified in Section 22. If single writings, single poems, or small portions of a written work are included in a collection for the use of schools, then such alterations are permitted as are requisite for this purpose ; nevertheless, as long as the author is alive, his personal consent is necessary. The consent is taken to be granted if the author does not refuse his consent within a month after he has been notified of the intended alteration. Section 25. Whoever makes use of another’s work in accor- dance with the terms of Sections 19 to 23 is bound to give the source distinctly. Section 26. So far as a work under Sections 16 to 24 may be reproduced without consent of the holder of the copyright, so far is the circulation and the public representation, as well as the public delivery, per- missible. Section 27, The consent of the holder of the copyright is not necessary for the public performance of a musical work which has already appeared, if it is not for the purpose of trade, and the audience is admitted without payment. Moreover, such per- formances are permissible without consent of the holder of the copyright :— 1. If they take place at National fétes with the exception of musical fétes. 2. If the performance is intended exclusively for charitable purposes, and the performers receive no remuneration for their services. 3. If they are produced by societies, and only the members, as well as the persous belonging to their households, are admitted as audience. These provisions do not apply to a stage repre- sentation of an opera or any other musical work to which a text belongs. Section 28. For the organisation of a public representation it is necessary to get the consent of each holder of copyright if there are several concerned. In the case of an opera or work of similar musical character to which a text belongs, the organiser of the representation needs the consent only of the person who holds the copyright of the music, Turrp Drvisron. DURATION OF THE PROTECTION. Section 29, The protection of copyright endures for the life of the author and thirty years, or ten years from the first publication, whichever is the longer period. If publication has not taken place at the expira- tion of thirty years after the death of the author, it is then presumed that copyright belongs to the proprietors of the work. Section 30. If copyright in a work is held in common by several people, it lapses after the death of the last survivor, as long as the term of protection is regulated by the time of death. Section 31. If the real name of the author has not been announced at the first publication according to Section 7, Divisions 1 to 3, then the protection ends with the lapse of thirty years after the publi- cation. If the real name of the author is an- nounced within the thirty years term according to Section 7, Divisions 1 to 3, or has been announced by the holder of the copyright for registration on the register (Section 56), then the orders of Sec- tion 29 apply. The same rule holds good if the work is first published after the death of the author, Section 32. If copyright belongs to a corporate body accord- ing to Sections 3 and 4, then the protection ends with the lapse of thirty years after the publication. Nevertheless, the protection ends with the lapse of the terms prescribed in Section 29 if the work is only published after the death of the author. Section 33. In the case of works which consist of various volumes, which have been published at intervals, as well as in the case of reports or numbers in a series, every volume, every report, or each number is regarded as a separate work for the reckoning of the term of protection. In the case of works pub- lished in parts, the term of protection is reckoned only from the publication of the last part. Section 34. The term of protection begins with the lapse of the calendar year in which the author died or the work was published. Section 35. As far as the protection granted in this law depends on whether a work has appeared or been 292, THE AUTHOR. published in any other form, or whether the essential contents of a work have been communicated to the public, only those portions that the holder of the copyright has published or communicated to the public are taken into consideration. FourtH DIvision. INFRINGEMENT OF RIGHTS. Section 86. Whoever wilfully or unintentionally, to the detriment of the exclusive rights of the author, reproduces a work, circulates it in the trade, or publicly communicates the essential contents of a work, is pledged to render to the holder of the copy- right the damages resulting therefror. Sechion 37. Whoever wilfully or unintentionally, to the detriment of the exclusive rights of the author, publicly performs or publicly recites a work, is pledged to render to the holder of the copyright the damages resulting therefrom. The same obligation lies on him who wilfully or unintention- ally publicly represents a dramatic work, prohibited under Section 12. Section 38. The following cases of infringement are punished with a fine not exceeding 3,000 marks : 1. The person who wilfully reproduces or cir- culates in the trade a work without the consent of the holder of copyright, otherwise than in the legally prescribed cases. 2. The person who, otherwise than in the legally prescribed cases, wilfully, without consent of the holder of the copyright, publicly performs a dramatic or musical work, prohibited under Section 12, or who publicly recites a work before it has been published. If the consent of the holder of the copyright was necessary only because alterations were undertaken in the work itself, its title, or in the description of the author, the money penalty shall not exceed 300 marks. If the money penalty, which cannot be enforced, is turned into an imprisonment, then the duration of imprisonment, in the case of Division 1, may not exceed six months ; in the case of Division 2, may not exceed one month, Section 39. Whoever wilfully communicates the essential contents of a work without the consent of the holder of the copyright, before the contents are made public, is punished with a money penalty up to 1,500 marks. If the money penalty, which cannot be enforced, is changed to imprisonment, then the duration of imprisonment may not last above three months. Section 40. The Courts can declare, on demand of the holder of the copyright, a fine of 6,000 marks to be paid to him, in addition to the penalty. Those against whom judgment is given to the amount of this fine are assessed as joint debtors. A fine thus declared excludes any further demand for compensation or damages. Section 41. The Acts notified in Sections 36 to 39 are also illegal if the work is only partially reproduced, circulated, published, performed, or recited. Sections 42 and 43. These sections deal with the rights of the owner to obtain an order for destruction, or delivery in lieu of destruction. Section 44. Whoever, contrary to the provisions of Section 18, Division 1 or Section 25, neglects to give the source of which he has availed himself, will be subject to a penalty not exceeding 150 marks. Sections 45 to 53. These sections deal with the proper persons to take action and the method of procedure. The Power of Appeal to a Committee of Experts state-sanctioned and the Time limit — usually three years. Firra Division. Fina DEOREES. Section 54. All subjects of the Empire enjoy the protection for all their works equally, whether they have been published or not. Section 55. An alien enjoys protection for each of his works published within the Empire, as long as he has not published the work itself or a translation previously in a foreign country. Under the same supposition he can enjoy the protection for each of his works which he publishes within the Empire as a trans- lation; the translation holds good in this case as standing for an original work. Section 56. The register for the above-mentioned entries (Section 31, Division 2), is kept by the Municipal Council in Leipzig. The Municipal Council registers the entries without being bound to test the title of the person desiring registration or the correctness of the facts notified. If the entry is refused, then the person concerned has the  THE AUTHOR. right of lodging a complaint with the Imperial Chancellor. Section 57. The Imperial Chancellor issues decrees concern- ing the management of the register. Everyone has free access to the register. Extracts from the register can be demanded; extracts must, on demand, be authenticated. The entries are to be published in the paper (Borsenblatt) of the German publishing trade (Buchhandel), and if the paper should cease to exist, they must be published in another paper named by the Imperial Chancellor. Section 58. Receipts, transactions, vouchers, and such like documents which concern the entries in the registry, are free of duty. A fee of 1 m. 50 is imposed for every entry, for every voucher of an entry, as well as for any other extract of the register. Besides this the person desiring registration has to defray the costs of the public notification of the entry. Section 59. This section refers merely to the conduct of legal] business. Sections 60 to 63. These sections refer to those unprotected cases which gain protection by the privileges granted under this new Act. These must necessarily be few in number and diminish year by year as the new Act continues in force. Section 64. This law comes into force on January Ist, 1902. Sections 1 to 56, 61, 62, of the law respecting copyright in writings, and so forth, of June 11th, 1870, become invalid (are cancelled) on the same day. Nevertheless these provisions remain untouched, as far as they can be declared applicable in the Imperial laws to protection of works of plastic art, of photographs as well as of models and patterns. (Signed) WILHELM. ——__—_—_—_-+—~<_-____ ABOUT LITERARY AGENCIES.* — ++ R. HENRY FRANCIS in the last number of The Author wrote a very interesting article on Literary Agents, and I take the liberty of adding a few lines on a subject which ig of so much interest to authors. * The Editor desires to refer members interested in this subject to an exhaustive article that appeared in Zhe Author, April, 1904. 293 It seems to me a mistaken opinion that the agent is invaluable to an author: an author may exist without an agent, and if he has dealt with American editors he may be sure that his work will be commissioned or bought in advance many times ; but even to him the agent is useful and certainly one who has many well known authors as his regular clients, need not concern himself about beginners. To deal with beginners is really hard work, for their name is “ Legion,” especially in England and America, where people who can read and write, and even those who probably can read but who cannot write an ordinary letter, think it their duty to send to the literary agent the pro- duct of their brains. This is the reason why many agents charge fees for reading, in order to avoid the influx of un- desirable literature, often only fit for the waste- paper basket. I happen to know an agent in England who may be the ideal agent according to the views of Mr. Francis, but his task is more difficult than is generally supposed. Not only is it necessary to classify and tabulate the contributions received according to the requirements of various publica- tions, but also to read them. First, for a good article a higher payment may be obtained than is usual; and, secondly, an agent having read the manuscript, may suggest some modification or a remodelling of the article or short story which will directly benefit the author by causing him to command a fair price, while if this is omitted the paper is often summarily rejected. 1. The ideal agent ought to be well acquainted with the requirements of the market ; and 2. Not only ought he to dispose of the material entrusted to him, but if he sees the fitting oppor- tunity, should inform his customers that he can dispose of contributions dealing with such and such matters if they send them to him. 3. He ought to endeavour to obtain the highest possible remuneration, and this on certain definite dates, not only on publication, which may be deferred for a year after the acceptance of the articles or short story. 4. He ought to be a good reader to judge of the quality or defects of the contribution. If the agent be really good the percentage which he will take for placing the article will be paid, not by the author, but by the publisher, who will give more to the agent than he would have paid to the author himself. In general, with a few exceptions, English editors are not accustomed to explain to the author if asked, what they want in the contribution, nor do they make suggestions to outside contributors ; but a good agent will invariably do so. Thus, before the arrival of the King of Spain, he will 294 remind his clients that articles dealing with Spain will be in demand ; and he will inform them that for July and August papers dealing with French matters, owing to the visit of the French fleet, will command a sale. As an agent represents more or less a large number of authors, the editor, even if he refuses the article, will probably read the contribution placed before him by the agent. I am aware that even in London there are editors who, after keeping a manuscript for some time, will return it without having taken the trouble to read it, the fastener or thread confining the leaves never having been removed. But although the patience of editors may be abused by illiterate contributors they ought to be able to rely upon the matter sent them by an agent as real literature, and in rejection would therefore have some real reasons, and not a mere excuse. Again, an agent can make a better bar- gain with an editor for the price of accepted manu- scripts, as he knows the market value of such commodities, and he himself may be useful to the editor by being able to supply the materials wanted; he can also often obtain better terms than the author, and sometimes payment on acceptance. For these reasons an agent is strictly necessary to beginners and very useful to authors in general. Such agents exist in England, and even in London; their names may be found from the usual books of reference, but as there are among them those who seem to think their duty only con- sists in taking a few shillings in advance from the author, it is well to obtain the fullest information from the secretary of the society, or to ask the agent for his references before submitting a manu- script or sending him fees. Of course no agent can guarantee the placing of every kind of contribution, even if of real literary value, as the taste and requirements of editors vary from time to time; but short stories always com- mand a good sale, poetry seldom. As to the American market, to which authors do not as a rule pay judicious attention, it is good, if not better, than the English. A carbon copy of each intended contribution ought to be made and sent on approval to America. The expense is not large, and it may bring substantial profit. Everything from 50 words to 100,000 can com- mand a sale, and things which the author may consider worthless may find buyers somewhere in Colorado or Nebraska, and may even obtain a good price. The minimum price is $5 (five dollars) or £1 1s. per thousand words. ‘The agencies are numerous and excellent, the payment on acceptance and the dealing prompt, but as there is much “fake” among these agencies, I shall depart from the custom of non free advertisement THE AUTHOR. in the columns of Zhe Author and give a few American addresses of general high standing :— The American Press Association of New York, The Hearst Syndicate of New York, The Daily Story Publishing Co., and Sampson, Hodges, both of Chicago. All these agencies are practically purchasing syndicates, rather than authors’ agents in the strict sense of the term. As the number of publications in the United States is larger than in England, and all “ Dailies” publish a special Sunday edition with articles on various subjects and short stories, the possibilities of selling contributions on good terms are large. For those who do not object to spend a little money and especially for those who write much and do not care if their work be published unsigned, I can recommend The National Press Association, Baldwin Buildings, Indianapolis, Ind., the only placing agency which I happen to know in the States. This agency has for chief editor, Mr. Thornton West, a man of high repute. Contributions received and found to be saleable are published on syndicate sheets, and on payment of a sum from one shilling upwards, according to the length of the articles, are sent to many thousands of publications in various States of America, the same article, paragraph, poetry, or short story being published on the same day in many papers brings to the author a good deal more than if sold in any other way. The day of publication in periodicals may be arranged beforehand, as on the day of publication on syndicate sheet, the author has already secured his copyright. The knowledge of and acquaintance with American periodical literature would, of course, be of great assistance as it would give an idea of the wants of the market. Strange to say, in London there is no place or reading room where on payment you can see American publications ; ab least, I do not know of the existence of such a place. This is the greater pity as there are numerous competitions for articles and short stories, such as in last October that of the Boston Black Cat, where from ten to two hundred guineas were given in prizes, and no one in England heard anything about it. Whether an author has or has not an agent in England he should always send his contributions to America, and he ought also to remember that an average magazine uses only about two hundred articles and short stories in the year, and if the author is not a Kipling, Caine, or a star of equal magnitude, the editor will not publish more than one or two of his contributions during the year—of course, articles of exceptional merit, or those deal- — ing with special topics of the day and written by  THE AUTHOR. 295 experienced authors are not bound by this rule ; the agent for his own interest will find the right people, and as he is not acting for many celebrities, his existence depends on large numbers of well- served customers. so “THE LIFE LITERARY.” —_— + HIS is an age in which philanthropists lurk at every turn. People, indeed—perfect strangers, for the most part—positively unite with one another in whole-souled endeavours to improve the moral and mental state of their fellow-beings. Perhaps the recent wave of “re- vivalism ” sweeping over London has had some- thing to do with it ; or perhaps it must be ascribed to some other cause altogether. Any way, for weeks past my letter-box has been deluged daily with missives from kind-hearted individuals whose one object in life is apparently to benefit my unworthy self. One bold spirit actually offered to ‘convert’ me “ by correspondence” ; a second has an encyclopedia on “specially easy terms” ; or, if I don’t want that, I can have a fountain pen instead ; and a third will array my manly form from top to toe “in West-end style (guaranteed) at City prices.” It was left, however, for a fourth to make the only offer of which I felt able to avail myself. As the experiment afforded me some innocent entertainment at the time, I will describe it briefly, in the hope that others may profit by it. The offer, like all those that preceded it, was embodied in pamphlet form. Entitled “The Life Literary,” it undertook—in return for “so much down now, and the balance at client’s convenience” —to “bring journalistic proficiency within the reach of everyone.” The prospect sounded enticing. I picked the envelope and its contents out of the waste-paper basket to which I had consigned it mechanically a moment earlier, and looked it over again. There was a distinct suggestion of “bustle” in the opening paragraph that pro- claimed an American inspiration, and a “ now-or- never ”’ in the final one that was almost irresistible. It was almost, however ; not quite. Looked at critically, and in the cold light of an hour later, it left something wanting. ‘There was too much promise about the prospectus, and the golden vista it opened up to all and sundry who availed them- selves of the course of instruction described therein had a suspicious glitter. I found it, also—despite the glowing assurances to the contrary—difficult to believe that “The Life Literary” was within the grasp of all and sundry provided they could put down so much ready money beforehand. Reluctantly accordingly, I abandoned the pleasing vision I had formed in the first flush of enthusiasm of seeing myself editor of the Times at the end of a fortnight, and put the matter from my mind. I had reckoned, however, without a full percep- tion of what my neglect involved. It was not long before I found this out. At the end of a week came a letter of enquiry, expressed in polite, but pained, terms, as to why I delayed taking advan- tage of the “ extraordinary offer.” Silence seemed the only answer. I tried it, but it did not succeed, for my would-be benefactors suddenly adopted the tactics of the proprietors of an American patent medicine, and bombarded me daily with “ follow- ups.” Of the first six I took no notice. The seventh, however, broke down my stony defiance. Couched in this manner, it was impossible to hold out against it :— ““My DEAR S1R,—Apparently you have not yet decided to. take up our initial course of journalism. We cannot believe your indecision is caused by the amount of the fee; especially when you remember that the lessons are such that they not only awaken the latent power of writing—which often sleeps unknown for many decades—and whet the ambition for a life full of scope and enterprise, but in addition to this, they place the student directly upon the road to success, showing him how to make money NOW. Any intelligent student will obtain sufficient practical know- ledge from our lessons to earn money as a “ Free-Lance,” even supposing he eventually decides not to enter the “ Life Literary.” Possibly the reason of your not having taken advantage of our offer is that you are in doubt as to the value of our system of tuition. Thinking this may be so, we will help to remove this doubt by making you an offer, of which you can avail yourself without incurring any liability. Send us one MS., either one which has been rejected or one specially written for the purpose, and we will revise it for you. We shall deal with it in the same way as we deal with essays, articles, and stories written by students under our instruction. We will return it to you with our notes, comments, and advice, and thus you will be in a position to judge of our methods for yourself. In conclusion, we will add that the instructor in our jour- nalistic branch is a practical London journalist, and the lessons he gives are not obsolete, mythical semi-lectures. —Yours faithfully.” This was a sporting offer, as a man and a Briton I could scarcely do less than close with it. With- out delay, accordingly, I picked out a manuscript from a large collection in my desk and dispatched it to the London office—somewhere in the Pimlico postal district—of Messrs. So-and-8o. Then I sat down to await the result. It came with exhilarating and business-like promptitude. Accompanying the promised return of my manuscript was a type-written document. I looked at it admiringly. In one corner was emblazoned the Stars and Stripes; in the other was the Union Jack. Hvidently the operations of the ‘Twentieth Century College of Journalistic Tuition” were widespread. In a neatly-framed margin running down one side of the sheet was a 296 THE AUTHOR. long list of “Fellows and Experts on the Instruc- tional Staff.” With surprise and disappointment (for the preliminary prospectus had distinctly stated that “all England’s literary men” were patrons of the college) I searched in vain for the names of either Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, George Meredith, or Conan Doyle. Strangely enough, they were one and all unaccountably absent. However, I was not going to let these omissions dishearten me. There were still plenty of names left, and it was my ignorance no doubt that made their fame in the literary world unknown to me. With a feeling of pleasurable excitement, I began to read the “notes, comments, and advice”’ that, in accordance with the kindly promise of Messrs. So-and-So, were to greet the bantling I had sub- mitted to their expert judgment. The result was a little disheartening. It ran in this fashion :— “ My DEAR S1rR,—Our instructor has carefully examined your MS., entitled He finds that, while it shows a certain definite promise, it is written in too amateur a style to be of any commercial value. We would suggest that you enrol yourself as a student of Course A. This we are prepared to extend to you on the specially-reduced terms of three pounds (payable in advance), on receipt of which complete handbook of instruction will be mailed you. As this grand offer is only open for a limited period, we would respectfully urge you to avail yourself of it at once. With best wishes for your success, we are, dear sir, yours obediently, ae On mature consideration, I did not take advan- tage of “this grand offer” of making a successful début in “The Life Literary.” Perhaps the chief reason that influenced me in being thus wilfully blind to my own advantage was the fact that the article in question had already appeared in a London newspaper of admittedly high standing. a ————————— MAGAZINE CONTENTS. oe eae es BLACKWOODS. Orpheus and Eurydice. By Alfred Noyes Coventry Pat- more. By Frederick Greenwood. BoOKMAN. Edward Fitzgerald. By Wilfrid Whitten, Book MONTHLY. Crossing the Bar. By James Milne. Writers of English. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. The Railway Bookstall. Artistic Incongruities and Anachronisms. By T C. Hepworth. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. What is Christianity? By Samuel McComb. Ruskin’s Views of Literature. By R. Warwick Bond. CoRNHILL. A Glimpse of the Exiled Stewarts. By W.H. Hutton, From a College Window. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. In Praise of Anthony Trollope’s Novels. Bettany. Literary Associations of the American Embassy. By F. §. A. Lowndes. The Ethics of Don Juan. By Francis Grothwahl. The Times. History of the War in South Africa. By Militarist. Paris and Daomi. By Laurence Binyon. By F. E. LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE, A Distinguished Librarian. By M. E. Lowndes. A Tenant Farmer’s Diary of the Eighteenth Century. By W. M. Dunning. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE, Cathedrals Old and New. By Hugh B. Philpott. The Fellow Workers of Voltaire [V.Gremm. By S. G. Tallentyre. Monta. The Strange Story of the Abbate Sidotti. By the Rev. Herbert Thurston. An Error in Simpson’s “ Campion.” By the Rev. J. H. Pollen. The Apotheosis of Tom Moore. By P. A. Sillard. The Church of England and the Higher Criticism. By A. St. Ledger Westall. Alexander Neckam. By Arnold Caven. MONTHLY REVIEW. The Goddess of Wisdom and Lady Carolin Lamb. By Rowland E. Prothero, M.V.O. Edward Dowson. By Forrest Reid. Medizval Gardens. By Alice Kemp-Welch. Quaint Memories. By E. Hessey. NINETEENTH CENTURY. The Scandal of University Education in Ireland. By Sir George T. Lambert, C.B. Ought Public Schoolmasters to be Taught to Teach? By the Hon. and Rev. Canon Lyttleton. Some Royal Love Letters. By Miss Charlotte Fortescue Yonge. PALL MALL MAGAZINE. Pictures and the Public. By C. Lewis Hind. The Origin of Life. By C. W. Saleeby, M.D. TEMPLE BAR. The Philosophy of Aubrey de Vere. Barrington. Rooms that I have Loved. By Helen Choate Prince. Margaret Godolphin. A Saint at the Court of Charles II. By Dora M. Jones. By Michael UNIVERSITY REVIEW. The Free Churches and the Universities. By Professor J. H. Houlton. Study of Local History. By Ramsay Muir, M.A, ‘WORLD’s WoRK. Music in Lakeland. By Rosa Newmarch,  THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ———<>—+ ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. ‘(3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —————__+_—~_ —_____ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. SU eee EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager, 297 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts: (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (%.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system, Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (¢c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (4.) apply also in this case. 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. I, is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved, 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range'of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ee WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. 1—>—+ ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He 298 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. —__———__+—___¢_______- HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. —-—>— + ie VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and _ past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. ‘I'he Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. The must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. THER AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —+—— + —_ HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. A THE READING BRANCH. — EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea, ge eee NOTICES. —_+—>+— HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. ++ The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. ——_+——____—__ LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. — ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.  THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. $4 E are delighted to see in the issue of Birthday Honours that Mr. Meredith, the distinguished President of the Society, and Mr. Holman Hunt, who has been a member since its commencement, have received the Order of Merit, the highest honour which it is possible for the King to render to these protagonists of literature and art. The members of the Society cannot help but feel the reflected glory shed upon it by the distinction thus conferred. It is not necessary to recall the fact that the late Lord Tennyson was the first President of the Society, and that on his lamented death Mr. Meredith was by vote of the Council elected to fill the vacancy. This was many years ago. We must all join in offering our sincerest con- gratulations that the Order of Merit, so well deserved, has been conferred on him who was by the vote of the fellow members of his profession nominated to the presidency. We are pleased to see also that Lord Tennyson, the son of our former President, also a member of the Society like his father, has been made a Privy Councillor. ALL advertising agents state that there is nothing like persistency in advertisement in order to attract the public notice. This, to a certain extent, is true ; but after a certain time repeated advertise- ments repel rather than attract. This remark will hold good with the standing matter in Zhe Author, and it is therefore fitting from time to time to stimulate the interest and call to the minds of members the fact that the information contained in the standing matter is useful and valuable, that it may be of great advantage to them before they enter into an agreement to read the standing matter referring to agreements as the first step. Another point in the standing matter to which we should like to call our members’ attention is the fact that all the agreements criticised and all the cases quoted in The Author are real agreements and real cases, and the secretary is willing to give the names of the firms involved to members of the society. Again, it may be of advantage to members, before they enter into an agreement, to make some inquiries from the secretary with regard to the cases taken up by the society and the agreements quoted. It is more than probable that the result- ing information will afford unexpected assistance. THE initial sessions of the Copyright Conference in the United States were held on Wednesday, Thurs- day and Friday, May 31st, June 1st, and June 2nd. 299 We have heard from the librarian of Congress that it is not proposed to issue a formal report of these meetings, though a report was drawn up for the benefit of the members. The authors’ interests were represented by Mr. E. ©. Stedman, Prof. Brander Mathews, and Mr. R. U. Johnson ; the publishers’ by Mr. W. W. Appleton and Mr. Charles Scribner. Mr. George Haven Putnam would also have been present, but was not in the United States at the time. Other interests, such as artists’, typographers’, printers’, etc., were represented. But we fail to see any men- tion of the American Authors’ Society. Mr. Herbert Putnam, the librarian of Congress, was in the chair, and Mr. Thorvald Solberg, the registrar of copy- rights, acted as recorder, Mr. Montgomery, of the Treasury Department, representing the Government. The meeting appears to have been surprisingly unanimous in favour of comprehensive provisions and more exact definitions, and there was a general unanimity against the policy of a renewal term of copyright, and in favour of a fixed term. We regret to say that beyond a mere formal protest, there appeared to be no endeavour to disturb the status of the manufacturing clause. It is to be hoped that some fair time limit will be given to: those who desire to secure the United States copy- right instead of simultaneous publication. It cannot be repeated too often that the question of copyright, that is, the reproduction of copies, has really nothing whatever to do with the manu- facturers in the United States, and that a reason- able international copyright law can be gained without detriment to the printers’ interests. We have taken the following list of associations participating in the conference, with the names of delegates, from the United States Publishers’ Weekly. American (Authors’) Copyright League. R. BR. Bowker, Vice-President; R. U. Secretary. American Bar Association. Arthur Steuart. American Dramatists’ Club. Bronson Howard, President ; Joseph I. C. Clarke. American Institute of Architects. Glen Brown, Secretary. American Library Association. Frank P. Hill, Vice-President ; Arthur E. Bostwick. American Newspaper Publishers’ Association. John Stewart Bryan, Louis M. Duvall, Don C. Seitz. American Publishers’ Copyright League. Wm. W. Appleton, President ; Geo. Haven Putnam, Secretary ; Chas. Scribner, Treasurer. Architectural League of America. D. Everett Waid. Association of American Directory Publishers. Wm. H. Bates. Association of Theatre Managers of Greater New York. Henry B. Harris, Chas. Burnand. International Typographical Union. J. J. Sullivan. Johnson 3800 THE AUTHOR. Lithographers’ Association. Robert M. Donnelson ; A. Beverly Smith, Secretary. Manuscript Society. Miss Laura Sedgwick Collins, Secretary. Music Publishers’ Association. Walter M. Bacon, Geo, W. Furniss. National Academy of Design. Francis D. Millet. National Association of Photo-Engravers. W. B. Wilson, junr. National Educational Association. George S. Davis. National Institute of Arts and Letters. Edmund Clarence Stedman, President; Brander Matthews. National Sculpture Society. Karl Bitter. New York Typographical Union, No. 6. P. H. McCormick, President ; Geo. J. Jackson. Periodical Publishers’ Association of America, Chas. Scribner. Photographers’ Copyright League. B. J. Falk, Pirie McDonald. Print Publishers’ Association of America. W. A. Livingstone, Albert Smith, President. Society of American Artists. John W. Alexander, John La Farge. Sphinx Club. W. P. Hooper. United Typothete. Isaac H. Blanchard, President. Librarian of Congress. Herbert Putnam. Register of Copyrights. Thorvald Solberg. Treasury Department. Charles P. Montgomery. We have once again to thank the secretary of the Library of Congress for a most useful publica- tion bearing on the United States Copyright Law, entitled “ Copyright in Congress, 1789—1904: A Bibliography and Chronological Record.” During the century there has been much copy- right legislation in the United States, and much more proposed legislation. As the compiler of the book states : “ More than 200 Copyright Bills have been laid before Congress for its consideration.” The work comprises a complete bibliography of all the Bills referring to copyright which have been introduced into Congress, with the laws that have been enacted, and those reports, petitions, memorials, messages, and miscellaneous copyright documents which have been drafted, together with a complete chronological record of all actions taken in Congress in any way referring to the subject of copyright, showing the manner in which each proposal has been dealt with. To the student of the evolution of copyright, the record must be of the greatest assistance ; and no person who is really interested in the future con- solidation of the laws, either in this or any other country, can afford to ignore the past evolution of copyright property. We must, therefore, thank the compilers of this work for the labour they have expended and the careful manner in which they have carried out their programme. We are, indeed, indebted to the Copyright Office for the foresight with which they deal with all questions likely to interest holders of this property. THE twenty-seventh congress of the International Artistic and Literary Association will be held this autumn at Liege, in Belgium, from Monday, the 18th, to Sunday, the 24th of September. The opening séance will be on Monday morning at eleven a.m. ‘The programme is as follows :— I, Annual report of matters concerning literary and artistic property, considered from diplomatic, legislative, and legal points of view: The general report. 1. New laws and the principal decisions of juris- prudence: M. E. Rothlisberger. 2. International conventions and projects of conventions: M. A. Darras. 3. Relations between Germany and the United States: M. A. Osterrieth. 4. Means of assuring the adhesion of the Netherlands to the Berne Convention: M. Van de Veld. II. Relations between artistic and industrial property, with a special reference to designs, models, and photographs: M. Taillefer. III. Practical means of repressing literary, musical, and artistic piracy, particularly in Eng- land and Italy, and of preventing the introduction of unauthorised publications: MM. Harmand, Poinsard, Iselin, and Clausetti. IV. The character of illicit musical performances, literary recitations, or dramatic representations, not authorised by the authors ; an examination of gratuitous and private performances and repre- sentations: MM. de Borchgrave, Castori, and Osterreith. VY. The publisher’s contract regarded from the point of view of artistic works: A report of the labours of the French Commission instituted by the Congress of Weimar. VI. The right of reproduction of works ex- hibited in museums: MM. Auquier and Grandig- neaux. VII. The protection of monuments of the past, of scenery, and of historical sites: MM. Charles Lucas and Raoul de Clermont. Thursday, the 21st, will be devoted to an excur- sion to Brussels. Friday, 22nd, Saturday, and Sunday will be passed at Antwerp, where the congress will close. A complete programme will be subsequently published. Persons visiting the congress will enjoy a discount of fifty per cent. on tickets of the Chemin du Fer du Nord, and can have circular tickets on the Belgian railways at reduced prices.  eas RIDNiae: THER AUTHOR. 301 BALLADE OF MINOR POETS. —— * Ah, would but one might lay his lance in rest, And charge in earnest, were it but a mill!” AusTIN DoBsoNn. OT painless is his path who strives To storm Apollo’s cloudy seats ; His heart shall know derision’s knives, And tough shall be the bread he eats. Not his to fondle the receipts Of novelists superbly Manx ; Yet all is well when he repeats “At least we fight within the ranks.” There is no noodle but contrives To giggle at our high conceits ; The purblind critic smokes our hives And votes our honey pilfered sweets ; Our noblest pangs are “ hectic heats,” Our verse is vile, our minds are blanks ; And yet—they said the same of Keats! At least we fight within the ranks ! Appalling vices taint our lives ;— Debt, cigarettes, Parisian streets, French fiction, absinthe, countless wives, Strange vintages and monstrous meats ; Yet though this list but half-completes The total of our godless pranks, Such windy stuff one thought deletes,— At least we fight within the ranks. L’ENVOI. Brothers, this giant Art retreats Untamed of us ; yet give we thanks ;— Through each alarm, through all defeats At least we fight within the ranks ! pr. J. lu. -—~<_ + UNITED STATES NOTES. =o FP \HE question of the day in American literary circles is, who wrote those “ Publisher’s Confessions,” which have now appeared in book form ? In some quarters it was assumed as a moral certainty that Mr. Walter H. Page was the out- spoken correspondent of the Boston Transcript, and one literary periodical has even published his portrait in that capacity ; but now it is said that the want of literary tone which is so sadly apparent, precludes this hypothesis ; and another candidate, Mr. Gregory, of Boston, is brought forward. For ourselves, we regret the hard things said of the critics and the literary papers, whilst acknowledging the shrewd sense and straight hitting of the writer; but we dare venture no guess as to his identity. Mr. Carnegie’s latest benefaction has been very generally approved. The provision of a pension fund for the hard-working and ill-paid teaching profession was an obvious desideratum, especially in a country like the United States; and its advantages, unlike those of the public libraries, cannot be held to be problematic. An able article in the Dzal, by Dr. Joseph Jastrow deals with the few objections that are likely to be raised, such as the exclusion of State univer- sities from the benefits of the bequest. The writer very wisely, in our opinion, expresses a hope that the new endowment will supplement existing pro- visions, rather than exonerate universities from the duty of supplying pensions, and will act as a stimulative force in other directions. Mention of the Chicayo Dial recalls the fact that it has lately celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. Under the able conduct of Mr. Francis F. Browne, who has edited the paper during the whole period, it has undoubtedly been the best literary journal in America, and has fully held its own against younger rivals, who have called in the aid of illustration. It is the only purely literary paper which is not the organ of a publishing house, and has succeeded in avoiding dulness without making any of the usual concessions to popular taste. Long may it live to wave the banner of calm criticism over commercial democratic Chicago ! The Copyright Conference assembled at the invitation of the Librarian of Congress, to make suggestions for improvements in the copyright law, has held some preliminary sittings. Artists and painters are represented as well as publishers and authors. Mr. Edmund Clarence Stedman and Prof. Brander Matthews are among those who are acting for the last named ; Mr. Herbert Putnam was in the chair. So far, things seem to have gone very smoothly. Messrs. D. Appleton and Co. have taken over the Booklovers’ Magazine, which is to bear their name from the July number onwards. We note that Mrs. Humphry Ward’s “ Marriage of William Ashe” headed the most recently com- piled list of best selling books here, and that another British work, “The Garden of Allah” figured among the six, though in the reverse position. Alice Hegan Rice’s latest story, “Sandy,” and David Graham Phillips’s ‘‘ The Plum Tree,” were the new American big sellers. The latter is a political novel, wherein some have found portraits of McKinley, Senator Hanna, and W. J. Bryan. The book has been realistically advertised by the Columbian Book Company, of Atalanta, Georgia, who displayed in their windows a six-foot plum 302 tree in full blossom, with, it is said, satisfactory results. But by far the best examples of recent fiction published in the United States are the anonymous “Our Best Society,” which has just finished its serial career in the Oritic, and Dr. S. Weir Mitchell’s “ Constance Trescot.” The former is a sparkling and audacious picture of New York society from the point of view of a novelist and dramatist, who, with his wife, enters it for his own purposes. The latter, which was thrice re-written, is a masterly study of feminine temperament, which will rank high amongst the scanty collection of physicians’ novels. These, it may be recalled, include Warren’s “Ten Thousand a Year,” and Holmes’s “ Elsie Venner,” not to mention Sir A. Conan Doyle’s happy excursions into historical and detective romance. _ A very clever and readable book is, however, “The Orchid,” by Robert Grant, a curious social study, depicting, of course, the smart set. Howard Sturgis’s ‘‘ Belchamber,” is also a book quite out of the common by an unprolific writer. It has been well hit off as “The Tragedy of the Trivial.” Motor fiction is a new serial, which is well represented in “ The Van Suyden Sapphires,” by Charles Carey; “Charles the Chauffeur,” by S. E. Kiser; and Lloyd Osborne’s “The Motor Maniacs.” Mrs. Austin’s romance of old California, “Isidro,” should also be mentioned, nor should the bright little fantasia, called “The Opal,” which remains anonymous, be omitted here. A new novel from the pen of Mr. W. D. Howells, is being published, as we write. It is said to be in his best vein. ‘ Miss Bellard’s Inspiration” is the title. The fifth edition of the “ Dictionary of American Authors,” compiled by Oscar Fay Adams, has a supplement containing considerably more than a thousand newnames. It should prove more useful than ever. Four money prizes will be awarded next year for essays on certain economical subjects, the. donors being Messrs. Hart, Schaffner, and Marx, of Chicago. Two of these prizes are to be reserved for undergraduates of American colleges; the others will be competed for by those graduated in or after 1904. One of the subjects selected is “an examination into the economic causes of large fortunes in this country.” Among books other than novels which have appeared during the spring, perhaps the most notable is the Autobiography of Andrew D. White, some time Ambassador of Berlin and St. Peters- burg and President of Cornell. Not the least interesting part of the book are the Russian THE AUTHOR. reminiscences. Mr. White gives a highly curious account of Pobedonostzeff’s acquaintance with American literature, the Procurator of the Holy Synod’s devotion to Emerson being very singular, Mr. White also discussed his country’s literature with Tolstoi, who did not, however, display equal intimacy with it. He had talked with the present Tsar, and expresses himself as having been favour- ably impressed by the late M. de Plehve when a subordinate official. Mr. John Fox, jun., has described his abortive ttempts to follow the operations in Manchuria in his “ Following the Sun Flag” ; and another young writer, Mr. Jack London, has in his “ War of the Classes” indited an apologia for his own socialism. Another book well worth reading is “A Diary from Dixie,” written by the wife of Jefferson Davis’s aide-de-camp, and edited by Isabella D. Martin and Myrta L. Avary. It is a really im- portant historical document, containing not only an interesting description of social life in the South during the Civil War, but also revelations of the intrigues which were rife against the Secession leaders, and of the lack of enthusiasm felt by these last for their cause. Another historical work which is provoking some discussion is Agnes Laut’s “ Pathfinders of the West.” The author maintains that Pierre Esprit Radisson discovered the overland route to Hudson’s Bay, as well as the North-West. She also deals with the careers of La Vérendrye, Samuel Hearne, Mackenzie, and other pioneers, challenging accepted views. Mrs. Wharton’s “Italian Backgrounds” is a book of travels of rare distinction. Her discovery of the San Vivaldo pictures renders it especially noteworthy. James Huneker’s “Iconoclasts : a Book of Dramatists,” is likely to attract almost as much attention in Europe as it has here ; nor is Andrew Carnegie’s “Life of James Watt” likely to pass unnoticed in either continent. Finally, we may draw the attention of historical students to Professor Peck’s contribution to the English Men of Letters series, his volume on Prescoti. By far the most important name in our obituary list is that of the creator of Rip Van Winkle. Joseph Jefferson died on April 23rd at the ripe age of seventy-six. Howard M. Ticknor, who died on May 14th, was a man of varied accomplishments, having been in his time publisher, musical critic, editor, instructor in English at Harvard, and vice- consul in various cities. Charles Henry Webb, the publisher of Mark Twain's “Jumping Frog,” wrote excellent parodies under the pseudonym “John Paul,” as well as “The Wickedest Woman  THE AUTHOR. in New York ” and several plays. He also invented a cartridge loader and an adding machine. The late Judge Tourgée, American consul at Bordeaux, will be best remembered by his novel “A Fool’s Errand.” Mrs. Livermore published various books, but was chiefly known as a lecturer. ee ——_—_o—__ + GERMAN NOTES. —— 9 I AM glad that the first notes on German literature in The Author will be principally devoted to the memory of the greatest of German poets, Friedrich Schiller. Goethe, as the author of “ Herman and Dorothea”’ and “ Faust,” is, and will ever remain, specially a German poet ; Schiller’s genius made him rather an international one. The 9th of May being the centenary of the death of the great poet, one of the most honest and noble characters in the history of Germany, it was found necessary to honour that anniversary by festivities which surpassed anything previously known, perhaps for the reason, as Maurice Muret remarks in the Journal des Debats, “the Ger- mans display their love for Schiller vehemently, in order to assure themselves that they are not true to his expectations, and to forget all that is unschillerische in the present German Empire” (pour faire oublier tout ce qu’il y a d’unschiller- ische dans l’empire Allemand de nos jours). Whatever may be the reason, this, as the Ger- man paper Literarische Echo says, is “nicht ganz unrichtig,” not without some foundation, or, perhaps, that ideas of the government are not altogether popular in Germany. The present Festival surpassed not only that of the centenary of Schiller’s birthday, celebrated in 1859, but any other festivities hitherto held in Germany. There were more than forty books published, dealing with him as a poet, dramatist, esthetic ; various editions of his works and letters appeared, and during April and May, hundreds and thousands of articles occupied pages of the Ger- man publications. Apparently there was not a single paper which did not devote a more or less long article to the great poet’s memory. The most noteworthy work was that published by the Goethe Society, which devoted Volume XX. of their splendid publications exclusively to the Manes of Schiller. This work contained a preface by Bernhard Suphan, Schiller’s last will, in his own handwriting, and his lyric play, “ Huldigung der Kiinste,” homage to the art ; then the mono- logue of Marfas from Demetrius, the last line written by Schiller, and at the end, the epilogue to the Bell, written by Goethe. 303 _ The Kaiser, to the disappointment of his sub- jects, being in Strasburg during the Schiller Festival, did not take any part in the celebration, and thus missed an opportunity of making a speech ; but perhaps, on the whole, it was as well; for what has Schiller, the real Christian in his life, the idealist, in common with the present aggressive policy of Germany, the persecution of Poles, or the savage methods of repression permitted towards the negro population in German-African colonies ? As the Kaiser did not pose as the leading figure in the festivities, his part was eagerly taken and played by the King of Wurtemburg. He sent, as his representative, Major-General Albert von Pfister, to the United States, who, in the name of the king, presented a bust of Schiller to John Hopkins University in Baltimore, and also as representing the Schwabisch Schiller’s Society, took part in the festivities in Chicago. The King, with the Queen, have been present throughout the Festival in Stuttgart and Mar- bach, which commenced with the opening of the Schiller Exhibition on the 6th of May in Marbach, and the royal pair deposited a wreath before the monument of the poet. In Stuttgart, on the same day, the citizen society began their celebration, and on the 8th of May a splendid pro- cession of students with torches took place. On the 9th inst. all the church bells in Stuttgart and Wurtemburg were rung at the hour of the great poet’s death, and a long procession of the inhabi- tants, headed by the mayor of the city and various officials deposited a wreath; and speeches were delivered at public meetings where the memory of their great compatriot was commended. In the evening a gala performance was given in the Court Theatre, and illuminations of the royal castle and city, with bonfires on the surrounding mountain heights, turned night into day. The splendour of the Stuttgart festivities was only equalled in Ger- many by those displayed in Munich, where Prince ‘Louis Ferdinand and Prince Alphonse of Bavaria, with the Princesses, took an active part in them. In all other towns of Germany the day was observed with similar rejoicings, in which, with the exception of Baden, Hessen, Weimar and Anhalt, the rulers abstained from participating in them. The works of Schiller were distributed in all public schools throughout Germany to the children, with a few exceptions, as in Ravensburg, where the authorities gave sausages in place of books to the scholars; but in some towns, as in Eberfeld, the play, called “ The Robbers,” was cut out and suppressed, lest the influence of this work might be harmful to the children. In Berlin, according to Literarische Echo on the 9th May, on the place of Gendarmen Markt, Herr Studt the Gessler of academic liberty, deposited a wreath 304 THE AUTHOR. before the Schiller monument, with the inscrip- tion, “The Prussian Minister of Education to the Poet of German Idealism.” For years there has existed in Germany a special money prize for the best dramatic work, which is named the Schiller Prize, and is awarded by the King of Prussia. In the days of Wilhelm I., the prize was awarded according to the opinion of selected judges, with- out any interference from royalty, and the decision was regarded as just ; but with the present Kaiser all this arrangement has been changed, and, as the authors and the public were not altogether satisfied with the judgment of the high protector of the drama, another subscription has been collected, and the People Schiller’s Prize was established. On the 7th May the prizes were distributed to Gerhart Hauptmann, for “ Rosa Bernd,” to Karl Hauptman, for “ Bergschmiede,” and Richard Beer-Hoffman, for “Count of Charolais ;” each competitor receiving, from the fund mentioned, 1,000 marks (German). With the name of Schiller is associated the fund to support the widows and families of German poets. This society was started in Dresden, October 8th, 1859; the initiation of the idea is due to Julius Hammer, who published an article in Dresden, in 1855 which was reprinted in other German papers, proposing the collection of money for a memorial inscription on a house in Lochwitz, near Dresden, where Schiller wrote his Don Carlos, the surplus of the money subscribed to form the nucleus of a fund to assist necessitous poets and their families. The association selected Weimar as its head- quarters, and the reigning Prince became its pro- tector. Now the association has twenty-eight committees in Germany and Austria, and a capital of 1,987,327 marks, and 239,551 Austrian crowns. During the past year, 60,000 marks were distributed among families and widows of poets. On the 9th May, the German Ladies’ Schiller’s Society added 250,000 marks to the funds of the Society. Not only have festivities connected with the name of Schiller taken place in Germany, but also in the United States, where in many cities the German element is very strong. In Austria also, not only in Vienna but in the majority of towns of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; in Gmunden the Duke of Cumberland with his family attended the festival. Of course everywhere in Germany, Austria and even in Russia, during the month of May, Schiller’s dramas were produced, and it is a fact that outside Germany, Schiller’s plays are in many continental theatres on the list of their permanent repertoire with those of Shakespeare. In England, the late Wilson Barrett was the last to produce them, and during his management of the Court Theatre he adapted ‘‘ Kabale und liebe,”? and introduced it with success. I believe among others, Madame Modrzejewska, the great Polish actress appeared in Schiller’s plays as one of Wilson Barrett’s company before an English public. Yet, outside Germany, these plays can hardly be popular, some of them having a purely local interest, and others not appealing to the modern taste. Such plays as “The Robbers” would require an Irving to do them justice and in general a strong company to he properly produced, but these conditions granted, what a marvellous impression would this play produce, quite another Macbeth. Outside Germany, in the Italian Nuovo Autologia Guido Menascis wrote an excellent article on May Ist on Schiller. The Swedish and Norwegian press also devoted much space to the German Poet, but perhaps the best contribution was published in Stockholm from the pen of Oscar Levertin. In France more attention was paid to the great German’s memory than was expected. This can be accounted for by his defence of Jeanne d’Are, for which he was made an honorary citizen of Paris. Outside the excellent article by Maurice Moret in the Gaulois, there is a good contribution by Georges Goyou in the illustrated supplement of that paper. From the 7th May, we find many illustrations in relation to the life of Schiller. Paul Ginisty, director of the Odeon Theatre, writes in the Figaro on Schiller and the Weimar Theatre, and good. articles were in La Revue, Mercure de France, and many other papers. To those who may be interested in obtaining more details regarding the festival and Schiller’s recent literature, I may give the names of some publications where they will find a full report ; the Lnterarische Echo (Berlin), Leterarisches Central- Blatt, (Leipzig), Deutsche Literatur Zeitung (Berlin), and Oesterreichische Rundschau (Wien). Special numbers devoted to Schiller, were issued among others by Ueber Land und Meer (Stuttgart), ‘ Illustrierte Zeitung (Leipzig). Simplizissimus (X. 6.) finds an opportunity (thanks to Schiller) to write against the German authorities and to give an opinion on Schiller’s works by various celebrities as Bjornson, Max Halbe, etc. Even the monthly Uebersinnliche Welt, Berlin (XIII. 5.), devoted to occultism, finds something to say about Schiller. On the 29th of last April, the yearly meeting of the German Shakespearian Society took place in Weimar. Herr Hugo von Hofmannstahl read a paper on “Shakespeare King and Lords.” The members now number 560; the society awarded first prize in the competition on “The Stage Arrangement of Shakespeare’s Theatres” to a person who does not wish his name to be pub- lished ; the second prize to Dr. Phil. Bernhard  THE AUTHOR. Neuendorf, and honourable mention to Dr. Phil. Paul Moenkmeyer of Hanover. For the last few months no work of exceptional merit has been published in Germany; in fact except a few talented dramatic authors, Germany possesses neither poets of note or novelists; per- haps one of her best is Gabrielle Reuter, who under the title of “Wonderful Love” wrote a series of short stories, some of them really clever. English literature is represented by the “ Letters” of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “ Portu- guese Sonnets,” by the latter, and three volumes of other works also by Browning. Algernon Swinburne’s “ Poems,” George Moore’s ‘“ Earth and Heaven Love,” “Materials for Learning the Old English Drama,” 8th vol., “ Pendantius,” a Latin comedy formerly acted in Trinity College, Cambridge. 9th vol., Koeppel, “ Studies on Shakespeare’s Influence on Contemporary Dramatic Writers.” 10th vol., Ben Jonson’s “ Every Man in his Humour,” and a very interesting book by Karl Wenger, ‘ The Historic Romance of German Romantic Writers; or a Study on Sir Walter Scott’s Influence on German Authors.” The majority of the German Press has altogether forgotten that the 20th of May is the centenary anniversary of the birth of Georg Gottfried Ger- vinus, the father of German literary criticism and first historian of Literature. J. ALMAR, ——_————__——_+____- CONFESSIONS OF A BENEVOLENT AND HIGHMINDED SHARK.* oo HIS book has the double charm of infinite comedy and obvious authenticity. Most confessions are spurious. Blameless wives of country clergymen have a mania for writing memoirs of improper females: city missionaries write autobiographies of convicted cracksmen : the penitent forms of the Salvation Army are crowded with amiable creatures confessing the imaginary brutalities they did not commit before they were converted. Confessions, in short, as Dickens succinctly put it, are “all lies.” But this con- fession is genuine. The author is a real publisher from his bootsoles to his probably bald crown. There never was such a publishery publisher. The experienced author will read his book with many chuckles, and put it down without malice. The inexperienced author will learn from it exactly what he has to face when he meets that most dan- gerous of all publishers, the thoroughly respectable publisher. * “ A Publisher’s Confession.” Page & Co. 1905.) (New York : Doubleday, 305 Need I add that the confession is not a con- fession at all? It contains only one admission : that publishers do not know how to advertize, and can do nothing more for a book than the book can do for itself. This, so far as it is true (and it is not wholly nor exactly true) is so obvious that there is no merit in confessing it. And the rest of the book is quite the reverse of a confession. It is an advertisement, an apology (in the classical sense), occasionally almost a dithyramb ; and its tune throughout is the old tune “Wont you walk into my parlour ?” A few simple principles furnish our professing penitent with a solid moral basis. Of these the chief is that Nature ordains ten per cent. as the proper royalty for an author.* He makes no quali- fication as to the price of the book. It may be published at a shilling, or six shillings, or twelve shillings, or twenty-four. That does not matter. Nature does not fix the price of a book, though a dollar and a half is suggested as a desirable figure. She does fix the author’s percentage—at ten. ‘The penitent admits with shame that there are reckless publishers who offer more, and avaricious and shortsighted authors who are seduced by their offers. But bankruptcy awaits the former ; and remorse and ruin are the doom of the latter. The book itself must needs be starved by cheap manu- facture. The goose that lays the golden eggs (that is: the ten per cent. publisher) is slain by that thriftless and insatiable grasper, the twenty per cent. author. I shuddered as I read. For I too have a con- fession to make. I have not only exacted twenty per cent. royalties ; bat I have actually forced the unfortunate publisher to adorn the dollar-and-a- half book with photogravures. It is quite true that the particular publisher whom [ used thus barbarously actually did become bankrupt. But he broke, not because he paid too high royalties, but because his profits were so large that he acquired the habits of a Monte Cristo, and the ambitions of an Alexander. Jar be it from me to blame him or bear malice. I still believe in his star. Three or four more bankruptcies, and he will settle down and become a steady millionaire. But the exaction of twenty per cent. is not the blackest crime of which an author can be guilty. Our penitent is, in the main, kind to authors. I handsomely admit that authors are not angels—at least not all of them. Without going so far as to say that some authors are rascals,I yet believe that authors have been known to practise on the vanity, the credulity, the literary ignorance, and the business * This view is strenuously combated by theatrical managers, to whom the Voice of Nature whispers five per cent. as seemly and sufficient. 306 flabbiness of publishers to get advances from them on books that remain unwritten to this day. Every season brings its budget of scamped, faked, and worthless books, feverishly pushed, to prove that those eminent and typical publishers, Alnaschar & Co., have again had their belly filled with the east wind by some duffer whose pretensions would not take in an ordinarily sharp bookstall boy. There are authors who make the poor publisher pay through the nose for nothing but their names in his list. For all these deceits and failures and oppressions our penitent has -not a word of reproach. He forgives us everything, except DISLOYALTY. That is to him the one un- pardonable and abominable sin. Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty, is what he asks before everything. ‘To change your publisher is to become “a stray dog” —his own words, I assure you. To bite the hand that fed you ; to turn on the man who raised you from obscurity to publicity ; to prefer another’s twenty per cent. to his ten: this is human nature at its worst. The pages of the confession almost blush as they record the shameful fact that there are viper-authors who do this thing, and blackleg- publishers who tempt them to do it. Here is a powerful pen-picture of the polyec- dotous author. ‘That man now has books on five publishers’ lists. Not one of the publishers counts him as his particular client. In a sense his books are all neglected. One has never helped another. He has got no cumulative result of his work. He has become a sort of stray dog in the publishing world. He has cordial relations with no publisher ; and his literary product has really declined. He scattered his influence ; and he is paying the penalty.” What an awful warning ! Yet, now that I cume to think of it, I have done this very thing my very self. Dare I add that I would do it again to-morrow without the slightest compunction if I thought I could better myself that way. My publisher’s consolation is that though I have no bowels, at least I do not pose as his benefactor, nor accuse him of disloyalty because he publishes books by other authors. Granted that an author with two or three publishers may seem (in America) as abandoned a creature as a woman with two or three husbands, what about a Solomonic publisher with half a hundred authors ! “Every really successful publisher” says our penitent (who is rather given to dark hints that the other publishers are not all they seem), ‘could make more money by going into some other busi- ness. I think that there is not a man of them who could not greatly increase his income by giving the same energy and ability to the management of a bank, or of some sort of industrial enterprise.” May I point out that this is true not only of pub- THE AUTHOR. lishers but of all criminals, as many a judge has remarked before passing sentence. Whenever I meet a burglar, I always ask him why he runs such fearful risks, and performs such prodigies of skill and enterprise in opening other people’s safes, when he might turn publisher and be just as dis- honest and ten times as rich for half the trouble. As to authors, I never yet met an author who was not convinced that if he put into business half the talent and industry he puts into literature, he could in ten years time buy up the Steel Trust that bought up Mr. Carnegie. The truth is, I suspect, that a publisher is an [inte book fancier who cannot write, and an author is an infatuated book fancier who can. But the Confession does not urge this view, nor even mention it. According to it “from one point of view the publisher is a manufacturer and a sales- man. From another point of view he is the personal friend and sympathetic adviser of authors—a man who has a knowledge of literature and whose judg- ment is worth having.” Yes: I know that other point of view : the publisher's own point of view. I have had tons of his sympathetic advice ; and I owe all my literary success to the fact that I have known my own business well enough never to take it. Whenever a publisher gives me literary advice, I take an instant and hideous revenge on him. I give him business advice. I pose as an economist, a financier, and a man of affairs. I explain what I would do if I were a publisher ; and I urge him to double his profits by adopting my methods. I do so as his personal friend and wellwisher, as his patron, his counsellor, his guardian, his second father. I strive to purify the atmosphere from every taint of a “ degrading commercialism ” (that is how the Confession puts it), and to speak as man to man. And it always makes the stupid creature quite furious. Thus do men misunderstand one another. Thus will the amateur, to the end of the world, try to mix the paints of the professional. I think I will give up the attempt to review this book. I cannot stand its moral pose. If the man would write like a human being I could treat him as a human being. But when he keeps intoning a moral diapason to his bland and fatherly har- monies about the eternal fitness of his ten per cent. on six shillings ; his actuarial demonstrations that higher royalties must leave his children crying in vain to him for bread ; his loudly virtuous denun- ciation of the outside publisher who publishes at the author’s expense (compare this with his cautious avoidance of any mention of the commission system used by Ruskin, Spencer and all authors who can afford the advance of capital) ; his claim that all the losses caused by his endless errors of judgment are to be reckoned by authors as inevitable and legiti- mate expenses of his business; and his plea that: THE AUTHOR. his authors should take him for better for worse until death do them part: all this provokes me so that it is hard for me to refrain from describing him to himself bluntly in terms of his own moral affectations. : However, I will be magnanimous, and content myself with the harmless remark that the writer of the Confession is a very typical publisher. Pub- lishers of a certain age always do go on exactly like that. The author’s business is not to mind them, and to be infinitely patient with their literary vanity, their business imbecility, their seignorial sentiments and tradesmanlike little grabbings and cheapenings, their immeasurable incompetence, their wounded recollections of Besant, their stupendously unreadable new book that is coming out the week after their timid refusal of the latest thing that does not reflect the chaos of secondhand impressions which they call their own minds ; and the dislike of steady industry, the love of gambling, the furtive Bohemianism that induced them to choose their strange and questionable occupation. As for me, all I ask on the royalty system at six shillings is a modest twenty per cent. or so, a three years’ trial, an agreement drafted by myself, and an unaffected bookseller. I dont want a compulsory partner for life. I dont want a patron. I[ dont want an amateur collaborator. I dont want a moralist. I dont want a Tele- machus. I dont want a pompous humbug, nor a pious humbug, nor a literary humbug. I can dispense with a restatement of the expenses, dis- appointments, trials, and ingratitudes that pave the publisher’s weary path to a destitute old age in a country house, with nothing to relieve its monotony but three horses, a Mercedes automobile, and a flat in London. I have heard it so often ! I dont expect absolute truth, being myself a pro- fessional manufacturer of fiction : indeed I should not recognize perfect truth if it were offered to me. I dont demand entire honesty, being only moderately honest myself. What I want is a businesslike gambler in books, who will give me the market odds when we bet on the success of my latest work. No doubt this is a matter of individual taste. _ Some authors like the bland and baldheaded commercial Meecenas who loathes a degraded com- mercialism ; tenders a helping hand to the young ; and is happy if he can give an impulse to the march of humanity. I can only say that these benefactors do not seem to get on with me. They are too sensitive, too thinskinned, too unpractical forme. The moment they discover that I am a capable man of business they retreat, chilled and disillusioned. Not long ago one of these affec- tionate friends of struggling authors, representing a first-class American firm, proposed to bind me to him for life, not by the ties of reciprocal esteem, 307 but by legal contract. Naturally I said, “Sup- pose you go mad! Suppose you take to drink! Suppose you make a mess of my business!” The wounded dignity and forgiving sweetness with which he retired, remarking that it would be better for the permanence of our agreeable rela- tions if we let the matter drop, are among my most cherished recollections. _ I hope I have not conveyed an unfavorable impression of what is—to an author at least— quite a readable, and not an unamiable little book. There are scraps of good sense and even of real as distinguished from merely intended candor in it, mixed up with some frightful nonsense about ‘literary ” books, our penitent being firmly per- suaded, like most publishers, that a really literary book is one in which the word “singularly” occurs in every third line, and in which “I dont know where he went to” is always written ‘“‘ I know not whither he is gone.” But perhaps the best feature of the little book is the testimony it bears between the lines to the continued and urgent need for an Authors’ Society. G. BERNARD SHAW. eg as THE RHYMER’S LEXICON.* — E have much pleasure in extending to Mr. Loring’s ‘“ Rhymer’s Lexicon” a hearty and unqualified welcome. This is a work for which we have been hoping, and looking in vain, for many years, and one whose solid value will be at once apparent to all who rightly understand the need which it is intended to meet. Whilst saying this we are not oblivious of the ridicule usually bestowed upon rhyming diction- aries, and upon those whd are bold enough to assert that they consider them useful. But we have the courage of our opinions, and are fully prepared to be laughed at—by those who have bestowed less consideration upon the questions involved. In the first place, be it remarked, that no one knows who has used a rhyming lexicon and who has not ; and next that the Abbé du Bos was probably not very far wrong when he replied to the satires on Richelet’s “ Dictionnaire des Rhymes,” “ quoiqu’ ils en disent ils ont tous ce livre dans leurs arricre cabinet.” But apart from all that, the serious defence of works of this class is a simple * “The Rhymer’s Lexicon,” compiled and edited by Andrew Loring, with an introduction by George Saints- bury. London: George Routledge and Sons; New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. 1904. 8s. matter. The universal testimony of poets pro- claims the immense assistance to composition afforded by rhyme, howsoever much rhyme may embarrass the tyro and the amateur. It is easy to see that the essence of this assistance lies in the suggestion of the rhymed and rhyming words. But to profit by this suggestion the words must be familiar to the writer. An unfamiliar word will not spring forth spontaneously in the heat of composition, nor one unknown present itself at all. Indeed, few phenomena of versification are more curious than the manner in which certain poets (and those not always poets of small reputation) are held in bondage by their habitual rhymes. Emancipation from such chains cannot be, how- ever, without familiarity with all the terminals, and with all the words that furnish a given termi- nation. And it is, to say the least, difficult to see how this familiarity is to be gained without a study of the various groups of rhyming words. But as soon as these groups are presented, they constitute a rhyming lexicon. No doubt the beginner takes up the book because he needs some mechanical aid that may eke out his own incom- petence. And the poet disregards it, because he is already master of more than the book can furnish. But the most accomplished was also at one time a beginner, and has passed through a stage when valuable assistance would have been afforded him by some analytical conspectus of the various groups of rhyming words. The contempt bestowed upon rhyming lexicons has always appeared to us indistinguishable from contempt of other mechanical aids to the acquisition of knowledge. Virgil and Horace undoubtedly learned Greek, and knew it uncommonly well, without the assistance of an adequate lexicon. But that is hardly a reason why anyone desirous of mastering the language should decline to make use of a dictionary. The difficulties involved in the compilation of an English rhyming lexicon will hardly be appre- ciated by those who have never bestowed any consideration upon the problems involved; the almost insurmountable obstacles in the way of any rational and lucid order, occasioned by the caprices of English orthography, and the hardly easier task of finding the way between the Scylla of inadequacy, and the Charybdis of columns of useless words. It was on the former obstacle—the orthography —that Walker made shipwreck. The imperfec- tions of his work are so familiar that it would be invidious to recall attention to them here. And it is pleasanter to dwell upon points too often over- looked. “The Rhyming Dictionary of the English Language,” a monument of herculean labour and perseverance, is a rough clearing of a jungle of THE AUTHOR. perplexities, which has after all done more than any- thing else to render the rhyming capacities of the language intelligible. And in principle Walker was on the right track. Had the orthography of the language been phonetic he would have produced a work in which every single word would have been presented accompanied by its rhymes of whatsoever kind, strong, weak, single, double, triple, or more, and that in the most conyenient order, and with the clearest definition. But the orthography being hopelessly erratic, “believe,” “conceive” and “weave ””—“few” and “sue” were flung far apart; and the “Index of Perfect Rhymes,” which stands at the end of the book asa kind of appendix, has been naturally left imperfect, seeing that to perfect it would mean to present all the words a second time. But Walker had seen so clearly what many of the needs of a rhyming dictionary are, that to follow him is often safer than to strike out a new line. Walker’s system was the simple one of arranging the words in inverse alphabetical order, beginning with the last letter and reading backwards, commenc- ing “a,” “baa,” “ abba,” instead of “a,” “ aaronic,” “aback.” The labour of arrangement must have been immense. But, as the words above mentioned show, the orthography rendered the result, for rhyming purposes, most inadequate. To elaborate other systems, that will bring together all the words that rhyme is neither easy nor impossible. (And any system would probably appear lucid to the man who had bestowed upon it the labour necessary to bring it to perfection.) But it is absolutely impossible to invent a system against which well-founded charges of confusedness cannot be brought. The critic who desires to make merry over an English Rhyming Dictionary shall always have as wide a field for his sarcasm as his heart can desire—that is the destructive critic. The critic who would propose something that shall ameliorate the book will probably discover that his suggestions, if carried into execution, would, whilst they remedied certain very patent imperfec- tions, simultaneously produce an ample crop of new inconveniences, and those possibly worse than what they were intended to cure. This is perhaps the reason why so long a time has elapsed without any work having appeared that represents any real advance beyond what had been done by Walker. Perhaps one and another enterprising spirit has tried one or another of the few rational systems of arrangement possible, and perceiving that to avoid confusion, whether in one way or another was out of the question, has thrown up the task in despair. For at least so far as we know nothing has been attempted that amounts to any more than an enlargement of Walker’s “ Index.” Happily at last Mr. Loring has boldly taken one THE AUTHOR. of the possible systems (and, in our opinion, the actually best of them) and has resolutely carried it through. We doubt whether the author himself realises how great a work he has accomplished. For in a task of this kind, ‘“‘ I] n’y a que le premier pas qui cotite.” When once the onerous enterprise of getting the mass of words into a certain order has been accomplished, subsequent amplification and elaboration are easy: and we wish Mr. Loring many future editions. The system adopted is a classification of the rhymes in alphabetical order, but in groups under the characteristic vowel, a, 4; e,%; etc. Mr. Loring distinguishes thus fourteen vowel sounds (explaining what he has done with the rarer additional ones), and then in the three parts of his work presents the single (oxytone), double or feminine (paroxytone), and_ treble (proparoxytone) rhymes belonging to each of the fourteen groups. It will be seen at once how far he has gone in advance of any previous compiler, if only in dealing with the double and triple rhymes. With the characteristic vowel for guide, to find any word is an easy task. In fact the problem of discovering the requisite word (one of the difficulties of any lexicon in which the words are arranged in classes) is completely solved. And the word being found, all the others that rhyme with it are in immediate juxtaposition. The words are ranged in columns, an assistance to the eye of the very greatest value. In collecting words Mr. Loring has spread out his net somewhat widely, but we think that here also he has been well advised. The lyric poet will no doubt find much that he will justly consider rubbish. If necessary he has only to draw his pen across what he considers useless. But a rhyming lexicon must be for all, and must cater as well for the needs of the satirist and the comic versifier, as for those of the troubadour and the tragedian. In venturing to make a few suggestions, we feel that the author has possibly already considered the points which we shall mention, and has arrived at a conclusion different from our own. If so, we would yet plead for a reconsideration of one or two particulars in which it seems to us that the author might in a future edition add to the value of his work. We think that different words that happen to be identical in form should be differen- tiated. Thus, for example, we find “lay ” standing alone to represent “to lay,” “he lay,” “lay” (a song), “lay” (direction), and “lay” (adjective, belonging to the laity). That all these furnish but one rhyme is true. But does the one group of letters, “lay,” sufficiently suggest all the words ? We doubt it. Inside each group the words are arranged in the ordinary alphabetical order, beginning with the first letter. This certainly 309 renders addition easy. But it puts verbs and their compounds far apart, and does not keep identical terminations (which do not rhyme) together. Would not Walker’s inverse order have remedied both these things? ‘Taking a small group, the two arrangements work out thus :— Loring’s System. Walker’s System. asp gasp hasp clasp | enclasp unclasp | rasp grasp engrasp asp clasp enclasp engrasp gasp grasp hasp rasp unclasp Here Walker’s system immediately shows that though there are nine words there are only five rhymes, it also sets side by side verbs and their compounds. When the group is large and the orthography erratic there is certainly considerable difficulty involved in arranging the words in Walker’s inverted order, but we believe that it is the consonant preceding the rhyme and not the con- sonant commencing the word, that should rule the group. And we wish that the author had not been quite so modest in his preface, and had given us a little more of the results of the conclusions at which he must have arrived on many difficult points whilst engaged in this intricate labour. But with so much to praise and so much for which to be sincerely grateful, we are far from wishing to lay stress upon our own views respect- ing details. Mr. Loring has produced a Rhyming Lexicon immensely in advance of anything of the kind that has hitherto existed in English. We can unhesitatingly recommend his book, and we do recommend a serious study of it. It is a work that should be in the hands of. everyone who desires to have a clear apprehension of the rhyming capacities of the English tongue : that is to say, of everyone who writes or desires to write verse. Unless we are very much mistaken it not only ought to be, but very soon will be in every versifier’s library: for no compendium of English rhyme hitherto published approaches anywhere near the lucidity and comprehensiveness of “ ‘The Rhymer’s Lexicon.” —_——_————__1—__+—__ THE COLLABORATION. ++ — T’ one time, not so very long since, I used A frequently to meet Matheson at the club. He struck me as a pleasant sort of fellow enough, and from exchanging a few remarks about the weather, to which he replied in a less banal 310 manner than common, I had begun to conceive quite a high opinion of his ability. Soon we got to talk freely on subjects of a greater intrinsic interest, such as literature, and he let drop one day, in a casual fashion, the remark that he had read, and admired, my last book. In those days, such a statement meant a good deal to me. I admit that I was pleased with the man, and confirmed in my estimate of his talents. I think it possible now that he had merely read some reviews of it, for I recollect that he displayed a little uneasiness when I referred to one or two incidents in it that I thought might have impressed him favourably. However, at the time no such fancy entered my mind—my temperament is naturally averse trom suspicion—and when, one day, Matheson sug- gested that we should collaborate in a work of fiction, I assented readily. I had always rather liked the idea of collaboration : it seemed to me that a good deal of the preliminary labour of con- struction (to which I have a rooted antipathy) could in this method be settled with a minimum of personal effort. Instead of sitting down to a month’s hard thinking—a process that goes near reducing me to a skeleton—I saw myself talking things over amicably with Matheson, and in a few conversations arranging the whole matter to our mutual satisfaction. Frankly, ideas come to me with a wonderful freedom when I happen to be in the society of a congenial spirit: alone, in the solitude of my study, I am too ready, perhaps, to fall into trains of thought unconnected with the subject in hand. And, besides, Matheson was in- experienced in writing: it would be my part to revise the text and throw it into literary form ; surely it was only natural to suppose that he would cheerfully undertake the task of supplying raw material for the plot. I will do Matheson the justice to allow that he saw this as soon as I represented it to him. He was quite humble, and expressed himself as only too delighted to take any part of the work that I might suggest. I confess that I was pleased at the way in which he spoke of the honour of being asso- ciated with me, for mine was never one of those hard-headed, matter-of-fact natures that profess a distaste for flattery. And certainly Matheson had a facility in devising unusual incidents. We dis- cussed our plot almost daily for about a week— generally in the billiard room, which was not being much used at that time—and I have seldom en- joyed a week more thoroughly. Our meetings were always hilarious, for Matheson’s extraordinary schemes had their comical side, and at the same time, even while laughing over some preposterous suggestion of his, we had the pleasing sensation of being at work upon something definite. I dislike above all things feeling that I am wasting my time. TAE AUTHOR. At last, however, everything was atranged, and it was decided that we should begin work imme- diately on the actual writing. Hitherto I have always shrunk from sitting down to a full-blown novel: the length of the task before me has a _ terrifying effect, and I can never work with convic- tion until I see the end in sight. Consequently the few attempts I have made at novel-writing have generally ended abruptly: I have gone on until I was tired of my puppets, and then dropped them, with the result of producing an amorphous tale, not long enough for a novel and too long for a short story. But, with a collaborator, I flattered myself things would be much easier, and especially if we arranged to write alternate chapters. A single chapter at a time I could manage as well as any novelist living : it was the deadening thought of having to continue indefinitely that paralyzed me when working alone. It was settled then that Matheson should send the initial chapter on to me as soon as he could get it done, and that I should reply, so to speak, with number two. It bade fair to be as easy a game as writing letters: we ought, at least, to do two chapters a week by this method without feeling it ; and I saw the whole thing com- pleted, in my mind’s eye, in something less than four months. I will concede, if you like, that I took my part of the work easily enough. Matheson was the younger man of the two, and the plot was his own —a double reason why he should work it out in his own manner. Besides, incident has never been my strong point ; I was always best—so my friends told me—at digression. I saw an opportunity here to brighten my collaborator’s steady, plodding style of narration with alternate chapters on things in general. Of course, I utilised his characters. Some of them I elaborated considerably, infusing life and vigour into their somewhat wooden limbs, differentiating them—they were all rather alike at starting—with a thousand quaint touches and deli- cate sidelights. As time went on, I got quite interested in the book, but I noticed that Matheson grew more and more reserved in his manner towards me. I see now that this was the result of an uneasy conscience. He was even then consider- ing the dastardly action that has dissolved our friendship. At the time I attributed his gloom to indigestion. The work progressed quickly, but the end did not come quite so readily as might have been expected. In fact, I left it very much to Matheson to develop his climax: I enjoyed my part of the writing very well, and was in no particular hurry to bring it to aconclusion. It rather amused me than otherwise to watch Matheson’s efforts to bring on his closing scene. In consequence of this, the book ran eventually to no inconsiderable length—something ©  THE AUTHOR. like a hundred and fifty thousand words, I should say. However, it was finished at last, and I proposed to Matheson that we should entrust the manuscript to a certain publisher with whom I had had deal- ings before. Matheson seemed doubtful ; he hinted at the necessity of careful revision, and finally went off with the copy (as he said) to weld the whole together more effectually. I saw no more of him for a considerable time. When we did meet, and I tackled him on the subject, he seemed strangely nervous and ill at ease. He hinted vaguely at a want of homogeneity about the book, at the differ- ence between our styles, and so forth. I thought he was suffering from a sense of his own inferiority and endeavoured to console him. “My dear fellow,” I remember saying, “you really write very passable English. Of course, in your part—the narrative part—one does not expect to find that style which is proper to general reflections. Frankly, I think that your somewhat severe simplicity is an admirable foil to my own more ornamental method.” And I went on explaining my meaning to him at some length, until he seemed satisfied. This was just before my summer holiday. We went abroad, and circum- stances compelled me to remain away from town the best part of a year. I wrote occasionally to Matheson, offering suggestions, but received no reply. The man had not the courage to tell me what he was about to do. It was not until I returned to the club that I discovered the extent of his villainy. A parcel was awaiting me, addressed in his handwriting. I opened it, half expecting to find the first proofs of our joint effort. It con- tained, instead, the manuscript of my own chapters, and a short letter. Some friend, said Matheson, had advised him that the book, as it stood, was in reality two books—a story and a collection of essays founded upon the story. A publisher had offered him a certain sum for the story part, and he had closed with the offer. Perhaps I might like to do the same with my essays ! Matheson’s book has not yet appeared, but I live in hope that I may get it for review. He has left the club. E. H. Lacon Watson. —_—_—_—__—_—_—___¢—______ CORRESPONDENCE. 9 THe PRINCIPLES OF COPYRIGHT. Sir,—The recent action of the music-publishers having raised certain issues in connection with copyright, in respect of which they ask for pro- tective legislation (after drawing attention to their “rights” by what looks very like an abuse of 311 power), perhaps you will kindly allow me to exhibit the matter in a light somewhat drier than is usual in the pages of newspapers. 1. Copyright, being a monopoly, is, as such, properly subject to regulation by law for the public benefit. It is not for the public benefit that worthy authors should be discouraged ; nor is it for the benefit of authors that the public should be discouraged. 2. Copyright differs from patent-right in being self-conferred, in undergoing no test, and in the length of time it endures. It resembles patent- right in being valuable according to its suitability to the public requirements. ; 3. Copyright has been declared (by an eminent novelist) to be a ‘‘natural” right. But if a book fall flat, so that booksellers will not give it place on their shelves, of what value is the copyright ? Landor’s “ Pentameron” was such a book. And from this we see that the value of copyright depends on public opinion. 4, A book published to sell at (say) 4s. 6d. may be desired by members of the public who can only afford 1s. Nevertheless, the publisher will, in most cases, continue to maintain the higher price (on which his proportion of profit is much greater), because he fears that many who now pay 4s. 6d. would otherwise pay ls., and that the extra sales at 1s. will not make up the difference lost. That the well-to-do purchaser of the cheap edition might buy some three or four other books would not console the publisher of the favourite one. Look- ing a little further, we see that publishing would be somewhat more hazardous if cheap editions were a matter of course in certain cases, because the publisher’s judgment would have to he exer- cised as to which should be published ab inito at a low price, and which not. Obviously, books of a less finished or rough and ready diction should only properly be sold at popular prices; then competing, greatly to the public advantage, with the deleterious penny “novelette.”” As matters stand, the producers of the inferior kinds of litera- ture proper have a great advantage in respect of pecuniary profit, for those members of the public who are fond of such will buy even at the higher price. In fact, the price should be according to the quality. 5. Up to the present the tendency of all copy- right legislation has been to favour the inferior author unduly (and therefore, to a much greater extent, the publisher), and the reluctance of the Legislature has been caused by their not seeing their way quite clearly. The correct principles seem to be: (a) That so long as a work remains in manu- script it is private property, but as soon as it is published it becomes also public property and 312 subject to the demands of the public, so far as it is worth anyone’s while to supply them. On the other hand, an author’s name or pseudonym is always his private property, and cannot properly be affixed to any publication without his consent. Other infringements of the author’s (common- law ?) rights are, to affix another name, pseudonym or initials to his work, and to publish under the same title a different work or defective copy. (6) Printed or other copies are the private pro- perty of either printer or purchaser, and it would seem that the wisdom of Parliament was seriously misled when it authorised the seizure and destruc- tion of such copies. (c) In equity, any one may print and offer to the public at any price he thinks proper any number of copies of a publication not bearing the author’s name or pseudonym ; but he must be prepared to prove that he sells them at a profit on the cost of production, without advertisements. (d@) The use of the author’s name or pseudonym should be a legal right on prepayment to the author or his assignees of a percentage (fixed by law) on the selling price of the number printed. (e) Printers should be prohibited from printing works bearing an author’s name, unless authorised by his counter-signature of the order, the genuine- ness of which they should be bound to ascertain. They should also be obliged to furnish exact quan- tities and descriptions to the author, on taking the work in hand. (f) It should be forbidden to offer for sale any copy bearing the author’s name unless the same also bear his private mark or monogram. He must also have the right to inspect the printer’s books. The result of an Act on these lines would be the solution of the American and Colonial diffi- culty ; the stoppage of “ piracy” (for the public would be very shy of buying or using nameless copies); and generally to place publishing on a footing precisely similar to the “ dry-goods” and other businesses. Authors need be under no apprehension as to not getting their works published. Printers would be responsible for the proper filling up of the title-page of works published without an author’s name. Publishers on their side would still have the advantage of priority and of those very numerous works which the libraries take, but which never become popular enough for cheap editions. In fact, the cheap edition from the beginning would only be issued on the strength of the judgment of an outsider, who might very possibly “ burn his fingers.” Short stories, articles and serials would be protected by (a). Such seems to be the correct basis for final copy- right legislation. Composers of course have, in addition, the advantage of performing rights, for THE AUTHOR. which, however, they will not find it to their interest to charge too highly. I an, Sir, yours faithfully (an old friend in fact), _Pro Bono Pusuico. + Tue following letter has been sent us with reference to a statement made by the author of thé article in our last issue, “A New Market for English Books and Editions ” :— “Why have you not mentioned “ Watkin’s English Bookshop,” Bolshaya Mosskaya, St. Peters- burg? It has been a flourishing and almost indispensable institution the twenty-five years I have known St. Petersburg, and probably much longer. Also, as one who has had actual experience of advertising in Russia, I found the returns from the Novoe Vremye and the Niva better than from any, or all, the publications you name.” We have much pleasure in printing the reply from the writer of the article :— “ Notwithstanding the fact that I have been in St. Petersburg very often, although while acting as correspondent I chiefly lived in South Russia or Warsaw, I am sorry to say I did not know of the existence of an English bookshop in St. Petersburg. The prices I quoted were from the catalogues of Messrs. M. O. Wolf, Ltd., similar to those of Kimmel in Riga, and Rousseau in Odessa. Idzikowski in Kief. All the Warsaw booksellers, issue the same catalogue, only with different headings. “As to returns from advertisements, as I am not myself in the trade, I cannot give facts from personal knowledge. The sale of the Novoe Vremya is not so large as it was, owing to the competition of liberal papers, especially the Russ, founded by the son of the publisher of the above named paper. Novy Mir, being the Russian Graphic, may be found in all aristocratic houses, that is among the class where buyers of English books are found. The Miva, which has perhaps the largest sale among Russian weeklies, is not suitable, as I think, for such an advertisement. It is read principally by the middle class and minor Government officials, who are not likely to buy English books ; but it might be a good advertising medium for the general trade. St. Pelersburgskye Vedomosty is read by the Tsar and the Russian upper class. All other papers are Polish, and represent 87,000 of the best Polish reading public which never reads either of the two Russian papers mentioned above. “ Advertisements of French publications appear in all the papers I have mentioned.” 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. 15 Issue 10 (July 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 15 Issue 10 (July 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-07-01-The-Author-15-10 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/4/508/1906-The-Author-16-index.pdf 06c6badbd863255fcc63964bac7c93b9 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) 1906 Volume 16 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 Bradbury, Agnew & Co. The Society of Authors 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. 16 (1906) Subject The topic of the resource Index to <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 (1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Index Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-The-Author-16-index publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/509/1905-10-01-The-Author-16-1.pdf 6fef1330543ec5bc8bc0a044c84e89be 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) 1905-10-01 Volume 16 Issue 1 Pages Page range in volume 1–32 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19051001 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. You. XVI.—No. 1. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ____ + > —__ NOTICES. —_-—+—_ OR the opinions expressed in papers that are K signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tux Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7’he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. See List of Members. Tux List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. RUS GS SEE The Pension Fund of the Society. Tux Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. Vou. XVI. OcroBER ist, 1908. [PRIcE SIXPENCE. This is a statement of the actual stock ; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Consols 24 %....cceceeccsreeceeceecesenees £1000 0 0 Thocalk Lioans..<...-.--..--.-:--+-- oe 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............++- 291 19 11 War Loam .:..-.-.-<...--.) sess 201.9 8 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture SlOCK <.2..--5..0. eee eee ee 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4% Certificates . 200 0 90 Pothl 3.i.055e oe. £2,448 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £ Ss. a, Jan. 12, Anonymous : 0 2 6 June 16, Teignmouth-Shore, the Rev. Canon. : : : : ol 120 July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the Lord . . : ‘ ° Donations, 1905. Middlemas, Miss Jean Bolton, Miss Anna 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 27, Bencke, Albert . 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. April19, Hornung, EH. W. . May 7, Wynne, C. Whitworth May 16, Alsing, Mrs. J. E. May 17, Anonymous . : June 6, Drummond, Hamilton July 28, Potter, the Rev. J. Hasluck ——___—_—_—<>—_+______—_ COMMITTEE NOTES. ee HE last meeting of the committee before the vacation was held on Monday, July 10th, at 4 p.m. After the minutes had been signed, the election of members was proceeded with. Nine members and ten associates were admitted to Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan a Coo.o Cc oOo 0 i mW ONCOCOCOCOCOUAnNe 2 bo OWwkFournorocococe 0 0 0 0 2 THE AUTHOR. the lists of the society, bringing the total elections for the current year up to 137. The committee then voted to the chairman the usual powers to act in cases of emergency during the vacation. Further evidence was placed before the com- mittee on a matter that had been discussed at a previous meeting—the general lien claimed by printers and binders—and counsel’s opinion, which the Association of Wholesale Stationers had sub- mitted for their perusal, was carefully considered. With all the evidence before them the committee did not see that they would be justified in taking up the case. A curious contract which had been made be- tween a representative of Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co., in Melbourne, backed with the authority of the London house and a member of the society, together with the correspondence, was read by the secretary, and the committee decided to print a full statement of the case in Zhe Author. In June the committee decided to take coun- sel’s opinion on some difficult points of law con- nected with the publication of an author’s work and an author's name. ‘This opinion was read. As it was distinctly adverse to the claims of the author, the committee, agreeing with counsel’s opinion, regretted that they were unable to take action on behalf of the author. The secretary of the George Crabbe Celebration had expressed a wish in a letter laid before the committee that the society should be formally represented. The celebration would be held at Aldeburgh in September. The committee decided to ask Mr. Austin Dobson and Mr. Edward Clodd to attend as representatives of the society. Mr. Clodd has consented to act, but Mr. Austin Dobson, owing to other engagements, will be unable to attend. There were some other matters either of small importance or of such a nature as to render it inadvisable to publish the details at the present time. Two county court cases were sanctioned by the chairman during the month of June, subject to the favourable opinion of the society’s solicitors, and to their being able to obtain satis- factory evidence in support of the author’s claim. —1 <9 Cases. : SINCE the publication of The Author in July there have been twenty cases in the secretary’s hands. This is below the average, but during the vacation months the business at the office and in the literary world is quiet. There have been two cases for infringement of copyright. The first case the society was unable to take up owing to the fact that the advice of the solicitors was against action. The second case was in Germany, where a publisher had produced a translation of a story by one of the members of the society without his sanction or contract, and bound it up with other stories not written by the member. The statement on the binding was such as would lead the public to sup- pose that the whole work was from the pen of the member whose rights had been infringed. This case was of some importance, as it occurred out of England, and there have been recently through the society’s office other cases in foreign coun- tries. In answer to an application made by the secretary the publisher made an offer of a money payment, which the author had no desire to accept ; but on the author demanding from the publisher an ample apology and a promise that the volume be re-bound in a manner which should not convey a false impression to the public, the apology was promptly made and the promise given. This termi- nation is very satisfactory from every point of view, for the wider the influence of the society extends the greater will be the protection which it can afford to its members. There have been twelve cases—almost half the total number—for money due and unpaid. Of these nine have been successful, the remaining three have failed owing to the bankruptcy of the papers. Two of the claims were against Vanity Fair, which was in bankruptcy, but which has now been taken over by Messrs. Harmsworth. Two claims for accounts were placed in the secretary’s hands. The accounts have been rendered, and the money paid. There was one case for money and accounts under a bankruptcy in the United States. The progress of bankruptcy proceedings appears to be as lengthy in the States as in England, and although the liquidation has been proceeding for some time, the final settlement has not yet been completed. Accounts have been rendered, but no money has been paid. There have been three cases for the return of MSS. In two the applica- tion of the secretary has been successful, and it is hoped that a satisfactory result may be obtained in the third case also, although it has not yet ter- minated. One dispute which has occurred with regard to an agreement, is still in the course of negotiation. The total result therefore may be reckoned satis- factory, as the majority of cases have been entirely successful. The action takenin the above matters was taken by the secretary, who conducted the negotiations, but in three other disputes it has been necessary to place the conduct in the hands of the society’s lawyers. One, relating to an infringement of copyright, is still in course of settlement ; one for money and accounts has been unfortunately  THE AUTHOR. terminated by the bankruptcy of the defendant. One most important case has been taken in the French courts. The committee found it necessary to take counsel’s opinion in the first instance, from a French lawyer, and finally, counsel’s opinion, being in favour of action, the matter was placed in the hands of a French solicitor. The con- nection between the English Society of Authors and the Société des Gens de Lettres has enabled the committee to carry the matter through with expedition, and it is to be hoped in the end with a satisfactory result. ‘This connection enabled the English society to place the case in the hands of the lawyers of the French society, who, most conversant with the French copyright law, are, therefore, the most fitted to take action on its behalf. July Elections. Basevi, Col. C. E.. 25, Earl’s Court Square, S.W. Davies, Edwin. . 14, Bridge Street, Brecon. Dunsany, The Right Carlton Club. Hon. The Lord : Foster, Miss Bertha The Red House, Bar- Clementia : : ham, Canterbury. Gouldsbury, H. C. . 2, Brompton Square, S.W. The Manor House Col- tishall, near Norwich. Hachblock, Miss Emily. Harvey, Miss Edith M. Huggard, Dr. W. R. H. B. M. Consul, Davos Platz, Switzerland. 8, Mornington Avenue Mansions, West Ken- sington, W. 28, Abingdon Villas, Kensington. 115, Strand W.C. 24, Belsize Park, Hamp- stead, N. W. Kingshurst, Paignton, South Devon. Lee, Miss Elizabeth Lynch, Frances Magdalen Magnus, George G. . McChesney, Miss Dora Greenwell Morrison, E.W. Muir, Ward . Crouch, Boro’ Green, Kent. Murphy, Miss Agnes G. c/o National Bank of Australasia, 123, Bishopsgate Street Within, E.C. Potter, The Rev. Canon J. Hasloch Toynbee Paget, M.A., D, Litt., Oxon. Yeats, W. B. Fiveways, Bucks, 18, Woburn Buildings, Euston Road, N.W. Burnham, BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY, ———+—— (in the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) ARCHITECTURE. STONE GARDENS. With practical Hints on the Paving and Planting of them. By Rose Haiag THOMAS. 143 x 103. Simpkin Marshall. 7s. 6d. n. BIOGRAPHY. MEL. B. SPuRR. His Life, Works, Writings, and Recitations. By H. A. SpurR. 74 x 5. 235 pp. A. Brown. LADY KNIGHT’s LETTERS FROM FRANCE AND ITALY, 1776—1795. Edited by Lapy ExLLiotr DRAkg, and published by A. HUMPHREYS. 10s. n. MICHAEL DE MonTAIGNE. By EDWARD DOWDEN, LL.D. (FRENCH MEN oF LETTERS. Edited by ALEXANDER Jessup. Lirr.p.) 7? x 5. 383 pp. Lippincott. 6s. n. THE LIFE or CHARLES LAMB. Two yols. By E. V. Lucas. 9 x 6. 400 & 429 pp. Methuen. 21s. n. CLASSICAL. THE GEORGICS OF VIRGIL. Translated Verse. By LoRD BURGHCLERE. 88 x 7, 195 pp. Murray. 10s. 6d. n. DRAMA. MOLLENTRAVE ON WoMEN. A Comedy in Three Acts. By ALFRED Surro. 7} x 4$. 86 pp. French. 1s. 6d. n. ECONOMICS. THE PRACTICAL BOOK-KEEPER AND ACCOUNTANTS’ Guipr. By JoHN ScouLLER. 84 x 5}. 217 pp. Simpkin Marshall. 5s. EDUCATIONAL. Tue LitTtLE Book oF HEALTH AND COURTESY. By P. A. BARNETT. For Boys and Girls. 6 x 4. 24 pp. Longmans. 3d. Horace. OpESI., IL, III., IV. (Blackie’s Latin Tests.) Edited by W.H. D.Rouss, Lirr.D. 64 x 44. 125 + 111 pp. Blackie. 8d. each. LittLE Frencu Fork. A First Book in French, for Little Children. With Illustrations. Second Edition into English Second edition. enlarged. Horace Marshall & Son. 9 x 6}. 2s. First Frence Boor. By D. Mackay and F.J. CURTIS. 7k x 4%. 170 pp. Whittaker. 1s. n. FICTION. HuGH RENDAL. By LIONEL PORTMAN. 7} x 5. 304 pp. Alston Rivers. 6s. THE MAID OF THE RIVER. 7% x 51. 419pp. John Long. 6s. A Jay or Iraty. By BERNARD CAPES. 7} x 4. 316 pp. METHUEN. 6s. THE ROMANCE OF LOHENGRIN. Opera. By BERNARD CAPES. 6s. THe CONFLICT OF OWEN PRYTHERCH. By WM. GALLICHAN (“Geoffrey Mortimer ’’). 75 x 43. 300 pp. Edinburgh : Morton. London: Simpkin Marshall. 6s. Fortoune’s Favourite. By KATHERINE TYNAN. 72 x 42. 312 pp. White. 6s. By M. 8S. CAMPBELL PRAED. Founded on Wagner's 8 x 5}. 271 pp. Dean. THE AUTHOR. PLAYING THE KNAVE. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 7} x 438, 317 pp. Laurie. 6s. Mrs. ALLMERE’S ELOPEMENT. 74 x 49. 316 pp. Nash. 6s. THE KrnG’s MESSENGER. By Louis TRAcYy. 7% x 43. 312 pp. White. 6s. THE EXPLOITS OF JO. SALIS. WILLIAM GREENER. 7% x 5. Blackett. 6s. THE MARQUIS OF PUTNEY. By RICHARD MAarsuH. 7% x 5. 309 pp. Methuen. — 6s, THE WHITE LaDy, By MAY CROMMELIN. 7} x 5. 465 pp. John Long. 6s. THE CONQUERING WILL. By SILAS 74 x 5. 324 pp. Warne. 2s. Vivien. By W. B. MAXWELL. 73 x 5. Methuen. 6s. RED 0’ THE FEUD. 342 pp. Werner Laurie. 6s. THE LOST PIBROCH AND OTHER SHEILING STORIES. By NEIL MuNRO. 5th Edition, 74 x 5. 285pp. Black- wood. 3s. 6d. THE PRIDE OF Mrs. BRUNELLE. By ARTHUR H. HOLMES. T. Burleigh. THE FERRYMAN, By HELEN MATHERS. 73 x 5. 309 pp. Methuen. 6s. KNOCK AT A VENTURE. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 73 x 5. 312 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE QUEEN’Ss MAN. By ELEANOR C. PRICE. 73 x 5. 319 pp. Constable. 6s. A HIGHLAND WEB. By L. H.SouvTar. 7} x 5, Edinburgh ; Morton. 6s. STANDERTON UNDER MARTIAL LAw. By EmILy OLIVIA CAROLIN. 64 x 3%. 171 pp. Drane. 1s. THE PATIENT MAN. By PERCY WHITE. 7} x 5. 312 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE PASSPORT. Methuen. 6s. THE HoUsE BY THE RIVER. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 73 x 5. 309 pp. Unwin. 6s. A SERVANT OF THE PUBLIC. 7? x 43. 362 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE Man. By Bram STOKER. Heinemann. 6s. THE FALL OF THE CARDS. 292 pp. Harper. 6s. A Roya Rascau. Episodes in the Career of Colonel Theophilus St. Clair, K.C.B. By Magor ARTHUR GRIFFITHS. 74 x 4%. 309 pp. Unwin. 6s. A QUAKER Woornc. By Mrs. Frep ReyNoLDS, 73 x 44. 314 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE MAGNETIC GirL. By RICHARD MarsuH. 126 pp. Long. 6d. THE SEVENTH DREAM. By “Riva.” Hurst & Blackett. 3». 6d. THE DANGER OF INNOCENCE. HAMILTON. Greening. 1s, No. 3, THE SQUARE, 124 pp. Long. 6d. STARVECROW Farm. By STANLEY WEYMAN, 345 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE IMPROBABLE IpYLL. By DoroTHEA 73 x 5. 316 pp. Methuen. 6s. A Nine Days’ WonpER. By B. M. Croker. 7 316 pp. Methuen. 6s. A MAKER or History. By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM. 7@ x 5. 315 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. Our JosHUA, RADICAL, OCTOGENARIAN, CELEBRITY, AND Pup-BREEDER, ACCORDING TO ME, HIS WIFE, Edited by THEODORA WILSON WILSON. 64 x 4, 202 pp. Bristol : Arrowsmith. 1s, By CHARLES MARRIOTT. A British Spy. By 296 pp. Hurst & K. Hockine. 527 pp. By HALLIWELL SUTCLIFFE. 74 x 5. 298 pp. By R. Bagot. 72 x 5}. 399 pp. By ANTHONY Hope. 7G x 5, 436 pp. By R. K. WEEKES. 7} x 5. 83 x 5B. 7% x 5. 311 pp. A Flippancy. By Cosmo 4g Popular Edition. 74 x 299 pp. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 83 x 53. 1 x 0. GERARD, xX oOo A MAN AND A Motor anp SUBSEQUENTLY A WIFE. By R. W. BrapsHaw NEEDHAM. Popular Edition. 7; X 5. Clement’s Publishing Co. 6d. n, GARDENING. coe nts i GARDEN DzsIcn. By C. 'HONGER. (Hand- ooks of Practical Gardening). 72 x 51. 90 pp. . 2s. 6d. nét. Le ae CARNATIONS AND Pinks. Edited by E. T. Cook. ( The Country Life” Library.) 91 x 53. 162 pp. Newnes. 3s, 6d. n. HISTORY. YEAR Books oF THE REIGN oF KING EDWARD THE THIRD. Years XVIII. and XIX. Edited and Trans- lated by LUKE OWEN PIKE. 10 x 6}. 616 pp. Wyman. MILITARY. WELLINGTON’S CAMPAIGNS, 1808—1815 ; also Moors’s CAMPAIGN OF CorUNNA, Part IL. 1811—12—13, Banosa to Vittoria, and Invasion of France. By MAJOR-GENERAL C, W. ROBINSON, ©.B. 8} x 53. Rees, Bs. 6d. POETRY. PoErMs. By AUSTIN Dosson (selected). (Dryden Library.) 6x 4. 184 pp. Kegan Paul. 2s. n. DreAM CoME TRUE. By L, Binyon. 28 pp. The Eragny Press. OSRAC, THE SELF SUFFICIENT, By J. M. Stuart Youne. The Heimes Press. 7s. 6d. A NINETEENTH CENTURY IDYLL. & F. Denny, 147, Strand. 7k x 44. By N. ARLING. A. ls. 6d. and 3s. POLITICAL. THE CANADIAN ANNUAL REVIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Fourth year of issue. By J.C. Hopxrns, F.S.S. 9 x 6. 630 pp. Toronto: The Annual Review Publishing Co. London: P. 8. King. 12s. 6d. n. REPRINTS. DIARY AND LETTERS OF MADAME D’ ARBLAY (1778—1840). As Edited by her niece Charlotte Barrett, with Preface and Notes. By Austin Dosson. Insix volumes. Vol. VI. 9 x 5}. 502 pp. Macmillan. 10s. 6d. n. A SIXTEENTH CENTURY ANTHOLOGY. Edited by ARTHUR Symons (Red Letter Library). 6 x 4. 468 pp. Blackie. THE RED LETTER SHAKESPEARE. Ldited by HE. K- CHAMBERS. HENRY THE FIFTH. 61} x 33. 141 pp. Blackie. 1s. 6d. THE LABYRINTH OF THE WORLD AND THE PARADISE OF THE HEART. Edited and Englished by the Counr Lutzow (Temple Classics). 6 xX 4. 366 pp. Dent. ls. 6d. n. THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE. By JUSTIN McCARTHY. (The St. Martin’s Library Fine Paper Edition.) 64 x 44. 600 pp. Chatto & Windus. 2s. n. POEMS OF COLERIDGE. Selected and Arranged with an Introduction and Notes. By ARTHUR SYMONS. 7 x 44. 223 pp. Methuen. 2s. 6d. n. SCIENCE. PRECIOUS STONES CONSIDERED IN THEIR SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC RELATIONS. By A, H. CHURCH, F.R.S. New edition. 73 x 5}. 135 pp. Wyman. 2s. 3d. SPORT. The Method at a Glance. 9 x 6. 716 pp. By G. W. Macmillan, GREAT BATSMEN. BELDAM and C. B. Fry. 21s, n.  THE AUTHOR. By G. W. BELDAM AND Illustrated. 141 pp. Newnes. 3s. 6d, n. 83 x 54. GoLr FAULTS. J. H, TAYLOR. THEOLOGY. THESE SAYINGS OF MINE. A Manual on the Beatitudes for Christian People. By F. G. LAVERACK. 7% x 5. 144 pp. A. Brown. TRAVEL. A SRARCH FOR THE MASKED TAWAREKS. By W. J. Harpine King. 8} x 53. 334 pp. Smith Elder. 6s. THE WorRLD OF To-pAy. A Survey of the Lands and Peoples of the Globe as Seen in Travel and Commerce. By A. R. Hope MONCRIEFF. Vol. Il. 102: 7: 266 pp. The Gresham Publishing Co. 8s. n. A WANDERER IN Houianp. By HE. V. Lucas. 309 pp. Methuen. 6s. 7% Xx 5. —————_e—<>—____—_ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. R. ARTHUR W. A BECKETT, who was VI elected for the fifth time hon. treasurer of the Institute of Journalists at Bourne- mouth, is engaged upon “a book of recent recol- lections” to be called ‘*‘ Ihe First T'wentieth of the Twentieth Century.” Messrs. Brown, Langham & Co. published early last month, Mr. E. H. Lacon Watson’s new volume, entitled “Reflections of a Householder.” The price of the work—a limited edition of which, numbered and signed by the author, and printed on hand-made paper, has also been published—is 3s. 6d. “ Researches in Sinai.” By Prof. W. Flinders Petrie, gives an account of the recent expedition with a large working party, which lived in the desert excavating for some months. The oldest Egyptian sculptures known are reproduced, the geology and ancient ruins are described, the only temple known for Semitic worship was fully explored and is illustrated in detail, the conditions of the Exodus are discussed with a new view of the Israelite census, and the life of the Bedouin of Sinai and the Egyptian desert is noticed. The book,which is published by Mr. John Murray, contains about two hundred illustrations. Mr. J. W. Arrowsmith published in August a book of character and political sketches (1s), entitled “Our Joshua, Radical, Octogenarian. Celebrity and Pup-breeder. According to his wife, and edited by Theodora Wilson Wilson.” Mr. G. H. Grierson has been awarded the “ Prix Volney” by the Institut de France for the Linguistic Survey of India, and for his last work, “The Languages of India.” The Société Asiatique of Paris has simultancously elected him a “ Membre 5 months member ago Mr. Associé Etranger.” A few of the Grierson was elected an hon. American Oriental Society. Col. R. Elias’ work “ The Tendency of Religion ” (Chapman and Hall) shows the gradual develop- inent of mutual understanding with regard to “religion ” among thinking men of all nations, and the consequent convergence of the various forms of religion, and insistence on their good and essential parts only—hence the very sure, though slow, decay of myths, narrow dogma, and exclusive creeds. “The Spring’s Approach, and Other Thoughts of Life” is the title of a collection of poems by Charles Cowen. The author’s aim has been, by sudden changes and contrasts of style, to minimise monotony and weariness in the reading as far as possible. Messrs. Dawbarn and Ward have recently pub- lished, at the price of 1s, nett, a handbook entitled ’ “Photography for the Press.” Its purport is to instruct the aspirant as to the best markets for his work, and the best means of obtaining access to those markets. It contains, in addition, infor- mation concerning the markets for picture postcard business. «Two Friends of Old England, being Mirabeau and Gambetta, and J. Bonhomme, in a nutshell, by ‘Saxon Norman’ (Arthur Pavitt and Baron de Béville),” is the title of a work published by Mr. Effingham Wilson at the price of 2s. 6d. The history of the entente cordiale is the main purpose of the authors. It is traced back to Mirabeau’s journey to London (1783—1784) where he sojourned under the roof of Sir Gilbert Elliott, the future Lord Minto. The letter of the great orator and statesman to Wilberforce, written in 1790, is given, also the speech of Leon Gambetta, of July, 1882, bidding his countrymen never to break the English alliance. The book is prefaced by Richard Harris, K.C., the editor of the reminiscences of Lord Brampton. The stirring events in Odessa should create a special interest in two books published not long ago, the scenes of action in both being in this Russian port. ‘They are from the pen of Mr. Jaakoff Prelooker, who was head-master of a Government school in Odessa, and bear the titles of ‘ Rabbi Shalom on the Shores of the Black Sea” (Simpkin, Marshall) and ‘“ Under the Czar and Queen Victoria: Tne Experience of a Russian Reformer” (James Nisbet). The author tells of a reform movement originated by himself in Odessa, and sheds many side-lights on local life, police, relations between Christians and Jews, etc. Both books are fully illustrated, the frontispiece of “Rabbi Shalom on the Black Sea” being a striking view of Odessa Harbour, showing the long elevated 1 Raa ALLTEL SAS I I SS RTE A RSTO 4 THE AUTHOR. PLAYING THE KNAVE. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 7} x 432. 317 pp. Laurie. 6s. Mrs. ALLMERE’S ELOPEMENT. 74 x 43. 316 pp. Nash. 6s. THE Kine’s MESSENGER. By Louis TRAcy. 312 pp. White. 6s. THE EXPLOITS OF JO. SALIS. WILLIAM GREENER. 7} X 5. Blackett. 6s. THE Marquis OF PUTNEY. By RiIcHARD MARSH. 72 x 5. 309 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE WHITE Lapy. By MAY CROMMELIN. 7} x 5. 465 pp. John Long. 6s. THE CONQUERING WILL. By Sinas K. 74 x 5. 324 pp. Warne. 2s. Vivien. By W. B. MAXWELL. 7} x 5, Methuen. 6s. RED 0’ THE FEUD. 342 pp. Werner Laurie. 6s. THE Lost PIBROCH AND OTHER SHEILING STORIES. By NEIL Munro. 5th Edition. 74 x 5. 285pp. Black- wood. 3s. 6d. THE PRIDE OF Mrs, BRUNELLE, By ARTHUR H. HOLMEs. T. Burleigh. THE FERRYMAN, By HELEN MATHERS. 73 x 5. 309 pp. Methuen. 6s. KNOCK AT A VENTURE. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 312 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE QUEEN’S Man. By ELEANOR C, PRICE. 319 pp. Constable. 6s. A HIGHLAND WEB. By L. H.Sourar. 73 x 5. Edinburgh : Morton. 6s. STANDERTON UNDER MARTIAL LAw. By Eminy OLIvIA CAROLIN. 6} x 32. 171 pp. Drane. 1s. THE PATIENT MAN. By PERCY WHITE. 73 x 5. Methuen. 6s. THE PASSPORT. Methuen. 6s, THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER. 7% xX 5. 309 pp. A SERVANT OF 7? x 43. 362 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE MAN. By BRAM STOKER. Heinemann. 6s. THE FALL OF THE CARDS. 292 pp. Harper. 6s. A Roya Rascau. Episodes in the Career of Colonel Theophilus St. Clair, K.C.B. By Magor ARTHUR GRIFFITHS. 74 x 4%. 309 pp. Unwin. 6s. A QUAKER Wooing. By Mrs. FRED REYNOLDS. 73 x 43. 314 pp. Hutchinson. 6s, THE MAGNETIC GirL. By RICHARD MarsH. 126 pp. Long. 6d. THE SEVENTH DREAM. By “ RiTA.” Hurst & Blackett. 3». 6d. THE DANGER OF INNOCENCE. HAMILTON. Greening. ls. No. 3, THE SQUARE. 124 pp. Long. 6d. STARVECROW Farm. By STANLEY WEYMAN. 345 pp. Hutchinson. 6s, THE IMPROBABLE IDyLL. By DoRoTHEA 73 x 5. 316 pp. Methuen. 6s. A NINE Days’ WonpER. By B. M. CRoKER. 316 pp. Methuen. 6s. A Maker or History. By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM. 72 x 5. 315 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. Ovr JosHuA, RADICAL, OCTOGENARIAN, CELEBRITY, AND PUp-BREEDER, ACCORDING TO ME, HIS WIFE. Edited by THEODORA WILSON WILSON. 64 x 4, 202 pp. Bristol : Arrowsmith. 1s, By CHARLES MARRIOTT. 7% x 43. A British Spy. By 296 pp. Hurst & HOCKING. 527 pp. By HALLIWELL SUTCLIFFE. 74 x 5. 2x 5. 7% xX 5. 298 pp. 312 pp. By R. Bagot. 72 x 5}. 399 pp. By FLORENCE WARDEN. Unwin. 6s. THE PUBLIC. By ANTHONY HoPE, 72 x «5, 436 pp. By R. K. WEEKES. 7} x 5. 8B Xx 5g. 7? x 5. 311 pp. A Flippaney. By Cosmo Popular Edition. 74 x 43. 299 pp. By FLORENCE WARDEN, 83 x 53. 73 5 g x by GERARD. 7% x 5. A MAN AND A MorTor Anp SUBSEQUENTLY A WIFE. By R. W. BrapsHAW NEEDHAM. Popular Edition. 7% X 5. Clement’s Publishing Co. 6d. n. GARDENING. THE Book OF GARDEN DEsiGn. By C. THONGER. (Hand- books of Practical Gardening). 72 x 54. 90 pp. Lane. 2s. 6d. nét. ; CARNATIONS AND PINKS. Edited by E. T. Coox. (“ The oe Life” Library.) 94 x 53. 162 pp. Newnes. 3s. 6d. n. HISTORY. YEAR BOOKS OF THE REIGN OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD. Years XVIII. and XIX. Edited and Trans- lated by LUKE OWEN PIKE. 10 x 64. 616 pp. Wyman. MILITARY. WELLINGTON’S CAMPAIGNS, 1808—1815; also MoorrE’s CAMPAIGN OF CORUNNA, Part II., 1811—12—13. Banosa to Vittoria, and Invasion of France. By Hip aes ogee C. W. ROBINSON, C.B. 83 x 53. Rees. 3s. 6d. POETRY. Poems. By AusTIN Dogson (selected). (Dryden Library.) 6x 4. 184 pp. Kegan Paul. 2s. n. DREAM COME TRUE. By L, Bryyon. The Eragny Press. OSRAC, THE SELF SUFFICIENT, By J. M. Stuart Youne. The Heimes Press. 7s. 6d. A NINETEENTH CENTURY IDYLL. & F. Denny, 147, Strand. 74 x 43. 28 pp. By N. ARLING. A. 1s. 6d. and 3s. POLITICAL. THE CANADIAN ANNUAL REVIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Fourth year of issue. By J. C. Hopxrys, F.S.S. 9 x 6. 630 pp. Toronto: The Annual Review Publishing Co. London: P.8. King. 12s. 6d. n. REPRINTS. DIARY AND LETTERS OF MADAME D' ARBLAY (1778—1840). As Edited by her niece Charlotte Barrett, with Preface and Notes. By AusTIN Dosson. In six volumes. Vol. VI. 9 x 53. 502 pp. Macmillan. 10s. 6d. n. A SIXTEENTH CENTURY ANTHOLOGY. Edited by ARTHUR Symons (Red Letter Library), 6 x 4. 468 pp. Blackie. THE RED LETTER SHAKESPEARE. Edited by E. K- CHAMBERS. HENRY THE FIFTH. 64 x 33. 141 pp. Blackie. 1s. 6d. THE LABYRINTH OF THE WORLD AND THE PARADISE OF THE HEART. Edited and Englished by the Counr Lurzow (Temple Classics). 6 x 4. 366 pp. Dent. ls. 6d, n. THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE. By JusTIN McCarTHY. (The St. Martin’s Library Fine Paper Edition.) 6} x 44. 600 pp. Chatto & Windus. 2s. n. POEMS OF COLERIDGE. Selected and Arranged with an Introduction and Notes. By ARTHUR SYMONS. 7 x 44. 223 pp. Methuen. 2s. 6d. n. SCIENCE. PRECIOUS STONES CONSIDERED IN THEIR SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC RELATIONS. By A. H. CHURCH, F.R.S. New edition. 7} x 51. 135 pp. Wyman. 2s. 3d. SPORT, The Method at a Glance. 9 x 6. 716 pp. By G. W. Macmillan. GREAT BATSMEN. BELDAM and C. B. Fry. 21s. n,  Illustrated. By G. W. BELDAM AND FAULTS. 3s. 6d. n. GOLF J.H. Tayutor. 8% x 53. 141 pp. Newnes. THEOLOGY. THESE SAYINGS OF MINE. A Manual on the Beatitudes for Christian People. By F. G. LAVERACK. 7% Xx 5. 144 pp. A. Brown. TRAVEL. A SRARCH FOR THE MASKED TAWAREKS. By W. J. Harpine King. 84 x 5}. 334 pp. Smith Elder. 6s. THe WoRLD or To-pay. A Survey of the Lands and Peoples of the Globe as Seen in Travel and Commerce. 102 X 7. By A. R. Hope MONCRIEFF. Vol. If. 266 pp. The Gresham Publishing Co. 8s. n. : A WANDERER IN HoLuAND. By E. V. LUCAS. 72 xX 5. 309 pp. Methuen. 6s. a LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. —1—<—+— R. ARTHUR W. A BECKETT, who was I elected for the fifth time hon. treasurer of the Institute of Journalists at Bourne- mouth, is engaged upon “a book of recent recol- lections” to be called “ Ihe First T'wentieth of the Twentieth Century.” Messrs. Brown, Langham & Co. published early last month, Mr. E. H. Lacon Watson’s new volume, entitled “Reflections of a Householder.” The price of the work—a limited edition of which, numbered and signed by the author, and printed on hand-made paper, has also been published—is 3s. 6d. “Researches in Sinai.” By Prof. W. Flinders Petrie, gives an account of the recent expedition with a large working party, which lived in the desert excavating for some months. The oldest Egyptian sculptures known are reproduced, the geology and ancient ruins are described, the only temple known for Semitic worship was fully explored and is illustrated in detail, the conditions of the Exodus are discussed with a new view of the Israelite census, and the life of the Bedouin of Sinai and the Egyptian desert is noticed. The book,which is published by Mr. John Murray, contains about two hundred illustrations. Mr. J. W. Arrowsmith published in August a book of character and political sketches (1s), entitled “Our Joshua, Radical, Octogenarian. Celebrity and Pup-breeder. According to his wife, and edited by Theodora Wilson Wilson.” Mr. G. H. Grierson has been awarded the “ Prix Volney’”? by the Institut de France for the Linguistic Survey of India, and for his last work, “The Languages of India.” The Société Asiatique of Paris has simultaneously elected him a “ Membre THE AUTHOR. 5 months member ago Mr. Associé Etranger.” A few of the frierson was elected an hon. American Oriental Society. Col. R. Elias’ work “ The Tendency of Religion ” (Chapman and Hall) shows the eradual develop- ment of mutual understanding with regard to “religion ” among thinking men of all nations, and the consequent convergence of the various forms of religion, and insistence on their good and essential parts only—hence the very sure, though slow, decay of myths, narrow dogma, and exclusive creeds. “The Spring’s Approach, and Other Thoughts of Life” is the title of a collection of poems by Charles Cowen. The author’s aim has been, by sudden changes and contrasts of style, to minimise monotony and weariness in the reading as far as possible. Messrs. Dawbarn and Ward have recently pub- lished, at the price of 1s. nett, a handbook entitled ’ “Photography for the Press.” Its purport is to instruct the aspirant as to the best markets for his work, and the best means of obtaining access to those markets. It contains, in addition, infor- mation concerning the markets for picture postcard business. “Two Friends of Old England, being Mirabeau and Gambetta, and J. Bonhomme, in a nutshell, by ‘Saxon Norman’ (Arthur Pavitt and Baron de Béville),” is the title of a work published by Mr. Effingham Wilson at the price of 2s. 6d. Phe history of the entente cordiale is the main purpose of the authors. It is traced back to Mirabeau’s journey to London (1783—1784) where he sojourned under the roof of Sir Gilbert Elliott, the future Lord Minto. The letter of the great orator and statesman to Wilberforce, written in 1790, is given, also the speech of Leon Gambetta, of July, 1882, bidding his countrymen never to break the English alliance. The book is prefaced by Richard Harris, K.C., the editor of the reminiscences of Lord Brampton. The stirring events in Odessa should create a special interest in two books published not long ago, the scenes of action in both being in this Russian port. ‘They are from the pen of Mr. Jaakoff Prelooker, who was _ head-master of a Government school in Odessa, and bear the titles of ‘* Rabbi Shalom on the Shores of the Black Sea” (Simpkin, Marshall) and “Under the Ozar and Queen Victoria: Tne Experience of a Russian Reformer” (James Nisbet). The author tells of a reform movement originated by himself in Odessa, and sheds many side-lights on local life, police, relations between Christians and Jews, etc. Both books are fully illustrated, the frontispiece of “Rabbi Shalom on the Black Sea”’ being a striking view of Odessa Harbour, showing the long elevated 6 THE AUTHOR. railway bridge and other buildings burned during the riots. The 15th September was the seventy-sixth birth- day of a very great man. General Porfirio Diaz has been President of Mexico for thirty years with a short interval of four years, when he was out of office. We understand his life is being written by Mrs. Alec Tweedie (Hurst and Blackett), whose former book, ‘‘ Mexico as I Saw It,” was published three years ago. Mrs.'Tweedie, who was in Mexico last winter again as the guest of the President, is compiling this life with his sanction, and from authentic diaries and documents he placed in her hands for the purpose. Mrs. Tweedie’s work will record the life’s history of a man who was born in obscurity, lived a wildly exciting life as a soldier, played an important part in the history of Maxi- milian and Carlotta, and has now assumed the position of a Perpetual President, and brought his country from chaos and revolution to peace and prosperity. Messrs. Barnicott and Pearce will publish shortly a book by the Rev. W. P. Gresswell, under the title of ‘‘Chapters on the Old Parks and Forests of Somerset.” The aim of the author has been to compile a descriptive and historical account of the Five Forests of Somerset—Mendip, Selwood, Neroche, North Petherton, and Exmoor, together with the Royal Warren of Somerton and the Royal Park (as distinguished from the Forest) of North Petherton. A few chapters explanatory of hunting terms and of the methods of hunting as carried on in former days have been added to the book, the subscription price of which is 10s. 6d. Mr. J. E. Masefield’s book, ‘Sea Life in Nelson’s Time,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. recently, deals with the life of the bluejacket aboard our old men-of-war. Hach detail of an ordinary sailor’s working day is considered, and an account is also given of the guns and other weapons which were used in Nelson’s time. Miss Rosa Nouchette Carey’s new novel will be published very shortly under the title of “The Household of Peter.” “A Nineteenth Century Idyll,” by N. Arling, published by Messrs. A. and F. Denny, upholds the cause of women morally and politically. A story for young people entitled ‘ Love’s Golden Thread,” by Edith C. Kenyon, is being published by Messrs. 8. W. Partridge & Oo. The book appeals especially to girls who have to earn their own living. Mr. Basil Tozer contributes an interesting article to the September number of the Monthly Review on “The Increasing Popularity of the Erotic Novel.” Mr. J. M. Barrie, Mr. Almeric FitzRoy, and Mr. Gilbert Murray, have recently joined the council of management of the Stage Society. Mr. A. E. Drinkwater has been appointed secre- tary for the coming season. Full particulars of the society and forms of application for member- ship can be procured from the office, at 9, Arundel Street, Strand, W.C. The following comprise the council of management, 1905-1906 :—J. M. Barrie, Sidney Colvin, the Hon. Everard Feilding, Almeric W. FitzRoy, C.V.O., St. John Hankin, H. A. Hertz, Alderson B. Horne, W. Lee Mathews, Gilbert Murray, Sydney Olivier, C.M.G., Nigel Playfair, Mrs. W. P. Reeves, Bernard Shaw, Mrs. Bernard Shaw, Charles Strachey, Bernard Watkin, Frederick Whelen, Ernest E. 8S. Williams, and W. Hector Thomson, honorary treasurer. Messrs. Constable & Co. announce the publica- tion of ‘The Burford Papers,” under the editorship of the Rev. W. H. Hutton. The correspondence between Samuel Crisp—whose failure as a dramatist caused him to become, to quote Macaulay, “a cynic and a hater of mankind ”—and his sister, Mrs. Sophia Gast, forms the chief contents of the volume. Messrs. Chapman and Hall announce anew edi- tion of Mr.G. H. Perris’s “ Russia in Revolution,” which forms a complete narrative of events down to the conclusion of peace with Japan. Among the additions to the new volume are the substance of many conversations with Father Gapon, a remarkable hitherto unpublished portrait of the latter, and a critical account of the decree establishing an Elective Assembly. Early this month Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall & Co. will publish a work by Mr. F. Carrel, under the title of “An Analysis of Human Motive.” “ The Woman's Agricultural Times” is the title of a quarterly publication now in its sixth volume. It is edited by the Countess of Warwick, and issued by the Studley Castle Agricultural Associa- tion, at Studley Castle, Warwickshire. The magazine, which contains some useful information relating to agricultural pursuits, is published at the price of 6d. “The Gods of Pegania” is the title of an imaginative prose work by Lord Dunsany which will shortly be published by Mr. Elkin Mathews. The book is illustrated with drawings by Mr. Sidney H. Sime, : Messrs. Chapman and Hall will publish this autumn Mrs. Edith E. Cuthell’s new book, a historial work, ‘“ Wilhelmina, Margravine of Baizenth,” in two volumes. Mrs. Cuthell has been permitted special access in the Prussian archives to documents not hitherto made public, and also given permission to reproduce some hitherto unpublished portraits. The book is profusely illustrated. A novel of interest to present and past Oxonians  THE AUTHOR. 7 is to be published in October by Messrs. Chapman and Hall, entitled “The Inseparables,” a modern story of Oxford life by the author of “ John Westa- cott.’ It will be interesting to note Mr. James Baker’s treatment of a story embracing modern undergraduate life and its results. The third edition of “ The Printer’s Handbook,” compiled by Mr. C. T. Jacobi, contains hints and suggestions relating to letterpress and lithographic printing, bookbinding, stationery, process work, etc. In his preface to the editicu Mr. Jacobi claims that although the volume cannot be used as a text book, yet in a general way it will be found useful to students and especially helpful to workers far removed from those centres at which the many commodities and requisites so necessary to printers and the allied trades can be easily obtained. The price of the work is 5s. net. “A Quaker Wooing,” by Mrs. Fred Reynolds, which Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. published in September, is founded on incidents taken from records in the family of the author’s husband. The same writer is publishing this autumn another nevel, entitled “The Making of Michael.” Mr. Geo. Allen is the publisher. “ Village, Town, and Jungle Life in India,” by A. ©. Newcombe, which has recently beer. published by Messrs. Blackwoods, at the price of 12s. 6d. net, whilst touching on India’s Imperial problems, deals more particularly with the daily life of the European who has to spend his best years in our great dependency of the Hast. The Religious Tract Society will publish this month a story for girls, entitled ‘“‘Tender and True,” by L. E. Tiddeman, at the price of 3s. 6d. The long deferred copyright performance of “The Brownie’s Bower,” a three-act cantata- playette by Ellen Collett, music by Natalee Davenport, took place on July 8th at ‘‘ Mayfield,” Pinner, as a pastoral-play, under highly favour- able conditions and in the presence of a number of Press representatives. “The Cash Box,” a one-act play by F. 8. Dean Ballin, was produced at His Majesty’s Theatre on the 3rd of July. Mr. Hall Caine’s dramatic version of his novel “The Prodigal Son” was produced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on the evening of September 7th. The Prodigal in Mr. Caine’s play—which was mounted on a very lavish scale—has but few redeeming features. In addition to being a swindler and forger, he is the indirect cause of the death of his father and mother. He repents at the eleventh hour, and, making atonement for his misdemeanours, obtains the forgiveness of his family. ‘The caste includes Mr. George Alexander, Mr. Frank Cooper, Mrs. John Wood and Miss Lily Hall Caine. PARIS NOTES. ——— + — a ISOLEE,” the new novel by René Banzin, A: has no doubt been suggested by the recent events in France. It is a story of the expulsion of the nuns, showing the disastrous results of turning out into the world women who have been accustomed to convent life. It is a pathetic story, and there are charming descriptions of some of the French provinces. The author shows up the excellent work of the Sisters of Sainte-Hildegarde, their devotion to the poor, their love for the children, their simple, contented life when together in their convent home. Uncon- sciously though, perhaps, he also shows up the defects of that system. We have a picture of an only daughter deserting her old father for the supposed salvation of her own soul. The father heroically consents to her departure for the convent, and we have a touching picture of his lonely life and solitary death. When later on the sisters are driven from the convent, we follow each of them to their new homes. The chief interest of the book is centred in the story of the girl Pascale. Her reason for leaving her old father and entering the convent was that she knew herself to be weak and easily influenced, and she argues: Dans le monde je serai mauvaise ou médiocre. Dans le cloitre je pourrais devenir une ame sainte. Unfor- tunately she is driven back into the world again, and the tragedy of her life there takes up a great part of the book. One of the most beautiful pictures given us in this volume is the farewell scene of the five sisters whilst waiting at the station for the various trains which were to take them away from each other. “Les deux sceurs,’ by Paul Bourget, is a psychological study of two sisters of about the same age, but of totally different character and temperament. The story is followed by five or six other psychological studies. “Les beaux jours de Flavien,” by Brada, is a novel of an entirely different character from most of this author’s former ones. It is now published in volume form, after having great success as a serial in the Figaro. “TJ, Aventure de Cabassou,” by M. Paul Brulat, is a rather pathetic story of the tribulations of a simple-minded honest man, who, after being deceived and ridiculed, decides to turn over a new leaf and be less scrupulous himself. Before very long, how- ever, he finds that it is no use struggling against his destiny. In spite of himself he is honest and confiding, and once more he is deceived and his happiness destroyed. He comes to the conclusion that the three phases of nearly every human destiny are that: “On s’illusionne d’abord, on se révolte ensuite, on se soumet enfin.” THE AMTHOR. “ Mes Sentiments et nos idées avant 1870” is another volume of memoirs, in which Madame Juilette Adam treats of the artistic and political life of the last years of the Second Empire. In the artistic world we are told that there was not much fresh talent. There were authors, artists and musical composers, who had already made their name: Victor Hugo, Flaubert, Daudet, Sardon, Coppée, and others. Puvis de Chavaunes, Henner and Manet were doing fine work, and Gounod, Ambroise Thomas, and Meyerbeer producing com- positions destined to add to their fame. As to politics the statesmen of the opposition were in- different to all but home events, and turned a deaf ear to all rumours from without. The book is interesting, treating as it does of a comparatively recent epoch. ‘* Etapes Italiennes,”’ by M. Pierre de Bouchard, contains notices on Byzantine art, on the Forum and the Villa Medicis. The author also treats of Naples and gives the impressions of Mme. de Staél, and Chateaubriand, Lamartine, Shelley and other well-known personages who have visited it. In another study, entitled Naples, the author gives us a description of the city, and an account of its origin and history. ‘“‘ Marie-Caroline, reine des Deux-Siciles (1768- 1814),” by M. André Bonnefons, is an excellent study of the political evolutions of that epoch, giving an idea of the struggles of France against the whole of Europe. Among recent books are the following : “ Brim- borion,” by Jean Rameau; “Le Marchand de déesses,” by M. René Maizeroy ; “ La Domination,” by Mme. la Comtesse Mathieu de Noailles ; “ Le Roman d’une vieille fille,’ by M. Delorme ; “ Mon- sieur Marcel,” by Mme. Marie Thiéry; ‘“ Les Carrosses du roi,” by M. K. Waliszewski ; “ Femme de lettres,” by Mme. Mary Floran; “La Fiancée nouvelle,” by M. Gaston Derys; ‘Le Pére et le Fils,” by M. Antonin Mulé; ‘‘Le Livre de la Houle et de la Volupté” ; by M. Diraison-Seylor ; «Sans Dieu,” by Trilby ; “ Plus fort que la Vie,” by Mme. Marie-Anne de Bovet ; ‘‘ En Wagon,” by Henri Datin, a volume of short stories. ‘“ L’ Autre,” by Georges Bonnamour; “Les Demi-fous,” by M. Michel Corday ; ‘ Waldeck-Rousseau,” by Gaston Deschamps ; ‘‘L’expansion des Boers au XIX siecle,” by M. Déhérain; “Un grand meconnu : Napoleon III.,” by M. Jean Guetary. The forthcoming publication is announced of several volumesof letters by well-known men, among others those of Zola and Fromentin. Marcel Prévost is at work onhis novel “M.et Mme. Moloch,” the scene of which is laid in Germany. Maurice Barrés is writing his notes on Greece, under the title of “‘ Le Voyage & Sparte.” The death of Elisée Reclus is a great loss to the literary and artistic world. His collaboration will be greatly missed by all connected with the University of Brussels, which he helped to found. The professors and students of the University published a circular announcing his death, in which they declared their intention to honour his memory, en propayeant son auvre de fraternité et son ensergnement iminortel. In the Revue des Deux Mondes of July 15th, M. Brunetiére writes on “ Le Mensonge du Pacifisme.” In the Revue des Deux Mondes of August there is an article by René Pinon on the consequences of the Russo-Japanese war and the japonisation of China. M. Benoist explains in another article the reasons which have provoked the secession of Norway. Frédéric Passy replies to M. Brunetiére on the subject of ‘‘ Le Pacifisme.” In the Correspondant of August M. Méziéres gives his memories of L’Université avant 1850. In the Grande Revue of August 15th there is an interesting article by Hélia entitled “ Une Parisienne dans les harems de Constantinople.” In the Quinzaine M. Georges Blondel writes on the various manifestations of Imperialism. An account is given by Captain d’Ollone of .the grand manoeuvres of the Anglo-Indian army near the frontier of Af¢hanistan. In the Qwinzaine of July there is an excellent article by Max Helys on “Selma Lagerlof,” the Swedish authoress. A new quarterly, entitled Vers et Prose, has made its appearance this year. It is a magazine of from one to two hundred pages, which in its first two numbers certainly justifies its claim to be a collection de la haute littérature et du lyrisme en prose el en poesie. Among the contents are some exquisite short sketches by the late Marcel Schwob, a story entitled ‘Le Massacre des Inno- cents,” by Maurice Maeterlinck (which dates from 1885, and is the first work of this author), one of Henri de Regnier’s finest poems, and other articles, stories, and verses by Robert de Souza, Maurice Barrés, Stuart Merrill, Gille, William Morris, Dowson, Paul Fort, Moréas, Gide, Vielé-Griffin, Verhaeren, and other writers. A periodical containing solely such high-class work would stand a poor chance of success in most countries. Fortunately, however, it is written in the French language, and, judging from the long list of sub- scribers in all parts of the world, there seems every probability that the venture will prove a satisfac- tory one. Translations from foreign authors form a part of the programme. The yearly subscrip- tion for the four volumes is eight francs, or the edition de luxe fifty francs. Another new monthly paper which commenced in July is entitled La Poétique. It is a magazine of about thirty pages, giving not only French  THE AUTHOR. a poems, but articles and essays on the poets of various countries, together with original poems by foreign authors, and side by side the translation of them. In the July number there is a study of Spanish poetry by M. de ‘Toro Gomez, illustrated by Spanish poems in the original and in French. ‘There is also an article on Schiller with extracts from his works. In the August number there is a study of an English poet and his works, and another of Echegaray, as well as many articles on French poetry and various poems. It is an excellent idea for giving us some notions of the poetry of different lands. M. William Busnach has completed the scenario of “Madame Bovary,” which wili probably be played at one of the Boulevard Theatres this winter. Mounet-Sully and Pierre Barbier have just com- pleted an important play entitled “La Brute,” which is to be produced this season. Their “ Vieillesse de Don Juan” is to be given at the Francais. Mounet-Sully is to interpret the role of Don Juan at the age of sixty-five. “Le Vieil Homme,” by M. Porto Riche, is to be put on this winter at the Gymnase. “ T/Qisean Bleu,” a play in five acts, by Maeter- linck, is also to be produced at one of the theatres. Among the new plays to be given at the Odéon Theatre are the following: “La Patronne,” by Mr. Bernstein ; ‘‘Ramuntcho,” by Pierre Loti; “T/Homme et la Loi,” by Paul and Victor Margueritte ; ‘La Robe Blanche,” by M. Trarieux ; “Florise Bonheur,’ adapted from M. Adolphe Brisson’s novel by MM. Georges Mitchell and Baschet ; “Le Calvaire,” by M. Octave Mirbeau, adapted by M. Antoine Bibesco. Auys HALLARD. <> +-__———- SPANISH NOTES. HE note of progress in Feminism played in Spain by the New World was seen by the representation of women at the meeting held at the University of Madrid by the Ibero- American Society in honour of the Cervantes Tercentenary, for the seventeen Jitiératewrs who occupied the University chair that afternoon for the delivery of discourses or poems on the Spanish classic, numbered two ladies who are well known by the work of their pen, and the applause which met their respective eloquent speeches showed that Spain has awakened to the fact that it is no longer meet for woman’s talent to be hidden under a bushel. Madame Emilia Pardo Bazin, ¢he pioneer of Spanish authoresses, whose books have been trans- lated into almost every European language, read a clever paper on the value of the philosophy of “ Don Quixote.” And it is noteworthy that such works of this well-known lady as “‘ La cuestion palpi- tante, Polemicas y estudios literarios,” etc., led to Castelar advocating her claim to a chair in the Academy. Readers of her many novels, especially “ Pascual Lopez,” “Una Christiana,” etc., can well understand that the authoress would rather be known as ‘‘la Pardo Bazan” than by the title of Countess, which she can claim ; and the charm of her manner doubtless helped the anthoress through the difficulties which beset her early efforts in the path of literature at a time when it was rarely trodden by a Spanish woman. Sefiora Carmen Burgos de Segui was the other lady speaker at the Don Quixote féte, and it was pleasant to see how this pioneer of Spanish lady journalists confirmed the growing opinion that women can work without loss to their prestige. The lady’s eloquent plea for a modern “ Don Quixote” who would aid women to attain a better education and ensure them more protection in the walks of life was published next day in the Diario Oniversal. When listening to the well-rounded sentences of the discourses delivered with fire and fervour by such orators as Senor Arminian, Senor Perez Triana, etc., and the poems composed and de- claimed by Fernandez Guell, Conde de Reparaz, ete., ete., one felt that the Spanish claim to eloquence is indeed based on fact ; and the military band in the gallery at the end of the well-filled hall afforded pleasant little interregnums during the feast of reason and the flow of souls. Sefior Don Jesus Pando y Valle, the author of “Mision Transendental’ (an account of the history and work of the society of the Red Cross in Spain) is devoting a great deal of time to the promotion of the ladies’ committee which has been formed in conjunction with the society, and it now numbers forty members under the presi- dency of the distinguished Marquise de Ayerbe. This lady has also taken her place as an authoress by the book which she kindly gave me, called “ El Castillo del Marques de Mos en Sotomayor.” The work is an historical ‘account of the castle bearing the name of the well-known Spanish family, and when the writer tells us in the pre- face that the record, which must have required deep research, was only the work of a summer holiday in the province of Galicia, it shows the force of her intelligence. As a leader of Spanish society this lady has great demands upon her time, and it was interesting to hear that it has only recently been understood that literature and philanthropy can add to the pleasures of her life. She has taken the lead of the ladies’ com- mittee of the Ibero-American committee, formed in the hope of aiding to supply the want in Spain 10 of schools for girls of the middle-class, and for the establishment of centres for the study of painting and music. Moreover, a drawing-room meeting was held at the Marquise de Ayerbe on June 10th, to discuss the project for founding a model farm in the vicinity. of Madrid, where ladies can study agriculture. Colonel Figuerola Ferretti, who has always so strongly advocated the education of his countrywomen, took a practical step for the promotion of this idea by studying the system of the Lady Warwick College at Studley Castle, as the patriot’s interesting article on “King Alfonzo XIII. and Spanish Agriculture” con- tributed to the Countess of Warwick’s magazine, Woman’s Agricultural Times, led to the colonel being invited to inspect the Castle College. The Ibero-American ladies’ committee has just been joined by the Marquesa de Comellas, the Duquesa de Sessa, the Marquesa de Bolanos, Senora de Palomo, Marquesa de Valdeterrazo, the Marquesa de Villamagna, the Marquesa de Faura y Saralegui, etc., and as the Queen’s clever sister-in-law, the Infanta Dofia Paz, wishes also to co-operate in the work by associating the society with one of her own feminine industrial schemes in Bavaria, it seems as if woman’s progress in Spain had entered on a fresh era. When Sefior Francisco Silvela, whose death this summer is so deeply deplored in Spain, did me the honour to invite me to his house at the beginning of last May, I was much interested in hearing him say that he, like many Spaniards, favoured the idea of woman’s education, as he con- sidered that culture enabled a wife to be a com- panion to her husband, whilst it in no wise lessened her feminine charms. The quondam Prime Minister was very definite in his objection to women playing cards for money, and he also expressed disapproval of the growing custom of ladies smoking, which he had noted when last in London. I may here say that all the while I was in Spain, I never saw a cigarette in the mouth of a woman, as the habit is reserved for strictly private circles. Sefor Silvela seemed interested in his project of publishing under the title of “The History of Spanish Ethics,” the course of lectures which he delivered last winter in the Atheneum, and when the illustrious man showed me his fine library, and complained that the days were too short to study all he wished, I little thought that the night of the statesman’s work on earth was so near at hand. It was also a great privilege to be introduced during my visit to Madrid this summer to Silvela’s well-known colleague, Moret, at a public meeting. The statesman’s well-cut handsome face must always be striking, but when animated with the interest with which he discourses on such subjects as THE AUTHOR. education, woman’s culture, one cannot wonder at his influence in his country. The statesman’s ‘courtesy was shown to me as the Authors’ Society delegate by promptly sending me an order which gave me the entrée to the Atheneum, of which he is the president. As the Atheneum is the great centre for all literary movements, it has a fine library, and it is there that speeches from the first littérateurs of the day stimulate the leaders of the Press. Spain boasts several very good illustrated papers, and I was interested to find that Angéle Cabrera Latorre, who recently received from the King the decoration of the Order of Alfonso XII. for his work in natural history, has now been appointed editor of the magazine called Alrededor del mundo. RACHEL CHALLICE. ————_-——___ A PUBLISHER’S AGREEMENT, OR THE PLEASURES OF IGNORANCE. — N the early part of 1903 a lady, who is amember of the society, wrote to Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co.’s house in Melbourne offering them a MS. for publication. In September of that year she received a letter from the Australian manager stating that he had heard from the London house, and that they were willing to publish her story if she would assign them the copyright and pay £75 towards the expenses of production and loss that the publication of a first book by an unknown author might incur. She was to receive fifty gratis copies. To this letter she made reply that she was willing to pay £75, but continued: “ You do not mention in your letter that I am to receive any benefit should my book prove a success. You tell me, however, that Ward, Lock & Co. made it a rule to pay back to themselves the first outlay, then to return money paid, after which the profits were shared with the author. If suchis the case, I am quite ready to assign to them the copyright.” The author thereupon paid the £75, the receipt of which was cabled to London, and an agreement was forwarded to her from the Melbourne house, of which the following is a copy :— Memorandum of Agreement entered into this Twenty- sixth day of October, 1903, between EO of the one part, and Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, of Warwick House, Salisbury Square, London, England, of the other part. Whereby it is mutually agreed as follows :— 1. That the said hereby assigns to Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, the copyright and all her interest in the novel entitled “ , and pays the said Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, the sum of Seventy-five Pounds (£75), and in consideration thereof the said Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, agree to produce and publish the novel:in their ordinary style, and give I'wenty-five (25) gratis, copies of the book. 2. It is understood between the parties that accounts of  THE AUTHOR. 11 the book sales are to be made up every twelve months, and whatever profit the sale of the book shows is to be divided pro rata according to the outlay expended by each party, and when both are fully paid, further profits (if any) are to be equally divided between author and publishers. Signed for Waid, Lock & Co., Limited. WILLIAM STEELE. Manager and Attorney. The Melbourne manager stated in his letter : “« You will notice that second clause of agreement is made out so that, should your book have a success- ful sale, you will receive a share of the advantage.” Under the agreement, therefore, if the book had had a large circulation, the author would have got back her outlay and obtained her share of the profits. After the author had signed the agreement on December 4th, 1903, the Melbourne manager wrote as follows :— “TJ have just received a coded cablegram from London, which, translated, indicates that our home house declines to confirm the second clause of agreement recently arranged your story, and I am asked to cable instructions. I added the second clause on my own responsibility in view of your letter of October 15th ; and, seeing that our people cannot accept the same, will you kindly cable me that you are willing to abandon it? I can then cable London accord- ingly. Probably there are some reasons unknown to me which prevent the house agreeing to the second clause.” The author consented, by cable, to the cancella- tion of the second clause, and wrote subsequently confirming her cable. The book was published on May 24th, the manager repeating in a letter to the author: “Our house, as you know, would not extend confirmation to the clause in the agreement which you afterwards agreed to cancel, and uncon- ditional surrender of the copyright had to be effected before they were willing to commence putting the -volume into type and preparing for publication. For the sum you paid towards its production you will have the satisfaction of having your story well put on the market by a leading publishing house ; and if the sale proves successful, you will be in a position to command better terms for a second and subsequent stories.” About the same time the author discovered, to her astonishment, that the story in serial form was running through the Leader, the weekly country edition of the Melbourne Arqus. This is the statement of the case :— After reading the prospectus of the society, the author states: “I seem to have been very stupid in agreeing to the publishers’ terms, but I did not then know that your society would interest itself in an unknown writer, and therefore I thought it impossible that I could by any means obtain justice.’ The writer proceeds to state that the society can use the information for the benefit of authors in any way the committee choose. When the author had placed the matter fully before the secretary, he was so astonished that he wrote to the firm in London putting forward the details of the case, and ending his letter with the following words :— “Tt seems impossible to think that your firm would have ratified such a contract with the Aus- tralian house, and it is because I think there must be some mistake that I am writing to you on the matter. I shall be glad if you will let me know if the book has actually been placed on the London market, and if you could send me information as to the exact position and agreements.” Some time was lost owing to the fact that Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co. desired to communicate with their representative in Australia, but when finally the secretary of the society received the original documents from the author, he wrote again to Ward, Lock suggesting that their representative should call and see the papers in his hands. The interview took place, and Ward, Lock’s representa- tive read through the correspondence and admitted its authenticity. The committee of the society, having considered the case, decided to publish the details with the names of the publishers, and to point out to other members, who may by chance have similar terms offered them, that such terms, from the author’s point of view, are absolutely and wholly unsatisfactory. You pay £75, and hand over your property. In these circumstances it is impos- sible to obtain even the return of the money you have expended, although the book may sell in thousands, and may continue to sell steadily for many years. This is the author’s standpoint ; but there is this further point to be considered, that, although the publishers undertake to produce and publish the book in their ordinary style (see Clause 1), and hand over twenty-five gratis copies, yet there is no guarantee as to the extent to which the book will be advertised and brought to the notice of the public. When a publisher under- takes the whole cost of production of the book it is customary to leave the advertising entirely under his control, for the common-sense deduction is that the publisher will do his best to recover his own capital ; but when the author pays for the cost of production—and £75 will cover the cost of pro- duction of 1,000 copies of most 6s. novels—then it is only fair that the author should have some guarantee that the book will be adequately pushed. It would be interesting to know how many copies of the book were printed, at what cost, and how many copies were sold at the expenditure of what advertisement, and what monies the sale of the serial rights realised. But a knowledge of these details would not in any way alter the utter hopelessness of the agreement from the author’s standpoint. THE AUTHOR. E. Y. LUCAS vy. MONCRIEFF. OWARDS the end of July a case, supported by the Society of Authors on behalf of one of its members, of some interest to holders of copyright property, was heard in the courts before Mr. Justice Warrington. The question raised was whether the copyright in a book called “‘ The Open Road” was vested in Mr. E. V. Lucas, the plaintiff, or the defendant as trustee in the bankruptcy of Mr. Grant Richards, the publisher. There was a further question in- volved, assuming the copyright not to be vested in the defendant, whether he, by contract with the author, was the owner of the publishing right and had the right to continue the publication of the book upon certain terms. An interlocutory injunction was granted in favour of the plaintiff, and the Judge, in summing up, stated as follows : Mr. Justice Warrington —* Now, the question arises really upon two letters written, the one by the plaintiff to Mr. Grant Richards on the 11th November, 1898, and the other by Mr. Grant Richards to the plaintiff en the 14th November, 1898, which constitute the agreement in regard to this particular book. I propose first to consider these letters, and then see how far any light is thrown on the true meaning of them by previous ones. Now, the letter of the 11th November, 1898, so far as it is material, is in these terms: ‘The plan is not yet solid, but I have this in my head at present: a pair of books for the pocket, page 34 by 6, 200 pages in each, on thin paper ; limp cloth or leather, very choice in form. ‘They would be a mixture of serious and gay, and would be composed respectively of prose and verse from all kinds of places, but fresh and straightforward in character. Between them they would provide for most moods that one has on a holiday. The title would be something to this effect.’ Then he gives certain titles and he refers to the price. ‘I should use mainly non-copyright stuff, but copyright difficulties would not I think be insuperable in many cases. Walking tours and cycling tours should be incomplete without the books, which would in the main celebrate the open air and larger life. My work would comprise making the selections and composing a preface touching on holiday-makers’ literary needs which would, I hope, be compact enough to serve also as an advertisement. Now, as to money. I think if I take nothing down I ought to share profits equally with you.’ Then that is replied to by the letter of the 14th November, 1898: ‘ My dear Lucas,—I am the more taken with your idea that T have had time to think it out. Proceed please. Your exact phrase as to remuneration is: “ Now as to money. I think if I take nothing down I ought to share profits equally with you.” This shall be so. Those are the two letters which constitute the contract between the parties. Now, taking those two letters by themselves, it seems to me that there is nothing more than an agreement between the author, who proposes to write but who has not yet written the book, and the publisher whom he invites to publish it, and that they con- stitute an agreement between the intended author and the publisher that if he (the intended author) writes such a book as that which he describes the publisher will publish it, and he will publish it on the terms that the author and the publisher shall share the profits equally between them. Now, if that is so, I think it is well settled that there is nothing in such an agreement to make it neces- sary to infer that the copyright in the work itself passes to the publisher. The ground on which in this case it is said that the copyright passes to the publisher is one of a different nature. It is said that this is a case of employment by Mr. Grant Richards of the plaintiff to write a certain work for him on terms, either expressed or implied, that the copyright shall belong to him. Now, for that purpose, reliance is placed upon letters of the 23rd and 25th February, 1898, and, therefore, I must refer to them. Those two letters are in these terms—the first is addressed by Mr. Lucas to Mr. Grant Richards: ‘I have given the matter thought and I am ready to undertake to deal with all the manuscript you send me during the next year, beginning from the date of the agreement, for £100 paid monthly. But I think it better to keep the Dumpy contract distinct ; and if I should have an idea for a good series, which commended itself to you, I should ask separate payment for drawing up the prospectus and arranging for the books. Otherwise the £100 would include any ideas for single books that might suggest them- selves. And that is answered on the 25th: ‘My dear Lucas—According to your letter of February 23rd and our conversation of to-day, I am writing now to ratify our arrangement by which you undertake to deal with all the manu- scripts I send you during the next year, beginning from the date of this letter, and to generally act, in fact, as my literary adviser (see me when you can, ete., ete., in order that we can talk things over) for a hundred pounds a year paid monthly. As your letter suggests, if you have an idea for a good series which commends itself to me, you are to receive separate payment for drawing up a prospectus and arranging for the books, otherwise the hundred pounds includes any ideas for single books that may suggest themselves.’ Now, it is suggested that by these two letters Mr. Lucas has put his services at the disposal of Mr. Grant  THE AUTHOR. Richards for the £100 a year, and that if he had any idea of any single book he was bound not only to communicate that idea to Mr. Grant Richards and to give him the opportunity of becoming the publisher of that book, but he was bound if he carried his idea into effect and wrote the book to do it on the terms that Mr. Grant Richards should have the copyright. Now it seems to me that that cannot be so. I think the real meaning of the letters is this : He was to be the literary adviser, and I think one may get a good deal from the first sentence in the letter of the 23rd. Mr. Lucas there undertakes to ‘deal with the manuscripts you send me,’ that is to say, he is to be the pub- lisher’s reader to advise the publisher as to whether a book is likely to be a success if published, and further than that he agrees by that letter—accepted by the letter of the 25th—that if he does have an idea which he communicates to Mr. Grant Richards and Mr. Grant Richards publishes the book as the result of it, that he will not be paid anything further, but it seems to me that there is nothing in either of those two letters imposing any obliga- tion upon Mr. Lucas to place in the hands of Mr. Grant Richards the publication of any book the idea of which may occur to him. All that-that last sentence of the letter with regard to the single book seems to me to impose on Mr. Lucas is that he will not require any further payment for any idea which he may communicate. If so, it seems to me that the argument of the defendants on the main part of the case breaks down. In my judgment there was no employment to write this book. “Tn my opinion the true effect of the letters of November, even read in connection with the two letters of February, was an agreement between the author and the publisher that if the author should compose a book he was to request the publisher to publish it, the’ publisher agreeing if he did publish it to publish it on the terms that he and the author should share the profit equally, and I think the true meaning of the agreement is not employment, but an independent agreement between author and publisher. Supposing instead of being an anthology this had been an original book, a book we will say on some historical subject which the author had got in his head, but had not yet written, is there anything in that circumstance which makes it impossible for him to arrange for the publication of that book with the publisher in the ordinary way, without making any express stipulation that if that agreement is carried into effect the copyright shall beiong to him. I see nothing ; it seems to me that when he has written the book he is the author of it, and that he is prima facie entitled to the copyright. “Now then comes a further question. It is said that the publisher is entitled under this agreement 13 to continue to publish the book and that the author is not entitled to publish it. It seems to me that is met by Reade v. Bentley in 4 Kay and John- son, page 656. It is quite true that in this case there is a difference between the agreements—the agreement in Reade v. Bentley was more precise as to the mode in which the profits were to be ascer- tained. In this case the agreement specifies only the sharing of profits, without saying how those profits are to be ascertained, but I do not think that the difference between the two agreements is enough to justify me in distinguishing this case from Reade v. Bentley. It seems to me in this case, as in Reade v. Bentley, there was a joint adventure for the publication of this book—an adventure which, subject to the limitations that the author must not act unfairly to the publisher —by ‘unfairly’ I mean unfairly as defined by the judgment in Reade v. Bentley—subject to that he may determine the agreement between them. Now the Vice-Chancellor expressed in his judgment what he thought would be a fair determination of the agreement, that is to say, that it would not be fair for the author to determine the agreement if there was an edition running on which the pub- lisher had incurred expense. Subject to that, the author was entitled to determine the agreement and to publish the book elsewhere, if, as I hold in the present case, he has the copyright. Now, in the present case, what has happened is that the publisher became bankrupt on the 2nd February, 1905. Thereupon the benefit of this contract with other assets of the bankrupt would pass of course to the trustee in the bankruptcy. It seems to me that this fact without any notice from the author would at once determine the joint adventure, and subject to the restriction which I have already alluded to would leave it open to the author to employ some other person to publish the book. Then, it is contended that at all events he cannot do so so long as any parts of the last edition remain unsold. That really is giving effect to the restriction which I have already mentioned as having been placed upon the author by the judg- ment in Reade v. Bentley, but that is met by an offer on the part of the plaintiff to buy from the publisher such of the copies of the last edition as remain unsold, ‘Then it is said that there are certain copyright pieces in the book, the copy- right in which belongs to Mr. Grant Richards. Of course, if there is copyright outstanding in certain individual pieces which would be infringed by the republication of the book, the author would not be entitled to infringe that copyright. He states that he does not intend to, and I think the true result in reference to that is that I must leave out of account for the present purpose—for the purpose of this judgment—all question of copy- 14 right in the individual pieces, either between the author, the plaintiff, Mr. Grant Richards or his assignee in bankruptcy, or as between the plaintiff and other persons who have a copyright.” _ OH? OUGHT STAGE-PLAYS AT MUSIC HALLS TO BE PROHIBITED ? —_ <2 — HE question of stage-plays at music halls was a matter of public inquiry some forty years ago, but it has come into prominence again during the last twelve months, and the theatre proprietors are still on the war-path. The cam- paign began in the autumn of 1903, when the Theatrical Managers’ Association instituted pro- ceedings against the Palace Theatre of Varieties for producing a piece entitled “ La Toledad ”—an artistic sketch of a perfectly harmless character, which had been performed in the principal halls in London and in the provinces for two years previously without any complaint whatever. Of course it came within the legal definition of a stage-play, and under the Theatres Act of 1843 it is, strictly speaking, illegal to produce a stage- play at a music hall. The Palace company was accordingly convicted and fined £50. The theatre proprietors, apparently encouraged by their success, then proceeded to attack other music halls in different parts of the metropolis, and, although some of the magistrates were reluc- tant to impose a penalty at all, at the latter end of last year the Oxford and the Metropolitan Music Halls were fined £120 and £180 respectively for the same offence. Now when music hall proprietors are being mulcted in fines exceeding £100 for permitting the performance of stage-plays—which are not only admittedly free from indecency and anything offensive, but are in many instances artistic and picturesque, and add considerably to the entertain- ment of the public—the “man in the street” is naturally inquiring if this is the law, and for whose benefit such a law exists ? Inasmuch as the recent prosecutions have been taken under the Theatres Act, 1843, and this is the statute which is violated every day in London and in the provinces—and has been violated per- sistently during the last half-century at least—it is important to realise that the Act was passed for a specific object, which is not generally under- stood, and under circumstances wholly different from those which exist at the present day. From the conduct of the theatre proprietors with regard to stage-plays, it would appear as if they thought the Theatres Act was intended to preserve THE AUTHOR. the privileges of those who run theatres from the increasing competition of the music halls. The seem to think that the Act was passed for the benefit of themselves as upholders of the “ legiti- mate drama,” by way of contrast to those who run variety entertainments where smoking and drinking is allowed in the auditorium. They argue that as they have certain requirements imposed upon them by reason of their theatre licence, they ought to have the monopoly of performing stage-plays and should prevent artistic performances elsewhere in those palaces of varieties where the restrictions may be less exacting.* But this is an entire mistake. The Theatres Act was never intended for such a purpose at all. Its object was to provide a more effective control over performances calculated to offend public decency and morals. It was described in Parlia- ment as “a measure of police.” It gave no authority to the Lord Chamberlain to dictate to the manager of a theatre what sort of entertain- ments he should provide for the public. It was no part of his duty to say whether there should be drama, or singing, or dancing at the theatre, whether the plays should last forty minutes or three hours, whether there should be two or a dozen performers, or what sort of scenic effects should be employed. All such matters were left to the discretion of the manager, and the only duty of the Lord Chamberlain was to see that no enter- tainments offensive to public decency and morals should be permitted. The Act empowered him to secure to the public that there should be nothing indecent, scurrilous, or profane. The whole pur- pose of the Act was to restrain licentiousness-—not the liberty of the stage. So much for the object of the Act. Now, as to the circumstances to which it was to be applied. The modern music hall or palace of varieties at that time was not in existence and possibly not even conceived. The earliest London music hall was built in 1851, nearly ten years after the Theatres Act was passed. The Canterbury, the Oxford, the Tivoli, and other similar halls of entertainment show the progress of artistic development from the ‘free and easies” at the beginning of the century. Such entertainments took place generally in the yard or precincts of a tavern, where drinks were supplied according to the payments of admission. Each man sang his song, and pipes and porter and good square meals were accessories to the enter- tainment. A licence from the magistrates for music and dancing was required by the same statute under which the County Council grant licences to music halls at the present day. With- * Vide manifesto of the Theatrical Managers’ Associa~ tion, published in the Zimes, July 16th, 1904,  Ss era en Na THER AUTHOR. 15 out the magistrates’ licence such a place of enter- tainment was declared by the Act to be a “dis- orderly house,” and in those early days the description was not always inappropriate to such places even when conducted under the authority of the magistrates. Canterbury Hall was opened in 1852 under the management of the late Mr. Morton, who had run the Canterbury ‘Tavern with “ free and easies.” He it was who introduced the system of “ turns” which prevails in the modern music halls. Similar places were built, and by degrees new palaces of varieties were opened in all parts of the Metropolis. Then it was that the theatre proprietors felt the strain of competition, and—showing how history repeats itself—they commenced a general attack upon the music halls. A series of prosecutions, very similar to those of 1904, were instituted in 1860 by theatre proprietors to check the performance of stage-plays at music halls. There was a performance at Canterbury Hall where two persons came on the stage and repre- gented a kind of pantomime. They played seven- teen or eighteen characters, the great point being the quick change of dress. They were prosecuted for performing a stage-play, and were fined £5. This is merely a single instance, but the theatre proprietors attacked everything, and even secured a conviction against a proprietor of the entertain- ment known as “ Pepper’s Ghost.” The question as to the propriety of these prose- cutions became a matter of public interest, and in 1866 a parliamentary committee was appointed to investigate the case for and against the perfor- mance of stage-plays at music halls. The evidence before the committee is interesting, because it shows the marked contrast between the state of the music halls then and their improved condition at the present day. For instance, it was proved to be the practice at many of the music halls to give a ticket on payment of admission, which entitled the holder to spirits to the amount of the ticket. It was urged against the music halls as a notorious fact that there were private saloons where immorality prevailed. The songs were said to be a disgrace to any person who put them on the stage, and it was alleged that obscene songs suited a certain class of people who went there expressly to get drunk. There were constant rows and fights, and there was a want of police surveil- lance, All these things were urged against. music halls in 1866—when such irregularities did exist no doubt—and yet the parliamentary committee was satisfied that even then there was no case for prohibiting the performance of stage-plays at music halls, provided they were placed under proper supervision. Such was the state of things complained of in 1866, but can it be alleged against the music halls of the present day ? It must be generally admitted that the music halls have been steadily improving in the artistic nature of their performances. The buildings are magnificent and elaborately decorated. They are under the efficient supervision of the County Council. They provide entertainment for thousands of people, of whom it cannot be said nowadays that they go there “expressly to get drunk.” Any disorder or disturbance is immediately suppressed, and the irregularities which no doubt existed some fifty years ago are no longer characteristic of the music halls of to-day. And if the public like to be entertained by stage-plays which are artistic, dramatic, or picturesque, is it reasonable that this old Act of Parliament should prevent them from enjoying the kind of entertain- ment they want ? Prosecutions for performing stage-plays have hindered the progress of the music halls in their artistic development ever since they rose from the “free and easies” of the public-house. Such prosecutions were proved to be unreasonable by the report of the parliamentary committee in 1866. And now at the present time the theatre proprietors have started the old campaign again and have succeeded in depriving the public of performances and entertainments which they like, and which are often more artistic than many a piece produced under the authority of the Lord Chamberlain. It has been laid down that the two tests of a stage-play are, first, the excitement of emotion, and, secondly, the representation of action, A stage-play, moreover, is defined by the Theatres Act to include “every tragedy, comedy, farce, opera, burletta, interlude, melodrama, pantomime, or other entertainment of the stage, or any part thereof.” It is obvious, therefore, that any per- formance in the nature ofa so-called “sketch” at a London music hall is prohibited by statute, and the number of characters or time limit have no recognition in law. It is no exaggeration to say that there is hardly a music hall in London which does not nightly violate the law by the unauthorised performance of a “stage-play.” Not only is the music hall pro- prietor liable to heavy fines, but every artiste may be fined £10 for every such performance in which he takes part; and it is important to note that theatre proprietors have not the exclusive right of instituting proceedings, but any person—even “a man of straw”—can prosecute if he pleases, and the Act of Parliament allows him his costs, to be paid out of the amount of the fines imposed. Such being the state of the law, can it be said to be satisfactory, or applicable to the 16 circumstances of the present day? Is there any sound reason why the public who go to music halls should not be entertained by any performance they like, provided it does not offend against morals or decency ? It is not suggested by the theatre proprietors, who prosecute, that the stage-plays they complain of are immoral or indecent. On the contrary, their grievance is that the so-called ‘“ sketches ” have become so elaborate and artistic that they seek to prohibit performances which may success- fully compete with their own productions at the the theatres. A very pretty little Japanese piece, entitled “O Mat San,” which was artistically staged and admirably acted at the Tivoli, was withdrawn from the music halls from fear of prosecution ; and another artistic piece called THE AUTHOR. music hall, it is necessary to point out that such an opinion is entirely incorrect. An author’s rights in a play consist of “ copyright,” or the right of producing copies by printing or otherwise, and “performing rights,” or the right of produc- tion on a public stage. In the course of the case when the Palace Theatre was prosecuted for per- forming the stage-play, “La Toledad,” it was actually stated in court that the defendants had purchased the performing rights. The fact is, the theatre proprietors find a difficulty in justifying these prosecutions at all. They are not for the public benefit in any way. They are a hindrance to authors, artists, actors, and managers. They inflict great hardship upon persons who deserve encouragement for their efforts to improve the entertainments of the people. And PROSECUTIONS OF STacE PuAys, 1903—4. Music Hall. Play. Date. | Police Court. | Magistrate. Result. Remarks. 1903 Novy. .| Palace Theatre... .| La Toledad”’ | 1904 | Jan, .. New Cross Empire 8. London Palace . 5. London Palace ..|“ My Life for Hers” . | Tivoli oes ...| “ Moonspell” March| Hammersmith Palace...|‘‘ Fighting Parson”... -| * Dandy Doctor” Feb. April .| Empress Theatre, Brix-| “ Fighting Parson” ...| Lambeth Oct. .) Oxford ... .| Belle of the Orient” Metropolitan | | ton. | | Nov. Dec. .| S. London Palace | S. London Palace | “The Moon Spell” has succumbed under the stress of police-court proceedings. One argument advanced against permitting stage-plays at music halls appears to be based upon a misconception of the law relating to copyright. At a recent meeting of the Actors’ Benevolent Society, Mr. Beerbohm Tree, in dealing with this question, said as follows: “At the present time almost all the variety theatres—especially in the suburbs and the pro- vinces—are performing complete stage-plays, many of them occupying as much as an hour, some an hour and a half. Many of these are simply boiled down versions of stage-plays. These are not only played without a dramatic licence, but without any Sees being paid to the author.” If it was intended to suggest that an author has not identically the same rights in respect of a stage-play, whether performed at a theatre or a .| Marlborough St. .| Mr. Denman ...| Greenwich ..| “Major McPhee, M.P.”| Southwark Southwark .| Bow Street x West London ... e Marlborough St. .| Mr. Kennedy .| “Fighting Parson ”’...| Marylebone - Hammersmith Palace...| “ Fighting Parson”’...) West London ... .| * Beneath Big Ben”...| Southwark -| Don Cesar de Bayan”) Southwark .| Fine £50 .| Played two years previously in London = and Provinces. ..| Mr. Kettle £20. .|Mr. Chapman ...) ,, £25. ...| Mr. Paul Taylor. #1 -| Mr. Marsham ... £50. Mr. Rose se £25. .| Mr. Hopkins ... £2 £120 £180) On appeal re- duced to £90, ..| Mr.Curtis Bennett Mr. Rose : £42. .| Mr. Chapman ... £3 -| Mr. Chapman ... £e it seems like an abuse of the police court when people are prosecuted, not for the public benefit, but to procure convictions against rivals in business, whose only offence is shown in their laudable ambi- tion to go on improving their performances by making them more. artistic, dramatic, or picturesque. An antiquated law which is unreasonable is. naturally set at defiance, and some magistrates have shown their reluctance to impose more than a nominal penalty. They are, unfortunately, bound to convict, because—as Mr. Denman, the magis- trate, said in the “La Toledad ” case—“ a stage- play cannot cease to be a stage-play because, instead of three hours, it takes only thirty or forty minutes.” But the summary of prosecutions in the table above (which is not exhaustive) is sufficient. to show the difficulty of administering a law which is not adapted to the requirements of the publicat the present day.  ee Ee et ere AI A la ge foo ON. THE AUTHOR. 17 In giving his decision in the case of the “ Fight- ing Parson,” Mr. Hopkins makes this clear when he said, “‘ Speaking for myself, and I hope, for all the magistrates and justices throughout the country, I take but little notice of a form of offence which the authorities of the country do not proceed against, and which no one proceeds against, except the people whose pockets are touched.” Again, in the case against the New South London Music Hall for producing “ My Life for Hers,” Mr. Paul Taylor observed, “It is important to remember that for the last twenty-five or thirty years music hall managers have been allowed to produce sketches without hindrance. The evidence given before the committee in 1892 included a statement by the late Mr. Clement Scott that since theatre managers had withheld their hands and winked at the illegality, the whole tone of the variety theatre had improved, as any one who has any London experience will agree. The music hall managers have been lulled into a state of security; false security perhaps, by the inaction of any public authority.” He was reluctantly compelled to convict, however, and imposed a nominal fine of £1. The theatre proprietors have so far had it all their own way. They have selected whom they will prosecute and whom they do not care to molest. They have succeeded in shelving the question as to the stage-plays at the Empire and the Alhambra, because their own interests might be affected in the event of convictions at those two particular halls. Moreover, they have lately had the satisfaction of seeing some of the magistrates so deeply impressed with the enormity of this ‘ offence, that they have inflicted very heavy fines for what other magistrates can hardly regard as an offence at all. But the theatre proprietors may have carried their successes too far. In the matter of their entertainments the public should surely have a voice. And when the time has come to make an alteration in the law, when the object of the Theatres Act is carefully considered and under- stood, it is possible that the question will not be whether ‘sketches ” shall be permitted at music halls, within certain limits as to time and the number of performers, but whether it is to the interest of the public that any stage-play, which is not indecent, scurrilous, or profane, shall be prohibited at any one of their places of public entertainment. The music halls, compared with the theatres, are only in their infancy. Their artistic development during the last ten or fifteen years has been rapid and extraordinary. They have a great future before them. And it has become a question for the public, not for theatre proprietors to decide, whether the entertainments of the people shall be fettered with restrictions, which are proved to be unreasonable, and which are wholly inappropriate ° the requirements of the public at the present day. Harotp Harpy. +——_-—_ ses MAGAZINE CONTENTS. —_t-—~——+ —__ BLACKWOOD’S MAGAZINE. An Irish Festival. By Stephen Gwynn. BOOKMAN. The Work of Maurice Hewlett. By A. Macdonell. Book MonTvHLY. Stage and Book. By Lewis Melville. Holy Ground: A Pilgrimage to the Scene of Grey’s “Hlegy.” By W. J. Roberts. The German Book Trade. By Bruno Conrad, CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL, Shakespeare Autographs. By W. Roberts. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Centres of Scientific and Religious Thought. By Emma Marie Caillard. CORNHILL MAGAZINE. By J. H. Yoxall. By Frank Sidgwick. Consule Planco. An English Poet. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Mr. Wells as a Sociologist. By Dr. Beattie Crozier. Church and State in France. By Eugene Tavernier. Translated by Helen Chisholm. The Beginnings of Religion and Totemism. By J. G. Fraser. Christopher Marlowe. By W. L. Courtney. The Letters of Ernest Renan. By Edward Wright. LONGMAN’S MAGAZINE. The Sherborne Pageant. By Sir Lewis Morris. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE, The Novels of Captain Chamier. The Fellow Workers of Voltaire: Beaumarchais. By . G. Tallentyre. TR MonrH. King Henry VIII. asa Poet. By Rhys Pryce. MONTHLY REVIEW. Alphonse Daudet. By M. F. Sanders. The Increasing Popularity of the Hrotic Novel. By Basil Tozer. On Catalogue Reading. By Dora Greenwell McChesney. Dean Church, By Algernon Cecil. NATIONAL REVIEW. Sea Power and The Poets. By St. Loe Strachey. NINETEENTH CENTURY. A Plea for a Ministry of Fine Arts. By M.H. Spielmann.. Agnes Sorel. By Alice Kemp-Welch. TEMPLE BAR. The Poet's Ringlets, By Michael MacDonagh, 18 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. —_—>—+ — BRE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- .duection forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. ‘Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or -doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form -of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It isnow possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :-— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. \$—<—2 WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. ETO EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. THE AUTHOR. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. : (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of g7vss receipts in preference to the American system, Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixe: date on or before which the play should be performed. (e.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.¢., fixed nightly fees). ‘his method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. ‘he legal distinction is of great importance, 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative : that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ep ° WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. a ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  Ae ie ae ve os THE AUTHOR. should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement,and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. Se ee ee HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. ——— + 1, VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel's opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. ‘The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) ‘Io stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. This The 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 4s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. 19 TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ——>+— HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf ot its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. OE eS THE READING BRANCH. oe EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach, The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea, —p—+ NOTICES. —_——>—+—__ HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Olfices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. very effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. —_—— + The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. —<>—__-—___—— LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. > + ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, P either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C. THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. hen aan «Prom a circular dated “Leipzig, middle of July, 1905,” signed by an International Committee appointed to make arrangement for the Inter- national Congress of Publishers at Milan next year, we learn that membership of the Congress is confined to book publishers, music publishers, art publishers, and publishers of periodicals (reviews, magazines, illustrated papers) of all countries. Discussions can be in Italian, French, German, and English. Interpreters for these languages will be present at all the sittings. The Congress sittings will take place in Milan, from June 6th to 10th, 1906. The subjects dealt with will relate exclusively to such questions as have international interest, and refer either to authors’ rights or publishers’ rights in works of literature and art, or relate to book, art, music, or periodical publication. The Congress is divided in two sections— Section A.: Authors’ Rights and Publishers’ Rights. Section B.: Trade. The discussions will be arranged in three sub-sections of the Sections A. and B., formed as follows : 1. Books and periodicals. 2. Music. 3. Objects of the trade in works of art (engravings, prints, photographs). The discussion on Section A., “ Authors’ Rights and Publishers’ Rights” will, no doubt, be interesting to all members of the Society, and we hope to be able to obtain a full and detailed account when the Congress has been held next year. Book, Art, Music, and Periodical Mr. Grant Richards, THE application of publisher, for an order of discharge in bankruptcy came before Mr. Registrar Brougham in July, and was disposed of by an order suspending the dis- charge for two years. The estimated liabilities, according to the Official Receiver’s report, were £36,495, but it was stated that these might be increased to as much as £48,995, in certain contingencies. Of the assets £10,300 had been realised, and the value of the unrealised assets was estimated at £10,075. The Official Receiver’s report regarding the bankrupt’s conduct of his business and his manner of living was very unfavourable. In explanation of the private expenditure, it was stated that Mr. Grant Richards had spent considerable sums in entertaining authors, booksellers and other persons who might have assisted him in business. The Registrar, in giving judgment, remarked that this was an unfortunate case, as the bankrupt had a large business, which, so late as November, 1904, was valued at £50,000.' a OBITUARY. —— + —_ R. GEORGE MACDONALD, whose death we chronicle with regret, was one of the early members of the society, but resigned his membership in 1894. His sympathies were always strong for the members of his profession and the work of the society. Born in the Aberdeenshire village of Huntley, in 1824, he was destined for the ministry, but, partly owing to his ill health, he took up literature as a profession. He thus appealed to a wider audience as a writer than he could possibly have done as a minister, though even to the end of his life he devoted a portion of his time to preaching and lecturing. He was, according to his own state- ment, firstly a poet, and secondly a writer of novels; and though as a writer of novels he attained literary fame, yet there are many who will not forget his work as a poet. Of the novels produced from his pen, “David Elginbrod” obtained the widest circulation, and the epitaph in this book is, perhaps, the most widely quoted of any of his writings, but the author’s own favourite was “ Robert Falconer.” For many years he lived abroad for the sake of his health ; but he returned to England, and died at Ashtead, Surrey, in the middle of last month. It is interesting to note that his two sons, inspired, no doubt, by their father’s example, have also produced books. His second son, Ronald, achieved a recent success in a work entitled “ The Sword of the King.” + <_< THE CRABBE CELEBRATION AT ALDEBURGH. 16TH—18TH SEPTEMBER, 1905. —+~<>— HE Crabbe Celebration, in commemoration of the poet’s birth one hundred and fifty years ago, has been an unqualified success. Under the direction of Mr. Charles Ganz, to whose enthusiasm the inception and fulfilment of the function are due, the borough authorities, from the Mayor downwards, made everything easy and attractive to the numerous visitors, the most notable among whom was Mr., or—to recognise  See THE AUTHOR. 21 his recent academic honours—Dr. Thomas Hardy. To the author of the Wessex novels Crabbe is “ the first realist,” making appeal, as truthful portrayer of the sad, sombre life of the peasantry, in contrast to the sham presentments of beribboned swains and bedizened shepherdesses of Watteau pictures and pastoral poems. Quite unexpected was the helpful prominence given to the celebration by leading articles and “ appreciations’? in the leading London and pro- vincial papers, many of whom sent representatives to report the proceedings, while a goodly show of patrons, from the Prime Minister to local magnates, sent their blessings, and, in some cases, their guineas, these last-named, sadly needed. More welcome than even the guineas were the exhibits in the venerable Moot Hall—a goodly muster of per- sonal relics of the poet ; manuscripts of some unpub- lished poems, manuscripts of sermons never to be published, having, once and for all, done their duty from the ‘“‘ three-decker”’ ; copies of first editions ; portraits of Crabbe by Pickersgill and Millington ; pictures of Aldeburgh and Slaughden (where Crabbe helped his father in the duties of salt-master) in the eighteenth century ; and a life and selection from the poems in Russian, the existence of which Monsr. Huchon told me had escaped even his eagle eye. To that eminent scholar and ardent lover of the poet, all are under debt of deep grati- tude, not only for his presence, but for the brilliant paper on “Crabbe’s Aldeburgh,” which, written in pure and nervous English, and suffused with a charm of style which is the secret of his country- men, was read by him at the afternoon gathering on Saturday. Mr. Redstone had previously dealt with some features of the old town in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and these M. Huchon supplemented in an illuminative discourse showing profound acquaintance with the social and literary history of England in the eighteenth century, and giving a graphic description of the ill-built, wind- swept borough at the time when Crabbe found therein material for verse which won the praise, to name no others, of Scott, Jane Austen, Cardinal Newman, and Tennyson. An interesting paper on Crabbe as a botanist, enlivened by quotations from poems in which the flora of East Anglia is intro- duced, preceded a very able assessment of “Crabbe’s place in English literature” by Mr. Clement Shorter. Dwelling on his originality and pathos, and on his skill as a story-teller, Mr. Shorter applied his wide range of knowledge of our literature to a comparison of Crabbe with his contemporaries, and to the contrasts between his own verse and the poetry which both preceded and followed it. The necessarily meagre reports of each paper which have appeared emphasise the wish of those who heard them to see them published in full. In the evening, lighter entertainment was pro- vided in the shape of tableaux vivants illustrative of certain incidents in Orabbe’s life. The severest critics pronounced these to be excellent, and paid hearty tribute to the skill of Mr. André in device and presentment. On the Sunday morning, in the fine old church where Crabbe officiated as curate in 1792, the Rev. S. W. Goldsmith discoursed in large-hearted and excellent fashion on the poet as reflecting faithfully the human nature and con- ditions of bis age ; holding him up as an example to be followed in rectitude, strenuousness, and broad sympathies. Thereafter came facilities, on the whole well availed of, for excursions to places associated with the poet-—Orford, with its Norman keep; Parham, with its picturesque mvated Tudor hall; and Framlingham, with its magnificent castle and its church, wherein are stately tombs of Surrey, the Poet-peer, and other of the Howards. From all this, there may be no result of “ boom ” in Crabbe; but the gathering together from far and near, of those who hold that his place in English literature is, if subordinate, at least secure, may cause some to whom he is only a name, to read the ‘Tales in Verse,” “The Borough,” and “The Village.” EpWwaRpD CLODD. —_—_—___ 7-4 THE LITERATURE OF SOUTH AFRICA. ——+ <4 —_ F South Africa had been compelled to rely for its literary output upon the efforts of those born and bred within its own borders, it would have little indeed to show. Within the last hundred and fifty years a vast number of books have been produced, dealing with the lands and peoples south of the Zambesi, but few of them have been the work of colonial-born writers. The reasons for this paucity of production are not difficult to find. The Cape Dutch have been, in the main, pastoralists, farmers and wine-growers, and have been far too much engaged in the rough work of opening up the country, conquering native tribes, hunting, and wresting their living from the soil, to devote any portion of their time to such an occupation as literature, which needs a settled government, education, and an ampler leisure than the South African-born has had to bestow. It is not unlikely that the next fifty years may see many changes in these respects ; education is steadily advanciny, peace and leisure will be more abundant, and from the ranks of the two sturdy races before whom the future of Africa south of the Zambesi lies, it is almost certain that writers will presently arise to create a literature of its own for this great and interesting country,  22 The earliest writers upon South Africa were, without exception, travellers, missionaries, sports- men and naturalists, who, struck with the natural wonders of this portion of the Dark Continent, were anxious to give to the world their impres- sions. Among these two distinguished Swedes, Sparrmann and Thunberg, whose works were trans- lated into English, published in the last quarter of the eighteenth century two excellent works of travel concerning the old Cape Colony, its fauna, flora, and inhabitants. To them succeeded the lively French naturalist, Le Vaillant, whose three works followed within a few years the publication of the narratives of the Swedish travellers. Le Vaillant had a vivid imagination, and his facts are not always to be relied upon ; still, even at the present day, his books are not without interest, and the vatiety and vivacity of the mercurial Frenchman can seldom fail to amuse the reader. Barrow, secretary to Earl Macartney, the second English Governor of Cape Colony, published in the early years of the nineteenth century a first-rate book of travel dealing with the new British dependency. This writer, afterwards famous as Sir John Barrow, secretary to the Admiralty, was a man of high attainments, and his book is not only a sound piece of literature, but abounds in solid information and well-balanced reasoning. To Barrow succeeded Lichtenstein, a German medical man, who produced, a few years later, a first-rate book of travel. Some fifteen years after Barrow’s travels appeared another notable volume, the narrative of Dr. Burchell, one of the most painstaking and scientific travellers who have ever explored Africa. Burchell was one of the first to penetrate beyond the Orange River, and his great work on the country, and its fauna and flora remains to this day a most valuable book of reference. There have been few poets worth the name in South Africa, even as temporary sojourners. Thomas Pringle is one of them. One of the Algoa Bay settlers, he lived in the Eastern Province of Cape Colony for some five years—from 1820 to 1825—during which time he became thoroughly imbued with the wild romance of the country. Pringle knew Sir Walter Scott, and some of his poetry is obviously tinged with the influences of his great {ellow-countryman. His “Afar in the Desert,” “The Captive of Camalu,” ‘“ Evening Rambles,” “The Song of the Wild Bushman,” and other pieces stand far above the attempts of any other writers of South African poetry. Up to the present time, in truth, Pringle may be said to be the only South African poet. The attractions of sport and wild life in South Africa have produced many notable volumes. Chief among these stands “ Wild Sports of Southern THE AUTHOR. Africa,” the work of that accomplished and most enthusiastic of sportsmen, Sir William Cornwallis Harris. Cornwallis Harris was the forerunner of the big game hunters who have, since his time, penetrated to the uttermost recesses of the country in search of adventure, and his books (he pub- lished also « magnificent folio, “ Portraits of the Wild Game of South Africa”’), fired the blood of many an Englishman, and did much to attract attention to the lands between the Orange and the Zambesi. A sound naturalist and a competent artist, Harris illustrated his own works, which are to this day eagerly sought after at high prices by collectors of South African literature. Roualeyn Gordon Cumming was one of those led to South Africa by the glowing and romantic, but by no means overdrawn descriptions of Cornwallis Harris. Cumming has been too often imagined as the sportsman pure and simple, but his book, ‘Five Years of a Hunter’s Life,” proves him also the wielder of a ready and most descriptive pen. Many editions of this famous work have been brought out, and to this hour the book sells readily. Upon the whole it may be counted one of the liveliest and most graphic descriptions of great game hunting and of wild life ever published. Much and ably as he handled the rifle, Gordon Cumming was clearly an author of distinction ; writing was in his blood, and his sister, Miss C. F. Gordon Cumming, who, happily, still survives, has ably carried on the tradition, and given to the public many excellent volumes. No one can read Gordon Cumming’s work without being thrilled again and again by the wonderful feats performed, the legions of game encountered, and the speaking and most accurate delineations of the virgin veldt in which this great Nimrod was privileged to wander. The book will always and justly remain one of the classics of its kind. Among other notable hunters’ books are those of Andersson, Baldwin, Drummond, Selous, Bryden, Millais, and Vaughan Kirby. Andersson, a traveller of mixed Swedish and English descent, did much to open up the deserts of South West Africa, and his. chief volumes, ‘‘ Lake Ngami,” and “The Okavango River,” are good narratives of travel and adventure, written in sound and nervous English. Francis Galton’s “Tropical Africa” is another book of this period; Galton and Andersson were fellow travellers, but their narratives are equally well written and equally worth perusal. W. C. Baldwin, one of the greatest and most daring hunters that ever sought danger in South Africa, published a volume in the early sixties, which described his sporting career from Natal and Zululand to the Zambesi from 1852 to 1860. He has not the literary grace of Cornwallis Harris, nor the stirring and descriptive pen of Gordon Cumming, and his.  book is transcribed almost direct from his rough diaries. None the less, his “ African Sport from Natal to the Zambesi” is to this day one of the freshest and most fascinating of works dealing with wild life and adventure. He carries bis reader with him in all his feats. No man has succeeded more completely in depicting the joys, the dangers, and the difficulties of the hunter’s career. Drummond, Selous, Bryden, Millais, and Vaughan Kirby have dealt with a later period of the South African hunting veldt—that between 1871 and 1900. Each of these writers has, in his own way, ‘succeeded admirably in continuing, down to our own times, the enthralling narratives of earlier writers on sport and adventure in South Africa. Among missionaries, the names of Moffat and Livingstone stand easily first in the survey of South African literature. Moffat, whose long and notable career in the interior of South Africa will always be remembered with admiration, published in the forties a work dealing with mission scenes and travel from 1817 onwards, among uncouth tribes s and dangerous beasts, which undoubtedly had “ much influence upon innumerable readers. His * great son-in-law, David Livingstone, has done, 4 perhaps, more towards the opening up of savage Africa than all the other writers put together. A # man of indomitable strength of character, wonder- 1 ‘ful tact and wide attainments, Livingstone seems 4 to have had a natural gift for literature. His * “Missionary Travels,” published in 1857, is not only ably written, but is a monument of care, labour and research. No man who knows his South Africa can fail to be struck not only with the learning of this author, but with his immense ‘knowledge of every phase of the life of the South African interior. The power, the truthfulness, and the wonderful moderation of the man are shown in every page. The work of one other missionary deserves mention. This is the “ Austral Africa: Losing it or Ruling it,” of John Mackenzie, pub- lished in the eighties. This important book, written by the man who practically saved Bechu- canaland for the British, at the period—soon after Majuba—of our deepest abasement in South Africa, did much to rouse politicians and the public to a right view of our responsibilities South of the Zambesi. The History of South Africa has been touched by comparatively few hands. To Theal, undoubt- -edly, belongs the credit of the bulk of the some- _ what scanty output. His labours have been long ‘and arduous, and he has delved into the musty records of old Cape history and acquired much ‘solid information from native sources. Theal, however, has not always been able to avoid the meproach of partiality. His sympathies lie some- i Ke a Las Pe Fe a ae Ke red BS ReSoe woh ek RR es THER AUTHOR. 23 what too plainly with the Dutch, and the value of his works has in consequence been somewhat dis- counted. Still, notwithstanding the additional fact that his style is somewhat arid and unil- luminating, the public remain indebted to this copious writer for much sound and excellent in- formation. Theal, by the way, is not, as some suppose, an Afrikander, but was actually born in Canada. Among other adventurers into the paths of history are to be mentioned H. A. Bryden, whose “ History of South Africa,” from 1652 to 1903, is a fair and well written summary of a period teeming with interest. Among war books, Sir A. Conan Doyle’s “ History of the Great Boer War,” “Words by an Eye Witness,” by “Linesman,” and “On the Heels of De Wet,” deserve much more than passing notice, and stand head and shoulders above their fellows from among a cloud of fugitive literature. The Zimes “ History of the War” proceeds but slowly, and no more than three volumes have yet been issued. These, however, give the impression that the whole work, when complete, will be in- valuable as a work of reference, well written, fear- less and impartial. The war story of the redoubt- able De Wet himself can scarcely be classed as sound literature or impartial writing ; his facts are disputable and his prejudices openly violent. Two works which fall within the domain of history have been written by F. Edmund Garrett, once editor of the Cape Times. Mr. Garrett has thrown away upon journalism literary talents of a high order. If he could have spared the time and the inclination he might have produced work upon South Africa which few writers could have sur- passed. As itis, in his brief volume, ‘In Afrikander- land,” and in “The Story of an African Crisis,”’ we have two books for which we may be thankful. In the latter volume the true inwardness of the Jameson Raid is set forth in clear and unmistak- able fashion. Sir J. P. Fitzpatrick’s “ Transvaal from Within” deserves also a high place among historical works dealing with South Africa. Among all the names which thus far have been referred to, only that of Christian De Wet can be cited as South African Dutch. But unfortunately De Wet’s book can be classed neither as capable literature nor fair history. One volume, the work of an Afrikander born, published in Holland, and partially translated into English, does, however, deserve honourable mention. This is “ Wit de Geschiedenis van de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republick en van de Afrikaanders,” by ©. N. J. Du Plessis. ‘The passages translated into English by R. Acton have been entitled ‘‘ The ‘Transvaal Boer Speaking for Himself.’ This able and informing book is one which every Englishman who wishes to know some- thing of the Afrikander view of the Dutch South 24 African question ought to study. The pictures of Boer life and thought are singularly graphic, albeit told in simple and restrained language. We come now to the name of the one South African-born writer who has produced a really great work. This is, of course, Olive Schreiner (now Mrs. Cronwright-Schreiner), whose romance, “ The Story of an African Farm,” written nearly a score of years since, has created so great an impression upon her contemporaries. Its knowledge of South African life, its pessimism, the strange backwaters of thought into which it wanders, its strength, its tragedy and its mysticism, all unite to lay hold upon the reader’s imagination. It is a strong book, written by a born master of words, and it will live long after the great bulk of South African literature has passed away. Is Olive Schreiner, however, to be the “Single Speech Hamilton” in the literature of her time? 1t would almost seem so. We have had some few other works from her pen, but nothing that can for a moment compare with that sad yet wonderful book, *‘ The Story of an African Farm.” In the field of South African fiction the writers who have achieved success may be soon mentioned. After Olive Schreiner, Rider Haggard easily heads the list. In addition to that masterpiece of adven- turous romance, “ King Solomon’s Mines,” “ Jess,” “Allan’s Wife,” “The Witch’s Head,” “ Maiwa’s Revenge,” and other novels, all bespeak, from the South African point of view, the well earned popularity of this vigorous writer of fiction. “« Jess” is as fine and as true a picture of Trans- vaal life in the early eighties as it is possible to imagine, and the pathetic story of Jess herself can never fail to interest. H.A. Bryden, first known as a writer on sport and travel, has made various successful forays into the domains of romance. His intimate knowledge of the life of the veldt, the hunting Boer, and the native, have aided him much in these excursions. In his “Tales of South Africa,” “ From Veldt Camp Fires,” “Ton Duarte’s Treasure,” and “ An Exiled Scot,” are to be found some excellent imaginative writing. Bertram Mit- ford’s novels of South African adventure are well known. The reader of a rattling tale knows that in books such as “The Induna’s Wife,” ‘The White Shield,” and so forth, he will not be disap- pointed. W. C.Scully’s South African tales are good literature, and are well worth reading. They are, moreover, informed by a peculiar and accurate knowledge of South Africa, acquired by long residence in that country. “ Kaffir Stories,” « Between Sun and Sand,” and “A Vendetta of the Desert,” are distinctly above the ordinary level of imaginative work. It is somewhat curious that although Rudyard Kipling now resides for some portion of each THE AUTHOR. winter at the Cape of Good Hope he has produced no important romantic work on South Africa— nothing, at all events, to compare with “ Plain Tales from the Hills,” “ Kim,” ‘The Naulahka,” and other stories of India. The British public must live in hopes that a writer who has done so much for the East may one of these days give them a real book dealing with South Africa. Morley Roberts has, too, visited South Africa, and pene- trated even to Rhodesia; yet, up to the present time, he seems in his work to have left the countries neu of the Zambesi and their denizens severely alone. In a brief survey of this kind it is manifestly impossible to do anything like full justice to so wide a subject. We have indicated only the main outlines of the literature of South Africa between 1775 and the present time. —______.+—~<—___<_ AN IMPRESSION OF THE INTER- NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE PRESS. — S a delegate from The British International Association of Journalists—a society estab- lished to enable British Newspapermen to come into touch with their foreign comrades—I attended the Tenth International Congress of the Press, at Liege. I had not an entirely open mind. When I was President of the Institute of Journalists by Royal Charter Incorporated in 1900--1, I had certainly not exerted my influence in favour of affiliation to the Bureau Central, the headquarters of cosmopolitan journalism. My idea of the typical foreign pressman was a revolutionist, a socialist, a thoroughly unpractical, unbusiness- like enthusiast. My impression had in part been created by the testimony of those who had known the foreign pressman in his own country. If I had given the matter perhaps adequate considera- tion, I would have remembered that the Foreign Press Association in England—of which I have the honour of being an hon. member—consists entirely of absolutely respectable and highly culti- vated gentlemen. But truth to tell T attended the International Congress of the Press in July last with a mind only partly open. What did I find at Liege? ‘To my surprise some three hundred to four, hundred scholars and gentlemen quite the equals—my patriotism prevents me from suggesting the superiors—of the best of the representatives of the Fourth Estate of our Realm. The work of the conference was devoted to the consideration of copyright, the protection of the liberty of the Press, the question of notice, and a number of kindred subjects.  There was not an item on the agenda that would have been out of place on the list of the con- ference of our own Institute of Journalists at Bournemouth, with the possible exception of a resolution condemning duelling amongst journalists. This last gave rise to a very exciting debate which nearly ended in personal encounters. It was unanimously resolved that duelling was barbarous and should be prohibited, but when it was proposed that combats when they did take place shouid not be reported there arose a mighty shout of all but universal indignation. Even I as a delegate of the British International Association of Journalists raised my voice in defence of the rights of the author of the contents bill. Fora moment it seemed possible that the visit to Ostend on the programme might be utilised for assisting in the revival of the old fashioned menu, ‘ Pistols —loaded—for two. Coffee—with chasse—for one.” But happily the congress ended—as it began—in peace. It was notable that one of the items of tle agenda, “ The Dignity of the Press,” was practi- cally illustrated. The members of the congress were treated by everyone with profound respect. We were received in full uniform by members of the Government, heads of municipalities, and governors of provinces. At Brussels we were granted an audience by the king himself. His Majesty Leopold II. attired as a general and wearing his decorations gave evidence of his powers as a linguist by speaking fluently in English, French, and German to the guests—most of them much decorated—he seemed so anxious to honour. He appeared to take the deepest interest in the International Press. I myself at his invita- tion was able to give him a great deal of informa- tion—of course, of a highly satisfactory character —of the present condition of journalism in the United Kingdom and the United States. The king is certainly highly popular amongst his own subjects. Hecreated a most favourable impression amongst the delegates to the International Con- gress of the Press. At “The Lunch” in the palace after the reception, praise and nothing but praise mingled with the harmonious strains of the music of the Guides. In conclusion I am convinced that it is a mistake to avoid communion with our brothers of the pen across the water, the more especially as I found our foreign comrades ready, nay anxious, to offer us the hand of hearty good fellowship. Artaur WILLIAM 4 BECKETT. ——_——__+-——_+_____—- THE AUTHOR. 25 ENGLISH WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS IN BOHEMIA. —— os T has been a very interesting and noteworthy I experience that has fallen to the lot of a party of writers, members of the British International Association of Journalists, who have this summer made a tour through some of the most romantic, yet but little known, parts of Bohemia. Last year the Austrian Ministry of Railways offered facilities over the State Railways if I would arrange a party for a tour through Bohemia ; but as I had to act as secretary to the English delegation at the Vienna International Press Congress, I found the work too heavy to combine the two events, but the ministry then promised the same facilities for this year ; and, as I knew from long study of Bohemia, what a glorious “unknown land” the little mountain- encircled kingdom is to Englishmen, I gladly, with the assiduous help of Prof. Borovsky, of Prague, arranged the party of fifteen men and five ladies; writers on English, Scotch, Irish and Welsh journals, including such papers as_ the Times, Pall Mall Gazette, Telegraph, Queen, Man- chester Guardian, Trish Times, Gas World, Engi- neer, and other Irish, Scotch, and Welsh papers. Having visited Bohemia some twenty times, I had often, when travelling with my artist friends, and others, received the most cordial help, and often hospitality, all over Bohemia, and knew how heartily Bohemia thanks any who work to make her country and history known. How distorted that history has been writers such as Prof. Morfil, Mr. Wratislaw, and Count Lutzow, are now proving in English publications. But our astounding warm-hearted reception by peasant and people, journalists, artists and authors, musicians and municipalities, has overwhelmed us with its fervour. The history of Bohemia is so linked with that of England at critical moments in the life and death struggle in each land. In Bohemia, preserved in the lore of the people, are cameos of English history, lost to our historians, yet of high import : it was the discovery of some of these that excited me to visit Bohemia again and again, and thus | learnt the intense gratitude the Bohemians evince to those who interest themselves in their country and people. On crossing the frontier we were met by Prof. Borovsky, the learned director of the Rudolphinum at Prague, and on arriving at the capital Dr. Srb, the learned and courteous burgomaster, and the city council met us at the station, and, with a hearty welcome, escorted the party in carriages to 26 the Hotel de Saxe, right hospitably informing us we were the guests of the city during our stay in Prague ; and, as this article deals with the literary and artistic aspects of the tour, let me say, in few, yet earnest words, that in every town the recep- tions and hospitality have been more than regal, for they have been from the heart and soul of the people. At every station municipalities received us; at villages, during the three days’ driving, halts had to be made to reply to greetings of the village authorities, and great crowds gave hearty “Na Zadrs” in town and village. Ladies pre- sented the loveliest bouquets to our ladies, and the younger ladies pelted us with roses and flowers: at Pilsen, as at Prague, for three days we were the guests of the town, under the presidency of Dr. Groh. At Prachatic, where some twenty years ago Walter Crane, another friend and myself, were the first English to visit this quaint mediaval town, we were quartered in the houses of the principal resi- dents, who all rose at five a.m. to give us break- fast, and speed the parting guests as we drove away over the hills to Husinec. Throughout the route lessons have been driven into our minds through eye and ear, which, if England could learn, and act upon, would make town and country life with us more enjoyable, and our land would give her increase in every waste corner. At Prague the magnificent museums, with their careful historic and sectional arrangement, sur- prised the British visitors by their number and riches, and it is not often given to a writer to see his own work in a museum, but in a case in the National Museum are arranged the works of English writers of to-day, who have written on the history of Bohemia. Deeply interesting are the works and relics of the great period in the history of Bohemia, when the Wiclifites, through their leader Zizka, shook even the power of Rome, and conquered that “desert country by the sea,” to the Baltic, to which Shakespeare refers. Many a pet idea has been crushed upon the journey. The idea that the Bohemians are thrift- less, dirty, lazy agitators, has been swept away. Every inch of soil is utilised; the cottages are clean ; in one I entered by hazard, fresh tree branches were in each room ; the man earned Is. 6d. a day, and on asking why he had thus decorated, “Oh,” he said, “ we always do that, the scent is so sweet ; it is healthy.” From earliest morn until night they are jovially active, quick, alert, and, when listening to music, never break in with applause until the final note of the accompanist has ceased. Never again, I think, will any of our party compare Bohemia with Ireland. Agitate they certainly do, these Bohemians, but by self- help, in such numerous and wonderful ways that astounded our Jrish members, and we had ardent THE AUTHOR. Nationalists, Home Rulers, and Orangemen in our party. At the town of Kutna Hora (Kuttenberg) a delightful reception awaited us in the historic little council chamber, the decoration of which is so artistic : the walls being illuminated with powerful paintings of Hus demanding the liberties for the Bohemians in the Prague University, and George of Podiebrad being chosen king. The intense reverence for Hus in a country where nearly all are members of the Roman Church was beyond credence to our own members of that church. It was a wonderful scene in the great church of St. Barbara, when, as we entered, the great organ pealed forth, and then, as we foreigners were led to the choir steps, and faced the church crowded with the people, chorales were sung by a great choir; the memento was supreme in effect and beauty, yet full of reminiscences of the terrific history that had been enacted there, when our own great, but forgotten, Englishman, Peter Payne, had led the Bohemians and controverted the argu- ments by that other great Englishman, Cardinal Beaufort. At Domazlice we witnessed scenes more brilliant than any opera. The peasants in Sunday dress in blaze of colour; and right lustily they piped, and danced, and sang. One had to assure our friends it was not an arranged dressing up, but the ordinary Sunday or féte day costume. Another illusion dispelled is that the English are not musical. Professor Sevcik, the great master of Kubelik and Marie Hall, has swept that from our minds. We met the master at Prague, and at a reception arranged by the Anglo-American Club some of his pupils played, Mrs. Mitchell and Miss Graham, delightfully, artistically, powerfully. Only two here, but at Prachatic one heard Miss Hayward, whose technique and expression are wonderful, and at the little village of Husinec, where, before the birthplace of John Hus, mayor and villagers greeted us, we heard, in the theatre of the village, the four Misses Lucas, who played with a fervour, precision, and brilliancy that swept away traces of the thought that (given the teacher) the English are not musical. We also, at Budweis, heard the famous Sevcik quartette, and the “Smetana” Men’s Choir at Pilsen. The Bohemian masters and composers have conquered the world to-day, and the Austrian system of education discovers and fosters genius, be it born in village, town, or city, be it musical or artistic, technical, commercial, or agricultural. What an experience was it for our English women to sit down to an exquisite lunch at Domaz- lice, to be waited upon by young ladies, daughters of M.P.’s and doctors, dressed in most artistic dresses, and to be informed that the lunch was prepared, cooked and served by the young ladies,  THE AUTHOR. pg and that the dresses, lace, and needlework were all their own handiwork, for they were students at the local cooking and needlework schools. In the theatres we heard the works of Dvorak, Smetana and Nedbal, so that our whole progress was enveloped in culture, art, and music, and this in a country that even to-day guide-books, like Baedaker’s, hardly notice, giving only ten lines to a town like Pilsen, and for an historic old castle like Bésig, full of architectural and historic in- terest, merely noting the fact there is a ruin there. But Bohemia, the real Bohemia, not such places as Carlsbad and Marienbad, is no longer e sealed country to English travellers, and her wealth of river and mountain scenery is a lovely setting to a most interesting people. JAMES BAKER. —_———_+—>—_+__——_ THE WAY OF JOURNALISM. —_+——+- T is so brief a time ago that I was writing letters of pathetic appeal to famous authors and great editors (enclosing essays, poems, stories, and other samples of my genius), that I can never bring myself to write a cross or a hurried note to the people who now sadden me with a sense of age by asking for my counsel in the difficulties of their journalistic careers. But, unlike famous authors and great editors, I have neither secretary nor clerk at my elbow to whom I can dictate the softest of blandishments, and therefore the will to write kindly and helpful letters to my unknown correspondents suffers, I find with shame, more and more in the increasing demands of my work. Therefore it is that the request of the Editor of The Author to send him a brief article, is heralded by me as an excellent opportunity for composing one letter general of the whole question, which for the rest of my life I may be able to send through the halfpenny post to future correspondents, pleasing, and I hope, help- ing them, while it will deliver me in some small measure from the dreadful exactions of corres- pondence, and excuse me from all discourtesy. * * *k ac aS Let me begin by protesting my conviction that there is not an editor in London who is not anxiously searching for writers with something to say. The conviction, common to many minds, that editors can only be reached through a personal introduction, and that they are quite careless of the literary contents of their papers, is a wrong conviction, a conviction which must be broomed out of the mind as soon as possible. It is true that in some cases a letter of intro- duction may secure publication of a characterless essay which would otherwise have found its way back to the author ; but never, I am sure, does the wine of good copy need the bush of influence. It is a truth that editors,—who are, remember, competitors one against the other,—are searchin ¢ the world for writers. ‘Treasure this truth; and instead of railing against ignorant editors, labour so to observe the world, and so to express your observations, that there shall not be one editor in London unwilling to receive you into his bosom. This is the beginning of the gospel of journal- ism—absolute faith in the discernment of editors. Assured in his soul of this belief, and emptying his mind of all little schoolboy conceits and under- graduate extravagances, let the beginner consider well within his soul how he shall present himself before these gods of the Press. What shall he write about, and in what manner shall he write ? Begin by knowing that there is no subject under the sun, howsoever beautiful, howsoever profound, howsoever urgent, which can hope to be admitted to the feast if it be not clothed in the wedding garment of interest. The newspaper is meant to interest people. Its mission may be as high as you please, but it must interest. ‘‘ If God tires you” said Fénelon, “tell him so.” The world has a mighty mission, we suppose, but if it did not interest us there would be neither man of science nor poet of nature. And the newspaper may be educating people, may be guiding opinion, may be forming taste, but if it be not crammed with interest it will have no readers. Choose, then, your subjects from the point of interest. Look out upon the world and see what most interests the marching ranks of humanity. Consider yourself not as the great captain of the host, nor yet as the chaplain of the forces, but rather as the minstrel called to the camp-fires to beguile the quiet hours which separate the march from the battle. Do not- be afraid to be humble. The greatest of journalists can never hope to play a part greater than Homer played before the warriors of Greece. Your chief labour must be observation. You must study men and women, you must study nature, you must study literature. You cannot be a great writer if you are not a cluse observer. Unless you have seen a thing more clearly than other people have seen it, you have no excuse for writing. It is only when you have cultivated the seeing eye, only when you have seen and reflected upon what all the rest of the world has merely glanced at, that you can have justification for desiring the attention of the newspaper reader. You must not be afraid to feel. Cultivate in yourself the gift of sympathy, the faculty of responsiveness. Never let your own personality get between the retina of your consciousness and 28 the vibrations of the image of humanity. Stand on one side to receive the picture. The picture is of more importance than your own notions of propriety. Do not condemn the tears of Little Nell till you have drawn a finer character than Mrs. Nickleby. Feel joy and feel pain as other people feel them. Have sympathy with all men. Then, when you have observed the world, and when you have cultivated in your mind the gift of sympathy with humanity, consider the style in which you shall present your reflections to the reader. At first you are sure to begin jumpily, self-consciously, with grimaces and contortions, aping the styles of other men, and murdering them. Do not be disheartened. Put these early writings on one side, and look at them six weeks hence. Through the blushes and the tears which will cover you with confusion you may yet see in that poor article of yours more clearly than in all the works of all the greatest geniuses, your own sure road to success. You will see exactly where you were affected, where you were unnatural, where you were pompous, where you were stupid, and where yoa were tedious. You will see exactly how to avoid all these mistakes in future; and practice will gradually bring you into the kingdom of your own natural style. Do not write a great deal, but write something every day. Let the act of writing become easy to you. And strive above all things so to become interested in your subject that you are carried away by it, and know not how you have written, scarce, indeed, what you have written, till the last word is drawn from your soul. Then when the creative side of your brain has done its work, let the critical emerge and do its work as well. Go over the paper again and again, striking out every word that rings falsely, scratching out every sen- tence that is unessential, and buckling up the whole composition so that it reads with a rhythm from beginning to end, and has not one dull line or one impertinent word from the first to the last. Avoid as far as possible a painful search for ‘the inevitable word.” He is a bad writer who makes you pause to say “ that’s a good word,” or “ that’s a brave phrase” ; he is a great writer who carries you under the magic of his art away from all such questions of style and effect, and clean transports you into the region of his fancy. Study to be natural. Employ all the graces of language and all the felicities of manner which are within your reach, and which commend themselves to your critical faculty ; but just so far, and not a comma farther, than they are natural to you. In this manner would I speak (not, I hope, too didactically), to the boy setting out with his pen to fight the world. But there is yet one more THE AUTHOR. word to say. A quicker road to success than lies in writing articles, and verses, and stories from your own room, is that which takes the observer into the streets of the town and makes him a chronicler of the day’s drama. I would advise a young man who desires to be a thorough jour- nalist, to set his affections upon one paper, and to drop into the editor’s letter-box, night after night, some brief record of the day’s events, some story or description, so full of interest and human curiosity, that it must ueeds take a front place in the morn- ing’s paper. Such work—if it be finely done— though ill-rewarded at first, ends, I am sure, in that first step to success, a permanent employ- ment on the editorial staff. This I believe to be the royal road to journalism, and, perhaps, there are fewer people walking this way than on any other path of human activity. I do not think there is a more interesting profession open to men than this fast and furious profession of daily letters: but it is a profession full of bitterness for the bad or inefficient work- man, and full of disappointment for the stubborn, self-preaching, egoist. Its prizes are for men capable of repressing their own gospels of sal- vation, and cheerfully willing to serve the public in the capacity of gossip and tale-teller. And from the beginning to the end it means work,—hard, honest, conscientious, and devoted work. If a man be a keen observer, if he be modest in his ambitions, and if he work with all his heart, and with all his mind, and with all his soul,—seeking always to interest his patrons—he will need but little elbowing and pushing to reach the rewards of journalism. Haroup BEGBIE. 1 WANTED—A NEW MODEL! —— \ \ JE have to-day such an accumulation of magazines that our bookstalls lie sub- merged under them, as beneath the waves of an ever-flowing, ever-increasing tide. Each month gees a new one, if not more, and they all fight desperately for existence, in a blatant war- fare of sensationalism. But with all this ‘water, water everywhere’ many of us find ‘not a drop to drink.’ We are up to the chin in stuff we cannot swallow, and find little or nothing upon which to quench our literary thirst. For, to many of us, these highly glazed, highly coloured, highly adver- tised and emphasised magazines afford a kind of mental nausea, and the sight of a bookstall groan- ing under them is like a table spread with gorgeous empty platters before a hungry man. Why should there be nothing in them that we  i can read—we, that section of the British public 4) whose taste has been trained not to enjoy Choppy 4G Bits or Royal Family Magazines, or Rushed Re- views, or Mincemeat Monthlies? Is it for our ai sins? What have we done? And where are all ‘ge our good short story writers—those whose work we af find occasionally in volume form? We look in e, vain within the pages of our journals for the “fj thoughtful, literary, stimulating work of those i whose tales used to appear now and again in 94 periodicals, but now only in book form. We Ms all know a choice half dozen or so, forgotten ud by the world, who have given us promise of vie greatness. Where are they ? Once in a blne 2 moon we meet one of them, but his work seems to sf have crept into the magazine by acgident, and iii through no fault of the editor ! Forfonr monthly i and weekly magazines are now devoted to the de obvious and commonplace; nothing original, ide subtle or in any way unconventional ever seems to ai find_a place in them. \ Cheir aim is all to please a class that delights in i crude sensation, intricate plot, rapid incident and “1 treacly sentiment ; that revels in pictures of men ¥) flying at each other’s throats, falling off precipices “1 or being shot out of motor cars. To this class it does 64 not matter how ancient, how trivial or how im- “ possible the story, how badl y the English language is maltreated, so long as something happens in we every paragraph, something that can be decorated i with blood-curdling illustrations, and so long as “d the pages are cut up into loose dialogue, plentifully “ sprinkled with sentimentality and notes of ex- 5. clamation. _ But are our editors entirely right in thinking wf that only this kind of stuff will sell? Is nothing 4 else wanted? These are questions we may reason- ‘) ably ask ourselves when we see the better class of & American magazines— Harpers, Scribners, Atlantic Monthly, The Century, ete—pouring into our market, lying about on our tables; and this in | spite of the fact that we are not particularly interested in long articles dealing with American / statesmen and generals. Why do we want all 4) these, why encourage literary aliens ? The answer ® is plain enough. Because they give us something * we need, that no English magazine gives us. Because we’ve nothing of our own to compare with them in literary excellence, in freshness, fancy and advanced thought. This is written with all due respect to the best magazines we have, to Blackwood, Macmillan, Temple Bar, Longman’s and one or two more who honestly strive to reach a certain standard. No work that is slovenly or abject gets into their pages, and we are grateful forthem. But are they not—let it be whispered under our breath and with reverence— are they not just a trifle dull and more than a THE AUTHOR. 29 trifle stereotyped ? Do they ever dare to print a new and startling idea, a subtle or highly imavina- tive piece of work ? Must not the thing that is acceptable to them be moulded on a certain pattern, worked out upon lines that have become familiar to their readers, by constant repetition, for a generation or so? / Do they not, in fact, represent toryism in letters, and stand up against innovation in any form, as pillars of propriety and established order ? Of course many persons will stoutly maintain that all the tales of the world have been told, and that we can but tell them over and over again. Human nature, they will say, is human nature, and remains just as it was centuries and exons ago; nothing alters but the unessential and everything goes on just as it did. They say this, but do they believe it, or is it one of those trite doctrines that are accepted without sifting, and therefore without true conviction? Can anyone seriously believe that the thoughts and emotions of—say a modern stockbroker—resemble in any sense, those of an Ancient Briton, or even an Arthurian Knight ? Certain elemental desires, it is true, remain tolerably constant through the ages, but they are always resolving into new forms, new ideas, new motives, new opinions; always casting up new problems. Just as there are chemical changes taking place continually in matter, so are there psychic changes in the immaterial elements that go to the making of individuals and of states. This is mere truism, and yet there are folk who would seem to wish us to believe that the men and women of to-day, the day of automobilism, wireless telegraphy, and the hourly out-pouring of the press, do not differ from the men and women who existed a thousand years before the stage coach, the six- penny post and the weekly news sheet. It is this curious, half-formed belief that is the cause of our monotonous story-telling. It offers a reason why our fiction still teems with forged wills, stolen diamonds, wards who fall in love with their guardians, silly lovers who are parted by plotting rivals, pattern-plate love affairs of un- interesting young persons, everlasting cases of mistaken identity and so forth ad nauseam. Everything is turned out to order and sample, as if made by machinery ; nothing original, profound or suggestive is permitted ; every situation must be expected, obvious, based on fixed and accepted canons ; and all the vital changes that are working beneath the surface, all the complications of human passion, motive and aspiration, the things that really matter and really interest the thoughtful— where are they? We find them in our novels, some of them; there is no taboo against the clash of physical and psychic forces, the most searching soul analysis, in our books. But in the ‘ family 380 magazine,’ whose pages are filled with glowing accounts of our most famous courtezans, illustrated with pictures of their bedrooms and boudoirs, the merest suggestion of a moral problem is rigidly ex- cluded. Our wives and daughters may read of, and sigh for, the almost fabulous gifts of fortune that fall at the feet of a modern Messalina, but their chaste eyes must not rest upon the word ‘passion’ or read about a sex problem ! This, of course, is but one of the subjects tabooed in our magazines, one that needs great delicacy of treatment and can easily be done to death. But where are all those other ideas and subjects that inspired our short story writers in the past, that gave us Scenes from Clerical Life, The Beleaguered City, Will o° the Mill and Markheim ; that sent us from over the water the Van Bidder Stories, the fine analytical studies of Henry James and the inimitable character sketches of Mary E. Wilkins ? Have we no one to-day who can write thus, with intellectual insight and ineffable charm? The man who set himself to read all our magazines for the current month (were that possible) might well think so. It is the conviction of the present writer that he would be wrong. Judging from certain volumes it is safe to conclude that the supply is not lacking, but the demand—or rather, the market for its appearance. There can be little doubt that, stowed away in dusty drawers and cup- boards, lies a neglected mass of original work as fine as any we have had, work that has been refused by every editor in London purely on account of ‘unsuitability ;’ much of it by well-known writers now pot-boiling in disgust ; the rest by un- known talent, striving in the dark for perfection. For while the famous author may always cherish a hope of seeing his storiettes appear in a volume, on the strength of his name, the untamed can never expect that chance, unless he publishes them at his own expense. Say, is this not true, authors—men and women ? Have you not all certain darlings of your mind that you are well convinced are of your highest inspiration and best execution, yet know. to be utterly outside the market? Is there one of you who has not some such ware hidden away in dust and darkness, waiting for the magazine that is so long a-coming, that seems as if it never will come ? But surely it musé come, sooner or later. The demand is growing, the supply must follow. We want it badly—the Great English Magazine that is to send the Americans home and give us literature, thought, ideas, art, of our own; something upon which our intellect and imagination can feed, by which our genius can be stimulated. Not the poor, puny, but well-meant effort of a little literary THE AUTHOR. clique or mutual admiration society ; not a vehicle for morbid melancholy, or flippant Anglo-Gallicism or any of the thousand cults that afflict society We have seen enough of such anemic failures they are moribund from their birth. Our Great English Magazine must be sound and solvent, under sane and sober management, subject to no whims or freaks, dependent upon no small colerie, no sing] influence. ‘There must be a business head behind it, as well asa thinkev’s brain, an artist’s taste, an enthusiast’s heart. It must be published by a strong syndicate—one that can wait (which is to ~ say, that a large capital is indispensable), and edited by more than one distinguished man 0 letters. Moreover, it must be fearless and catholic, regardless of Mrs. Grundy and the Young Person, while, rejecting all that is ugly and plague-_ spotted, catering for every taste that may claim to be called taste, aiming not merely at what will pay now, but what will stand fast and firm in th future, both as a literary model and a financial investment. This New Model, then, must be daring with — discretion, independent, lofty and secure. Hvery-_ thing about it must be of the best possible; the” best paper and print, pictures (if it has any), poetry and prose, that can be bought for gold and — found by discernment. Who knows what buried treasures it might bring to light, what brilliant fiction from masters almost silent, what poems, what essays? Who knows what obscure genius it might reveal? Have we lost all faith in ourselves, in the English spirit that inspired Chaucer and Shakespeare, Fielding and Defoe? Are we content to go on for ever wallowing in Choppy Bits and Monthly Magazines of Mincemeat ? We want this new magazine—we want it desperately—as a medium for our creative thought, our artistic development. All that which has made England’s great literary past—her poetic conception, her spiritual profundity, her mordant satire, her crisp humour, her perception of and deep insight into character—can find no place now either in the crusted and cobwebby pages of our high-class magazines and reviews (meritorious as they are up to a certain point), and far less in the gaudy and obstreperous outpourings of Carmelite and Henrietta Streets. The former are too timorous of giving offence; the latter are mere money-making machines, frankly spurning any- thing that resembles literature. We need an open space to grow in, unlimited by the restrictions of conservatism, unchoked by the weeds of com- mercialism. In fact, we need a home for the soul of things literary. The shells and husks of a pas age will not serve us much longer; we hunger already for something more satisfying, for a glimpse into the heart and brain of humanity, for research  into the meaning and tendencies of our present life, into the problems and potentialities of the future. And the time is ripe. Such a magazine as this we desire would not make the fortunes of its promoters in a few short years. At first there would be unavoidable loss on it. But in time to come it would be as surely ‘a good property’ as | it would bea national boon. The British public { has an instinctive leaning towards everything _ aristocratic, a deeply inherited sense of respect for what is noble ; and once convince it that the new | magazine is an aristocrat in letters, that it is read by all those of cultured taste, and you will soon see that magazine on the table of every householder who can afford a shilling a month, whether he read _ itor not. And why should he not read it? He must buy and read good books, or our masterpieces would not be reprinted by thousands yearly. Is there any reason then, why he should not appre- ciate a good magazine if it were set before him? As a matter of fact there are thousands of readers to-day who have given up taking in periodicals » simply because they can find nothing they care to _ read in them. Are we to sit till Doomsday under the ban of _ being a nation of shopkeepers, ignorant of art, of all that is subtle, beautiful and refined? Are we really less capable of artistic judgment or creation than our neighbours, the French, or our cousins, the Americans? Do not believe it. We have a populace for Choppy Bits, and so have they, no less vulgar and attracted by gimcracks. But we have also a public that thirsts for something better, that is, perhaps, the most thoughtful and earnest reading public in the world. All we want is a leader of courage, a man who can command both confidence © and capital. It is for him to step boldly over the | dead bodies of past failures, heeding them only with a view to profit by their errors, and to throw himself into the present breach with pluck and enterprise. Englishmen have never shown a lack of pluck or enterprise in other adventures ; they fling their energies and their gold daily into the wildest speculations. Can no one be found to face arisk in this most urgent cause? There never was yet a cause in England, however forlorn, that lacked a champion to lead it. Where is he ? Mary L. PENDERED. ——__—__+—~—« S THE TRADE IN BOOKS. SS OOKS are unlike ordinary articles of com- merce in one important respect, viz. : that their use and enjoyment does not depend upon personal ownership. The loan of a book may THE AUTHOR. 3L be, and often is, far more valuable to the reader than the ownership of the same book by gift or purchase. A book that is /ent can be read and returned to the owner, its purpose being fully served by this process. A book that is bought entails both the cost of purchase and the provision by the owner of suitable storage or house room. Many owners of books possess fine libraries with- out ever making use of them for reading. They may, in fact, have no taste for reading at all, and may be quite content to own books for the use and enjoyment of others who have the taste for reading, and the knowledge to make use of books. The principal and permanent obstacle to the extension of the ordinary trade in books is the common desire to read books without the cost of buying and housing them. For one person that desires to possess a book by purchase many hun- dreds of persons desire, for all sorts of reasons, to read books and make use of them without purchase. The reading of a book may or may not lead to a subsequent purchase. In the vast majority of cases books, however valuable and instructive, will be read and returned without purchase. But the public which can obtain books on loan possesses at least the great advan- tage of being able to form their own opinion about books, instead of merely reading what other persons think about them. It is, of course, open to question whether increased facilities for reading new books will necessarily lead to increased sales. The reading public, including many authors, will probably say yes. Publishers as a class evidently think not. The circulating library provides indeed a small concession to the popular demand for books on loan. But it is notorious that the public wants are very imperfectly supplied by libraries of this class. Delays and difficulties of many kinds are incidental to the business of lending libraries, as every sub- scriber knows to his cost. It is obvious that when many persons desire to read at the same time some new and popular book the great majority of readers must either buy the book for themselves, or wait an indefinite time until their turn comes round. Moreover, many of the most valuable and costly works appeal only to a limited class, and these never find their way into circulating libraries at all. The condition of purchase, in fact, excludes these works from general circulation altogether. The question naturally arises why the popular demand for books of all kinds om loan cannot be met on reasonable business terms without obstruc- tion or delay ? The ideal system of book supply would provide reasonable facilities to responsible applicants to peruse and form their own opinion regarding new books of all kinds. If this general principle be kept in view there are many different 82 ways in which effect might be given to it. For example, publishers might, if they thought fit, combine to establish a central library or book exchange where all the new publications advertised from week to week might be on view, and all reasonable facilities be provided for perusal on the spot, and for examination by all responsible persons. Persons who desired to read such books at their own leisure, and in their own homes, might be encouraged to do so by the arrangement of some proper system of granting copies 0” loan, the terms charged being based upon the published price, and the nature of each work. Some scheme based on these lines would increase greatly the value of all publishers’ circulars, which under present con- ditions are of no value at all except to a very small class. Professional reviewing of books is likely to be improved materially by enabling the reading public to form for themselves their own estimate of books ; and probably reviewers themselves would be the first persons to welcome a new departure on the lines proposed. There are, no doubt, many other ways in which the public demand for access to new books might be largely encouraged if publishers thought it desirable. Whether they would lead to increased sales or not may, of course, be disputed ; but there can be no doubt at all that books would be adver- tised far more effectually by encouraging the public to read them than is possible under the present system of circulars and literary reviews. This system is intended to promote sales, but those who desire to read without purchase are apt to be entirely indifferent to the opinions of professional critics, and will always preter to form their own opinions for themselves without guidance. Apart from these considerations it seems on general principles to be quite clear that the public demand for the perusal of new publications without any intention or desire to purchase is one which ought, on mere business principles, to be met in some way or another. As long as new books can be obtained by purchase only the vast majority of readers will simply refrain from reading them until access can be obtained on some more favourable terms. Authors as well as publishers are con- siderably interested in this question. The existing system has been created by publishers primarily for the protection of their own interests as capita- lists and producers. In this capacity they are simple monopolists, and are little likely, as all experience shows, to take a very enlightened view either of public interests or of their own advantage. Publishers will of course contend that they know their own business far better than any irresponsible critic ; but authors may reasonably complain that the interests of the reading public—which is the final court of appeal—are not sufficiently consulted ’ THE AUTHOR. in this matter. If effect could be given to the proposals suggested readers would assuredly be — multiplied a hundredfold, and the whole trade in books would receive an impetus which might go — far to reconcile even the most conservative pub- lisher to a radical change of system. In any case — the subject is one which seems to be well worth | consideration by all who are interested in books, either as authors, publishers, or readers. Si quid novisti rectius istis, candidus imperti, si non his utere mecum. $+ CORRESPONDENCE. —t+—< + Sir,—The following may possibly be of interest to members of the Society :— In 1882-1887 I brought out a “History of Freemasonry” which, in the then absence of Inter- national copyright, was promptly pirated in the United States and euphoniously described by the publishers (John C. Yorston & Co.) as the “American Edition,’ and in the preparation of it I was said to have been “assisted” by three prominent American masons, whose “ assistance,” by the way, had been totally unknown to me. Last year (1904) I placed on the market “A Concise History of Freemasonry,” which was pub- lished in this country by Gale and Polden, of 2, Amen Corner, E.C.; and (a real ‘ American Edition”) by the Macoy Company, of 34, Park Row, New York, in accordance with the Inter- national Copyright Act of 1891. In the Keystone (Philadelphia) of June 17th, 1905, on the eighth page of which the name of John ©. Yorston is given as “managing editor,” there appears (p. 10): “Nearly ready, new revised unabridged American edition of Robert Freke Gould’s ‘Complete History of Freemasonry,’ to be issued in five volumes, revised down to the present time, 1905, and to which is added new additional matter and features of great interest and impor- tance. . . . The Board of Editors are all recognised authorities throughout the world pertaining to all Masonic matters and history, and Ir Is THE ONLY {sic} official and standard authority in the world.” ‘Further particulars,” it is also stated, “may be obtained of the John C. Yorston Publishing Co., Philadelphia.” For impudence, the above will be hard to beat, — and I shall conclude by expressing a hope that the ~ efforts of the publishers, together with those of the “ Board of Editors ’”»—whose names have not yet been revealed—to float an “American Edition” of my original “ History of Freemasonry ” may meet with the fate they deserve. R. F. GouLp. 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. 16 Issue 01 (October 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 01 (October 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-10-01-The-Author-16-1 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/510/1905-11-01-The-Author-16-2.pdf 928ac45e0a0fd1b736b586f7be3a3eed 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) 1905-11-01 Volume 16 Issue 2 Pages Page range in volume 33–64 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19051101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin The Hutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XVI.—No. 2. NovEMBER 1sT, 1905. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —_—__—__—_<>__+—__—_ NOTICES. —+— + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone. are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tus Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. —_--—>+—_ List of Members. Tun List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. S a St —_—_+—+—_ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tun Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Ane Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone 1 carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation Vou. XVI. Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Consols 24 %...-.-2cesceeceeseeceeceeeenes £1000 0 0 Tiocal loans #.:--:.........-.-..:----..--- 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............-++ 291 19 11 War loan .......-.. se: 201° 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture Stock ..2.0..2........5. se: 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 % Certificates 200 0 0 Toba 6: £2,443 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £ s. i. Jan. 12, Anonymous . : 0 2 6 June 16, Teignmouth-Shore, the Rev. Canon. : . : : eo 10 July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the Lord . : ; 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. 0 5 0 = ay Uhorburn, W. OE. 010 0 Donations, 1905. Jan. Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 O Jan. Bolton, Miss Anna 0 5 0 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny . 0 5 0 Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert 0 5 0 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 0 Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 010 0 Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. 10. 0 Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. 010 0 April19, Hornung, E. W. . 25 0 O May 7, Wynne, C. Whitworth 5 0 0 May 16, Alsing, Mrs. J. E. 0 5 0 May 17, Anonymous . ; 1 ot 0 June 6, Drummond, Hamilton 3.3 0 July 28, Potter, the Rev. J. Hasluck 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Allen, W. Bird 0. 5 0 Oct. 17, A. O. N. 2 1 0 6 Oct. 17, Hawtrey, Miss Valentina 0 5 6 34 COMMITTEE NOTES. Se HE first meeting of the committee since the vacation was held at the offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., on Monday, October 9th. It was with great satisfaction that the committee elected fifty-eight members and associates who had sent in their applications since the meeting at the beginning of July. This brings the total number of elections during the current year up to 193. In 1904, up to October, the same number exactly was elected, and as the elections of that year were much above the average—233 being elected in all—the committee hope it may be possible to reach that number again in 1905. A small question arose bearing on the United States Copyright Bill which is being drafted by Mr. Thorvald Solberg, the Registrar of Copyrights at Washington for the United States Government. The committee referred the matter to the copyright sub-committee, who will consider it in due course. During the vacation the secretary had an inter- view with Mr. J. A. Cooper, editor of the Canadian Magazine and Treasurer of the Canadian Society of Authors. Mr. Cooper was very anxious, on behalf of the Canadian society, that the two bodies should be drawn closer together, and made sugges- tions which the committee considered. As the Canadian Society of Authors has no magazine, Mr. Cooper suggested the purchase of a certain number of copies of 7hée Author monthly. To this the Committee gladly agreed, as also to a proposition that they should assist members of the Canadian society, In case of any disputes which should arise out of the marketing of their property in England. The secretary reported that during the vacation it had been necessary to take counsel’s opinion in France on a question of literary property that had arisen out of the sale of translation rights, and, subsequently, to place the matter in the hands of a French solicitor, who had been instructed to commence action if necessary. This has been done by the sanction of the chairman, and the solicitor employed in France was the solicitor of the Société des Gens de Lettres. The committee heartily indorsed the action the chairman had taken. In another case counsel’s opinion, which had been taken during the vacation, with the chairman’s sanction, was laid before the committee. The main point in question was how far an author could claim exclusive right in the use of a nom de plume and restrain others from making use of it. As counsel’s opinion was in favour of the member’s contention the committee decided to take action, if necessary, as the principle involved was one of great importance to all authors. THE AUTHOR. The committee decided also to inquire whether it would be possible, in existing circumstances, for Egypt to join the Berne Convention, as there were many readers of English works in Egypt, and the fact that there was no international arrangement caused the literary property of the British author to be protected inadequately in that country. Another point under discussion was the advisability of fixing the unit of an edition. The secretary reported, as an example of the confusion which arises under the present system, that in one case which had come before him a book was advertised in its third edition when only twenty- seven copies had been sold. The committee decided to write to the chairman of the Publishers’ Association, in order to obtain the opinion of that body as to the advisability of determining accurately the point at issue. There were one or two other smaller points for discussion of no special interest to members, Cases, Since the last issue of Zhe Author there have been five cases in the secretary’s hands. Two for the return of MSS., one for money, one for accounts, and one for infringement of copyright. In one case the MS. has been returned. The other, being in the United States, has not yet been settled. The money has been paid and handed to the author, and the accounts rendered and forwarded. The question of infringement of copyright deals with a paper in Norway, and at present the infringer refuses to answer the society’s letters. The matter will therefore go before the committee at their next meeting, as it is essential that pirates should understand that they are not, because they live outside England, also outside the reach of legal proceedings. All the cases that were left open at the end of last month have been settled, with the exception of two, one arising out of the bankruptcy of a publisher and the other referring to payment for MSS. The latter case is in the hands of the society’s solicitors. The case in which counsel’s opinion was placed before the committee at their last meeting, and which the committee decided to take up, has been settled. The writer’s nom de plume which was being used has been withdrawn. There will be no need, therefore, to take the matter further.  THE October Elections. Banbury, Capt. Cecil Beale, Miss Dorothea, LL.D. Boulger, Demetrius C. . Browne, F. Maurice Brown, J. Macmillan Butler, H. J. Claremont, Leopold Cotton, G. F. : Curran, The Rev. ELE. . Doidge, Edwin Edwards, Mrs. E. R. Festing, Miss Gabrielle . Fisher, Mrs. . Fitzgerald, Mrs. Augus- tine . FitzGerald, 8. J. Adair. Gamble, F. W. Gariorowski, M. Hague, C. Hope Halford, Frederic M. (“‘ Detached Badger”’) Hawtrey, Miss Valentina “ Henry Purcell” Holman, Henry Hughes-Gibb, Mrs. Jackson, W. 8. Johnson, Miss Effie Kingon, W. A. . 61, Lowndes S.W. Ladies’ College, Chel- tenham. 11, Edwardes Square, Kensington. Clovelly, St. John’s Road, Hastbourne. Holmbank, Feudalton, Christchurch, New Zealand. Square, 38, Conduit Street, W. 87, Salcott Road, Wandsworth Com- mon, 8.W. Pouchcove, Newfound- land. Cootamandia, South Wales, tralia. Adswood, North Cres- cent, Church End, Finchley, N. 56, Queen’s Gate Ter- race, 8.W. 223, Willoughby Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A. New Aus- 11, Avenue Hoche, Paris, France. 17, Brunswick Square, W.C. 16, Ambherset Street, Withington, , Man- chester. 60, Boulevard Clichy, Paris. Kooringa, South Aus- tralia. 6, Pembridge Place, W. 119, Beaufort Mansions, Chelsea, 8. W. Bankfield South, Bury, Lancs. Tarrant Gunville, Bland- ford. The Beach, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. Enlingcott, Headly Liphook, Hants. Tsomo Villa, Sea Point, Cape Colony. AUTHOR. Litt, Harry H. Macgregor, Lieut. - Col. John Mackenzie, R. J. . Mallock, Miss M. M. McEwen, Thomas O’Donnell, Elliott, Paternoster, G. Sidney . Purchase, Edward J. Puxley, Herbert H. L. . Raymond, Walter Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie . Selwyn, Mrs. Smith, A. H. Stutfield, Hugh E. M. . Telfer, E. B. Landor Thomson, Francis Thorburn, W. M. . Toynbee, Mrs. Paget Virgo, Eustace Felice Agostino _—(** Felice Agostino ’’) ; ; Wadbam-Petre, Walter Ward, Mrs. Wilfrid Weir, Preston Weston, Lieut. D. P., R.N. Williamson, C. N. Williamson, Mrs. C. N. Williamson, K. B. 35 15, Woodlands Road, Cheetham Hill, Man- chester. Ardgay House, Ardgay, Ross-shire. 12, Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh. 4, Owlstone Road,Grant- chester Street, Newn- ham, Cambridge. East Bank, Strandtown, Belfast. Clifton House, St. Ives, Cornwall. 7, Ashworth Mansions, Elgin Avenue, W. Owsden Rectory, New- market. Willowside, Oxon. 182, Sutherland Avenue, Maida Vale, W. 32, Aldridge Road Villas, W. 6, Abingdon Court, Kensington, W. 21, North HowardStreet, Gt. Yarmouth. 49, St. George’s Square, S.W. Leinster House, Mort- lake. 28, Elgin Avenue, W. Goring, 29, Kidbrook Park Road, 8.E. Fiveways, Burnham, Bucks. Rome, Italy. 13, Grove End Road, N-W. Lotus, Dorking. Redland School, Fern- banke Road, Bristol. H.M.S. Albion, Chan- nel Fleet. Chalet des Pins, Cap Martin (A.M.), France. Chalet des Pins, Cap Martin (A.M.), France. Raepur, Central Pro- vinces, India. Four members elected do not desire either their names or addresses to be printed. 36 BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. ——>—+ (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) ART. RAPHAEL. By JULIA CARTWRIGHT (Mrs. ADY). 6 x 4. 223 pp. Duckworth. BIOGRAPHY. Tur LIFE AND LETTERS OF SiR JOHN EVERETT Mituals. By his son, JOHN GUILLE MILLAIS. An Abridged and Cheaper Edition in one Volume. 9 x 6. 416 pp. Methuen. 7s. 6d. n. CHARLES LAMB. By WALTER JERROLD. 112 pp. Bell. 1s. n. RECORDS AND REMINISCENCES, PERSONAL AND GENERAL. By Sir Francis C. BURNAND. Fourth and Cheaper Edition, revised. 73 x 5. 462 pp. Methuen. 6s. Str THOMAS BRowNE. By EDMUND GossE. 73 x 5. 215 pp. Macmillan. 2s, n. FINAL RECOLLECTIONS OF A DIPLOMATIST. Honourable Sir Horace RUMBOLD, BART, 6 x 4. By the Right G.C.B. ‘9 x 58. 408 pp. Arnold. 15s.n. B. R. Haypon AND His FRIENDS. By GEO. PASTON. 9 x 5%. 306 pp. Nisbet. 12s. 6d. ANDREW MARVELL. By AUGUSTINE BIRRELL. 7} x 5. 242 pp. Macmillan. 2s. n. THE LIFE OF JOHANNES BRAHMS. 2 Vols. 9 x 53. 306 and 319 pp. By FLORENCE MAY. Arnold. 21s. n. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. THE RED RoMANCE Book. Edited by ANDREW LANG. 74 x 5. 372 pp. Longmans. 6s. Louis WAIN’S ANIMAL SHOW. With Stories in Prose and Verse. 9} x 8. J. CLARKE. Is. THE ADVENTURES OF PuncH. By Ascott R. Hope. Illustrated in colour, by S. B. DE LA BERE. 8} xX 6. 207 pp. Black. 6s. RosAMOND’s GIRLS. By M. BRAMSTON. 7$ X 5. 224 pp. S.P.C.K. 2s. BEN Pipe’s SowinG. By EMILY PEARSON FINNEMORE, 72x 5. 214 pp. S.P.C.K. 2s. A Disrricr NURSE; OR MARGARET'S BLESSING. By GERTRUDE DoUGHTY. 63 x 4%. 80pp. S. P. C. K. 6d. A TWENTY GUINEA BicycLeE. By MAry E. SHIPLEY. 62 X 43. 80 pp. 8. P.C.K. 6d. Tur Zoo. <A Scamper. By WALTER EMANUEL. 11 x 81. 50 pp. Alston Rivers. 2s. 6d. n. WoopMYTH AND FABLE. By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. 8} x 54. Hodder & Stoughton. 5s. n. TuE Boysor BADMINSTER. ASchool Tale. By ANDREW Home. 7} x 53. 398 pp. Chambers. 5s. aE GIRLS OF ST. GABRIEL’s. Or Life at a French School. By May BALDWIN. 7} xX 5}. 296 pp. Chambers. 3s. 6d. Tue Cat. By Viouer Hunt. 8} x 6. 223 pp. Biack. 6s. A SoNOF THE SEA. ByF.T. BULLEN, F.R.G.S. 7} x 5. 355 pp. Nisbet. 6s. THE ROMANCE OF MINING. By ARCHIBALD WILLIAMS. 8 x 5. 402pp. Pearson. 5s. A Krtnq’sComRADE. AStory of Old Hereford. By C. W. WHISTLER. 392 pp. Nelson. 2s. n. ® ' BRENDLE. THE AUTHOR. THE SCHOOLBOY ABROAD. By Ascotr R. Horr. 7} x 5. 308 pp. Black. 5s. CRAB COTTAGE. By RAYMOND JACBERNS. 7} x 5}. 285 pp. Chambers. . 3s. 6d. BOOKS OF REFERENCE. THE ENGLISH DIALECT DicTionARY. Edited by J. WRIGHT, Ph. D., Professor of Comparative Philology in the University of Oxford. Parts 29—30. THE ENGLISH DIALECT GRAMMAR completing the Work. 12 x 9}. 187 pp. Frowde. 15s. n. each part. ECONOMICS. THE BRITISH TRADE YEAR Book (1905). (Covering the 25 years, 1880—1904.) By J. HoLT ScHOOLING. 10 x 6%. 335 pp. Murray. 10s. 6d. n. EDUCATIONAL. A PRIMER OF CLASSICAL AND ENGLISH PHILOLOGY. By the Rev. W. W. SKEAT. Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Cambridge. 6% x 4%. 101 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press. London: Frowde. 28. FICTION. THe IRRATIONAL Knot. By G. BERNARD SHAW. 73 x 54. 422 pp. Constable. 6s. SPIRITUAL ADVENTURES. By ARTHUR SYMONS. 9 x 53. 314 pp. Constable. 7s. 6d. n. Tue Rep REAPER. By J. A. STEUART. 7} X 5. 452 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 6s. Tuer MISTRESS OF THE Ropes. By S. H. BURCHELL. 73 x 5. 426 pp. Hurst & Blackett. 6s. THE ADMIRAL. The Love Story of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton. By Dovu@uas SLADEN. (Cheap Edition.) 8} x 53. 128 pp. Pearson. 6d. AyrsHA. By H. RipeER HaGG@arD. 7} x 5. 384 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. Lone Marie. By W. E. Norris, 7} X 5. 334 pp. Macmillan. 6s. THE LETTER KILLETH. By A.C. INCHBOLD. 7? xX 5}. 309 pp. Partridge. 6s. DEBORAH'S Lire. By J. BurytH. 7} X 5. 296 pp. Nash. 6s. Tur SWORD OF GIDEON. By J. BLOUNDELLE BURTON. 7% x 5. 347 pp. Cassell. 6s. A THIEF IN THE NicHt. By E. W. Hornune. 7% x 5. 334 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. THE BonpaGe oF Gop. By E.P.FINNEMORE. 7} x 4}. 294 pp. Digby Long. 6s. THE WATERS OF DESTRUCTION. By ALICE PERRIN. 72 x 5. 311 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. THE LADY NAVIGATORS. By EDWARDNOBLE. 7} x 5}. 295 pp. Brown Langham. 6s. LigutT. GuuLivar Jones. By E. LESTER ARNOLD. 7% x 54. 301 pp. Brown Langham. 6s. Wuite Fire. By JoHN OXENHAM. 7} x 5. 337 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 6s. Bee@gar’s Luck. By NELLIE K. BuissETT. 74 x 5. 311 pp. Chapman & Hall, 6s. Dinys. An Indian Romance. By F. E. PENNY. 7} x 5. 360 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. Divers VANITIES. By A. MoRRISON. 7] X 5. 256 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE PILLAR OF Liaut. By Louis Tracy. 7} X 5. 320 pp. Ward Lock. _ 6s. Tue BRowN Eves or Mary. By E. Marta ALBANESI. 7% x 51. 346 pp. Methuen. 6s. THe HovuseHotp or Prrer. By Rosa N. CAREY. 72 x 53. 451 pp. Macmillan. . 6s. By MARMADUKE PICKTHALL. Te x 00, 307 pp. Methuen. 6s.  THE AUTHOR. A Heart oF Stone. By GERTRUDE WARDEN. 7} x 5. 302 pp. Digby Long. 6s. BARBARA REBELL. By Mrs. BELLOC-LOWNDES. 7} X 5. 379 pp. Heinemann. 6s. Caprains ALL. By W. W. Jacops. 7} x 5. 269 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 33. 6d. Tue INSEPARABLES. By J. BAKER. 7} X 5. 329 pp. Chapman & Hall. 6s. THE SEVEN STREAMS. By WARWICK DEEPING. 7} x 5. 375 pp. Nash. 6s. Love IN THE LISTS. 311 pp. Unwin. 6s. eo By K. L. MonTGOMERY. 73 x ra or Moscow. A Story of the French Invasion of 1812. 73 x 51. 291 pp. Longmans. 6s. 1.N.R.I. A Prisoner's Story of the Cross. By PETER RoseGGer. Translated by ELIZABETH LEE. 7} x 53. 324 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 6s. HISTORY. A History or OuR Own Times. From the Diamond Jubilee, 1897, to the Accession of Edward VII. By JUSTIN McCarTHY. 2 Vols. 9 x 5%. 409 and 394 pp. Chatto and Windus. 24s. A History oF THE Four GEORGES AND OF WILLIAM IV. By Justin McCartuy. (The St. Martin’s Library Fine Paper Edition.) 2 Vols. 6} x 4}. 602 and 588 pp. Chatto & Windus. 2s, n. each volume. LITERARY. THE PUZZLE oF Dickens’ Last PLot. By ANDREW Lang. 73 x 5. 100 pp. Chapman & Hall. THE Gops OF PEGANA. By Lorp Dunsany. 72 x 5; 94 pp. Elkin Mathews. 5s. Tue GARDEN THAT I Love. By ALFRED AUSTIN. 9 x 63. 146 pp. Black. 7s. 6d.n. AUTHOR AND Printer. A Guide for Authors, Editors, Ke Bh Printers, Correctors of the Press, Compositors and Typists. With full list of Abbreviations. By F. Howarp Couirns. Third Thousand. (With some additions.) 7} x 5. 407 pp. Frowde. 5s. n. THe SPIRIT oF Rome. Leaves from a Diary. By VERNONTEL. 73} x 5. 205 pp. Lane. 3s. 6d. REFLECTIONS OF A HovusEHOLDER. By E. H. LACoN Watson. 72 x 54. 206pp. Brown, Langham. 3s. 6d. ENGLISH Hours. By Henry JAMES. 8} x 6, 315 pp. Heinemann. MoprerNn ENGLISH LITERATURE. By EDMUND GOSSE. New and Revised Edition. 8} x 6. 420 pp. Heine- mann. 7s. 6d. NATURAL HISTORY. Extinct ANIMALS. By E, Ray LANKESTER. 331 pp. Constable. 7s. 6d. n. THe MAMMALS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. By 9x 6; J. G. Mrnuats, F.L.S. Vol. Il. 14 x 124. 299 pp. Longmans, 61. 6s. n. NAVAL. NELSON AND THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. By ARNOLD WuHiItk and E. Hantam MoorHouskE. 7% x 5, 340 pp. Cassell. 5s. n. Sea LIFE IN NELSON’S TIME. 16 Illustrations. 7% x 5. 218 pp. PHILOSOPHY. An ANALYSIS OF HuMAN MOTIVE. $2 x 5}, 222 pp. Simpkin Marshall. POETRY. Tea TABLE RHYMES AND OTHERS, By LEICESTER RoMAyNeE, Author of PorTuGuESE RITA. 6% X 5. 67 pp. Brimley Johnson. 2s. 6d. n. By J. MASEFIELD. With Methuen. 3s. 6d.n. By F. CARREL. 37 VERSES, WISEOR OTHERWISE. With which is incorporated na ae VERSES,GRAVEAND GAY. By ELLEN THORNYCROFT Fowuer. 7? x 54. 202 pp. Cassell. 5s. POLITICAL. THE GREEN SPHINX. By BART KENNEDY. 7} x 5, 258 pp. Methuen. 3s. 6d. REPRINTS. THE WORKS OF JOHN RUSKIN. Library Edition. Vol. XIX. THE CESTUS OF AGLAIA AND THE QUEEN OF THE AIR. With other papers and lectures on art and literature. Edited by E. T. Cook and A. WEDDERBURN. 10 x 63. 469 pp. Allen. SPORT. Bia GAME SHOOTING. Edited by H. G. HUTCHINSON, 2 Vols. 9 X 52. 301 and 356 pp. Newnes. 25s. n. THEOLOGY. GREATHEART. Some ‘Talks with Him. By A PILGRIM. 72 x 53. 190 pp. Macmillan. 3s. n. THE GARDEN OF Nuts. By the Rev. W. ROBERTSON pee 7k x 54. 232 pp. Hodder & Stroughton. 3s. 6d. THE Historic CHRIST. By T. A. Lackey. 8 x 53. 158 pp. Longmans. 3s. 6d. n. TOPOGRAPHY. XFORD. By ANDREW LANG. New Edition, with 50 Illustrations. 8 x 53. 286 pp. Seeley. 6s. TRAVEL. Back To SuNNY SEAS. By F. T. BULLEN. 7} x 5}. 287 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s. OLD PROVENCE. By T. A. COOK. 348 and 445 pp. Rivington. 16s. Ty VoIcE OF THE SouTH. By GILBERT WATSON. 9 x 54. 324 pp. Hurst & Blackett. 10s. 6d. VILLAGE, TOWN, AND JUNGLE Lire IN InpiA. By A. C. NEWcoMBE. 417 pp. Blackwood. 12s. 6d. n. A YANKEKIN PigMy LAND. By W.E. Geri. With 125 Illustrations. 84 x 54. 409 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 6s. THE WorLD or To-pAy. By A. R. Hope MONCRIEFF. Vol. III. 280 pp. The Gresham Publishing Co. 2 Vols. 7% x 5. ——————_.—>—_-___—_ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. ——_ + N “Final Recollections of a Diplomatist,” Sir Horace Rumbold describes his life as British Minister to Greece and the Netherlands, and as Ambassador to Austria. Messrs. Longmans & Co. are about to publish a series of essays and addresses by Sir Lewis Morris, under the title of “ The New Rambler.” “Moscow,” Mr. Fred Whishaw’s new story, dealing with the French Invasion of Russia in 1812, has also been published by the same firm. Miss Nellie K. Blissett’s novel, “Beggar's 388 Luck,” which Messrs. Chapman and Hall pub- lished in September, is a romance of the days of Mazarin, who plays a slight but important part in the development of the plot. “ Occasional Papers” isa monthly journal which originated in the earlier half of last year. Its birth- place was Bournemouth, but its issue has now been transferred to Oxford, where its present editor strives to continue its aims—to elevate and to create. Mr. Augustine Birrell’s new book, ‘In the Name of the Bodleian and other Essays,” published by Mr. Elliot Stock, contains an appreciation of Locker Lampson, entitled “A Connoisseur,” in which some personal details of the eminent collector’s life and pursuits are given. Messrs. Hutchinson & Co.’s autumn list contains some interesting announcements relating to works by members of the society. In the realm of fiction they are publishing stories by ‘Lucas Malet,” Mr. H. Rider Haggard, and Mrs. Baillie Reynolds. “ Lucas Malet’s” novel, which they will publish early in 1906, deals with the acts and opinions of a man of foreign birth, who after many years of office work finds himself possessed of leisure and a moderate fortune. The scene of the story is laid exclusively in London and the western suburbs. Mr. Haggard’s work, which will be published in March next, traces the history of a man who, having by nature the best instincts, on the occasion of a tragic event, vows that he will renounce his habits of life and endeavour to live a life of duty, from which resolution he never swerves. Mrs. Baillie Reynolds’ novel, the title of which is “The Man who Won,” is a story the scene of which is laid partly in Africa before the late war, and partly in England. It contains a strong love interest. Turning from fiction we note that Messrs. Hutchinson are publishing Mr. R. H. Sherard’s volume of “Reminiscences of Literary Life,” “Twenty Years in Paris.” Among the celebrities of whom Mr. Sherard has personal memories are Victor Hugo, Ferdinand de Lesseps, General Boulanger, Baron Haussmann, Jules Verne, Renan, Daudet, Ernest Dowson and Zola. Apart from the per- ' sonalia the volume contains a running commen- tary, with anecdotes, on recent French History. The same firm has also issued Mr. Douglas Sladen’s new volume on “Tunis and Carthage,” in which the life of one of the great ancient capitals of Africa and its modern successor, Tunis, the most oriental of North African towns is described ; ‘ Nature’s Nursery,” by H. W. Shep- heard Walwyn, which although intended for old and young, appeals more particularly to the latter; “Beauty Through Hygiene,” by Emma E. Walker, M.D., edited by Arabella Kenealy, in which is THE AUTHOR. advocated the building of tissues, the control of nerves, and the symmetrical development of the body through the agency of intelligent hygiene. “Tongues of Gessip,” by Miss A. Curtis Sher- wood, published recently by Mr. Fisher Unwin, is a novel which deals with life in a country town and contains much thoughtful discussion on religion, art and kindred subjects. “A District Nurse,” by Gertrude Doughty, published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, is a simple story for children. In collaboration with Mr. Alfred E. T. Watson, Mr. Frank Savile is bringing out a new novel entitled “ Fate’s Intruder,” which will be illus- trated by Mr. Rene Bull, and published by Mr. Heinemann. The same writers have also con- tributed to the Badminton Magazine a series of stories entitled ‘‘ Strange Stories of Sport.” It is not often one comes across a fine example of Russian printing, especially in the way of an_ illustrated work. There is something just as rare in a finely produced Russian translation of an English book. This exceptional compliment has been paid to Miss Bessie Hatton’s ‘‘ The Village of Youth,” which is dedicated to the young English authoress by Madame Milorodovitch, wife of his Excellency the Governor of Poltalva. It is published in quarto size, and illustrated by Russian black and white artists. Madame Milorodovitch sends an edition de luae to Miss Hatton with a message of “affectionate appreciation from her unknown Russian admirers.” Mr. H. G. Wells’ new novel “ Kipps,” pub- lished by Macmillan & Co., depicts a typical member of the English lower class in all its pitiful limitation and feebleness, and beneath a treatment deliberately kindly and genial there lurks a sustained criticism of the ideals and ways of life of the great mass of middle-class English people. Derek Vane’s story, “ Crooked Ways,” which has recently appeared as a serial in the Daily Mail, is about to be translated into German. ‘The same author has just written a series of short stories, entitled “In a Strange World,” for the Northern Newspaper Syndicate, and is now engaged on a novel, which will be published first serially. ‘Author and Printer,’”’ by Howard Collins, which we reviewed in the May issue of The Author, has, we are glad to say, run into a second edition. The work is bound to be of interest to all those who desire a standard guide for spelling, capitalisation, punctuation, the use of italic type, etc., and whilst it may not be possible to agree with Mr. Collins in all his deductions, yet few will deny the soundness of the principle upon which the book has been written. Mr. Collins’ book has the approval of the Master Printers’ and Allied Trades Association of London, the Edinburgh Master Printers’ Association, the Belfast Printing Trades Employers’ Association, and the Executive Committee of the London Association of Correctors of the Press. In “The Secret of the Totem,” published by Longmans, Green & Oo., Mr. Andrew Lang attempts to establish the origin and_ trace the evolution of Totemism in Primitive Society. A second edition of Miss Rose Harrison’s book “The Padre” will shortly be published under the title of “ Dulce.” The same writer is also publishing in the Hand and Heart Magazine, under the title of “Qhildren of the New Century, or Physiology Made Easy,” twelve readings on scientific temper- ance instruction. The Church of England Tem- perance Society will publish the readings in book form after their serial publication. Mr. Heinemann is about to publish a uniform library edition of Ibsen’s works, mostly translated by Mr. William Archer. Miss Florence May has written a life of Brahms, which Mr. Arnold has published in two volumes. Her qualification for the task consists in her acquaintance with Brahms, begun when she was a young student of the piano. The materials for the life have been gathered almost entirely at first hand in several Continental journeys. Mr. Angus Hamilton’s new book, which Mr. Heinemann will publish, is an exhaustive account of the conditions of Afghanistan, and its relations with Russia and India. It contains sketches of the domestic life of the Ameer, and a description of the Oxus, its fords, trade, and the strategic value of the roads which approach it. The book, in addition to containing a map, is illustrated. “The Red Reaper” is the title of Mr. J. A. Stenart’s new novel, published by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. The opening of the story shows the Marquis of Montrose as a Royalist, and narrates how he proceeds to raise the clans. Many of the families involved in the struggle between King and Covenant are introduced. “The Souvenir of the Crabbe Celebration,” neatly arranged and illustrated, is on sale at Messrs. Sotheran and Co.’s house in Piccadilly, at the price of 2s. 6d. Those interested in Crabbe and his work unable to attend the meeting at Aldeburgh will, no doubt, be glad to purchase the Souvenir, the sale of which, it is hoped, will cover some of the expenses incurred. Mr. Heinemann published about the middle of last month a new novel, by Mrs. Belloc Lowndes, entitled “ Barbara Rebell.” The scene of “A Man from the Shires,” by Isabelle Taylor, published by Messrs. Gay and Bird, towards the end of last month, is laid in Haslemere, Surrey. THE AUTHOR. 39 A German translation of “The Viking Path: a Tale of the White Christ,’ by J. J. Haldane Burgess, M.A. (Wm. Blackwood and Sons), has just been published by E. Pierson’s Verlag, Dresden. The translation is from the pen of Mr. Hermann Besser Neustadt (Orla). The Rev. Geo. St. Clair proposes to publish at some future date, a work entitled “The Secret of Genesis.” The conclusion which the author has come to in connection with this subject is that the narrative, from Paradise to the building of Babel, is a genuine ancient record and connected story, corresponding to the history embedded in the legends of Egypt and Babylonia. Mr. Charles Garvice’s new six shilling novel “The Tyrant” was published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. on October 1st. The same publishers announce a new and cheap edition of his novel, “ Love Decides,” which they will issue in their 3s. 6d. series. Messrs. Geo. Newnes are publishing this month a sixpenny edition (illustrated) of Mr. Garvice’s novel, “ Just a Girl.” Mr. Garvice is at present in Scotland on a lecturing tour. ‘‘ Humorists, Grave and Gay” is the title he has chosen for what is really a series of dramatic readings rather than a lecture, interspersed with short biographical sketches of the various authors, with more or less critical notes on their works. Mr. Lance Thackeray has just issued a set of coloured drawings entitled ‘The Catch of the Season.” The four pictures tell a love story, arising out of the careless casting of a fly by the angler-hero. The set is published by Messrs. Landeker and Brown, of Worship Street, E.C. ‘Studies from Court and Cloister” is the title given to a work by Miss J. M. Stone, which Messrs. Sands & Co. will publish at the price of 12s. 6d. net. The volume is a collection of essays, historical and literary, dealing mainly with subjects relating to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It contains eight fuli-page illustrations. Raymond Jacbern’s new books for girls this season are “Crab Cottage,” published by Messrs. Chambers at 3s. 6d., and “How Things Went Wrong,” published by Gardner, Darton & Co. at the price of 1s. 6d. “Queer Things about Sicily,’ by Douglas Sladen and Norma Lorimer, which Messrs. Anthony Treherne & Co. published last month, is a work describing how Sicily appears to the ordinary traveller. It is fully illustrated. “ Quacks,” “The Miseries of the Sick Poor,” and “ The Poverty of our Great Hospitals,” are a few of the subjects dealt with by Dr. 8. Squire Sprigge in his new book, ‘“ Medicine and the Public,” which was published in the middle of October by Mr. Wm. Heinemann. 40 Mr. Walter Del Mar has completed his book of travel in the Great Dependency. It is to be called “India of To-day,” and is the record of a tour undertaken during the winter of 1904-5. The author is of opinion that most of the noteworthy monuments and scenes in India can be visited in the four months from the middle of November to the middle of March. “His Natural Bent,” a new novel by Miss C. C. Andrews (“Carl Swerdna”), will com- mence in the Yamily Herald on the 4th of this month. The Oxford Press have lately published ‘‘ The Primer of Classical and English Philology,” by Professor Skeat. The object of this small book is to exhibit some of the more elementary principles of modern philology as applied to the etymology of Greek, Latin, and English words. Some account of the proper pronunciation of Latin and Greek is given in the first chapter. Mr. Arthur Dillon is preparing to follow ‘“ The Greek Kalends” with a chronicle play in three parts, entitled “ King William I., the Conqueror,” the title of ‘‘ William the Conqueror,” originally chosen, being forestalled. Messrs. Adam and Charles Black announce for publication in December of this year Mr. Eustace Reynolds Ball’s new ‘Guide to Rome and its Environs.” The work, which contains eight illustrations in three colours by Alberto Pisa, in addition to plans and maps, is divided into six parts. Part I. contains preliminary information regarding routes, hotels, etc.; Part II. deals with ancient Rome; Part III., with medizval and renaissance Rome; Part IV., modern Rome; Part V., excursions; the concluding part deals with the climate, and contains practical hints for sightseers. The book is published at the price of 2s. 6d. “The British Trade Year Book,” by John Holt Schooling, has just been published, at the price of 10s. 6d. net, by Mr. John Murray. Mr. Schooling’s method is to show the average yearly results during each successive decade. He claims that by this method the confusing fluctuations of single years are all merged in the average results obtained, and in place of a series of involved and often misleading yearly figures, such as are seen in the official Blue Books, a series of con- densed average results may be obtained. Dia- grams are also used, in order that the reader may grasp the general drift of the facts and the inferences to be drawn from them. “Rhymes and Rondeaux,” by J. E. B. and J. W. M,, published by A. OC. Glynn Grylls, 27, Chancery Lane, W.C., is a collection of light verse on various subjects, such as “ Taxation of Land Values,” ‘ Reviewers,” “The Encyclopedia THE AUTHOR. Britannica,” etc., ete. of 1s. net. Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. announce the publication of a limited edition—1,025 copies—of Mr. J. G. Millais’ (F.Z.S.) work on “The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland,” in three volumes, price £6 6s. net. Vol. II. was issued last month. The concluding volume will be ready in 1906. The same publishers have in the press Mr. W. H. Wilkins’ new work, “Mrs. Fitzherbert and George IV.,” which, with numerous portraits and other illustrations, will be published at the price of 32s. Mrs. Inchbold’s third novel, “The Letter Killeth,” published recently by Messrs. 8. W. Partridge & Co., is a romance of the Sussex Downs at the beginning of the last century, dealing with a revivalist movement, similar to that which is still stirring Wales, at a time when the Napoleonic scare was strong on the south coast. “The Food Factor in Disease,” by Dr. F. E. Hare, is an investigation into the humoral causation, meaning, mechanism, and rational treatment, pre- ventive and curative, of the paroxysmal neuroses (migraine, asthma, angina pectoris, epilepsy, etc.), bilious attacks, gout, catarrhal and other affections, high blood pressure, circulatory, renal, and other degenerations. Messrs. Longmans & Oo. are the publishers. We understand that Her Majesty the Queen has been pleased to accept a copy of the Rev. J. J. Gratrex’s ‘Regal Calendar,’ which provides a record for all years, past, present, and future, from January Ist, aD. 1. Copies of the production may be obtained from Mr. Gratrex, Brandiscorner, 8.0., Devon, England, at the price of 1s. each. In “Nelson and East Anglia” Mr. Harold Simpson (H. Simpson Ladell) has compressed into a comparatively small space a mass of information relating to the life and career of Lord Nelson. The work, suitably illustrated, is published by the Last Anglian Daily Times at the price of 6d. “Purple and Fine Linen,”’ by Madame Albanesi, which appeared serially in the Daily Chronicle, will be published in book form by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett in the spring of 1906. Miss Beatrice Harraden has produced, through Messrs. Methuen & Co., a new six shilling edition of her book “In Varying Moods.” Miss Harraden has also arranged for the inclusion of the work in Messrs. Newnes’ sixpenny library. Mr. J. G. Godard’s book, “ Racial Supremacy,”’ published by Mr. Geo. Morton in Edinburgh, and by Messrs. Simpkin Marshall & Co., in London, contains six chapters dealing with various aspects of the question of Imperialism. Mr. Richard Marsh’s last story, ‘‘The Marquis of Putney,” which Messrs. Methuen & Co. have It is published at the price  THE AUTHOR. published, tells how an infant heir to a dukedom was stolen—at high noon—from his perambulator in Hyde Park, Among the art publications announced by Messrs. Cassell & Co. is a new treatise by the Hon. John Collier, entitled “The Art of Portrait Painting.” The work is illustrated by reproduc- tions of some of the best portraits the world possesses. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have issued Mr. Rolf Boldrewood’s new book, which tells of the final do-or-die venture of a gold-seeker in the days of Australian mining. The title of the book is “ The Last Chance.” Mr. Fisher Unwin announces for early publica- tion a book by Mr. T. H. 8. Escott, the title of which is “Society in a Country House.” The writer’s object has been, by personal instances and illustrative anecdotes, to reflect the country house life of English society in its connection with national movements. The same publishers are also issuing a new edition—the fourth—of Sir F. OC. Burnand’s «‘ Records and Reminiscences.” The price of the new issue is 6s. Messrs. A. and C. Black have issued an edition, illustrated with colour pictures, of the Poet Laureate’s prose-book “The Garden that I Love.” The subject of the book is the Laureate’s own garden in Kent, of which Mr. George S. Elgood has made paintings. The scene of Mr. Bloundelle-Burton’s new romance of the great Protestant struggle in Europe, is laid chiefly at Liege at the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession, and has to do with the journey of a young Englishman to that city to rescue the ward of an English peer. Mr. Theodore Watts Dunton’s new _ novel “Carniola”’ will be published during the autumn in England and America by Messrs. Harpers. The story is laid partly in England, partly in Venice, and partly in Hungary. In “The Life of Kate Greenaway,” by M. H. Spielmann and 8. Layard, which will shortly be published by Messrs. A. and C. Black, the history of Kate Greenaway’s long friendship with Ruskin is told and their correspondence printed, including some fifty of Ruskin’s letters hitherto unpub- lished. Many of the accompanying illustrations by Kate Greenaway have also been reproduced for the first time. Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. will publish a book of literary recollections by Miss Laura Hain Friswell. It is entitled “(In the Sixties and Seventies: Impressions of Literary People and Others.” The personalities referred to include Gladstone, Disraeli, Dickens, Du Maurier, Kingsley, Trollope, Artemus Ward, etc., etc. 41 Messrs. Methuen & Co. have published a new story by Dorothea Gerrard, entitled “The Improbable Idyll,” which deals with the adventures of a cockney family in Eastern Europe, and, opening as a comedy, gradually deepens to a drama, in which the elementary human passions come to their full due. A novel by Harold Wintle will be published by Mr. John Lane early this month, under the title of “The Cleansing of the Lords.” “The Adventures of Punch” is the title of a new book by Ascott R. Hope. The work deals with the youth of a celebrated foreigner before he came to marry and set up in business so far from his birthplace. His early life has, of course, been treated by Dumas and other Continental authors ; but the present history is based upon the most authentic material, the hero’s own tale of his singular adventures being here told for the first time. The narrative of his pitiful struggles may be looked on as a companion volume to Dr. Smiles’ “ Self-Help”; while the illustrations in colour by Stephen Bagot De La Bere follow tradition in giving the volume a distinctly comic character. Messrs. A. and C. Black will publish the book. “ What Foods Feed Us?” by Eustace Miles, is published by Messrs. George Newnes at the price of 1s. net. One of the main features of the work is a chart which indicates in a simple form the properties of the various foods in common use. he work should appeal to those interested in the question of physical deterioration. “The Return of the Prodigal,” by St. John Hankin, was produced at the Court Theatre on the afternoon of September 26th. The reception with which he is greeted by the rest of his family on his return, after an absence of five years in Australia, proves that Mr. Hankin’s prodigal is looked upon rather as a burden than a blessing, and the problem which the dramatist sets himself to solve is the best means of dealing with the “ ne’er-do-well” on his return. The caste include Mr. A. E. Matthews, Miss Florence Haydon, Miss Amy Lamborn, and Mr. Dennis Eadie. “The Conqueror,” by her Grace the Duchess of Sutherland, produced at the Scala Theatre on the evening of September 23rd under the pseudonym of “R. E. Fyffe,” narrates the story of a baron who falls in love with the daughter of one of his foes. He sends her to a castle promising to marry her on his return after a lapse of eighteen years, but suspects that she has fallen in love with a wandering knight whom she mistakes for himsclf. The final scene of the play indicates the self sacri- fice of “‘ The Conqueror ” in his surrender of the girl to her lover. Mr. Forbes Robertson, as ‘“ The 49, Conqueror,” and Miss Gertrude Elliott take the leading parts. “Public Opinion,” by R. C. Carton, was pro- duced at Wyndham’s Theatre on the evening of October 10th. It narrates the methods adopted by some half-dozen indiscreet gentlemen to regain possession of some compromising letters which they had addressed to a lady, who contemplates bringing a breach of promise suit against one of her admirers. The caste included Mr. Frederick Kerr, Miss Annie Hughes, and Miss Compton. Mr. John Davidson’s play in four acts, entitled “The Crown,” founded on Francis Coppee’s “ Pour Ja Couronne,” was produced at the Scala Theatre on the evening of October 11th. Included in the caste were Mr. J. Forbes Robertson and Miss Gertrude Elliott. “The Perfect Lover,” Mr. Alfred Sutro’s new comedy, was produced at the Imperial Theatre on October 14th. The play deals with the temptation and subsequent penance of a journalist. He is offered £5,000 if he succeeds in getting his brother’s wife to induce a former lover of hers to sell his estate. This is his temptation, and he yields to it. The result and his penance are dealt with in the remainder of the play with much skill and wit. The caste includes Mr. Lewis Waller, Miss Evelyn Millard, and Mr. Frank Mills. +—<>—-2 PARIS NOTES. > “"T ’AVENIR de I’Intelligence,” by M. Charles 4. Maurras, is a book which seems to have been written at the right moment. The author compares the influence and position of literary men of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. ‘La situation morale,” he says, “du lettré frangais en 1905 n’est plus du tout ce qu’elle était en 1850... . Les hautes classes, de beaucoup moins fermées qu’elles ne étaient autrefois, beaucoup moins difficiles A tous les égards, ouvertes notamment & l’ayenturier et a Y enrichi se montrent froides envers la supériorité de l’esprit.”. M. Maurras shows the dangers for the future which must ivevitably result from the exaggerated worship of gold. The second part of the book is devoted to a study of Auguste Comte and to a series of brilliant but severe criticisms of a group of women novelists, including Madame de Regnier, the Comtesse de Noailles and Renée Vivien, and a study of woman’s influence and power illus- trated by the life of the celebrated Aimée de Coigny, surnamed “ Mademoiselle Monk.” THE AUTHOR. “Les Gaites de Année” is an amusing book by M. Georges Rocher. In the preface the author tells us: “ J’ai regardé la vie qui passait et, sans me fixer le but d’ enseigner ou d’amuser, j’ai noté simplement les mille riens qui ont deéfilé devant mes yeux curieux.” It is the diary of a man who sees the humour of things in every-day life. He begins with the month of January, and touches on the social and political events of the year, not forgetting to mention also his own domestic affairs, He takes all things philosophically, is frequently | ironical, but never bitter or sarcastic. At a time when conscription has been proposed for England it is interesting to read the volume recently published in French, entitled “Le 71¢ Trainglaux,” by M. de Beaurepaire-Froment. It is a study of military habits and customs. The motto of the book is Napoleon’s celebrated phrase, “ L’Idée a toujours vaincu le Sabre.” Throughout the whole volume—a book of nearly six hundred pages—the author’s object is to prove the demoralising influence of obligatory military service. In one of the last chapters, entitled ‘‘ Le Chancre Militaire,” we are told that the army “ déracine les paysans, leur fait adopter les mauvais cotés de lexistence des villes. . . . Quand ils retournent chez eux, ils y apportent et répandent la corruption morale et sensuelle, le mauvais esprit grotesque, mais dangereux et néfaste, de Yyhomme qui sait quelque peu et ne sait pas assez.” “Monsieur Marcel,” by Marie Thiéry, has obtained a prize in the literary competition organised by the journal La Presse. “La Vie nuancée” is the title of an exquisite volume of poems by Madame Goyau Felix-Faure. “Sur le tard,” a volume of short stories, by M. A. Barratin. One of the latest books published in the ‘ Bibliothéque Sociologique” is “La Physiologie Morale,” by G. Chatterton Hill. Among other recent books, “ L’impossible Sincerité,” by H. de Zuylen de Nyeveldt ; ‘‘Gloriette,” by M. Richard O’Monroy; “La Roche aux fées,” by M. Th. de Grave ; “La Belle et la Béte,” by Louis Ulbach ; “ La Conquérante,” by Georges Olnet ; “Combats,” by Paul Adam ; “Femme d’officier,” by Pierre Maél ; “ Schumann,” by M.M. Schneider and Mareschal; “ Willy and Colette,” by Jean de la Hire; “ Les Bateleurs,” by Count Paul d’Abbes ; “ La Seconde Faute,” by M. Henri d’Hennezel; “Le Courandier,” by M. Hugues Lapaire ; “'lheatre,” by Jean Rouxel, a volume containing three plays ; “ Peut-étre,” a novel by M. Albert Emile Sorel ; “ Le roman d’un vieux garcon,” by M. Jean Thiéry; “La Vie belge,” by Camille Lemonnier. Among the latest translations from the English are the following: “Le Crime de Lord Arthur  THE AUTHOR. 43 Savile,” by Oscar Wilde, translated by Albert Savine ; “De Profundis,” by Oscar Wilde: “ Le Mort vivant,” by Stevenson; “Les Visites d’ Elisabeth,” translated by Arnelle ; “ Enlevé,” by R. L. Stevenson, translated by Albert Savine ; « Podmes et Poésies,” by E. B. Browning, trans- lated by Albert Savine. This is a translation in prose of the works of our poetess. In a recent number of the Revue des Deux Mondes Th. Bentzon writes an excellent article on the works of several English novelists. The books selected are “No. 5, John Street,” “ The Yellow Van,” and “Penal Servitude,” and the author of this article shows what good service the writers of these volumes have done for sociology. In the Revue de Paris M. Le Dantec upholds the theory of the possibility of spontaneous generation. In the Grande Revue Gabriel Ferry writes an interesting article on “ Un projet de fortune de Balzac.” In the Revue générale des Sciences there is an article by Sir William Ramsay discussing the discoveries of John Butler Burke. In the ZLrmitage Arthur Symons writes on Aubrey Beardsley. M. Henry Bordeaux writes in Le Correspondant, of October 11th, an article on ‘‘ Le Roman auto- biographique,” and Mare Hélys an admirable study of “Le Féminisme suédois” (ses caracteres et son éyolution). At the Comédie Frangaise ‘‘ Don Quichotte,” by Jean Richepin, has been produced. It is a drama in verse in three parts and eight scenes. Among the new plays announced at the Odéon for the forthcoming season are: “L’Eleéve,” by M. Georges de Porto Riche ; “ Une Fantaisie,” by M.M. Albert Guinon and Bonchinet ; “ Au temps de Amour,” by M. Jules Case; “ Jeunesse,” by M. André Picard; and “Hors du Mariage,” by Mme. Daniel Lesueur. The Gymnase is to produce a play by M. Bern- stein, entitled “ Les Variétés.” “ Voila le bonheur, Mesdames !” by M. Francis de Croisset, is to be given at Les Variétés, and “La Courtisane,” by M. Arnyvelde, at the Comédie Francaise. ALys HALLARD. —————— A MODEL COPYRIGHT LAW. —$ 9 —— T the International Exhibition at Paris in 1900 a Copyright Congress was held, com- posed of many of the chief copyright authorities in Europe and the United States. After considerable labour the text of a model copy- right law was agreed to. Through the kindness of Mr. Thorvald Solberg, the Registrar of Copyrights of the United States, who made a translation of this law, we have much pleasure in printing this translation, without, how- ever, expressing any opinion on the merits of the scheme, as it stands, though the principle of uniformity is no doubt excellent. Anything in the shape of a law satisfactory to all nations will only be obtained at the millennium. RESOLUTIONS VOTED BY THE PARIS COPYRIGHT CoNnGRESS. Project for a Type Law of Copyright. Arricue I. The author of a work of the intelli- gence has the exclusive right to publish it, and to reproduce it by any process, in any form, or for any purpose whatever. All manifestations of thought, written or spoken, dramatic, musical, and chorographic productions, and all works of graphic and plastic art, indepen- dent of their merit, their use, or their purpose, are also likewise protected, as well as works which have appeared in newspapers and periodicals. Official acts of public authorities and judicial decisions can not become the object of a private right. Art. II. The exercise of the author’s right is not subordinated to the accomplishment of any con- ditions or formalities. Art. III. The exclusive right provided for by Article I continues during eighty years after the death of the author, for benefit of his heirs or assigns. Art. 1V. Theright in case of anonymous works has a duration of eighty years from the date ofthe first authorised publication of the work. It is exercised by the publisher so long as the actual author is not known. If the author makes himself known before the expiration of this period, the term of the protection continues during the life of the author and eighty years after his death. Works which appear under the name of an incorporated body are considered anonymous works. Art. V. Collaborators have equal rights in a joint work, unless there are stipulations to the contrary. The rights of the assigns of a deceased collaborator continue until the expiration of the term of eighty years after the death of the last surviving collaborator. In the absence of assigns of a collaborator his 44 share accrues to the other collaborators or their heirs. Art. VI. Whoever edits a posthumous work of which he has the right to dispose enjoys the right of reproduction during eighty years, to date from such first publication. Works are considered as posthumous which during the lifetime of the author have not received, with his consent, such normal publicity as comports with their character. Art. VII. All reproduction, integral or partial, made without the consent of the author or his assigns is illegal. The same is the case as regards translation, representation, and public performance. Reproductions are equally illegitimate which contain abridgments, additions, and alterations ; such as adaptations, transformations of dramatic works into novels, and of novels into plays; arrangements of music, reproductions by another art, and illustration of a work. The same is true of the reproductions of musical compositions by mechanical instruments. Art. VIII. An author once his book is published cannot prohibit an analysis of or short citations from his work, made for the purpose of criticism, discussion, or education, when the author’s name and the source of the citation is indicated. Discourses pronounced in official assemblies or in public réunions may be reproduced for the ' purpose of instruction or discussion. Art. IX. The right of reproduction is indepen- dent of the right of property in the material object (manuscript or original). The cession of the material object does not involve, by. itself, the cession of the right of reproduction and vice versa. The cession of the rights appertaining to the author (the right to publish, to represent; to perform, to translate, to illustrate, etc.) must always be restrictively construed. Art. X. The author of every work of the intelli- gence has the right to make known his authorship and to proceed in court against anyone who attributes to himself such authorship. The author who has ceded the right of repro- duction conserves the right to prosecute reprinters, to oversee the reproduction of his work, and to oppose all modifications made without his consent. The author who has ceded the material object constituting his work has the right to oppose all public exhibition of his production if it has been modified without his consent. Art. XI. After the death of the author, in default of a special representative designated by him, his heirs can compel respect of the rights provided for in Article X. Art. XII. No modification must be made in a THE AUTHOR. work, even by the heirs or assigns of the author, unless such changes are brought in an obvious way to the attention of the public. ArT. XIII. All interference with the rights of the author, as they are defined in the present proposed type law, constitutes cause for an action for damages, and if the infringement had been knowingly committed it constitutes cause for a penal action. Art. XIV. It is the same in the case of the usurpation of the name of the author or any fraudulent imitation of his signature or of any distinctive mark, monogram, or other sign adopted by him. Art. XY. The author or his assigns can require the representatives of the judicial authority to replevin the objects inferred to have been used in an infringement, all plates, molds, or matrices and other utensils which have served or are intended to be used specially in the making of the said infringing objects. In the case of a representation or performance the authors can proceed in the same manner to seize the total receipts. The publisher or manager of a performance must produce the previous consent in writing of the author or his assignee. The confiscation of the piratical articles, as well as of the plates, molds, or matrices, and the other utensils which have served or were destined to be used specially in the making of the said subjects, shall be for the benefit of the author or his assigns. In the case of illicit performance or representa- tion the receipts seized shall be allowed the complainant. Art. XVI. The law applies to all authors whatever their nationality, and in whatever place work has appeared for the first time. oo THE TRIUMPH OF “THE HALLS.” ——< O the October number of Zhe Author Mr. Harold Hardy contributed a most interesting and well-reasoned paper on the question whether stage-plays should be permitted or pro- hibited at music-halls. Like most writers who are not prejudiced by having interests or invest- ments in theatre-land, he is in fayour of free trade ; and he goes so far as to remark that from the conduct of the theatre proprietors it would appear as if they thought the Theatres Act of 1848 was intended to preserve the privileges of those who run theatres from the increasing competition  THER AUTHOR. of the music-halls. There is no doubt this is the attitude of all of them, and, perhaps, the belief of a few. Certainly it is not a love of abstract justice that induces them to act as common informers. Recently a rumour ran through the land that an American trust was in course of formation, having for its object the purchase of English provincial theatres. A well-known proprietor of one such property, on hearing the news, remarked, «“ Well, I hope they will bring their audiences with them, for they will find none here.” It is more than likely that such a syndicate would find the way made very smooth in the majority of cases when it desired to purchase theatres: the trouble would come when it entered into possession. Not very long ago provincial and surburban theatres were gold-mines. | Now it is not too much to say that their struggle for existence has become very arduous. On all sides one hears of the cutting down of salaries, of the reduction of staffs, of the most drastic retrenchments. Ask the manager of the touring companies that visit these theatres the cause of the bad business, and he will attribute it to the parsimony of the resident manager. Ask the latter the same question, and he will tell you he cannot get good companies with attractive pieces. There is something in this complaint. Tt may, in part, be traced to the high prices demanded for the provincial rights of popular plays. I know of a great London success by an established author that after touring for three months returned its manager as net profit the sum of thirty shillings! The real reason, however, is neither of those put forward ; it is that people do not go to the theatre as they did ! As in the provinces and suburbs, so in the West-end. The cry of the metropolitan managers is the same, and the cause is identical. A great popular success will draw all London. Mr. Bouchier claims that already over a quarter-of-a- million people have attended performances of Mr. Sutro’s play, “The Walls of Jericho.” But it is not easy to multiply instances. The average play now rarely produces a substantial profit. But people require amusement, and if they do not go to the theatres where do they go? The answer is not far to seek : they go to the music-halls. One thing alone shows this. The great majority of theatres close during the summer; without exception the halls remain open. The fact of the matter is that the music-hall has arrived, and it has come to stay. When the stage was scorned no words were severe enough with which to condemn the halls ; but now that the stage and the dramatic profession bask in the sunshine of popular favour, the halls are coming into their own. It must be admitted that the latter have been 45 vastly improved from every point of view. Take first the question of material comfort—and how important this is music-hall managers see very clearly. Smoking of course has always been per- mitted, and that is a great attraction to those business folk who cannot indulge in this habit during the day. Then, the newer halls are mag- nificent buildings, the seats are more comfortable, especially in the cheaper parts of the house ; and in many cases the buildings are cooler in summer and better heated in winter. The expense of going to a hall is much lower. An all-round average, outside London, is a fifty-per-cent. reduction. There is usually no charge for the cloak-room, and the cost of a programme is one penny. ‘These advantages attract many theatre-goers. In the vital matter of the entertainment the old order has changed and given place unto new. The lion comique is as extinct as the dodo or the premier danseur. The serio has gone who depended for her success on the double meaning of the words of her song. There is still in our midst one such, a very notable exception, but to her for her very great talents much may be pardoned. The order of the day is towards refinement. A great syndi- cate issues to every artist it employs a notice that for the halls it directs all vulgarity in word and business must be eliminated. When this printed form reached a friend of mine, a fastidious author who would rather go unsung to a pauper’s grave than write a vulgar line—he had written a sketch for “the halls”—he narrowly escaped apoplexy. “Well, of all the infernal impudence,” he began, and then words failed him. But there is no doubt the warning was required in many quarters, and it has done and will do good Mr. Oswold Stoll directs ‘this great syndicate, which controls some thirty halls in London and tbe provinces, and he has set himself the task of capturing theatrical audiences. ‘How well he has suc- ceeded most managers of theatres will admit with lugubrious mien. They might, however, content themselves by reflecting that, to a certain extent, he has achieved this purpose by enlisting the assistance of the theatres. He has secured the services of several well-known business managers and stage managers who “ in another place ” have studied what the public wants. Knowing this, it is their endeavour to give it something just a little better. So, slowly, it is true, but very surely, the tone of the entertainments at the best halls is being raised, and audiences who at first were resentful of the change have come to appreciate it. But it is not only his administrative staff that Mr. Stoll draws from the theatre. At his variety theatres he selects a large proportion of his artists from the “legitimate” stage. In one bill he pre- sents Mesdames Jessie Huddlestone, Mabel Love, 46 Queenie Leighton, and Mrs. Brown-Potter ; and Messrs. Lempriére Pringle, Edward Lewis, Courtice Pounds, Gilbert Hare, and Rutland Barrington. Five years ago what music-hall manager would have ventured to approach these artists? Five years ago what offer would have tempted any of these artists to desert even for a few weeks the “legitimate” stage? But Mr. Stoll is going still further, and is securing the dramatists also. Sketches by Mr. Charles Brookfield and Mr. Cecil Raleigh are the thin end of the wedge. Where these go, others are willing to follow. The newspapers as well as the public have realised the change that is taking place. Once they deemed “the halls” beneath their notice. Now their critics are regular attendants, and as time goes on the notices of new scenas and sketches become longer and more carefully critical. Even to-day with all these improvements “ the halls ” are still in an active state of evolution. What place they will eventually occupy in the world of amusement is dangerous to prophesy, but foolish to ignore. Lewis MELVILLE. Or AGENTS. a HE contracts which exist between publishers and authors, and agents and authors, are a constant theme for articles in this paper. In some of them it has been pointed out that although the author approaches the publisher as a business man, and therefore places him somewhat at arm’s length, taking a certain amount of care as to the settlement of the contract, yet he approaches an agent from an entirely different standpoint. The association between the author and the agent is much more close and intimate, for the author generally looks upon the agent as his confidential adviser. If this is so, and in many circumstances the agent should stand in this position, authors should be more careful of those to whom they entrust their work—the future arrangements and the terms of their contracts—than in the other case, and, vice versd, the agent, as he holds such a confidential position, should take care to be more open, and make a point of being more candid in every transaction and in every dealing which he carries through on behalf of the author. In the April (1904) number of this magazine, an exhaustive article was written on the subject of agents. Since that date other articles have been written dealing with different points arising out of the connection between the agent and the author. THE AUTHOR. There is one point, however, against which the author should guard himself most especially that is, the difference between agent and principal. It happens, not infrequently, that the agent writes to the author, “will you accept £ for your story?” In a case of this kind the author should make inquiries from whom the offer comes before he accepts, in order that he may know where the story will be published, and ascertain whether the offer is from the editor of a magazine ornewspaper. If, how- ever, the offer is made by the agent who desires to purchase the story as principal—a position an agent should avoid—then the agent should say in the first instance, “Are you willing to sell me, as principal, the story for £ - Stich a statement will make everything clear from the beginning and prevent the author from an hideous doubt which will arise subsequently. It has hap- pened, and it may happen again, that the agent is buying the story as principal at alow price when he has received a much more substantial offer from a magazine or newspaper, the author all the time labouring under the impression that he is acting as agent. Such a case is clearly fraudulent, and when discovered should be taken in hand with all possible severity. Even in a case where an agent has no prior offer, but desires to purchase as principal, omitting to mention the fact to the author, he would still be legally liable for the balance to the author who thought he was acting as his agent, supposing the story was subsequently sold fora larger amount. In any circumstances the position is unsatisfactory. It is impossible for the agent to purchase as principal without disclosing the fact to the author, and even when declared, the author should beware of dealing with any agent who varies his dealing as agent with that of purchaser. Another point should be mentioned. Agents very often act for editors of magazines and pub- lishers rather than for the author. Any contract in which an agent is in this position should be viewed with particular caution, and the agent should make the fullest discovery to the author, and should not consider his good faith in question when the author makes inquiries. Here again the position is unsatisfactory, and the author, should he discover that the agent is acting merely for the editor or publisher, should insist that he obtains his commission from his employer and not from the author. It has been necessary to insist on these two points again, as cases come before the secretary which show that these faults are still existing. Agents are useful, and in some cases indispensable to authors, but owing to the fact that they are placed in such confidential positions with authors, the latter should be more than ordinarily careful  THE AUTHOR. AT | \ with whom they are dealing, and of the contracts EDINBURGH REVIEW. ie i and business arrangements made on. their behalf, Early Christian and Byzantine Art and Archeology. ; An author should therefore in no circumstances The Novels of Miss Yonge. es oo and on no account deal with an agent who refuses, of The Study of Greek. i desired, to produce the original letters embodying the : iy offer of contract, and all details and information FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. which may assist in elucidating the position. The Problems of Heredity. By OC. W. Saleeby. Sir Thomas Brown and his Family. By H. C. Minchin, Christopher Marlowe II. By W. L. Courtney. —______+—@—e —____ A Plea for the Religious Drama. By B. W. Findon. French Life and the French Stage. By J. F. Macdonald. MR. GRANT RICHARDS’ BANKRUPTCY. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Tee English Ideas on Education. By A. H. Gilkes. . 7 Bunderstand that the Trustee and the Com- _ * The Religion of all Good Men.” By H. W. Garrod. mittee of Inspection in the bankruptcy Hope for British Drama. By Edward F. Spence. : of Mr. Grant Richards have now suc- te as tic oan, ceeded in selling the stock-in-trade, copyrights, and goodwill of the business. The purchaser is Sir Thomas Browne. By Daniel Johnstone Pageants. t |. Mr. Alexander Moring, of the De La More Press, who has, we are informed, transferred ‘The MonTH. i 3 World’s Classics,” ‘The Boys’ Classics,” and “ The Lourdes and Zola’s ‘‘ Lourdes.” By A. M. F. Cole. _ Parsons’ Handbook Series,” to Mr. Henry Frowde, Horace Walpole. By P. A. Sillard. of the Oxford University Press. Fata Aristotelis, 1210—1263. By C. Dessoulavy. A first dividend of about 2s. in the pound will ‘t probably be payable to the creditors this year. MONTHLY REVIEW. _ And early next year, when all amounts due to the 4 Tomb at Ravena (Guidarello Guidarelli). By Julia estate have been paid, a final dividend of perhaps Cartwright. another 5s. in the pound may be forthcoming. Natiowar: REVIEW, A Stronghold of Art. By A. C. Benson. A Century’s Praise of Nelson. By E. Hallam Moorhouse. ————__+—>—_+—___—_—__ NINETEENTH CENTURY. MAGAZINE CONTENTS. A Municipal Concert Hall for London. By Frederick Verney, L.C.C. ea The Study of History in Public Schools. By C. H. K. BLA ’s MAGAZINE. Marten. aoe Sir Walter Scott on his “ Gabions.” By the Hon. Mrs. My “History” Vindicated. By Andrew Lang. Maxwell Scott. A Viennese Court Episode. By the Baronesse Suzette de Zuylen de Nyevelt. \BOOKMAN. Queen Christina’s Miniature Painter. By Alex. Baird. Byron. By J. Wright Duff. The Dawn of English Yiction. PALL MALL MAGAZINE. The Johnson Club: A Literary Pilgrimage to Rochester. Book MONTHLY. By Sidney Lee. “Boz” and Others. By Percy FitzGerald. Is Literature Doomed? By Harold Spender, Wanted: A Novelist. By Clarence Rook. QUARTERLY REVIEW. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. Recent Literary Criticism in France. By Garnet Smith. Goethe’s Mother. By Mrs. G. M. Trevelyan. ity of Robert Louis : : Se eee The. Poetry and Criticism of Mr. Swinburne. Ruskin and Millais in Scojland. By W. W. Fenn, Sir Walter Scott and one of His Reviewers. By M.B.W. TEMPLE BAR. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Lord Bacon’s Married Life. By Edward Manson, The Blackwashing of Dant>, By Howard Candler. The Evangelical Churches and the Higher Criticism. (There are no articles dealing with Literary, Dramatic, By P. T. Forsyth, D,D. or Musical Subjects in the Cornhill.) 48 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ———— ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, 7f a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to : (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It isnow possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3,) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. ee WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. Sa EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the ‘Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. [tis well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager, THE AUTHOR. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (2.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (0.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (b.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that »erforming rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance, 7. Authors should remember tha; performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licznce to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative : that he rurs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himselfall the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember chat the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ~~ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —— + ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisha demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—perforning right and copyright. He should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. 1 HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. SS maf Ss VIERY member has a right toask for and to receive bol K 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. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. Se 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 26.8 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send ithe document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. Ses 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. This The 9. Some agents endeayour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 41s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. THE AUTHOR. 49 TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —*+—+ HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. + —_____ THE READING BRANCH. $9 EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. he term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. ———§_e——_2_____ NOTICES. —+—>—+—— HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. Se ea ee The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. —————__+——¢ LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. —_*—>—+ —- ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C. THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. —-— + — ROM time to time complaints come before the Secretary that publishers object to the inter- vention of literary agents, and are roused with a just indignation at the charges they make to authors. However justified these complaints may be in some cases, there is no doubt that the literary agent has come to stay, and that the publishers had better make the best of the altered situation. But the complaint against the charges of agents causes us to smile, as the guile of the angry publisher becomes evident. In many of their recent agreements publishers have been endeavouring to obtain the author’s minor rights, such as translation rights, Tauchnitz rights, serial rights, and even dramatic rights. One would naturally conclude, complaining as they do of the charges made by the agents, that when they undertake an agent’s duties in placing the author’s smaller rights, they would endeavour to do so at a lower percentage to the author. But what is the truth? Just the reverse. In nearly all contracts they claim fifty per cent. of the authors’ returns, and the lowest percentage in any publishers’ agreements that have come to this office, and we get at the lowest computation one a day, is twenty-five per cent., that is fifteen per cent. more than is charged by the literary agent. The reason then why publishers object to the agent is quite manifest. We have drawn the attention of authors to this point on previous occasions ; but we should like to add that, apart from the financial side of the question, it is the business of a literary agent to place these minor rights ; it is his duty to have an extensive knowledge of the different papers and their exact requirements, whereas it is not the business of the publisher to do more than publish the book that is given to him, limited either as to country or edition, or both. Even though he may be able with the translation rights to deal on an equal basis with the agent, this is certainly not the case with the Tauchnitz edition and serial rights ; and in the case of dramatic rights the publishers’ position is absurd. Authors therefore must be warned to delete a clause of this kind from the publisher’s agreement. Som months ago there was no small commotion in the papers owing to the fact that in-the autumn of the year Messrs. W. H. Smith & Son’s term contracts with the two great railway com- panies, the London and North-Western and the Great Western, would expire, and that all future arrangements would be submitted to the test of public auction. In some of the daily papers it was stated that Messrs. Harmsworth intended to make a bid for these contracts, but this again has been denied by the Daily Mail. No doubt maintenance of an author’s circulation depends a great deal on the satisfactory manage- ment of the bookstalls, and business incapacity at the bookstalls would mean considerable loss to the author. There have, it is true, been com- plaints against Messrs. W. H. Smith & Son for what has been erroneously termed their boycott of certain books, but if the question is considered from all sides, there is no doubt that this old firm, owing to its numerous branches and its adaptable methods, has been the best channel for book circulation which authors could possess. The mere fact that disputes and disagreements have been so few and far between would tend to support this theory. Many large publishing houses could not possibly keep numerous accounts all over the kingdom with numerous small booksellers of whose financial position they might be ignorant. Any such method of distribu- tion would increase indefinitely the publisher’s labour, clog the wheels, and affect at once the author’s sale. Again, Messrs. Smith & Son have bookstalls during the summer months in a great many places where it would not pay a local book- seller to start a shop. For the publishing trade to have one big firm whose financial position was undoubted, so long as that firm, like Messrs. Smith & Son, was always willing and ready to push their business through every possible corner along the railroads where their contracts existed, cannot but have been a benefit to all parties concerned. Ir is now stated that Messrs. Wyman & Sons have obtained the contract from the London and North-Western Railway, and from the Great Western Railway also. This change of proprietors — may mean a change in methods, and we await with some anxiety to see the result. It would appear from the papers also that Messrs. W. H. Smith & Son are to continue their library and will open shops in various towns of Great Britain. These facts, together with the arrival of the Times Book Club, ought to smooth the way for readers of all kinds of literature, and ought, therefore, to be of advantage to the author and to the public. It must frankly be confessed that some of the older libraries did want a change in their methods. With difficulty it was possible to obtain recent fiction, but any book at all out of the way or out of date was beyond their limited powers. There may be better days in store.  THE AUTHOR. 51 A CERTAIN -well-known novelist told the fol- ., #@ lowing story of a personal experience. He went ~ @# one summer to an out of the way spot abroad where he could obtain the necessary quiet to write a book. He was much annoyed during his stay 4 by an objectionable habit that is prevalent in :4@ Germany among those who indulge in the not ~@ uncommon vice of smoking (there is no need to particularise). In no unmeasured language he conveyed his impressions to his story. In due time the book appeared, and had a wide circulation. So wide, indeed, that its reputation crossed the Channel, and the author received an offer for a ~°@ translated version. As the contract was satisfac- “"@ tory, the book was produced in the German +o language, but what was the author’s astonishment ~@ when he found, on perusing the translation, that the objectionable habit which he had fastened on the Germans the translator had fastened on the @ English. Such is the liberty of those who deal “%@ with other people’s work. As the incident did @ not affect the main plot of the story he let the matter pass. A In the American Publishers’ Weekly the editor, -% commenting on the Copyright Conference, states )f neither the English nor the United States copy- _..9 right law compares very favourably with the more 4 enlightened codes adopted by France, Germany, /_ and Japan. We do not know anything of the Japanese law + except in outline, but we do know something of >. that of France and Germany. ‘The law of the ‘ last-mentioned country was printed in the July number of The Author. We leave those who are skilled in copyright to consider carefully the legis- 4 lative powers of the Fatherland and to judge the . 4 editor’s statement after perusal. 4e _ At a later date we hope to publish another » German law which bears very closely on the deal- _ Ings in literary property, the law of publishers’ - Contracts. _ This will be found even more interesting and } | amusing than the German law of copyright. Se eo SIR HENRY IRVING. enn dee cae ae 7% the earliest days of the society when it was the custom to elect a few honorary members, ’ Sir Henry Irving, with some others, was ' @lected to honorary membership. _ _ He is one of the last survivors of the list of distinguished gentlemen who joined under these , * ®onditions. For many years the custom has been “°° abolished, i Although his death has come a a shock to all those interested in the drama, and although his loss is bound to be felt, yet we cannot regret that he died in the full power of his work. After the expressions of sympathy which have appeared in the papers from so many distinguished writers and actors, we can add but little to increase as glory of his fame or the magnitude of his OSs. The works of Shakespeare were, indeed, the chief objects of his veneration, and he did more to bring prominently before the public the poetic and literary value of the works of our greatest dramatist than any living actor has done or is likely to do. He began his theatrical career in the Theatre Royal, Sunderland, and made his own place by his hard work, keen study, and appreciation of the duties of life. He reached, perhaps, his highest success as actor-manager of the Lyceum. The credit of the position which he lately occupied as father of the English stage was due to himself alone—his strong individuality, his tried character. ee gg ee THE LITERATURE OF AUSTRALIA. —_ USTRALIA has proved her claim to a dis- tinct literature of her own, but, except in poetry, the claim is comparatively recent. The present writer, looking back upon a period of something over thirty years, remembers when the literature of Australia was represented in fiction by Kingsley’s “ Geoffrey Hamlyn,” Marcus Clarke’s “His Natural Life,” Farjeon’s ‘‘ Grif,” and a few other novels not written by Australians at all. Even in poetry there were scarcely any native-born authors, and the more serious books, outside Dr. Lang’s writings about Australian origins and some other scientific works, were mainly reports of explorations, missionary tours, and Governmental administration. Now, Australian literature may be divided into two classes—the books written by genuine Austra- lians and the works of people who have lived in the country but are not of it. Under both head- ings exceptions must be made. In the first class, for example, Tasmania is justly proud of being Mrs. Humphry Ward’s birthplace, but there is not the faintest flavour of Australia -in Mrs. Ward’s writings ; while in the second class one would hesitate to include mere travellers’ descriptions of Australian life, even when the globe-trotters are such gifted authors as the late Mr. Froude, Anthony Trollope, and others, whose flying visits to the Colonies were made under agreeable social condi- tions not always conducive to impartial opinions.  52 Nor would one be quite justified in describing as Australian literature such works as those of Messrs. Gillen and Spencer, enormously valuable as these are to students of ethnology and anthropology ; of Mr. Carl Lumholtz, who spent over a year investi- gating the North Queensland flora and fauna and the habits of the blacks ; or of Mr. Andrew Lang, who has made a speciality of blacks’ folklore. In this connection should be mentioned a lady who may be regarded as a genuine Australian though not actually Australian born. Mrs. Langloh Parker, the author of “ Australian Legendary Tales” —to which Mr. Lang has written a preface—knows perhaps more than anyone living of the aboriginal traditions, for she has learned the language of certain tribes, and, sitting over their camp fires, has heard from them a number of totemistic legends, which she has made into two volumes of the most delightful fairy stories imaginable. And talking of the blacks’ traditions and of writers who have studied them on the spot, no sketch of Australian literature would be complete without the mention of Mr. Dawson, and also Mr. Archibald Meston, a younger writer, more particularly about Queensland, whose book about that colony is a mine of interest. Australia’s former backwardness in literature can be easily enough understood. The early settlers were too busy making the country to write about it, and those of the second generation who aspired to authorship were unfortunately imbued with the idea that nothing genuinely Australian could pos- sibly be interesting. So they aped English models without in reality knowing anything about English life, ignoring the fact that there was virgin gold in the shape of ‘‘copy”’ at their feet if they chose to scrape the soil for it. The old convict associations too made Australians rather ashamed of being Australian, though they have got over that non- sense long since. Consequently, young Australia of the ’sixties, if it wrote stories, copied Rhoda Broughton, Ouida, and Mrs. Oliphant, etc., tried to be English in all other respects possible, and ate roast beef and English plum pudding on Christmas Day with the thermometer at 100° Fahr. The result was apparent in its literature. Happily, now, though socially the system of imitation con- tinues more or less, an intellectual reaction has set in—all praise to those who started it—and Austra- lian literature of to-day is marked by a very definite note of originality. Speaking broadly, this is due to three causes— The Sydney Bulletin, Mr. Rolf Boldrewood—giving his pseudonym to the author of “ Robbery Under Arms”—and to Mr. Chamberlain’s policy of Imperialism. In the order of things, looked at from a distance, Mr. Rolf Boldrewood should come before The Sydney Bulletin, though chronologically The Sydney THE AUTHOR. Bulletin, under its most able editor, practically | started the new Australian school of literature But “ Robbery Under Arms” reached the British public before the clever writers educated in the school of Zhe Bulletin had in any noteworthy | instances made individual names. ‘ Rolf Boldre wood’s” novel was published in London, an appealed instantly, with the thrill of a fresh sensa- f tion, to a reading world beginning to weary o Jin-de-siécle morbidities, to quote the hack-phrase 0 the time. ‘“ Robbery Under Arms” gave jade novel readers a strong invigorating whiff of th gum trees and did for the Australian bushman[ something of what Bret Harte’s Californian tales | did for the American miner. The time of its appearance was fortuitous, for the English news- papers had lately given accounts of the career and capture of Ned Kelly, the bushranger, and “ Rolf Boldrewood ” told the story with a rough idealism and vivid presentment of conditions and atmosphere in the bush that made the book an immediate success. He wrote in the person and style of an Australian stockman, and—if a personal opinion be permitted—he has never written anything half so good as that first novel, about which, in the ’eighties, all London was talking. He showed people that real Australia was likely to prove a profitable field for fiction-writers, and not a few breezy Australian books followed in that one’s & wake. It is true that several Colonial writers have dealt with the romance of bushranging and fi: gold-escort robbery—for one, Katherine King, who turned the Griffin tragedy into a clever story, the more interesting because Griffin, her hero’s proto- type, was well known socially in the district where he lived. There were other bushranging stories too, and some very good ones, but nevertheless “Robbery Under Arms” marked an epoch in Australian fiction, because it was inspired by the Genius of the bush. And nothing can be more distinctive than that Genius of the bush. He is a fearsome, almost grotesque, monster, giving the impression of an antediluvian survival—a lonely and weird survival amid scenery unlike any other scenery on the face of the globe. It is just that wild, uncouth, monstrous suggestiveness which is so difficult to render for anyone who has not sucked it into his blood. Any reader of “Robbery Under Arms” who has been under the spell of the bush will smell the gum leaves and the wattle bloom ; he will see the grass trees rear their black spikes on stony ridges ; he will hear the demoniacal laugh of the kookooburra, the whirr of locusts, the “ poomp” of tree frogs, the shriek of cockatoos, the thud of unshod horses’ hoofs on solitary bush roads. He will know wha sort of life the free-selector lives; he will under- | stand the temptation of “nuggetting ” unbranded calves ; he will realise an outlaw who never meant to be a criminal; he will know what knocking down a cheque in “ out back shanties” means, and he will not need to be told why shepherds go mad. He will listen to the wild west wind howling down the gorges in winter and to the multitudinous roar of insects on hot summer nights. In short, he will live the rollicking, deadly monotonous, dramatic, “a erim, lonely life of the bush, and if he has once ‘| breathed its breath, he will now breathe it again. a The bush repels, sickens, fascinates. It is like (a the gum trees, lean, lank, hideous, stretching out “ skeleton arms that claw you whether you will or not. Once you have experienced its uncanny magic you will be haunted by it till you die. A literature which conveys that magic is a thing by itself, and > that is what Australian literature is only just 41@ beginning to be. The story of drought and desert, of rivers nara “coming down” in flood, of forest fires, is very tq different from the story of Sydney and Melbourne, - of Riverina squatting and civilised “ bush.” Tasma » -the late Madame le Couvreur—and Ada Cam- nid bridge have written delightfully of the gentler .0@ phases of Australian life. Ada Cambridge’s a “Marked Man ” has given us a picture of Sydney ig Harbour, the Domain, the grand North Head not 34 easily to be forgotten. Madame Leconvreur and Mrs. Cross—to say nothing of a number of writers less distinguished—have not, however, conveyed arg that uncouth, grim and altogether tragic spell of ie the bush which is a peculiarity of the modern vA, Australian school. This is what most of Zhe kw Bulletin writers who have come to the fore have : undoubtedly done; and in specifying that par- ide ticular newspaper as typically Australian it must ok not be supposed that there are not other equally + important Australian journals possessing the same iy qualities. But Ze Bulletin is mainly responsible i¢ for a whole crop of Australian authors racy of the soil on which they have grown. 4 The literature of a new country is predominantly ine imaginative. So the note of the land has been 24 struck chiefly in poetry and fiction and, as might hg have been expected in a school of journalistic origin, principally in the short story. Mr. Henry Lawson’s volumes of tales and sketches, ‘“ When the Billy Boils,” and “On the Track and over the Sliprails,” are absolute echoes of Australian life. Here again you sniff the aromatic odour of eucalyp- tus and the acrid smoke of burning bush ; you hear the drawl of the stockman and see the slouching gait of the “sundowner.” It is not so much life from the squatter’s point of view that Mr. Lawson describes as life from that of the drover, the “ rouseabout,” the shearer, the fossicker, the tramp who “ humps bluey” and grubs up stumps for his tucker. The squatter’s point of view is better given THE AUTHOR. 53 in such a book as Mr. Mcllvaine’s “ Dinkinbar,” wherein the awful loneliness and dependence upon Nature—often a monstrously cruel Nature—is described with terrible fidelity. If Mr. McIlvaine be not bush-born he has lived long enough in the bush to have absorbed its spirit. ‘ Dinkinbar ” deals with the eternal sex problem as it is some- times solved “ out-back ”—after a fashion that frequently leads to the kind of bush insanity technically termed “ becoming a hatter,” in which a white man forsakes his kind and lives alone or with the blacks. The hero of “Dinkinbar” is saved from this fate by the love of an English girl, but not before he has gone through a pretty rough time. ‘ Fate the Fiddler,” also by Mr. McIlvaine, is a burden of drought, mortgage, and of “the bank taking possession ”’—the tragedy of many an unsuccessful squatter, told realistically but with less of the peculiar and powerful fascination of * Dinkinbar.” “Out West”—in the words of an Australian popular song, “‘ Where the Pelican Builds Her Nest ”—would appear to be an inspiring atmosphere to the present school of Australian writers. Most of the volumes of short stories lately brought out have their scenes laid in the Never-Never region. Among them is a book that has scarcely received the praise it deserves—“ A Bush Honeymoon and Other Stories,” published a short time back by Mr. Fisher Unwin. Its author, Mrs. Palmer Archer, is also racy of the soil, but her outlook is a fairly cheerful one. She has humour as well as the sad- ness characteristic of modern Australian writers. Nowhere is the cry of rebellious pessimism more marked than in a crude striking little life-story told in the first person by a writer styling herself —for the work is evidently a woman’s—Miles Franklin. “My Brilliant Career” is essentially Australian, and gives promise of future powerful work. In speaking of present story-writers—too many to be enumerated—Barbara Baynton should be mentioned, and certainly Mary Gaunt cannot be passed over, nor Louise Mack. So far, Australian political life has not furnished much material to the novelist, and that is a pity, for it abounds in dramatic incident and character studies. The building of the Commonwealth and the true inwardness of the Labour Party would make sprightly reading. Up to now, Antipodean politics have been dealt with mainly by the serious writer. A number of books touching on economic and political aspects are for the most part anticipa- tions or results of Mr. Chamberlain’s declared policy of Imperialism. And thus this eminent statesman becomes a factor in Australian litera- ture, though his influence has been more or less indirect. Imperialism has done more than anything else to make Australian literature original. It has  54 emphasised the importance of Australia, and morally and intellectually, as well as politically, has given the Australians wholesome encourage- ment to be themselves, and not distorted reflections of Old World conventions. At last Australian writers have come to believe that it pays best, in all senses, to be genuinely Australian. This applies to imaginative literature, not to the graver sort, for though it is true of Australia as of other countries that the men who write the songs of their nation are they who make its history, the Commonwealth is too new for its historians to be real Australians. Mr. Henniker Heaton is a man of action rather than of letters, nevertheless his writings and compilations have done much towards popularising Australia. Sir C. Gavan Duffy belongs to the anticipatory period, and his Australian imperialism only points an example for Trishhomerule. The late Arthur Patchett Martin’s ‘Australia and the Empire” is a most able survey of things Australian, and though English-born, Mr. Martin knew Australia intimately from the literary standpoint, and was a graduate in the Australian journalistic school. The Hon. Harold Finch-Hatton’s “ Advance Australia”’ is valuable as the fruit of strenuous years in Queensland. - And here, mention should be made of a very charming personal record of the settlement of Port Darwin by a daughter of the first administrator. Mrs. Dominic Daly’s “Digging, Squatting and Pioneering Life,” dates a good way back, but is fresh and vivid still. Turning to the Australian song-writers and poets, this, the most important branch of Australian literature, has been left to the last on the principle there remains very little to be said about it which has not been already fully said. Mr. Douglas Sladen, also a writer of Australian verse, has devoted much attention to the subject and gives much detailed criticism of the poets of Australia in the preface to his collection of Australian poems, and there is an admirable chapter on Australian poets in Mr. Percy Rowland’s book “The New Nation.” No words are needed to-day concerning Adam Lindsay Gordon, Kendall, Brunton Stephens —none of them Australian-born—concerning O. H. Harpur, Alfred Domett, Boake, Ogilvie, Victor Daley, “ Australie” and “ Austral ’—both Aus- tralian girls—or the two best known and most recent of Queensland poets—products too of The Bulletin school—R. L. Paterson and Henry Law- son, either of whom might be termed the Australian Kipling. R. M. PRazp. i ee THE AUTHOR. ON STYLE. — OST of the books and essays which have been written upon style do not seem to me to go deep enough. They are as if a writer on forestry told you how to trim the terminal leaf- lets of trees but said nothing about their roots, their growth and habit, or the soil of whose virtues they are in a sense the concrete and visible ex- pression. Exactly in so far as you think of style as a separate consideration, the literary common- place that a writer must be judged finally by his style becomes untrue. It is like the lying proverb that beauty is only skin deep. A beautiful woman is beautiful to her bones, and the style of a writer depends ultimately upon his digestion. “ Style is the man”’—yes, but the whole man; and if to his expression do not go all that he has ever lived and suffered and enjoyed—his appetites, his aspirations, his vices, even—exactly in so much and not from lack of colour, or vigour, or pic- turesqueness, or any other “literary ” quality, will his writing be imperfect. Style is a temperature- chart, a pulse-tracing of the individual mind, and “mind is as deep as the viscera.” There is a wonderful piece of criticism in Maxim Gorky’s “‘ Foma Gordyéeff :” “And the judgment of the Lord upon them will be according to their strength. Their bodies will be weighed and the angels will measure their blood .... and the angels of God will see to it that their sin shall not exceed in weight the weight of their blood and their body—do you understand? The Lord will not condemn a wolf if it devours a sheep—but if a miserable little rat is guilty of killing a sheep—He will condemn the rat !” This is not more profoundly true of morals than it is of literature. You cannot judge a man’s style by any abstract standard; its quality de- pends entirely upon the precision with which he has expressed—I had nearly written his meaning, but that is not definite enough—himself. And precision includes all other literary virtues. There can be no properties of style that are not funda- mental to the writer, and if he expresses himself with precision he expresses whatever of light or colour, or vigour, or picturesqueness, or subtlety is in his nature. This sounds like a commonplace, but it is a commonplace that is very imperfectly apprehended. How often, for example, is it said “so and so writes a good style but he has nothing to say.” That is impossible. A man cannot utter a platitude “ stylishly,” because the moment you say “style” you imply something personal which at once, be it ever so little, redeems the matter from commonplace. Again, it is said that so and so’s style is careful and precise but wanting in colour and richness. I believe that it is impossible for a style to be both meagre and precise. A tomato  THE AUTHOR. 55 is redder and'brighter than a turnip, but you would not say that a turnip was more precisely a turnip for simulating the redness and brightness of a tomato. Nor is it a poorer turnip for lack of those qualities. It is in so far as it exhibits the essen- tial properties of a turnip that it is a good turnip, and it is in so far as a man’s writing expresses the personal qualities of that particular man that he is a good writer. There are meagre styles, it is true, but then their precision is only apparent as his morality is only apparent who practises merely the negative virtues. A style which expresses more or less than a man’s personality must be bad; it is either affected or inadequate. This is the real quarrel with “ preciosity,” with the vices of those writers held up as eminently “ stylists.” It is not that they use fantastic or out of the way words, or sequences of words, but that they use words and phrases which do not belong to them nor sincerely express the movements of their mind. Their finery distracts the mind of the reader from the nervelessness of the expression as the bits of tinsel stuck on a stage dragon distract the eye from the inferiority of the modelling. Strip them off and you find a dull, dead shape underneath. The truth is you cannot separate style from matter. If you say that the style is good you already imply that the matter is good because, style admitted, it is necessarily one man’s personal and_ precise expression in words of the thought that is in him. Which, I think, is the final answer to the vexed question : What constitutes literature? That is to say, the old commonplace that a work of art must be judged finally by its style remains true, but only in a deeper sense than is generally accepted. A good deal of the confusion about style in literature is due to regarding it as concerned chiefly with form and colour. It is concerned with form and colour of course, but primarily with movement. Perhaps it would be juster to say— with form and colour as affecting movement. A great living landscape painter gave me the definition. “Painting deals with relations; literature with progressions.” That is true and, by the way, at once exposes the vicious principle underlying “ word-painting””—the verbal descrip- tion of objects in their relations of tone, and form, and colour only. Not rhythm alone, but all the other technical expedients of the art of writing, assonance, alliteration, even rhyme, are only tolerable in so far as they are concerned ultimately with movement.. The matter is too important and too complicated to be considered here, but I should not be surprised if the fundamental difference between verse and poetry turned out to be purely technical after all. It is quite obvious that the distinction does not rest upon abstract superiority of the thought and emotion in poetry. In reading verse—I am not now speaking’ of jingle or doggrel but of good verse, and taking for granted a distinction of ideas and emotion—one feels that the writer’s use of accent, assonance, alliteration and rhyme is governed by considerations of form and colour only ; the effects are static, relative : while in poetry they are dynamic, progresswe ; like the “kissing” of billiard balls they impress the ear but chiefly to mark a deflection of energy. Herbert Spencer wrote an “ Essay on Style.” “As I have not the volume containing it at hand, I am compelled to quite casual references from the Autobiography. ‘Few would expect to find such a subject as style dealt with on physical principles. The first of the two theses (of the Essay) set forth and variously illustrated, was that nervous energy is used up in the interpretation of every one of the symbols by which an idea is conveyed ; and that there is greater or less expenditure of such energy according to the number of the symbols, their character and their order: the corollary being that in proportion as there is less energy absorbed in interpreting the symbols, there is more left for representing the idea, and, con- sequently greater vividness of the idea. Otherwise stated, this thesis was that the most successful form of sentence is one which guides the thought of the hearer or reader along the line of least resistance.” Now, of style in relation to the reader this is admirably stated, but what Herbert Spencer does not seem to have recognised is that it is yet more true of style in relation to the writer. If he had said “ the most successful form of sentence is one which guides the thought of the writer along the line of least resistance ” he would have stated the whole problem of style. But for a!l his clear per- ceptions and in spite of his own dictum that “mind is as deep as the viscera” he seems to have been obsessed by the notion of an abstract stan- dard of style. At the end of his Autobiography we find him regretting the supposed defects of his own style in these words. “Though my style is lucid, it has, as compared with some styles, a monotony that displeases me. There is a lack of variety in its verbal forms,and in its larger com- ponents, and there is a lack of vigour in its phrases.” The truth of the matter is, Herbert Spencer was regretting something more than a method of writing, and his regret was idle: he was regretting that he was not some other man. His style was monotonous because, in spite of the variety of his interests, his mind was monotonous ; it was want- ing in vigour because—I seem presumptuous, but there is the whole Autobiography to support me— he did not think or feel vigorously. He implied so much in a single sentence when he complained of Carlyle “ He thought in a passion.” Well, it is not a bad thing for a writer to think in a passion, but it must be a still, white rage. There is all the difference in the world between passion and  56 hysteria. It is only when you think in a passion that your expression becomes fused with your thought ; that you discover the line of least resistance. But if Spencer’s style had been more varied and more vigorous it would have been a bad style—for him. You cannot acquire vigour and variety any more than you can acquire red hair when your own is black—though you can dye it red. Style is neither clothes nor armour ; it is bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh. Is it not possible then for a man to improve his style? Certainly it is, but not by thinking about style in the abstract. Style can only be improved in relation to the thought and the emotion—an improved relation to the matter and consequently to the reader follows inevitably as a matter of course. In proportion as you think more clearly and feel more keenly your expression will become lither and more concentrated, unincumbered with any dead matter. Every word becomes alive ; it is all structural and all decorative. You cannot have the two purposes separately considered or the one added as an afterthought. Unless the decoration is inherent in the structure your writing is bad. You improve your style by purgation, emesis, by the sacrifice of whatever hinders the free and precise expression of your personal emotion. It is a process not of acquisition but of elimination ; it is, if you like, an exposure of differences. You grow liker yourself. Smith writes like Jones because the expression of either is hampered by a plethora of ready-made phrases common to everybody and proper to none. I should like to put many of our writers through Banting ; they suffer from fatty degeneration of language. It is not so much that they use too many words as that they stumble along under an adipose layer of words and phrases that hinder and obscure their authentic movements. Hlabo- rate theories to account for the difference between the styles of admittedly good writers— say Sir Thomas Browne and Mr. J. M. Barrie—are idle as the wind. The matter is quite simple. Sir Thomas Browne wrote like Sir Thomas Browne, and Mr. J. M. Barrie writes like Mr. J. M. Barrie. Style does not begin with a nice hesitation over the choice of epithets, but is determined by the fundamental character of the individual organisa- tion, by “the weight of blood.” There is no technique of writing, or rather, it is all technique and begins with the child’s first cry. If we could keep all our lives the limpid sincerity of childhood we should all be masters of style. The best writers are those that have preserved, or with pains recovered, the child’s purity of expression. Style, in whatever medium, is a matter of physics. All art, indeed, is but the record of a gesture; how THE AUTHOR. that particular man moved; it is literally the record of his emotions. The object of all training, whether physical, moral or mental, is not the acquisition of abstract “ qualities,” however desir- able in themselves ; it is nothing more than this ; to discover the line of least resistance between your powers and their expression whether in words or paint, the movement of the limbs or the equilibrium of the soul. “ Progress in style,’ wrote Herbert Spencer, “must produce heterogeneity in our modes of expression.” Exactly, because progress in style means the discovery under our superficial likeness to other men of that inimitable ego which resides in every one of us. It is therefore necessary for every writer to cultivate a wise egoism ; to pay no attention to what is said about “ good” or “ bad” styles. His own style is the best possible for him. He need not be afraid that he will come by it too easily, for, though there can be no properties of style that are not implicit in the writer, they are not, as a rule, immediately apparent. Every man’s nature is like a mine, and it is the whole business of life to discover and work out his original vein. Every living creature has something personal to say, and every living creature somehow and at some time contrives to say it—though not neces- sarily in words. One creature delivers his message by wearing the colours of the dawn, another in the ecstasy of flight ; this man with the sword, that other in prayer and good works ; but upon each, whether in life or art, the final judgment will be ‘“< How nearly has he been himself ? ” CHARLES MARRIOTT. Oe THE MAN WHO WOULD WRITE. Y friend, Edward Blakenshaw, is a stock and share broker. Each man to his craft; I will confess that I am wholly unin- structed in the business of stock and share broking. Unfortunately, Blakenshaw imagines that he knows quite enough about the calling of letters to make his appearance at Mudie’s a mere matter of sitting down after dinner, and “ reeling off” two thousand words or so of fiction. And there are many persons like my friend Blakenshaw. : The other day, Blakenshaw wrote that, as times — were dull, and leisure hung upon his hands, he ~ had resolved to give the world a novel. got the idea (sic) after reading ‘ , by 0. e wrote my aspirant. ‘Do you know the book? If © such pifile as that gets published, surely there is a chance for me. I have never read such trash — before.” “J first fp  THER AUTHOR. 57 I withhold the title of the novel and the author’s name, for reasons which will be manifest. I have read the “piffle,? with a species of envious admiration for the writer’s delicate and delightful style, and I must own that Blakenshaw’s fatuous estimate of a work of art almost moved me to deliver myself in very plain language. But what good? I am not angry with my grocer’s boy because he sings “ Bill Bailey ” instead of Gounod. To explain to Blakenshaw why the critics and a large number of cultivated readers acknowledge a high literary ability in H would be really quite impossible. The point is that my engaging amateur thinks he can achieve in a few months all that the laborious author of the “piffle” and “trash” has achieved after many years of stern effort. Nay more, Edward Blakenshaw has not the tinge of a doubt that the aptitude inheres in him. A little sacrifice of the leisure due to slack times is all that Blakenshaw needs to win a recognition equal to that of the gifted and experienced H——. Men of science term it egomania. Continuing in a light and casual fashion, my correspondent advised me that the tale was finished. “ What I would ask you to do is to recommend a likely publisher,” wrote Blakenshaw, “and to tell me how much I ought to ask for the work.” Businesslike Blakenshaw! Heat least has decided that “art for art’s sake” is a stupid shibboleth of the piffle-emongers. Cash down is goal and gnerdon of my friend’s ambitious excursion into the region of art. He wants to know of a “likely publisher.” Blessed phrase—how well we are accustomed to the sound of it! Atthe present moment I know personally four writers, two of them men of genius, who would like to meet the publisher with the acumen to discern a “ commercial success ” for their solid, serious works in fiction. What possible service can I render the Blakenshaws in recom- mending a publishing house? Publishers, like stock and share brokers, follow their business as a means of subsistence. Many of them deal out “piffle” and the poorest sort of “trash,” simply because the intelligent subscribers to the libraries demand such commodities. It is well, however, to discriminate between saleable and unsaleable piffle. A publisher may possess a true literary sense, and desire to sell only good literature. But his business is not conducted in the interest of high art, nor from motives of philanthropy. He must sell what his customers want, and not ‘caviare to the general ” if he wishes to succeed. Hence the majority of publishers are compelled to issue a number of saleable, popular books, more or less worthless from a literary standpoint. Now, Blakenshaw thinks that it is easy to pro- duce one of these trifling and inept stories. He is mistaken. An innate capacity for weaving plots, a facility in expression, and shrewdness in esti- mating the variable taste of the public are essentials in this trade of fiction-making. A genius may find himself hopelessly impotent to produce saleable tales, even though positive necessity urges him to make a bid for popularity by the sacrifice of his artistic ideals. The specific aptitude requisite for the invention of saleable piffle is a “gift.” Blakenshaw is not a genius, nor does he possess this specific aptitude. He is typical of that great order of amateurs who mistake will for ability. Never in my wildest dreams of ambition have I supposed that I could become a successful stock and share broker. The starling cannot soar with the eagle. Yet my estimable Blakenshaw imagines that he can suddenly project himself from ’Change to the realms of fancy, and outvie H—— in a first flight of the imagination. I was puzzled as to my course with Blakenshaw. Having read one of his “effusions,” some years ago, I was tolerably convinced that he is tempera- mentally incapable of viewing human nature with the keen and comprehensive vision of the writer of fiction. I knew that he would ask me to read a not too legible manuscript, relating to second- hand copies of humanity, drawn from the inferior novels in which he finds his recreation. I was assured that the “ copy ” would abound in solecisms of syntax and errors in grammar, and that the trail of the novice would be over it all. And yet I could not find it in my heart to assume a depre- ciative tone in replying to Blakenshaw’s letter. There is something exquisitely pathetic in all aspiring disability. Therefore, I wrote that I would meet my friend in the City, and tender him such advice as he might choose to accept. We met at arestaurant. Blakenshaw was charm- ingly sanguine. I brought him immediately face to face with the hard facts of publishing, by asking him how many words there were in his story. He seemed astonished at my question. If it was a matter of “ quantity,” of course he was prepared to make the tale as long as I liked. I informed him that a novel must be from 75,000 to 100,000 words in length. Blakenshaw “ thought ” that his story would be about 18,000 words. “That is the length of a rather short novelette,”” T said. “Oh, this isn’t that sort of stuff,’ interrupted the author. «Tg it sentimental, sensational, serious, adven- turous, or what ?” I inquired. “Well,” said Blakenshaw, “ it’s a bit of all that. The style isa sort of mixture of Cutliffe Hyne, and Ouida.” “ Good |” 58 “ Now, how much do you think the story would sell for ?”” asked Blakenshaw. ‘“‘Tmpossible to say. Perhaps a guinea per 1,000 words.” “Ts that all?” Poor Blakenshaw! I had to doit. A dread of candour is one of my traits; but I realised that the case demanded a measure of plain-speaking, With gentle diffidence, I told him that he had chosen the very slowest means of raising cash. [ spoke of grim disappointments, and of the difficulties of the author’s calling. *“ But how is it somany bad novelsare published ?” inquired Blakenshaw. I explained the commission system of publishing, and the difference between saleable and unsaleable “ piffle.’ To the mind of my ingenuous friend, the situation appeared paradoxical and bewildering. “Tt seems to me,” he remarked, ‘‘ that the thing to do is to write a lot of rotten stuff, and then you'll get it accepted.. What about sending my tale to one of these literary agents ?” “ You can try,” I said, in sheer despair. “What do they charge you ?” “Ten per cent on net results of sales.” “T don’t see much advantage in that.” “Perhaps you had better send your manuscript around yourself,” I said. I knew that Blakenshaw was sure to request me to read and report upon the manuscript. My refusal was prompt, and a little brutal. I explained that I read very few novels; that my view was prejudiced ; that I did not wish to incur a possible charge of undue critical severity, and that my opinion was probably quite valueless. When I rose, Blakenshaw seemed somewhat vexed with me. He walked by my side down the street, saying that perhaps he would change his mind, and “ get the story published in one of the good magazines.” I wished my friend good fortune, and said goodbye. On the top of the omnibus I had to decide whether [ was amused or annoyed by this inter- view. It seemed to me that Edward Blakenshaw would consider it as colossal folly on my part if I suddenly announced that I intended to raise money by turning stock and share broker on off-days, when things are slack in the writing profession. Why should the Blakenshaws be allowed to delude themselves that there is an easy side-door leading into our profession, and that any man, who has leisure and a quire of foolscap, can command a share of our limited pecuniary awards? How strange it is that megalomania so frequently dupes the most unimaginative of brains with the inspira- tion to write fiction and even poetry ! WALTER M. GALLICHAN. Notr.—Since writing the above I have read Blakenshaw’s manuscript. It is crude and THE AUTHOR. impossible. My friend writes that he is of the opinion “ that there is nothing to be made out of literature.” Oe SOME MODERN METHODS OF ILLUSTRATION. —+—>— + —_ (Reprinted from the Vew York Bookman by kind permission of the Editor.) O no one class of art workers has the camera brought wider or more practical results than to the men and women who draw for illustration. It has emancipated them completely from any hard and fast rules regarding technical methods, and enabled them to do their work in any way and in any medium that seems best adapted to the particular work in hand. We all profit by this freedom of choice, for we get the work of many artists in our magazines and books who but for the camera would be known only to the comparatively few who attend the exhibits of so-called easel pictures. Illustration in America has not been taken very seriously until within com- paratively recent years. To many artists it was, and is yet no doubt, but the handmaid of what they consider real art—the painting of pictures. Many artists in the past never had the patience or the skill to learn to draw in reverse and in the minute sizes formerly required for putting work on the wood-block. It was certainly a laborious and tiresome task at best, and the wonder is that so much of the illustration of the old days was so good. By the use of the camera all this drudgery vanished at once. The artist made his picture large or small, the lens brought it to the required size and preserved the exact drawing of the original. The wood-engraver has been a great power for good in the development of all illustrative art, and his work at its best is interpretative and — sympathetic in a very high degree. It is a matter of pride that in America wood-engraving has achieved its most remarkable results and been most fully recognised as an art of surprising capacity and rare beauty of expression. Artists — used to find fault with the engravers on wood, © often with much justice, for not retaining the exact — drawing of the original, but wood-engraving is © admittedly primarily interpretative and not in the strict sense reproductive, though the accomplished — wood-engraver gives with really wonderful dexterity — the delicate tones and values of many originals. — To-day wood engraving is a fast vanishing art, — but it will never cease to be appreciated as one of © the most beautiful and worthy of all the graphic  tH BIG 8 (brat ila 7 various “= mediums between the drawing and the plate have @ made it possible to reproduce drawings made in atts. From its earliest manifestations it has always been an art for the people, and to it we + owe undoubtedly the invention of movable type, with which it has ever since been so closely asso- ciated. It was the camera that gave the modern wood- engraver his greatest opportunity and at the same time laid the foundation for his undoing. With the invention of the half-tone screen used between the lens and the object to be photographed, it became possible by mechanical means to make engravings on metal that could be electrotyped and printed in relief in conjunction with type. Further improvements in the sensitising of the photographic plates used and the interposition of coloured glasses or coloured liquid fall colour with a very close preservation of their values. The half-tone process is a familiar and beautiful method of reproducing illustrations to-day, and a very large part of the pictures in our magazines and books are printed from half-tone plates. The principle upon which it is based is that to print in relief from a metal plate the surface must be broken up into minute points or dots in order to offer a suitable surface for taking the ink. Draw- ings, as has been said, may be in black and white or tint or in the full colour of a carefully wrought painting. The half-tone screen upon which the entire process depends is made by putting together two plates of glass upon which lines have been ruled at carefully calculated intervals in such a | way as to produce at the line intersections a series of minute dots. Some of these screens have as many as three hundred of these lines to the square inch. Upon their number and the shape of the diaphragm used in the lens in combination with the screen depends the texture of the resulting plate. In transferring the negative to the highly polished and suitably sensitised copper plate, it is reversed, either by stripping it from its glass support and transferring it to another, or by the use of a prism in the taking. Put in contact with the copper, it is exposed to light. Those parts of the picture which have been protected by the dark parts of the negative, corresponding to the lights of the original picture, may be washed away, the other parts in varying degree. The image on the copper plate is dried and held over heat to burn it in and made ready for the etching bath, Lights and darks, it will be apparent, are dependent upon the varying intensities of these in the original. The etching process requires trained judgment in order to know just how far to carry it and a careful study of the original drawing. This pro- cess derives its name “half-tone” from the fact THE AUTHOR. 59 that no pure whites are obtainable on account of the interposition of the screen. The whites are all modified into delicate greys. The effect, in fact, is like looking at the picture through a transparent gauze curtain. Whites and stronger blacks may be obtained by subsequent re-engraving by hand and by burnishing. — The half-tone is especially used to reproduce drawings in which there are gradations of tint either in flat washes or in colour. The very small cost of the plates as compared with wood-engraving, their mechanical accuracy and great value ag a time-saver have made them universally popular. In the old days a full-page wood-engraving might easily cost any- where from $75 to $250, and take three or four weeks to do. Half-tones of a very fine quality can be had at from $9 to $12 a page, and in an after- noon, if necessary. Any one can readily determine whether an illustration is a half-tone or not by looking at it through a magnifying glass—the screen, or “mesh,” is very apparent. A much simpler process is used when the draw- ing is in line or stipple, like one of Gibson’s cartoons, for instance. No screen is necessary, and the metal used instead of copper is a zinc plate. The rest of the process is much the same. Line plates are very inexpensive—a full page need cost only about $2.50, and can be made in a few hours. We are indebted to the camera and the half-tone for the constantly increasing use of coloured pictures in books and magazines, some of which are done with a great deal of taste and a very fair approach to the original subject. The Japanese have made wonderful colour prints for ages by the use of numerous wood blocks, and in France and America, especially, some very beautiful pictures in coloured tints have been printed in this way. Here again, however, the matter of expense has been practically prohibitive, and the mechanical difficulties are considerable. By use of the half- tone in conjunction with the so-called three- colour process the reproduction of coloured pictures has been made possible at a comparatively small expense. As is perhaps well known to many, the three-colour process is based upon the theory that all the colours of the chromatic scale are supposed to be derived from various combinations of the three primaries—blue, yellow and red. ‘Three negatives are made in exact register from the original painting, one for the yellow, one for the red, another for the blue, and these made into half-tone plates are printed in succession, the one over the other. The limitations of this process lie in the difficulty of choosing just the right yellow, red and blue that in combination will reproduce the original in all its parts. Thus far there has always been something to be desired, 60 especially when the process is employed in the reproduction of paintings involving delicate tones of grey. Many times the addition of another plate printed in grey or black will soften and blend the effect of the three primaries in a satisfactory way. Very successful colour reproductions are made by the use of four or five half-tones printed in delicate tints and over all a strong impression in black. In each plate some part may be left blank or made to print very faintly when not intended to take its particular colour all over. This method of colour printing in two or three tints is often intended only as a colour interpretation without any pretence of being a reproduction. All of this colour work depends for its success upon an expert knowledge of colour blending. The use of several plates is much like the work of the painter, who lays in his ground and then builds up the colours in succession to the degrees required. One of the most beautiful of all the reproductive processes is known as photogravure. Here the engraving, instead of being in relief, is incised or in intaglio, just the opposite of the half-tone, and the impression is made by pressing the dampened paper into the lines on the metal plate. No screen is used in making the negative, but a grain is obtained by sprinkling the copper plate with pow- dered rosin and melting it on. This makes a ground for the subsequent etching. The photo- graphic image printed on the copper plate in this instance is from a positive. There is a velvety softness and richness of light and shade, an effect of delicacy and refinement in this process that is very suggestive of the lovely textures of the old mezzotints. Photogravure, however, is not suitable for use in large editions, for the prints can only be made on a hand press, and the plates are too delicate in character to with- stand any very large number of impressions. The cost, too, is very considerable, and the process is chiefly employed in the reproduction of paintings and in the illustration of limited editions. Lithography, or printing from stone, is con- siderably used in the making of coloured covers and posters, but it involves so many different colours to obtain fair results and so much more presswork than the half-tone process that it is becoming less and less common, except in the more ordinary purely commercial work. For many years we looked to France for the best colour printing, but since our great magazines have admitted colour to their pages we have learned to do the best work of this kind in the world. There is apparently an increasing demand for colour upon the part of the public, and many illustrators who used to work only in black and THE AUTHOR. white now do their drawings in both oils and water colours, either upon the assurance of their reproduction in colour or in the hope that possibly they may make a sufficient appeal to the art editor to warrant their reproduction as they are drawn. Magazine and book-making is certainly a very much more complicated problem than in the old days. The tradition that once permitted only black and white illustrations to be printed in con- junction with type has long since given way to the ever-increasing demand for novelty. In a single number of a magazine in these days we may have examples of nearly all the current methods of colour printing—in three colours from half-tones, in line with a patch of red or blue here and there, in five or six varying tints superimposed, in simple biack upon a flat, yellow tint block. It is needless to say that all this adds very considerably to the cost of production and demands preparation for particular colour effects months in advance. When it comes to five or six printings instead of one for the large editions of to-day, time is a very essential factor. All that is needed now is some simplification of the photographic process for reproducing colour ; present methods are complicated and far from completely satisfactory. Illustration in any modern sense really began with the modest cutting of drawings on boards of apple or pear wood with the aid of a common knife, and at first it was employed chiefly as a means of conveying religious instruction to the illiterate common people. With the advent of Diirer it soon became a really great art, and Holbein carried it to a still higher plane. When Bewick in England conceived the idea of the “white line” and invented the modern tools of the wood-engraver the way was opened for a freer handling in general. Many of the great names in all art have been more or less identified with illustration, and in no country in the world can there be found so large a group of competent workers in this field as in America. We publish the best magazines, and it is only natural that we should have through them called forth the best talent in their illustration. The modern art editor, apparently, needs more than anything else a pretty general acquaintance with art in general, and the capa- | city and breadth of view that will allow him to appreciate the possibilities that lie in new and undeveloped talent. The plate-makers are his natural and willing aiders in devising new © methods to achieve any particular result depending upon mechanical means. JAMES B. CARRINGTON. THE AUTHOR. 9} COMMENTS ON THACKERAY’S “ESSAY ON POPE.” S an example of Thackeray’s own style and individual power, this essay on Pope is one of the best of the series. It has needed the skill of a Thackeray, the humour of a Thackeray, and all his almost over- mastering sense of “the pity of it,” to give such a generous appreciation of one of whom it is a little difficult to think generously. But, as a piece of literary criticism pure and simple, I confess that I think it possible to read this essay, and to go away with a very wrong, one- sided idea of Pope, of his character, and of his work. One understands of course that Thackeray has tried to touch the feelings of his readers, to instruct them, to make them want to read and judge and find out for themselves, and that he has not tried to marshal cold facts with the deadly precision of the author of a condensed History of English Literature. None could have touched us better, none could have interested us more ; still, there is very much that one cannot accept without reservation, and a good deal with which one entirely disagrees. For instance, in the opening sentences we are told that “ English men of letters should admire him” (Pope, of course) “‘as the greatest literary artist that England haseverseen.” Ifsuch indeed be the case, then I have regretfully to record the obtuseness of some at least of our English men of letters. I have not been able to find one instance of a modern critic who supports Thackeray in this view. They do not rank him nearly so highly, though they do agree, as far as I could discover, in granting him absolute supremacy as the greatest master of a certain kind of poetic form that England has ever seen, which in other words means that he is the poet who brought the Drydenian couplet to a perfection which has never ‘been surpassed or even equalled. One can admire for oneself, quite apart from the criticism of authorities, the wonderful skill and dexterity with which Pope handles these couplets, how he polishes, refines them, and turns them out clear and crisp and sparkling. Here is an extract from the “ Rape of the Lock,” which should serve to illustrate his style. Itis the description of a bevy of nymphs. “ Some to the sun their insect wings unfold, Waft on the breeze, or sink in clouds of gold ; Transparent forms, too fine for mortal sight, Their fluid bodies half dissolved in light, Loose to the wind their airy garments flew Thin glittering textures of the filmy dew, Dipt in the richest texture of the skies, Where light disports in ever mingling dyes While every beam new transient colours flings Colours that change when e’er they wave their wings.” 61 And it also illustrates, I think, the intolerable monotony of his rhythm. Again, Thackeray uses such terms as “sublime art,’ “immortal young wings,” “astonishing victories,” “dazzling achievements,” which may or may not be flights of rhetoric or flashes of fancy. But when he says “ the shafts of his satire rise sublimely,” and speaks of Pope’s “great soul flashing out,” then the words of another great master of English prose creep into one’s mind, the words of someone who said, “Sarcasm I now see to be in general the language of the Evil One” (or to be quite honest, an expression very much to that effect). There is hardly a page in all Pope’s poetry that does not hold a satire, more or less venomous, more or less cruel. There is scarcely even a thought of men or of manners, that is not satirical at its root. His philosophy of life is just one bitter satire, and I believe he is proud for us to know it. Those lines that he wrote of Addison are only one instance amongst hundreds ; he could write of a man who had been his friend : “ Should such a man, too fond to rule alone Bear, like the Turk, no brother near the throne. View him with scornful, yet with jealous eyes And hate for arts that caused himself to rise ; Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And without sneering teach the rest to sneer ; Willing to wound and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike ; Alike reserved to blame, or to commend, O tim’rous foe, and a suspicious friend.” Tf this is a “sublime shaft of satire,’ if these are the thoughts of a “great soul,” then it were infinitely better to be one of the poorest, most squalid of those Grub Street scribblers whom Pope did so much to torture and maim, red flannel, tallow candles and all. No! No! We cannot all be scholars with an educated taste for good things of a purely literary nature. And, for those of us who are not, these lines and others like them, show clearly enough, pitifully enough, a man who could hit in the dark, and would stab in the back, using weapons that were the more deadly because no one of all his foes but lacked the power to forge any to match them. ‘And so we leave Mr. Pope. But not without a word of gratitude to Thackeray who has touched his faults so gently and excused his failings so tenderly, that one’s heart goes out after all to the poor little cramped self-conscious creature, recognising in him the most pathetic figure surely of all these so-called humorists. —_—_—_———_——_ +  + POINTS OF VIEW. + WO articles in the October number of The Author, both written by authors of distinc- tion, are very suggestive to readers and writers, and their points of view are so divergent, that it might be worth while to make a few com- ments on them, which may or not be worth the attention of the readers of The Author. Mr. Harold Begbie, with genuine sympathy and encouragement for those desirous of invading the overcrowded fields of literature or journalism, asserts that “there is not an editor in London who is not anxiously searching for writers with something to say.” This stimulating dnd con- soling statement, addressed to the journalistic novitiate, would be excellent, if the aspirant possessed some of the abilities of the distinguished writer of the “way of journalism.” This supposi- tion, however, I am afraid, has no foundation in fact. Mediocrity is more common than brilliancy or originality. Asarule, then, the “ something to say” has been said many times before very much better. Why strive to increase the stodgy, prolix articles of the hour? Editors are burdened with them, consequently they plead in vain for pub- lication. There are also other potent reasons why the way of journalism is barred to all except to those of exceptional talent. There is always a competent staff for the work ; the editor may be partial to names ; if a company controls the journal, the shareholders, generally contributors, will not have outside intruders; the gates are jealously guarded by the interested small capitalist. Sometimes a proprietor pays the editor a salary to run the paper, and with the aid of free clippings and badly paid hackwork, there is no need for outside contributions. These are all facts within! my own experience, and it may be wise to strip the glamour of journalism of some of its fond illusions, to look at naked truths, in order that the “ways of journalism” may be seen as they are and not as glowing pens imagine them to be. It must also be apparent that London’s intel- lectual world is a strong magnet which draws hosts of the cultured from the provinces. It is a modern Athens which attracts and absorbs. It is therefore the home of fierce literary activities and competition. Youthful talent flocks to the place where appreciation and success seem assured. The Pactolian spring is never dry for the young literary neophyte. The Oxford graduate who has led literary debates with a profound knowledge of use- less subjects, and cannot cope with the harassing details of law and medicine, seeks fame and fortune THE AUTHOR. in literary or journalistic fields. ‘The successful votary encourages him ; but the aspirant’s pen often becomes his enemy instead of his friend. He fights the air and the windmill. His forlorn MSS. only symbol misdirected thought and wasted hours. He might easily follow the advice of the late Grant Allen, and annex a street crossing instead of circulating MSS. amongst editors for a livelihood. With the spread of culture comes the desire of expression. Reading encourages thought ; thought finds its outlet in written words. Every one writes. The typists are always busy. Editors’ offices are beleaguered with MSS. Unfortunately economic laws cannot be displaced ; for the supply of even available MSS. is greater than the demand. Why not then give the afflicted editor a rest ? With all due deference to Mr. Begbie, would it not be advisable to create a scarcity and dearth of MSS., and thus give unrecognised merit its real chance in the future. Whilst Mr. Begbie is preparing editors for another overwhelming rush of MSS., Miss Mary L. Pendered, one of those writers who can always delight and charm, inveighs against the tone and the lowered literary standard of our journals and magazines. This lady sweepingly denounces them. We are told that “they afford a kind of mental nausea,’ and “are devoted to the obvious and commonplace,” that their aim is all to please a class that delights in crude sensation, intricate plot, and treacly sentiment. In another place they are called “gaudy and obstreperous outpourings.” I have no desire nor space to attempt to refute this lady’s criticisms. To read and “inwardly digest” the numerous magazines is not possible. Life is short, and there is a limit to human patience; at the same time, her impressions, doubtless evoked. by scrutinising study, may not fall far off from the actual truth. But if the mass of our periodicals ig destitute of everything that appeals to nature, 91 truth, and literature; if it falls short of that high standard of merit abounding in American magazines, as Miss Pendered informs us, why should Mr. Begbie encourage new writers to replenish unworthy literature, and give them such minute directions for their work? Here, then, is another potent reason for literary novices to desist writing for the present. Let them, instead, study the higher literature of the American magazin and souse their minds with American witticisms, before attempting to inflict editors with their MSS Perhaps then they may be able to raise the literary ideals of the British and improve the critical judgment of our unfortunate editors. TIstporE G. ASCHER.  § HOW IT IS DONE; OR, DO NOT SET AN ’ ALIEN TO CATCH AN ALIEN. + TYNHE following is not fiction, it is a statement of facts as they occurred in a provincial town of more than ordinary importance, a few weeks ago. ._.@ “Tuppence and threppence a copy; a piano 1. @ given to every purchaser”’; thus cried the alien _ 9 vendor of pirated music in the market the other @ Friday. “I presume that there is not much 4 demand for this stuff,’ said the man at the next stall, pointing to the music. “T can sell on a poor day,” replied the alien, “about one hundred copies.” YS “ About half of the takings of which I presume ~<"@ is profit ?” “«My man,” said the music vendor, tapping his questioner upon the shoulder, “ when I have taken thirteen shillings, nine of it is profit.” ae “Tucky fellow! lucky fellow! But why do you “"@ charge threepence for some, and twopence for others?” “Because some people prefer to pay the larger > amount.” ‘ “You pay the same price for them all?” “What do you think !” At, this point the attention of the stallholders ‘) was drawn to a man who stood some distance from 7°) the music stall, with his eyes first upon the music } and then upon the stallholder. “The publishers’ () man,” was whispered from one stallholder to ' another. “Will he seize his stock ?.” inquired a _ postman of a fruiterer. “What do you think ?” was the reply. catch a Jew! Never!” “Do you mean that the vendor will give him the slip?” “TI mean, young man, that the fellow selling ¥* music will get the tip to clear out.” *~ _ Two hours passed, during which a brisk trade was © done by the Jew in pirated music. At twelve » @clock a young man, an Englishman forsooth ! ” of respectable appearance, pitched his stall, and © arranged a quantity of pirated music. No sooner w had he displayed his stock, than the publishers’ # Man, with a policeman, advanced and seized #) the entire lot. While this was in process the _ dew calmly packed his took departure. The following day, Saturday, at the principal © Market of the town, the Jew was there doing a | Yoaring trade. The Englishman was there also, but » he was going from stall to stall to see if anyone _ Wanted an assistant. Sia er eS «A Jew bag, and his dy DL, B. THE AUTHOR. 63 THE ART AND CRAFT OF THE AUTHOR. N unpretentious little work entitled “The A Art and Craft of the Author,” by ©. E, Heisch, has been published by Mr. Elliot Stock. It was with some diffidence that we opened its pages. So many books have been written on similar subjects, “‘How to become Authors,” “How to Publish,” “How to do this,” “ How to do that,” and many of them so hopelessly bad ; our diffidence was in no wise allayed when we saw the Preface commence with the ominous words, ‘* Most books are bad and ought not to have been written.” Did the remark apply in this case, and was Schopenhauer’s utterly truthful assertion going to be verified. On deeper investigation the pessimistic philosopher’s dictum appeared not to be altogether applicable. The book is divided into fifteen chapters. The headings of some of these will indicate sufficiently the scope and direction of the work. Chapter L., Education and Training; Chapter II., Choice of Subject ; Chapter III., Handling of Materials ; Chapters VIII,, IX., X., on Style ; Chapters XII. and XIII, Originality and Inspiration. The matter, therefore, does not touch the method of marketing the literary commodities, the technical side, but endeavours to explain the inward and spiritual grace necessary to produce the outward and visible sign. It is not teeming with originality and inspiration, and most of its best sayings are in the form of quotations, from Josef Joubert, Emerson, Carlyle, Schopenhauer, and others. The student author, after careful reading, will not be carried away by enthusiasm, nor will he sink in the depths of despair. But on the other hand he may find in some of the statements food for quiet meditation. Take for instance the following from Schopenhauer: ‘‘ He compares the mind of the author to a mirror, which reflects every object which passes before it; but once within the mirror the objects change their positions, form fresh combinations, and enter upon new relations.” This is a fair simile of the process of selection going on in the mind of the artist who aims at originality. For the power of selection is one of the attributes of all great artists. As an introduction to the deeper study of the subject the book will afford pleasant reading to those who are thinking of interesting themselves in the pursuit of literature. —_——_+—>—_+__——_-  CORRESPONDENCE. a A Missine VOLUME. Str,—I desire to enlist the friendly services of fellow-members in an endeavour to trace the third volume of an old novel entitled “ Rebecca ; or the Victim of Duplicity,” published close upon a century ago. Also to try and discover who was the author or authoress of the book. It was printed at Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire, “by R. Richards and sold by Lackington, Allen & Co., London, 1808.” This much is chronicled ; but nothing is said as to authorship. In April, 1904, two volumes only of “ Rebecca” were picked up by Mr. Edward 8. Dodgson from a second-hand book trough on the quais of Paris. He paid 10 centimes for his find, and presented it to the library of the Sorbonne. Tt is a curious fact that two novels of the same title were produced within a few years of each other. There is also some confusion as well as mystery surrounding their identification and form of issue. But there can be very little doubt that a third volume of this particular “ Rebecca” was published. Who will help to secure a complete set thereof? Some people think the work was written by a Mrs. Holbrook, who was responsible for other stories about the period mentioned. But no one is quite sure, though local history has been exten- sively tapped. Hence this inquiry, and my appeal for assistance in order that the quarry may be run to earth. CECIL CLARKE. Authors’ Club, 8.W. a Srr,—Would any of your readers, who are like- wise writers, care to submit a short list of reference books, &c., necessary to the literary stock-in-trade of a would-be author or journalist ? Such books as Roget’s “Thesaurus,” Bartlett’s “ Dictionary of Quotations,” Brewer's “ Reader’s Handbooks,” &e., excluding an encyclopedia, which might be beyond the means of some. Just a few essential volumes to form a “travelling library,” which can be bought at a moderate cost. Yours faithfully, A Srrueetine LirriraTEUR. Stonehouse, Glos. —_+-—<+—_ Srr,—I should like to correct a printer’s error in my article, ‘‘ Wanted,” last month, when Van Bibber appeared as Van Bidder. Yours, Mary L. PENDERED. A New Way. Srr,—As The Author has done so much in protecting the interests of writers, | make a point THE AUTHOR. of sending to you, as a warning to others, notes of any “sharp practice” to which I myself have been ~ subject. Some months ago T sent to a technical journal for review a copy of a new edition of one of my books, of which they were good enough to give me a very flattering notice. A few weeks ago, quite by accident, I picked up a copy of this paper and was astonished to find they had taken, without any acknowledgment, no less than forty-five lines from the book, and by writing a new head and tail piece had passed it on as original advice to a correspon- dent. I have no objection to my matter being used when suitably acknowledged, but I strongly object to this wholesale “lifting.” The paper has since acknowledged the source from which they obtained their “cheap copy,” but I have not yet decided whether to sue them for infringement or not. I think I ought to, as I believe this sort of thing is often done and never found out. Possibly the editor thinks he is entitled to a guid pro quo for his friendly notice. Yours faithfully, M. Powis-Baus, M.Inst.C.. Wantep, A REFERENCE ! SrIrR,— “ Cumque superba foret Babylon spolianda tropes, Bella geri placuit nullos habitura triumphos.” Could any reader of Zhe Author be 80 kind as to supply me with the reference to these two lines, and a little of the context ? Yours obediently, J. M. Ley. — MaGazIneE EDITORS. Srr,—Few editorial sins are more annoying to magazine writers than the practice of making arbitrary excisions subsequent to the correction of proof ; the whole tone of an article may thus be changed, or, in the case of a story, all logical sequence destroyed, and the pith of the matter omitted. An editor who purchases the serial rights of any MS. is indeed, nominally, not at liberty to tamper with it, yet redress for sup- pression is almost impossible to obtain, and in any case would be of little value to the author after the appearance in print of his or her signature to a mutilated production. In order to avoid this unpleasant experience, I would suggest that writers should accept an editor’s terms subject to their MS being published “ without excision.” 2 A SUFFERER. 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. 16 Issue 02 (November 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 02 (November 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-11-01-The-Author-16-2 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/511/1905-12-01-The-Author-16-3.pdf 981300c29b363edcb517f6c7b954f75e 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) 1905-12-01 Volume 16 Issue 3 Pages Page range in volume 65–96 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19051201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Mutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. FOUNDED BY SIR Monthly.) WALTER BESANT. Vou. X VI.—No. 3. DECEMBER Ist, 1905. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —__¢—<—e___ NOTICES. — + <4 OR the opinions expressed in papers that are K signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. ++ List of Members. Tue List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —_—<——_ The Pension Fund of the Society. Tuer Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation VoL, XVI. Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Congols 25 6 ee £1000 0 0 Toca ioans 2.3.2.6... ees 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 Wear Loan... 201 9° 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture SlOGK 3.2.21. se 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4% Certificates . : ~ 200 0 0 Wl £2,443 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £ sod: Jan. 12, Anonymous . : : : 2 6 June 16, Teignmouth-Shore, the Rev. Canon. : TO July 13, Dunsany, the ‘Right Hon. the Lord . ; : 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. 0:5 0 », Lhorbum, W. M. 010 O Nov. 9, “ Francis Daveen ” 0 5 0 » >», Adair, Joseph 11 20 ,, 21, Thurston, Mrs. t 10 Donations, 1905. Jan. Middlemas, Miss Jean 010 0 Jan. Bolton, Miss Anna 0 5 0 Jan. 24, Barry, Miss Fanny. 0O- bp 0 Jan. 27, Bencke, Albert : 0 9 0 Jan. 28, Harcourt-Roe, Mrs. 010 O Feb. 18, French-Sheldon, Mrs. 010 U0 Feb. 21, Lyall, Sir Alfred, P.C. t 0.0 Mar. 28, Kirmse, Mrs. 010 0 April19, Hornung, HE. W. . ; ao 0 May 7, Wynne, 0. Whitworth . 5 0 0 May 16, Alsing, Mrs. J. E. : GO 5 0 May 17, Anonymous . ; 1 1 0 June 6, Drummond, Hamilton § 8 0  66 July 28, Potter, the Rev. J. Hasluck 0 Oct. 12, Allen, W. Bird 0 Oct. 17, A. C. N. : : : 1 Oct. 17, Hawtrey, Miss Valentina 0 Oct. 31, Williamson, C. No : pel 1 1 0 f oon Oct. 31, Williamson, Mrs. . Nov. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. Noy. 17, Nash, T. A. _ HOHRHRH Oo onoocoooo°e —_——————_1——_ + _ COMMITTEE NOTES. —_-— N the sixth of last month, at four o’clock, at 39, Old Queen Street, S.W., the committee met together for the November meeting. They have much pleasure in reporting a very large election, numbering thirty-three members and associates, and bringing the total for the current year up to two hundred and twenty-six— within seven of the number elected during 1904. It is hoped, therefore, that, with the December elections still to be added, the number may exceed that of 1904, which was an exceptional year. The com- mittee are exceedingly pleased with the support that is increasingly given to the society and its work by the greater number of those who are engaged in the profession of writing ; but they will not be content until all writers of every denomination are included in its ranks. On the proposal of Mr. Austin Dobson, seconded by Mr. A. Hope Hawkins, Mrs. Maxwell (Miss M. E. Braddon) was elected to the Council of the Society. There is no need to discuss Miss Braddon’s title to such a position. The length and distinction of her literary career entitle her to the greatest honour which it is possible for the society to convey. After the committee had dealt with the elections, they proceeded to consider one or two cases which the secretary had placed before them. He reported that the case referring to the ex- clusive right in the use of a nom de plume had been satisfactorily settled. The infringer had withdrawn the name when his attention had been called to the matter. In another column counsel’s opinion is printed in full. The committee decided, in another case, where an author's rights had been infringed in Norway, to obtain the opinion of a Norwegian lawyer as to the exact position under the law of that country, and if such opinion favoured the author’s conten- tion, to carry the matter through the Norwegian Courts if necessary. The society is now engaged in cases in France, Germany and Norway, and it is THE AUTHOR. hoped that the result may be satisfactory in all these countries, and contribute to the respect of International Copyright. A dispute which had arisen between an author and an agent was carefully discussed, and finally, as the opinion of the society’s solicitors was opposed to the legal contention put forward by the member, the committee decided they could not take the case any further. The report of the sub-committee on copyright which had met previously, dealing with the question of the United States Copyright Law, was submitted to the committee, who decided to adopt the suggestions put before them. The committee regret they cannot, at the moment, give further details on this point. The secretary reported that he had heard from the Foreign Office with regard to Egypt and the Berne Convention, and that the matter the society had put forward would have Lord Lansdowne’s serious consideration. —— Cases. Stncr the last issue there have been in the secretary's hands nine fresh cases. In four of these the return of MSS. was claimed. Two have already been successful. The demands of the secretary have been complied with, and the MSS. returned. The other two cases have come into the secretary’s hands so recently that insufficient time has elapsed to bring about the settlement. Money due under contracts has been withheld from two of our members. In one case the money has been paid and forwarded to the author, and it is hoped that the other case may be satisfactorily terminated, though there is a possibility that the magazine may go into bankruptcy. Of three cases for accounts one has been settled. In the remaining two no answer has yet been received from the offenders. One publisher has been notoriously careless in answering letters, but the society has on former occasions been finally successful, and, no doubt, finally, will be successful in the present instance. In the other case the demand is recent. With the exception of one case in the United States, all the cases that were open when the last number of Zhe Author was issued have been settled. None of the cases in the hands of the society's solicitors, either at home or abroad, have come on for trial during the past month. The results will be duly notified in Zhe Author. >  November Adair, Joseph. : Anderson, Sir Robert, K.C.B Armour, Miss Frances J. Artus, A. Lancelot : Baker, Miss B. A. ; _Aiatchford, Robert ; ‘sy, Bryden, H. A... Colomb, George, F.S.A. Deane, Miss Mary : “Francis Daveen”’ : Hall, Leonard . : Hichens, Robert . : Lacy, F. St. A.R.A.M. John, - Lodge, Sir Oliver, F.R.S. Ludlow, Frederick (Fred. Ludlow) Maxwell, Mrs. (“«M. E. Braddon ”’) Moller, Fraulein Clara . Nash, Thomas A. . ; Ridge, W. Pett . Robins, Miss Elizabeth “ Samuel George ” : Snaith, J. C. : : Sharp, Cecil J... . Stephen, Miss A.G. Thonger, Miss M. Ellen Thurston, Mrs. . : Waddell, Lieut. - Col. L. A., C.B. Whyte, Wolmer . Wingfield, Herbert : Wingate, A. K. P. : Winchilsea and Notting- ham, The Countess of Two of those elected do not desire either their names or addresses to be printed. THE AUTHOR. Elections. Gill Foot, Egremont, Cumberland. 39, Linden Gardens, W. Blea Beck, Worcester. 11, Emperor’s Gate, S.W. 16, Alexander Square, S.W. 42, Deronda Road, Herne Hill, 8.E. Down View, Gore Park Road, Eastbourne. Junior United Service Club, 8.W. Hartley, Bourton- -on- the-Water, Glos. 121, St. James’ Street, Brighton. St. Stephen’s, near Canterbury. Savage Club, Adelphi Terrace, W.C. Mariemont, Birming- ham. ; 9, Laxey Road, Horfield, Bristol. Taubenstrasse 38, Sch- werin i. M., Germany. 60, Elm Park Gardens, S.W. Garrick Club, W.C. 24, Iverna Gardens, Kensington, W. West Bridgford, Not- tingham 183, Adelaide Road, N.W. Peniarth, Dorking. 19, Cavendish Road, Leeds. 20, Victoria Kensington, W. 61, Lissenden Mansions, Highgate Road, N.W. 34, Chapter Road, Wil- lesden Green. 64, Cannon Street, E.C. Underwood, Crieff, N.B. Harlech, Merioneth. Road, 67 BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. + Cin the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) ANTHROPOLOGY. THE SECRET OF THE TOTEM. By ANDREWLANG. 9 x 6. 215 pp. Longmans. 10s. 6d.n. ARCH AZOLOGY. THE CLYDE Mystery. By ANDREW LANG. 7? x 51. 141 pp. MacLehose. 4s. 6d. n. ART. THE TEMPLE OF ART. A Plea for the Higher Realisation of the Artistic Vocation. By E. NEWLAND SMITH. Second Edition. Revised and enlarged. 7? x 54. 151 pp. Paignton: The Order of the Golden Age. 3s. 6d. n. ARUNDEL CLUB PUBLICATIONS, 1905. 164 < 12. Robert Ross, Hon. Secretary, 10, Sheffield Gardens, Kensington, W. PETER PAUL RUBENS. Great Masters in Painting and Sculpture. 138 pp. Bell. 5s. n. BIOGRAPHY. WILHELMINA, MARGRAVINE OF BAIREUTH. By EDITH By Hore REA. Bell’s Series of 8 x of E. CUTHELL. 9 x 6. 293 and 411 pp. Chapman & Hall. 21s. n. MASTER WORKERS. By HAROLD BEGBIE. 9 x 5}. 306 pp. Metheun. 7s, 6d. n.. KATE GREENAWAY. By M. H. SPIELMANN and G. 8. LAYARD, 9.x 6%. 301 pp. Black. 20s. n. ALMOND OF LORETTO. Being the Life and a Selection from the Letters of Hely Hutchinson Almond. By R. J. MACKENZIE. 8% x 54. 408pp. Constable. 12s. 6d.n. THE ROMANCE OF WoMAN’S INFLUENCE. By ALICE CoRKRAN. 73 x 5}. 377 pp. Blackie. 6s. Mrs. FITZHERBERT AND GEORGEIV. 2 Vols. By W. H. WILKINS. 9 x 6%. 350 and 340 pp. Longmans. 36s. CAPTAIN JOHN SmitH. By A. G. BRADLEY (English Men of Action). 72 x 54. 226 pp. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES. Impressions of Literary People and Others. By LAuRA HAIN FRISWELL. 9 x 53. 331 pp. Hutchinson. 16s. n. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. THE STOWAWAY’S Quest. By Henry CHARLES MOORE. 72 x 5}. 248 pp. Pitman. 5s. A Kyicut oF Sr. Joun. A Tale of the Siege of Malta. By Captain F. S. Brereton. 7% X 53. 384 pp. Blackie. 6s. Sir Toapy Crusor. By S. R. CROCKETT. 8} X 6}. 406 pp. Wells Gardner. 6s. His Most Dear LADYE. By BEATRICE MARSHALL. 72 x 54. 317 pp. Seeley. 5s. How THINGS Went WronG. By RAYMOND JACBERNS. 243 pp. Wells Gardner. 2s. 6d. OLD FASHIONED TALES. Selected by E,. V. LUCAS. 84 x 6. 390 pp. Wells Gardner. 63, Rounp THE WorLD. By <A. R. Hops. 10} X 8. Blackie. Is. A SoupIER oF JAPAN. By Capt. F. S. BRERETON,. 74 x 5. 350 pp. Blackie. 5s.  68 Mr. PuNcH’s CHILDREN’S BOOK. Edited. by E. V. Lucas. 93 x 8}. Punch Office. Tur LITTLE ONE'S Book or BiBLE STORIES. By Mrs, L. HASKELL. 103 x 7}. Blackie. 2s. 6d. Micky. By EVELYN SHARP. 7} x 9. 240 pp. Mac- millan. 4s. THe LAY OF THE WEE BROWN WREN. By H. W. SHEPHEARD WALWYN. 9% x 7}. 43 pp. Longmans. 2s. 6d. FAMOUS BRITISH ADMIRALS. By ALBERT LEE. 8} x 5h. 360 pp. Melrose. 6s. TENDER AND TRUE. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. 8 x 54. 361 pp. Religious Tract Society. 3s. 6d. Tus WizaRDS or RyErown. A Fairy Tale. By A, CoNSTANCE SMEDLEY and L. A. TALBOT. 7% X 5. 265 pp. Hurst & Blackett. 5s. DRAMA. WHITEWASHING JuLIA. By HENRY ARTHUR JONES. 63 x 44. 136 pp. Macmillan. 2s. 6d. King WILLIAM THE First. By ARTHUR DILLON. 245 pp. Elkin Mathews. 4s. 6d. ENGINEERING. TRANSACTIONS OF THE CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS’ SOCIETY. 46th Session, 1904-5. Edited by A. S. E. ACKERMANN. 8} x 53. 111 pp. Published by the Society. FICTION. THE TUNNEL Mystery. By A. W. 4 BECKETT. Geo. Routledge & Sons, Ltd. 6d. : Tue DIFFICULT WAY. By MABEL DEARMER. 7} x 5. 324 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s. Witp WueEat. A Dorset Romance. By M. EH. FRANCIS. 8 x 54. 291 pp. Longmans. FRENCH NAN. By AGNES and EGERTON CASTLE. 72 x 5. 216 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s. THE UnKNowN Deprus. By Euiior O'DONNELL. 7k x 5. 315 pp. Greening. 6s. THE PRoFESSOR'’S LEGACY. By Mrs, ALFRED SEDGWICK. 72 x 5. 320 pp. Arnold. 63. THE Man From America. By Mrs. HENRY DE LA PASTURE. 74 x 5. 343 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s. THE MAKING OF MICHAEL. By Mrs. FRED REYNOLDS. 73 x 5. 310 pp. Allen. 6s. JAcoB AND JOHN. By WALTER RAYMOND. 430 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 6s. A SECRET OF LesomBo. By BERTRAM MITFORD. 7% x 54. 300 pp. Hurst & Blackett. 6s. THe CHERRY RIBAND. By 8S. R. CROCKETT. 8 x 5. 410 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. THE FLAMING SworD. BySinasK.Hockine. 7} x 53. 440 pp. Warne. 33s. 6d. ‘ue HORNED Own. By W. BouRNE CooKE. 7} x 4. 380 pp. Drane. 6s. Rep Porracr. By Mary CHOLMONDELEY. New and cheaper edition. 73 x 5. 374 pp. Arnold. 2s. 6d. Tur TRAVELLING THIRDS. By GERTRUDE ATHERTON. 74 x 5. 295 pp. Harper. 6s, A LAME Doq’s Diary. By S. MACNAUGHTAN. 253 pp. Heinemann. 6s. SOPRANO. By F. MARION CRAWFORD. 7} X 5}. 386 pp. Macmillan. 6s. Dick PENTREATH. By KATHERINE TYNAN. 344 pp. Smith, Elder, 6s. THE CLEANSING OF THE ‘“ LORDS.” 7% x 54. 303 pp. White. 6s. A MAN FROM THE SHIRES. By Mrs. JoHN TAYLOR. 7h x 5. 299pp. Gay & Bird. 6s. Wuo was Lapy THUME? By FLORENCE WARDEN. 72 x 6. 320 pp. John Long. 6s. 72 x O54. 72% x 5. 7k xX 5. By H. WINTLE. THE AUTHOR. Cuirr’s END FARM AND OTHER STORIES. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 72 x 5. 318 pp. White. 6s. Car Taues. By W. L. ALDEN. Illustrated by Louis Wain. 73 x 5. 303 pp. Digby Long. 6s. HISTORY. BuURFORD PAPERS. Being Letters of Samuel Crisp to his Sister at Burford; and other Studies of a Century, 1745—1845. By W. H. Hutton, B.D., Fellow and Tutor of St. John Baptist College. 9 x 6. 336 pp. Constable. 7s. 6d, n. SOUTHERN ITALY AND SICILY AND THE RULERS OF THE SoutH. By F. Marion CrAwForp. (New Edition in One Volume). 8 X 5}. 411 pp. Macmillan. 8s. 6d. n. STUDIES FROM COURT AND CLOISTER. By J. M. STONE. 9 x 53. 379 pp. Sands. 12s. 6d. n. LITERARY. Tue Day Book oF CLAUDIUS CLEAR. By W. ROBERT- SON eae 8 x 51. 351 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. 3s. 6d. Dip SHAKESPEARE WRITE “TITUS ANDRONICUS?” By J. M. RoBERTSON. 8 X 54. 255 pp. Watts. 5s. n. ON TEN PLAYS oF SHAKESPEARE. By STOPFORD A. BRooKE. 9 Xx 5. 311 pp.- Constable. 7s. 6d.n. THE New RAMBLER. From Desk to Platform. By Sir LEWIS Morris. 8 x 5}. 327 pp. Longmans. 6s. 6d.n. A BEGGAR'S WALLET. Edited by ARCHIBALD STODDART WALKER. 10 x 74. 291 pp. Edinburgh and London: Dobson, Molle. 8} x 5}. EDITORIAL WILD OATS. 84 pp. Harper. 2s. n. In THE NAME OF THE BODLEIAN AND OTHER ESSAYS. By AUGUSTINE BIRRELL. 8} X 6. 214 pp. Stock. 58. D. THE FRIENDLY TowN. 377 pp. THE OPEN Roap. (New and Enlarged Edition.) 369 pp. Compiled by EK. V. Lucas. 7 x 44. Methuen. 5s. each. By Mark TWAIN. MEDICAL. MEDICINE AND THE Pusnic. By S. SQUIRE SPRIGGE, M.D. 72x 51. 293 pp. Heinemann. 63. Tue Foop FactoR IN Disease. By FRANCIS HARE, M.D. 2 Vols. 8% x 5}. 497 and 535 pp. Longmans, 30s. n. Wat Foops Frep Us. By EusTacE MILES. 7} x 43. 93 pp. Newnes. 1s. n. % MUSIC, Tur CoMPLETE COLLECTION oF IRIsH Music AS Norep BY GEORGE PxrrtE, LL.D. (1789-1866). Edited from the original manuscripts by C. VILLIERS STANFORD. 11 x 73. 397 pp. Boosey. NATURAL HISTORY. Narure’s Nursery, or Children of the Wilds. By H. W. SHEPHEARD WALWYN, F.R.Met.Soc., F.Z.8., &e, 7} x 5. 352 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. ORIENTAL. INDIAN PortRY. Selections rendered into English Verse. By Romesa Durr, C.F.E. (The Temple Classics). 6x 4. 163 pp. Dent. 1s, 6d. n. PAMPHLETS. Tye RISE OF THE PAROCHIAL SYSTEM IN ENGLAND. By the Rev. 0. J. RnicHEL. Exeter: Pollard. 6d.  THER AUTHOR. POETRY. NEBULA TO MAN. By Henry R. KNIPE. 12 x 9. 251 pp. Dent. 21s. n. By C. WHITWORTH WYNNE. Kegan Paul. 7s. 6d. n. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. Methuen. 5s, n. PoEMS AND PLAYS. 84 x 54. 410 pp. Up-ALONG AND DOWN-ALONG. 103 x 7%. 16 pp. 8 Illustrations, POLITICAL. THE FUTURE PEACE OF THE ANGLO-SAxons. By Major STEWART L. Murray. 8} x 6. 128 pp. Watts. 6d. A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY. An Outline of the Ancient History of the Western Soudan, with an Account of the Modern Settlement of Northern Nigeria. By Fiora L. SHAW (Lady Lugard). 10 x 6%. 500 pp. Nisbet. 18s, n. REPRINTS. THE LETTERS OF HORACE WALPOLE. By Mrs, PAGET TOYNBEE. In 16 Vols. Vols. 13—15. 9 x 6. 447, 448, and 456 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press. London: Frowde. £4 n. the set. SOCIOLOGY. POVERTY AND HEREDITARY GENIUS. By F.C. CONSTABLE. $x 5. 139 pp. Fifield. 2s. n. IN THE GooD OLD Times. A Review of the Social, Industrial, and Moral Life of England during the last Century and a-Half. By J. C. WRIGHT. 9 x 53. 366 pp. Elliot Stock. 6s. n. A HIsTORY OF ENGLISH PHILANTHROPY. By B. KIRKMAN GRAY. 82 x 5}. 302 pp. P.S8. King. 7s. 6d. n. SPORT. THE SALT OF My Lire. By F. G. AFLALO. 84 x 54. 277 pp. Pitman. 7s. 6d. n. THEOLOGY. THE EVANGELIST MontHuy. Vol. for 1905. Edited by the Rev. A. WHYMPERand FLORENCE MOORE. 9? X 7}. 284 pp. Bemrose. 2s. THE GRACE OF EPISCOPACY, AND OTHER SERMONS. By H. C. BEECHING, D.Litt. 74 x 5. 254 pp. Nisbet. 3s. 6d. n. JESUS OF NAZARETH. By EDWARD CLODD. 8% x 6. 119 pp. Watts. 6d. TOPOGRAPHY. In THE MARCH AND BORDERLAND OF WALES. By A. G. BRADLEY. With Sketches of the Country. By W. M. MEREDITH. 93 x 6}. 430 pp. Constable. 10s. 6d. n. TRAVEL. IypIa oF To-pay. By WaLreR DEL Mar. 8} x 5. 288 pp. Black. 6s. n. Iv THE TRACK OF THE Moors. By SYBIL FITZGERALD. 104 x 74. 204 pp. Dent. 21s. n. THE ITALIAN LAKES DESCRIBED. By RICHARD BAGOT. Painted by Ella du Cane. 9 x 64. 201 pp. Black. 208. n. A Boon OF THE RIVIERA. By S. BARING GOULD. 7% x 51, 320 pp. Methuen. 6s. ————_+-—<>—_+—_______ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL ; NOTES. \ | RS. JEAN CARLYLE GRAHAM'S illus- trated work on San Gimiguano has been _ delayed by the leisurely proceedings of Italian archivists. ‘Certain necessary documents of 69 the quattro cento and cinque cento, which have reposed undisturbed under the dust of centuries in various Tuscan archives, are now being laboriously unearthed. Until these are copied, the book cannot be brought to a close. We understand that Mr. A. Pavitt, author of “Two Friends of Old England,” which we noticed in October, has been appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour. “The Truth about Man,” by A. Spinster, pub- lished by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. recently, has gone into a second edition. The writer of this book has, we understand, another work to follow it, in the form of a novel. H.R.H. the Princess of Wales has been pleased to accept a copy of Mr. Walter Del Mar’s “India of To-day,” which we referred to in our last issue. “ French Nan,” by Agnes and Egerton Castle, which Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. published a few weeks ago, is an eighteenth century story, telling of the conflict of hearts and wits, between a spoilt young beauty bred amid the artificialities of the Versailles Court, and her English husband, a chivairous but strong-willed country-loving squire. The same publishers have also issued Mrs. De La Pasture’s new novel entitled “The Man from America.” The scenes of the story are laid in the west country and in London, and the love interest is concerned exclusively with the courtship of men and maidens. The theme is the descent of an adventurous American upon a primitive cottage home in Devon. Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. have also published a new novel by Katherine Tynan, under the title of “Dick Pentreath.” The atmosphere of the story is that of English country life, and the personages introduced are mainly those who make up society in a very quiet and exclusive English county. Mr. F. G. Aflalo has written his reminiscences as an angler in a book which Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons have published, under the title of “The Salt of My Life.” The book contains nearly fifty illus- trations from photographs of actual fishing experi- ences. The price of the volume is 7s. 6d. net. Miss Evelyn Sharp’s new book, “ Micky,” is a story of a little boy of six, who lives in an imagi- native world peopled with fairies and dragons, and beautiful princesses who are shut up in towers and are rescued by wonderful princes. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. are the publishers. Messrs. Kegan Paul & Co. announce the pub- lication of a collected edition of the poems and plays of Mr, C. Whitworth Wynne. About a third of the volume is new matter. “A Book of Mortals: being a Record of the Good Deeds and Qualities of what Humanity is  70 pleased to call the Lower Animals,” is the title of Mrs. Flora Annie Steel’s new book which Mr. Heinemann has published. The work is a plea for the recognition of what may be called the human side of animals and their far-reaching influence upon man. Examples are taken from modern instances as well as from the myths of Hast and West. Mr. Holman Hunt’s work, “ Pre-Raphaelitism and the Pre-Raphaelite,” which is rapidly approach- ing completion, will form two volumes, which will be enriched with forty photogravure plates and many illustrations in the text. In the opening words of this work, which Messrs. Macmillan & Co. will publish, Mr. Hunt opines that the time has come for a complete and final history of the reform movement which began in 1848. Mr. Elliot Stock published about the middle of November a new work by Mr. J. ©. Wright, entitled “In the Good Old Times.” Its aim is to show the changes in the social, industrial, and moral condition of England during the last century and a half, and particularly to note the achieve- ments of the later half of the nineteenth century. By numerous examples and quotations, the author seeks to prove that former days were not better than these—generally speaking were not so good— but at the same time he is disposed to look with a kindly eye on a period which was a turning point in the country’s history. “The Lay of the Wee Brown Wren,” by H. W. Shepheard-Walwyn, is a romance from bird life, in verse, with fifty-four illustrations from the author’s photographs. Messrs. Longmans & Co. are the publishers. Mr. Archibald Colquhoun’s book, ‘The Africander Land,” published by Mr. John Murray, is the fruit of a visit which the writer recently paid to South Africa, and its aim is to depict, untinged by partisan bias, the present political, social, and economic state of that country. Miss Beatrice Harraden’s new story, which Messrs. Methuen & Co. will publish shortly, will pro- bably be entitled “‘ The Scholar’s Daughter.” It has for its heroine the daughter of a retired bookworm. Mr. Baring Gould’s book, dealing with the Riviera, which Messrs. Methuen have also pub- lished, contains an account of the coast from Marseilles to Savona, and treats not only of its history, but of its geology and botany. Mr. J. W. Caldicott has written, and Messrs. Bemrose are publishing, an illustrated work on the values of old English silver and Sheffield plate, from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. It is claimed that the work is a practical guide, written both for the buyer and seller. The price to subscribers is two guineas net. “A Golden Trust,” by Theo. Douglas (Mrs. H. D. Everett), which Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. THE AUTHOR. published in the early part of last month, ran as a serial through the pages of The Graphic during last summer. The scene of the story is laid partly in the home of Northumbrian wreckers, which conceals a treasure, partly in the Paris of 1792, whither the murderous designs of his kinsman drive the young hero. Mr. J. M. Lely’s Annual Edition of the Statutes of Practical Utility and Selected Statutory Rules, which was published last month (Sweet and Maxwell: Stevens & Sons, 7s. 6d.), contains, in addition to the Aliens Act, the Unemployed Workmen Act, the Trade Marks Act, and nine other of the twenty-three Acts passed last session, the Education Code and Secondary School Regula- tions of the Board of Education ; the Orders, Circulars, and Regulations of the Local Govern- ment Board under the Unemployed Workmen Act, and the Licensing Rules of the Home Office, which were issued at too late a date to be included in last year’s collection. “My Pretty Jane ; or, Judy and I,” is the title of a story by Alfred Pretor, published in London by Geo. Bell & Sons, and in Cambridge by Deighton, Bell & Co. The work is a studied comparison of the fidelity of a dog with that of a lover. The author depicts the failure of the lover in the first test to which he is put, and contrasts it with the fidelity of the dog which ends with death. “ Up-Along and Down-Along ” ig a volume of poems of the west country, by Eden Phillpotts, which Messrs. Methuen & Co. published early last month. The Strand Magazine for this month contains the opening chapters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s new story “Sir Nigel.” The story which is written in the manner of “The White Company,” will be published in book form by Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. “The Stowaway’s Quest” is the title of Mr. Henry Charles Moore’s latest book for boys. It describes adventures at sea, in Matabeleland, in Barotseland, and is published by Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Miss Edith A. Barnett left about the middle of ast month for a trip to New Zealand and round the world. Miss Barnett, who expects to be away for ten ot twelve months, hopes to bring out a new book in the spring of 1906. The city of Prague has just done honour to an English author, by voting in its senate and council the great silver medal of merit of Prague to Mr. James Baker, author of “ The Inseparables,” &¢., “for his efficient efforts to propagate the knowledge of the kingdom of Bohemia and its capital of Prague, by means of numerous books and articles pub- lished during the last twenty years.” The medal bears on the obverse the arms of Prague and  i, @ THE AUTHOR. at “Praga Caput Regni”; and on the reverse, a figure of Fame standing by the Bohemian lion, holding forth a wreath of bays, with an inscrip- tion, With the medal is an illuminated diploma on vellum, signed by Dr. Srb (the chief burgo- master) ; a covering official letter in Bohemian, with English translation, also illuminated, was sent with it. Our former secretary, Dr. Squire Sprigge, has just published a book with Mr. William Heine- mann, entitled “ Medicine and the Public.” It has for its object the evoking of a more widespread sympathy than at present exists for the difficulties which medical men undergo in the exercise of their professional duties. Dr. Sprigge adduces statistics and official information as to the distribution and qualification of doctors, points to manifold abuses in medical practice, and is never afraid to indicate the lines upon which reform should run for the public good. The fairness of the book is con- spicuous, for throughout all the recommendations for reform the popular interest is kept steadily to the fore ; it is never subordinated to the welfare of the class. Dr. Sprigge advocates various amend- ments—some of them of a drastic nature—to the existing Medical Acts. Everyone knows that Parliament will turn a deaf ear to mere professional grievances, but may be persuaded to listen to a ery for reform based upon public needs. “Somerset House, Past and Present,” is the title of a work by R. Needham and A. Webster, in which is given a continuous record of its history, from its foundation by the Lord Protector in 1547 to the present day. The volume, which Mr. Fisher Unwin is publishing at the price of 21s., is illus- trated with reproductions of prints and a series of modern photographs. Part I. of “King William I.,” written by Mr. Arthur Dillon and published by Mr. Elkin Mathews, deals with the great duke’s marriage with Matilda of Flanders, and his strengthening of his power in Normandy; Part II., with his overthrow of Harold, giving the incident of Edith Swan-neck at Senlac; and concludes with his crowning as King of England ; and Part III., with his quarrel with his rebellious son Robert, his difference with his queen, and his death. Messrs. Skeffington will publish shortly a new book, entitled “The Happy Christ,” in which Mr. Harold Begbie endeavours to prove that the con- templation of Christ as a Man of Sorrows is due to the last act in the Saviour’s life, and is in direct contradiction to the life itself. The 1906 edition of ‘ Who’s Who ?” which will be published by Messrs. Black on December 8th, will contain a couple of thousand more biographies than its predecessor, and in order still further to increase the utility of the book the number of a man’s sons and daughters will be recorded, also his motor-car number, telephone number, and telegraphic address, where necessary. The other year-books published by the same firm, viz., “ Who’s Who? Year-Book,” “ English- woman’s Year-Book,” and “The Writers and Artists’ Year-Book ”—the last named just acquired by them—vwill all be published about the same time. “The Voysey Inheritance,” by H. Granville Barker, produced at the Court Theatre on November 7th, 1905, depicts the downfall of the family of an apparently respectable solicitor. He dies suddenly, and leaves as a legacy a business which he has only been able to maintain by persistent perversion of his clients’ money. The effect of this position on the various parties mainly concerned, and the discussion which it produces, form the theme of the play, which was adequately interpreted by a caste including Miss Florence Haydon, Mr. Eugene Mayeur, and Mr. Dennis Eadie. «The Temptation of Samuel Burge,” by W. W. Jacobs and Frederick Fenn, was produced at the Imperial Theatre on November 9th, in front of. “The Perfect Lover.” The main character—the converted burglar, whose peculiarities are, no doubt, familiar to all who have read the story upon which the piece is founded—was taken by Mr. A E. George. Mr. Alfred Sutro’s one-act play, “ The Correct Thing,” performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre on November 4th, is a social sketch describing the manner in which a man of the world has to disembarrass himself of the mistress of whom he tires, and whose affections threaten to interfere with his chances of social success. The caste included Miss Darragh and Mr. Nye Chart. An original satirical comedy, entitled “The Assignation,”’ will be produced at the Haymarket Theatre on December 7th, at a matinée. A pre- liminary performance of the play will be given at the Grand Stand, Ascot, at a matinée on the 4th December. The proceeds of both performances will be in aid of the Royal Waterloo Hospital. Among the distinguished performers taking part are Miss Genevieve Ward, Miss Edyth Olive, Miss Marie Illington, Mr. Gerald Du Maurier, and Miss Ethel Irving. oo ——_—_— PARIS NOTES. — + JOSE-MARIA DE HEREDIA, whose recent death is so universally deplored, had been a member of the French Academy since the year 1894. M. de Heredia’s literary celebrity was earned by his one volume of  72 absolutely perfect poems, “ Les T'rophées.” These poems were the result of long years of patient work, and the fame of some of the best-known ones is world-wide. “ Fuite des Centaures,” ‘‘ Les Con- quérants,” “ Soleil couchant,” “Soir de Bataille,” and “Le vieil Orfévre,” are among those which are most frequently quoted. M. de Heredia was buried in the little cemetery of Bon Secours, near Rouen. The President of the Socicté des Gens de Lettres pronounced a farewell at the grave. The following are extracts from the funeral oration : “ Messieurs, il y eut & Paris un écrivain d’une production si parfaite qu’elle signifie dans un seul volume, et bien mieux qu’un amas de livres, le labeur constant de lentes et patientes années : un écrivain si passionnément épris de son art quwil put justement relever la fiere devise de Ronsard : L’honneur sans plus du verd laurier m’agrée ... “Le temps de cet écrivain était, par conséquent, précieux entre tous... . Pourtant, chaque fois qu’un inconnu frappait 4 sa porte et lui disait : ‘Maitre, j’ai mis mon effort dans ces vers, dans cette prose ; écoutez-moi, conseillez-moi,’ le grand écrivain posait sa plume, souriait au néophyte, et lui disait : ‘ Asseyez-vous et lisez. . . .’ La chose lue était-elle indifférente ? il osait le dire, mais si paternellement que la blessure était pansée aussitot que faite. Si, par contre, il devinait des promesses de talent, comme il savait, de sa voix chaude et retentissante, conforter le poste, célébrer l’ceuvre, aider A sa fortune ! “ Messieurs, il y eut un tel écrivain 4 Paris. . Nous ne savons pas s'il en existe un autre dune Ame aussi généreuse, maintenant que José-Maria de Heredia est mort... . “Voila pourquoi non seulement la gloire littéraire de la France est aujourd’hui en deuil par ce deuil, mais aussi, corporativement, tous les gens de lettres. Ils ont perdu un de leurs protecteurs, un de leurs guides, un de leurs parrains. Voila pourquoi aussi leur Compagnie devait étre repré- sentée ici et témoigner des rares vertus profession- nelles du Maitre que nous pleurons.” “Au Pays de lHarmonie,” by M. Georges Delbruck, is a novel written with the one aim and object of exposing a philosophical doctrine, which the author proposes later on to treat in further detail. We are taken, in this book, to a land in which the “struggle for life” is unknown, a land where all things are beautiful, where the people dwell together in perfect harmony and happiness. A traveller from modern France arrives in this wonderful country. He is a typical, up-to-date sportsman and man of the world. He has done everything, seen everything, been everywhere, and, THE AUTHOR. at the age of thirty, decides to make some great discovery or bring out some marvellous invention. His great difficulty is that in this present century nearly everything has been discovered, there are so few possibilities left for him. Finally he builds an air-ship and on his trial journey in it discovers the “Land of Harmony,” which is situated in the very centre of Africa. He finds there a race of people hundreds of years in advance of all Euro- peans in matters of science and civilisation. The watchwords of this extraordinary race are Beauty, Harmony, and Love, and the inhabitants of this wonderful country have attained to such perfection by obeying the wishes and instructions of their founder, Déon. The chapter containing these commandments is one of the finest in the book. Psychological, physiological end social problems are all treated and new laws are laid down which differ vastly from those now in vogue in many So- called civilised countries of the present day. Among the new precepts are the following : “ Ilne faut ni punir, ni pardonner, il faut guérir. Il ne faut pas critiquer, il faut créer; il ne faut pas gémir, il faut produire; il ne faut pas réver, il faut penser.” Lysias, one of the inhabitants of this country, explains that while our revolutionists have been fruitlessly endeavouring to suppress wealth, his compatriots have effectually suppressed poverty, and that while, for twenty centuries, our activity has been employed in destroying our fellow-creatures they have used their energy in creating and improving. We have been making of our earth a valley of tears, whilst they have made of their land a wonderful garden of beauty, harmony and love. Whilst we have been, and still are, grovelling in superstition and ignorance they have been climbing to the heights of ideal beauty based on science, so that their life now is glorious yet simple, whilst ours is dull, petty and complex. The book is curious and original, full of thought and ideas, and will no doubt be much discussed here on account of its daring theories and ideals. “Le Fardeau,” by Hugues Lapaire, is a study of peasant life and psychology. Weare introduced to the inhabitants of a certain country village in the centre of France. The story is very true to life; the primitive simplicity of these humble people, their independence of character, the hard, plain existence they lead, their every-day tasks, their love affairs and their sorrows—everything is touched upon with great delicacy and exactitude. The “burden” to which the book owes its title is the load on the conscience of a young peasant, Claude Jacquet, who, in his anxiety to win the woman whom in his rough way he adores, steals the savings of an old peasant woman, and then allows suspicion to rest upon an old man. The  THE AUTHOR. 73 remorse and repentance are well depicted, and the whole story is well told. “ Avant l’Amour,” by Mme. Marcelle Tinayre, is another powerful novel by the author of “La Maison du Péché.” Ever since the publication of the latter book all novel readers have been anxiously awaiting another work of equal charm from the pen of the same writer. The present one is strong, but not convincing, as there is much that appears to be overdrawn. “Comment vout les Reines,” by Colette Yver, is a story dedicated to wives of politicians who, thanks to the pre-occupation of their husbands, are doomed to a life of solitude. “Ta Valeur de la Science,” by M. Poincaré, of the Institute of France, is an interesting book of scientific philosophy. Among the new novels are “‘ Les Bonshommes en Papier,” by M. Jules Perrin ; ‘“ Fumée d’Opium,” by M. Claude Farrere ; “ Les Papiers Brilés,” by M. Montégut; “Les Martyrs de Lyon,” by M. Baumann: “La Conquéte de Paris,” by M. Paul Segonzac ; “Le Précurseur” by M. Jacques Fréhel ; “‘ Les Hannetons de Paris,” by M. Georges Lecomte. Among other new books are “La Comédie Protectionniste,’ by M. Yves Guyot ; «Visite sur un Champ de Bataille,” by Maurice Barres; ‘‘ Vers lHglise Libre,” by Julien de Narfon ; “Les Noéls Frangais,” by M. Noél Hervé. The following publications are shortly expected : “Memoires de Granet,” by Ludovic Halévy ; “Coeur de Josanne,” by Marcelle Tinayre ; “ Jean d’Arc,” by Anatole France ; ‘‘ Balzac,” by M. Brunetiére. The death of Jules Oppert is a great loss to the Assyriologists—he was one of the four greatest of our times. Sir Henry Rawlinson is generally acknowledged to be the first. Fox Talbot and Hincks are the other two. We are told in a French paper that a Biblio- graphical Bureau has been founded in Rome. The idea of it is to provide savants with information they may require at the least possible expense. The Bureau will, when required, supply a réswmé of documents or manuscripts, and even send a photograph of them if necessary. The director is Professor Henri Celani. The question has been raised as to whether the yearly prize given by the Académie Goncourt can be awarded to M. Jules Huret for his book, “New York 4 San Francisco.” The objection brought forward is that this is not a work of Mmagination, but it is said that M. Octave Mirbeau is to plead in favour of M. Huret. In the Revue des Deux Mondes of November 1st, M. de Vogiié writes on “ Les Villes Hanséatiques.” Tn a recent number of the Revue de Paris, the “Lettres & ma Niéce,” by Flaubert, give some te details about that author’s work and ife. In a recent number of the Revue des Deua Mondes, Alfred Fouillée writes an able article on “La Science des Mceurs.” At the Francais, M. Hervieu has read his three- act play “ Le Reveil.” MM. Donnay is now finishing his “ Paraitre,” and M. Bataille has a play to be given this season entitled “ Potiche.” “La Vieillesse de Don Juan,” by Pierre Barbier and Mounet-Sully, is not to be played at the Frangais, as was at first thought. The Comédie-Frangaise celebrated recently the twentieth anniversary of M. Jules Claretie’s administration. It is generally acknowledged that the post he holds is one of the most difficult, and that it would be almost impossible to find in France, at this moment, anyone to replace him. One of the events of the theatrical season has been the representation of “ Les Bas-Fonds,” by Gorki, at the theatre of L’Ciuvre with La Duse in the principalvéle. “La Rafale,” by Henry Bernstein, at the Gymnase, has certainly been the greatest success hitherto of this season. It is an admirably written play, and has been greatly appreciated by the public. “Tia Marche Nuptiale,” by M. Henry Bataille, has been given at the Vaudeville. It is a work that would have been more convincing probably in anovel. A young girl, of good family, elopes with her music master. She marries him and lives in Paris in poverty. She then visits one of her convent friends whose husband makes love to her and pro- poses a second elopement, upon which she commits suicide. “ Bertrade,’ by M. Jules Lemaitre, has been produced at the Renaissance, but is not a play likely to hold the bill a long time. Mme. Rejane is to have a theatre of her own, and will probably put on first a piece by M. Capus. M. Saint-Saéns has written the three acts of his opera “ L’Ancétre,” which is to be staged during the winter. For the Gaité, M. Bazin’s novel, “Les Oberlé,” has been adapted for the stage by M. Haraucourt. Other plays announced at this theatre are “T/Attentat,” by MM. Capus and Descaves, and “‘ Qhantecler,” by M. Rostand. Among the new plays to be produced at the Vaudeville are “Le Bourgeon,” by M. Georges Feydeau, and “La Cousine Bette,” by Balzac, adapted by M. Pierre Decourcelle. M. Antoine has a long list of pieces to produce, some of which are ‘“‘L’Employé du Gaz,” by M. Dieudonné ; “ Mile. Bourrat,” by M. Claude Anet, and “ Vieil Heidelberg.” Auys HaLLarp. SPANISH NOTES. + — ON BENITO GALDOS has not been idle during his so-called holiday in Cartagena, for he has worked several hours every day at the correction of the proofs of his new novel, “‘Qasandra,” which is written in the form of a dialogue, like El Abuelo” ; andthe third and last series of his “Episodios Nacionales” will appear under the title of “Prim y La de los tristes destinos.” The great author showed the genial side of his nature by his visit to the Cacharreria, which is a club for young people ; and, in con- versation with a few friends, he has enjoyed the fine sea view and the climate, which rivals that of his native spot—the Canary Isles. Senor Palaeio Valdés seems also to have mingled work with his recreation during the sum- mer and autumn months at La Hendaye in the Pyrenees, for he tells me that he is engaged on a new novel, which will be published in the early spring. The last romance of this popular novelist is entitled “La Aldea Perdida” (“The Lost Hamlet”), and it is with the pen of a true artist that he describes the transformation of village life and character, when the place falls into the hands of amining company. The author’s rank in moral philosophy, of which he is a great authority in the Atheneum at Madrid, gives particular point to the psychological side of his novels, and in “The Aldea Perdida” this grip on the characters gives an unusual interest to their evolution in the stirring events recorded. To pass from the pen to the brush—and as Valdés shows in his article on “ Art and her Schools” (which I have just translated into English), the two arts are closely related it is in the studio of Lino Iborra that one sees the high standard of modern Spanish art in the hands of a first-rate painter. The artist’s medals, and especially the Cross of Alfonso XII., prove that his work is much appreciated. His “ Sheepfold” received high distinction at the last exhibition at Munich, and although animals are Iborra’s speciality, such figure paintings as “Rachel,” “My Daughter's Death,” “Judas Selling Jesus,” brought him renown ; whilst the picture called “ The Master is Coming,” now hung in the Exhibition of Modern Paintings in Madrid, shows a further development in the painter’s powers. The well-known Spanish novelist, Blasco Ibafiez reveals a great power as an art critic in his book called “En el pais del Arte” (“In the Country of Art”), in which he gives an erudite account of his three months’ tour in Italy. The descriptions of the masterpieces of the country are very forcible, and the interest of the book is THE AUTHOR. increased by his historical settings of his subject, and the mention he makes of the great littérateurs of the land down to Fernando de Amicis of the present day, for whom he expresses great personal admiration. The success of “ Aire de fuera,” on the boards at Madrid, shows that the author, Linares-Rivas Astray, is a first-class dramatist, for, although he treats of ordinary “high life” in the Spanish capital, it is the treatment of one who sees beneath the surface of society. The recent visit of M. Loubet to Madrid was not only the occasion of a gala evening at the theatre, a review, etc., but the French President was shown the palatial offices of the illustrated paper, Blanco y negro, with its marble staircase, frescoed reading-room and picture gallery, as well as its printing machines of the latest inventions. Moreover, as photography has made such strides in Spain, Napoleon, the expert in cinematographic views, gave an exhibition of subjects before Alfonso XIII. and his distinguished French guest, when the programme included a series of views of the Lady Warwick College at Studley Castle, during the visit of Colonel Figuerola Feretti, when he was invited to inspect this system of agricultural education. The King of Spain has lately taken a fresh step for the advance of natural science, by signing a royal decree for the establishment of a biological laboratory on the coast of Morocco, more especially for the study of the fauna and flora peculiar to those parts. Moreover, it is understood that it is at the desire of King Alfonso that the Ministry of Agriculture is about to organise a course of agricultural study for soldiers whilst in active service, so that they will be better equipped for their lives on the land when their time in the army is over. The Spaniards are certainly appreciative of clever women, for they are taking steps to erect a monument to the well-known authoress, Emilia Pardo Bazan, and various important literary centres are organising a commission to carry out the idea. Further recognition of woman’s work has been shown by Sefiora Carmen Burgos de Segiii, the foremost lady journalist in Spain, being com- missioned by the Minister of Education in Madrid to visit all the most important centres of woman’s education on the Continent, and these reports are not only made officially to her native land, but they are also published in her Spanish newspaper, El diario Universel de Madrid. The country- women of the Spanish writer are now hearing of her experiences in France ; and it will not be long before they read in the Spanish Press the impressions she will receive on woman’s work in England. RACHEL CHALLICE. ay  an pt THE AUTHOR. 75 GERMAN LAW RESPECTING PUBLISHERS’ RIGHTS AND CONTRACTS. — Section 1. FYF\HE author under agreement with the pub- [' lisher relating to a work of literature or music is bound to hand over to the pub- lisher the work to be reproduced or distributed by the publisher. The publisher is bound to reproduce and distribute the work. Section 2. The author must not during the continuance of the contract reproduce or distribute the work so far as such reproduction or distribution is forbidden to a third party as long as the copyright lasts. Nevertheless the privilege of reproduction and distribution remains with the author for : 1. The translation into another language or another dialect. 2. The rendering of a story in dramatic form or a stage play in the form of a story. 3. The elaboration of a musical work, as long as it is not merely an extract, or a transposition into another key, or an arrangement for another voice (Tonart oder Stimmlage).* The author is also privileged to reproduce and distribute a work in a collected edition (Gesammt- ausgabe) when twenty years have elapsed, reckon- ing from the end of the calendar year in which the work was published. Section 3. Articles inserted in a collective work for which an author is not entitled to obtain remuneration, can be used by him elsewhere as soon as a year has elapsed, reckoning from the end of the calendar year in which they appeared. Section 4. The publisher is not entitled to make use of a single work in an edition of collected works, nor of a collective work or portions either of an edition of collected works or of a collective work for a separate edition. In so far, however, as such use of the works is free to everyone during the duration of copyright it is free to the publisher. Section 5. The publisher is only entitled to one edition. If the right of preparing several editions is granted him, then in case of doubt the same agreement holds good for every new edition as for the one above mentioned. If the number of copies is not specified then the publisher has the right of producing 1,000 * German musical authorities are doubtful as to the exact legal interpretation of these two words. copies. If the publisher, before reproduction has commenced, has by agreement with the author fixed the number of the edition at less than 1,000 copies, then the publisher is only entitled to pro- duce an edition of the number agreed, Section 6. The customary “extra copies” are not reckoned in the number of the edition agreed upon. The same holds good of free copies as long as their number does not exceed the twentieth part of the edition agreed upon. ‘ Extra copies” which have not been used for replacing or completing those that happen to be damaged may not be distributed by the publisher. Section 7. If the copies which the publisher has in his warehouse are destroyed he can replace them by others ; but he must first give notice to the author. Section 8. So far as the author under sections 2—7 is pledged not to reproduce and distribute and to concede reproduction and distribution to the publisher, so far is he bound to procure for the publisher the exclusive right of reproduction and publication in the absence of any agreement to the contrary in the contract. Section 9. The right of publication (Verlagsrecht) begins with the delivery of the work to the publisher, and ends with the termination of the contract. As long as the protection of the publishing con- tract demands it the publisher can put into force against the author, as well as against a third person, those privileges which are provided by the law for the protection of copyright. Section 10. The author is bound to hand the work to the publisher in a condition fit for reproduction. Section 11. If the contract with the publisher refers to a work already completed, then the work must be handed over immediately. If the work is to be produced only after the signing of the contract, the date of its delivery is to be determined by the scope of the work. If that, however, in no way determines the date, the period shall be reckoned by the time within which the author, according to his circumstances, shall be able to produce the work. Other engagements of the author are only left out of consideration in reckoning the period if the publisher at the time of signing the contract neither knew nor could know of them.  76 Section 12. The author is entitled to make alterations in the work until the completion of the reproduction. Before the preparation of a new edition the pub- lisher must afford the author opportunities of revision. Alterations are permissible only to such an extent as shall not injure the just interests of the publisher. The author may have the altera- tions made by a third person. If the author, after the beginning of the repro- duction, makes alterations which exceed the ordi- nary usage, he is bound to detray the consequent expenses. He is not under an obligation to do this in a case where the circumstances necessitating the alterations have occurred since the completion of the work. Section 13. The publisher may not make abbreviations or alterations either in the work itself or in the title or in the descriptions of the author. Alterations to which the author cannot fairly and honestly refuse his consent are permissible. Section 14. The publisher is bound to reproduce and dis- tribute the work in a suitable form and in the customary manner. The form and the appearance of the copies shall be determined by the publisher in accordance with the customs of the book trade, and also with due consideration of the aim and contents of the book. Section 15. The publisher must begin the reproduction as soon as he has received the completed work. If the work appears in parts, the reproduction must begin as soon as the author has delivered a part destined to appear in the regular order. Section 16. The publisher is bound to produce the number of copies which he is entitled to produce according to the contract or according to section 5. He must take such measures in good time as will provide against the stock being sold out. Section 17. A publisher who has the right of producing a new edition, is not bound to avail himself of this right. The author can fix a time for the exercise of this right. On the termination of the time fixed the author is entitled to cancel the contract if the production has not taken place. If the publisher has refused to reproduce the author need not fix a time. Section 18. If after signing the contract the purpose which the work was to serve does not exist, the publisher can cancel the agreement. The author’s right to THE AUTHOR. remuneration remains unaltered. The same holds good when the subject of an agreement is a con- tribution to a collective work and the reproduction of the collective work does not take place. Section 19. If fresh copies of a collective work are produced then the publisher is entitled with the consent of the editor to leave out single contributions. Section 20. The publisher must provide for corrections. He must supply the author in good time with one roof for correction. The proof counts as approved if the author does not within a stated period notify the publisher of his objections. Section 21. The publisher has the right to fix the published price at which the work shall be sold in the case of every edition. He may lower the price as long as the just interests of the author are not injured thereby. For the raising of the price the consent of the author is necessary always. Section 22. The publisher is bound to pay the author the stipulated remuneration. Remuneration is to be considered as tacitly implied when the circum- stances show that it could not be expected that the work should be handed over without remuneration. Tf the amount of the remuneration is not stated, an equitable payment in money is to be regarded as agreed upop. Section 23. Remuneration is to be paid upon delivery of the work. If the amount of the remuneration is not fixed, or depends upon the dimensions of the published work, in particular upon the number of sheets, then the remuneration is due when the work appears. Section 24. When the remuneration depends upon the sale, the publisher must annually present the author with an account for the previous commercial year, and permit him to examine his books, so far as may be necessary for the verification of the account. Section 25. The publisher of a literary work is bound to send the author one free copy for every hundred copies printed; but under no circumstances less than five, or more than fifteen. He is also bound to deliver the author on his demand one proof copy. The publisher of a musical work is also bound to send the author the customary number of free copies. In the case of articles appearing in collective works separate reprints may be sent as free copies.  THE AUTHOR. 77 Section 26. The publisher must, at the author’s request, supply him with copies of the work which are at his disposal, at the lowest trade price. Section 27. The publisher is bound to restore the manu- script of the work to the author as soon as the work has been reproduced, provided that the author has stipulated for this return of the manu- script before the beginning of the reproduction. Section 28. In the absence of special agreement to the con- trary between the publisher and the author, the pub- lisher’s rights are assignable. But the publisher cannot, without the consent of the author, assign his rights under a contract which is only con- cluded with reference to separate works. Consent cannot be unreasonably withheld. If the pub- lisher demands a declaration from the author of his consent this is regarded as given if the author has not declared his refusal within two months after the receipt of the demand from the publisher. The reproduction and distribution of the work, which are the publisher’s duty, can be effected by his assignee. In the case when the publisher’s assignee makes himself responsible to the pub- lisher for reproduction and distribution of the work, he becomes also, together with the publisher, jointly liable to the author for the performance of all the obligations under the contract. At the same time the obligation does not extend to the payment of damages already accrued due. Section 29. If the publisher’s agreement is confined to a definite number of editions or of copies, the con- tract ceases when the editions or vopies are exhausted. The publisher is bound to inform the author, at the latter’s request, if the single edition or the specified number of copies is exhausted. If the agreement is concluded for a definite time, then at the expiration of this time the pub- lisher is not entitled to distribute the remaining copies. Section 30. If the work is not, either wholly or in part, delivered at the specified time, the publisher can, instead of insisting on his right to demand the fulfilment of his contract, fix a certain reasonable time for the delivery of the work by the author, and give notice that after the expiration of this _time he will refuse to accept the work. If, even before the date at which the work ought (in con- formity with the contract) to be delivered, it appears it will not be delivered, then the publisher may immediately mention the extension of time allowable. The period must be so calculated that it does not expire before the date originally fixed, At the expiration of this extension of time, if the work has still not been delivered, the publisher has the right to cancel the contract, but not to demand that the work shall be delivered to him. This extension of time is unnecessary when it is impossible to produce the work within the period, or when the author refuses to produce the work, or when the immediate cancellation of the agree- ment is justified by some particular interest of the publisher’s. Cancellation of the agreement is forbidden when it is clear that non-delivery of the work at the time specified causes the publisher merely an insignificant loss. These regulations do not affect the rights which belong to the publisher when the author does not deliver the work in proper time. Section 31. The regnlations of section 30 also apply when the work does not present the qualities stipulated for in the agreement. In the case where the failure is due to circum- stances under the control of the author, the pub- lisher, instead of cancelling the contract conform- able with section 30, has the right to proceed for damages for non-fulfilment of contract. Section 32. If the work has not been produced and dis- tributed in accordance with the contract, the regulations of section 30 are by analogy applicable in favour of the author. Seclion 88, If the work is accidentally destroyed after having been delivered to the publisher, the author retains his right to remuneration. In other respects the parties are released from their contract. Nevertheless the author is bound at the demand of the publisher to deliver, for a reasonable con- sideration, another work identical in its essential parts with the first, if he can re-write the work without too great difficulty, with the assistance of his preparatory notes, or of other materials. If the author offers to deliver gratuitously a similar work within a reasonable period, the publisher is bound to reproduce and distribute it in place of the work which has perished. Hither party can also claim these rights when the work, after having been delivered, has perished in consequence of an act for which the other party was responsible. The fact that the publisher has been placed in a position to accept delivery of the work is equivalent to its delivery.  78 Section 34. If the author dies before he has finished the work, and a portion of the work has been delivered to the publisher, the publisher has the right to maintain his contract (so far as the part delivered is concerned) by a declaration addressed to the heirs of the author. The heir can appoint the publisher a reasonable period for the exercise of the right mentioned in the previous paragraph. This right expires if the publisher does not, before the end of this period, state his intention of maintaining his agreement. These regulations apply in like manner if the completion of the work is impossible in consequence of some other circumstance for which the author is not responsible. Section 35. Up to the beginning of the reproduction the author is entitled to withdraw from the contract if circumstances arise which could not be foreseen on the signing of the contract, and which would have stopped the author from publishing the work, after he had known the circumstances and fully considered the case. If the publisher is entitled to produce another edition, then these regulations will also apply for the new edition. If the author cancels the agreement on the grounds set forth in paragraph 1 then he is bound to remunerate the publisher for the expenses he has incurred. If he publishes the work elsewhere, in the course of a year after cancellation, then he is bound to pay damages for non-fulfilment of contract, except in the case when the author has proposed to the publisher that he should ultimately execute the agreement, and the publisher has refused this proposition. Section 36. (This section refers to the bankruptcy of a pub- lisher and the legal position of his trustee or assignee.) . Section 37. The regulations dealing with the right of cancellation of contracts under sections 346 to 356 of the Civil Code apply equally by analogy to the right to cancel a publisher’s contract in sections 17, 30, 35, 36. If the motive for cancellation is a circumstance for which the other contracting party is not responsible the responsibility will be deter- mined according to the regulations relative to restitution on account of any advantage unlawfully allowed. Section 38. When the agreement is cancelled after delivery of the whole or a part of the work, then it will depend on the circumstances whether the contract THE AUTHOR. shall be held to be binding in part. It makes no difference whether the cancelling takes place in consequence of the Act, or in consequence of a clause in the contract. In case of doubt the con- tract will be binding in so far as it applies to copies which are no longer at the disposal of the publisher, to earlier portions of the work, or to editions which have already appeared. In go far as the agreement is binding, the author may claim a corresponding part of the proceeds of sale, These regulations can be applied also when the contract is cancelled in any other manner. Section 39. If agreement is made concerning a non-copyright work the author is not bound to secure to the publisher the rights of publication. Nevertheless if the author fraudulently conceals from the publisher the fact that the work has been previously published elsewhere, then by analogy the regulations of the Civil Code are applicable, which declares the vendor responsible for the non-existence of the rights transferred. The author must abstain from reproducing and distributing the work in conformity with the provisions of section 2 exactly as if a copyright existed. This restriction ceases six months after the publication of the work by the publisher. Section 40. In the case of section 39 the publisher has in common with any third person, the right to reproduce the work which he has published, either with or without alterations. This regulation does not, however, apply if according to the agreement the production of new editions or of more copies depends upon special payments. Section 41. In the absence of any regulations of sections 42 to 46 to the contrary the regulations of this law are applicable when articles are accepted with a view to publishing in a newspaper, a review or any other periodical collective work. Section 42. As long as circumstances do not prove that the publisher is to receive the exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution. The author retains the right freely to dispose of his article. : After the publisher has acquired the exclusive right of reproduction and distribution of such an article, the author can freely dispose of it after the expiration of one calendar year from the date of publication. If the article is destined for a news- paper then the author has this privilege (of freely disposing) as soon as it is published.  THE AUTHOR. Section 48. No restriction is laid upon the publisher respect- ing the number of copies of articles for a collective work. The regulations of section 20 Div. 1 Sentence 2 do not apply. Section 44. When the article appears without the author's name, the publisher is entitled to make in the text such alterations as it is usual to make in collective works of the same description. Section 45. If the article has not been published within one year from the date of its delivery to the publisher, the author can cancel the contract. The author’s right to remuneration remains intact. A claim to reproduction and distribution of the article, or for damages on account of non-fulfil- ment, is only due to the author if the period of time in which the article should be published, has been fixed by the publisher. Section 46. If the article appears in a newspaper the author cannot claim free copies. The publisher is not bound to accord the author copies at the usual trade price. Section 47. If anyone undertakes to create a work in accor- dance with a plan which the person giving the commission describes exactly, determining both the contents of the work, and the manner in which the subject shall be treated in case of doubt, the person giving the commission is not bound to reproduce and distribute the work. The same rule applies when the work of the author consists in collaboration in the production of encyclopeedias, or in auxiliary or supplementary labours for the works of others, or for a collective work. Section 48. The provisions of this law also apply when the person who makes the contract with the publisher is not the author. Section 49. In civil actions, in which by claim or counter- claim, a right is made valid on the basis of the regulations of this law, the final appeal and decision lie within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the Empire in accordance with Section 8 of the law dealing with judicial organisation. Translated from the German by Go. i. 7. 19 PROPERTY IN A “NOM DE PLUME,” 1 COUNSEL’S OPINION. N the November number of The Author it I was stated that the committee had decided at their meeting in October to take counsel’s opinion on the question of an author’s property in a nom de plume, and, further, that as counsel’s opinion had been in favour of the member’s con- tention of her right of property, the committee of the society had decided to take the matter up. When the solicitors of the society wrote to the editor of the offending paper, he at once, on his attention being drawn to the point, frankly and courteously consented to withdraw the heading of the column which was the cause of complaint, and the matter thus terminated satisfactorily, without the necessity of any further action. For some reasons we regret that no legal decision was come to, as the point—the property that it is possible to acquire in a name—is one of great importance to all authors, whether they write under a nom de plume or not. As it is not at all unlikely that the same question may arise from time to time, the case as laid before counsel, together with his opinion on the points put forward, is printed below. CASE. Mrs. W. Desmond Humphreys is a novelist who has, during the last twenty-five years, written a large number of books under the nom de plume of “ Rita,” which has become in consequence a very well-known name amongst readers generally. Mrs. Humphreys has written some fifty-two novels under this name. A list of the chief ones will be found under the entry “ Rita,” in “ Who’s Who ?” for 1905. There can, we believe, be no doubt that the name of “Rita” is widely associated with Mrs. Humphreys’ work, that when the name is used in newspapers and elsewhere Mrs. Humphreys is the person intended to be referred to, and that it is of distinct pecuniary value in literary and journalistic circles; what may be called Mrs. Humphreys’ literary “ good-will’? having become attached to it. On the other hand it is, we believe, a not uncommon name, and cannot, we think, be regarded as in any sense a “fancy ” or invented word. Mrs. Humphreys has been a good deal annoyed of late by the publication in a provincial journal of a “ children’s page,” purporting to be conducted by “ Rita.” Mrs. Humphreys says she is constantly being told that she writes in this paper—a report which is at once annoying and calculated also to injure her literary reputation, and consequently, in  80 the long run, her pecuniary results also, which ulti- mately depend largely upon that reputation. The question arises, whether Mrs. Humphreys can in any way prevent this annoyance and the use of her name ? The answer to this question depends, we suppose, upon the same principles as those which have been applied in the case of trade names generally, though there are some practical differ- ences in applying those principles to the profession of authorship. We suggest that if an author writes and acquires a reputation under an invented and fancy name he would be able to protect himself against the use of that name unfairly by other authors. Further, we submit that the fact of an author using a name already known does not alter his rights, save, of course, that no other person could we suppose be prohibited from writing under his own name. Upon these principles we should suggest that if any other person published a novel simply as by “ Rita,” as she could easily distinguish her work by adding her surname, according to the ordinary practice, she would equally be restrained from using the word “ Rita” alone. As regards this user in a newspaper, the question presents perhaps rather greater difficulty, but Mrs. Humphreys has, for the last ten years, constantly written under the name “Rita” in a_ large number of newspapers, and her name is well known. Tt is, no doubt, the usual practice to write “children’s pages” in newspapers under some fancy or other name than that of the person writing. The full name of the writer is seldom ised. Some name is chosen, either the writer’s own, or more commonly some other. ‘The name in this case is, we expect, so far as the author of the page is concerned, a fancy name, and if so, why have chosen “ Rita” ? There may have been no intention to mislead anyone, but we take it an innocent intention is not sufficient. The question is, have Mrs. Humphreys’ rights in the name of “ Rita” been infringed in fact ? Mrs. Humphreys is as well known as a journalist under the name “ Rita” as a novelist, so that the fact of the name being used for newspaper work as distinguished from novels could not be made use of, We suggest, therefore, that in this case also Mrs. Humphreys would have a remedy by injunction to prevent this writer from trading on «“ Rita’s” literary reputation. Counsel is desired to advise Mrs. Humphreys : 1. Whether she can restrain the writer in the provincial journal from conducting the “ children’s page” under the name “ Rita,” and the proprietors from permitting such user ; or whether she has any other and what remedy in the matter ? THE AUTHOR. 2. Whether, if another writer published a novel in ordinary book form, under the name of “ Rita,” he could be restrained from such user of the name ? 3. Generally, whether Mrs. Humphreys has acquired any and what rights in the name “ Rita?” OPINION. In my opinion, where an author has gained a reputation for his works, and has become known to the public under a nom de plume as the writer of such works, he has the right to prevent any other person from holding out to the world that such author is the writer of literary matter which he never wrote. If it were otherwise, writers of inferior merit would be able to put their composi- tions before the public under the names of writers of high standing and authority, and thereby per- petuate a fraud, not only on the writer whose name is used, but also on the public. ; I further think that the principles which govern cases of trade names generally are applicable to this case. The law on the subject is very pithily put by Lord Halsbury, L.C., in Reddaway v. Banham ( [1896] A. C., p. 204), where he says, * The principle of law may be very plainly stated, and that is, that nobody has any right to represent his goods as the goods of somebody else.” In Lord Byron v. John- stone (2 Merivale, 29) the defendant was restrained from advertising for sale certain poems, which he represented by the advertisement to be the work of Lord Byron when such was not the case. In Besant v. Moffat and Paige (84 L. T. Journal, 152), upon an application for an interim injunction, it was held that the publisher was wrong in repre- senting that a book was written by Sir Walter Besant when it had not been written by him, but upon the defendant undertaking to block out the words objected to no order was made on the motion. In view of these cases, and the case of Metzler v. Wood (L. R. 8 ©. D. 606), I think it is clear that if Mrs. Humphreys had written her books and articles in her own name, she would be entitled to restrain anyone else from using her name, as the writer of works which were not hers, in such a manner as would be calculated to deceive persons into the belief that they were Mrs. Humphreys’ works. T have not been able to find any English case where the writer has used a “nom de plume,” but in my opinion the user would not alter the prin- ciples to be applied. There are, however, two American cases upon the subject, viz., Clemens v. Such (Sebastian’s Digest, 429) and Clemens v. Belford (11 Biss. 459). In the first case it was held that the plaintiff,  THE AUTHOR. 81 whose works were published under the “nom de plume” of Mark Twain, was entitled to restrain the unauthorised use of that name by another person. In the second case, it was held that an author who is known to the public under a “nom de plume” has the right to prevent the publication of matter which he did not write, in connection with his “nom de plume” and purporting to be written by him. Of course, the American decisions are not binding on the English courts, but in my view they were correctly decided in accordance with the principles of English law. In all cases of this description the plain- tiff must, of course, show that deception is probable, but in the present I do not think the Court would have much difficulty in arriving at such a conclusion. The Judge, however, cannot act on the mere view, but he must be satisfied by independent evidence that there is at least a reasonable probability of deception (London General Omnibus Co. v. Lavell [1901] 1 Ch. 185). There ought to be no difficulty in getting this evidence, as | understand from my instructions that Mrs. Humphreys is being constantly told that she writes for the provincial journal. I think it is immaterial whether or not the writer in the pro- vincial journal used the name fraudulently (see Worth Cheshire and Manchester Brewery Co. v. Manchester Brewery Co. [1899] A. C. 83), although if it should be proved that the writer has assumed the name of “Rita,” it would be almost sufficient evidence of fraud if taken alone (see per Turner, L.J., in Burgess v. Burgess, 3 De G. M. & G. 896). Assuming that the facts which I have indicated above can be proved, I am of opinion that : 1. Mrs. Humphreys can restrain the writer in the provincial paper from conducting the “ children’s page,” under the name of “ Rita,” and the pro- prietors from permitting such user. She is also entitled to damages, but most probably they would be only nominal, as it would be very difficult to prove any specific damage. 2 and 3. Mrs. Humphreys can restrain any person from using the nom de plume of “ Rita” to any literary work, which has not been written by Mrs. Humphreys, in any manner as is calculated to deceive persons into the belief that it is the work of Mrs. Humphreys. Lastly, before taking any proceedings against either the writer in the provincial journal or the proprietors thereof, a letter should be written asking them to discontinue the use of the name * Rita.” W. OuiverR Hones. 1, King’s Bench Walk, Temple, E.C. MAGAZINE CONTENTS. od BOOKMAN. Geo. Macdonald. By James Moffatt. Book MONTHLY. The Modern Novel. By Hubert Bland. A Literary Peer. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. With Coleridge at Samuel Rogers’. By Robert McClure. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. The Narratives of the Resurrection, By G. Margoliouth. Old and New Lights on Shakespeare’s “ Hamlet.” By Prof. Churton Collins. Humanism asa Religion. By R. Christie. CORNHILL. The Creation of the British Museum. By Sir E. Maunde Thompson, K.C.B. A Book of Martyrs. By Dora Greenwell McChesney. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Geo. Farquhar. By. Wm. Archer. Sir Oliver Lodge on Religion and Science. By W. H. Mallock. A Classic of the Chase. By E. H. Lacon Watson. Life and Literature in France. By W. Lawler Wilson. Henry Irving: A Personal Reminiscence. By TE, 8: Escott. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Charles Lamb. By Herbert Paul. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE, Matthew Arnold as a Social Reformer. By H. H. Dodwell. MONTHLY REVIEW. Charles Lamb. By Arthur Symons. Living Legends of the Saints. By Lady Gregory. Society Journalism. By Stephen Stapleton. NATIONAL REVIEW. Arisoto. By W. J. Courthorpe, C.B. Some Public Aspects of “The Times” Book Club, By Hugh Chisholm, NINETEENTH CENTURY. Latin for Girls. By Stephen Paget. The Deans and the Athanasian Creed. By The Very Rev. The Dean of Winchester. The Gaelic League. By The Countess Dowager of Desart. PALL MALL MAGAZINE. Thomas Hardy and The Land of Wessex. By Clive Holland. : d The Romance of a French Artist: Felix Ziem. By Frederic Lees. Lord Acton’s List of Books. By Lord Avebury, TEMPLE BAR. Some Recent Tragedy. By A. Balliol. WorLp’s WORK. The Education of an Artist. By GC. Lewis Hind, (There are no articles dealing with Literary, Dramatic, or Musical Subjects in Blackwood’s Magazine or The Month.) 82 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ———+— ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :-— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement), In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duetion forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (8.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. : : (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. : (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author, IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :-— : (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combimations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —————_1—__+—__—_ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. oe : EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- : “petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager, THE AUTHOR. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. _(b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 6 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (‘.<¢., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (6.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. ‘The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully . drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10, An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ++ __ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —_-—> + ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two — rights to deal with—performing right and copyright, He  +e ec THE AUTHOR. 83 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. 9 HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. a 1. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel's opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinarysolicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. ‘The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary aah without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. embers are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This The 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members, 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10, The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. =o Gee: Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. ——_—— +o —_ THE READING BRANCH. ee ee oe EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. —_—————_.—>—_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 5s, 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “ The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. ges The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. a LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. 1 ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C. AUTHORITIES. —_—— E must congratulate Sir George Darwin on receiving the Birthday honour of K.C.B. ‘he son of a distinguished father, he has followed in his father’s footsteps as @ man of science. He was Second Wrangler and Smith’s Prizeman in 1868 at Cambridge, and was elected a Fellow of Trinity College in the following year. This year, everyone will remember, he was President of the British Association, and in South Africa opened the bridge over the Falls of the Zambesi. His writings on scientific subjects are well known, but too numerous to recount in detail. Iv is constantly argued that the success of adver- tisement depends upon its persistence ; that after a certain amount of repeated advertisement the mind receives the obsession of a certain idea and yields to this obsession. It is essential from time to time to apply this principle in The Author, and to repeat the faults of various methods of dealing with literary pro- perty suggested by publishers, editors, and agents, so that, finally, members may be convinced of the points to be avoided. This repetition—from our point of view completely satisfactory—has, how- ever, its drawbacks. For those authors who are capable of managing their own business satisfac- torily, or whose position is such that they are not over careful about driving hard bargains, some- times come to the conclusion that the Society of Authors is the embittered enemy of all publishers. It is needless to repeat, what has been repeated so often, that the society is nothin of the kind. Only the other day a certain ell known author, on being asked to join the society, refused to do so for the reason already mentioned. If the accu- sation were true—which we deny—there would still remain many reasons why the author, however successful, and however little he might need the help of the society in the conduct of his own special business, should still become a member. He benefits indirectly, and he has no right to live or to gain part of his livelihood from the guineas of his more gregarious fellow writers. It is possible he might deny the position, but he should remember that every effort made by the society to obtain better copyright laws in Great Britain, her colonies and dependencies, in the United States, and in the direction of international legislation, or to obtain a wider protection by agitation for the adhesion of other countries to the Berne Convention, increases the value of his property. This applies to the case of an author of established position more than to the case of a beginner. It is needless also to mention that the committee THE AUTHOR. of the society have all these points before them, and are constantly moving in one direction or another to increase and to protect the value of literary property. Tt is for reasons such as these, then, that every writer should join the society. The guinea paid is not in charity—it is paid to an insurance company. In this month’s issue we print the German Law ~ of Publishers’ Contracts. In the July, 1905, number we printed the German Law of Copy- right. These two translations cover the Acts dealing with literary property in Germany, and deserve the careful consideration of members of the society. The former law, that of publishers’ contracts, is a most interesting document, showing with what minute preciseness legislation is carried in the Fatherland. We may fairly say that it would be impossible for such a law to pass through the Parliament of Great Britain. However, it is an exceedingly instructive document, and a studied perusal will enable the author to obtain many suggestions of clauses and terms to be embodied in contracts with publishers. There are some points, however, which would appear almost superfluous. For instance, in Section 1, “1f there is an agreement between the author and the publisher to publish a work, the author undertakes to deliver the work and the publisher undertakes to reproduce and distribute it.” Again, in Section 29, “if the agreement with the publisher is restricted to a definite number of editions the relationship of the con- tracting parties ceases when the editions or copies are exhausted.” There are other examples of what would appear to be self-evident platitudes. Of the clauses containing useful hints to authors we should like to draw attention to clause 5. “In the absence of agreement the publisher is only entitled to produce one edition limited to 1,000 copies.” Again, in clause 8 (a hint for publishers) in the absence of any stipulation to the contrary the author must secure to the pub- lisher the exclusive right of reproduction and distribution. In clause 12, again, there are some curious points which refer to the alterations allowed to authors, In clause 23 payment to the author becomes due on delivery of the work to the pub- lisher—a most important point often overlooked in English contracts. We do not desire to go through the law clause by clause, but leave to members of the society the full consideration, as the study will afford them many useful ideas as to the manner of dealing with their literary property. 6  THE AUTHOR. 85 THE PENSION FUND CO MMITTEE. 1 N order to give members of the society, should I they desire to appoint a fresh member to the Pension Fund Committee, full time to act, it has been thought advisable to place in Zhe Author a complete statement of the method of election under the scheme for administration of the Pension Fund. Under that scheme the committee is com- posed of three members elected by the committee of the society, three members elected by the society at the general meeting, and the chairman of the society for the time being, ex-officio. The three members elected at the general meeting when the fund was started were Mr. Morley Roberts, Mr. M. H. Spielmann, and Mrs. Alec ‘Tweedie. These have in turn during the past three years resigned, and, submitting their names for re-election, have been unanimously re-elected. This year Mr. Morley Roberts again, under the rules of the scheme, tenders his resignation and submits his name forre-election. The members have power to put forward other names under clause 9, which runs as follows :— Any candidate for election to the Pension Fund Com- mittee by the members of the society (not being a retiring member of such committee) shall be nominated in writing to the secretary at least three weeks prior to the general meeting at which such candidate is to be proposed, and the nomination of each such candidate shall be subscribed by at least three members of the society. A list of the names of the candidates so nominated shall be sent to the members of the society, with the annual report of the Managing Committee, and those candidates obtaining the most votes at the general meeting shall be elected to serve on the Pension Fund Committee. In case any member should desire to refer to the list of members, a copy, with the exception of those members referred to in the note at the beginning, can be obtained at the society’s office. This list, dated 1902, owing to the small demand, has not been re-edited, and is, therefore, not absolutely accurate. A further list of the elections for 1903 was published in separate form, and all further elections have been duly notified in The Author. They can easily be referred to, as all members receive a copy every month. It would be as well, therefore, should any of the members desire to put forward a candidate, to take the matter within their immediate consideration. The general meeting of the society has usually been held towards the end of February or the beginning of March. This notice will be repeated in the January number of 7'he Author. It is essential that all nominations should be in the hands of the secretary before the 31st of January, 1906. THE NOBEL PRIZE COMMITTEE. ee HE Nobel Prize Committee of the Society of Authors met on November 15th at the offices of the society, 39, Old Queen Street, when the chair was taken by Lord Avebury. Among those present were Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Edmund Gosse, Mrs. John Richard Green, and Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace; Mr. G. Herbert Thring acted as secretary. The chairman expressed the hope that the English Nobel Committee would not be dis- couraged if the prize of £8,250 should this year be awarded to a foreign poet or poets, since we have the assurance of the director of the Swedish Academy that any “idealistic” writer strongly supported by the authors of England “ has every prospect of gaining the Nobel prize for litera- ture at some future time.” Mr. Austin Dobson suggested that unanimity and persistence were of the greatest importance, and that the committee should not be impatient if the prize were not immediately given to the English candidate. <At the suggestion of Mr. Gosse it was agreed that the committee should take the same steps as were taken last year to collect the votes of all qualified British voters. ————Cc—>—o——_ SOME CANADIAN WRITERS. a te No. 1.—PortTry. HE Editor of The Author has asked me to write something about Canadian literature, with which a residence of seventeen years in the Dominion may be supposed to have made me acquainted. I comply with his request with some diffidence, knowing the “invidious bar” that stands in the way of him who would treat of living artists, whether of the pen or brush, and knowing also the difficulty of escaping, in such an article as the editor wants, from a certain simi- larity to a mere list of names, that might remind one of a directory or of the genealogical chapters of the Book of Chronicles. It is not possible to speak of everybody, and it must be said that this article does not touch the French-Canadian branch of the subject. I will speak first of poets. In the preface to his valuable and laborious “ Bibliography of Canadian Poetry,” published in 1899, Mr. O. C. James says that it is “based on a collection of about four hundred volumes and pamphlets brought together by the author during the last ten years, and now in the library of Victoria University, Toronto.” The earliest book of poetry in Mr. James’s list is “The New Gentle Shepherd,” by Lieutenant Adam Allan, which was published in 1798. ‘Two  86 volumes of Canadian poetry were published in 1815 and one in 1816, after which came a hiatus of seven lean years in which no poet ventured into the open. Perhaps the fate of those three earlier works showed that the air of Canada in that day was a little too frigid for poets. From 1824 to 1850, however, there was no year without the appearance of some modest book of Canadian verse, and in 1846 no fewer than six saw the light. It is touching to look at some of these yolumes, which bear the marks of rural printing presses, well-worn type, and home-made binding. ‘After 1850 the number of singers began to grow larger, so that in the following decade forty-five poets ventured before the public, and in the next sixty-six. From 1870 to the end of the century the poetical output of the publishers steadily increased, till it culminated in its last decade with no fewer than one hundred and forty-one volumes, which, for a population of five millions, containing no leisured class, is a little remarkable. In 1864, Rev. Dr. Dewart published a work entitled ‘Selections from Canadian Poets.” In that book forty-seven authors are noticed, and one hundred and seventy-two poems. In 1889, Mr. W. D. Lighthall, of Montreal, issued his collection entitled “Songs of the Great Dominion,” in which we find fifty-six authors and one hundred and sixty- three poems. In 1900, Dr. Theodore H. Rand gave us his “ Treasury of Canadian Verse,” which quotes three hundred and forty-four poems from cone hundred and thirty-five authors. From these interesting books one may derive much informa- tion as to Canadian poetry, and a comparison of them enables us somewhat clearly to judge as to the respective places of Canadign poets according to the opinion of competent judges. Among those who have passed away, the most prominent names ‘are those of Charles Heavysege, Charles Sangster, D’Arcy McGee, Alex. McLachlan, Isabella Valancy Crawford, and Archibald Lampman. To read the lives of these writers is to feel through what difficulties poetic genius has, in this country, ‘struggled to its goal. Of Heavysege’s great poem, ‘“ Saul,” published anonymously in Montreal in 1857, the North British Review for August, 1858, says : “ We have before us perhaps the only copy that has crossed the Atlantic. At all events we have heard of no other, as it is probable we should have done, through some public or private notice, seeing that the work is indubitably one of the most remarkable English poems ever written out of Great Britain.” Dr. Dewart assigns to Charles Sangster the first place among Canadian poets. While I do not agree with this verdict, I am willing to concede him a high place as one of the most representative .of our Canadian bards. THE AUTHOR. He was born in Canada, his themes are Canadian, he lived in an atmosphere of Canadian sentiment, and everything he wrote is permeated with the spirit of the scenery of his country. He may be said to be the pioneer of what has developed into that distinctively Canadian school of verse which has been inspired by the grandeur of our mountains and forests, and the impressiveness of our lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and boundless prairies. Thomas D’Arcy McGee, M.P., was born in Treland in 1825, and came to Canada in 1857. He was a Canadian statesman of high repute, and was assassinated in the vicinity of the parliament buildings in Ottawa, in 1868. He was the author of “Canadian Ballads and Occasional Verses,” and his poem entitled, “ Our Ladye of the Snow,” is as good as any of Sir Walter Scott’s. Alexander McLachlan has been called the Burns of Canada, and that is, perhaps, a convenient way of indicating his status to the over-seas reader. Like Burns, he was a farmer. In his work, as in that of D’Arcy McGee, the divine Celtic fire is visible. The following verses are from his poem entitled “ The Scot.” “ Dour as a door-nail he’s indeed ; To change an item of his creed Is tearing hair oot o’ his heid, He winna budge, Nor will he either drive or lead, But just ery ‘Fudge !’ “ And in his bonnet apt is he To hae some great big bumming bee, Sic as his Stuart loyalty, When hope is past ; Despite their stupid tyranny, True to the last. “A man o’ passionate convictions, A mixture queer o’ contradictions, Big, liberal, but wi’ stern restrictions ; Yet at the core, To a’ mankind wi’ benedictions, His heart rins o’er.”’ To the memory of Isabella Valancy Crawford, who came to Canada from Ireland in 1856, and died in Toronto in 1887, at the age of 36, an increasing number of tributes is yearly offered. As the appreciation of what is truly worthy in Canadian poetry becomes more cultured and critical, her fame is bound to increase, though she produced very little, and died disappointed at the lack of recognition which was the fate of her publications. The name of Archibald Lampman seems to bring us suddenly down to the present, since he died in Ottawa but six short years ago ; so young—he was only thirty-eight—that one almost feels he ought to be living now. Living he is, still, in the hearts of all who knew him, for he was not only a poet, but the most lovable of Nature’s gentlemen. His 1 r i THE AUTHOR. 87 complete poems in a volume of four hundred and seventy-two pages, edited by his friend and fellow poet, Duncan Campbell Scott, with a memoir which is one of the most beautiful examples of biographical literature in the language, were published in 1900. As heat is measured by the quantity of ice it will melt, a poet’s ability may be roughly judged by his skill in attacking a prosaic subject. I will quote Lampman’s sonnet entitled “ The Railway Station” :— “The darkness brings no quiet here, the light No waking : ever on my blinded brain The flare of lights, the rush, and cry, and strain, The engines’ scream, the hiss and thunder smite ; I see the hurrying crowds, the clasp, the flight, Faces that touch, eyes that are dim with pain ; I see the hoarse wheels turn, and the great train Move labouring out into the bournless night. “So many souls within its dim recesses, So many bright, so many mournful eyes : Mine eyes that watch grow fixed with dreams and guesses ; What threads of life, what hidden histories, What sweet or passionate dreams and dark distresses, What unknown thoughts, what various agonies! ” Writing of Lampman in the Canadian Magazine some years ago, Mr. Arthur J. Stringer, himself a Canadian poet and critic of no mean ability, says : “Of the group of Canadian poets who have obtained a recognised standing—Roberts, Lamp- man, Carman, Campbell and Scott—probably Lampman is the most thoroughly Canadian, and in Canada the most popular. He is not as scholarly as Roberts; he has not the strong imaginative power of Campbell ; he may not have the mysterious melody of language peculiar to Carman, nor the pleasing daintiness and occasional felicitousness of Scott; but he is the strongest and broadest poet of the group, possessing the most of what Landor has called ‘substantiality.” He has an artist's eye for colour, and the quiet thoughtfulness of a student for scenery—the true nature poet.” This quotation is not only valuable for what it says about Lampman, but it suitably introduces our other chief poets, Charles G. D. Roberts, Bliss Carman, William Wilfred Campbell, and Duncan Campbell Scott, to whom I will add R. H. Kernighan, Frederick George Scott, Ethelwyn Wetherald, and W. H. Drummond, as the best selection I can make for this poetical guest-table. Charles G. D. Roberts has done so much in the forty-five years of his life, not only in poetry, but in other departments of writing, that he necessarily takes a chief place in any comparative view of our literature. He had a good start, for he comes of a cultured family, and he received an adequate and comprehensive education, The variety of his aims may have hindered in some degree the production of the monumental ; but he has written four or five volumes of noble poetry, a most readable and useful History of Canada, several picturesque Canadian stories, a few charmingly-handled _ historical romances, the best “animal stories’? that have been written on the continent, and of late a quantity of flesh-coloured verse that rivals Swin- burne and hints at Rossetti. If thereis a touch of the chameleon in his genius, the genius is there ; and if he had lived and written in England instead of in Canada his fame would by this time be world-wide, since he is, on the whole, in advance of most of his English contemporaries in poetry. I have only room for a few lines from Roberts—this whole magazine might well be taken up by quota- tions from his verse : “THE FALLING LEAVES. “ Lightly He blows, and at His breath they fall, The perishing kindreds of the leaves ; they drift, Spent flames of scarlet, gold aérial, Across the hollow year, noiseless and swift. Lightly He blows, and countless as the falling Of snow by night upon a solemn sea, The ages circle down beyond recalling, To strew the hollows of Eternity. He sees them drifting through the spaces dim, And leaves and ages are as one to Him.” Bliss Carman, a cousin of the foregoing, is an unmistakable poet. He is another of the young men, who having celebrated their native country in serious, and no doubt sincere poetry, have, like Roberts, been carried by the torrential stream of life to the accelerated atmosphere of American cities, where life goes with a greater rush than in London because the air is more stimulating, and there is more money per capita to spend ; where, also, the English poise and phlegm are absent. The circumstances and conditions of Carman’s education were the same as those of Roberts, except that he took post-graduate courses at Harvard and Edinburgh. He also, like his kinsman, indulged somewhat in editorial work, but ultimately forsook the chair for the freer road of independent literary endeavour. That this road léd him far afield, the titles of two of his books, “Songs from Vagabon- dia” and ‘More Songs from Vagabondia,” seem to indicate. He had already, however, shown his distinctive poetic genius, in his books “ Low Tide on Grand Pré,” “ Behind the Arras—a book of the Unseen,” and “ Ballads of Lost Haven.” He writes splendidly of the sea—no poet better ; living or dead. “QO, the shambling sea is a sexton old, And well his work is done. With an equal grave for lord and knave He buries them every one. THE “Then hoy and rip, with a rolling hip, He makes for the nearest shore ; And God, who sent him a thousand ship, Will send him a thousand more. “ But some he'll save for a bleaching grave, And shoulder them in to shore— Shoulder them in, shoulder them in, Shoulder them in to shore.” But Carman can write other poems besides those which somehow remind us of the volume, the strength, and the irresistible impetuosity of a brass band. He has the poet’s subtle insight, and he understands the delicate flavour of word and phrase. Withal he has originality and a com- prehensive grasp of life that are rare in modern oets. William Wilfred Campbell was born in Western Ontario in 1861, studied at Toronto University, and has been in the Canadian civil service for some years. His poetry has frequently appeared in the best magazines on both sides of the Atlantic, and he is a writer of great originality and power. It was with respect to a poem of his that a com- petent reviewer wrote: “The nearest approach to a great poem that has cropped out in_ current literature for many a long day is ‘The Mother.’ ” This poem first appeared in an American magazine in 1891 and at once stamped its author as a man of conspicuous and virile originality and force of imagination. He has published “ Lake Lyrics and other Poems,” “The Dread Voyage,” ‘“ Mordred and Hildebrand ” and “ Over the Hills of Dream.” These four books of verse place him in a high position in contemporary verse. He has written also a very beautiful elegy on his fellow-poet Lampman, which begins :— , “ Soft fall the February snows, and soft Falls on my heart the snow of wintry pain ; For never more, by wood or field or croft, Will he we knew walk with his loved again ; No more with eyes adream and scul aloft, In those high moods where love and beauty reign Greet his familiar fields, his skies without a stain.” And he has written several other pieces of occa- sional or national interest. His is no vagrant muse, though he knows his Hastern Canada, and his eye for the larger aspects of nature is un- doubtedly keen. Duncan Campbell Scott, besides being a most artistic and genuine poet, is a very competent member of the civil service of Canada, where he holds a highly responsible position in the Depart- ment of Indian Affairs. For the sweetness of his song, and its dainty . perfection of form, Scott stands to a great extent alone. There is a delicate reticence, and a high- bred refinement about his poetry which marks it as the work of a masterly literary craftsman. He is a devotee of music, and there is music in all his AUTHOR. lines. Besides this there is a condensed force in some of his utterances that marks them as the sublimed essence of a strong and subtle mind. He has produced less than some Canadian poets, having issued but two books, “ The Magic House” in 1893, and “ Labour and the Angel” in 1898, but of the high quality of his output there is no question. In R. H. Kernighan, who has written much verse, more or less fugitive, under the nom de plume of “The Khan,” and has published a very popular volume of poems entitled “The Khan’s Canticles,”” we have an example of genuine native genius, essentially Canadian, imitative of nobody, full of vigour, and giving evidence everywhere of being that of a poet born and not made. He is a farmer, and has had no advantages of higher edu- cation, but where any of the poets before mentioned has an audience of a hundred, Kernighan has a thousand. The others appeal chiefly or solely to the “fit audience though few.” Kernighan appeals to everybody. Another poet who has a similarly wide circle of readers is Dr. W. H. Drummond, medical practi- tioner, hunter, camper, and sympachetic interpreter of the French Canadian habitant to his fellow Canadians who speak English, and to people of all English-speaking countries. Dr. Drummond may be said to have discovered the habitant just as Mr. Kipling discovered Tommy Atkins. He is the only Canadian poet who has had the pleasure of seeing his works run into many and large editions. The medium of expression he adopts is the habitants broken English, so that all his poems have a certain dramatic force. It is the peasant of Quebec who speaks and says :— “ Venez ici, mon cher ami, an’ sit down by me—so, An’ I will tole you story of ole tam long ago— W’en ev'ryting is happy—w’en all de bird is sing, An’ me !—I’m young and strong lak moose an’ not afraid no ting” ; and who tells us on the occasion of the late Queen’s jubilee :— “ Yaas, dat is de way Victoriaw fin’ us dis jubilee, Sometam’ we mak fuss about not’ing, but it’s all on de familee, An’ wenever dere’s danger roun’ her, no matter on sea or lan’, She'll find that les Canayens can Englishman.” fight de sam as bes’ Miss Ethelwyn Wetherald is not only an in- dustrious contributor of prose articles to the magazines, but she is distinguished as a poet whose work has received much appreciation during the last decade. That she is a genuine lover of Nature and a skilful interpreter of Nature’s moods is shown in the three books of verse she has published : “The House of the Trees,” “Tangled in Stars,”  THE AUTHOR. and “The Radiant Road.” Much of her work has a piquant lightness of touch and originality that give it a distinctive character. I have only = room for a small quotation :— “THE SCHOOL OF PAIN. “This is the hard school kept by Pain, With pupils sad and white ; While some shed tears like falling rain From dreary morn till night ; ‘Some knit the brow and clench the fist, And fill the heart with hate : And some cross languid wrist on wrist And say Pain is their fate. * But those that study very hard, And learn that Pain can bless, Are sent out in a leafy yard To play with Happiness.” Though Frederick George Scott is the last name to be mentioned in this division of the subject, he is by no means our least poet. On the contrary, he works on a high plane of excellence ; very little of his published poetry can be reckoned as mediocre, and occasionally he reaches the sublime. Indeed it is impossible to rise from a perusal of such a poem, for instance, as his “ Samson,” or some of his sonnets, without feeling that he takes a very high place in contemporary poetic literature, whether of this continent or of England. He has published three books of verse: ‘The Soul’s Quest,” “My Lattice,’ and “The Un-named Lake ;” and he has also written several stories of considerable interest and merit. There is perhaps less of a distinctively Canadian flavour about his verse than in that of his confréres, and there is not so much celebration of the aspects of Nature. BernarD McEvoy. (To be continued.) —_———_o—>—_+__—_ “LITERATURE” IN ADVERTISEMENTS. — HAT is “literature”? and what is the scope of its applicability to written com- position? very century upsets the standards of its forerunner, or literature might be pronounced comprehensively the work of men of letters, that is to say, of the esoteric devotees of grammar, syntax, style and expression. But here, come to me within the last few days from an American agency for the “ placing” of “ copy,” are a letter and a bulky package of circulars and pamphlets. The latter include a booklet of written testimonials to the firm ; another, treating of its school for journalism, with fecs, diplomas, certi- ficates and all the rest of it, very praiseworthy and profitable ; various leaflets containing urgent entreaties and calls upon man and womankind 89 generally to make or augment their incomes by an investment of their waste faculties in the gold mines of fiction (of which “there is not half enough to go around”); and, finally, forms to fill in, would I become one of that industrial army of “writers for profit.” Well, we have no right of quarrel with all this. If fiction has become the very bread of life, there must arise A. B. O.’s to meet a demand for which the humble bakery 1s inadequate. But why refer to such a budget of business self-puffery as “literature”? That is my anxious difficulty. ‘‘ After you have carefully read our literature,” says the Agency’s paternal letter, referring to the voluminous package. I have read it, or some of it. It is good plain advertising stuff, but it will not compare, say, with ‘‘ The Critic,’ or Autolycus’ crying of his wares in Bohemia. To call it literature seems to me to smack of those verbal appropriations to contorted uses by the free and independent, which dispossess the old without dignifying the new. Perhaps if American letters basked in the light of their own stately antiquity, Americans would be more jealous of the term. Perhaps if—this, that or the other had happened differently ! What an utterly idle speculation! and yet how the kingdom of romance is builded on such. “ Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’” America, for instance, might have had at this day a very damask of historical dyes to paint into her literature, had not that confederacy of States limited her drafts upon romance to a beggarly couple of wars. There were the original thirteen, each sovereign and independent, and at the outset intending to remain so : thirteen embryo principalities, duchies, counties—or twelve, or eleven, perhaps, with a virulent republic interposed here and_ there. Think of it! Washington’s struggle for the suzerainty, his hard-wrung success, and the piece- meal lopping of its limbs by his rival survivors, the rise of the Salt Lake popes, instead of a Zion whopping creation ; anarchy, militarism, chaos, reason, in turn and intermingling ; a constellation of despotisms ; falling stars and fountains running blood ; the tocsin ; slaughter and frenzy in the streets; State marching on State, the clashing cymbals of discordance ; sack, pillage, the roar of musketry and babbled prayers of girls. Then, the sense of design emerging—wild theories of order, and patterns of art and government ; fervid apostolicism and a Christ-like vision of beauty ; mutinies of wickedness bubbling here and there, and complicating the design in their suppression— at the end, Roosevelt crowned King, at Washington, of the United States. Dismal, dismal! a lurid thing to picture ; and, instead, the gods of progress be praised ! we have  90 ‘‘ literature” in business circulars, art in advertise- ments, and a religion—not common, or Catholic, but of commonness. Romance’s potentialities have ended in electric cars, and heaven and earth run upon parallel lines. Still, it is not yet illegal, though it is out of date, for a dreamer to dream. Whittier’s postulate turns, after all, upon a question of dollars, the republican cachet of distinction. Suppose the inroad of enterprisers bringing steel instead of finance to the internecine problem; suppose adventure running free, nor brought up blank against that impenetrable keep of Wall Street. We should not have had Bartholdi’s gigantic statue of Liberty, it is true; nor, on the other hand, should we have had business advertisement expressing itself in the following terms of elegance : “First thing you know, a good, snappy, zero day will catch you outside of an ulster.” We should have had, perhaps, at this day, a multiplex tradi- tion of conflicts in the matter of all that makes for picturesqueness—war, art and love—the ruins of a Doges’ palace at New York, of a causeway in Colorado built entirely of silver bricks by some self-exalted hidalgo of New Mexico. With such a continent, such enterprise, such a vigorous hybrid race, a century would have sufficed for the weaving of a very tapestry of history ; and, instead, we have America—it is her boast—leading the commonsense of creation. Art—it is a lamentable fact—abhors a mild and sagacious order. She derives of the gods, before reason was. Tyranny and passion are her right provocatives; dirt and decay a necessary part of her kaleidoscopic scheme. She withers in the breath of municipalities, fears ostentation, shrinks from the very term progressiveness. In statuary, in architecture, she knows her place subordinate to the mountains. She will not dwart her trees, nor, as literature, allow her appropriation to a circular. At least, that is the creed of her acolytes of the Old World, but our transatlantic Agency thinks otherwise. ———_—__$_-—— A CANDID FRIEND. ++ ““F you think,” said Desmond, reloading the pipe, which had gone out during his ener- getic denunciation of my craft, “if you think of the hundreds of abortive novels - “ Well,’ I answered, “ then for consolation you must remind yourself of the thousands of acorns that make food for pigs to every one that grows into an oak.” “Do you mean to suggest that the more trash is published, the more literature we may expect?” THE AUTHOR. demanded Desmond, striking a match and letting it go out before he used it. “Perhaps,” I suggested, “ we ought to find a fresh name for it.” “Certainly, nobody in his senses,” he cried, “would describe its manufacturers as Men of Letters.” “Yet what ought we to be called ? We are not precisely journalists, although the work of a man who puts forth two or three novels and goodness knows how many short stories a year, seems to resemble journalism. After all,” I said, “a story- teller is an inoffensive person " “’m, sometimes. It depends on the story.” “ You were kind enough to say you would point out some of our most glaring faults,’ I reminded him—a little unnecessarily. Desmond crossed his legs and scowled as he struck a third match : “A rather large order,” he muttered. “ But what strikes me first is your egregious confusion of thought. You are utterly unable to discriminate between love—which seems to be the proper sub- ject for a novelist, and the—improper subject, which also begins with an ‘L.’ In fact the con- temporary novel may be defined as a study of bad manners.” “Would you wish all novels to be society novels ?” I asked. “My dear fellow,” he answered, with the air of a man who was scoring a point, ‘‘ those are pre- cisely what I had in my mind. Uncultivated manners are no more bad manners than humble life is bad life. Then,” he continued, ‘‘ your tales are far too long.” “They are shorter than they used to be and we are constantly being told that we are incapable of a sustained effort.” “Ttisvery often because athree andsixpenny book naturally brings in less than a six shilling one,” said Desmond, with a rather unpleasant laugh. “ However,” he added, “there may be something to be thankful for if what you say is right. But was any English novel ever written which wouldn’t be improved by curtailment? That is where the press notices often mislead one. Your reviewer is a practised and judicious skipper—otherwise he couldn’t keep on. He digs out the plot which I suppose is generally hidden away somewhere in the three hundred and fifty pages and it sounds interesting enough in his summary, but when one comes to the book one is lost in the maze of twaddle.”’ “Yet I constantly read that our stories are too ‘thin’—that our younger writers keep too closely to the fable, and you must admit that some quite unnecessary characters are amongst the best that have ever been drawn.”  THE AUTHOR. 91 “ Oh dear yes,” said Desmond. “Tam prepared to forgive you almost anything provided you draw me a character.” “Then what on earth are you growling about ?” I asked, pushing across the whiskey. “You insist on relating your incidents twice over,” he answered. “ First in dialogue, again in what you would call the analysis. You may de- scribe your scene either dramatically or in narrative, but why do both? Read the conversations in an average novel and you can usually gather all you wish to know, but as if the author distrusted him- self, he almost invariably goes on to explain them as well.” “ Still,’ I urged, “an explanation may be illuminating. Mayn’t there be an advantage in judicious repetition. You become more saturated with the subject.” “How often is it worth while ?” he demanded. “ Give your readers credit for a little imagination if you possess none yourself. Now explain this,” he continued, still appearing to find a difficulty in making his pipe draw. ‘‘ Leaving on one side the relative literary merits of plays and novels, why do people insist more and more on being amused. when they go to the theatre, but less and less when they read fiction ?” « Now you are accusing us of a lack of humour,” I suggested. “Humour” he exclaimed, throwing his arms above his head. “Humour! That is a great thing to ask for. Humour, let me tell you, is one of the rarest qualities in the world. Of course the word is generally used when one means merely a sense of the ridiculous.” “ What is the difference ? ” “Oh well, I take it that humour implies a touch of emotion combined with an idea of incongruity. Humour surely lies betwixt tears and smiles, closely akin to both. We mustn’t expect to find it very often. I stipulate for something far more com- onan simply for a little—well, for a little un.” «A funny novel would be as depressing as a fonny man,” I returned. “7 don’t wish for a funny novel, but for a novel with some fun init . . . quiteanother thing. On the stage we have a good deal of what is at least intended for fun. In novels with one or two exceptions we have remarkably little. Now, how do you account for that ?” he asked, leaning back in his chair as if he were content to wait in vain for a reply. “(Can it be,’ I ventured, “because a larger proportion of men go to the theatre than to the circulating libraries ? The bulk of novel readers are women and one naturally tries to suit one’s public.” Desmond glared at me over his spectacles, so that I began to feel more than ever like a guilty thing : “You justify that kind of truckling?” he exclaimed. « A man who tells you a story that you don’t wish to hear, is just a bore, you know.” “ Besides,” said Desmond, “ you must be forget- ting that the moralists warn us that the craving for amusement on the part of women is one of the serious evils of the day.” “What they crave is entertainment,” I returned. “They require their attention to be held. Now ‘amusement’ seems to signify entertainment with agreeable objects.” “The fact of the matter is,” cried Desmond, “that novel writing is ceasing to be an art.” «“T was under the impression,” I said very humbly, “that in spite of all our faults, we were credited with a certain improvement in technique.” « Well, that may be so,” he admitted grudgingly. “A good many of you are clever, but few are wise. No doubt many write fairly well, but what you have to say is not often concerned with the beautiful.” “You forget that for the most part we have to deal with modern life !” “My dear chap, you shouldn’t try to be cynical off duty,” was the answer. “If you are worth your salt, you ought to have enough insight to see through the trappings that modern life is as beautiful and as ugly—neither more nor less—as life has ever been. You simply put beauty on the shelf—or at least,’ he added, with a laugh, “you don’t. Look through the contents of any circulating library—I see girls doing it every week.” “Oh come,” I cried, “you are not going to drag the young person into it again.” “Well, I certainly don’t like her books,” he confessed. “And yet, you prohibit certain undesirable advertisements on street hoardings. The circulating library shelves are almost as accessible. Still, we will leave the young person out of it, and think only of those others who still possess a sense of decency. If you are not careful you will have a censor of novels as well as of plays.” “ Poor wretch ! sinecure !” «J was going to say when you interrupted me,” Desmond continued, “that if you look through the shelves of any circulating library, it is absolutely appalling to open one book after another full of sheer hideousness. I suppose, though, it is rather old-fashioned to believe that vice is hideous.” His berth wouldn’t be a  92 «You ought to define your terms,” I hinted. But Desmond shook his head : “ Tt’s too close to midnight,” he said. “Anyhow, you must admit that a great deal depends on the treatment,” I persisted. “A great deal, I grant. But then the open air treatment is ousting every other. The windows are thrown up, the blinds are absent, very nearly everything is done out of doors. Surely there are human functions which it is undesirable to witness, to talk about, even to write about.” “In fact, you would discourage any attempt to deal seriously with life !” “ With life! Good Lord,” cried Desmond, “ isn’t it possible to deal seriously with life and yet not to be everlastingly trafficking with the seventh commandment.” “ You would prefer a story with a moral !” “ ] should hate it,” he answered, furiously. “It may be as unmoral as you please, but for goodness’ sake let me have something as a change from immorality. Don’t you understand that ugliness in art should be used only as a foil to beauty ! But you make the hideous an end in itself. You are sel- dom tragic, but instead of making me shudder, you make me sick, and you compel me to hold my nostrils instead of my sides.” “Well,” I suggested, “let me give you some more whiskey.” “No, thank you, no more to-night,” said Desmond and the following day I learned that he was keeping his bed with influenza. Of course, he must have been sickening the previous night ; no doubt the poor fellow’s temperature had already risen above the normal, thus accounting for his extremely crude and sweeping assertions. 3 ——____+—~»—_ —__<_ COMMENTS ON COMMENTS. 1 CANNOT allow the “ Comments on Thack- eray’s ‘Essay on Pope,” which appeared in the November issue of Zhe Author, to pass without one or two words of protest. The contemptuous estimate of Pope’s character by the writer of the article will be rather galling to those to whom his personal good qualities far outweigh his disagreeable ones. It must never be forgotten, in thinking over what he accomplished, that he was deformed, and from a child of a sickly nature. And yet a weak body must have contained a strong and attractive mind, to allure to itself as staunch and life-long friends the author of the “ Beggar’s Opera,” John Gay; he of the “ Seasons,” James Thomson ; and last, but perhaps the greatest of THE AUTHOR. the trio, Dean Swift. Nor must I omit “ My St. John,” the brilliant and versatile politician, Lord Bolingbroke :— : “ Awake, my St. John ! leave all meaner things To low ambition and the pride of kings. Let us (since life can little more supply Than just to look about us and to die) Expatiate free o’er all this scene of man. . * * + - Laugh where we must, be candid where we can ; But vindicate the ways of God to man.” This keynote is struck by one of whom, accord- ing to the essayist in The Author, “it is a little difficult to think generously.” That Pope’s heart was in the right place is evidenced, I think, by the modest and truly unselfish wish that his might be the task to “rock the cradle of reposing age .. . and keep awhile one parent from the sky.” The most virulent critics do not deny that he was a good son to father and mother. That he was capable of deeper feelings than he is given credit for in the article under review is proved by the mournful lines commencing :— “ How loved, how honoured once,” etc. These are worthy of being placed side by side with the solemn, the sad, the true reflection on human existence as “rounded by a sleep,” which is one of the gems in Shakespeare’s “ Tempest.” This man, whose “ philosophy of life is just one bitter satire,” so the comments run; this mis- shapen, small and delicate creature, how reads a portion of his literary record? This is what Professor Henry Morley says :—‘‘ Under Queen Anne he was anoriginal poet . . . under George I. he was a translator and made much money . . . he also edited Shakespeare, but with little profit to himself, for Shakespeare was but a Philistine in the eyes of the French classical critics.” This man, then, of sarcasm, more or less venomous, more or less cruel, could so admire the ‘ unvalued book : (so spoken of by Milton in his day) that at little profit to himself, but with much labour, he edited Shakespeare’s plays; he tried to turn men’s attention “from the culture of the snuff-box and the fan” to the problems and pathos of humanity, as discussed and displayed in undying glory of wit and wisdom and individuality of character—those plays whose words of matchless diction irradiate with beauty and truth. One more quotation from the comments ere I bring my remarks to a close :— There is hardly a page in all Pope’s poetry which does not hold a satire.” Well, I find many pages quite otherwise.  THE AUTHOR. 93 4 As, for instance, I find on one page this glorious og poetry, as fine as anything ever written :— fe 4 HT “What blessings Thy free bounty gives, Let me not cast away ; For God is paid when man receives, To enjoy is to obey. “Tf Tam right, Thy grace impart Still in the right to stay ; If I am wrong, oh, teach my heart To find that better way. “ Teach me to feel another’s woe, To hide the fault I see ; That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me. “This day be bread and peace my lot : All else beneath the sun Thou know’st if best bestowed or not ; And let Thy will be done.” There are many whoare proud of being English- men ; there are not a few who are just as proud of the heritage left to them by the “little crooked thing” in their land’s language. Filmy fancies, charming conceits, and the ‘solid pudding” of sound common sense are offered to all with a wealth of graceful poetic illustration. It is as a com- panion Pope excels. He ranges ‘from grave to gay, from lively to severe”; he is a persuasive teacher of worldly prudence, of good morals, of healthy hopes, and this without the jargon of the schools and, above all, without cant. J. Harris BRIGHOUSE. ——_+—<—_+___—__- THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY AND ARTISTIC ASSOCIATION. ——>— (Liége, Brussels, Antwerp ; 18-24 September, 1905.) HIS congress, brightened by a greater diver- sity than usual of féfes and excursions of : a very interesting character, consisted of six séances. Three were held at lLiége, one at Brussels, and one at Antwerp. Of these, four were devoted to strictly copyright questions ; the subjects under discussion in the first and last were connected with the important problem of the further extension of the Berne Convention. Several of the debates were occupied with the consideration of questions that are only of secon- dary interest to authors, such as ‘The Industrial Applications of Art,” “The Public Performance of Musical Works,” ‘Gratuitous Performances,” * Protection of Public Sites and Ancient Monuments,” and “The Protection of Objects in Museums.” A mention of these may suffice. The purely literary questions were, however, of very great interest, and will demand fuller attention. Foremost amongst the literary questions must be placed the duration of copyright, which was discussed at some length. This is a matter of the highest interest to all authors, and of particular interest to British authors, who may be well dis- contented with having a duration of rights shorter than that accorded by many insignificant States possessing but a poor literature, and that dura- tion of rights placed upon a confused and highly unsatisfactory basis. We call the basis unsatis- factory because it is liable in certain cases to be calculated from the date of the first publication of the work protected. That date is often, even in the case of well-known authors, extremely difficult to discover. The date of the author's death, on the other hand, can be always easily ascertained. And for that reason alone pro- tection for life, anda definite period afterwards, is infinitely to be preferred to any arrangement based upon the moment of the publication of a work. The congress was, of course, entirely opposed to quaint anomalies of any kind. In fact, they found a constant source of grave inconveniences even in the diversities of the dura- tions of copyright in the different countries of the union. When legal action is taken in accor- dance with the provisions of the Convention, the judges find themselves in every case obliged to take into consideration the durations of copyright in the country of origin, and in the country of reproduction ; and where a difference of duration exists, difficulties of various kinds invariably arise, whilst in any case only the shorter period can be legally dealt with. The result of this is an amount of confusion that has much assisted to generate a cynical scepticism concerning the actual utility of the Berne Convention. This is to be deplored. But all these difficulties will immediately vanish as soon as a general radical reform shall have made the duration of copyright equal in all States. ‘The advantages of such a reform would be so great that anything to be urged against it may be justly held to be of minimal importance. A comparison of the various durations of copyright led the congress to believe that the period of “life and fifty years afterwards ” seemed to have the best chance of universal accept- ance. The congress was unanimous on this im- portant point. At the same time it was disposed to consider of no small moment the fact that the term of protection in Spain is life and eighty years afterwards. For which reason the congress opined that life and fifty years should be regarded as a minimum.  94 A more complicated question is that of formali- ties, and this question occupies a larger space than any other in the report of the congress. The congress was of opinion that in international relations formalities have no right to exist. They are the source of nothing but nuisances, and con- stantly impede successful legal proceedings. It was contended that the mere fact of having pub- lished a book should entitle the author to all rights accorded him by the Convention. (This amounts to the suppression of the second clause of Article 2.) It appears that at present the formalities of deposition or registration, or of both, are necessary only in Haiti, Spain, and Italy. Italy and Spain allow the author some time during which to comply with the requirements —but at the risk of piracy, against which he can- not proceed during the interval. In Great Britain, France, and Japan, deposition and registration are necessary only before taking legal action. The various speakers on the subject were theoretically in favour of the complete suppression of formall- ties, and regarded this as the certain ultimate solution of the various difficulties. But it was admitted that, at least at present, it was highly doubtful whether this was possible. Meanwhile, the proposition that the neglect of formalities should have no international importance involved the in- consistency that, in this case, it would be possible for an author who had no rights in the country of origin, to have in other States larger rights than its own citizens legally enjoyed. On the question being put to the vote, a fundamental proposition in favour of the abolition of formalities was carried. A suggestion that a new form should be given to Article 14 of the Convention, which deals with retroactivity, led to a discussion of a somewhat confused character. The danger of trespass beyond the legitimate province of international relations appeared to be involved, and the con- ference contented itself with a modified resolution, which will be found below. : The fourth article of the Convention was also subjected to criticism, as wanting in “system.” A new text was proposed, but as it was not discussed, nor indeed regarded as final, it may suffice to say that it offers a somewhat fuller and more orderly definition of what should be understood by “literary and artistic works.” Scenic decorations in theatres, photographs, architectural designs, engineers’ designs, and lectures would be included. The report mentions also that a hope was enter- tained that the duration of secondary rights (trans- lations, &c.) would ultimately be made commen- gurate with the duration of the copyright itself. In the discussion of the Extension of the Union, three States only of those which are outside it came into consideration—the United States of THE AUTHOR. America, Holland, and Roumania. A full dis- cussion of the relations of the unionist countries with the United States was not possible; and the congress contented itself with acquiescing in M. Osterrieth’s conclusions, which recommended that, on the one hand, the unionist countries — should make common cause in seriously pressing the United States to accord strangers a more satisfactory protection; and that, on the other © hand, within the United States themselves authors and publishers should take a saner view of the © ij advantages that would accrue to themselves from "2 this protection, in the shape of a higher develop- ment of the national literature. : Holland was described as “The Holy Land of © Pirates” : a country where ‘‘ a coalition of mercan- tile interests, ingeniously disguised as protective of national labour, and yet more ingeniously as a means of popular diffusion of the highest forms of literature,” supported a system that paid no~ regard to rights of any kind. It was further hinted that, even at the present date, literature is not considered a profession in Holland. All § authors are mere dilettanti who amuse themselves _ with writing in their spare moments, and any man who considers his pen a source of income is beneath contempt. Some hopes of more en- lightened views are, however, entertained since the foundation of the Dutch Society of Authors (Vereeniging van Letterkundigen), which has on its roll of members the names of 120 of the best known writers in Holland. The Roumanian Government, on the other hand, was officially represented. The delegate was not able to announce the adhesion of Roumania to the Berne Convention—an adhesion mistakenly reported in some journals. But he informed the congress that his government was engaged in drafting a new copyright law, which will supersede the imperfect one of 1862. The passing of this new statute will greatly facilitate Roumania’s adhesion to the Berne Convention. And in the name of his government he invited the association to hold their next congress at Bucharest, an invitation that was immediately accepted. The following resolutions, with some others of minor interest, were passed by the congress. The congress again approves the project of the revision of the Berne Convention adopted at the - congresses of Weimar and Marseilles, and it desires that the provisions affirming the following principles should be inserted in the project :-— I The enjoyment of the rights recognised by the ye Convention ought not to be conditional upon Hite compliance with any formality. AMigogon T tte (a Ode yt ge Og 7) dramatic talent—‘ The Pioneers.” THER AUTHOR. LT, The duration of copyright shall be a minimum of the life of the author and fifty years afterwards. Il. The stipulationsrespecting retroactivity (Art. 14) should apply to all new rights recognised by the Conferences of Revision. —_—_————_+—_—___——__ CORRESPONDENCE. os Pornts oF VIEW. Str,—May I offer a few words in reply to 1 Mr. Ascher’s interesting article in the November _ Author ? I do not think my point of view actually diverged from that expressed in Mr. Begbie’s sensible advice to journalists. He dealt frankly with the com- mercial side of our profession: I dealt with the artistic, and the two sides have little to do with each other. The fact I wished to emphasise was, that while there is a mighty number of magazines for a certain class of reader, another class, and not a small one, goes lacking. Also, that there is no opening in our English magazines for original work of a high order. He who writes to make a living and he who writes because he can’t help it need not interfere with each other. The best advice to the former is: “Strive to please the ordinary public.” The best advice to the latter is: “Strive to satisfy your own artistic conscience and the most fastidious taste.” Some day or other the best must come to the top, but the process is a slow one at present— much slower than in the days of George Eliot and Jane Austen—and I would see it gently assisted by the great English magazines, whose readers are waiting impatiently for it—those readers who want literature, not journalism. Thanking Mr. Ascher for the kind things he says of my work. T am, yours truly, Mary L. PENDERED. —_-—<—+— Matters DRAMATIC. Dear Sir,—As no one, so far, has called attention in Ze Author to what is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting literary events of the passing year, may I be permitted todoso. I refer to the formation of a new society, whose primary object is the discovery and exploitation of native Under the 95 management of a strong executive council, of which Mr. Arthur Bourchier is chairman, the society proposes not “ to bewail the decadence of the British drama,” but to give a hitherto non- existent chance to the as-yet-unacted British dramatists, who may, it is hoped, revive it. Plays can be sent in by the aspiring playwright, whether a member of the society or not, with the certainty of their consideration by the council. From amongst the number submitted the most suitable for theatrical representation will be chosen, and duly presented to an audience which should be ideal from a dramatic author’s point of view, for it will consist of theatrical managers, actors, authors, brother-playwrights, and others whose first interest is in the play as a play ; and not as a vehicle for an hour or two’s amusement. The inaugural per- formance is to take place at the Scala Theatre on December 17th next, and has already aroused widespread interest. The welcome accorded to the new society can only be described as enthu- siastic, but an increase of membership is very desirable. The subscription is one guinea for the year, and carries with it the right to two tickets for every performance given by the society. Any enquiries addressed to the hon. sec., 1, Trafalgar Buildings, Northumberland Avenue, W.C., will, I am sure, be readily answered, and | would suggest that all who have the interests of the British drama at heart should put themselves in communication with him forthwith. SretitaA M. Dirine. rt THE JATERATURE OF AUSTRALIA. i Duar Srr,—Noticing an interesting account of Australian writers in your last issue, | was some- what surprised—considering its fullness—that no mention was made of that best known of all colonial novelists, Ethel Turner, whose stories for children have been so well received in England. In Australia, as I happen to have heard from friends in that country, she is, without exaggera- tion, a household name, far above many your writer has mentioned, and equal to any that he has. I have also read and noticed reviewed this year a novel by * Constance Clyde,” which gives a new and vivid description of Sydney city life, she, I read from one of the reviews, being a well- known writer on one or two of the best papers in Australia. oe a Hoping you will pardon this slight criticism of your correspondent’s article. Yours obediently, E. BROADFIELD.  96 Il. Srr,—I am very sorry for the omission of Miss Ethel Turner’s name from my article on “« Aus- tralian Literature,” and do not know how I came to forget so well known an author. I am glad that the error will be corrected by the publication of your correspondent’s letter on the subject. Indeed, I fear that owing to my not having been lately in the colonies, there may be yet other omissions, but I trust this may not be the case with authors of note. My idea was rather to give the general trend of Australian literature from its beginning than to enumerate contemporary writers, and I confess that I do not know the author, “Constance Clyde,” of whom your correspondent speaks. I am, yours sincerely, R. M. PRAED. CHAPTER HEADLINES. Dear Srr,—A novel reader recently asked me why many books are now published without chapter headings. Can any novelist answer ? Is it art, or simply idleness, or just a vogue ? If the chapters of a novel have no title or head- line, why not abolish the table of contents also ? Such information as “Ch. V. p. 50” is of no use to anyone. It would be much better to put the number of each chapter either as a headline, or a “Sig.” on each odd page. Then, what is the use of repeating the title of a novel as its headline on every page. “Old Brown” may be all right on the cover, but as he probably is the subject of every one of three hundred pages it is quite unnecessary to have the title paraded in large caps three hundred times or more. When the title is no indication to the contents of the volume its vain repetition is but the constant reiteration of an unwarrantable impertinence. In a recently-issued American novel the story is divided into more than half-a-dozen titled “books,” and each book consists of from six to twelve un- titled chapters—but there is no table of contents ! There appears to be no rule, and the practice varies. Any story which is not intended to be read through at a single sitting should consist of sections; and, as a convenience to the reader, these sections or chapters should be named rather than numbered only. his is my opinion and that of novel readers I have consulted. What do the novelists say ? WILL. GREENER. THE AUTHOR. Unit oF AN EbITION, Srr,—With reference to what is mentioned in the November issue of Zhe Author, under the heading of ‘‘ Committee Notes,” about the unit of an edition, I would like to suggest (what, doubtless, has already been proposed) that the society agree with the Publishers’ Association that the word “sedition” mean all the copies of a work in which the wording is the same, and the word “ issue” all those copies of an edition which are published at one time. To say that a work is in its second or any other edition would then show how many times it has undergone alteration. These words are, I think, used in this sense by Messrs. Macmillan, but I do not know whether by any other firm of publishers. There does not seem to me much real need to define how many copies constitute either an issue or an edition, for the number must depend so much upon the nature of the work ; but what people do most urgently want to know is that they are buy- ing really a copy of the latest revised issue of any work, and the use of the word edition in the above-suggested sense, with the date, would always give them that information. Husert Hass. A Muissine VOLUME. Sir,—Permit me to rectify two slight slips which crept into my communication under this head in last month’s organ. The name of the supposed authoress of “ Rebecca, or the Victim of Duplicity,” is Mrs. Holebrook of Sandon, Derbyshire, and the precise style of the present resting-place of the two volumes, the Library of the University of Paris, Bibliotheque de la Sorbonne. I may add that the third volume we are so anxious to find has not, as yet, been traced. Crcil CLARKE. —— REFERENCE BOOKS. Srr,—In reply Littérateur ” on page 64 of the November number, he should certainly obtain a copy of F. Howard Collins’s ‘Author and Printer,” revised, in which he will find on p. xiv. the books constituting ‘a useful library of reference,” from which a selection for travelling could be made. A MEMBER. to the question of “A Struggling — second edition — 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. 16 Issue 03 (December 1905) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 03 (December 1905) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1905-12-01-The-Author-16-3 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/512/1906-01-01-The-Author-16-4.pdf 81ef472f263871bef8417089401081d7 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) 1906-01-01 Volume 16 Issue 4 Pages Page range in volume 97–128 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060101 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin be Author. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XVI.—No. 4. JANUARY I1sT, 1906. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —_____+—>—_+___ NOTICES. + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. —_1+——+— List of Members. Tux List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. —1 <9 The Pension Fund of the Society. Tur Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation Vou, XVI. > Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Consols. 24%. £1000 Tioeal WOdNse ea. 500 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............-.- War loan... London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture StOCKk 25.9 ee Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 % Certificates .............++ 291 201 250 200 0 0 otal. eee £2443 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £8. ds July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon, the Lord ; : : : : : Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. | » suorban, WM. Nov. 9, “ Francis Daveen”’ » >», Adair, Joseph 21, Thurston, Mrs. ae Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. Donations, 1905. July 28, Potter, the Rev. J. Hasluck Oct. 12, Allen, W. Bird : Oct. 17, A. O. N. ; : : Oct. 17, Hawtrey, Miss Valentina Oct. 31, Williamson, C. N. Oct. 31, Williamson, Mrs. . Nov. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. Noy. 17, Nash, T. A. . Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A. Dec. 6, Finch, Madame Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry Dec. 15, Muir, Ward ; Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. . Dec. 18, Sheppard, A. T. Dee. 18, 8. I. G. ‘ CRKH eH acon KOR OROCORrRrFOFRCSO — —_ awe _ _— S omoooanoaonoocooorcoe fot o 98 COMMITTEE NOTES. > MEETING of the committee was held on Monday, November 27th, at 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and signed, the election of members took place. The names of those elected will be found in another column. The committee are pleased to report that the election of members is still well maintained, and that the peculiarly large election of last year of 233 members has been surpassed during the present year, when 238 members have been elected. : : Certain questions relative to Imperial copyright and United States copyright were discussed, and the question of Egypt and the Berne Convention was considered. The secretary read a letter he had received from the Foreign Office, and the committee decided to write for further details with regard to the jurisdiction of the Mixed Tribunals in Egypt in cases of copyright. The remainder of the sitting was devoted to general business. —_——>+—_ Cases. Eight cases have been in the secretary’s hands during the past month. Three were for the pay- ment of money. In one of these the amount has been paid and forwarded ; the two others are still in the course of settlement. There has been one case for accounts and one for money and accounts. The one for accounts has been settled and the one for money and accounts is still awaiting the publisher’s answer. The return of stock and the cancellation of an agreement between an author and publisher was another matter that required adjustment. Although on many occasions the society has negotiated this kind of settlement to the satisfaction of both parties, in this special case the publisher refused to deal with the society. We quite understand his motive for adopting this attitude, but are sorry for the member’s sake that the society has not been able to complete the matter satisfactorily. No doubt the author will be able to carry through the negotiations with the publisher himself. One case which has occurred for infringe- ment of copyright will not be settled for some time, owing to the fact that the infringer lives outside England. The question of the loss of a MS. by a publisher—always difficult from the legal point of view, is in the hands of the society’s solicitors for their opinion. We are pleased to report that the society’s action in Norway has now been settled, and the amount for infringement of copyright has been paid. The other questions in the hands of THE AUTHOR. tere the society’s solicitors have not as yet been settled, but, with the exception of one case, all the matters in the secretary’s hands prior to the beginning of last month have been finished. ‘The one unfinished is rather a complicated question of accounts, but ja. the secretary has already obtained the statement | from the publisher. ee oe eee December Elections. Abbott, J. H. M. . 4, Ilchester Gardens, W. Brook, Miss Lottie 1, Waverley Place, St. 2: John’s Wood, N.W. Cooper, T. G. 11, Quay Street, Haver- - fordwest. Crane, Walter 13, Holland Street, Ken- <<. sington. Fry, 0. B. . Westend, Hants. Gibbs, F. L. A. The Hall, Bushey, ¥9! Herts. ; Leach, Henry 26, Romola Road, Herne 61:5 Hill, S.E. Logan, J., F.R.G.S. Ormond School, Dublin. .i/i! Meynell, Mrs. 4, Granville Place Man- -a:¥! sions, Portman fF. Square, W. Morgan, Miss F.L. . 24, King Street, Car- -in) marthen. ; Nisbet, John Villa Bella Vista, Boule- -3/' vard de Cimiez, Nice, 2 France; and Royal sy Societies Club, 63, .% St. James’ Street, 10). S.W. : Sheppard, A. T. 54, Huron Road, Upper “0 Tooting, S.W. ee BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. 1 (in the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may f serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. |@ Members are requested to forward information which will ~ enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) ARCH AOLOGY. THE ARTOF ATTACK. By H.S.COWPER,F.S.A. 83 x 5}. 312 pp. Weverston. Holmes. 10s. n. ART. How To JDENTIFY OLD CHINESE PORCELAIN. By Mr. 8. W. Hopa@son. With 40 Illustrations. 8} x 5%. 178 pp. Methuen. 6s. PRE-RAPHAELITISM AND THE PRE-RAPHAELITE BRo- THERHOOD. 2 Vols. By W. HouMAN Hunt. 8} X 53. 512 + 493 pp. Macmillan. 42s. n.  _ OSWALD BASTABLE AND OTHERS. BRITISH PORTRAIT PAINTERS AND ENGRAVERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. Kneller to Reynolds. With an Introductory Essay and Biographical Notes. By EpmMuND Gossy. 154 x 12}. 100 Full page Ilus- trations. Goupil. £8 8s. n. and £20 n. THE ART OF PORTRAIT PAINTING. By. the Hon. JOHN Conner. 114 x 8%. 108 pp. Cassell. 10s. 6d. n. How To DRAW IN PEN AND INK. By HARry FURNISS. With numerous Illustrations. 10 x 64. 115 pp. Chap- man and Hall. 3s. 6d. n. Axe Herman Haiac AND His Work. By E. A. ARMSTRONG. £1 ls. n. (Edition strictly limited to 1,500.) (EDITION DE LUXE at £3 3s. sold out.) Fine Art Society. IDEALS IN ART. By WALTER CRANE. Bell. 10s. 6d. n. 93 x 6. 287 pp. BIOGRAPHY. Being some Recollections of 9 x 6. 499 pp. TWENTY YEARS IN PARIS. a Literary Life. By R. H. SHERARD. Hutchinson. 16s. n. PETER PAUL REUBENS. in Painting and Sculpture. 5s. n. AUBREY BEARDSLEY. Edition. Revised and Enlarged. 9} x 7h. 103 pp. Dent. 6s. n. THE LETTERS OF WARREN Hastings To His WIFE. Transcribed in full from the Originals in the British Museum. Introduced and annotated by SYDNEY C. GRIER. 9 x 53. 484 pp. Blackwoods. 15s. n. Sir Henry Irving. By HALDANE MCFALL. 7} x 5. 128 pp. Foulis. 2s. n. THE Story OF THE PRINCESS DES URSINS IN SPAIN. By Constance Hin. 7% x 5}. 256 pp. Lane. 5s. n. Great Masters By Hope REA. 138 pp. Bell. Ts xX 8. By ARTHUR Symons. New 29 Reproductions. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. By E.NEsBIT. 8} x Wells Gardner. 6s. 5§. 369 pp. By KATHERINE TYNAN. THe LUCK OF THE FAIRFAXES. 8 x 53. 397pp. Collins. A LirrLe Princess. Being the Whole Story of Sara Crewe, now told for the first time. By Francis H. BURNETT. 8% x 53. 302 pp. Warne. 6s. THe Happy Curist. By HAROLD BEGBIE. 6% x 44. ll7pp. Skeffington. 2s. FRIENDS WitHour Facrs. A Fairy’s Rebuke to Vanity. Written and [llustrated by H. Furniss. 9% x 74. 62pp. S.P.C.K. Fun at THE Zoo. Pictures (coloured) by Louis WAIN. Verses by C. BINGHAM. 5} x 73. Collins. CLaws AND Paws. By Louis WAIN. 12} x 10}. 23 pp. Collins. A Flower WEDDING. Decorated by WALTER CRANE. Cassell. 6s. 104 x 74. 40 pp. BOOKS OF REFERENCE. Dictionary oF INDIAN BioGRAPHY. By C. E. BuckK- LAND. 8 x 5}. 494 pp. Sonnenschein. 7s. 6d. COOKERY. THE AMATEUR Cook. By KATHERINE BURRILL and Anniz M. Boorse. 73 x 53. 296 pp. Chambers. 38. 6d. n. DRAMA. A Tragic Play of Church and Stage. 7% x 53. 196 pp. Grant THE THEATROCRAT. By JoHN DAvIpson. Richards. 5s. n. Described by two Wallflowers. | THE AUTHOR. 99 EDUCATIONAL. ENGLISH COMPOSITION SIMPLIFIED. Murby. Is. 6d. ARITHMETICAL WRINKLES. By J. LOGAN. Sonnenschein. Is. HISTORICAL AND MODERN ATLAS OF THE BRITISH By J, LoaGan. Empire. By C. G. ROBERTSON and J. G. BaR- THOLOMEW. 114 x 8%. 64 pp. Methuen. 4s. 6d.n. Let YoutH BuT Know. A Plea for Reason in Education. By Kappa. 73 x 5. 256 pp. Methuen. 3s. 6d. n. BLACKIE’s LITTLE GERMAN CLASSICS. GRIMM’S DIE ZWEI BRUDER. 40 pp. SCHMID’s DIE OSTEREIER. 40 pp. Edited by A. R. HoPE MoncRIEFF, 6} X 41. Blackie. 6d. each. BLACKIE’s LATIN TEXTS. Edited by W. H. D. Rovuss. VirGIL. AINEID VI. 30 pp. Blackie. 6d. n. each. FICTION. THE WEAVERS SHUTTLE. By C. G. HARTLEY (MRs. W. GALLICHAN). 74 x 4%. 319 pp. Greening. 6s. THE CRUISE OF THE “ CONQUISTADOR.” Being the Further Adventures of the Motor Pirate. By G.S. PATERNOSTER. 7i x 43. 312 pp. The Car Illustrated. 3s. 6d. THE ARMY OF A DREAM. By RuDYARD KIPLING. 7i x 5. 62 pp. Macmillan. 6d. n. THE WINNING OF WINIFRED. By LOUIS 72 x 5. 310 pp. White. 6s. VENDETTA IN VANITY Farr. 7% x 54. 278 pp. TRACY. By ESTHER MILLER. Heinemann. 6s. THry. By RupyarD KIpLine. 84 x 54. 80 pp. Macmillan. 6s, THE Kine’s REVOKE. By MArGARET L. Woops. 72 x 5. 334 pp. Smith Elder. 6s. A PRETENDER. By ANNIE THOMAS. 73 x 5. 318 pp. Digby Long. 6s. HISTORY. FLORENTINE PALACES AND THEIR STORIES. toss. 81 x 5}. 411 pp. Dent. 6s. n. SOMERSET HOUSE—PAST AND PRESENT. By R. NEED- HAM and A, WEBSTER. 9 xX 6. 340 pp. Unwin. 21s. n. GLEANINGS FROM VENETIAN History. By FRANCIS MARION CRAWFORD. 2 Vols. 8 x 54. With 225 Illus- trations by Joseph Pennell. 517 -+ 441 pp. Macmillan. 21s. n. A History oF OUR OWN TIMES. By JUSTIN McCartHy. 3 Vols. Fine Paper Edition. From the Accession of Queen Victoria to the Diamond Jubilee, 1897. 61 x 4, 549 + 582 + 596 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. n. By JANET LAW. STATUTES OF PRACTICAL UTILITY PASSED IN 1905, IN CONTINUATION OF CHITTY’S STATUTES. With Notes and selected Statutory Rules. By J. M. Lely. 10 x 6}. Pp. 557—787. Sweet & Maxwell and Stevens & Sons. 7s. 6d. A Digest oF ENGLIsH Civin Law. By EDWARD JENKS. Book I. General. 10 x 64. 101 pp. Butter- worth. LITERARY. STUDIES IN POETRY AND CRITICISM. By JOHN SHURTON CoLLIns. 83} x 5. 309 pp. Bell. 6s. n. MISCELLANEOUS. Tom BROWNE'S Comic ANNUAL. Christmas, 1905. 84x 53. Drane. 6d. WHat Wr TALKED ABOUT. CAMPBELL. Jarrold & Sons. By M. MonTGgoMERY Is. 6d. FLEET STREET FROM WITHIN. The Romance and History of the Daily Paper. By Henry LEACH. 64 x 4}. 192 pp- Arrowsmith and Simpkin, Marshall. is. NATURAL HISTORY. Nores oN THE LIFE History OF BRITISH FLOWERING prants. By the Right Honourable LoRD AVEBURY, P.c. 9 x 53. 450 pp. Macmillan, 15s. n. A Book oF Mortats. Being a record of the good deeds and good qualities of what humanity is pleased to call the lower animals. By F. A. STEEL. 103 x 74. 141 pp. Heinemann. 10s. 6d. n. PHILOSOPHY. A Criticism of Professor Heeckel’s By Sir OLIvER LODGE. 2s. 6d. n. LIFE AND MATTER. “Riddle of the -Universe.” 74 x 5. 200 pp. Williams and Norgate. POETRY. Tye PASTOR OF WyDON FELL. A Ballad of the North Country. By A. M. Buckron. 72 X 6}. 20 pp. Elkin Mathews. Ils. n. New CoLLECTED RHYMES. By ANDREW LANG. 7x 5. 101 pp. Longmans. 4s. 6d. n. THE Two ARCADIAS, PLAYS AND Porms. By ROSALINE TRAVERS. With an Introduction by Richard Garnett, C.B., LL.D. 7% x 54. 142 pp. Brimley Johnson. Love’s FICKLED AND OTHER PoEMs. By W. BirD ALLEN. 6 x 44. 57 pp. Clark. Toe IRISH SQUIREENS, AND OTHER RANDALL MCDONNELL. 7 x 43. 45 pp. Sealy. VERSES. By Dublin. POLITICAL. IMPERIALISM. A Study. By J. A. Hopson. Revised Edition. 74 x 43. 3831 pp. Constable. 2s. 6d. n. ELECTION ANECDOTES FoR ALL Parties. By J. H. SETTLE. 7 x 4%. 140 pp. Skeffington. 1s. n. REPRINTS. Tur PLAYS AND PoEMS oF ROBERT GREENE. 2 Vols. Edited with Introduction and Notes. By J. CHURTON Commins. 9 x 53. 319 pp. and 415 pp. Clarendon Press. 18s. n. THE PoEMS OF WILLIAM COWPER. Introduction and Notes by J. C. BatLEy. With 27 Illustrations. 83 x 53. 741 pp. Methuen. 10s. 6d. n. THe Fancy. By JoHN HamiInTon Reynoups. With a Prefatory Memoir and Notes by John Masefield ; and Thirteen Illustrations by J. B. Yeats. 7 x 43. 88 pp. Elkin Mathews. ls. 6d. n. A CoLLOTYPE FACSIMILE OF SHAKESPEARE’S POEMS AND PERICLES. Withan Introduction. By SIDNEY LEE. 104 x 81. Oxford University Press. London: Frowde. In sets of five volumes. £3 10s.n. and £65s.n. Ina single volume £3 3s.n. and £4 4s.n. PROVERBS IN PORCELAIN, to which is added “AU Revorr.” A Dramatic Vignette. By AUSTIN DOBSON. 63 x 44. 118 pp. Kegan Paul, 2s 6d. n. Edited with an SOCIOLOGY. THe CANKER AT THE HEART. Being studies from the Life of the Poor in the Year of Grace, 1905. By L. CoPE CoRNFORD. 72% x 53. 236 pp. E, Grant Richards. 3s. 6d. n. THEOLOGY. THE APOSTLE’S CREED. Six Lectures given in Westminster Abbey. By H. C. Beecuine, M.A. (Canon of West- minster). 7% x 5. 100 pp. Murray. 2s, 6d. n. THE AUTHOR. Av THE MASTER’s SIDE: STUDIES IN DISCIPLESHIP. 3v the Rev. ANTHONY DEANE, 64 x 44. 99 pp. Wells Gardner. Is. 6d. Tue LIFE ELYSIAN. Being more leaves from the Auto- biography of a Soul in Paradise. Recorded for the Author by R. J, Lens. 73 x 49. 349 pp. Long. 6s. Vrrus IN CRETE, OR ‘‘ THINGS WHICH BECOME SOUND DocrRINe.” By F. BouRDILLON. 7% x 5. 131 pp. Thynne. 1s. 6d. n. TRAVEL. RounD ABouUT My PEKIN GARDEN. BALD LITTLE. Illustrated. 9 x 5}. 15s. n. THE SOURCE OF THE BLUE NILE. By A. J. HAYES. Andan Entomological Appendix by E. B. Poulton, F.R.S. (Hope Professor of Zoology in the University of Oxford). 84 x 53. 315 pp. Smith Elder. 10s. 6d. n. By Mrs. ARCHI- 284 pp. Unwin: LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. | R. MARION CRAWFORD’S book on a) Venice was published by Messrs. Mac- © | millan & Co. early last month, under the 9: title, “Gleanings from Venetian History.” The volume is illustrated with over 200 pictures from =m drawings by Mr. Joseph Pennell. . With the publication of two volumes of lectures and essays, Canon Beeching completes his task of arranging the literary remains of the late Canon Ainger. The subjects of the lectures and essays are almost entirely of literary interest. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. are the publishers. The same publishers announce a new edition of Tennyson’s “ In Memoriam,” with the author’s own notes, It is anticipated that the publication will excite some interest among students of the poet, and will give the curious in these matters an opportunity of comparing many published inter pretations of the allusive passages with the poet’s own explanations. Mr. Kipling’s story, “ They,” which appeared last year in “ Traffics and Discoveries,” has just been issued by Messrs. Macmillan in a volume accompanied by fifteen coloured illustrations by Mr. T. H. Townsend. Dr. Charles Reinhardt has written, and_ the London Publicity Company, of 379, Strand, W.C., have published, a pamphlet dealing with the con- sumptive poor of England, in which he traces, in simple language, the evolution of the disease, and suggests, as the remedy, the erection and main- tenance of open-air sanatoria. The price of the pamphlet is 6d. We are requested to state that Mr. Henry R.  AtATT saunas TAB has kindly consented to take the place of the late Mr. F. R. Daldy as honorary secretary of the Copyright Association. All future communica- tions should be addressed to him at 1, Berners Street, W. In the preface to his new work, “Notes on the Life-History of British Flowering Plants,’ pub- lished by Messrs. Macmillan & Co., Lord Avebury states that his aim has been to describe points of interest in the life-history of our British plants ; to explain as far as possible the reasons for the structure, form and colour; and to suggest some of the innumerable problems which still remain for solution. In addition to 328 illustrations, the book contains a glossary of scientific terms. Vol. IV. of Dr. Beattie Crozier’s “ History of Intellectual Development ” is nearly complete, and will be published early in this year. Its sub-title will be “The Wheel of Wealth,” being a recon- struction of the science and art of political economy. Dr. Stopford Brooke’s new volume of criticism, which he is preparing, will probably be entitled «The Poetic Movement in Ireland.” The book will be published by Sir Isaac Pitman’s Sons, and will contain appreciations of Matthew Arnold, Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Clough, and William Morris. “The Dream and the Business” is the title of John Oliver Hobbes’ new novel, the publication of which may be looked for in the early part of this year. Mr. Frederic Harrison has completed a drama on which he has been engaged since the publication of his Byzantine romance, “ Theophano.” It is not a dramatised version of that tale, but it is a tragedy founded on the same incidents. The play will not be published until it has appeared on the stage. Geo. Paston’s new work, “ Social Caricatures of Clayton _ the Eighteenth Century,” has been published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. representative view of the The book gives a general social caricatures, including emblematical, satirical, personal, and humorous prints of the eighteenth century, and contains over 200 illustrations. Its price before publication, £2 2s. nett, has now been increased to £2 12s. 6d. nett. “A History of English Philanthropy,” by Mr. B. Kirkman Gray, is an attempt to deal with a familiar subject from a new standpoint. The interest centres in the resolve to bring the origin and growth of an institution into relation with the general sociological problems of the period. The Volume falls into three divisions: 1. The construc- tion of the apparatus of elementary relief following _ the dissolution of the monasteries, and an attempt to bring them into touch with the Elizabethan AUTHOR. 101 poor law. 2. In the Puritan ascendency, the loss of the insight thus gained. 3. The rise of the voluntary subscriber at the end of the seventeenth century, and his growing importance in the eighteenth century. This account of the evolu- tion of voluntary associations for philanthropic action, drawn from the reports of numerous insti- tutions, opens out many lines of inquiry as to the social importance of charitable work. The work, as a whole, should serve as an introduction to the study of one of the pressing problems of the present day—What is the meaning and worth of philanthropy? “ How to Identify Old Chinese Porcelain,” by Mr. S. Willoughby Hodgson, is a book put forth primarily to help the amateur to make a beginning in a difficult study. It contains a history of the art, and explains the difference between English and Chinese porcelain decorated in blue under the glaze. The work, published by Messrs. Methuen & Co., contains many illustrations, taken from both national and private collections. The volume of the “ Poems of Shakespeare,” which the Oxford University Press have published, contains five separate introductions by Mr. Sidney Lee. In these new material is given confirming Mr. Lee’s theory of the dependence of the “Sonnets” on foreign models. Messrs. Methuen & Oo. have puolished “'The Student’s Modern Atlas of the British Empire,” by C. Grant Robertson and F. G. Bartholomew. The atlas illustrates the historical development of the British Empire from the earliest times to the present day, It contains sixty-four maps with numerous insets, historical tables and notes, an introduction, an historical gazetteer, a biography and an index. Mr. H. A. Vachell, author of “The Hill” and “Brothers,” has written a new novel entitled «A Face of Clay,” which will run as a serial through the Monthly Review, prior to its publication in book form by Mr. John Murray. Miss Valentina Hawtrey’s translation of “The Life of St. Mary Magdalen,” from the Italian of an unknown writer, was published in the early part of last month by Mr. John Lane. Mr. Dent is publishing a new and enlarged edition of Mr. Arthur Symons’ critical apprecia- tion of Aubrey Beardsley, which first appeared some years ago. It has been greatly enlarged, both in its text and pictures. The price of the ordinary edition is 6s. nett. There is a large paper edition, with a hitherto unpublished drawing by Beardsley. Mr. Brimley Johnson published, in the early part of last month, a volume of verse from the pen of Miss Rosaline Travers. The book opens with a drama in blank verse, entitled “ Arcady in Peril.” 102 The title of the whole work, to which Dr. Richard Garnett contributes an introduction, is “The Two Arcadias.” : The December issue of the “ Transactions of the St. Albans and Herts Archeological Society ” contains an article by Mrs. Knight dealing with “ Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester.” : Mr. Henry James’ “ Impressions of America,” on which he is now engaged, will probably be published in the spring of 1906. The “Lyceum Annual,” published by the Lyceum Club, is the first-fruit of its literary members, and is published as a venture in international periodicals, The international character of the work may be gathered from the fact that it contains contributions from writers in America, Australia, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, New Zealand and Roumania, in addition to stories and articles from a dozen British writers. The price of the volume is 2s. 6d. nett. Among Mr. Eveleigh Nash’s announcements are a new volume of “Sea Stories” by Mr. Morley Roberts, and a new novel by Mr. Charles Marriott, the title of which is “The Lapse of Vivien Kady.” We have been requested to correct an error which crept into Miss Mary lL. Pendered’s letter in the December issue of Zhe Author. Miss Pendered did not write ‘The best must come to the top, and I would see it gently assisted by the great English Magazines,” but “The best must come to the top, and I would see it gently assisted by the Great English Magazine.” ‘We understand from “ Rita’’ (Mrs. Desmond Humphreys) that her book ‘‘ The Seventh Heaven,” lately issued, is a new edition called for by many inquiries, as the book has long been out of print. It has been persistently reviewed as a new and late work from her pen, whereas it was originally published some fifteen years ago. Miss Marris, whose life of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain was published by Messrs. Hutchin- son & OCo., in 1900, has written an abridged biography of that statesman, which Messrs. Routledge are hurrying through the press in view of the coming elections. A large number of extracts from Mr. Chamberlain’s speeches, defend- ing his political position, are appended to the work, Mrs. Penny has recently re-written “ Caste and Creed,” which was originally published as a three- volume novel. Messrs. Chatto and Windus will publish the work in one-volume form. The heroine is a girl who is one half East and one half West, for as a child in India she has been brought up under Hindu influence, and as a girl in England under Christian influence. Mr. Watts Dunton hopes to see his new novel THE AUTHOR. out early this year. The title “Carniola” is the name of the heroine, and the story itself is laid partly in England, partly in Venice, and partly in Hungary. Although, like “ Aylwin,” it is a love story, it is more various in its pictures of life than that work. We understand that Mr. Watts Dunton has a further novel in hand. We are informed that Mr. Charles P. Sisley, who is resigning the editorship of the London Magazine and other Harmsworth publications, has purchased § a controlling interest in the Library Press, of 9, © 4 Duke Street, Charing Cross, publishers of the well- [sy known “Cameo Classics,” ‘“ Children’s Classics,” “2 3 &c., and we understand that in future the business ‘za, ; will be known as Sisley’s, Limited. as “The Might of a Wrong-doer,’ by Shirley sf?” Brice, published by John Long, tells of a murder i9h0* which for many years passed as a “‘ death from mis- in’. adventure,” but which at last is traced to its =: #’ author. It is the life tragedy of a lad with high (3i:0" ideals, who, yielding as a boy to selfish motives, has “ed + committed a crime, the shadow of which falls list’ ‘ upon his after life, bringing about his rnin, when, 199i by an act of unselfish honesty, he has angered bow! the unscrupulous acquaintance who knows his 7 # secret. Mr. A. C. Fifield has just published a new survey (97 "8 of the World’s History, under the title of “ A Bird’s 71%! Eye View of History,” by “Sursum Corda.” The of). « author expresses the hope that the work, which is 4 s)i described as a concise but graphic sequence of 10 #1» History from the earliest times to the Fall of Con- to. stantinople before the Turks in 1453, may be of 19 9),, assistance to those who desire to follow the course 9#iiiy, of Modern History and politics, a proper under- =%b. standing of which, in his opinion, can only be «d obtained by a knowledge of the events of more 90: remote times. The book is published at the price %F of 1s. 6d. nett. a Messrs. Black announce the publication of a & | bock on the Italian lakes, by Richard Bagot. io: The volume is in no sense intended as a guide sbi: book, but aims merely at furnishing the reader ‘bry: with some impressions of the scenic beauties and His _ of the historic and artistic traditions of the region | 4 described. The work, illustrated by Mrs. Ella Du Cane, is published at 20s. net. Messrs. Warne & Co. will shortly publish a new child’s book by Mrs. Hodgson Burnett, based on @ her play “A Little Princess,” which has been running in America. The book will be illustrated by Mr. Harold Piffard. ‘ Mrs. Archibald Little’s new book “ Round about My Pekin Garden,” which Mr. Fisher Unwin published recently, is described by its — author as “a tribute to a time of dalliance in one of China’s many pleasant places.” It contains descriptions of walks and excursions in and round  the Chinese capital, and is illustrated with a coloured frontispiece and about ninety illustra- tions, mostly from photographs by the author. Messrs. Newnes have added to their sixpenny 4 editions “At Sunwich Port,” by W. W. Jacobs ; ~<@ and Mrs. Humphry Ward’s novel “ Eleanor.” Messrs. Methuen & Co. have published a new fi edition of “The Poems of William Cowper,” ““@ which Mr. J. C. Bailey has edited. In the a preparation of his critical introduction and notes, the editor has been able to consult a large number of new letters of the poet and his friends. The “9 work contains more than twenty unpublished “cf letters, in addition to one entirely new poem. 4 Mr. Rider Haggard has revised the text of his ¥4 “King Solomon’s Mines,” for an illustrated edition 4 which Messrs. Cassell are issuing. The illustra- ¥ tions, which are from drawings by Mr. Russell Flint, are said to elucidate the text very well. a Mr. Andrew Lang’s “New Collected Rhymes,” ‘M® which Messrs. Longmans have published, contain + aseries of loyal lyrics, cricket rhymes, and poems “i? “critical of life, art, and literature.” Following af these are “jubilee poems,” one or two “ folk * gongs,” and finally a bouquet of ballads. In “Major Barbara,” produced at the Court “4? Theatre on November 28th, Mr. Bernard Shaw takes for his main theme the enthusiasm of a girl for the work of the Salvation Army, and shows how it disappears on account of the army’s accept- ance of a donation of £5,000 from her father, whose wealth has been amassed by methods which she +i rightly disapproves. The caste includes Mr. Louis Granville «@ alvert, Miss Annie Russell and Mr. «Barker. ————"__o—_+—__——_ PARIS NOTES. ’ — 1 a E Bel Avenir,” by M. René Boylesve, is another novel by the author of “L’Enfant 4 la Balustrade.” It is extremely realistic and admirably written. Each personage lives and stands out in relief. One feels that it is a book which is the result of shrewd and careful observa- _ tion, and that it has been thought out line by line. _ The theme of the story is the education of three young men, and the chief interest centres in them and in their respective mothers. The most sym- pathetic family is that of Alex, who is living with his widowed mother and grandfather near Poitiers. All goes well until the time comes to decide on the future career of the young man, who is intelligent and a general favourite, but without any special aptitudes. The grandfather had been a magistrate, THE AUTHOR. 103 and it is finally decided that Alex shall go to Paris to study law. His mother writes to one of her friends who is living there, all the necessary arrangements are made, and the young man com- mences his student life in the capital. His mother’s friend has a son Paul, who seems to be farther advanced in his studies than Alex, but not so attractive personally, hence there is jealousy between the two mothers. Money matters soon become a serious question, for Alex is a spend- thrift, and means are limited at home. One of the farms belonging to the family estate has to be sold, and when the young man fails in his examina- tion, his mother and grandfather decide to let the old home and take up their abode with Alex in Paris. There is a great charm about the descrip- tion of the simple family life led by the trio in the neighbourhood of Saint Sulpice, almost in the heart of the Latin quarter. There is the sublime devotion and abnegation of the mother, the philosophy of the old grandfather, and then, by the side of this, the life of Alex outside his home, the life led probably by hundreds of his fellow- students. Just as interesting, though far less sympathetic, is the study of Paul, his family, and his career. A third psychological study in the book is that uf a shrewd woman of the lower class named Lepoiroux. Her husband died just as her child was born, and the mother of Alex took pity on her, provided for her, and later on made arrangements for her son to be educated by the Jesuits. This boy, Hilaire, makes the best of his opportunities, studies hard, surpasses Alex and Paul, and, after obtaining his education from the priests, with the understanding that he shall later on become one of them, refuses to take holy orders. The three young men then pursue their career in Paris. There are several extremely realistic episodes in the book, and among others a very touching story of one of the last of the genuine grisettes. The author shows very clearly the ugly side of a student’s life, and his picture is all the more effective as he merely lays it before us without any comment. The whole novel is well worth reading. Many of the personages are not sympathetic, their circle is a narrow one, their horizon limited, and they care little what goes on in the world outside, but such as they are, their portraits are drawn for us by a true and faithful delineator, and in these days when books are so plentiful and well-written books comparatively so rare, the latter are doubly welcome. “Constance,” by Th. Bentzon, is a new edition of a novel which gained the Montyon prize some years ago. It has been published now with an admirable preface by M. Brunetiére. The subject of this book is extremely apropos just now, when 104 the question of divorce is being discussed so warmly in France. The story is told by an able psychologist, and the principles involved are clearly set forth, whilst the characters all live and the interest is well sustained from the first chapter to the last. “De |’Histoire” is the title of another posthu- mous volume by Barbey d’Aurevilly. It is a series of critical essays on books by various authors on widely different subjects. Some of these books were written quite a long time ago, and yet most of them are of current interest. The chapter entitled “Léon XIII. et le Vatican’? seems now to have been prophetic. ‘“ L’Eglise libre dans |’Htat libre,” writes the author, “ c’est-a dire l’Eglise morte dans un Etat délivré delle. . . 2” Speaking of monar- chies, he says: “Jl y a encore des monarchies debout, mais elles tremblent sur leurs bases et elles sont capables de se précipiter demain dans le gouffre fascinateur des républiques. . . .” Two more interesting chapters are those on “ La Révolution d’Angleterre” and “La Révolution francaise.” Another essay isa criticism of Macau- lay’s “History of England from the time of James IJ.” ‘There are twenty-two essays in all, among which are “La Gréce Antique,’ “Les Césars,” ‘Histoire des Pyrénées,’ “ Napoléon,” “La Révocation de l’Edit de Nantes,” ‘“ La paix et la tréve de Dieu,’’ “ Rome et la Judée,” ‘ Gus- tave III.,” and “ Le Comte de Fersen et la cour de France.” “La Russie Libre,” by M. Georges Bourdon, is profitable reading for all those who care to know much of contemporary Russian history. “La Guerre contre |’ Allemagne,” by the General Baron Faverot de Kerbrech, is a volume written from notes taken down by the author during the campaign of 1870. It is a very graphic picture of the times, with anecdotes of many men whose names are honsehold words. “ Maxime Gorki” is a little book, published at one franc, by M. de Vogiié, on the works of the Russian novelist, who is just at present more read, perhaps, than any other. “Marie Caroline, duchesse de Berry,” by M. de Reiset, is an illustrated volume dealing rather with the private life of the unfortunate princess than with the romantic adventures of the Vendean struggles. Other recent historical works are “La Fortune des Orléans,” by M. Ad. Lanne ; “ Quinze ans Ga’histoire,’ by M. Jehan de Witte ; “ L’Amiral Nelson,’ by M. Armand Dubarry ; ‘ Les Derniers Républicains,’” by M. Guillaumin. * Lamartine de 1816 4 1830, Elvire et les Médi- tations,” by M. Léon Séché, tells us much that is interesting about “the exceptional woman who in life and death was the good genius of Lamartine.” THE AUTHOR. “George Sand et sa fille” is a volume by M Rocheblane judging mother and daughter by their correspondence. Among the new books are “ Le Sphinx rouge,” by Han Ryner ; “Le Précurseur,” by M. Jacques Fréhel ; ‘‘Aimons,” by M. Francois Gillette; “EKeyptiens et Anglais,” by Moustafa Kamel Pacha, with a preface by Mme. Adam. The latest translations from the English are « Quand le dormeur s’eveillera,’ by H. G. Wells; “ Une jeune anglaise a Paris,” by Constance Maud, translated by Gausseron. Among the authors who received prizes at the recent distribution by the French Academy are the following :—M. Charles Leconte, M. Paul Adam, Madame Daniel Lesueur, M. Paléologue, M. Guil- laumin, Mlle. A. de Bovet, M. Jaray for “ La poli- tique franco-anglaise et l’arbitrage international,” M. Biorés for “Warren Hastings,” M. Ernest Daudet for “Histoire de Emigration pendant | la Révolution francaise,’ M. Doumergue for “ Calvin.” La Vie Heuwreuse, a woman’s magazine pub- © lished by Messrs. Hachette, has awarded its annual ib prize of five thousand francs for the best novel of 4% the year to M. Romain Rolland for the volume « Jean-Christophe.” The jury is composed of twenty well-known women writers, so that it was scarcely surprising this year that a proposal should be made to award the prize to a man instead of to a woman. The annual prize of the Goncourt Academy has been awarded to M. Claude Farrére for his book “Tes Civilisés.” This author, like Pierre Loti, is more at home on sea than on land, and it is thanks to his long voyages in the Far East that he has been able to give such graphic descriptions of Oriental countries. He has only written one other book, entitled “Fumée d@’opium.” Unlike the jury of the Vie Hewreuse the Goncourt Academy would refrain from giving their annual prize rather than award it to an authoress. 4 O18 OM #0 | a By Bina. ae BBL. Bou { ilo 4 BE. eu. 10” mo? au) qa OS| In a recent number of the Revue des Deux ae Mondes M. Auguste Filon writes on “ Bernard Shaw et son théatre.”” He points out that, although an Englishman, Bernard Shaw’s plays have more > success in Germany and America than in his own 97 country. This critic considers that though rich in 4° character, the plays are poor as regards dramatie situation. In the same number of this review is an article by Maurice Barres on “Un voyage A Sparte.” , an interesting article by Madame Arvéde Barine on acurious historical episode of 1707. The letters from Flaubert to his niece are continued in this number. An extremely interesting series of articles is now appearing in La Revue, entitled “ La Morale sans In the Revue de Paris there is 4:  a ca a te Dieu.” They are written by MM. Berthelot, Brunetidre, Claretie, Faguet, Anatole France, Jules Lemaitre, Octave Mirbeau, Max Nordau, Charles Richet, Sully Prudhomme, and other well-known authors. In the December number of La Revue there is also an article by Madame Juliette Adam on Moustafa Kamel Pacha, the head of the nationalist party in Egypt, and various articles on questions of the moment, “ Les Types littéraires de la Crise russe,” ‘La Presse turque,”’ “La Diplomatie allemande,” &c. At the Comédie-Frangaise the event of the month is the new piece by M. Paul Hervieu, entitled “Le Réveil.” M. Claretie has just received a comedy in two acts by M. Daniel Riche, the title of which is “Le Prétexte.” “Claire Fresneau,” a piece in three acts by MM. Paul and Victor Margueritte, has also been received for the Comédie Francaise. At the Odéon “ Jeunesse ” has been produced. : The adaptation of Balzac’s “ La Cousine Bette,” by Pierre Decourcelle, is having great success at the Vaudeville, and at the Gaité M. Bazin’s novel “T/Oberlé,” adapted for the stage by M. Harau- court, is still running. At the Nouvelle Comédie (formerly the Bodiniére) a one-act play entitled “La Nuit Rouge,” by MM. Charles Foley and A. de Lorde, has had, and is still having, immense success. It is, like “ Heard at the Telephone,” adapted from one of M. Foley's stories, and the scene takes place in the signal-box of a railway station. The pointsman is compelled by duty to remain at his post, while from the win- dow of his signal-box he sees his fiancée overtaken at midnight by assassins. The moral strugele between the two duties makes the play a stronger one than “ Heard at the Telephone,” which is now running again at the Antoine Theatre. Anys HALLARD. —___—_+—_<>_0—__—__ SPANISH NOTES. + . Spanish literary world has been mainly marked by striking scientific and dramatic works during the last month. The most notable one of the former class is that by Joaquin Castellarnau, entitled ‘Estudio del systema lefioso de las especies forestales”’ (a study of the timber class of the forest species). The author has long been well known for his scientific reports on such subjects as firs, the unity of the generative plan in the vegetable kingdom, the ornithology _ of the royal seat of San Ildefonso, etc., which have appeared in the annals of the Spanish Society of Natural History, and have given him a high rank THE AUTHOR. 105 among natural scientists. This last work is an erudite explanation of the nutrition and the internal structure of the vegetable class, and it is so scientifically supported by the microscopic investigation brought to bear upon it that the gradual transformation of chemical substances into the organic material of living things is seen to be a natural sequence of facts. The great naturalist’s laboratory in Segovia has promised also to be the scene of. the microscopical discoveries of the chemical changes induced by the want of water, and the constant action of air and dampness upon the vegetable system. In his play called “ Love and Science,” which is now being performed at one of the chief theatres of Madrid, Galdos portrays a clever physician, who tries to train his children in his own intel- lectual lines of thought. Some of the situations are strong presentations of psychological truths, but the dénowement rather falsifies the hopes which the commencement of the work promised. The well-known dramatist, Ignacio Inglesias, has cer- tainly struck a good blow for his country by his play entitled ‘‘ Urracas” (Magpies), for it is a powerful exposé of the evils attending the wide- spread lottery system of the South. A simple, happy household is nearly wrecked by the unbridled avarice and cruelty evoked by the craving for the unearned wealth. At the distribution of tickets the room of a quiet, respectable citizen is changed into a pandemonium, and Peregrin, the hero, find- ing himself robbed of all he possessed and a victim of the evil passions around him, awakes to the realisation of the value of love and work, which had been temporarily submerged by the fever of chance. The alternate sway of terror and joy, disgust and content, is well rendered by such actors as Llano, Rosario, Pino, and Enrique Borras. The Spanish Press reports with pride that // Giornale d@ Italia says that no modern French dramatist can compare with Jacinto Benavente, and certainly “ Los Malhechores del Bien” (well- meaning malefactors) shows that he is a playwright of a high order, for he sustains the interest of the audience in the evolution of the story, show- ing how all the laws of suitability, which only can be the base of a happy marriage, can be upset by the well-intentioned, but short-sighted wishes of people only concerned with outward prosperity. To Heliodoro, the original thinker, such a union appeared a crime, and he is fortunately able to prevent his sister, the Marquise, pursuing the matrimonial plan for her protégée, which would have been her moral death. “You would give the girl luxury and wealth, but I have secured for her the love and liberty, which are of far higher worth,” ‘The expression of such a sentiment on the 106 Spanish stage shows that strides are being made jn woman’s education ; and those interested in the question are pleased to see that the institution of the college for middle-class girls by the ladies’ committee, under the presidency of the Marquise de Ayerbe, in conjunction with the Ibero- American Society, will take place early in January. This event will mark a new era for Spain, and Her Majesty Queen Maria Christina has expressed her sympathy with it, for hitherto the education of girls has been chiefy vested in the hands of governesses at home ; and such books as “El Intruso” (The Intruder), by Blasco Ibaiiez, show how fatal to the happiness of home life is the present want of the education of women. Last week the Spanish Press rang with the plea of Montero Rios for the unity of the integral elements of the Government. ‘It is the want of this union,” said this orator, who has so recently resigned his post of Prime Minister, “‘ which made the course of the last cabinets so brief and diffi- cult, and which will make that of the present or any subsequent cabinet unbearably arduous and painfully uncertain.” The words of the ex-Premier have an especial import as the cabinet now appointed, under the premiership of the distinguished Moret, who con- descended to discourse to me so eloquently when I was in Madrid on the necessity of the improved education of women, is the fifth in office in the course of one year, and one can understand the consequent standstill of legislation on matters which concern the vital interests of the country. In despair at the want and misery caused by the crippled industries, Boada, in the province of Salamanca, recently sent an official request to Buenos Aires to be allowed to emigrate thither, “ with all their labourers, artisans, blacksmiths, and officials,” for, as they pathetically said, “ the love of their country could not give them bread to live in it.” This projected departure of hundreds of capable people seems likely to show the necessity of the unity of Government for which Montero Rios pleads so eloquently, and which can only be obtained by the parliamentary deputies being elected by the votes of the public, instead of the voice of the ministry ; and Ramiro Maeztu is now reporting to his country the English system of parliamentary elections, which gives the people a voice inthe government. Such patriots as Figue- rola Ferretti, who sacrificed himself to voicing the plea for this reform, may thus still live to see their countrymen recording their votes at the polls as monarchists, and forming a steady Govern- ment for the legislation of a land which is, as Maeztu says, “fitted by nature to sustain more than fifty millions of inhabitants.” THE AUTHOR. Free from the continual chaos of changes of ministry, the country will have time to settle the laws respecting the Customs reform, the com- mercial treaties, and the wine tariff ; and to these courses the Spaniards are naturally stimulated by the recent report from their special correspondent in Berlin, which shows that the trade between Germany and Spain is steadily increasing, and the satisfaction of the demands of the German commissioners in the Peninsula will add much to the prosperity of the land. Moreover, as there is now a large market for Spanish wines in Italy, it will remain for the country to sustain its reputation in that line at the forthcoming exhibi- tion at Milan, instead of only following the sug- gestion of Seor Villanueva to send some specimens of Spanish shipbuilding. This call to action about the Commission of Treaties is published in the Spanish Press, and supported by the appeal of José Juan Cadenos for a legislation which will set the seal to the present advantageous trend of commerce. Spain is cer- tainly favourably inclined to foreign influences, and it may be mentioned that the first public sign of preference for the royal alliance with England which is now so much discussed, was manifested by the overwhelming majority of votes accorded to the Princess Ena of Battenberg, when a competition was opened some months ago in the pages of the illustrated Spanish paper, 4.B.C., whereby the lady readers were severally invited to give their mark of approval to the particular princess among the number of whose portraits were published as eligible for the crown of Spain. Percy Hotspur. MISLEADING TITLES. — HE book trade is peculiar in this, that no two books are in the slightest degree alike. Hence it is impossible to estimate with accuracy the value of a book until it has been read through from beginning to end. When that pro- cess has been completed the value is, in a few cases, increased, but in the majority either cane bit tee agit gps 63 ‘01! pail oar AIO Om Gh destroyed altogether or reduced enormously. More- 9 c over there cannot be any standard value in a oe a The value of a mutton chop is to most persons some for each buyer has a totally different taste. thing between sixpence and a shilling, but the value of a book may be to some few appreciators © very great, and to the rest of mankind nothing at all. In these peculiar conditions it is, perhaps, not  our knowledge in money and in time. Us were taken in by “An Englishwoman’s Love _ Letters,” which had not the look of a work of surprising that the purveyors of books should have given up all idea of suiting individual requirements. They have deliberately done their utmost to dis- courage independence of mind. Competition in the trade has been competition in fashion- making ; with the natural result that the book- buying public has been narrowed to those comparatively few persons who do not care much what the contents of a book may be, but can be herded together, and forced to accept any book that they believe others are discussing and buying. It has recently been discovered that there is another public—that there are many who would enter the market if they were assisted in the task of estimating the quality and value of the articles offered. Hitherto, men who can easily afford to buy hundreds of books every year have been chary about risking their money over a single specimen, not knowing what they were likely to find in their hands. The trade has supposed this reluctance to buy books was due to want of literary taste. It was, in fact, due to excess of literary taste in pro- portion to the opportunities offered for indulging that taste. Authors might do well to consider whether they also have not sometimes been to blame. Are the titles they give to their books always so carefully chosen as to leave no room for doubt as to the general nature and aim of the work? There is some ground for thinking that, since the value of a “catchy” headline has come to be realised, authors, in their turn, have been trying, by means of deceptive titles, to palm off upon a guileless public books which are not what they seem to be. Any habitual reader of novels would know that “Cometh up as a Flower ” is not a work on botany, and that ‘‘ The Seven Streams ” is not a treatise on physical geography. Buta botanist or physicist who does not happen to be acquainted with the modern affected fashion in titles for fiction might easily be deceived by these names: and before we laugh at such simplicity we should consider whether even the most experienced are not sometimes deceived. _ Weall know now that a book called “ All about My Garden” may be poetry, or fiction, or cookery ‘Tecipes, or wise sayings, but we have had to buy Many of fiction. Who could tell that “ The Life of John William Walshe, F.S.A.,” is not a biography ?” It never was easy to distinguish between geo- graphy, topography, and travel; many books are ‘difficult to place in their correct sub-heading. _ But, until late years, the two elementary classes of : ™ Fiction’ and “ Not Fiction” were easily recog- Nised. Now, however, the most expert reader Must be continually at fault in dividing books into THE AUTHOR. 107 their two great branches, by the title alone. Here are some examples, gathered in a few minutes from the catalogue of a circulating library. Many specimens far more perplexing could doubtless be found without difficulty :— Britain’s Greatness Foretold. Britons at Bay. Enchanted Woods. The Wise Woods. The Mystic Rose. The Rose Garden. Roses. The Vision Splendid. The Money Market. Lady Anne’s Waik. An Appeal to Rome. The Magic of Rome. The Heart of Rome. The Spirit of Rome. The Purple Cloud. The Long White Cloud. The World’s Desire. The World’s Desires. It is curious to observe that, while serious books are given a skittish appearance, writers of fiction prefer a solemn aspect. In some cases the author soothes his conscience with a sub-title : but what, then, is the aim and object of the title? Here is a typical example of the wrong principle : “The Art of Creation: Essays on the Seif and its Powers.” The chief title, which is all that most catalogues print, is obscure, and should be elimi- nated in favour of the sub-titles. ‘Those who are attracted by the title might be the very persons who do not desire a book of that kind ; while others who want just such a book as that described by the sub-title are unable to find it. It may be that most authors would prefer to seil their books to disappointed, perhaps enraged, pur- chasers, rather than fail to sell at all. But it must often be the case that the book would scll better if the title left no room for doubt as to the con- tents. If some are caught, others are repelled by the vague and mysterious. In some instances the title is so misleading that one wonders whether the law would not come to the rescue of a deluded purchaser. I had sent to me the other day three large volumes purporting to be a “History,” which were something quite different, not answering to the title in the smallest degree. Surely I ought to be compensated for the loss I have sustained, and the responsible person punished for the deceit practised upon me. How- ever that may be, and apart from the morality of the thing, it is worth remembering that a character for honesty may be of value to authors as much as to any other traders. Authors can assist the dis- tributors in establishing good relations with the 108 Misleading titles, whether accidental or intentional, work in the opposite direction. They put books into the wrong hands, and thus tend to keep away the best clients. They are a misfortune for all concerned, for authors as well as distributors and readers. public. Norwoop YOuNG. —_———_+—>_+—___ RE GRANT RICHARDS’ ESTATE. oe E F. T. GRANT RICHARDS, of 2, Park Crescent, Portland Place, carrying on busi- ness at 48, Leicester Square, and 8, Smart’s Buildings, Drury Lane, all in the County of London, Publisher. Under Receiving Order dated the Dr. Estimated to produce per p, Debtors RECEIPTS. Statement. To Total Receipts from Date £3. di. £ sd, of Receiving Order, viz. : : Stock-in-Trade ... we 18711 20.0 Copyrights and Publish- ing Rights ... ... 12,514 4 6 4,991 16 Lease of No. 8, Smart’s Buildings 700 0 O ae Office Furniture... oe 150 0 0 42 5 6 “World of Billiards” Shares ... Se ae 200 0 0 --- Surplus from Securities in the hands of Credi- tors fully secured 8,920 10 8 342 0 1 Receipts ver ‘Trading Q : Account is Ae 4,513 6 9 Other Receipts ... > = Total... ... £41,195 15 2 9,889 9 0 Less— Deposit returned to Petitioner... AG --- Payments to redee Securities... : 454 6 6 Costs of execution ... — Payments per Trad- ing Account .» 2,448 16 0 2,898 2 6 Net Realisations £6,991 6 6 eee THE AUTHOR. | By Board of Trade and Court Fees (including 17th day of January, 1905. Statement showing position of Estate at date of declaring a First Dividend is printed below. The assets not yet realised are estimated to pro- duce £4,000. Creditors can obtain any further information by inquiry at the office of the Trustee, Dated this 6th day of December, 1905. H. A. MONCRIEFF, Trustee, It. will afford a subject of serious consideration to the creditors to note the difference between the debtor’s estimate and the net realisations ; but it is an unfortunate fact that no property depreciates more quickly than literary property if the flow of the circulation of a book is suddenly stopped. G. H Cr. PAYMENTS, £ 82 Stamp of £5 on Petition) ao a 78 6 2 Bard: Law Costs of Petition under taxation, estimated Law Costs ... bee hee Other Law Costs,some under taxation, estimated 60 0 0 216.04 800 0 0 1,075 Trustee’s remuneration, as fixed by the Committee of Inspection, viz.: 5 per cent. on £6,991 6s. 6d. assets realized : ie 5 per cent. on £4,280 2s. 6d. assets distributed in divi- dend 349 11 4 214 0 1 Special Manager’s charges ee ene Person appointed to assist Debtor under s. 70 of Bankruptcy Act, 1883 ... Auctioneers’ charges as taxed Other taxed costs Costs of possession ... : os ees Cost of Notices in “Gazette” and local papers... os s : oes Incidental outlay Total cost of realization Allowance to Debtor Creditors, Viz. — S$ a. 6 Preferential 341 11 6 812 Unsecured. First Dividend now declared of 2s. in the £ on £42,802 lbs. 8d. 4,280 2 6 The Debtor's estimate of amount expected to rank for dividend was £44,551 0s. 8d. Balance ... o i £6,991 6 6  f i = i MACMILLAN v. DENT. ——-—— (Reprinted with the kind permission of the Editor from the Law Journal, December 9th, 1905). HIS was a witness action to determine the " right of publication of sixteen letters written between 1798 and 1840 by Charles Lamb, the famous essayist, to his friend Robert Lloyd, which had been found in an old box in the posses- sion of Mr. and Mrs. Steeds, descendants of the Lloyd family. On May 5th, 1895, the plaintiffs Smith, Elder & Co., publishers, bought from the Steeds for £250 all copyright which they possessed and the exclusive right of publishing the letters, the originals of which were returned to the Steeds after making copies, which were subsequently used in a book entitled “Lamb and the Lloyds,” published in 1898. In 1899 the plaintiffs Smith, Elder & Co. granted a licence to the plaintiffs Macmillan (Lim.) to use the letters for another edition of Lamb’s letters. In 1902 the defendants, J. M. Dent & Co., also publishers, being aware of the previous transac- tion, bought for £250 from the Steeds, the original autograph letters with other literary papers, and also “ any right which they might still have in the letters.” In 1903 the defendants published the letters in an edition of Lamb’s letters, and the plaintiffs in April, 1904, commenced this action for infringe- ment of their registered copyright. In January, 1905, administration de bonis non to Charles Lamb’s estate was granted to one Moxon, the only son of the residuary legatee under Charles Lamb’s will, who subsequently assigned all his rights, if any, to the defendants. T. B. Scrutton, K.C., and R. A. Wright, for the plaintiffs, contended that the plaintiffs had ‘ the property of the proprietor of the author’s manu- script” at the time of the publication by them and were therefore entitled to sue for infringement. W. O. Danckwerts, K.C., and L. B. Sebastian, for the defendants, argued that the defendants, having the original letters and the rights of Charles Lamb’s representatives, had such an interest in the private letters as to disentitle the plaintiffs to obtain any registered copyright or even to publish them—Pope v. Curl (1741), 2 Atk. 342 ; Gee v. Pritchard (1818), 2 Swanst. 402 ; Thompson v. Stanhope (1774), Amb. 737 5 Queens- berry (Duke of) v. Shebbeare (1758), 2 Eden, 329 ; Oliver v. Oliver (1861), 31 Law J. Rep. Chane. 4 ; 11 C. B. (ws.) 139; Lytton (Harl of) v. Deevey (1884), 54 Law J. Rep. Chance. 293 ; Labouchere v. Hess (1898), 77 L. T. 559 ; and Caird v. Sime 1887), 57 Law J Rep. P.C. 2; L. R. 12 App. as. 326, THE AUTHOR. 109 Kekewich, J., said it was an extremely difficult question, but he thought that the defendants’ title through the Steeds was obviously defective, as the Steeds had assigned to the plaintiffs ; while it was difficult to see how, at such a distance of time, the administrator of Charles Lamb could have any right in them at the date of his death. The com- mon law was perfectly clear up to a certain point that the writer of letters has a right to prevent their publication, but on the true construction of sect. 3 of the Copyright Act, 1842, he thought that the plaintiffs were entitled to succeed. He accordingly declared that the right of publishing these particular letters vested in the plaintiffs Smith, Elder & Co., and ordered the defendants to render an account of profits and to pay the costs. —_____e—o—_+—____. SERIAL RIGHTS. —+—+— IR,—The following experience, through which I have just passed, may afford a useful warning to my fellow-writers. I offered the serial rights of astory [ was writing to an important provincial firm, who, when I had sent them the first half to read, replied that the story had already been offered to them by my agent. As the story was in the hands of no agent, I knew that the serial rights in question could have been offered by no one but a well-known publisher, who had asked me for a novel, and to whom T had in reply offered the volume rights of this same story. Inquiry proved that this publisher, whose name I will give to any writer who would like to know it, had been offering the serial rights of my novel, although he possessed no rights whatever in the story, and although the serial rights were not on offer to him. I also discovered that the provincial firm I have mentioned had been going from publisher to pub- lisher on the look-out for a strong serial story, surely a backstairs method of obtaining what they wanted, and little more to their credit than the action of the publisher himself was to his. Yours faithfully, FLORENCE WARDEN. The letter which is printed above has been received at the society’s office. The subject is one which concerns all those members who are engaged in writing fiction, Serial rights, if properly managed, can be a source of very considerable income to members of the society, and in placing serial rights, the agent is perhaps of more use than in the disposal of any other kind 110 of literary property. To place these rights in both Great Britain and the United States effec- tually and simultaneously is a matter very often of considerable difficulty even for a writer whose name is well-known. It is needless to repeat that the agent’s charge for placing these rights is, as a general rule, 10 per cent. for England and some- times 15 per cent. for the United States. Such remuneration, in the case of some authors, brings in a large return to the agent, and in these instances no doubt it would be as well to make a special contract with the agent on the matter, but though the agent charges 10 per cent., the pub- lisher charges from 25 to 50 per cent. on the nett returns if these rights are left to his disposition, and out of the hundreds of agreements that have come before the secretary he has never seen a lower charge in a publisher’s agreement for the placing of serial rights than 20 per cent. This is not the only difficulty that may arise by the author leaving these rights in the publisher’s hands. First, the author, in carelessly settling an agreement, often passes over this clause thinking it is merely formal, and that he is dealing with the publisher merely for the book publication. He finds the publication of his book delayed for twelve months and more owing to the publisher’s endeavour to obtain his 50 per cent. of the profits of the serialisation, and he thereby loses a valuable market. It may be of great importance that his book should appear at a fixed time. Secondly, publishers have not the facilities for placing serial rights that an agent has. If he is a good publisher, his time is too much taken up with his own business to attend to the sale of serial work, and vice versd if he is attending to the sale of serial work he is not attending to his proper business. Thirdly, it not infrequently happens that the author obtains an offer for the serial rights himself, and in these circumstances it is a great trial to be bound to pay the publisher 50 per cent. for doing nothing; but when the publisher acts as his own “ drummer ”—if we may use an expression borrowed from the United States —he is playing the game very low. This special feature, although it has been a cause of complaint against the agent, has never, hitherto, been a cause of complaint against the publisher. Agents not infrequently go round to publishers and editors and endeavour to obtain offers for authors who may, or may not, be their clients, and, if successful, place the offer before the author. This method of doing business may be of great advantage for authors who are their clients, but for authors who are not their clients it is very often a source of difficulty and danger. It is not necessary again to point out the disadvantage of dealing with agents in these circumstances. We desire to confine our- selves to publishers as agents, and to repeat that THE AUTHOR. authors cannot be too strongly advised not to leave the placing of their minor rights, 7.¢., serial rights, translation, and Continental rights, in the hands of the publisher. ee REGARDING SIMILAR NAMES. + I HAVE read with very great interest the paper “Property in-a Mom de Plume,” and am wishful to venture upon a suggestion or two, if you can but spare me a little space. It seems to me, that whether “Rita” (Mrs. Humphreys) will be able to make good her claim to the exclusive use of her nom de plume or not, there is still something that must prove very un- satisfactory to the author in the present method of identifying himself with his books, merely by attaching thereto his name. I believe I am right in assuming that, should the writer of the “children’s pages” in some un- known publication prove that her surname is “ Rita,” no power could prevent her, should she so choose, from attaching that name to any work from her pen; and, even though she should be forced to prefix it by her initials, there would be always a large number of readers who would think merely that “ Rita” had taken to using the first letters of her christian names, so as to have her name distinguishable from the “ other” Rita. Then would rise among the members of the public another form of confusion. The question would be asked: “ Which is che ‘Rita’?” And some would answer: “The one without any initials.” But others, again, would reply, ‘“ ‘lhe one with the initials.” And the deuce himself would be bothered in the end to say which was which. Of course, I am aware that it is ridiculously im- probable that the new ‘ Rita” should prove to have made use of her own name, and I have but pre-supposed this to make clear my point. Leaving now the case of Mrs. Humphreys, all readers will be able to call to mind the confusion ot identity ensuing upon two writers, possessing the same name, making their appearance. ‘True, their initials may be different ; but to discriminate by means of initials is a work requiring some effort of memory, more than it is wise for an author to expect from the “big” public. Re- calling a few instances of authors possessing names alike, we have books from the pens of J. L. Allen —G. Allen; A. Barr—R. Barr; E. Castle—G. Castle; R. N. Carey—W. Carey; F. J. Fraser— Mrs. Fraser; A. K. Green—J. R. Green; J. Hocking—S. Hocking; A. Hope—G. Hope; F. Norris—W. E. Norris; ©. Russell—W. Russell— G. H. Russell ; H. G. Wells, and another Wells. THE AUTHOR. I might go on and fill a page, but these are suffi- cient to show how confusing to the “big” public must be such similarity in names. Therefore, it seems to me that now, whilst this case of Mrs. Humphreys is before the Society, it might be a sensible thing to consider seriously some means that shall secure to authors a certainty of no one coming into the field in future and selling “ stuff” under, and often to the detriment of, some more renowned name. The expedient I have to suggest may seem some- what primitive, and some will cry out against the odour of trade which, at first, it will appear to carry; but, at least, let me put forth my idea. It is that each author, in addition to his name, have some distinguishing totem or mark, Thus, Kipling might print his name always with, say, a “camuel” or an elephant’s head alongside of it ; this last, indeed, being practically what Messrs. Macmillan are doing at the present time on the covers of his books. Bullen might distinguish himself—as he has done already in type—by means of a whale ; Mason by four feathers; H. G. Wells by means of a star; Cutcliffe Hyne by means of a kettle; and so forth. I imagine that each of these designs could be registered in the same way as a trade mark, and, therefore, confer upon their owners the right to take proceedings against any who should copy them. I would suggest that such totem or signation be printed not only on the covers of books, and at the heads of magazine stories and articles, but also at the heading of every chapter throughout a book, and in such wise the reader would become familiar with it, and associate it always with the author whom it identified. Further, that in all advertisements of a book or literary work, the totem be in evidence beside the author’s name. One thought more : editors of magazines might object to the trouble of preparing special blocks of the author’s totem—especially in the case of anunknown man. To obviate this, the author could have one or two made—they would cost very little —and send one to the editor of any periodical ac- cepting any of his stuff: of course, asking for its return. Such an expedient as I have suggested should prevent confusion, though a thousand Smiths, Browns, and Robinsons chose each of them to court immortality by that most fallible of methods —a book: One could go to the bookstall : “J want Smith’s latest book, please. Er—I’m afraid I’ve forgotten the title.” “Yes, sir—certainly. Perhaps you can re- member which Smith it is, sir?” ““Q yes; the Smith who always has a pair of tongs printed on the covers of his book.” “Very good, sir.” 111 Then to small boy : “Tom, fetch down the last thing Smith’s.” And there you are. WinuraAm Hopr Hopason. of Tongs Nn aE EERIE MAGAZINE CONTENTS. + BOOKMAN. Antonio in “The Merchant of Venice ” A Character Study. By Jane T. Stoddart. Classics of the Nursery: or the Development of Books for Boys and Girls. By Thomas Seccombe. Book MONTHLY. Ghosts of Yesterday, and Why They Are No More in Current English Fiction. By Hubert Bland. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAT.. Rejected by the Publishers. CORNHILL. An Examination in English Literature. Canon Beeching. The Christmas Book. By the Rev. By Joseph Shaylor, CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. By G. G. Coulton. By Emma Marie Catholic Truth and Historical Truth. The Relation of ‘Theology to Religion. Caillard. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. René Bazin. By André Turquet. Jos¢—Maria de Heredia. By Thomas Seccombe and L. M. Brandin. Mr. Mallock on Knowledge and Belief. Lodge, LL.D. Three Scandinavian Schools of Composers. Keeton. By Sir Oliver By A. E. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. The Catalogues of the Library of the British Museum. By Rudolf de Cordova. MONTH. By J.H Pallen. By the Edmund Campion’s History of Ireland. The Great Antiphons: Heralds of Christmas. Rey. Herbert Thurston. MONTHLY REVIEW. Public School Education. By A. C. Benson. Italian Painting in the Prado Gallery. Hutton. By Edward NATIONAL REVIEW. Modern Biblical Criticism and the Pulpit. Rey. R. J. Campbell. NINETEENTH CENTURY. Some Aspects of the Stage. By Adolphus Vane Tempest. The Deans and the Athanasian Creed. By the Rey. W. Crouch. By the PALL MALL MAGAZINE. British Musical Progress. By Frederick Norman. Modern Ceramic Art. (There are no articles dealing with Literary, Dramatic, or Musical Subjects in Blackwood’s Magazine or Temple Bar.) 112 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. eo ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an | | agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. Allother forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong to the author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —_+——_e__——__ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. —— oe — EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. THR AUTHOR. 8. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (‘.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. —__————_e—>—_e__—_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —— ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical — composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. +-—<—__+—___—__ HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. —_1—~<>—+ — ve VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel's opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4, Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are*fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them, (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeayour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 4s. per annum, or £10 10s for life membership. THE AUTHOR. 113 TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —_-———_ HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. ee THE READING BRANCH. —-+>+ MEMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this M branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. ‘Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach, The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. —___—_-—_@—+_____- NOTICES. —_+—+—_ YT | Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, §.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. soe The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. —_——_____—_>_o—___—_ LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. —1—~—+— ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.  114 THE AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. oe E regret to hear that Mr. George Meredith, the President of the Society, was unable to attend the King’s Investiture at Buck- ingham Palace, owing to the fact that he had not sufficiently recovered from the accident which occurred to him some little time ago. It is with much pleasure, however, that we see the Order of Merit, with the insignia and the warrant, was, by the command of his Majesty, officially conveyed to Mr. Meredith at Box Hill, Dorking. We see that Mr. E. Marston has been writing to the Times concerning the book trade in the Australian market. ‘ It is common property that the Australians have drafted, and are pushing forward, a Copyright Bill; but it would not only be inexpedient, but impossible, to discuss it at the present time. The question Mr. Marston raises, however, is really one of contract between the American and Australian booksellers. It would be quite possible for an American publisher to publish simultaneously in America and Australia, thus securing the British copyright, and then sell a licence to publish for the Australian colonies, and retain a further licence for England, Canada, and other portions of the world should he think fit. Mr. Marston says: “ According to the present law there is absolutely nothing to prevent an American publisher or author selling his copyright to an Australian publisher in Sydney, and, by publishing there first, secure for himself copyright throughout the British dominions ; but then, of course, he cannot sell to an English publisher as well—that would be selling his copyright twice over.” Mr. Marston seems to have forgotten the fact that once the American publisher or author has secured the copyright, it is not essential that he should sell his whole copyright to the Australian publisher, but, as we have suggested, he may merely sell a limited licence to publish. In the same way, it is not an uncommon thing for an English author, when he has once secured his copyright, to make separate contracts for Canada, for the United States, and sometimes, even, for Australia and India. It is possible that the whole copyright question may be before the public at no distant date, when Mr. Marston will have ample opportunity of dis- cussing the points to which he refers. For many years past we have had our eye on the third section of the Copyright Act of 1842, which, referring to works published after the death of their author, runs as follows :— ‘And the copyright of every book which shall be pub- lished after the death of its author shall endure for the term of forty-two years from the publication thereof, and shall be the property of the proprietor of the author’s manuscript from which such book shall be first published, and his assigns.” Often has it been the custom for the personal representatives, trusting to the common law right of an author, and therefore, after his decease of his personal representatives, to control the right to publish unpublished work, to insist upon the right of sanctioning, or withholding their sanction, from the publication of letters. It was not long ago that a case came before the secretary of the society in which one of its members held the MS. of a deceased author, and his right to publish the same was disputed, on the ground that the right of publication was vested in the personal representatives. This case referred to a completed MS., and not to letters. The secretary of the society, advised that the right of publication rested with the member under section 3, the statutory right overruling the common law right. But as no judgment existed on the point, it was decided to take counsel’s opinion, and counsel’s opinion supported the view of the secretary. This interpretation of the Act has now been confirmed. Mr. Justice Kekewich appears by his decision to hold that section 3 embraces not only MSS., but also letters. It would be satisfactory, however, if the matter were carried to a higher court, as there is no doubt that the decision will upset the view of the law which many have adopted. We see that the Daily Mail for December 7th states : “‘ Mr. Macgillivray lays it down, copyright is personal property, and descends on the death of the owner to his personal representatives. That view had been generally held and acted upon.” The writer in the Datiy Mail has mistaken the position. The decision given in Mr. Justice Kekewich’s court does not alter Mr. Macgillivray’s statement in the least. The question is, whether the right to sanction the publication of MSS. unpublished at the author’s death lies with the personal representatives or with the owner of the MSS. This is not copyright—copyright being entirely a creature of statute. It has now been decided that the common law right which was supposed to exist in the personal representatives, enabling them to sanction or to withhold their sanction for publication, is overriden in the par- ticular case, Macmillan v. Dent, by section 8 of the statute of 1842, quoted above. Mr. Macgillivray’s statement still holds good, for since the property becomes copyright under the statute by the  publication of the letters or MS. in the possession of a person after the decease of the author, the property will descend to his personal representatives as personal property. By the kindness of the Editor of the Law Journal we are printing a report of the case ; but we hope to print in a later issue the full judgment, of which we have been unable to obtain a copy for this issue. We thought that the half-profit agreement had died a natural death many years ago, but, like the hardy annual, it seems to come up again and again. One publishing house in particular, by no means the least of the publishing houses of England in its own and the public’s reputation, is continually putting forward this method of publication, and from the number of half-profit agreements that have come recently before the secretary, seems to publish an increasing number of books on this basis. The publishers state that they advise this form of agreement, and that it is a satisfactory form for the author. The usual consequence follows : the result is unsatisfactory to the author. It cannot be repeated too often that the difference in the profits of an author publishing under the half-profit agreement, and those of an author publishing under the royalty agreement, is extraordinary, though both forms of agreement seem to pay the publisher equally well. In addition the accounts are complicated and difficult to understand, and cannot fail to give rise to an uneasy feeling in the author’s mind. For the author is absolutely ignorant of the cost of production and methods of advertisement, and those items which should be settled to the minutest detail before the contract is signed, in order to assist the author in calculating his possible returns, are generally left in the hands of the publisher, and come as ashock to the author’s system only when the first accounts are rendered. We regret having to publish this warning against the half- profit agreement once more, as we had hoped that publishers anxious for their own reputation, and the Publishers’ Association, would have finally discarded it. —_ +4 — THE PENSION FUND COMMITTEE. 1 i order to give members of the society, should they desire to appoint a fresh member to the Pension Fund Committee, full time to act, it has been thought advisable to place in The Author a complete statement of the method of election under the scheme for administration of the Pension Fund. Under that scheme the committee is com- THE AUTHOR. 115 posed of three members elected by the committee of the society, three members elected by the society at the general meeting, and the chairman of the society for the time being, ez-officio. The three members elected at the general meeting when the fund was started were Mr. Morley Roberts, Mr. M. H. Spielmann, and Mrs. Alec Tweedie. These have in turn during the past three years resigned, and, submitting their names for re-election, have been unanimously re-elected. This year Mr. Morley Roberts again, under the rules of the scheme, tenders his resignation and submits his name for re-election. The members have power to put forward other names under clause 9, which runs as follows :— Any candidate for election to the Pension Fund Com- mittee by the members of the society (not being a retiring member of such committee) shall be nominated in writing to the secretary at least three weeks prior to the general meeting at which such candidate is to be proposed, and the nomination of each such candidate shall be subscribed by at least three members of the society. A list of the names of the candidates so nominated shall be sent to the members of the society, with the annual report of the Managing Committee, and those candidates obtaining the most votes at the general meeting shall be elected to serve on the Pension Fund Committee. In case any member should desire to refer to the list of members, a copy, with the exception of those members referred to in the note at the beginning, can be obtained at the society’s office. This list, dated 1902, owing to the small demand, has not been re-edited, and is, therefore, not absolutely accurate. A further list of the elections for 1903 was published in separate form, and all further elections have been duly notified in 7he Author. They can easily be referred to, as all members receive a copy every month. Tt would be as well, therefore, should any of the members desire to put forward a candidate, to take the matter within their immediate consideration. The general meeting of the society has usually been held towards the end of February or the beginning of March. It is essential that all nomi- nations should be in the hands of the secretary before the 31st of January, 1906. —+—~<+ — SIR RICHARD JEBB. ———~ IR RICHARD JEBB was not, I am told, a member of our Society; but our Society, none the less, owes, and will pay, its tribute to the memory of an author who was, unquestion- ably, the greatest classical scholar of his generation, not in England only, but in the world. The justest appreciation of Jebb’s work will 116 perhaps be to say that it combined what are gener- ally considered the distinctive merits of Cambridge and Oxford scholarship. We look, as a rule, to Cambridge for technical perfection in the craft of scholarship ;_ to Oxford for its use in fruitful association with polite learning of other kinds. In “ pure ” scholarship of the Cambridge sort Jebb had no equal. He particularly excelled in those ingenious exercises in composition which are the supreme test of scholarship—those “tours de force” in which so many Cambridge scholars have found their favourite recreation. Benjamin Hall Kennedy’srendering into Latinelegiacs of a circular calling a meeting of a Sanitary Board is perhaps the best known production of the kind. Jebb’s reproduction of “ Abt Vogler.” as a Pindaric Ode ranks, not with it, but above it. Mastery of the Greek language could go no further. The feat astonished Jebb’s contemporaries ; it would doubt- less have astonished Pindar. As an example of his skill in composition of a more conventional order, one is tempted to quote his version of, “ Home they brought her warrior dead” :— Mortuus a bello sua fertur in atria miles ; Nec fluit ad terram sponsa, nec ore gemit. Aspiciunt, unfque canunt hee voce puelle : “A! fleat, est lacrimis, ne moriatur, opus.” Inde viri repetunt, submisso murmure, laudes : “ Dignus erat,” narrant, “quem sequeretur amor ; Fidus amicitiis, ipsos generosus is hostes.” Illa tamen nullos dat stupefacta sonos. Labitur e mediis nota statione puellis Et leviter gradiens nympha cadaver adit. > Demovet a rigido feralem sindona vultu ; Tia tamen siccis torpet, ut ante, genis. Surgit ibi ter sex lustris jam consita nutrix, In gremium pignus dat puerile viri. Imber ut aestivus, rupit pia lacrima fontes—— “Tu, puer, in vita cur morer,” inquit, “ eris.” Scholars of Jebb’s high mark are generally scholars and nothing more. Jebb was a man of letters also. Even when he merely edited “Sophocles” for schools, the man of letters stood revealed. Many of us can date our delight in the literature of Greece from the moment when his “ Ajax” was first put into our hands. Afterwards, as all the world knows, he edited ‘‘Sophocles” for scholars, and, at a stroke, superseded all the earlier editions. His translations were as eloquent as Jowett’s, while they were also distinguished by an accuracy to which Jowett did not pretend—or, at all events, did not attain. His volume on Bentley in the “English Men of Letters Series” showed humour and humanity as well as erudition. No man could have represented Cambridge more fittingly, whether in the Commons’ House of Parlia- ment or in the select ranks of the recently constituted Order of Merit. FRANCIS GRIBBLE. THE AUTHOR. UNITED STATES NOTES. —+—— + — HOUGH we have not as yet before us definite data as to the complete year, it may be asserted without hesitation that the output of books during 1905 has been one of the largest on record. ‘There is an increase of a third over last year’s aggregate of full publications ; and the list is the largest of any recent year since 1901. Some of these books, such as Mrs. Pennell’s Life of Charles Godfrey Leland, will, no doubt, overflow into next year ; but, with all such deductions, the sum total is almost unprecedented. Mr. Henry James and Mrs. Craigie have renewed their acquaintance with America; and we have also had visits from England, by Mrs. Humphry Ward and Mr. Jerome K. Jerome. Mrs. Ward has not as yet, so far as we can remember, portrayed an American, so that one awaits results with some degree of curiosity. An interesting subject for comparison is Mr. James’s “English Hours,” and Mr. W. D. Howell’s “London Films,” though the former is not new. Both will be appreciated by some who do not invariably relish the fictional methods of these distinguished writers. Mr. James has also pub- lished his lectures upon Balzac and his Bryn Mawr deliverance, “ The Question of Our Speech,” both of which contain some highly suggestive criticism. We are glad to fancy that we can discern some revival of the Essay, not only from the above instances, but in others, like Dr. Van Dyke's graceful “Essays in Application,” Prof. Trent’s “Greatness in Literature,” and the “ Shelburne Essays” of Paul Elmer-More, not to mention any: more. And in this connection we should like to testify our appreciation of an article written for the Dial by Mr. Charles Leonard Moore upon “Style in Literature.” Though he has some unkind remarks upon the English language, maintaining, in fact, that “the great mass of our words are low or indifferent,’ amends are made by the contention that words in themselves have very little to do with the evolution of style, in which English is pre-eminent. This last is the main thesis, and it is admirably sustained. The President has enriched the literature of sport by his “Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter,” thus adding another item to the long and varied catalogue of his literary achievements. Bear hunting in Colorado, wolf hunting in Oklahoma, hunting with cougar hounds, and the chase of the prong-buck, are amongst its most fascinating chapters. Mr. John Burroughs appeals to the nature lover rather than the sportsman in his “ Ways of Nature.” (he ila  THE AUTHOR. He does not believe in animal psychology, and advises writers to humanise their facts if they can, but to “leave the dog a dog and the straddle-bug a straddle-bug.” This is not exactly the method of Mr. Thompson Seton ; and had he followed it, what would have remained of Mr. Charles Roberts’s remarkable “ biography,” “Red Fox”? Ornithologists and others will be delighted with the sumptuous record which Mr. C. William Beebe has published of the quest of himself and his wife after birds in Mexico. ‘Iwo other notable out- door books of the season are William J. Long’s “Northern Trails,” and animal stories, called collectively ‘“‘The Race of the Swift,” by Edwin C. Litsey, which excel both in observation and descriptive power. The controversy about the commercialisation of Literature is still raging in various quarters. One hopes that some good may be the outcome, at least to the public. The contestants themselves blink certain facts : on the one side, that books are and must be bought and sold, if authors are to live, on the other, that good taste counts for something in the eyes of those who have even a modicum of culture, not to speak of intelligence. We note the first conviction under the new copy- right law, as having occurred in the United States District Court at Keokuk, Ia., on October 29th. James L. Glass was found guilty of producing a play on which a theatrical manager of Minneapolis held copyright. In its October number, the Bookman asserted that a certain popular motor-novel was “ frankly and flatly the advertisement of a make of auto- mobile, of an automobile tyre, and of a toilet soap,” and further, that a suit had been brought by a German firm of motor-manufacturers against the authors in connection with certain disparagements of their machine in the novel. We are happy to say that all these charges were unfounded ; and the periodical makes full amends this month for its unusual lapse. It is at present running “ A Motor Car Divorce” through its own pages as a serial ; so far there has been more of the motor than the divorce. America has had the distinction of introducing to the English-speaking world the author of “Peer Gynt” and “Brand” as a letter-writer. The late Dr. Albert Bielschowsky’s great life of Goethe has also been translated by an American, Dr. W. A. Cooper, the first section of whose work has appeared within the past month. Of international importance is also Captain Mahan’s last work on the War of 1812, also, perhaps, Poultney Bigelow’s “ The German Struggle for Liberty,” the issue of the fourth volume of which completes the work. Of scarcely less rank will be held Dr. John Ti% Basset Moore’s “ American Diplomacy, its Spirit and Achievements,” and Prof. Breasted’s “ History of Egypt”; whilst W. W. Rockhill’s ‘* China’s Intercourse with Corea,” and the ‘General Sociology,” issued by the Chicago Press for Prof. Albion W. Small, have far more than a national interest. From the same quarter comes Prof. Milyoukov’s timely “Lectures on Russian Civilisation.” A second volume of Prof. Dunning’s useful and well-written work on the “History of Political Theories” has appeared. It extends from Luther to Montesquieu, and includes sum- maries of the political doctrines of Bodin, Grotius, Hobbes, the Catholic Controversialists, the English Puritan Philosophers, and Locke. Mr. Geo. H. Warner’s study of the Semitic problem, “ The Jewish Spectre,” is an indictment of theocracy rather than an attack upon its votaries. It is full of varied information, and bristles with controversial matter, but does not advance the question far. Dr. Frank J. Goodnow’s “ Principles of the Administrative Law of the United States” is an important contribution to its subjects, designed not only for jurists and students of law, but also for those actually engaged in official work. Amongst biographical works of strong interest we would single out Mrs. Bayard Taylor's “On Two Continents,” and Thos. Wentworth Hig- ginson’s “ Parts of a Man’s Life.” The author of the former is the translater of “ Faust’s” second wife, née Marie Hansen. She gives us portraits of Thackeray, Horace Greeley, and George P. Putnam, amongst other celebrities, and relates anecdotes of Browning and Bret Harte. Col. Higginson’s medley of reminiscence and reflection will prove of interest to readers in two continents. The volume, which has a decidedly optimistic tone, contains interesting comparisons of Englishmen and Americans based on a wide personal knowledge of both, and some outspoken criticism of Herbert Spencer. Then there are volumes on Lowell and Blaine, by Ferris Greenslet and Edward Stanwood ; and the first complete life of Sidney Lanier, which comes from the pen of Edwin Mim. “The True Andrew Jackson,” by Cyrus Townsend Brady, is a careful study of another American worthy. A work of some authority upon an important subject, is Charles A. Conant’s “ Principles of Money and Banking.” Randell Parrish’s “Historic Illinois’ may be commended to students of American history, together with George Wharton James’s account of the Franciscan missions of California. Probably the most significant publications concerning art are 8. Isham’s “ History of 118 American Painting,” and Kenyon Cox’s “Old Masters and New.” Coming to fiction, we have had new works from Mrs. Wharton, Mrs. Atherton, M. E. Wilkins, and R. W. Chambers, besides Mark Twain’s “« Rditorial Wild Oats,” and the inevitable Marion Crawford novel. “The House of Mirth,” a relentless study of New York society, from the point of view of one of its victims, will, we think, fully maintain its author’s reputation ; whether the same can be said for “The Travelling Thirds” of Mrs. Atherton is more doubtful. Mrs. Wilkins Freeman, and that best of American romancers, Mr. Chambers, are as excellent as ever in their different ways. There is a new “ Uncle Remus” book for young and old ; and Kate Douglas Wiggin has renewed her hold upon her public with her charming “‘ Roge o’ the River.” Booth Tarkington has probably never done any- thing better than his ‘‘ Conquest of Canaan” ; and Emerson Hough’s “ Heart’s Desire,” is a capital western story with plenty of atmosphere. “The Edge of Circumstance,” by Edward Noble, is a strong sea story. There is originality in “The Ballingtons,” by Frances Squire, a new writer, if we mistake not. James Huneker’s short stories, labelled ‘ Vision- aries,” will be judged morbid by some readers and praised as uncommon by others ; they are, at any rate not to be set down as conventional. The author of “ The Plum Tree” has written a story of “high and frenzied finance” in his new work, “The New Deluge,” but has skilfully inter- woven it with love interest. We could enumerate many another novel, displaying unusual talent, but must conclude the catalogue with ‘‘ Shakespeare’s Sweetheart,” which purports to be Anne Hathaway’s love story, written by herself, deposited in the hands of Ben Jonson, and recently discovered among old archives ! An English novel holds the highest place in the most recently compiled list of ‘ best-sellers,” Mr. McCutcheon’s newest story “Nedra” coming second, with Mrs. Wharton and Kate Douglas Wiggin taking the next two. places. We con- gratulate the author of “The House of Mirth” upon her popularity. America has had to mourn this year a heavy loss, both to her literature and her statesmanship, in the death of Mr. John Hay, upon whose achievements we need not dwell here. Mrs. Mary Mapes Dodge, who died in the succeeding month, was a lesser light in the firmament. But her Dutch story, “ Hans Brinker,” endeared her to more than one genera- tion of children, and her recently published “ Poems and Verses” had some success, whilst she did good service as editor of St. Nicholas. THE AUTHOR. There have been no other recent losses of note ; but the year which has seen the death of “ Rip Van Winkle” and the author of the “Pike Country Ballads,” as well as Lafcadio Hearn and Laurence Hutton, has left sad gaps in American literature and art. Just before going to press we heard of the death of Henry Harland, one of the select band of what may be called Anglo-American authors. “The Cardinal’s Snuff-Box” alone would have assured him a niche in the temple of fame. —_+-~<— —_ PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ON COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION. —— > (The following is quoted from the American Publishers’ Weekly of December 9th, 1905.) RESIDENT ROOSEVELT in his annual message, transmitted to Congress on De- cember 5th, refers to the United States copyright laws as follows : “*QOur copyright laws urgently need revision. They are imperfect in definition, confused and inconsistent in expression ; they omit provision for many articles which, under modern reproduc- tive processes are entitled to protection; they impose hardships upon the copyright proprietor which are not essential to the fair protection of the public ; they are difficult for the courts to interpret and impossible for the Copyright Office to administer with satisfaction to the public. Attempts to improve them by amendment have been frequent, no less than twelve Acts for the purpose having been passed since the Revised Statutes. To perfect them by further amendment seems impracticable. A complete revision of them is essential. Such a revision, to meet modern conditions, has been found necessary in Germany, Austria, Sweden, and other foreign countries, and bills embodying it are pending in England and the Australian colonies. It has been urged here, and proposals for a commission to undertake it have, from time to time, been pressed upon the Congress. The inconveniences of the present con- ditions being so great, an attempt to frame appro- priate legislation has been made by the Copyright Office, which has called conferences of thé various interests especially and practically concerned with the operation of the copyright laws. It has secured from them suggestions as to the changes necessary : it has added from its own experience and investiga- tions, and it has drafted a bill which embodies such of these changes and additions as, after full discussion and expert criticism, appeared to be sound and safe. In form this bill would replace the existing insufficient and inconsistent laws by THE AUTHOR. one general copyright statute. It will be presented to the Congress at the coming session. It deserves prompt consideration. 999 1 ANTHONY TROLLOPE. ane J. THe WaGce-EARNER. OME few years ago a well-known man of letters, writing of Victorian novelists, gave it as his opinion that among disappearing authors must be included Charles Reade, Charles Lever, and Anthony Trollope. This statement must not be allowed to pass unchallenged ; for Reade must surely endure, by virtue of the great historical romance, “The Cloister and the Hearth,” and the delightful, pathetic “¢ Christie Johnstone”; and it is inconceivable that the world will be content to let die the rollicking, madcap stories of “Harry Lorrequer.” These writers were fully appreciated during their lifetime —indeed, in the case of some of their books, they may have been over-praised—and the adverse criti- cism to which they have since been subjected may, perhaps, be attributed to the apparently inevitable reaction./ Every writer has his ups and downs in the estimation of the generations immediately succeeding his own; but of all the mighty none have fallen so low as Anthony Trollope. His has been the worst fate that can befall a writer; he has not been abused, he has been ignored. He is not disappearing : he has disappeared ; and reaction alone cannot satisfactorily account for the lowly position he occupies to-day, with few so poor as to do him reverence. Indeed, so entirely have his books gone out of fashion that, in this age of reprints, when an attempt is made to galvanise into life the works of Mrs. Aphra Behn and Mr. R. M. Bird, it is impossible to obtain a set of his best books. Trollope’s most ardent admirers would not ask, nor could they desire, a complete edition of his writings. His books of travel, ‘The West Indies,” “ North America,” “ Australia,” and “New Zealand,” and “South Africa,” may be allowed to sink into oblivion ; and with them may go the monograph on Cicero, and that work to which Dean Merivale referred as “your comic Ceasar.” It is as a novelist Trollope has come down to us, and it is as a novelist he will live for posterity. .~ He wrote much, far too much ; and many, nay, the majority, of his stories may be put aside. His industry was prodigious, and in quantity he rivalled another author who to-day also does not receive his full share of praise—Bulwer Lytton. “ T feel confident,” Trollope said, speaking of the years 1859 to 1871, “that in amount no other writer 119 contributed so much during that time to English literature.” The truth of his remark cannot be gainsaid, and the output is the more remarkable in so much as during this period he was a busy Civil servant. The secret of his prolixity is that he never waited for the spirit to move him. The mere word “inspiration ” aroused his ire ; and for the men who thought they could work only when “inspired ” his contempt was boundless. “ ‘To me it would not be more absurd if the shoemaker were to wait for inspiration, or the tallow-chandler for the divine moment of melting,” he declared. “If the man whose business it is to write has eaten too many good things, or has drunk too much, or has smoked too many cigars—as men who write will sometimes do—then his condition may be unfavourable for work ; but so will be the condi- tion of a shoemaker who has been similarly imprudent. I have sometimes thought that the inspiration wanted has been the remedy which time will give to the evil results of such impru- dence: Mens sana in corpore sano. The author wants that, as does every workman—that and a habit of industry. I was once told that the surest aid to the writing of a book was a piece of cobbler’s wax on my chair. I certainly believe in the cobbler’s wax much more than in the inspiration.” Undoubtedly Trollope adhered to the cobbler’s wax theory all the days of his life. He found he could write as well when he was travelling as when seated at his desk—the proof of this is to be found in the merits of “ Barchester Towers,” written almost entirely in railway carriages. For many years, while in the postal service, he rose at half- past five and worked until half-past eight, writing two hundred and fifty words every quarter of an hour ; and he found the words came as regularly as his watch went. It is unlikely he would have done better work if he had not laboured so methodically, but it is probable he would not have turned out so many mediocre works. Perhaps the temporary eclipse of Trollope is largely due to his autobiography. “ I confess,” he said therein, in a characteristic passage, “ that my first object in taking to literature as a profession was that which is common to the barrister when he goes to the bar, and to the baker when he sets up his oven. I wished to make an income on which I and those belonging to me might live in comfort.” Nothing could be more laudable! He prided himself upon being a tradesman, ready and willing to work to order. Again and again he declared ostentatiously that he wrote only for money ; that he found his reward in the publishers’ cheque, and that he attributed to the pecuniary result of his labours all the importance he felt them to have at the time. The autobiography bristles 120 with figures. He tells us that in 1847 he pub- lished his first book, ‘‘ The MacDermotts of Bally- jeloran,” on the half-profits system. ‘I can with | truth declare that I expected nothing,” he has | recorded, “and I got nothing.” In the following | year Colburn brought out “The Kellys and the O’Kellys.” The terms were the same, and so was the result. The former was still-born ; the latter sold to the extent of 140 of the 375 copies printed. These stories of Irish life failing to attract, in 1850 he published an historical romance, “ lia Vendée,” for which, on delivery of the manuscript, he received £20 on account of future profits. It was not until five years later that “The Warden” appeared. For this he received £20 3s. 9d. But “The Warden,” though its pecuniary success was infinitesimal, attracted attention in the Press, and the author began to be regarded as one with whom it might be necessary to reckon. Even the publishers were impressed, and Longmans offered to print the next novel and to pay in advance £100. This was “ Barchester Towers.” During twenty years these two books, the first of the Barset series, brought the author £727 lls. 3d. “The Three Clerks” followed, Bentley buying the copyright for £250. Thus encouraged, Trollope demanded £400 for “ Doctor Thorne.” Bentley would not give more than £300, so the author, who was leaving ye “T sai the next day, went to Chapman & Hall. what I had to say to Mr. Edward Chapman in a quick torrent of words. Looking at me as he might have done at a highway robber who had stopped him on Hounslow Heath, he said he sup- posed he might do as I desired. I considered this | to be asale, and it was a sale. I remember that | he held the poker in his hand all the time I was with him ; but, in truth, even if he had declined to buy the book, there would have been no danger.” “The Bertrams”’ went to the same firm for the game sum ; and, in the meantime, his first book of travels having proved a success, he demanded £600 for an Irish novel as yet unwritten, “ Castle Richmond.” ‘“Framley Parsonage” was com- missioned for Zhe Cornhill Magazine for £1,000 ; and after this he received £600 for a one-volume novel, or £8,000 for a story running to twenty parts. Sometimes he received more—once, at least, he was given £3,525 : for many years he contrived to keep up his price, and, though in later days he was compelled to accept considerably less, it is wonderful, remembering his enormous output, he should have been able to sustain it so long. Including £7,000 made by journalism—political, critical, and sporting articles—he earned £70,000, which result he looked upon as “ comfortable, but not splendid.” Considering his popularity, it was certainly not magnificent. Literature was then the worst paid profession. Think what a doctor THE AUTHOR. or a barrister of similar eminence would have made! ‘To-day, thanks partly to the American copyright law, a popular writer may amass a modest competence with one book. Now, all authors write for money. But if they are worth their salt, they take pleasure in their work. Despite the unfortunate autobiography, it is probable Trollope did not differ greatly from his fellow-workers. Certainly his desire for money never induced him deliberately to lower the standard of his work ; and, thongh he may not have realised it, he loved the pen, for surely no one, not urged by want of pence, could otherwise have worked so hard as he. He was proud of his books, and believed that some at least might live; while his affection for his characters was profound. The public naturally has not gone below the surface, and it has accepted Trollope’s statements without reservation. It will not willingly think, however, of the man of letters as a tradesman, turning out his wares with one eye on his paper and the other on his banking account. It likes to think of him as imbued with romance: it will not place the writing of books on the same plane as the making | of buttons or the baking of bricks ; and it is dis- gusted to learn that one of its favourites always wrote so many words in so many minutes. It dis- tinguishes, as Trollope would not, between the work of the brain and the work of the hand, It has already been said that the first book in which Trollope did himself justice was “The Warden.” Within the next few years he issued “ Barchester Towers,” ‘‘ Dr. Thorne,” “ Framley Parsonage,” and ‘‘ The Last Chronicles of Barset.” These are the Barset series of novels, and, undoubtedly, they contain his best work. During this period appeared also “ The Small House at Allington,” “ The Three Clerks,” and “ Orley Farm” ; and later, ‘Can You Forgive Her ?” “Phineas Finn,” “ Phineas Redux,” and “The Prime Minister,” in all of which is a semi-political atmosphere. The student of English literature may be content with these, though perhaps “The Eustace Diamonds” might repay perusal. These are the books upon which Trollope’s fame depends, and a very sound basis it is upon which to rest a reputation. Trollope’s most enduring title to rank with the greater novelists is as the chronicler of Barsetshire. The new shire he added to the English counties was very real to him, and he had it all in his mind —its roads and railroads, its towns and parishes, its members of parliament, its different hunts, its great lords and their castles, its squires and their parks, its rectors and their churches. Alone of the working population he had nothing to say ; not of the village shopkeepers, nor, though he insisted on the fact that Barsetshire was entirely agricul- tural, of the farmer and his labourers. On the  THE AUTHOR. one side he saw Gatherum Castle, where lived the Duke of Omnium in almost feudal state, and the great county families ; on the other, the professional nen, the doctors, clergymen and attorneys. When he invented Barsetshire he limited his outlook to the cathedral city ; and in his famous trilogy, he confined himself mainly to the exposi- tion of the humours of clerical life, and to the introduction of ecclesiastical dignitaries. He wrote of their respectable, humdrum lives ; of their little squabbles, their ambitions, hopes and disappoint- ments, failures and successes ; and if at times he was severe, at least he was always fair, and he presented no theatrical figures of ranting parsons and red-nosed, over-fed rectors. Satire he some- times allowed himself, but caricature never ; and if Precentor Harding was the best, the hishop’s chaplain, Slope, was the worst. He was agreeably surprised to find he could write so well about clergymen. He has related proudly how he was often asked in what period of his early life he had lived so long in a cathedral city as to have become intimate with the ways ofa close. Asa matter of fact he had never resided for any length of time in any cathedral city, except the metropolis, and he was not closely acquainted with any clergyman. “ My archdeacon (Grantly), who has been said to be life-like, was the result simply of an effort of my moral consciousness. It was such as that, in my opinion, that an arch- deacon should be, or, at any rate, would be with such advantages as an archdeacon might have been ; and lo! an archdeacon was produced, who has been declared by competent authorities to be an archdeacon to the very ground.” ‘The accuracy of Trollope’s ecclesiastical figures has never been called into question, and, indeed, he wrote of them as easily, and with an instinct as true, as young Benjamin Disraeli wrote of dukes. Lewis MELVILLE. —+-—>—9 — THE LITERARY YEAR BOOK.* aes 1. Law AND LETTERS. E have received the tenth annual edition of the “ Literary Year Book,” but as it came to hand just as Zhe Author was going to press for January, it has been impossible to review the legal portion exhaustively. Forina book which is supposed to be issued for the benefit of authors, the matter that comes under the heading Law and Letters should meet with the most exact scrutiny. * «he Literary Year Book,’ 1906. George Routledge & Sons. 5s, net. 121 We have taken a cursory glance at this portion of the book, but regret to notice that it has not been altered in any way, as far as we can see, since last year. At any rate, the mistakes pointed out in Zhe Author have not been corrected. It may have been too late to add the important case which has just been tried in the Courts. Smith, Elder and Macmillan & Co. vy. J. M. Dent & Co. This may justify its omission, but the case is one of such importance that some subsidiary note ought, if possible, to have been inserted. The paragraph dealing with section 18 of the Copyright Act still retains the false statement that “the contract between the contributing author and the publisher or proprietor of the periodical work need not be in writing, nor is an express agreement that the copyright shall belong to the latter neces- sary ; and thus in ordinary cases the agreement that the copyright shall belong to the publisher or proprietor may be inferred from the mere employ- ment and payment of the author.” In support of this statement the editor refers to the case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen. That case dealt merely with encyclopedias, and the point has never been settled with reference to periodicals. It is quite possible that a judgment of this kind, which applied to encyclopedias, might not apply to periodicals, as an encyclopedia is looked upon as having a permanent and lasting position which the contents of periodicals, when published in periodical form, have not. Again, at the com- mencement of the same paragraph, the writer states : “ As regards literary work contributed to encyclopedias or for periodical or serial publica- tion on the terms that the copyright shall belong to the publisher or proprietor, the copyright in all such work becomes the property of the publisher or proprietor,” &c., &c. He does not mention the most important point, that such work must be paid forthe mere agreement that the copyright shall belong to the publisher or proprietor is not sufficient. Again, referring to colonial copyright, he has made no mention of the Act passed through the Canadian House on July Ist, 1900. As this Act is one of some importance, it should not have been omitted. The writer maintains the same views as ex- pressed in former years on authors, publishers, and agents, and again omits all mention of the Authors” Society in his statement, ‘“ Who will protect the: author against the rapacity of the agent.” It would have been fair, in view of the position the Society holds, to have mentioned its name when raising questions of this kind, for as the Society is in no way connected with the financial success of the production of books, it can take an absolutely impartial view, and can and does act as effectually 122 against agents as against publishers. His view of agents is, on the whole, in accord with that which has been expressed from time to time in The Author. Lastly, the criticism of agreements lacks many important points for the protection of both author and publisher, and cannot be considered at all exhaustive, and the propositions put for- ward are in many ways unsatisfactory from the author’s standpoint. The writer inveighs bitterly against the advance on royalties, and states: “In all business transactions the last person to whom one would go with a request for ready money is the person who has already staked his capital in a speculation suggested by the borrower.” He does not for a moment seem to consider the author’s capital as represented by his MS., which may, in some cases, be the work of years ; but, surely, quite apart from this point, if a publisher, who is a man of business, considers it worth his while to advance money on royalties, it is absurd to characterise such an arrangement as unreasonable. Business men do not readily enter into unbusinesslike agree- ments, or else they cannot be looked upon as fit persons to act as publishers. The forms of agree- ment which the writer has chosen to criticise are certainly not the best forms of agreement that come on the market, and if this work is to be of the value to authors that it ought to be, the writer must keep their point of view more promi- nently before him. He may take it for granted that a business man like the publisher will not buy the ‘‘Literary Year Book” in order to obtain advice on agreements, but to the author such a work should be of the greatest assistance; but if an author were to act on the advice at present given, he might find himself—unless he were a member of the Society of Authors—in considerable difficulties. G. H. T. Il. GENERAL REVIEW. WessteR deems that ‘“ Precision in the use of words is of prime excellence.” Especially should this be the case in the compilation of what is called a bookman’s directory. To substantiate convincingly the desirability of stricter atten- tion to detail, we pointed out, in six columns of The Author last year, many unfortunate slips. The object was to get them rectified in a future edition. This would have pleased us more than the grateful acknowledgment in this year’s preface, that “ Special thanks are due to The Author for its full and suggestive reviews of the last volume of the annual. The reviewer was, if anything, a trifle too precise about details, such as the inclusion of Shenstone’s birthday in our calendar ; but in this particular, and in other respects, a genuine attempt THE AUTHOR. has been made to carry out his wishes, directed ag they are to the same object as our own—the pro- vision of a serviceable annual for the use of members of all branches of the literary world.” Now, this is very pretty. Relying on such blandishments one feels that at last a Literary Year Book, worthy of the land of Shakespeare, after twelve months’ careful and accurate collation of material, has been evolved to do honour to the profession of letters in general, and the firm of Messrs. Routledge in particular. But it is the duty of a reviewer not to be biased by prefatory compliment, no matter how elegantly it is worded. We repeat that our remarks last year were not due tocaprice. It is pleasant to knowthat they have been received in the spirit in which they were written. Yet we fail to perceive how it is possible, in a book of reference, to be “ too precise about detail.” The editor expresses a hope that credit will be given for his endeavours and indulgence for his mistakes. We are ready to give full measure of ‘credit ” where it may be due, although the pub- lishers may not supply the Year Book on the same terms. Before bestowing the laurel wreath, how- ever, it is necessary to examine the volume as far as space permits, in order to ascertain and estimate what exertions have heen made by way of in:prov- ing on the issue of 1905. It was a saying of Sir Joshua Reynolds that “ Excellence is never granted to man but as a reward of labour.” It is not our intention to undervalue the care which the com- pilers may have taken in the production of this Year Book ; but it is the duty of the troublesome reviewer, who holds a brief for the purchaser rather than the publisher, to discover whether pains have been taken to make the book really serviceable, or if the necessary work has been delayed unduly and the publisher has relied on hoodwinking the critic by reshuffling various sections and singing to him, in an imploring tone of voice, “Please go gently,” & la “Spring Chicken.” OBITUARY. This year the Obituary List, instead of occupy- ing five pages, has been reduced to a paragraph, the omissions including the death, as far back as last April, of the well-known war-correspondent, Henry Pearse; in July of Captain Montagu Burrows, Chichele Professor of Modern History at Oxford ; and in September of Walter Macfarren, who, for half a century, was reviewer to the Queen, and whose ‘“ Memories,” published before his death, are not mentioned in the biographical section. If abstracts from the daily papers were taken systematically day by day during the year, the record of departed writers would be complete and more reliable for future reference. aS  THE AUTHOR. Tue INDEX. We are pleased to note that the contents list has been rearranged alphabetically. Yet it is not so good a key to unlock the contents of the book as it might be made. For example, if one wishes to refer to the titles of works classified under the headings of theology, art, or fiction, considering that these three sections occupy forty-four pages, it seems strange that they should not be separated in the Index from the general heading “‘ Catalogue Raisonné.” Moreover, what is the meaning of “Fayourite Books of 1906,” paged in the Index exliv. 2? There is no such section on that page. Why cannot there be, as is customary in Whitaker and most books required for rapid reference, first, a contents table showing the general arrangement of material, and, secondly, a general Index of a com- prehensive character, so as to enable the inquirer to take in the component parts of the volume at a glance? But here the indexing is muddled. First we have, on page 11, an Index which is neither a contents table nor an index, and on page 321 we have a table of the contents of Part II., and, two pages further on, a statement of the contents of the legal section, although these lists are not notified in the Contents-Index at the beginning of the book. If the various sections were arranged alphabetically, the inquirer-within might be_ helped, instead of being confused by “ Libraries” coming after “Societies,” “Booksellers” after “ Law and Letters,’ and so forth. AUTHORS. Last year, in looking through this list, we marked privately in our copy the inclusion of the name of Sir Frederic Bateman, whose death had been announced in the papers months before. Turning to the letter “ B” this year, we find that the honoured name of that long-since departed physician is still classed amongst living writers. After this, the introductory assurance of the care which has been taken regarding the list of authors loses weight. We have ticked the name of another dead literary lion in order to see whether, twelve months hence, the Year Book will still proclaim that he has been resurrected. Although, in the majority of cases, if an author fails to make the return requested, it may be safe to reinsert the entry regarding him, an exception should be made and particular care taken concerning all writers over seventy years of age. CATALOGUE RAISONNE. Turning to the Classified Catalogue—we beg pardon, ‘‘ Catalogue Raisonné ”—it is gratifying to note that, according to the sub-title of this section, it is confined to “Twentieth Century Literature.” 123 That, we take it, implies that books published before the year 1900 are excluded. Nevertheless, on the first page of this list of titles, which the preface tells us has been drawn up with “ consider- able pains,” we note “ Art in Provincial France,” published in 1838, three books dated in the "seventies, and as many in the ’eighties—showing that the sub-title isa misnomer. This Catalogue Raisonné occupies no fewer than 143 pages in the book. As these are indicated by Roman numerals, the inference is, that, while the bulk of the sheets have been printed in advance, and go to press shortly after December 1 (see note on p. 33), this section has been kept back and inserted at the last moment, so as to be quite up-to-date. Why, there- fore, should there be so many omissions? At the risk of being again called ‘a trifle too precise,” we give a few of the exclusions. Our list could be considerably extended did space in these columns permit. Under the heading of Art, ANTIQUITIES, and following books are con- spicuous by their absence — ARCHITECTURE, the Furniture of Windsor G. F. Laking. Bradbury and Castle. Agnew. Great Zambabwe. R. N. Hall. Methuen. Lace Book. Singing of the Future. Hudson Moore. Chapman and Hall. Ffrangcon Davies. Lane. Under BroGrapuy there is no mention of — Brahms, 2 vols. Florence May. Arnold. Bygone Years. Leveson-Gower. Murray. Bygones Worth Re- G.J.Holyoake. Unwin. membering, 2 vols. Froude. Herbert Paul. Pitman. Mary Queen of Scots, Henderson. Hutchinson. 2 vols. Mirabeau and the Warwick. Lippincott. French Revolution. William Pitt, 3 vols. Von Reville. Cotta’sche Buch- handlung. Queen Henrietta Taylor. Hutchinson. Maria, 2 vols. Wemyss Reid. Stuart Reid. Cassell. Scarlatti. Dent. Arnold, Taine, vol. 3. “ Historian.” Hachette. Under Ficrron, many books which have met with more than usually favourable comments in the Press have been overlooked. Amongst these we note — Ayesha. Haggard. Ward Locke. Barbara Rebell. Mrs. Belloc- Heinemann. Lowndes. Heritage of the Free. Edna Lyall. Hodder and Stoughton. Irrational Knot. Bernard Shaw. Constable. The Lake. George Moore. Heinemann, Lohengrin. Bernard Capes. Dean. Saints in Society. Mrs. Baillie- Unwin. Saunders. 124 Mrs. Baillie-Saunders’ name is also omitted from the list of authors, although she was much adver- tised as the winner of a £100 prize in the autumn publications, before the Year Book went to press. We fail to find under the ambiguous heading of GENERAL LirerRATURE the following books, which might well have been included — The Awakening of OkakuraKakuzo, Murray. Japan. Jiu-Jitsu. Secret of the Totem. On Ten Plays of Shake- speare. Captain Skinner. Andrew Lang. Stopford Brooke. Gay and Bird. Longmans. Constable. Under Porrry there is no mention of — History of Ottoman Gibb. Poetry, Vol. 4. Luzac. Under THEOLOGY we do not see Williams and Norgate. Chapman and Hall. Evolution of Religion. Farnell. g Reconstruction of Be- Malloch. lief. Under TraveL and Topograpuy the following are left out — Gabriel taux. Cox. Macdonald. Alfred Stead. Barclay. Hollis. Contemporary France, Hano- Constable. vol. 2. Forests of England. In Search of Eldorado. Great Japan. Land of the Horn. The Masai. Methuen. Unwin. Lane. Unwin, Clarendon Press. Baron Constable. atsu. Cooper. Sir H. Maxwell. Captain Scott. The Risen Sun. Suyen- Story of York. Story of the Tweed. Voyage of the Dis- covery, 2 vols. Stock. Nisbet. Smith, Elder. The 12 blank pages which should have been indexed cxlix. for “ Favourite Books of 1906,” however, furnish space for noting the many excel- lent volumes omitted. ‘Future recensions,” we are assured in the preface, “will be fuller and more accurate.” Let us hope that this excellent intention will not furnish a supplementary paving- stone to a place never mentioned in polite society. Nevertheless, if the resolution is carried out, we venture to recommend that the bulk of the volume should not be increased unnecessarily, but that all titles of books prior to 1901—or five years preceding date of issue—be eliminated. REVIEWS. Only two books helpful to the literary worker are here given. Mention might at least have been made of that important publication “The Rhymer’s Lexicon,” by A. Loring, with an introduction by Prof. Saintsbury. THE AUTHOR. PUBLISHERS. The list of publishers, we are informed, has been thoroughly revised at first hand, and the informa- tion is based on replies received to circulars. This, of course, is: as it should be; but, after the pre- fatory statement that a ‘genuine’ attempt has been made to correct the omissions of last year, so as to make the book serviceable for the use of members of “all branches of the literary world,” it comes as a shock to find that the section devoted to ‘Foreign Publishers” has not been altered in any way. Surely this is a “just requirement” on the part of authors living abroad. There was ample time to do what was needed in twelve months, and to remove from the Year Book the reproach that not a single firm in Geneva or Neuf- chatel is mentioned, and that the publishing houses of Rome are overlooked. PERIODICALS. Checking the list of “ Periodical Publications ” with the flagrant omissions and mistakes pointed out last year, we find that this section is much improved. We tender our most cordial felicita- tions. Another year approximate payments per thousand words, by editors of those periodicals who welcome outside contributions, might be more generally indicated. A minority of promi- nent writers may command their own prices. What the majority of contributors, especially those living at a distance from Fleet Street, desire to know is the average rate of remuneration given. SOCIETIES. We are assured that the list of societies has been thoroughly revised. We feel thankful for this statement, until we read, on page 5384, that the “Sette of Odd Volumes” dines at Limmer’s Hotel on the fourth Tuesday in each month. Some two years ago the entire Press of the country was para- graphed with a veiled advertisement regarding the metamorphosis of thesporting hostelry into a piano shop. The “Odd Volumes,” when they dine together every fourth Tuesday, must feel excep- tionally odd, with pianos allaround them. Buttue question is, are such premises licensed for the purposes of dining ? Moreover, if this literary club which meets on Tuesdays at Limmer’s is included, why should the “Fraternity of the Whitefriars,” which foregathers on Friday evenings, at Ander- ton’s Hotel, be excluded ? LIBRARIES. So far as Great Britain is concerned, the freshly prepared library section is animprovement on last year. Again, we offer felicitations. But, owing  to letters received from correspondents residing abroad, we begged last year that interest and yalue might be added to this annual, by mention of certain renowned public libraries on the Con- tinent. We specified a number of omissions. Alas, the old and useless list has been again published without revision. Le. In conclusion, we hark back to the fascinating : preface. In this, the editor says, that © No a responsibility can be taken for unintentional errors q in this issue.” Zrgo, he takes responsibility for intentional errors, although we thought that an “error” was always an “ involuntary deviation ” from the path of rectitude, whereas a deliberate 4 misstatement was—whisper it softly—an in- “@ gannation. If we have pointed out more short- of comings than virtues, we have done so regretfully and without prejudice. We are not uncharitable, and have no desire to detract from the unques- tioned value of the major part of the material. By those who live dependent on the pen, and have to find constantly fresh markets for their literary labours, there is much advantage to be derived from the 1906 Year Book. Seeing how numerous is this body of men and women writers, the issue even of an imperfect Literary Directory is a matter ‘ of no small moment, and any effort made to supply the requirements of authors and journalists merits i wide support. It has not been our intention, therefore, to overlook the usefulness of much solid stuff by unduly magnifying the flaws we have come ws across. So far Messrs. Routledge have no rival in the field. That fact ought to encourage the Editor to improve, diligently, a property which should become very valuable alike to publishers and pur- chasers. Nothing but constant and precise atten- tion to detail, however, makes for perfection in a directory. Carelessness in such matters does more damage than want of knowledge. A. B. —-->+—_ LITERARY TREASURE TROYE.* _— 4 / ELL printed, handsomely bound (although perhaps not quite so substantially as is advisable), and arranged—so far as their contents go—with taste and skill of the highest order, the four volumes containing this encyclopedic record of English literature of fifteen successive centuries reflect the greatest possible credit on both editors and publisher alike. The avowed design of those responsible for this catholic and discriminatingly sympathetic compilation has been * “English Literature,” an illustrated record, in four volumes. By Richard Garnett, C.B., LL.D., and Edmund Gosse, M.A., LL.D. London: William Heinemann. THE AUTHOR. 125 to produce a work which shall at once stimulate and gratify intelligent interest in English authors, from the first of their number who committed his thoughts to paper down to those of the end of the nineteenth century. Readers and writers are thus introduced to one another, and the latter can, through this medium, learn for themselves exactly what manner of men were and are those who have fired their enthusiasm on the printed page. They may find out here where and when those authors lived, what books they wrote, what measure of suc- cess they achieved, and how they appealed to their contemporaries. Further than this, the volumes are illustrated both by portraits and reproductions of documents, wherever necessary for the elucidation of any special point referred to in the text. In brief, the compilation forms a rapid, but careful, summary of the country’s literary history which, without professing to be exhaustive, nevertheless presents a wealth of easily assimilated information that has never yet been obtainable within a com- paratively restricted area. A fascinating record is the result, and one upon which the editors, Dr. Garnett and Mr. Edmund Gosse, cannot be too highly congratulated. Not the least attractive feature of this record is furnished by the inclusion therein of biographies of the authors referred to in the main critical narrative. These have been selected from among practically every writer whose work has had any real influence upon this country’s literature. Con- siderations of space have perhaps been responsible for a few omissions here and there, but they are certainly not important ones. In the first volume, which is prepared by Dr. Garnett, the period under examination ranges from the pre-Christian era down to that of the first Tudors, from the scarcely more than legendary Widsith (in all pro- bability, by the way, an assumed name—for the use of such a disguise is by no means a modern innovation) down to the George Cavendish, who wrote an excellent account of Cardinal Wolsey’s life. This is a stirring piece of writing and a vivid representation of its subject. A thoughtful essay on Chaucer, and an informative chapter on the history of the English Bible and the evolution of the religious drama are the notable features of this initial volume. The illustrations—many of them reproductions from rare MSS. in the British Museum—give an added interest and value to the accompanying letterpress. In the second volume, which covers but seventy years (whereas its predecessor gives the literary history of seven centuries) the period under examination commences with Henry VIII. and ends with Milton. ‘wo chapters are devoted to Shakespeare. ‘These, from the pen of Dr. Garnett, do not appear to say very much that has not been 126 said before, but they contain some interesting remarks on the vexed question of the chronology of the dramatist’s plays. Mr. Gosse follows with three chapters on the Jacobean authors in the fields of poetry, prose, and drama. The influence on Letters occasioned by the death of Elizabeth was a subtle one, but none the less a strongly marked one. It gave the death blow to the almost medizval sentiment which the Virgin Queen had so stoutly upheld throughout her long sway, thus delaying the renaissance for which the country was hungering. JamesJ. hankered him- self after literary fame with all the ardour of a “popular” novelist of the present day, and effusively welcomed everyone who could wield a pen. Judging from the specimens here given, some of his kingly lucubrations are amateurish in the extreme, despite his proud boast, in “ Invocations to thé Goddis,” ‘I lofty Virgil shall to life restore,” and similar comforting assurances scattered about in his other efforts. Yet it will ever be remembered that the issue of the Bible in its present form was due to his instrumentality. The concluding chapter of this section treats largely of the historians, such as Sir John Hayward (knighted for his researches in 1619), Sir Henry Spelman, and Richard Knolles (who won the admiration of so severe a critic as Dr. Johnson). The. third volume merits, perhaps, a special word of commendation on account of its illustrations. The choice of these could hardly have been improved upon, including as it does characteristic examples of the artistic genius of Rowlandson and Hogarth, together with portraits by Reynolds and Gainsborough of the literary giants of the period (from Milton to Johnson), and reproductions of the title-pages of famous first editions. What, for want of a better term, may be called the democratisation which the cause of authorship underwent in England during the fifth and sixth decades of the eighteenth century is remarked upon in illuminating fashion. With the death of Anne, and the consequent removal of the some- what debilitating influence she exercised upon literary growths, the love of reading spread rapidly among allclasses. Books and authorship generally were no longer the close preserve of the aristocracy. English literature spread its wings and extended its influence. Instead of being insular and almost entirely confined to London, it became cosmo- politan and European. France, Italy and Germany recognised its worth and were proud to borrow from it. The great Continental writers—Rousseau in particular—welcomed the work of British authors into the salons of Paris, Rome and Berlin, while our own men of letters borrowed freely from the genius of their foreign models. The mutual interchange of thought, combined with the healthy THE AUTHOR. rivalry thus brought about, had the happiest results. To its stimulating influence we owe the rescue of English literature from the slough into which it had fallen, and the loosening of the pedagogic shackles that had bound it so long. The scope of the fourth and final volume is to give a survey of the age which commenced with Johnson and terminated with Tennyson. The limit of the period under review is the death of Queen Victoria, and, except in the epilogue, no living writer is dealt with. The four chapters of this last section discuss respectively the ages of Wordsworth, Byron, the Early Victorians, and Tennyson. They make up a critical estimate— unmarked, one is glad to note, by any arrogant dogmatism—of English literature from 1780 down to within the dawn of the twentieth century. The opinions expressed are, as must always be the case in any such undertaking, formed in accordance with the individual temperament of the historian, formed on a series of esthetic principles. Although this may be an unsatisfactory way of creating a critical estimate of books and writers, it is at least less open to abuse than any other. As Mr. Gosse points out, “ The history of literary criticism is a record of conflicting opinion, of blind prejudice, of violent volte-faces, of discord and misapprehension.’ In his own day Shakespeare occupied but a small niche: to-day he is universally regarded as an inspired genius. Conversely, a great reputation in one age becomes a laughing-stock in another. The reason for this is not far to seek. Changes are constantly passing over human thought which materially affect the whole atmosphere of criticism. The individualist method has at times reduced really great minds into ludicrous excesses, but, despite this, it still remains the best we have. Horace WYNDHAM. ————+ THE “ MIRACLE’S” OBITUARIES. —+~ + « ULLO, you're alive!” exclaimed (with variations) four out of seven men stand- ing in a group round the tape in the hall of the Pandemonium Club. “How did you manage it?” asked the other three, or they used words to that effect, and the last comer, declining to corroborate what was evident to everyone, growled a few words of explanation in reply to the question. “Nothing else to do; fog everywhere; saw nothing ; came away first train ; wrote a column on all that a new dockyard must contain, before going down ; wrote half-a-column on fog in the  ae ae train. I had the only empty carriage to myself, and we stopped for ten minutes out of every five ; sent my copy down to the office from the station, and came on here. Anything else you'd like to know ?” «You came away before the show was over?” “Why not? If a retiring first Lord of the Admiralty chooses to give a beanfeast to the Cabinet and all that’s left of his followers in the House to celebrate the opening of a new dockyard that nobody wants, need I wait for their departure for London before describing a ceremony that nobody could see?” “Tjucky you didn’t try to come up in their train and get personal interviews with statesmen vacating office ?” said the youngest of the seven. The last comer was becoming interested in their demeanour. He took up the tape, at the other end of which the machine choked and clucked like a croupy hen trying to attract attention to the latest failure in eggs. “If anything has happened I wish you'd say so plainly,” he grumbled. “I’ve had four hours in the train over a two hours’ journey, and I know nothing. Has anything happened ?” The youngest condescended to be explanatory. «Nothing at all,” he remarked lightly. “ Only a smash half-way down the line ; not more than nine Cabinet Ministers killed, and only thirteen remains of common M.P.’s identified up to now !” “ What !” “Never know your luck—eh ? passed just before ?” The last comer was looking dazed, but was evidently making an effort. “ Anybody thirsty ?” he asked at last, adding, “oo into the smoking-room.” They acted upon his invitation without demur, leaving him to hang up his overcoat and give orders to the waiter. It was an occasion which no doubt demanded some form of celebration, but when he appeared a few minutes later, preceded by a tray loaded with magnums of champagne, and a box of the club’s longest and costliest cigars, they iooked a little surprised, and one of them hinted in a whisper that the train which came through must at least have been provided with a refreshment bar. Their entertainer, seated on the edge of the table before them while the waiter drew corks and filled glasses, was apparently reckoning with the aid of his fingers. “ Here’s to fog and newspaper managers,” he said, raising his glass, while they followed his example, ‘nine and thirteen make twenty-two. Poor beggars,” he went on meditatively, “it’s death to them, but it’s a good start in the New Year for me. Perhaps you don’t understand.” You must have THE AUTHOR. 127 The eldest journalist present remarked that he was gifted with invention but not with second sight, and refilled his glass, and the other continued. “ Half-a-dozen years ago, as you all know, the Miracle was restarted with the idea that it was to be made a live paper at a popular price. It began by giving away half-a-pound of tea weekly to its subscribers, and it promised, to those who paid by the year, a sausage for breakfast as well, but it did not quite get so far as fulfilling that. Still, it increased its circulation. Just about that time the editor sent for me, and told me that all the biographies they had in the office—the obituary notices, you know—were obsolete and wanted writing up-to-date, and that many of them relating to new men in the Government and new members of Parliament had never been written at all. He wanted them all done in a new way, too; done so as to be worthy of a ‘live paper ’—he seemed fond of the expression, and used it all the time. The terms he offered were uncommonly good ; something like a tenner a life, and anything over a column extra at the same rate, so I jumped at it and thought I’d struck it rich at last. I got the price put in writing, threw myself into the job, and as I was slack at the time did very little else for a year. They were not common ‘ Who’s Who ?’ sort of work. He said they were to be done from ‘the inside’; and that is what I tried for. I inter- viewed the men themselves, and had to keep it dark that the notice was not to be printed till they were dead. JI saw their parents when they had any, and I talked to two old nurses more than eighty years old. I interviewed their wives—I interviewed their housemaids. The housemaids told me a few useful things. The wives mostly told me what no one would ever have believed, except one who became confidential and told me things that even the Miracle would not have printed. In short—I did it jolly well and the editor said so, and when I asked for payment he gave me a special note and asked me to apply personally to the manager.” “Ah,” said someone, “what did the manager say ?” “‘Oh, he liked the notices very much too, and said so. I observed casually that a tenner apiece had been arranged for, and that as I had written about seventy-two, I wanted a cheque on account «And he said they would think of it when all were completed,” suggested the man who had spoken before. “Not he; he said that, like other matter, the obituary notices on the Miracle were paid for immediately after publication.” The gentle murmur, scarcely to be called a groan, that went round the group of listeners was THRE AUTHOR. suggestive of patience in tribulation rather than of resentment or even surprise. “T said what I could, of course, and he told me newspapers had to live ; though it did not seem to strike him that journalists might find it difficult to write for newspapers unless they could live too. He was quite polite and said that no doubt I should regard my work as an investment of capital bring- ing in interest at a fair rate, with just those fluctuations dependent upon fortune that are attractive to a speculative mind.” “Did you tell him that half the men you had written about would probably outlive you ?” asked a clean-shaven man. “ Not being a lawyer I did not take the trouble to make obvious points. I said rather more than I can remember, and I ended by telling him that nothing so iniquitous had been attempted since the eighth commandment forbade larceny, but he only smiled and said that of course there were well-established precedents for all that was done on the Miracle, so I left him. But now a “Now, you’ve scooped it; and as half your biographies refer to men who would have lost their seats in the House in a month’s time you are considerably lucky—there will have to be some notice as to each, and the Miracle won’t be able to say that your work was not used at all.” “ That is so, of course.” He seated himself in an easy chair and stretched out his feet towards the fire. The clean-shaven man had not quite liked the tone adopted towards him, and had been meditating deeply. “ Do you feel nervous ?” he asked suddenly. “ Of course not—why should I?” “Leaving out the question of motive for the present,” began the other in measured tones, ‘“ you passed the spot shortly before the accident hap- pened, and you say that your train often stopped for ten minutes at a time ; [ suppose anyone in it could have laid the usual iron chair on the line— or a few large stones—without being seen in the fog, and you had the only empty carriage to yourself. It is not usual, I suppose, for a journalist to leave what he is going to report before everything is over, when he need not do so—and just look at the motive! Now I come to think of it, the tele- gram says that foul play alone can account for an accident at such a spot. Of course we can all point to your evident pleasure at the news, and your noteworthy absence of surprise and sorrow at so terrible a catastrophe—your want of gratitude to Providence for your own escape—and the motive ye His host was pulling at his cigar with a contented and benignant smile upon his face. “Tt does seem as if I was growing a little hard-hearted,” he remarked, interrupting; ‘but twenty-two articles at a tenner apiece—all the work done—and perhaps more to follow, don’t fall in every working day. It’s only a question of your point of view. From my point of view it is a pity that it was not the roof of the station when they were all getting out of the train! Anyhow we shall see what the Miracle has to say about the negligence of railway companies, and the wanton sacrifice of valuable lives to earn dividends.” + THE NOBEL PRIZE. ee N December 11th, under the rules of the Nobel Prize Foundation, the awards for 1905 were declared by those bodies anthorised to make the selection. The literary prize has this year been awarded to Henryk Sienkiewicz, the Polish novelist, who is known to all English readers for his powerful novel “Quo Vadis,” which made his literary fame international. The following is a list of the prizewinners in former years :— 1901. The French poet, Sully Prudhomme. 1902. The German historian, Th. Mommsen. 1903. The Norwegian poet, Bjdérnstjerne Bjornson. 1904. The Provencal poet, Fr. Mistral, and to the Spanish dramatist, José Echegaray. ee CORRESPONDENCE. ae On AGREEMENTS. Sir,—A considerable time since Sir Walter Besant pointed out that it was the right of the seller to draw the agreement. I believe that this statement was, from a business point of view, per- fectly correct. Have authors yet taken any steps towards availing themselves of their right to draw the agreement ? And if not, why not ? Also, in many cases at least, authors are invited to contribute towards the cost of production. In business the individual who assists with money another insufficiently supplied with capital to conduct his affairs, rightly claims and enjoys a definite share in the control of every step subse- quently taken in the use of that money. Do authors (if any are still so weak) who contribute money towards the costs of production, sist upon being consulted by the person to whom they have lent their money respecting all the steps which be subsequently taken ? And if not, why not ? EB, K. 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. 16 Issue 04 (January 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 04 (January 1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-01-01-The-Author-16-4 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/513/1906-02-01-The-Author-16-5.pdf 8b92e5985a6b8d69662ca4caf77a510e 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) 1906-02-01 Volume 16 Issue 5 Pages Page range in volume 129–160 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060201 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che HMutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. X VI.—No. 5. FEBRUARY I1sT, 1906. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —_——-+-~> + NOTICES. + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. THe Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. ——++— List of Members. Tu List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. 1 The Pension Fund of the Society. Tux Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. VoL, XVI. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Consoin 26 Gs STOOD UY Juocal ligans=. 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 Wart Wont 3... es. 201° 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture SbOcK 6 ee 250 0 9 Egyptian Government — Irrigation Trnst. 4 °% Certificates ............-.. 200 -0 © otal ee £2,443. 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £8. a. July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the Lord : : . : : 20 5 20 Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. ; : / 0 5 oO ., Chorbucn, WM. : 0 100 0 Nov. 9, ‘ Francis Daveen ’’. : 70. 8 6 5s alr, J Osep)) : : .- it 1 0 », 21, Thurston, Mrs. ; ; ei Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. ; : 7 0. 60 Donations, 1905. July 28, Potter, the Rev. J. Hasluck GO 5 0 Oct. 12, Allen, W. Bird : O25 0 Oct. 17, A. C. N. : : : 1 0 30 Oct. 17, Hawtrey, Miss Valentina 0. 52.0 Oct. 31, Williamson, C. N. 1150 Oct. 31, Williamson, Mrs. 1 6 Noy. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. ea) Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. 0 10 6 Nov..17, Nash, T.A. . le 0 Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A. 010 6 Dec. 6, Finch, Madame 113 6 Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry 0 5 0 Dec. 15, Muir, Ward . : P16 Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. . 010 O Dec. 18, Sheppard, A. T. 010 6 Dec. 18, 8. F. G. : 010 0 1906. Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. . : 7b 8 0 Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) 50 0 0 Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C. 0 10 0 130 COMMITTEE NOTES. — 1 rYNHE first meeting of the committee for the year 1906 was held at the Society’s offices, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, on Mon- day, January 8th. : The year opened auspiciously with an elect on of twenty-three members and associates. The three members of the committee who, under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, are bound to,retire were Sir Henry Bergne, Mr. A. W. 4 Beckett, and Mr. Austin Dobson, These gentlemen resigned, submitted their names for re-election, and were re-elected in due course. The next question to be considered by the com- mittee was the appointment of a sub-committee to settle the report for the past year, and Sir Henry Bergne and Mr. A. Hope Hawkins kindly con- sented to pass the draft. This, when it has been settled, will as usual be circulated to all the members. There were two or three important cases before the committee for discussion. In one, referring to the insufficiency of a publisher’s accounts, the committee decided to appoint an accountant on behalf of the member to go fully into the matter and check the details. In another the com- mittee decided, subject to the approval of the Society’s solicitors, to print a letter in The Author. No legal remedy existed, but the committee thought it essential to bring the facts to the notice of the members of the Society through the columns of The Author. ‘here was another case, referring to the infringement of artistic copyright, which, owing to the unsatisfactory state of the artistic copyright law, contained many legal difficulties. In consequence, the committee decided to take counsel’s opinion before any further action was sanctioned. On the other cases it is impossible to report, owing to their confidential nature. The Secretary reported that he had received during the past month another letter from the Foreign Office, with reference to Egypt and the Berne Convention. With the consent of the Foreign Office, the correspondence will be printed in one of the coming numbers of Z’e Author. It would appear that under existing arrangements it is possible to protect the copyright property of English authors in the mixed tribunals in Heypt. The Secretary announced to the committee two donations to the pension fund—one from Mr. W. W. Jacobs—an amount recovered through the Society’s agency for infringement of copyright in Norway, and the other a sum of £50 left under the will of the late Mr. W. H. Wilkins. oo THER AUTHOR. Cases, During the past month six cases have passed through the secretary’s hands. One referred to the settlement of a contract. This has not as yet been terminated. One referred to accounts, and in this case the accounts have been delivered and forwarded to the member. One referred to a demand for publication and money due. This has been settled by the editor consenting to pub- lish within the next two months and pay the amount due on publication. The author has agreed to the arrangement. ‘Two of the others were demands for money for articles that had been published. In the one case the cheque has been for- warded to the author, in the other the editor has refrained so far from answering the secretary’s letters. The last case was for the return of a MS. As this has only just been placed in the secretary’s hands the editor has not as yet had time to reply. Of the cases mentioned in the previous issue of The Author there are still four unsettled. Two of these refer to actions abroad, one in America and one in Canada, and will take some time to negotiate. The others are still in the course of negotiation, but one of the demands for money is in an un- satisfactory condition, as the editor repudiates liability and refuses to answer letters, and purports to hold letters from the author, of which the latter has no copies. Members of the society cannot be advised too strongly of the importance of retaining copies of their letters, otherwise, energetic action on the part of the committee is almost impossible, as at any moment they may be met with a letter which, having escaped the recollection of the mem- ber, upsets the legal position of the contract and the member’s demands. 1+ January Elections. Alwyn, Harold Crowther Wentworth House, Folkestone. Berry, William Grinton, 838, Vesta Road, M.A. Bromley. Branson, William P, 8. 59, Gordon Square, WiC, Buckton, Miss Alice M. Sesame House, 434, Acacia Road, St. John’s Wood, N.W. 34, Westbourne Gar- dens, W. Chettle, Blandford, Dorset. 16, Montgomerie Cres- cent, Glasgow, W. 121, Rue de Varenne, Paris. Burdon, The Rev. H. N. Castleman, Henry C. ff. . Clark, Miss Margaret S. Dawson, Francis War- rington  2, St. James’ Square S.W. 4, Grange Road, Gun- nersbury, W. 49, Drayton Gardens, S. Kensington. c/o. Agent-General for Queensland, Victoria Street, Westminster. c/o. Messrs. Grindlay & Co., 54, Parliament Street, S.W. 25, Colville Road, Bays- water. 74, Carlisle Mansions, Victoria Street, S.W. Falmouth, The Viscountess Maxwell, H. B. Middlemass, Commander A. C., R.N. Mills, Miss Ethel Norman, F. J. : : Palmer, J. E. Prichard, Mrs. Hesketh . Rowland-Brown, Miss Othey Grove, Harrow Lilian (Rowland Grey) Weald. Sergeant, P. W. . . The Authors’ Club, 8, Whitehall Court, S.W. Still, Alfred Yette Lodge, Ellesmere Park, Eccles, Lanca- shire. Bank of Scotland House, Callander, Perthshire. 229, West 139th Street, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.A. Charlottenburg, Uh- landstrasse, 194. Royal Societies Club, St. James’, S.W. The Anchorage, Como, Province of Quebec, Canada; Constitu- tional Club, W.C. Thomson, William Harold Vance, Louis Joseph Wentzel, Frau Grace D. Barlow von Whyte, Frederic W. Wintle, Gilbert C. H. ——— BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. —-—— (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etce., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve ‘to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars, ) ART. SocIAL CARICATURE IN THE 18TH CENTURY. By Gro. Pasvon. 15} x 11}. 144 pp. Methuen. £2 12s. 6d.n. BIOGRAPHY, JosEPH CHAMBERLAIN, IMPERIALIST. By N. MURRELL Marris. 71x 5, 275 pp. Routledge. Is. THE AUTHOR. 131 DRAMA, THE AUTHOR’S APOLOGY FROM FESsION. By BERNARD SHAW. by John Corbin. 7 x 44. 60c. n. Mrs. WARREN’S PRO- With an Introduction 66 pp. New York. Bretano’s. EDUCATIONAL. AN EMBASSY TO THE GREAT MOGUL. A SosgourN AT LHa-ssa. 112 pp. SINTRAM DE LA MOTTE-FOUQUE. 140 pp. THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN JAMES. 118 pp. PRESCOTT’S CONQUEST OF PERU (abridged). THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM. 132 pp. THE ADVENTURE OF MoNTLUC. 117 pp. ENGLISH ScxHoon Texts. Edited by W. H. D. Rouse, 136 pp. 128 pp. Litt. D. 6} x 44. Blackie. 6d. STORIES FROM GRIMM. Edited by A. R. Hope Mon- CRIEFF. (Modern Language Series.) 6} x 4}. 122pp. Blackie. Is. 6d. FICTION. A SICILIAN MARRIAGE. 5. 308 pp. White. 6s. THE EXPIATION OF EUGENE. FOUR. 73x 5. 452 pp. THROUGH THE RAIN. x 302 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE Scar. By Francis W. Dawson. 7% x 5}. 310 pp. Methuen. 6s. Six WomEN. By VICTORIA CROSS. Werner Laurie. © 6s. AT SUNWICH PoRT. Will Owen. 188 pp. x 53. Newnes. 6d. THE Beauty SHop. By DANIEL WOODROFFE. 338 pp. Werner Laurie. 6s. THE ARROW OF THE‘NorTH. By R. H. Forster. 7} x 5. 316 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE House oF RIDDLES. 3y DoROTHEA GERARD. 7% x 5. 320 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. Her HIGHNKSS. By FRED WHISHAW. 7} x 5. J. Long. 6e, STELLA FREGELIUS. -A H. RIDER HAGGARD. Longmans. 3s. 6d. PEARL, or A PASSING By DoUGLAS SLADEN. 7} x By Freperic H. BAL- Greening. 6s. By Mrs. HUGHES-GIBB, 7} X 5}. 7% x 5. 293 pp. 3y W. W. JAcoss. Illustrated by (Newnes’ Sixpenny Novels.) 83 7% x 5. 317 pp. Tale of Three Destinies. By New Edition. 8 x 53. 361 pp. 3RIGHTNESS. By OLIVE KATH- ERINE Parr. 74 x 53. 260 pp. Sands & Co. 3s. 6d. GARDENING. PICTORIAL PRACTICAL FLOWER GARDENING. Edited By W. P. Wricut. 74x 5. 152 pp. Cassell. 1s. n. HISTORY: ByY-PATHS OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE History, By J. Por- TER Briscon, F.R.S.L. 73x 5. 160 pp. Saxton. Nottingham. 3s, 6d.n. LITERARY. TREASURE OF THE HUMBLE. 3y MAURICE Translated by ALFRED SuTRO. 6} Humphreys. 6s, n. THE MAETERLINCK. 6, - 218 pp. MISCELLANEOUS. CHILDREN'S ANSWERS. Shrewd, witty, nonsensical, and pathetic. Collected by J. H. Burn. New and Enlarged 64 x 49. Edition. 282 pp. Treherne. 2s. n. 132 PAMPHLETS. HAPPINESS AND THRIFT. Being the Substance of an ‘Address to the Members of the Booksellers’ Provident Institution. By THE Rigut Hon. LORD AVEBURY, Macmillan. ls. n. POETRY. INNocENCcIES. By KATHERINE TYNAN. 7] X 5. TOpp. Bullen. 3s. 6d. n. A LADY oF Kricock. With Other Lays and Relays. By J. M. Lowry. 73 x5. 71 pp. Dublin: Hodges. London: Simpkin. 1s. n. POLITICAL. FiscaL RerorM. Speeches delivered by the Right. Hon. A. J. Balfour, from June, 1880 to December, 1905. With a Preface. 8} x 53. 280 pp. Longmans. 2s. 6d. n. REPRINTS. VERSES AND TRANSLATIONS, By CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY. With an Introduction by Owen Seaman. 184 pp. Blackie. Is. 6d. n. THE Last Essays or ELIA. With an Introduction by Augustine Birrell. Blackie. 2s. 6d. n. SELECTED POEMS OF ROBERT BURNS. duction (40 pp.). By ANDREW LANG. Kegan Paul. ls. 6d. n. LYRISTS OF THE RESTORATION. From Sir Edward Sherburne to William Congreve. Selected and Edited by JOHN and CONSTANCE MASEFIELD. 5 X 3}. 282 pp. Grant Richards. 3s. 6d. n. By CHARLES LAMB. 296 pp. With an Intro- 64 x 4. 223 pp. THEOLOGY. THE SACRED TENTH, or ANCIENT AND MODERN. Two Vols. 82 x 53. STUDIES IN TITHE-GIVING, By H. Lanspeun, D.D. 752 pp. S.P.C.K. 16s. TRAVEL. InDIA. By MORTIMER MENPES. Text by FLORA ANNIE STEEL. 9 x 6}. 216 pp. Black. 20s. n. THE WoRLD oF To-Day. A Survey of the Lands and Peoples of the Globe as seen in Travel and Commerce. By A. R. Hope Moncrierr. Vol. IV. 103 x 73. 266 pp. The Gresham Publishing Co. THE AFRICANDER LAND. By A. R. COLQUHOUN. 93 x 6. 438 pp. Murray. 16s. n. ri LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. — 1 E regret that in the magazine contents for January, we missed chronicling an article that appeared in the December number of The Monthly Review, by Mr. Eden Phillpotts, entitled “'To the Lamp-Bearers.” We take this opportunity of repairing the omission by recom- mending this. interesting essay to our members. THE AUTHOR. Mr. Phillpotts uses De Quincy’s “ Life of Goethe ” as the germ for some thoughts on other great writers, such as Ruskin, Rabelais, Aristotle. The Seatonian prize of the University of Cam- bridge, 1905, has been obtained by the Rev. A. C. Deane, for a poem on St. Columba. St. Columba died on June 9th, 597, and the incidents described in the poem are derived from the chronicle of Adamnan, ninth abbot of Iona. “The Sacred Tenth, or Studies in Tithe-giving, Ancient and Modern,” is the title of a work written by the Rev. Henry Lansdell, and pub- lished by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The author traces the history of the practice of tithe-paying, and argues the need and possibility of reform in charitable giving and of a general resumption of the practice of tithe- paying. Messrs. Harper Bros. have recently published Vol. iv. of Mr. Poultney Bigelow’s “‘ History of the German Struggle for Liberty,” which closes with the popular upheaval of 1848. Mr. Bigelow is at present in Boston, where he is delivering a course of twenty-five lectures before the department of jurisprudence, Boston university. The subject of the lectures is “Colonial History and Adminis- tration.” Mr. Desmond F. T. Coke, author of “Sandford and Merton,” “ The Dog from Clarkson’s,” etc., has written a story which attempts to paint life as it is at one of our great public schools, and to satirise false sentiment and melodrama. The book is called the “Bending of a Twig,” and is pub- lished by Messrs. Chapman and Hall, at 6s, It will be illustrated with many photographs of scenes at Shrewsbury, where the action of the story passes. “The Beauty Shop” is the title of a novel which Mr. Werner Laurie published last month. It is from the pen of Daniel Woodroffe, author of ‘Tangled Trinities.” The story concerns a Bond Street beauty shop, and the art of the beauty doctor is exhibited as a grave social peril. The schemes by which this establishment gathers within its meshes of deception and blackmail both rich and poor, form the purport of the story. Mr. Werner Laurie has also published Victoria Cross’s new book “Six Women,” which in the main is oriental in character. Messrs. Joseph Williams, Limited, have recently published, at the price of 1s. net., a work entitled “Songs for Children,” set to music by L. Budgen. The songs include “ Simple Simon,” ‘Good King Arthur,” “Mr. Do’s the Man for Me,” “ Dame Get Up and Bake Your Pies,” ‘We Willie Winkie,” “Try Again.” “The Rosebud Wall and Other Poems” is the title given to a collection of verses from the pen of  Agnes H. Begbie, published in Edinburgh by Wm. J. Hay, and in London by 8. Bagster & Sons, Limited. Most of the pieces deal with nature and the deity, and all of them are reverent in conception. * Sir Theodore Martin will publish shortly, through Mr. John Murray, a volume of “ Monographs,” containing biographical sketches of Garrick, Mac- ready, Rachel and Baron Stockmar. The volume is based on articles published in the Quarterly Review and elsewhere many years ago. Mrs. Mona Caird is publishing a series of travel sketches under the title of “ Wanderings in Pro- vence.” In this work, which Mr. Joseph Pennell and Mr. Edward Synge will illustrate, consider- able attention is given to the associations of the region with French history and with the troubadours. Miss Alice C. C. Gaussen has written a memoir of Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, the friend of Dr. Johnson and the translator of Epictetus. Mrs. Carter was a prominent member of the Bas Bleu — and enjoyed not a little notoriety in her ay. Messrs. Longmans & Co. announce the publica- tion of “The Elements of Geometry in Theory and Practice,” by A. E. Pierpoint. The work, which is published at the price of 2s., is based on the report of the committee appointed by the Mathematical Association, 1902, and comprises the subject matter of Euclid, with an experi- mental section and additional theorems and problems. The latest additions to Messrs. Geo. Newnes’ series of sixpenny copyright novels are, Mr. Rider Haggard’s “ Nada, the Lily,” and Mr. Douglas Sladen’s story of old Heidelberg, “ Trincolax.” Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Williamson have written a story which they have entitled “ Lady Betty across the Water.” It tells of the experiences and adven- tures of a young English girl who goes to America for the first time. It also compares English and American manners. Messrs. Chatto & Windus will publish shortly a new vovel by Mrs. Campbell Praed, the title of which is “The Lost Earl of Ellan.” he story deals with the wreck of the Quetta, which took place off Thursday Island in 1889. The hero of the book is a lost earl—hence the title. “In the Sixties and Seventies,” by Laura Hain Friswell, which Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. pub- lished recently, has gone into a second edition. The book has been extensively reviewed in England, and an edition for the United States is also in preparation. “A Chaplet from Florence” is the title of a collection of sonnets by M. G. J. Kinloch, author of “A History of Scotland, Chiefly in its Hccle- THE AUTHOR. 133 siastical Aspect,” and ‘A Song-Book of the Soul.” The volume, which contains twenty photogravure plates illustrating views in Florence and famous paintings in Florence, is published at the price of 10s. 6d. net. Copies can be obtained at Giennini, Piazza Pitti, 20, Florence, or from Messrs. Sands & Co., 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, and 13, Bank Street, Edinburgh. At a meeting of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, held at Freemasons’ Hall, London, early in January, the following resolution was unani- mously passed: “That official recognition and sanction be given by this lodge to, and permission to use the lodge emblems in, the medal about to be issued by Brother Carl C. Wiebe, Past Grand Master of Hamburg, in commemoration of the jubilee anniversary of Brother Robert Freke Gould’s initiation into Masonry.” The first of Mr. St. John Lacy’s series of concerts for 1906 took place on Wednesday, January 17th, at the Clarence Hall, Imperial Hotel, Cork. The next two concerts will be held on February 21st and March 17th, respectively. Among others it is hoped that the following works will be performed during the season :— Bach Concerto in D major (piano and strings) ; Bazzini, quartet in D minor (strings) ;_ Beethoven, the kreutzer sonata (piano and violin); Bossi, sonata in E minor (violin and piano) ; Gade, trio in F (piano, violin, and ’cello). Miss Florence Warden will produce, at the Great Queen Street Theatre, in February, a comedy written by herself, entitled ‘“‘Parlez-vous Frangais ?” Members of the Press and managers of theatres are specially invited, and members of the dramatic profession will be welcome. “The Harlequin King,” adapted from the German of Rudolf Lothar, by Louis N. Parker and Selwyn Brinton, was produced at the Imperial Theatre on January 38rd. The Harlequin (Mr. Lewis Waller) is the living image of the King, and, after quarrelling with the latter, in a fit of fury kills him and assumes his position. The natural results of this impersonation form the main theme of the play. In addition to Mr, Lewis Waller, the caste includes Miss Evelyn Millard, Miss Mary Rorke, Mr. Norman McKinnel, and Miss Brooke. Mr. Henry Arthur Jones’ new comedy, “'The Heroic Stubbs,” was produced at Terry’s Theatre on January 24th. “The Heroic Stubbs” is a bootmaker, whose admiration for one of his fair customers is the spur behind all his endeavour ; although he recognises that the object of his worship belongs to an entirely different social sphere. When, therefore, he hears the details of a scheme which he considers likely to wreck her domestic happiness, he feels morally bound to go to 134 ler assistance. His adventures whilst engaged in this labour of love, and the success which he finally achieves, form the purport of the play. The caste included Mr. James Welch in the title part, Miss Gertrude Kingston and Mr. Dennie Eadie. —_—_—_———_+—>_o—_ PARIS NOTES. — 1 HE book, “ Jean Christophe,” by M. Romain Rolland, which has won the prize of 5,000 francs awarded by the review, La Vie Heureuse, for the best novel of the year, is the story of the life of a musician. The novel is in three volumes, “T’Aube,” “Le Matin,’ and “ L’Adolescent.” Tt commences with the birth of the child in a little Bhenish town, where his father is violinist at the theatre and his grandfather had been conductor of the orchestra for the Grand Duke’s concerts. We follow day by day the progress of the baby-child, and are initiated into all his secret thoughts and feelings. The old grandfather, a sturdy, upright, rugged man, with a kindly heart, is introduced to us; the father a contemptibly weak nature and an inveterate drunkard. Jean Christophe’s mother, a typical German wife of the household drudge order, devoted to her husband, family and home. Of course, it is obvious that the author has been inspired by the life of Beethoven for very much in this novel. The child’s home and surroundings, the reprobate father, through whom the boy’s early days were clouded and his nature warped, the young musician’s first compositions which, in the novel, date from his eighth year, his independent character and hatred of patronage, his keen sensitiveness and difficult character, together with all his family troubles and pecuniary difficulties, are minutely described, and remind one strongly of Beethoven’s biography. As a matter of fact, it is somewhat confusing, for one is inclined to wonder all the time which is history and which fiction. As a psychological study, it would be more interesting without this dual personality. ‘‘ T Etat et la Liberté,” by M. Waldeck-Roussean, is a collection of speeches and articles by the late eminent statesman, several of which are of special interest at the present moment. “ L’Eglise ouverte a la foi et non A la politique” is the subject of a speech made at Montreuil-le-Gust in 1879. In another speech, “Les Congrégations contre la Republique,” pronounced in 1880, he says: ‘Le Gouvernement n’ a aucune animosité contre cette Eglise francaise, qui, il y a deux siecles, par la voix de ses évéques, condamnait si hautement ces doctrines ultramontaines et anti-nationales sous lesquelles on veut aujourd’ hui la courber... . Il THER AUTHOR. y a quelques semaines, nous avons fondé une Société d’agriculture. ... . Nous en avons arrété les statuts, puis nous les avons soumis a M. le Préfet, et comme ils ne contenaient rien que de licite, nous avons immédiatement été autorisés, . : . Eb bien! ce que nous venons de faire, c’est ce que le Gouvernement veut que les congrégations fassent. C’est le dernier mot de sa tyrannie et de sa persécution.” Other interesting chapters are on “Te ‘Travail, levier des Destinées humaines,” “Te Clergé et les Elections,” “De PAutorité,” “Défense de la Politique du ministere ‘ Gam- betta,” “La Loi Municipale,” “ La Loi sur les Récidivistes,” &c. Among the new novels are: “ Le Mauvais Pas,” by Jacques des Gachons; “Cousine Laura,” by M. Marcel Prévost ; ‘‘Sous le Fardeau,” by J. H. Rosny ; “ Les Etourderies de la Chanvinesse,” by Léon de Tinseau. M. Paul Doumer has written a book ‘entitled “Livre de mes fils,” which is attracting a certain amount of attention just now. The volume is divided into four parts : the man, the family, the citizen, country. Another book by a politician is entitled “ Idées contemporaines.” It is by M. Poincaré and treats of widely diverse subjects. Some recent historical and biographical works are the following : “* Le Comte Paul Stroganof,” by the Grand Duke Nicolas Mikhailovitch ; ‘‘ Six Mois en Mandchourie,” by M. Ivan de Schneck. The author started from St. Petersburg, February 24th, 1904, with Veretschaguine, and went to Siberia, Moukden, Port Arthur, Dalny. He describes the catastrophe of Petropavlosk, the death of Verets- chaguine, the siege of Port Arthur, &c. Another book of interest is “ La Carriére d’un navigateur,” by Prince Albert of Monaco ; and “La Fin de notre ére,” by Tolstoi; ‘ Michel Ange,” by M. R, Rolland; “ La Russie, au dix- huitiéme siécle,” by M. Emile Haumant; “ La France ¢t I’Italie,” by M. A. Billot, ex-ambassador ; ‘Histoire des relations du Japon avec i’Europe, aux seizieme et dix-huitiéme siécles,” by M. H. Nagoake, attaché to the Japanese legation of Paris ; “Te Maroc pittoresque,” by M. Jean du Taillis ; “J, Empire du travail” (Life in the United States), by M. Anadoli. Among translations from the English : “ Les Exploits du Colonel Gérard,” by Conan Doyle ; “THistoire des Gadsby,” by Rudyard Kipling ; “Une jeune Anglaise & Paris,” by C. Maud; “Hypocrite sanctifié,” by Max Beerbohm. Money prizes varying in amount from £120 to £5 have been awarded by the Société des Gens de Lettres for literary work, to the following authors : Mmes. Pommerol, Gevin Cassal, Jeanne Leroy Brada, Dalvy, Jean Barancy, and to M. M.  Reibrach, Vergniol, Lepelletier, Labitte, Rosay, du Bled, Saint Maurice, Grison, de Grave, Jho Pale, des Granges, Boyer d’Agen, Guiraud, Pourot, Poulailler, Andre. The death of Paul Meurice, at the age of eighty- seven, has taken away one of the most sincere and devoted admirers of Victor Hugo. He was the poet's executor, and for many years had devoted nearly all his time to the publication of the last and complete edition of Victor Hugo’s works. M. Paul Meurice wrote novels, translated several of Shakespeare’s plays, and adapted many other plays for the French stage. ; A voyage in Greece is being organised for the month of March by the Revue génerale des Sciences pures et appliquées. M. Gaston Deschamps will have the scientific management of the cruise, and will give lectures on board on the art and civiliza- tion of ancient Greece. When visiting the various sites and monuments, he will act as_ historical guide. The Cercle de la Librairie has now opened a fresh bureau for the protection of French literary and artistic rights abroad. In the Revue des Deux Mondes, Maurice Barres continues his “ Voyage 4 Sparte,” M. Goyau writes on “Le Péril primaire,” and M. Bruneticre on “Les époques de la Comédie de Moliére.” In La Revue there is an admirable article by Jean Finot, entitled “ La Volonté, comme moyen de pro- longer la vie” ; and in the second number of the month an article by M. Georges Pellissier on “ Les Femmes écrivains en France,” the conclusion of an anonymous article commenced in the preceding number, entitled “Tues Dessous de la Révolution russe”; and an exquisite poem, “ Solitaire,” by Sully Prudhomme. Maurice Donnay’s play, “ Paraitre,” is soon to be given at the Théatre Francais, and M. Claretie has just received a comedy, in two acts, by Daniel Riche, entitled ‘‘ Prétexte.” The success of “ La Rafale” continues, but it is announced that the next play to be given at the Gymnase is “ Benjamine,” by Jean Aicard. Sardou has recently read a new piece to the actors of the Variétés. “Vers l’Amour,” a comedy in five acts, by M. Léon Gandillot, has had great success at the Théatre Antoine. It is an episode taken from the Mont- martre life of Paris. ‘The characters are all well drawn, and the whole play is convincing. Anys HALLARD. —____+—>—+- —____ THE AUTHOR. 135 COPYRIGHT CASES IN THE UNITED STATES. —_+—@ + [Reprinted from the United States Publishers’ Weekly, of December 23rd, 1905. ] i. NOTICE IN BOOKS PRINTED INVALIDATES COPYRIGHT. HE following is the decision rendered by Judge Kohlsaat in the suit brought by the G. & C. Merriam Company in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of Illinois (Eastern Division) to restrain the United Dictionary Company, of Chicago, from publishing and offering for sale copies of “ Webster’s High School Dictionary ” and “ Webster’s International Dictionary,” which the Merriam Company published in England jointly with George Bell & Sons, with the omission of the American copyright notice :— “The question in this case is whether one who publishes in this country a copyrighted book, containing due notice of copyright, and who sub- sequently takes the plates which are made from type set within the United States, and were used in printing said copyrighted book, to England, and there in conjunction with another publisher publishes another edition of the book from said plates, intentionally omitting therefrom the notice of the American copyright, can maintain a suit for infringement against another who imports a copy of the English book and proceeds toreproduce the same. “The only limit for the purposes of this hearing placed upon the right of the English publisher is contained in a written contract with him, to the effect that he should not import the book or sell it for the purpose of importation into the United States. No breach of this condition is asserted. Defendant imported a copy of the English publi- cation ‘for use,’ as he states, and ‘not for sale,’ for the purpose of reproducing it in the United States. So far as the record shows, this and another subsequently imported by defendant were the only volumes of the English edition in the country. Defendant thereupon proceeded to photograph the book and make plates therefrom in this country, and to reproduce said imported book. The bill herein was filed to restrain defen- dant from such act. The case is now oefore the Court on final hearing. “The Copyright Act prohibits the importation of a book not made from plates from type set in the United States, during the life of the copyright, but contains no prohibition as to a book made from type set in this country as was the case here, In the latter case there is no restriction placed upon importation, except that imposed by the OMISSION OF ABROAD 1386 Revenue Act, which it is not necessary here to consider. So far as disclosed in the agreed state- ment of facts, the two books in question were rightfully in the possession of defendant—as much so as though complainant had in person delivered the same to it without condition. If such an act constituted a publication within the terms of Section 4962 of the statute, which provides that no person shall maintain an action for the in- fringement of his copyright unless he shall give notice of his copyright by inserting in the several copies of every edition published the words pre- scribed by the section, then complainant falls within the prohibition, and cannot maintain this suit. I can see no distinction in legal effect between the status of the imported book under the above circumstances and that of a book pub- lished in this country from plates made here which omits the requirements of notice prescribed in said Section 4962. “‘ Any person desiring to take advantage of the copyright law must follow its provisions strictly : Wheaton v. Peters, 6 Peters, 593; Thompson v. Hubbard, 131 U.S. 123; Osgood v. Aloe Instru- ment Co., 88 Fed. 470. “Tt was held in Gottsberger v. Aldine Pub. Co., 33 Fed. Rep. 381, that a sale of one volume constituted a publication and came within the prohibition of the copyright statute. In the case of Larrows-Loisette v. O'Loughlin et al., 88 Fed. Rep. 896, the Court decided that one claiming copyright could not free himself from the strict terms of the statute by disposing of or printing books in which copyright is claimed, to be used by others under a contract which bound them not to disclose the contents. “The volumes in question amounted in my opinion to such a publication as will bar the complainant from maintaining this suit. What might have been the effect if the English edition had retained the notice of copyright appearing in the American edition need not be discussed. Such a notice was of no moment in England, and might, conceivably, have been deemed detrimental to the sale of the book. The equities of the situation are with complainant, and it is with regret that I find myself driven to a legal conclusion which ignores them. The remedy rests with Congress and not with the Courts. The bill is dismissed for want of equity.” II. COPYRIGHT IN PAINTING UPHELD. For the second time a decision was handed down on December 18th in the Federal Courts, concerning the copyright of the painting “The Chorus,’ owned by the artist, W. Dendy Sadler, and exhibited in the ].ondon Royal Academy in 1894. Judge Holt, of the U.S. District Court, THE AUTHOR. in New York, reiterating the opinion of Judge Townsend, of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, rendered in November, 1904 (a substan- tial part of which was given in The Publishers’ Weekly, May 13th, 1905), sustains the contention of the plaintiff, that, under the circumstances of the case, a painting or sculpture need not be marked “‘ copyright” to protect them from piracy, and granted an injunction. Emil Werckmeister brought the action against the American Litho- graph Company and the American Tobacco Com- pany, charging them with having violated his copyright in the painting of which he had obtained the rights from the artist for a photographic repro- duction. eg EGYPT AND THE BERNE CONVENTION. — T the meeting of the Committee of the Society of Authors, held in October, it was decided, owing to the increased sales of authors’ works in Egypt, to make enquiries of the Foreign Office with a view to ascertain whether it were possible for English copyright to be protected in the mixed tribunals, or by Egypt’s adhesion to the Berne Convention. The following letter was accordingly written to Lord Lansdowne, who was then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs :-— [ Copy. | October 12th, 1905. The Most Noble The MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE, K.G. My Lorp,—I am desired by the Committee of the Society of Authors for whom, from time to time, your Lordship has obtained information concerning International Copyright relations, to enquire if a report could be obtained from Lord Cromer as to whether it would be desirable or possible for Egypt to join the Berne Convention, and the Additional Act of Paris. Since the occupation of Egypt the circulation of English books has increased enormously in that country, and as Egypt is not a party to the Berne Convention there appears to be no effective means to prevent pirated copies of English works from being sold there to the detriment of English authors. If there is no reason to the contrary, the adhesion of Egypt to the Berne Convention and the Additional Act of Paris would appear to be the best mode of meeting the difficulty, but before definitely proposing such a course, the Society of Authors would be very grateful if Lord Cromer’s opinion upon the subject could be ascertained. I beg to remain, Your Lordship’s obedient humble servant, (Signed) G. HERBERT THRING. And on November 10th, the Foreign Office, after kindly taking the matter in hand and making full enquiries from Egypt, wrote to the Secretary of the Society as follows :— FOREIGN OFFICE, November 10th, 1905. Srtr,—I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to state that he referred to the Earl of Cromer, his Majesty's Agent and Consul General in Cairo, your letter of the THE AUTHOR. 12th of October last, respecting the question whether it would be desirable or possible for Egypt to join the Berne Copyright Convention and the Additional Act of Paris. A despatch has now been received from his Lordship reporting that as long as the Egyptian Government is, owing to the Capitulations, unable to make a copyright law giving them the power to punish criminally any infringe- ments committed by Europeans, the adhesion of the Egyptian Government to the Berne Convention would give to foreigners no advantages over those now conferred on them by the practice of the Mixed Tribunals. The Mixed Tribunals have, however, done what they could to supply the omission by dealing with such matters under the terms of Article 34 of the Statute of Judicial Organisation, and Article 11 of the Civil Code: ‘‘En cas de silence, d’insuffisance ou d’obscurité de la loi le juge se conformera aux principes du droit naturel et aux régles de Véquité,” Tam, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, E. GoORST. The Secretary to the Society of Authors. This letter was placed before the committee at their meeting on November 27th, and very carefully considered. As it was apparent that under the Berne Convention and under the British Copyright Law, criminal proceedings were not necessary, the committee decided to write again to the Foreign Office and enquire whether it were possible to obtain adequate remedy for infringement of copyright. [ Copy. ] November 30th, 1905. The Most Noble The MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE, K.G. My Lorp,—The letter from your Lordship’s office, dated November 10th, 1905, was placed before the Committee of the Society of Authors at their meeting on Monday, November 27th. While thanking your Lordship for the trouble you have taken in the matter, the Committee would be glad to be clearly informed whether a British subject can sue for a civil remedy in the mixed tribunals of Egypt in regard to the piracy in Egypt of works which are copyright in the British Dominions. fam to point out that neither under the Berne Conven- tion, nor under the Copyright Law of Great Britain—with the exception of that dealing with musical publications— is there any reference to criminal proceedings. May I, at the same time, enquire whether your Lordship would have any objection to the correspondence in this matter, or a summary thereof, being printed in The Author —the organ of the Society—for the information of members. I beg to remain, Your Lordship’s obedient humble servant, (Signed) G. HERBERT THRING. Again the Foreign Office gave the matter their kind attention, and obtained the further report contained in their letter of January 4th, printed below. FOREIGN OFFICE, January 4th, 1906. Siz,—With reference to your letter of the 30th of November last, respecting copyright in Egypt, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to state, for your information, that it would appear to be sufliciently es- tablished, by decisions of the Courts of Justice in Egypt, that a British subject can sue for a civil remedy in the 137 Mixed Tribunals of Egypt, in regard to the piracy in Egypt of works which are copyright in the British Dominions. I am to transmit herewith copies of head-notes of cases decided in the Mixed Tribunals as to copyright, I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, E. Gorst. The Secretary to the Society of Authors. We must thank His Majesty’s Government for the trouble it has taken in obtaining for the Society this necessary information, which, with the consent of the Foreign Office we have much pleasure in printing. [| COPIE. | HEAD-NOTES OF CASES DECIDED IN THE MIXED TRIBUNALS AS TO COPYRIGHT, Puthod v. Ricordi, B.J.L. (1889), L. 77, A défaut de toute convention ou loi spéciale, la propriété littéraire et artistique est protégée en Egypte par les régles ordinaires du droit commun. En conséquence le préjudice qui résulte d’une atteinte portée 4 cette propriété donne lieu contre celui qui en est Vauteur 4 une action en réparation du dommage qu’il a causé. ' L’achat de la partition d’un opéra n’en confére que la jouissance personnelle, et non pas le droit de jouer Vopéra sur une scéne publique et dans un but de lucre, Société des gens de lettres vy, Philip, B.L.J. (1899) Z. 110, Le droit de l’auteur sur son oeuvre est un véritable droit de propriété. A défaut de loi spéciale en Egypte, le droit de propricté littéraire est protégé et garanti par l'article 34 du Régle- ment d’Organisation Judiciaire. La réproduction dans un journal, sans autorisation et sans compensation, d'oeuvres littéraires pour lesquelles l’auteur a conseryé, d’aprés la loi de son pays, son droit de propriété, est une atteinte portce 4 droit et constitue un préjudice donnant lieu 4 une action en réparation. oer MACMILLAN v. — DENT.* JUDGMENT. R. JUSTICE KEKEWICH: “This isan extremely difficult question, and perhaps a satisfactory solution of it can only be obtained by a decision of the ultimate Court of Appeal, but having pondered over it since the Court rose, and looked at the cases to which Mr. Danckwerts referred me, I see no reason for thinking that my opinion would be any better for being postponed. I, therefore, propose to say what conclusion I have arrived at, in the hope that my remarks may assist the parties in obtaining somewhere a complete solution of the question which is raised. * Transcript from the shorthand notes, Printed by the kind permission of Messrs. Macmillan & Co,, who inform us that the defendants have appealed from the decision.— ED. 138 “The plaintiffs claim the right of publication of certain letters of Charles Lamb which are many years old, and they say that they have purchased that right from a gentleman and lady named Steed, who were in possession of the letters up to some ten years ago. It seems to me that, as there is no suggestion that those persons obtained the letters by theft or otherwise improperly, I must assume at this distance of time from the date of the writing of the letters that they were in rightful possession of the letters. What that implies is really the question to be decided, but I begin with tracing the letters to rightful possession. “There is no doubt that they assigned their rights, whatever those rights were, as regards the publication to the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs have vested in them any right of publication which Mr. and Mrs. Steed could pass. If they are entitled to publication—if they have a right of publication— then, of course, they are entitled to restrain every person who is not entitled to publish, and that raises the question whether the defendants are entitled to publish. The defendants claim also through the Steeds, and in addition through the administrator of Charles Lamb. « Now as regards their title through the Steeds, it, is obviously a defective one, because the Steeds had already assigned everything that they could assign to the plaintiffs, and nothing was left for them to assign to the defendants, and they were perfectly conscious of that ; they only purported to confer on the defendants such rights, if any, as remained in them. “ As regards the defendants’ other title, I confess I do not understand it. I do not understand how the administrator of Charles Lamb at the present day can have any property whatsoever in these letters of any kind .or description, even on the assumption that a right of property did vest in Charles Lamb at the date of his death, and could pass by his will. It is not competent for me to decide on the present occasion what the meaning of Charles Lamb’s will is, or whether such property as he had passed by that will. But whatever property passed, it cannot, it seems to me, Dow be vested, as it could not have vested in the adminis- trator of Charles Lamb when these letters of administration were granted only the other day. But I thought it right to say that, because it may be that a question of that kind will arise. “The defendants decline to prove their title. They say: ‘All we have to do is to show that the plaintiffs have no title, and if we satisfy the Court that the plaintiffs have no title, then, of course, they cannot restrain us. It matters not to us or the Court whether we have a title or not.’ That is a perfectly proper view, if they are so THER AUTHOR. advised to take it, for the defendants to take. It is the view they take, and, therefore, I will not pursue that subject any further. All I have to consider is the bare question, not whether the right of publication is vested in the plaintiffs as between them and the defendants, but whether it is vested in the plaintiffs abstractedly, so that they have a good title. That question depends entirely on the proper construction to be placed on a few lines, indeed of a few words, in the third section of the Copyright Act, 5 & 6 of Queen Victoria, It is not easy to understand, but in order to under- stand it one must, of course, have in one’s mind and present before one’s eye the common law as it stood at the date of the Act of Parliament. “Now, about the common law up to a certain point there is no doubt whatever on that. I have been referred to a large number of cases, beginning with, I believe, the first—it is always quoted as the first—-Pope v. Curle, decided by Lord Hard- wicke. Probably one or two would have sufficed, and, indeed, I venture to say, as the observation which I made to Mr. Scrutton in opening the case indicated, that no reference to any case at all was really necessary. But I certainly should not refer to many of them. “‘T have said that the common law is perfectly clear up to a certain point, and I use that expres- sion advisedly, because I think the point is a limited one, and there is a great deal of doubt about the common law beyond that. Mr. Danck- werts referred me, among other cases, to Caird v. Sime, which is an important case in the House of Lords, arising out of the publication—touching the right of publication—-of lectures on Moral Philosophy delivered by Dr. Caird. The case is very much concerned with the peculiar circum- stances connected with the delivery of lectures, and all the judges who took part in the decision go into those circumstances, and the dissenting judgment of Lord Fitzgerald is extremely instruc- tive as regards lectures delivered as those were, as distinct from letters or books, or other manuscripts. Mr. Danckwerts quoted largely from the judgment of the present Lord Chancellor, but to my mind, without saying what the Lord Chancellor said— really the same thing in other language — the precise position is more accurately stated as regards language by Lord Watson on page 343." He says: ‘The author of a lecture on Moral Philosophy or of any other original composition retains the right of property in his work which entitles him to prevent its publication by others. until it has by consent been communicated to the public.’ -He calls it ‘a right of property in his. work. The Lord Chancellor in his judgment calls it a proprietary right in his unpublished literary productions. In many of the other cases *  THE AUTHOR. 139 the presiding judge has used the expression ‘the right of property.’ I think the phrase ‘pro- prietary right’ is peculiar to the judgment of the Lord Chancellor in Caird v. Sime. But some other judges have used a different expression, and called it a joint property, that is, a right in the author of the letter—I am talking of a letter-— jointly with the sender. Vice-Chancellor Bacon, so late as 1884, in a case of Earle v. Maudelay, said ‘the property in the letters remains in the person to whom they are sent.’ But it is obvious from his judgment that he perfectly understood there wasa right of property in the sender, and he no doubt was speaking there of the property in the letters as the property in the paper with the writing upon it—the actual physical thing and nothing more—and that no doubt is in the person to whom the letter is sent. It has been decided that he can maintain an action of detinue for it by reason of the right of property in the physical thing. To that point it seems to me that the law is perfectly clear. Beyond it I will not say it is obscure, but I think there is very little light. What the right of property is, and how it ought to be defined, none of the judges seem to me to tellus. To read again Lord Watson’s words, it is a right of pro- perty in his work, which entitles him to prevent its publication by others. That is the right of property. What other privileges it gives him, how otherwise you can spell out the right of property, I am unaware. I do not think there is any judgment anywhere which helps at all. Even the numerous judgments—numerous according to the manner of the particular judge—in (ee v. Pritchard, which is extremely instructive, do not, as far as I have studied them, really give us any guide to determine what the right of property is beyond this, that it entitles the author, the com- poser, to prevent its publication by others, I need not go beyond that on the present case. I think it is well deserving of disquisition or dis- cussion on these very interesting questions, but these questions would be purely academic on the present occasion, because it is sufficient for me to say that according to the law the writer of the letter, notwithstanding that he sent it to some- body else, who has a right to the physical thing, retains that peculiar right of property which entitles him to prevent publication by others. Now that being the common law, what does this statute mean? The section is divided into two parts, and the division into two parts is to my mind the origin of the puzzle. The first part of the section deals with a book which is published in the lifetime of its author, and a book includes a letter. I need not go back to the authority on the point, because it is assumed all through this argument, and it is common ground that ‘ book’ does include a letter. It was contested in one case, but held at once without hesitation, that a book must include a letter. ‘The copyright in every book or letter which after the passing of this Act is published in the lifetime of its author shall endure for a certain time, and shall be the property of such author or his assigns.’ ‘Then, having enacted that, the Legislature goes on to deal with the case of a copyright in a book which has been published after the death of its author, and it does not say, what it would have been extremely easy to say, in plain language, that the copyright in that book shall remain in the author or his assigns, or his legal personal repre- sentatives. JI am not professing to frame the words in which it could have been enacted, but no difficulty would have been entertained by a reason- ably experienced draughtsman in saying in plain and unmistakable language that the copyright belongs to those who claim through the author, whether by assignment—which would include, of course, a bequest—or as legal personal representa- tive, if that had been the intention of the Legisla- ture. I think it is fair to conclude that the Legislature did not intend that. But what does it intend ? That it shall be the property of the proprietor of the author’s manuscript ? I will not go further for the moment. I do not think it necessary to consult dictionaries to understand what the meaning of the word ‘manuscript’ is. Manuscript, of course, means that which is written by the hand. That in the case of a letter would be the actual letter written by the writer with his own pen or pencil. Ihave no doubt that in these days the Court would haye no difficulty in extending that to a typewritten letter. It might even, I think, without difficulty extend to a printed letter if the writer would not be the writer’s printer, but used a private printing press. I have no doubt also that if the writer of the letter, instead of using his own hand, used that of an amanuensis to whom he dictated the letter, that would be a manuscript within the meaning of this Act. I go further and say that if the writer wrote out the letter with his own hand, and then had a copy made of it in order to send it away, and made that really the original letter, though in truth it was more a copy than an original, that that might be a manuscript. “ But it seems to me that it must be that which proceeds from the writer as his own work in the first instance, and that must be, I think, the author’s manuscript. It is not the manuscript made by somebody else for the author for the pur- pose of really constructing an original letter. Also ‘manuscript’ must mean, I think, that which filled the place of the manuscript in the ordinary sense; that is to say, the letter written by the author’s own hand, If it was the 140 one original letter which he intended to be the original, then that is the author’s manuscript. Take the case of a man sending a letter, and keeping a copy of it. I do not know that it is necessary to decide it, but I should think the letter sent, and not the copy kept would be the author’s manuscript. So far there seems to be little difficulty in understanding what the Legisla- ture meant. “¢ But then comes the question of who is the pro- prietor of the author’s manuscript. If we can ascertain who the proprietor of the author’s manu- script is, then there is no difficulty in determining what the statute means, because it says it shall be the property of the proprietor, not that the pro- prietor shall have a proprietary right—not qualified in any way ; not that he shall have the property jointly with anyone else—but it shall be the pro- perty, and the Legislature being, of course, cognisant with all the decisions of the common law must be taken to have meant the property being the exclusive property of the proprietor. “Now who is the proprietor of the author’s manuscript ? According to the common law, as I have already said, there are two proprietors of the letter who can bring detinue for it. That is, he who is entitled to the physical thing, and the writer of the letter, who has that peculiar right of property which entitles him to prevent publication by others. Did the Legislature here intend to perpetuate any notion of that kind in the pro- prietor of the author’s manuscript ? It seems to me, having regard to the division into two parts which I have already called attention to, and to the care of the Legislature not to repeat in the second part, as it might have done in slightly different language, the first part, it must be that the pro- prietor of the author’s manuscript means the pro- prietor of the physical thing ; that the manuscript here is the thing written—the actual paper on which the writing is and the writing on it. That seems to me to be the only legitimate construction which I can place upon the words ‘ the proprietor of the manuscript.” I will leave out ‘author's manuscript’ now, because I have said enough about that. «That seems to me to be what the Legislature said, and the result then is that that belongs to the person to whom it is sent, and as I have said already, I have no reason to doubt in this case, and I think I ought to assume, that Mr. Steed and his wife were the proprietors of those letters ; that is, of the manuscript. There can be no question of the fact that it was from the manuscript the book was first published. They were sent to Mr. Mac- millan, or to Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co., in order that they might be published, and the publication was from these original letters, and through the THE AUTHOR. assigns of Mr. and Mrs. Steed. I put to. Mr. Scrutton, when replying, a question about the meaning of ‘assigns’ there, and he endeavoured to convince me that the right interpretation of the section was, that the assigns had the right of publication. I do not think that is the strict construction of the sentence ‘The proprietor of the author’s manuscript from which such book shall be first published,’ which is put paren- thetically, ‘and his assigns’ must, I think, mean the assigns of the author’s manuscript ; but the point is not essential to my decision, Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. were the assigns of the author’s manuscript and in my view they fill that position. The result is, it seems to me, that I must come to the conclusion that the Legislature intended that the persons in that position, Mr. and Mrs. Steed, having these letters rightfully in their possession, were entitled to publish them themselves, or to hand them over, or otherwise, to Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co., and to give them the right of pub- lication, and that that having been done, nothing remained in Mr. and Mrs. Steed which they could have passed to anyone, except, of course, the right to the letters themselves. Those they retained, and those they can part with. The right of publica- tion, it seems to me, was gone.” Judgment was given for the plaintiff, with the declaration of Mr. Justice Kekewich that the right of publication in these particular letters was vested in the plaintiffs, Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. Accounts with profits and costs were also given with the judgment, and a stay of execution for fourteen days in case of appeal. ——$—$— <_< ANNUAL RESUME OF THE NUMBER OF BOOKS PUBLISHED IN THE PAST YEAR. 1 (Reprinted by the kind permissiom of the editor of the Publishers’ Circular.) HE total number of books reported during 1905 is almost the same as in 1904— only four score fewer. The number of Theological books, in spite of a fall of thirty in November, shows an increase on the year, due more to Francis of Assisi, Thomas i Kempis, and other devotional authors, than to Torrey and Alexander or Church and Education. The number of Educational works is a hundred down, so is that of Political and Commercial books and of reprinted novels. The issue of new novels 1s almost to a unit the same as last year (1731— 1733). The number of Law books reported is practically unchanged, so is that of books on the Arts and Sciences, and that of Biographical and  THE AUTHOR. 141 | 460 | 626 | 786 | ANALYTICAL TABLE or Books PUBLISHED IN 1905. bo : ; ae | 3 : 5 Subjects. Pp os : 3 2 H 2 Ss = Fast ; < . = 2 = a ea ee ee ete < = 5 5 < R } % | | | a | aS sae: {ji @ 34) 31 69 | 73} 63 7 21 50 62 68 | 81 66 | 665 1. Theology, Sermons, Biblical ... ba 4} 10 1 3 3 2 3/ 1 bis) Be | | et 745 2. Educational, Classical, and (| a 54| 63 62) 62) 44 Ai Sd 68- (09 || 66 6 | 35 | 642 Philological ... se ae 7 4) 11 S110 5 1 9} 15 7 BU 92 | 734 3. Novels, Tales, Juvenile Works, || @ 78 73 | 141 | 144 | 151 | 133 88 | 140 | 235 | 139 | 247 | 164 1733 ce ae (i hos) o2 wey 69 | 84 62) 88) 63) 58 | 74) 74] 398 | 680 | | 2363 : a8 FT| 22) 3 5 3 4 5 5) 6) 4) 5 56 4, Law, Jurisprudence, &c. AB Al oe 6 4 5 2 8 ee ele a | Bl \—— 107 5 s aac 5. Political and Social Economy, )| @ 45 | 33) 22) 58) 44 34} 29) 47 29 70 | 50] 41 | 502 Trade, and Commerce... J| b 3 a) isp od At 6| 10) 13] 30} 12] 17 | 135 | | 687 @ Aris, Science, and Illustrated )| a 40| 29| 45| 51| 42| 45) 11) 49/ 51) 46 | 60) 58 | 522 Works one ie Sto =) 5 4 7 4 3405 4 3 | 3 2} 49 | 57) 7. Voyages, Travels, Geographical )| @ 7| 12] 8 S113 | 1s Fa | 2h le | 30 | 28 |) 30 | 234 Research... os 48 5 EE 7) 10 6 7 6 7 8 Bee 4| 73 | 307 - : : a 40 37 | 35 65 48 38 14 41 32 73 |. 01 63 | 557 8. History, Biography, &c. _— i hoo Gi 5 7 | 7 7 4 8 6 9 8 | 79 | |_— 636 | ‘ ‘ ‘ ro | ae s : (| @ 25 Ve 15 31 34 32 14 16 39 31 |. 49 58 | 361 9. Poetry and the Drama “1b 5 5 | 16 13 5 8 i 2 9} 19| 112 | | 473 “10, Year-Books and Serials in||@63| 20| 24| 31| 30) 37/ 9| 33 39) 56 | 37 | 79 | 458 Volumes... ee je —f— |S Pe | fe ee Bol il 1 01 is} ib] | 2 ere . as ~ {| a@ 17 19 6421 lk 0 ‘ O42) 26 15 | 180 11. Medicine, Surgery, &c. ib 2 2 5 8 2 10 L 6 a1 15 9 Ci | | 251 12. Belles-Lettres, TP . Mono- a moO) 90 1-28) 20) 24) 22) 11) 384) 28) a2) 4 46 | 320 graphs, Xe. a | Ji) 12) 107 261 | —— 381 13. Miscellaneous, including || @ 25] 27) 54) 49) 44 651 4185 | 67 | 8t 45 | 68 | 587 Pamphlets, not Sermons | be Se ee 2 | — —— 589 509 | 694 | 664 | 361 | 700 | 805 | 849 | 954 | 844 | 8252 | | Ce a New Books; b New Editions. The Analytical Table is divided into 13 Classes; also New Books and New Editions. Divisions. 190 New Books. 4. New Editions. | New Books. 1905. New Editions. Theology, Sermons, Biblical, &c. Educational, Classical, and Philological Novels, Tales, Juvenile Works, &c. Law, J ‘urisprudence, &e. Political and Social Economy, Trade and Commerce Arts, Sciences, and Illustrated Works ae Voyages, Travels, Geographical Research History, Biography, &c. Poetry and the Drama . Year-Books and Serials in n Volumes Medicine, Surgery, Xe. . Belles- Lettres, Essays, Monographs, &e. Miscellaneous, including Pamphlets, not Sermons ... : “ | 568 98 665 694 142 | 642 1,731 817 1,733 55 48 | 56 594 181 502 458 74 522 229 60 234 540 113 557 309 98 361 421 = | 458 148 71 180 173 47 | 320 536. | 103 587 6,456 1,878 | 6,817 80 92 630 51 136 49 73 ig 112  142 Historical works. In Belles-Lettres the previous table showed a falling off of nearly a hundred, but this table shows an increase of one hundred and sixty-one. A slight increase is shown in books on Journeyings and Geography, Poetry books and dramatic works, Year Books and Serials, Medical and Surgical works. But for Africa and for the Tariff question Political books would be few indeed. ————__+—~—_+—____—_- COPYRIGHT AT THE CAPE. — 1 Copyrigut Act In CERTAIN WoRKS OF ART ASSENTED TO JUNE 6TH, PROMULGATED OcToBER 81st, 1905. E it enacted by the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly thereof, as follows :— 1. Inthis Act, unless the context shall otherwise indicate or require, the following terms shall have the meanings hereby attached to them :— “Work of Art” and ‘ Work” shall mean a painting or drawing and the design thereof, a photograph and the negative thereof, and any positives or copies made therefrom, an engraving or a piece of sculpture. Copyright ” shall mean the sole and exclusive right of copying, reproducing, repeating, or otherwise multiplying copies of any work of art and of the design thereof, of any size, in the same or any other material, or by the same or any other kind of art. “Author” shall mean the inventor, designer, engraver, sculptor or maker of any work of art: provided that the author of a work of art made by the employé of any person or firm in virtue of his employment shall mean the person or firm under whose orders, or in the course of whose business, the work of art was made by such employe. ‘¢ Assions”’ shall include every person in whom the interest of an author is vested, whether derived from such author before or after publication or registration, and whether acquired by sale, donation, legacy or by operation of law or otherwise. “Court” shall mean the Supreme Court, the Eastern Districts Court, the High Court of Griqualand West, and any Circuit Court. “ Registrar’? shail mean such official, in the Civil Service, as the Governor may appoint to oe the duties of Registrar under this ct. 2. The author of every original work of art pro- duced in the Colony shall have the copyright ‘ THE AUTHOR. therein, provided that when any work of art shall, for the first time after the passing of this Act, be sold or disposed of or shall be made or executed for or on behalf of any other person, for a good or valuable consideration, the person so selling or dis- posing of or making or executing the same shall not retain the copyright thereof, unless it be expressly reserved to him by an Agreement in writing, signed, at or before the time of such sale or dis- position, by the purchaser or assignee, or by the person for, or on whose behalf, the same shall have been so made or executed, but the copyright shall belong to the vendee or assignee, or to the person for or on whose behalf the work of art shall have been made or executed. (1) The copyright hereinbefore given shall, in the case of paintings and sculpture endure for the life of the person to whom the same is given, and thirty years next after his death; and in the case of engravings not published in, or forming part of, a book, and photographs, for the term of thirty years next after the end of the year in which they or any copies may have been first offered for sale, delivered to a purchaser or advertised or exposed as ready for sale to the public or for delivery to a purchaser, or delivered for registration. 3. Nothing in this Act contained shall prejudice the right of any person to copy or represent any - work in which there shall be no copyright, or to represent any scene or object, notwithstanding that there may be copyright in some representation of such scene or object. 4. A Registry Book entitled “The Register of Proprietors of Copyright in Works. of Art” shall be kept at the office of the Registrar, wherein shall be registered the proprietorship of every copyright in works of art and assignments thereof; and there shall be entered in such Register the follow- ing particulars in reference to every copyright entered therein :—the name and abode of the pro- prietor of the copyright, the title, if any, of the work, a short description of the nature and subject thereof, and, if the person registering so desire, a sketch or outline or photograph of such work, and all such further particulars as may be prescribed by the Registrar in that behalf; and for every entry of proprietorship or assignment of copyright in the Register, there shall be paid to the Registrar such sum as the Governor may prescribe : provided that in the case of a photograph the fee shall not exceed one shilling, and in the case of a series of photographs commonly known as living pictures, cinematographs, or bioscopes, the said fee shall only be payable on the first and every succeeding hundredth negative or photograph constituting any one continuous film or series of photographs.  (1) The Register shall at all convenient times be open to the inspection of any person on payment of one shilling sterling for every entry which shall be _ searched for or inspected in the said Register ; and the Registrar shall, whenever thereunto reason- ably required, give a copy of any entry in such Register, certified under his hand, to any person requiring the same, upon pay- ment to him of the sum of five shillings sterling ; and such copy so certified shall be received in evidence in all Courts, and shall be prima facie proof of the proprietorship or assignment of the copyright as therein stated, but subject to be rebutted by other evidence. (2) If any person shall deem himself aggrieved by any entry made in the Register under cover of this Act, it shall be lawful for such person to apply by motion to the Court, or in vacation to a Judge thereof in chambers, for an Order that such entry may be expunged or varied; and tiereupon such Court or Judge shall make such Order for expunging, varying or confirming such entry, either with or without costs, as to such Court or Judge shall seem just ; and the Registrar shall, on the production to him of any such Order for expunging or varying auy such entry, expunge or vary the same accordingly. 5. It shall be lawful for the registered proprietor of copyright to assign his interest or any part thereof in writing, under his hand, duly witnessed by two witnesses ; and on production of such assignment by or on behalf of the assignee, the Registrar shall make an entry in the Register of such assignment, and of the name and place of abode of the assignee thereof ; and such assignment so entered shall be effectual in law to all intents and purposes whatsoever, without being subject to any stamp or duty. 6. If any person, not being the proprietor for the time being of the copyright in any work of art, shall without the consent of such proprietor make or cause to be made any copy, reproduction, repeti- tion or colourable imitation of the work in which such copyright exists, for sale, hire, exhibition or distribution, or shall knowingly sell, let to hire, exhibit or distribute or cause to be sold, let to hire, exhibited or distributed any copy, reproduction, repetition or colourable imitation, made without such consent, or if made abroad, imported without such consent, or shall import, or cause to be im- ported, any copy, reproduction, repetition or colour- able imitation, such person shall be liable to an action for damages for infringement of the copyright, and all such copies shall be forfeited to such proprietor. THER AUTHOR. 143 7. No person shall do or cause to be done any of the following acts, that is to say :— (1) No person shall fraudulently sign or affix, or fraudulently cause to be signed or affixed to or upon any work of art any name, initial or monogram. (2) No person shall fraudulently sell, publish, exhibit or dispose of, or offer for sale, exhibition or distribution any work of art having thereon the name, initials, or mono- gram of a person who did not execute or make such work. (3) No person shall fraudulently utter, dispose of or put off, or cause to be uttered, or disposed of, any copy, colourable imitation, engraving or print of any work of art, whether there shall be subsisting copyright therein or not, as having been made or executed by the author or maker of the original work from which such copy or imitation shall have been taken. (4) Where the author or maker of any work of art, whether made before or after the pass- ing of this Act, shall have sold or otherwise parted with the possession of such work, if any alteration be afterwards made therein by any other person, by addition or other- wise, no person shall be at liberty during the life of the author or maker of such work, without his consent, to make or knowingly to sell or publish or offer for sale such work, or any copies of such work so altered as aforesaid, as or for the unaltered work of such author or maker. Every offender under this section shall on con- viction be liable to a fine not exceeding ten pounds, or in default of payment to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month; and all such copies, engravings, imitations or altered works shall be forfeited to the person aggrieved, or his assigns : Provided always that the provision of this section shall not apply unless the person whose name, initials or monogram shall be so fraudulently signed or affixed, or to whom such spurious or altered work shall be so fraudulently or falsely ascribed as aforesaid, shall have been living at, or within seven years next before, the time when the act complained of may have been committed. 8. Whenever after the commencement of this Act any portrait or photographic likeness of any person is painted or taken on commission, neither the photographer, nor any other person, whether he owns the copyright therein or not, shall sell, or give, or exhibit in public in any shop window or otherwise, any copy of such likeness, if the person whose portrait or likeness was painted or taken, or for whom such was painted or taken, shall object to such sale, gift, or exhibition ; and any photographer 144 or other person selling, giving or exhibiting any likeness or portrait after being called upon to desist from so doing shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds, and every copy of such portrait. or likeness in his possession shall be for- feited and delivered up to the person for whom the work was executed. : 9. All penalties and forfeitures under this Act may be summarily imposed and awarded by the Resident Magistrate provided that any person summarily proceeded against shall be entitled, on lodging security to the satisfaction of the Magis- trate, to stay of execution pending appeal to the Court, and all the provisions of the Resident Magistrate’s Court Act No. 20 of 1856 in regard to appeals in criminal cases shall apply. 10. In any action for the infringement of any copyright vested under this Act it shall be lawful for the Court in which such action is pending, or if the Court be not sitting, then for a Judge, on the application of the plaintiff or defendant respectively, to make such Order for an interdict, inspection or account and to give such directions respecting such interdict, inspection or account, and the proceedings therein, respectively, as to such Court or Judge may seem fit : Provided that the work of art or work shall bear on it a mark or notification showing that it has been copyrighted. 11. No proprietor of copyright in a work of art, first produced in the Colony, shall be entitled to the benefit of this Act until he shall have registered his copyright, nor shall any prosecution or action be competent for anything done before registration. 12. The Governor may make such rules and reculations as may be necessary or expedient in order to detect and prevent infringements of pro- prietors’ rights under this Act, and impose reasonable penalties for the breach thereof. 13. This Act may be cited for all purposes as the “ Copyright in Works of Art Act, 1905.” —_____—__+ 2 —__<_. MAGAZINE CONTENTS, —+-—~<—1+ BLACKWOOD’'S. Cleopatra’s Needle. By St. John Lucas. BOOKMAN. _ Shelley. By H. Buxton Forman, C.B. Samuel Richardson. By ‘“ Ranger.” Liberal Leaders in Literature. By Thomas Seccombe. Art, By Alfred Noyes. “Fiona Macleod.” By Alfred Noyes. Book MONTHLY. Stories on the Stage: The Art of the Novelist Dramatist. 3y Hall Caine. Our Literary Gods and the Going of Them to America, To American Millionaires. By James Milne. Dickens as Artist or Genius and The Cry of “Art for Art’s Sake.” By Brimley Johnson, THE AUTHOR. CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. Unpublished Letters to Wm. Hunter. Edited by Victor G. Plan. Literary Elbow-Grease. Notes and News from a Diary. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. An Agnostic’s Progress. By Wm. Scott Palmer. The Bankruptey of Higher Criticism. By Dr, Emil Reich. Chopin. By A. E, Keeton. CORNHILL. Mayfair and Thackeray. By The Right Hon, Sir Algernon West, G.C.B. An Early Victorian Tale. By A. H.S. “ Judge’s Writ.” By Viscount St. Cyres. From a College Window. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Of Our Anxious Morality. By Maurice Maeterlinck. Nero in Modern Drama. By J. Slingsby Roberts. Pepys and Shakespeare. By Sidney Lee. Notes on the History and Character of the Jews. By Laurie Magnus. The Sportsman’s Library : Some Sporting Books of 1905, Fiona Macleod : A Sonnet. By Alfred Noyes, INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Mr. Swinburne and the Sea. By C. C. Michaelides. A Note on Mr. Bernard Shaw. By G. K. Chesterton. The Author of “Ionica.” By Herbert Paul. The Teaching of Reynolds. By Laurence Binyon. Walt Whitman. By F. Melian Stawell. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE, An American Rhode’s Scholar at Oxford By Stanley Royal Ashby, Monru. By The Rev. C. Lattey, A Philosophy of Religion. By The Rev. Herbert The Marriage of Mrs. Fitzherbert. Thurston. MONTHLY REVIEW. Relics. By Eveline B. Mitford. Among the Felibres in Provence. Maude. By Constance E. NATIONAL REVIEW. Sparks from the Anvil or Thoughts of a Queen. By H.M. The Queen of Roumania (Carmen Sylva). The Uses of History. By St. Loe Strachey. NINETEENTH CENTURY. The Antagonism of the Prophet and the Priest, By G. Monroe Royce. Stafford as a Letter Writer. By Lady Burghclere. The Tragedy of Kesa Gozen. By Yei Theodora Ozaki, Lafcadio Hearn. By Nina K, Kennard. PALL MALL MAGAZINE. A Painter of French and American Society: An Hour with M. Théobald Chartran. By Frederic Lees. TEMPLE BAR, Vladimir Korolenko. By G.H. Perris. Sea Songs. By John Masefield.  WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ———_— + agreement. There are four methods of dealing cy Hx are a few standing rules to be observed in an with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be pbiained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement), In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor | III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author, Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong lothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright, ——_+——_+—____ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. — EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the c Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. THE AUTHOR. 145 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory, An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (‘.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (}.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event, It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced, 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11, An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ———+—__——_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —-——9—— assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He I ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the 146 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. —— HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. — VIEERY member has a right toask for and to receive 4) advice u pon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of tlie Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion, All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. ‘Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers, (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) I'o enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This The 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 is. per annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. cn! HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamips are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble, <> THE READING BRANCH. —> EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. ‘ihe term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea, ——— NOTICES. + HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of I the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Ottices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. very effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. 1 The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Ss LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. ——>— + —_ ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.  AUTHORITIES. — In the last number of Zhe Author we printed some comments on the haif-profit agreement. Another disadvantage that may arise from a half-profit agreement occurs in the following cir- cumstancesi:—The publisher goes bankrupt when there is a deficit against the book of, say, £100. All the publisher’s rights in the contract and the remaining stock are purchased by another publisher for a paltry sum of, say, £15. The new publisher proceeds to put the remaining stock on the market, and, perhaps, realises from the sales £50 to £60. On the author demanding a statement of account he is met with the deficit of the £100 against his book, which the new publisher is legally entitled to charge, so that although there is no profit to the author—in fact, the accounts still show a deficit against the book of £50 or £60—yet the new publisher has, in reality, made a profit of £45 or £35, and in consequence a good bargain. Such a position could not possibly occur in the case of a royalty agreement. THERE is another form of agreement equally unsatisfactory, which must be mentioned. Certain letters pass between author and publisher, then the author asks for a formal agreement. The publisher, in the pride of his position, refuses to forward a formal agreement, as he states it is the custom of his house not to do so; their letters make a binding contract. This statement, no doubt, is absolutely true. The letters are excellent examples of caligraphy, but not of legal documents. If the publisher has been exceedingly exact in the form which his letters take, and has set out all the points of which an author is usually ignorant, and if the series of letters is not too long, then, well and good; but these conditions are never fulfilled. In the letters which have come before the secretary —they are not infrequently placed before him— the omission of so many items which should have been inserted in the difficult contract of publica- tion make the letters, although, no doubt, binding, altogether unsatisfactory from the point of view of a definite contract, As we have pointed out again and again, what is wanted in a contract is finality. The author may get the better of the publisher, or the publisher, as sometimes happens, may get the better of the author; but if the con- tract is clear and binding, both parties will be held to abide by the legal position. There may be grumbling, but there will be no necessity for the intervention of the Society of Authors. A CERTAIN publisher who, by his methods of dealing with literary property, and by his form THE AUTHOR. 147 of agreement, has, on many occasions, given trouble to members of the society, is in the habit of placing before those members who enter into negotiations with him, a fixed form of agreement. On the member desiring an alteration in some of the clauses which it contains, he has openly stated in writing that this is the form of agree- ment signed by all his authors. This, however, is not the case, although the statement has, on some occasions, had the result of inducing young authors to sign very unsatisfactory clauses. ‘To this method of dealing he has now added a further statement to the effect that this fixed form of agreement is not only signed by all his authors, and therefore as unalterable as the laws of the Medes and the Persians, but that it is the same agreement as is signed by Mr. He mentions an author of world-wide reputation who, we regret to state, is dead, and therefore unable to answer for himself. From this it is clear either that Mr. was very ill-advised in signing the agreement, or that the publisher has seen fit to deviate from the truth. It cannot be possible, surely, that this latter deduction is correct ? We put the following statement before members of the society, and ask them to consider the position from their own point of view. This author of world-wide reputation is asked to sign an agreement by which he is forbidden to translate or dramatise his work without the con- sent of the publisher; by which serial and Colonial rights are left to the publisher to negotiate, and, under the special agreement we refer to, yield half the returns to the publisher. These two points alone will give those members who care to investigate the circumstances food for consideration. THERE is a similar case which this method of quoting well-known authors as signatories to agreements calls to mind.._A publisher contem- plates the production of a series of books, and in order to start the series, finds a gentleman of great distinction in his special line of thought, but ignorant of the commercial value of literary property. The publisher enters into an agreement with him to open the series, and pays him a ridiculously low figure. ‘The publisher then goes round to others, from whom he desires volumes for the series, and on their specifying to the publisher the terms they are willing to accept, they are met by the dead weight ahead of the publisher's reply, that Mr, So-and-so is going to open the series ; that these are the terms he has accepted; and that it is impossible to give other writers higher terms than these. The unfortunate writer has, accord- ingly, to consider whether he will accept totally inadequate, terms or miss the opportunity of 148 appearing in the series. We do not in any way desire to cast a slur on those specialists who accept inadequate terms, as first, no doubt they are ionorant of the value of their work on the literary inarket, and secondly, their knowledge of the subject makes the work exceedingly easy to them, and they forget for the moment the years of experience and hard work which has given them the power to carry out such a contract without much effort. These two instances are no imaginary instances, but have come not infrequently to the society’s office for explanation. We should like to mention one further point dealing with the question of agreements. In the March (1904) issue of Zhe Author we printed a certain agreement with full comments. The heading of the article was “ Mr. Absolute’s Agree- ment.” It is with considerable regret that we find that “ Mrs. Absolute ” is now placing the same form of agreement before those authors for whom she desires to publish. Mr. W. H. Witkins, whose last book ‘“ Mrs. FitzHerbert and George IV.,”’ published by Messrs. Longmans & Co., is having such a large sale, died at the end of last year. Mr. Wilkins had been a member of the society for many years and had taken active interest in its work. He has been kind enough, by his will, to leave £50 to the pension fund of the Society of Authors. This is the first legacy the pension fund has received, though, no doubt, after the fund shall have endured for some years, such donations will come to increase the amount standing to its credit. ei 9 SOME CANADIAN WRITERS. — Part IJ],—Prosz WRITERS. PYFNUE first novel written in Canada was “ The History of Emily Montague.” It was the work of Mrs, Frances Brooke, the wife of an army chaplain who was stationed at the garrison of Quebec, soon after the great battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759, when the sovereignty of Canada passed from France to England. Mrs. Brooke appears to have written . her novel in 1766, or thereabout. She was the daughter of a clergyman named Moore, and the title-page informs us that she had written a previous story entitled, “ Lady Julia Mandeville.” ‘ Emily Montague” was written in the style of a flighty girl, a worshipper of wealth and fashion, and is in the form of a great number of letters written THE AUTHOR. by the different characters to one another, Although, after the fashion of the time, the agonies and trials of Emily are spread out over four volumes, it is worth while for the student of Canadian history to wade through them on account of the lively impression they give of contemporary manners, customs, and amusements. Mrs. Brooke’s story was a lonely star in the firmament of Canadian literature, and in the first half of the nineteenth century, with a few bright exceptions, little was done in the way of writing. In 1840 Mrs. Ethelind Sawtell came before the Canadian world of letters with “The Mourner's Tribute: or Effusions of Melancholy Hours,” two hundred and seventy-two pages of them; while evidence of the attention paid to the youthful mind is found in the title of that juvenile work, “Every Boy’s Book: or, a Digest of the British Constitution,” which was published at Ottawa in 1842, “The Adopted Daughter : or, The Trials of Sabra,” published twenty years after- wards, seems to have struck a responsive chord, since it ran into two editions. That the aboriginal inhabitants of the country were not neglected is proved by two books printed in Toronto respec- tively in 1846 and 1850. The first of these was entitled : ‘ Shahguhnahshe ahnuh - meahwene muzzeneegun ojibwag anwawand azheuhnekeno- otahbeegahdag,”’ and it shows that the Toronto printers of that day were not behind their brethren of the same city of to-day in all-round capability, particularly as the volume (it was a prayer book), ran into four hundred and seventy pages. Major John Richardson, of Upper Canada (now Ontario), a soldier and, as he says on the title page of one of his stories, “ Knight of the Military Order of St, Ferdinand,” has been called by some the Fenimore Cooper of Canada. The same people say that his best work was ‘‘ Wacousta.” This was an historical novel of the time of Pontiac, and the scene of it is laid chiefly in Detroit. It was followed by a sequel called “The Canadian Brothers.” Richardson also wrote a poem on Tecumseh, the great Indian ally of the British in the war of 1812. Down in the Maritime Provinces, however, which have the reputation of having always pro- duced more intellectual people in proportion to population than any other part of Canada, a “bright occidental star” had arisen in the person of Judge Haliburton—the subsequent creator of the renowned “Sam Slick’”—whose “ Historical and Statistical Account of Nova Scotia,” in two con- siderable volumes, was published at Halifax in 1829. On the title page of these interesting volumes, which in their day did much to make Nova Scotia and its great resources known to the world, the author is deseribed .as ‘Thomas ©, Haliburton, THE AUTHOR. Esq., Barrister-at-Law, and Member of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia.” The first series of “The Clockmaker,” in which are recorded the adventures and opinions of Samuel Slick, of Slickville, appeared in The Nova Scotian in 1835 and 1836. It was published in book form in Halifax and Londonin 1837. Afterwards followed —with the same theme—“ The Attache,” “ Wise Saws,” and “ Nature and Human Nature.” There are two other works, “The Letter-Bag of the Great Western,” and ‘‘The Bubbles of Canada,” which purport to be written by the redoubtable Sam. Haliburton’s last historical work was “ Rule and Misrule of the English in America,” which was published in 1851. In 1858 and 1859 he contri- buted a series of acute articles, entitled “The Season Ticket,” to the Dublin University Magazine. They are, ostensibly, a collection of remarks and narrations by a Mr. Shegog, who has a season ticket on an English railway. No writer has at present arisen in Canada who for calibre, breadth of view, keen insight, observation, and humour can begin to supplant Haliburton in his premier position among native writers. in his day he did more to make eastern Canada known— and intimately known—than any score of his con- temporaries. He was one of the first of our imperialists, and British readers were naturally attracted not only by his genius and humour as a writer, but by his unmistakable attachment to England. Mrs. Catherine Parr Trail, a writer of much merit and a relative of Agnes Strickland’s, author of “The Queen’s of England,” made the best of her experiences as a settler in Canada. She was an ardent naturalist, and possessed abundant kindliness and common sense. Her ‘ Female Emigrant’s Guide,” which was published in 1854, was very popular, and her “Canadian Settlers Guide,” ran into half-a-dozen editions. Her last book was published in 1894, and was entitled “Pearls and Pebbles: or, Notes of an old Natura- list.” Professor James De Mille, who was born in New Brunswick in 1836, and died in Halifax in 1880, besides being a writer of occasional verse, was a prose author in several kinds. He wrote a religious novel called ‘ Helena’s Household: a Tale of the First Century,” which was very popular in “the sixties” both in the United States and in England. It is a very good example of that kind of work, and abounds in glowing ideas and thoughtful passages. It is possible that in his next book, ‘‘ The Dodge Club Papers,” he was influenced both by Dickens and by Haliburton, but he cannot therein be regarded as an imitator. In a succeeding book, “Cord and Crease,” he describes a typical Yankee journeying x 149 abroad, and in it he evidently grows the flower for which Haliburton had provided the seed. Mr. De Mille took high rank in his day as a writer of essays, and produced, in all, about forty books. At about the same time Miss Louisa Murray, of Ontario, wrote a capital serial story entitled “The Settlers of Long Arrow,” which appeared in 1861, in Once a Week, and on which the British press bestowed high praise. She also contributed stories both to United States and Canadian periodicals. William Kirby, the author of the most cele- brated of Canadian novels, “ Le Chien D’Or,” was born in England in 1817. He is consequently a veteran verging towards ninety, but by the last accounts he is still able to take an interest in life at his quiet home in Niagara where he has resided for many years, and where for thirty-four years he was Collector of Customs, retiring from that post in 1895. He appeared before the public in the first instance as a poet, with an epic poem, entitled “The U.E.” (United Empire) consisting chiefly of a series of historical tableaux, studded with portraits of loyalist personages. His master- piece, “ The Golden Dog,” was first published in 1877, at Montreal. But although the reviews of the work were exceedingly flattering, the sales So inadequate were they were far from being so. indeed that the author reaped next to nothing in the way of financial return from the book which is: destined to live as one of the most noteworthy in Canadian literature. A second edition was published in Boston in 1896, and there has been something like a renaissance of this admirable work. It has been complained by some critics that Kirby’s style, in some parts of this great novel, is diffuse, and lacking in movement. But it will be confessed by all, that there is in it a dignity, a marvellous drawing of character, and a mastery of all the strings of its artistic plot that give it a high place among important works of fiction. It has already proved its inherent vitality by the failure of time permanently to bury it; by a resurrection in new and eagerly called-for editions after twenty years of comparative neglect; and by its new and successful appeal to a second generation of judges. As a rule, at the present time, Canadian authors who desire a more extended market, have to make arrangements with United States or British publishing houses. Canadian publishers then borrow the electrotype plates, on a royalty basis, and print from these a “Oanadian copyright edition,” or they import the work in ready-printed sheets, bind them up, and put them into circula- tion. Among the earlier Canadians who took advantage of the more recent mode, was Miss Lily A. Dougall, of Montreal, who in her novel, ‘‘ What- 150 Necessity Knows,” and in others of equal note, has shown conspicuous literary ability and grasp of character. Her literary training was Canadian, and it is from her native soil that she derives her original literary impulse. Tn his fine novel, “The False Chevalier,” and in other stories, Mr. W. B. Lighthull has shown an intimate acquaintance with French-Canadian _his- tory, and has vividly delineated the period of which he writes. He has also rendered good service to the cause of natural literature. In his self-reliance, his great industry, and his determination to make the best of the mental outfit with which Providence has provided him, and in a certain adventurous courage, Sir Gilbert Parker is very typical of the Canadian young man, and Canadians are proud of the position which his special genius, added to the qualities which his country breeds, has enabled him to attain. He was one of the first to take advantage of the condi- tions of the field occupied by the modern novel, and nothing better illustrates the contrast between those conditions and the previously existing ones than a comparison between the reception accorded to the 1877 Montreal edition of Kirby’s “ Golden Dog” and that which was received, for instance, by “ When Valmond came to Pontiac,” or “The Seats of the Mighty,” eighteen or twenty years afterwards, when they were started on their career by London and New York publishing houses. Sir Gilbert’s work is so well known in England that I shall not carry coals to Newcastle by attempting any extended review of it here. His most success- ful books have, in my opinion, been those with Canadian themes, and he has done much to awaken interest in the history of what was so well called New France, while his portrayal of French-Canadian character is firm and accurate. Among the story-writers who have so success- fully exploited the field of what may be called psychologic zoology there are few who will not acknowledge that the first who ever burst into that well-explored region of jungle, forest and prairie was a Canadian. ‘The first of these stories, with animals instead of human beings for heroes and heroines, so numerous now, appeared in a New York magazine. It was written by Ernest Thompson-Seton, a Canadian from his childhood, and a man in every way fitted to write the interest- ing series of books that have appeared from his pen. In “ Wild Animals I Have Known,” and in his other stories, Thompson-Seton had only to accentuate with an inventive touch his experiences as field naturalist for the Government of Manitoba, and his adventures in the wilds of North-western Canada. It was asa painter that he first displayed his abilities, and his vigorous illustrations add much to the charm of his popular books, . In the THE AUTHOR. stories of the animal kind that C. G. D. Roberts has given us, and to which allusion has already been made, there is perhaps a superior literary flavour, and scarcely less of poignant interest. W. A. Fraser is another well-known and successful Canadian writer who has turned aside from hig chosen path of stirring stories of action and breathless adventure to humanize the buffalo and to make us weep at the intellect and sentiment of the dog ; while Miss Marshall Saunders, although the writer of many bright and clever books, is best known by her “ Beautiful Joe,” a humane work which has been translated into a number of foreign languages, and has been in itself a whole Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. If our Canadian poets have celebrated our flora, our writers of fiction have lifted our fauna to a position of eminence such as has never been occupied by members of the brute creation since their ancestors left Noah’s Ark. There have been other Canadian writers besides Kirby, Gilbert Parker and W. H. Drummond who have turned to the French-speaking province of the Dominion for their material. William McLennan obtained a perfect knowledge both of French- Canadian dialect and character. H.W. Thompson, in his “ Old Man Savarin and Other Stories,” dis- plays much skill in depicting character and much synipathetic insight ; Henry Cecil Walsh, in a volume of stories entitled “ Bonhomme,” is not 80 pronounced in dialect, but is equally true in character-sketching. Mrs. 8. Frances Harrison, both in her book of poems entitled “‘ Rose and Fleurs de Lis” and in her “ Forest of Bourg- Marie,” has given evidences of very accurate observation of the people of Quebec and the scenery that surrounds them, and also of the possession of great literary skill and story-telling capacity. We have already seen how, sixty years ago, the British Constitution was supposed to be suitable literary pabulum for every boy. Many readers of these lines will have a grateful memory of a voluminous writer for boys who thought differently —J. Macdonald Oxley. He belongs by birth to our maritime provinces, and in his time was dux of the Halifax Grammar School. He has done much good literary work besides that in the juvenile department, his pen having borne prolific fruit in all the principal magazines ; but it is as a provider of sound, manly, wholesome fiction for boys, most of it with Canadian themes, that I introduce him here. : Sara Jeanette Duncan (Mrs. Cotes), author of — “A Social Departure,” “An American Girl in ~ London,” ‘The Path of a Star,’ and other — stories, is Canadian born, and is well remembered as a- brilliant member of the staff of a: Toronto  newspaper. Her freshness of conception, her buoyant humour, and her excellent literary craftsmanship, have been very widely appreciated. Agnes C. Laut is another Canadian woman-journalist who has achieved fame in the particular section of the book world of which I am writing. Her ‘‘ Lords of the North” gives a vivid picture of the region of Canada which was the field of the operations of the Hudson’s Bay Company and its great rival, the North-West Company, while her “ Pathfinders of the North-West” attacks existing allotments of fame with a vigorous and unflinching hand. Among those who have commemorated the far west of Canada in books are Clive Phillips-Wolley, Lily A. Lefevre, Julia Henshaw, D. W. Higgins (late Speaker of the British Columbia Legislature), and “ Ralph Connor ” (Rev. C. W. Gordon). The last-mentioned of these is well known through very large editions of “ Black Rock,” “ The Sky Pilot,” “The Man from Glengarry,” and others, both throughout this Continent and on the other side of the Atlantic. His powerful descriptions of the lumber-camp, the mine, and the prairie, and his great moral force, appeal to larger audiences than it has been the lot of any other Canadian author to address. I have come to the end of the space at my dis- posal. I have endeavoured to give some idea of the work of Canadian authors in poetry and fiction, but I have no intention of attempting to construct a Canadian Academy-Pantheon out of the forty names I have mentioned. I would rather imitate the Japanese commander and say that if this army be demolished I can bring up another forty to take its place immediately. For I am conscious that there are many valiant and skilful writers that J have not been able to parade. Heavy guns of history we have, too, and a theological phalanx, besides a small but very admirable corps of skir- mishing essayists, not to mention our more than a corporal’s guard of able and veracious biographers. Bernarp McEvoy. ——___+—>_+—___—_ ANTHONY TROLLOPE. — ++ IJ. Toe Novetistz. HAT action there is in the trilogy, “The V Warden,” “ Barchester Towers,” and “The Last Chronicle of Barset ’—and it is but little—takes place in the quiet ancient close of Barchester Cathedral. But, as compensation, there is a great gallery of portraits. The gentle Bishop Grantly is reverently portrayed, and is admirably contrasted with his son, the Archdeacon, energetic and overbearing. In “Ihe Warden ”’ the THE AUTHOR. 151 latter is unsympathetic; but further acquaintance in the next book renders him more acceptable, and when he is opposed to the crafty Slope his faults become virtues: eyen at his worst, the Archdeacon is a gentleman. The hen-pecked Bishop Proudie is a poor creature, under the thumb of his wife, who recalls inevitably the Mrs. Caudle of the “ Curtain Lectures.” Trollope loved to introduce the charac- ters of one book into the others, and the reader may meet in many a volume with the Duke of Omnium, the De Courcys, Doctor Thorne, Miss Dunstable, and the Proudies among others. The author only killed Mrs. Proudie after overhearing a conversation between two clergyman at the Atheneum Club, who, discussing the books, and especially this character, remarked that they would not write novels at all unless they could invent new figures. ‘Then Trollope went home and killed the bishop’s wife; but he regretted her to the end of his days. Trollope rarely indulged in the luxury of any but the very slightest plot. ‘The Warden” and “ Barchester Towers” have but the merest thread of story, and digressions are frequent. In the former is dragged in a somewhat ill-natured parody of Carlyle, who is re-christened Anticant ; and a reference to Dickens, who figures as Mr. Popular Sentiment ; while many pages are devoted to a disquisition upon the influence of the press, which would be more in place in an essay. In the latter the description of the sports at Ullathorne, and the desires of the Lookalofts to take precedence of the Grenacres are amusing enough, but they irritate because they needlessly stop the action of the tale. In ‘Doctor Thorne” he overcame this fault. He had a more concise tale to unfold— it was suggested by his brother Adolphus—and with the exception of the Duke of Omnium’s dinner- party there is no ground for such a complaint; which may account for the fact that, in his lifetime at least, this was the most popular of his stories. With ‘Doctor Thorne” Trollope also took a broader canvas, and added to the scenes of clerical life the humours of county society. But if he rarely had a plot, he often had a purpose, “I have ever thought of myself as a preacher of sermons, and my pulpit as one which I could make both salutary and agreeable to my audience.” He realised that it was the first duty of the novelist to be readable, and he never allowed his sermon to interfere with the story. The strongest theme he ever introduced is in “The Vicar of Bullington,” where he introduced a girl to whom he refers—to save ears polite—as a castaway. How is the woman to return to decency to whom no decent door is opened, is the problem he put before his readers? He held that what was sauce for the gander should be sauce for the goose, 152 in so far at least, that while the fatted calf is killed for the prodigal son, pardon should not be withheld for the erring daughter. In ‘‘ The Way We Live” he tilted against commercial profligacy ; and having taken: in hand the satirist’s whip, he turned it against girls who sunk their self-respect in their eagerness to secure husbands, young men who were too selfish to abate a single luxury for the sake of matrimony, and against the puffing pro- pensities of authors. Elsewhere he had a word to say of mothers who would not nurse their children, and he indulged in quiet raillery when he raised the question of doctors’ etiquette. But he was no satirist. His method lacked delicacy; he used the bludgeon instead of the scalpel. He was at his best when exposing the shams of society, and castigating arrogance, undue pride of race, and snobbishness generally, which he did as fervently, though not so humourously, as Thackeray. He endeavoured to make vice repellent and virtue attractive, and to secure the reader’s affection for the good, the beautiful, and the true. Trollope never troubled about novel situations or dramatic effects. As often as not there is no denouement ; and he was quite indifferent to the advantage that might accrue from the preservation of some ignorance as to the ending of the tale. If a book was not good enough to be independent of mystery, which could always be solved by a glance at the last chapter, why then, in his opinion, it was worthless. The result of this feeling caused him often to interrupt the narrative to assure the reader that all would be well in the end, and that the heroine would not marry A., the fortune-hunter, or B., the unworthy, but C., who was her affinity. This naturally weakened the interest that otherwise might be felt for the lady. But Trollope was perhaps never entirely at his ease with his lovers. In “The Warden,’ where the love interest is between Bold the reformer and Eleanor Harding, the figures are not very real ; and in “ Barchester Towers,” where Eleanor reappears as a widow, it is not easy to be very anxious about her admirers. The affairs of sweet Lucy Mary Thorne and Frank Gresham, and Lord Lufton and Lucy Robarts, are, however, a marked improvement. Trollope did not take for his province the matters of life and death. He was pre-eminently a chronicler of small-beer ; and he was at his best when dealing with such trifles as the appointment to a deanery or a wardenship and the consequent intrigues. His humour found its most pleasing field when describing such scenes as those which constitute the duel between Mrs. Proudie and the crafty Slope for the control of the bishop. His favourite devices were the pursuit of an heiress by impecunious admirers, and the courtship of a maid of comparatively low degree by the squire or the THE AUTHOR. lord of the manor. These he introduced. into more than one story. For the most part his characters are of flesh and_ blood. He presented neither devils nor saints; and, if he had a weakness for heroines, his heroes were rather poor creatures. His bad men were Slope, Henry Thorne, Sir Roger Scatcherd and his son, Louis Philippe. It cannot be said that he was as successful with his good young men. They were as unstable as water; and their hearts were so little under control that they flitted from girl to girl, even after they had to all intents and purposes plighted their troth. His girls were better drawn: Lucy Robarts, Kate Woodward, and Mary Thorne, charming: creatures all; and excellent, too, is Griselda Grantly, who when she hears from her mother that, at the eleventh hour, her marriage may be broken off, remarks placidly, ‘Then, mamma, I had better give them orders not to go on with the marking.” He was happier still with his elder men. Archdeacon Grantly has already been mentioned ; and Harding, whom Trollope pre- sented confidently to the reader, “not as a hero, not as a man to be admired and talked of, not as a man who should be toasted at public dinners and spoken of with conventional absurdity as a perfect divine, but as a good man without guile, believing humbly in the religion which he had striven to teach, and guided by the precepts which he had striven to learn.” A fine fellow, Harding, and a credit to his cloth. Admirable, too, was Doctor Thorne, with his loving, trusty heart, and almost womanly tenderness ; but somehow it seems wrong to have married him to Miss Dunstable. But then Trollope wanted everybody to be happy at the end of the last chapter of the last volume. The author’s favourite was Plantagenet Palliser : “Tf he be not a perfect gentleman, then am I unable to describe a gentleman.” Plantagenet is all that is claimed for him; but the greatest character in all the books is the Rev. Mr. Crawley, who ranks with the best creations of modern fiction. This unhappy gentleman, whose pride prevents him, owing to his poverty, from associat- ing with his equals, and who is anxious only to hide from the world the barrenness of his house- hold. At last, when his wife falls ill, he is com- pelled to allow the aid of his friends ; and at the end, when his pride is conquered, he thanks Lucy Robarts for all she has done, he seems to reach the level of some great patriarchal figure of old. “May God Almighty bless you, Miss Robarts. You have brought sunshine into this house, even in the time of sickness, when there was no sun- shine ; and He will bless you. You have been the Good Samaritan, binding up the wounds of the afflicted, pouring in oil and balm. To the mother of my children you have given life, and to me you  have brought light, and comfort, and good words —making my spirit glad within me as it has not peen gladdened before. All this hath come of charity, which vaunteth not itself, and is not puffed up. Faith and hope are beautiful, but charity exceedeth them all.” And, having so spoken, instead of leading her to the carriage, he went away and hid himself. There is nothing finer in Trollope, and perhaps nothing better in English fiction. ‘Also he excelled in the presentation of what, in theatrical parlance, are styled “ character parts,” such as the Countess de Fourcy, Lady Arabella Gresham, Lady Lufton, Miss Thorne of Ullathorne, Martha Dunstable, the Oil of Lebanon heiress, and Lady Glencora. The latter ranked among the author’s favourites. “She is by no means a per- fect lady ; but if she be not all over a woman, then am I not able to describe a woman.” In this category comes Mrs. Proudie and Mademoiselle Neroni ; but the portrait of the latter, an unscru- pulous coquette, was by no means a success. What ‘Trollope said of “Barchester Towers a may be said of most of his books. “ The story was thoroughly English. There was a little fox- hunting and a little tuft-hunting, some Christian virtue and some cant. There was no heroism and no villainy. There was much Church, but more love-making. And it was honest, downright love.” To this need only be added that some- times there was a little electioneering. Trollope had some pathos and a quiet humour that vented itself not so much in the dialogue as in the delineation of the characters. Nor did he lack tenderness, as all are aware who have read of Arabin’s courting of Eleanor Bold : “ And now it remained to them each to enjoy the assurance of each other’s love. And how great that luxury is! How far it surpasses any other pleasure which God has allowed to His creatures! And to a woman’s heart how doubly delightful! When the ivy has found its tower, when the delicate creeper has found its strong wall, we know how the parasite plants grow and prosper. They were not created to stretch forth their branches alone and endure without protection the summer’s sun and the winter’s storm. Alone they but spread themselves on the ground, and cower unseen in the dingy shade. But when they have found their firm sup- porters, how wonderful is their beauty ; how all- pervading and victorious! What is the turret without its ivy, or the high garden-wall without its jasmine, which gives it beauty and fragrance ? The hedge without the honeysuckle is but a hedge. There is a feeling still half existing, but now half conquered by the force of human nature, that a woman should be ashamed of her love till the husband’s right to her compels her to acknowledge THE AUTHOR. 153 it. We would fain preach a different doctrine. A woman should glory in her love; but on that account let her take the more care that it be such as to justify her glory.” As the preceding passage shows clearly enough, Trollope wrote easily and without strain. But his style generally was undistinguished. There are no purple patches, no fine passages of description, nor are there many scenes which the reader feels impelled to re-read again and again. He was no phrase-maker, and epigrams are few and far between ; but occasionally a page is lit up with a flash of Disraelian wit. We read of the Duke of Omnium, who “was very willing that the Queen should be Queen so long as he was allowed to be the Duke of Omnium” ; and of the Hon. George De Courcy, who “ for his part liked to see the people go quiet on Sundays. The parsons had only one one day in seven, and he thought they were fully entitled to that.” Trollope’s best books are veritable human docu- ments, and his scenes are as true to life as his characters ; while his peers, his county families, squires, political folk, clergymen, doctors, attor- neys, civil servants, are so many accurate portraits of the men and women of the time. Within his limits he did excellent work ; and the fact that he was for many years prior to his death the most popular of English writers of fiction is a tribute alike to his powers and to the public which had the discernment to recognise them. He must for ever rank high among the exponents of English county life in mid-Victorian times; and the day cannot be far distant when he will take his place, not perhaps with the greatest English novelists, but certainly not far below them. Lewis MELVILLE. ——————_1 > _____ COMMERCIALISATION OF LITERATURE. es R. HENRY HOLT, of the firm of Messrs. Henry Holt & Co., of New York, has written a very interesting article in the Atlantic Monthly on “The Commercialisation of Literature.” The article is prompted by “The Confessions of a Publisher,” a book which was reviewed some months ago by Mr. Bernard Shaw in these columns, but though it deals incidentally with the book and the review referred to, this is not the main object of the paper. Its title is its own explanation. At first it appeared desirable, with the permission of the Editor, to republish the paper in Zhe Author, but, as it extends to twenty-three pages of the review, it would be much too long for the pages of this magazine. In these circumstances a few remarks on the contents will serve the purpose. 154 The article is divided into three parts. Part 1, “ Author and Publisher.” Part 2, ‘‘ Publisher and Publisher.” Part 3, “ Publisher and the Public,” The first part is interesting as containing the opinions of an American publisher; but its subject, frequently dealt with in 7'he Author, presents little that is really fresh, but it may be mentioned that Mr. Holt takes a very pronounced attitude against the position of the agent. He says in one place, “The agent can be very useful in arranging the business of a few authors popular enough to be published in both serial and book form in England, the United States, Canada, and Australia, and sometimes—occasionally through translations—in other places, although such business could be as well, and perhaps better, arranged by a competent publisher.” ‘This is the publisher’s opinion. The real facts of the case, as far as English authors are concerned, have frequently been set forth in these columns. The publisher is the worst person to whom to entrust these rights. When he is entrusted to obtain the United States copyright he makes an effort—a small effort—through his United States agent and drops the matter, as it is very often a better financial business for him to sell sheets or stereos to the United States market than to secure the copyright for the author. Over and over again this position has been laid before the Secretary of the Society, with the same result and the same dissatisfaction on the part of the author. Where, as in some cases, the publisher has given the author sufficient notice of his inability to obtain the United States copyright, the author has with business promptitude carried the matter through himself. The result has generally been satisfactory. Again, publishers often delay the publication of a book quite unwarrantably in order to obtain a serial market for the work, and their whole method of procedure proves that the machinery at their offices is unsatisfactory to obtain this end ; and lastly, publishers charge from 25 per cent. to 50 per cent. for doing this small agency business, and unblushingly take the sums which result while they are crying out about the extravagant charges of agents. The writer continues : “ Among the first things the literary agent set himself to do, in London at least, was to break down the old relations between authors and publishers, and to make their connection mainly a question of which publisher would bid highest.”” We do not know what this “old rela- tion” may have been—an “old relation” may sometimes be a nuisance—but here again the publisher, looking at the matter from his own point of view, has overlooked the patent fact that if “the old relations” between publisher and author had been satisfactory the agent would never have existed, but the publishers so frequently and on THE AUTHOR. so many occasions took advantage of the author's ignorance that it became necessary to have some business head intervening who could put the literary wares on the market satisfactorily. The publishers alone are to blame for the creation of the agent, and although they may not find hig methods entirely satisfactory, they must remember that the position of this middleman is due to their own fault. The agent may—as in this imperfect world nothing is perfect—bring his disadvantages with him—and the publisher may perhaps suffer more than ghe author; but, as in all cases of natural evolution, if a part is unneces- sary it atrophies, if an agent is unnecessary between the creation of the book and the public demand for it, he will gradually decay and die out ; but his continued existence tends to show that he is a necessity. “A literary agent told me that among authors the feeling is quite frequent that the publisher ig to be squeezed to the last possible cent. The agents have not been slow to please their clients by falling in with this feeling. Between them, the publisher has lately been treated merely as a corpus vilum to be exploited for money.” Though we can but guess at the meaning of corpus vilum, it is pleasing to see that at any rate the publisher has fathomed the lack of gender of the corpus, although his classical education does not seem to have carried him further, but if the agents have experimented on the publisher’s body again it must appear that the publishers are respon- sible for the situation. He goes on to talk about the publisher as “ golden goose,” and ‘‘ who are to look after the agents?” It is impossible to think that the old fallacy that the publisher is the “ golden goose” can still exist, though, of course, here again, it is not the goose but the egg that is golden—in this distinction lies the very point of the story. The ovum of the publisher’s fortune—golden or not—must come from the author, who is, if the evidence of many hundreds of contracts goes for anything, very often the goose, as far as the busi- ness incidents are concerned. As to the question of who will protect the author from the agent, in Great Britain, at any rate, the author has some kind of safeguard owing to the position of the Society of Authors, though we regret to say in the United States no such substantial body exists, able, to act promptly as legal defenders of the author and guardian of his property. It is whispered that this position arises owing to the fact that a great many of the best-known authors in the United — States are “in the pockets of the publishers.” Finally, the feelings of the publisher are poured — forth in the following quotation, in which he seems — to have burst through all restraint and to have laid bare his heart : me  “J unhesitatingly say that in carrying his functions farther”—(this refers to the agent’s capacity as a lawyer to look over contracts and an auditor to check the accounts)—“ the agent has been the parent of most serious abuse, has become a very serious detriment to literature and a leech on the author, sucking blood entirely out of pro- portion to his later services, and has already begun to defeat himself. These are hard truths, and [ shall probably find it expensive to tell them, but they need telling, and I am trying to do justice to the better side of the agent’s activities as well.” Generous publisher ! So far the first portion of the article has come under consideration. : The second portion, “ Publisher and Publisher,” does not carry with it very much of interest, but the third part, ‘Publisher and the Public,” is fall of fresh statements on the advertising of hooks. Referring to the author of “ Confessions,” Mr. Holt observes: “He states about the adver- tising of books nobody knows anything,” bat proceeds to point out that the writer appears to know a great deal, and that finally he shows how there are three kinds of books from the advertiser's point of view. ‘‘ The first class do not need adver- tising, the second class cannot be helped by it, and the third class can. Much money spent on Class 1 is wasted. All money spent on Class 2 is wasted. Money can be profitably spent, then, only on Class 3.” Mr. Holt then proceeds to make the following statement : “The sales of books that do not need much advertising constitute the bulk of the mis- cellaneous publishing business, and nearly all of the business done at a profit, while books, which will not return dollar for dollar spent in advertising, make up the bulk of the remainder. If this is trae, my class three, that will return a profit on advertising, cannot be a very large class.’ He goes on to quote an instance where a book was put on the market by a publisher and hardly went at all. One of the firm happened to read it ; considered it would be likely to respond to advertising, and began to advertise. The book responded ; he continued to advertise ; and the book still responded, but as soon as he abandoned the advertising the book ceased to sell, and it was found that the amount of money spent in advertising had taken away all the profits on the book from its increased sales. According to Mr. Holt’s judgment, therefore, a book of this kind ought to have died at birth because it does not pay the publisher to push it. ‘This trade point of view is exceedingly interesting and important, and demonstrates the fact which must often be brought to the minds of authors and is constantly in evidence in the work of the Society, namely, that publishing is a business ; that THE AUTHOR. 155 the author’s reputation is, in the majority of cases, of little account to the publisher ; and that the old worn-out statement of the ‘old relations” between author and publisher, as a general rule, cannot be substantiated. To quote another instance which often comes before us. A publisher will take a book of an author; will print about 1,500 copies ; will sell in the first three or four months about 800 or 900 on the English market and 400 or 500 to the United States or the Colonies; will thus turn over his money with little advertising and little effort, and secure to himself a sound per- centage on it. He will then refuse, having broken up the type, to publish another edition, finding that the further circulation is not worth the trouble that may have to be expended upon it either in money or application. The author, therefore, finds that in three or four months his book is dead, and the publishers complain of the short life of the modern novel, while, in a great many cases, their own business methods are responsible for this result. The next point which Mr. Holt makes is the rage for advertising which has seized some of the pub- lishers in the United States, and his deduction is that many publishers have been badly bitten ; have found that the excess of advertising does not pay and that a reaction is now setting in. He is inclined to think, and, no doubt, his deduction is correct, that good reviews, with a small amount of advertising, are the best things for a book. A liberal advertiser in the United States market men- tions 800 dollars for the advertisement of a book he desires to boom, but this Mr. Holt considers excessive, and thinks that very few books would stand 800 dollars. He continues:: “Let us be bold and enterprising: for that’s the present fashion, and risk 300 dollars on each book. Where do we come out? ‘Take as an example a house that advertises thirty new booksa year. As we have figured 9,000 dollars would be a very liberal amount to spend in initial advertising before books show to which class they belong.” He thinks the statement about spending 30,000 or 50,000 dollars a year must either be incorrect or a great waste of money. While stating that all figuring on the question must be based on assumption and guess-work and the results be conjectural, he figures out as follows :— «A house advertising thirty books a year may, with fair success, reach a year’s sale of about 200,000 copies, of which 80,000 would be fairly apt to come in class three. Half of these, say 40,000, could reasonably be expected to pay for their advertising. A net profit on them, exclusive of advertising, would reasonably be about 15,000 dollars ; then the small publishing house would, according to the 156 author of ‘A Publisher’s Confession,’ have to pay out of this 15,000, from 20,000 to 40,000 dollars in advertising. Now I have proved too much, or our author has asserted an error, or our publishing house has failed. Each is probably the case.” These figures are of great importance, and Mr. Holt goes on to state that of the dozen publishers who meet at monthly lunches in New York, who are leaders of the trade, one of them never spent over 25,000 dollars in any one year, a second never spent so much, and a third, he has reason to believe, never spent half of it. It is probable, therefore, if Mr. Holt’s figures are correct, that the reaction in United States advertising must set in pretty severely or all the United States publishing houses will be ruined. He is afraid that some of the English publishing houses have been bitten by the One or two, perhaps, but same advertising mania. not more. In dealing with this subject, he quotes an amus- ing remark by Prof. Cooley, who says that com- petition varies inversely as the intelligence and character of the customers appealed to, and that competition in advertising is the same as any other competition. ‘Is it too much to say that the vulgarest things are the most widely advertised, and that wide advertising, while it has its justifica- tions, inevitably has, unless it conveys knowledge that people actually want, a note of vulgarity ?” If, therefore, his reasoning is correct, wide advertis- ing, successful as regards other utilities, is false as regards books ; and that it is so, is proved, not only by previous experience, but by the fact that reckless advertising is on the decline, but surely it is not the case, as he seems to think that this state of affairs is prompted by the passage of the International Copyright Law. From a full consideration of the arguments put forward, the following deductions may be drawn : That publishing is a business ; that if advertise- ments do not pay the publisher, books will not be advertised, although such advertising might help the author; that, as in other businesses, so in publishing, there is no sentiment ; that the “old relations” between author and publisher, except in a few cases, never really had any existence unless the author was blind to his own interests ; that good reviews are the best means of selling books ; that these are no good or very little good unless coupled with judicious advertising ; that judicious advertising does not necessarily mean a large expenditure. : There is another point which Mr. Holt has not touched upon and which may not, perhaps, be a feature in United States publishing, and that is, the advantage of a good traveller. There are some houses in England obtaining very large sales for their books owing to the fact that they have THE AUTHOR. travellers whose knowledge of the booksellers in various cities and of the clientéle of these book- sellers is “ peculiar and extensive,” and who have a correct knowledge of the contents of the book or books which they are travelling. Such a person is of more value to a publisher than many advertise- ments, for gradually the booksellers begin to trust his knowledge, and in their turn, if they are good business men, begin to push his wares among their book-buyers. It is, however, to be regretted that many of the travellers employed fail conspicuously in the knowledge of the wares in which they are dealing. Here again it is clear that the marketing of books is entirely different from the marketing of other wares. A sample in the case of merchandise is sufficient, and the retailer has his remedy if the merchandise does not come up to the sample ; but in the case of books each book has an identity of its own, and cannot, therefore, be travelled in the same way. This point of view may not occur in the United States, where distances are so large and travelling so expensive, but there is no doubt that careful attention should be paid to it in the English market—much more attention than is at present customary. Thanks must be rendered to Mr. Holt for his enlightened and elucidating article, and, no doubt those—publishers and booksellers—whose business is the sale of books, will profit by his remarks. G. H. T. —-——+—— WRITERS’ YEAR BOOK.* —1—— + —_ HE credit for the inception of this little book was due to Miss Irene Bastow, who, we believe, drifted into journalism from typing, instead of, as is more often the case, taking up typing after seeking in vain a market wherein to sell, and not throw away, carefully penned MSS. Miss Bastow’s scheme was a practical one. She set about obtaining information from every English periodical of standing, first, regarding the style and length of copy accepted from outside con- tributors, and secondly, the rates of payment made, when such promises would be fulfilled, and whether the contributor should send in an account. Such knowledge she compressed into a small com- pass by means of abbreviations from the letters A to Q. Not only did she economise her time and energy in a way that experienced free-lances had done before her, but she desired to let her fellow- strugglers in journalism benefit by her discoveries. This intention she carried out in a way as * « The Writers’ and Artists’ Year Book, 1906, a Directory for Writers, Artists and Photographers.” Adam & Charles Black. Is. net. THE AUTHOR. altruistic as it was commercial, by offering the information within two green covers at the price of a shilling. Yet the book was often difficult to procure. Its date of issue was irregular. Doubtless it involved too much work for one busy person to attend to, or the then publishers had not the necessary machinery to exploit it properly. Thus, owing to the difficulty of getting the useful little green manual, in its flimsy paper wrapper, the impression had of late gone abroad that the « W. Y. B.” was dead. It is therefore pleasant to chronicle that, on the 15th ult., this scribblers’ erutch rose like a phcenix from the ashes. Although it is now clad in blazing Scarlet, as befits a fiery phoenix, it bears the imprint of Messrs. Black. Albeit its blushes are vivid, they are substantial ; for its cover is of cloth, without an advance being made on the original charge of 1s. Despite the fact that various press guides have appeared annually for many years with the object of obtaining advertisements for the periodi- cals noted, Miss Bastow was the first to bring out a press guide, the prime motive of which was to impart practical information to contributors, un- obtainable elsewhere. It should be gratifying to her, therefore, that this little book is likely to become a hardy annual, since it has been taken over by the old-established firm which published three editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica and bought the copyright of the Waverley Novels. THE PREFACE. Previous issues of the W. Y. B. have appealed _ to free-lances partly because the standpoint of the editor was a purely business one and there was no flummery in the introduction. We regret, therefore, on opening this reissue of the book, to read “of all pleasant forms of work few are more delightful than that (sic) which falls to the lot of the free-lance, who is fairly confident of finding a market for his work.” Apart from slipshod grammar, the sentiment conveyed savours of cheap-jack auctioneering. Made solemnly in cold print, it is calculated to augment the already too numerous army of unemployed scribblers. After its flaming red cover has fired the imagina- tion of many half-baked young men and women, the misleading words in the preface are not un- likely to cause them to relinquish some regularly paid employment in order to reduce still further the paltry remuneration too often offered to out- siders by editors. But this year the familiar W. Y. B., to be quite in the fashion, has been given a double- barrelled name. It is now called _ the “W.A. Y.B.,” or the “ Writers’ and Artists’ Year Book.” Prominence is imparted, in heavy type, 157 to those periodicals which accept illustrations, because this is a pictorial age. The fact that the ever-increasing host of illustrators ‘‘ bids fair to rival in numbers even the mighty army of con- tributors ” should, of itself, have sufficed to show what an ample market there is for the new Red Book, without. the need of hampering the domgs of the aforesaid mighty army by an unwieldy gang of camp followers. Good wine needs no bush. It is surely inexpedient to “puff” the wine in the W. Y. B. by making any statement calculated to do a disservice to and alienate former purchasers, or still further embarrass editors whose budgets of unsolicited communications already exceed their powers of fair examination. If a well educated quart cannot be contained within a pint measure, is it seemly to invite the semi-educated gallon to seek a bubble reputation by toppling over into the mouth of the self-same pewter, which, as every school-board prodigy knows, is only capable of admitting an eighth part of a gallon ? The copyright section of last year has been ex- cluded from the present issue. This is as well. The attempt of the compiler to give a digest of the Copyright Acts so that writers might have a hazy idea of how legally to protect their interests, was no doubt laudable. But such matters are more ably dealt with in Chap. V. of Besant’s ‘* Pen and the Book.” ALPHABETICAL List OF PERIODICALS. Out of 75 pages 50 are devoted to a list of journals and magazines issued mostly in London. This, therefore, forms the bulk of the book, the reputation of which stands, or falls, by the accuracy and utility of this section. On the whole, the periodicals noted seem to have been selected with careful discrimination. A favourable point is that the alphabetical list is not loaded unnecessarily by the enumeration of provincial papers in which local amateurs make their gratuitous débuts, and con- cerning which conditions of acceptance are easily ascertainable on the spot. Omission, however, of the former abbreviations already alluded to— regarding times of publication and various informa- tion about payment—to our mind, militates against quick identification of the precise enlightenment a writer may seek, especially if he has become accus- tomed to the letters in former issues. By their elimination, it would appear that the publishers now take the side of the editor who may advertise in the W.A.Y.B., rather than that of the free-lance who buys the book. Be that as it may, the para- graphs do not now reveal at a glance, as was formerly the case, those periodicals whose editors responded fully to the circulars and thereby showed that they welcomed the outsider. Beginning with 158 the letter A, it appears that the editor of the W.A.Y.B. is not an anti-vivisectionist ; for, while the “ Animals’ Friend” is given, the “ Animals’ Guardian” is ostracised. ‘The weekly “ Army and Navy Gazette” is duly noted, but the monthly « Army and Navy Chronicle” is omitted. While the “Art Journal,” price 1s. 6d. appears, the shilling ‘Art Decorator” is conspicuous by its absence. Although the “ Baptist Times and Freeman”’ is notified, the older publication of the same denomination, ‘‘ The Baptist,” is over- looked. Moreover, in a manual inaugurated by a lady, it is passing strange that the twopenny monthly “Beauty and Health”? should be unrecorded. Surely, for facile and nimble pens, there is much good copy suggested by such a pretty subject. ‘To free-lances, the practice of printing the names of editors is sometimes useful. It is always interesting. It is scarcely fair, there- fore, that while the name of the editor of “ Baby, the Mother’s Magazine” should be given, that of the “ Author” is omitted. PUBLISHERS. There are numerous omissions in this list. We can well understand an old-established firm looking askance at many mushroom houses that grow up around it. But if the W.A.Y.B., as its preface implies, is intended for the free-lance, it is often the small outside publisher who gives the non- established author his first opportunity of bringing out a book. Another year, therefore, it would be well to make this section more complete. It excludes, for instance, the Art & Book Co., Ltd., Thomas Baker, Brown, Langham & Co., Catholic Truth Society, Caxton Publishing Co., W. H. and L, Collingridge, the De la More Press, and Bertram Dobell. Space precludes further detailed investiga- tion. The fact that the business of Mr. Grant Richards continues, under the name of E. Grant Richards, is not noted. LITERARY AGENTS. Here we have only seven names instead of five times that number, no mention being made of the Cambridge Literary Agency, Central News Agency, London News Agency, National Press Agency, and so forth. In conclusion, whilst welcoming the reappear- ance of this useful manual, we venture to suggest that the excellent list of “ Pseudonyms and Pen Names” given in the ‘“ Who’s Who Year Book,” published by the same firm, might be transferred to the W.A.Y.B., as well as particulars of literary societies and clubs, in the next edition. A. R, THE AUTHOR. A NOTE ON THE WORD “ AUTHOR.” —t : E may suppose that the spelling and pronunciation of author commend them- selves to learned men. Nevertheless, both are abnormal, if not extraordinary, as may be seen by consulting the New English Dictionary. The name means “originator,” or “one who makes a work to grow”; from the Latin ace, auctorem, one who makes to grow, from augere, to wax. The old Norman form was, at first, autur, then autour; but some scribes, who were accus- tomed to the Greek th in Thomas and thyme, chose to vary the form to authour, without intending any difference in the sound ; and this misleading custom became popular. Soon people began to suppose, naturally enough, that the th was the English fh, of native origin, and pronounced the word accord- ingly; sometimes varying the form to author, with but one vw. And this is how the sound of th gob into a word of Latin origin. But Thomas and thyme have preserved their Norman ¢f to the present day, with the Norman sound of ¢; whilst the Middle English zeaére, teme, and trone have been turned into theatre, theme, and throne. All these five words are pronounced as with ¢in French; and so is the French auteur, | Water W. SKEAT. a 8 CORRESPONDENCE. —-—~< > A PRovest. Srr,—No one can detest the attitude of the public-complainer more than I, but there are occasions when one has no option but to adopt it. May I have a little space in which to do so now, and to call attention to a piece of literary imitation too close to pass unnoticed. I refer to a new book called “The Footpath Way: An Anthology for Those who Travel by the Country-Side,” compiled by Alfred H. Hyatt, and published by Mr. Foulis of Edinburgh. In every way except the cover (which had already been borrowed by another firm for a book called “The Voice of the Mountains), in its title, sub-title, format, its editorial note and acknowledgment, its arrangement of headlines, its use of mottoes, and, to the extent of many pages, — in its contents, this volume copies my anthology — “The Open Road,” although neither that work nor myself is (perhaps not unnaturally) ever men- tioned ; and to add to the flattery, at the end of “The Footpath Way” an annoancement that the same editor and publisher have in preparation — “The City’s Heart: A Little Anthology of the Town ;” which also is to be divided into sections [  approximating to those in my recent volume “ The Friendly Town: A Little Book for the Urbane. There is no doubt plenty of room for new antho- logies both of country and town life, and I should be one of the last to complain of ordinary competition. But “The Footpath Way” bears so many traces (yet not quite enough, I am advised, for the law to interfere to protect Messrs. Methuen and myself) of a kind of competition which happily is extra- ordinary, that 1 feel compelled to draw this attention to the matter. When one man has devised a special form of book, and brought to its arrangement sufficient thought and taste to give it several original characteristics and a personal quality, it Is a menace to conscientious authors if another is encouraged in the production of imitations as close (and apparently safe) as “The Footpath Way.” I am, yours faithfully, E. V. Lucas. st Tue Literary YEAR Book, 1906. Srr,—To review a reviewer is seldom desirable and sometimes disagreeable, especially if, as in the present instance, a grateful acknowledgment of criticism in the past is resented as “very pretty blandishments.” Accordingly, whatever gratitude I may feel for your notice (in eight columns) of the current issue of my “ Year Book,” I shall, as before, endeavour to express it by improvements in the next edition. At the same time, I should like to point out that your deprecation of “ pre- judice” and “uncharitable” feeling in the final paragraph of your long review is, perhaps, a little belated. You state there, very kindly, that you “have no desire to detract from the unquestioned value of the major part of the material,” and that it is not your “intention to overlook the usefulness of much solid stuff by unduly magnifying the flaws we have come across.” Now, in regard to the ethics of reviewing, I think this principle is accepted as according with the common laws of fairness, that praise and blame should be proportionate to the good and bad elements in the book. If “ the major part of the material’ is of “ unquestioned value,’ the major part of the reviewer's task should be to point out its merits. If the good and the bad are related as “inuch solid stuff” to “ flaws,’’ the preponderance of criticism should be in the scale of praise. If, as you further state, “there is much advantage to be derived ” from the book by precisely that class for whom it is intended (‘those who live dependent on the pen”), they may reasonably expect not to find its merits tucked away at the foot of the eighth column. ‘his is merely a THE AUTHOR. 159 question of proportion, and I venture to think that your really helpful review is, in effect, not fair to the book, inasmuch as the general impression which you create does not accord with your favourable opinion of its “ major part,” and is not removed by the gui s’excuse s’accuse phrases at the close of the review. With regard to one or two details, 7e Rhymer’s Lexicon was not selected for review because it is published by the same firm which publishes “The Literary Year Book,” and a notice might have looked like an advertisement. In your section headed “ Publishers,’”’ you write, “The list of pub- lishers, we are informed, has been thoroughly revised at first hand. . . . But it comes as a shock to find that the section devoted to ‘ Foreign Pub- lishers’ has not been altered in any way.” The words “in any way” are incorrect, but I am more concerned to note that your reviewer overlooks the statement prefatory to the list of “ Colonial, American, and Foreign Publishers” (p. 403), which runs: “ Every effort has been made to bring these lists up to date, but, owing to the delays of correspondence and to the difficulty of eliciting information at first-hand, it has not been possible toattain to completeness.” Short of making a per- sonal tour through the Colonies, the United States, and the Continent, I fear that these lists will always fall short of absolute accuracy ; but your reviewer's indifference to the genuine hard work devoted to the British section (32 pp.), in order to haye a fling at the Foreign section (12 pp.), without regard to the editorial note, does seem to me a little—it is your own word—* uncharitable.” { do not quite follow the fine words employed at the beginning of your review about “a ‘ Literary Year Book’ worthy of the land of Shakespeare,” and about the “saying of Sir Joshua Reynolds that ‘excellence is never granted to a man but as a reward of labour.’” ‘This sounds a trifle senten- tious in reference to a literary annual, but I remem- ber that Shakespeare also says, “I have had my labour for my travail,” and that Reynolds writes in another place, ‘“ Among men united in the same body and engaged in the same pursuit, occasional differences will arise.” I am cheerfully anxious to bridge those “differences” with fresh “ labour” on my part ; is there nothing wanting on yours ? I am, very truly yours, Tue Eniror, ‘THE LITERARY YeEaR Book.” Broadway House, E.C. 16th January. A REPLY TO THE ABOVE. A propos of the ethics of reviewing, two interesting points are advanced by the Editor of the “ Literary Year Book.” 160 (1) Praise, he maintains, should be proportionate to the good and bad elements in a book. ‘Thus, if the major part is of value, the major part of the reviewer's task should be to praise. May we be permitted to reply by parable? In any review of disciplined troops, the inspecting officer, at the conclusion of a parade when making his report, emphasises, as is his duty, the shortcomings he may have observed, in order that they may be corrected on a future occasion. If his criticisms, conscientiously given, are then cavilled at,a double exhibition of weakness is displayed. (2) As regards the objection to favourable comments coming at the end instead of at the beginning, the question raised is one of peculiar concern. When a reviewer, after examining a book, draws attention to a number of dis- crepancies, but is anxious to show the great service which the volume might render another year after revision, it may be wiser to bestow praise at the end rather than the beginning. In days when congregations enjoyed the “Fourteenthly ” in a sermon, magazine readers thought it a duty to peruse a long article from beginning to end. But now, when everyone thinks he is in a hurry, it is the fashion to turn rather to the last paragraph, and take the cue from it, before beginning to read the whole. The fear that mention of the “Rhymer’s Lexicon” on p. 857 “might have looked like an advertisement” is naive, considering that the publisher’s own firm is fittingly advertised in the body of the book on p. 397. As the Editor considers that we have been indifferent to the “genuine hard work devoted to the British section” of publishers, we take this opportunity of noting that the register in question has been padded out in the present issue by the inclusion of several publishers of music. The first insertion of a music house appeared in the 1901 edition of the “ Literary Year Book,’’ and that entry has since been reprinted annually. We now find, in the 1906 edition, that representatives of the music trade— extraneous to that of bona fide book selling—have been considerably augmented. These “British” music pub- lishers include a German firm under the letter A, and a well-known Italian house under R. Nevertheless, the old- established British houses of Novello & Co (genuine book publishers as well as music sellers), Curwen (publishers of many books on tonic sol-fa as well as sheet music), Ash- down, Metzler, Williams, Weekes, and so on, are not mentioned. Surely, if music publishers are inserted, musical instrument makers should also be added, because a few of these have published books, e.g., Hill & Sons, Hart, and Chanot (on the violin), Rudall Carte (on the flute, besides the ‘ Musical Directory ”), and Brinsmead (on the piano). By the way, the firm that brings out more books on music than any other in London to-day, is William Reeves, Charing Cross Road, whose name is omitted. Music pub- lishers, however, are primarily concerned with the business of music selling. It is a trade distinct from that of book printing or book publishing. To get into touch with recognised sellers of literature, Messrs. Simpkin Marshall, or other distributors, are usually employed by the music firms. There is no need unduly to increase the bulk of the “Literary Year Book.” Such entries are no more valued by the music trade than they are by purchasers of the book itself. Asa proof of this, we refer to the memo- randum at the beginning of the section. It says that those publishers “whose names are marked with an asterisk have not corrected their entries for the present issue.” Only two music publishers appear without an asterisk. Auk. THE AUTHOR. Torems ror AUTHORS. Dear Str,—May I beg for a trifle of space in which to amplify slighily my little paper on totems, which appeared in last month’s Author. It is to the necessity of simplicity in design that I wish to draw attention. The totem, to fulfil perfectly its work of identification, must have two qualities—simplicity and recognisability. Now, though, correctly speaking, a totem is a “natural object . . . one of a class,” it would be absurd for authors to be totemically pedantic when their end would be served equally well by designs representing any well-known manufactured article; therefore by the term “totem” it is understood that I mean any object, natural or manufactured, used as a means to assist identification of an author with his work. Referring back now to my opening remark on the need for simplicity, it seems to me that the ignoring of this by the inexperienced totemist will lead him into one of two difficulties. Supposing him to make use of a natural object for his totem, he will possibly allow his artist to design him quite a pretty little picture—which as a picture may be very admirable ; but as an aid to identification of his name with his work just useless. I can imagine some member of the public asking a friend if he has read Brown’s new book. And the friend asking which Brown. And after that the ineffectual struggles of the first man to describe the pretty little picture which Brown has printed always alongside his name ! Again, in the case of an author making use of a manufactured article for his totem, his artist may feel it in his bones that a teapot or a pair of tongs look “‘ mighty mean”’ without a little softening of the lines, and something of a background. Result —the man in the street is never quite satisfied whether the teapot is a coffee pot, watering can, oil can, antique vase or a shaving pot. While as for the tongs, probably he goes all his days thinking they’re a pair of nutcrackers. No! if you're going to call in the assistance of the totem, let your motto be, “Simplicity and Recognisability.” Clumsy but useful. Something anyone can name at aglance. ‘Tongs ” Smith—‘ Kettle” Hyne— *Camuel” Kipling—“ Whale” Bullen! Who would forget °em? ‘They’re too readily recog- nised and too easily described to be confused or forgotten. Now, in the words of the immoral Drinquobier : “ Who is going to begin an’ make a start?” Yours faithfully, Wiut1am Hore Hopaeson. 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. 16 Issue 05 (February 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 05 (February 1906) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-02-01-The-Author-16-5 Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/514/1906-03-01-The-Author-16-6.pdf 8908f18cab0735f745700a60d3028a2f 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) 1906-03-01 Volume 16 Issue 6 Pages Page range in volume 161–188 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060301 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin FOUNDED BY SIR Che HMutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) WALTER BESANT. Vou. XVI.—No. 6. [PRIcE SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ———————————— NOTICES. + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the epinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tur Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. oo List of Members. Tur List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. — The Pension Fund of the Society. Tux Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices in April, 1905, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur- chased £200 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 per cent. Certificates, bringing the invest- ments of the fund to the figures set out below. Vou. XVI. Marc# Ist, 1906. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Console 24 % ee. £1000 0 0 Diocal loans «242.202... es 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 Il War lo06n 2. 201. 9 8 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture SLOCK =... 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Tirnst 4 % Certificates ............--- 200 0 0 Tid £2,448 9 2 ee Subscriptions, 1905. £ 8. a. July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the Lord : : : : 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Thorburn, W. M. 010 0 Nov. 9, “ Francis Daveen’’. 0 5 0 Noy. 9, Adair, Joseph Lt 8 Nov. 21, Thurston, Mrs. lo Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. 0 5 0 Donations, 1905. Noy. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. Nov. 17, Nash, T. A. . Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A. Dec. 6, Finch, Madame Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry Dee. 15, Muir, Ward ; Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. . Dec. 18, Sheppard, A. T. Dec. 18, 8. F. G. : 1906. Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. ‘ : : Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) .5 Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C. Feb. 5, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt Feb. 5, Yeats, Jack B. : Feb. 12, White, Mrs. Caroline Feb. 13, Bolton, Miss Anna cococrorocorFCOrF on — o eocoooccooeo SCMWOCOTRMRWMOMWS cooooeon on THE AUTHOR. COMMITTEE NOTES. — 1 — HE February meeting of the managing com- mittee of the society was held on Monday, the 5th, at 4 p.m., at the offices of the society. After the minutes had been read and signed, the committee proceeded to elect those who had submitted their names for membership and associateship. Eighteen were elected, making the total for the current year forty-two. So far the number of elections is well maintained. Sir Henry Bergne and Mr. A. W. a Beckett, who respectively resigned from the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship, were re-elected to fill these positions, and accepted their re-election. The secretary reported that there was a sum of over £270 in the Life Membership Account to be invested as capital of the society. After some deliberation the committee decided to purchase West Australian 33 per cent. Inscribed Stock. The committee must congratulate the members on the increase of the invested capital of the society, which now amounts to over £1,000. The approxi- mate date of the general meeting was fixed for the end of March and of the annual dinner for the beginning of May, and the secretary was instructed to make the usual arrangements. When the actual dates have been fixed, the usual notices will be sent round giving information to all the members. ‘Three or four important cases were carefully investigated by the committee. Owing to their confidential nature, it is impossible to place the details before the members, but the com- mittee decided on one question to obtain a legal opinion from their American lawyer. Another case dealing with infringement in the Colonies was adjourned pending further information. The committee regret to say that the case which they carried through the Courts at Munich has terminated unsatisfactorily, owing to the fact that the most important witness disappeared, and the defendants have been unable to pay their creditors, and cannot be found. Acting, therefore, on the advice of the lawyers in Munich, who consider that it would be impossible for the society, even if successful, to recover either the amount they claim or the costs, the committee have decided to withdraw the action. —t—<—+ Cases. Srnce the last issue of Zhe Author ten cases have passed through the secretary’s hands. It is unsatisfactory to report that of these fewer have been settled than in former months. Six were for the return of MSS., and in one of these the MS. has been returned and forwarded to the author. It should be repeated that the question of the deten- tion of MSS. is a very difficult one ; but it is hoped that the other MSS. may be returned in the course of the next month, when the results will be reported. There were two cases for accounts. In one of these the accounts have been settled, and in the other the accounts have been promised shortly. In one case for money a date has been fixed by which the magazine will forward the amount due to the author. One case referred to a dispute on an agreement. It is hoped that the society may be able to negotiate a settlement, as the question is one for amicable arrangement rather than for legal action. There were three cases remaining open from last month, two of them dealing with difficulties arising between publisher and author in America, and the third dealing with a publisher in England who, on former occasions, has ignored the requests of the society until process has been issued against him. No doubt, in this case also, when the matter is placed in the hands of the society’s solicitors a satisfactory arrangement will be made. ———~< + February Elections. Arthur, Julian : . Besant, Miss Celia 18, Clovelly Mansions, Gray’s Inn Road, W.C. 19, Castellain Road, Maida Vale, W. 4, Radnor Road, North Kensington, W. 78, Marine Parade, Brighton. 4, Warwick Mansions, Gray’s Inn, W.C. National Club, 1, Whitehall Gardens, S.W. 1, Alipore Lane, Cal- cutta, India. Stanton, Broadway, Worcestershire. Winforton _—_‘ Rectory, Hereford. Cottingham Rectory, East Yorks. Culham, New Eltham, Kent. 14, Calverley Park, Tunbridge Wells. Pilkington, Col. Henry, Tore, Tyrrells Pass, C.B. Treland. Blanckensee, Mrs. Irma . Caleb, Arthur E. Crichton, Mrs. Delannoy, Burford . Durand, Ralph A. . Eggar, Arthur Harris-Burland, John B. Marshall, Mrs. Frances (Alan St. Aubyn) Minton, Francis. Mitford, Miss Eveline B. Omond, T. 8. ‘ : TAE Hanover ‘Terrace, Regent’s Park, N.W. Cashlauna Shelmiddy, Strete, Dartmouth, Devon. Raphael, Mrs. oes /Yeats, Jack B. Two of those elected in February do not desire either their names or addresses to be printed. —____—__—_e—_______ BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. + (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and_purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) AGRICULTURE, By H. Riper HAGGARD. New Longmans. 3s. 6d. A FarMER’sS YEAR. Impression. 7} x 5}. 489 pp. ART, EARLY ENGRAVINGS AND ENGRAVERS IN ENGLAND (1545—1695). By StpNEY CoLVIN. 203 x 153. 170 pp. British Museum, £5 5s. BIOGRAPHY. PoRFIRIO DIAZ: SEVEN TIMES PRESIDENT OF MEXICO. By Mrs. ALEC TWEEDIE. 9} x 63. 421 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 21s. n. Here AND THERE: MEMoRIES, INDIAN AND OTHER. By H. G. KeEene,C.1.E. 9 x 53. 215 pp. Brown Langham. 10s. 6d. n. DRAMA. Tur Dynasts. A Drama of the Napoleonic Wars, in three parts, nineteen acts, and 130 scenes. Part II. By THomas Harpy. 7} Xx 5}. 302 pp. Macmillan. 4s. 6d. n. EDUCATIONAL. UNDER READER ror BEGINNERS. By Masor F. R. H. CHAPMAN. 10 x 6}. Ill pp. Thacker. 7s. 6d. n. FICTION. Tue ForBIDDEN May. By Coralie STANTON and Hearn Hosken. 7% x5. 310 pp. White. 6s. THe PoRTREEVE. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 73 x 5. 364 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE CHAIN OF SEVEN Lives. By HAMILTON DRUM- MOND. 72x 5. 308 pp. White. 6s. Terence O’RouRKE, GuNTLEMAN ADVENTURER. By L. J. VANCE. 7% x 5}. 393 pp. Grant Richards. 6s. TuE BENDING oF A Twic. By Desmonp F, T. CoKn. _ 43x 5. 310 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. Mrs. Erricker’s Reputation. By THOMAS COBB. 74x 5. 308 pp. Rivers. 6s. Nature's VAGABOND AND OTHER STORIES. By Cosmo HAMILTON. 74 <5. 384 pp. Chatto and Windus, 6s, AUTHOR. 163 WHITE CARL 327 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 6s. FATE’s INTRUDER. By FRANK SAVILE and Watson. 74x 5. 295 pp. Heinemann. 6s. THE BLUE PETER. By MORLEY ROBERTS. 7? x 5. 348 pp. Nash. 6s. : THE GAMBLER. By KATERINE CECIL THURSTON. 7? x 5. 389 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE SCHOLAR’S DAUGHTER. By BEATRICE HARRADEN. 7% x 5. 284 pp. Methuen. 6s. THE GREAT REFUSAL. By MAXWELL GRAY. 381 pp. J. Long. 6s. THE HEALERS. By MAARTEN MAARTENS. 7} x 5. 379 pp. Constable. 6s. THE BisHop’s APRON. By W. SomersET MAUGHAM, 7x x 5. 311 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. THE LAPSE OF VIVIEN EApDy. By CHARLES MARRIOTT. 72x 5. 311 pp. Nash. 6s. , THE House oF SHapows. By R. J. FARRER. 335 pp. Arnold. 6s. IN SILENCE. By Mrs. FRED REYNOLDS. 7} x 5}. 336 Hurst and Blackett. 6s. THE HATANEE: A Tale of Burman Superstition. A. Eagar. 7} x 54. 244 pp. Murray. 6s. For LIFE AND AFTER. By Geo. R. SIMs. 344 pp. Chatto and Windus. 6s. THE BuURGLAR'S CLUB: A Romance in Twelve Chronicles. By Henry A. Hertne. 8 x 54. 280 pp. Cassell. 3s. 6d. THe Hanp. By JOUBERT. 72 x 5. A. ET 72 x 5, 7% x 5. 72 x 5. HISTORY. THe History oF ENGLAND FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE NORMAN Conqugst. By T. HopGKIn, D.C.L., Litt.D. 9x6. 528 pp. Longmans. 7s. 6d. n. LAW. TeN YEARS’ EXPERIENCE OF SALFORD CouNTY COURTS. PARRY. 9% x 7. THE MANCHESTER AND 3y His Honour JUDGE Sherratt and Hughes. 1s. n. LITERARY. How To READ ENGLISH Mitton. By LAURIE MAGNUS. Routledge. 2s. 6d. ESSAYS IN THE MAKING. By EusTACE MILES. 161 pp. Rivingtons. 3s. 6d. CHAUCER TO 62 x 44. 207 pp. LITERATURE : 7326 51 (=X OG MEDICAL. A HANDBOOK OF CLIMATIC TREATMENT, INCLUDING BALNEOLOGY. By W. R. Hueearp, M.A,, M.D., F.B.C.P. 83x 53. 536 pp. Macmillan. 12s. 6d. n. MISCELLANEOUS. THREEPENCE A DAY FoR Foop. By Eustace MILEs. 64x 4. 94pp. Constable. 1s. n. MUSIC. ORIGINAL RECITATIONS, By MARY SENIOR 11 x 8}. TWENTY-FOUR CHARMING SONGS AND GAMES FOR CHILDREN. CLARK. Set to Music by GAYNOR SIMPSON. Oo. Newmann. THEOLOGY. JOHANNINE GRAMMAR. By E. A. ABBOTT. 9 x 6. 687 pp. SMALL LESSONS OF GREAT TRUTHS. A Book for Children. By A. KATHERINE Parkes. 63 x 44. 92 pp. Methuen. 1s, 6d. ANIMISM : ‘THE SEED OF CLopp. 7 x 4%. 100 pp. RELIGION. By EDWARD Constable & Co, 1s. n.  164 LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. ROFESSOR FLINDERS PETRIE’S new work, “ Researches in Sinai,” published by Mr. Murray, gives an account of the recent expedition with a large working party, which lived in the desert excavating for some months. The oldest Egyptian sculptures known are reproduced, the geology and ancient ruins are described, the conditions of the Exodus are discussed with a new view of the Israelite census, and the life of the Bedouin of Sinai and the Egyptian desert is noticed. “The Gambler,’ Mrs. Thurston’s novel recently published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co., has for its heroine an impulsive Irish girl who inherits a gambling propensity. ‘The scenes of the story are laid in Ireland, the Continent, and London. Miss Beatrice Harraden’s story, ‘‘ The Scholar’s Daughter,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. in the early part of last month, is the tale of an old country house in England, the home of the heroine’s father, who is engaged on the great work of his life, the compiling of a colossal dictionary on new lines. Like most of her former works, the present one is mainly a study of character. In his recently published work on “ Easy Mathematics, chiefly Arithmetic,” Sir Oliver Lodge’s aim has been to interest children and adults in fundamental facts of nature, to exhibit their easy reasonableness, and to remove the stigma of dulness from arithmetical teaching. Although the work is especially adapted to the use of parents and teachers and students who work by themselves, it is hoped that it can be used as a class book also. Mr. John Murray is the publisher. Mrs. Campbell Praed’s new novel, “ The Lost Earl of Ellan,” is running as a serial through the pages of the Canadian Magazine. “The Great Refusal” is the title of a new novel by Maxwell Gray, which Mr. John Long has recently published. The story depicts the conflict of character between two men of diverse tempera- ments: the father, a man of money, and his only son, a man of mind. “For Life—and After,” by Geo. R. Sims, pub- lished by Messrs. Chatto & Windus, is the romance of a woman who suffers penal servitude for life. It strongly illustrates the peril of a conviction founded entirely on circumstantial evidence. The same publishers have also issued a volume of short stories by Mr. Cosmo Hamilton, entitled, “ Nature’s Vagabond.” The first story, from which the book takes its title, deals with the gradual THE AUTHOR. decline into vagabondage of a distinguished Oxford man, and his subsequent return to respectability after experiencing a severe buffeting in the rough- and-tumble of life. “Stories from the Operas” is the title of a volume by Miss Gladys Davidson, which Mr. Werner Laurie is publishing at the price of 3s. 6d. nett. It contains twenty of the more popular tales written simply and in accordance with the operas. Dolf Wyllarde’s novel, ‘The Pathway of the Pioneer,” published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. in the middle of last month, depicts the life of a woman, gently born and educated, who has, through force of circumstances, to earn her own living. Messrs. Chapman & Hall have recently published a work by Mr. G. Ainsley Hight, entitled, “The Unity of Will,” in which the author propounds a new theory of volition and freedom of the human intellect. The published price of the work is 10s. 6d. nett. Mr. Eden Phillpotts’ story, “ The Portreeve,” is one in the chain of narratives he is weaving about Dartmoor, and depicts various aspects of the life and ambitions of its folk. Messrs. Methuen & Co. have published the book, which contains a frontis- piece by Mr. A. B. Collier. The same author is also publishing in Messrs. Newnes’ Sixpenny Series a new story, entitled “The Unlucky Number.” Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. will publish in the spring a new story by the Rev. J. A. Hamilton, author of “The MS. in a Red Box,” entitled “Captain John Lister.” It is a tale of Ax- holme, and the time is the outbreak of the Civil War. Among the earliest publications of Messrs. Brown, Langham & Oo.’s Spring List is a book of reminiscences by Mr. H. G. Keene, C.1.E. Mr. Keene is one of the survivors of the old régime in India, and in this book of memories called ‘* Here and There,” there are many amusing stories of old Haileybury, and of Indian life in days before the Mutiny. The second part of the volume deals with later life spent in London and elsewhere, with gossip about some distinguished persons whom the writer had the fortune to meet on his return from exile. Mr. Keene is the author of “A Servant of John Company,” and ‘Sketches in Indian Ink,” and his reminiscences, which are published at 10s. 6d. nett, with a frontispiece of the author, should appeal with special force to all who have — had experience of Indian life. The same publishers produced early last month — a new and cheaper edition of Mr. Lacon Watson’s “Christopher Deane.” In view of the interest — that has been shown lately in stories of school and college life, ‘ Christopher Deane,” which treats —  of Winchester and Cambridge, should have con- siderable success in its present form. “Mr. Tumpsy,” written by Charles Croft, and published by Mr. Henry J. Drane, is a fairy tale, which, though appealing to children, will not, the author hopes, be found uninteresting to adults. The pieces of music which are scattered throughout the book have been specially arranged to suit the powers of those who play the piano with only one finger. The illustrations to the work are from the pen of Mr. G. E. Kriiger. The scene of Mrs. Philip Champion de Cres- igny’s new novel, which Mr. Eveleigh Nash will publish shortly, is laid in France during the 16th century. The title of the book is “The Grey Domino.” “Pictures from the Balkans,’ which Messrs. Cassell & Co. will publish shortly, is the fruit of an extensive tour of the Near East, which Mr. John Foster Fraser made last autumn. The book will be illustrated from photographs taken by the author. Miss Oliver Katherine Parr (who has, for some time, been a member of the honorary literary staff of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) contributes a special illustrated article on the famous Mount St. Bernard Hospice to the current issue of the Animal World. Under the editorship of Mr. Edward Fairholme, this journal has inaugurated some new features. Con- tributcrs who wish for it are now paid a small remuneration, 10s. per thousand words, and monthly photographic competitions have been opened. The journal is published by Messrs. Partridge & Co. «A Huguenot Heroine,” is the title of a serial by Miss Edith C. Kenyon, which is running through the pages of Our Own Gazette. Messrs. S. W. Partridge & Co., who published Miss Kenyon’s last book, “ Love’s Golden Thread,” have commissioned her to write them a work for this year’s autumn season. «By Law Eternal,” a novel by Geraldine Kemp, has been published by Messrs. Jarrold & Sons at the price of 3s. 6d. The keynotes of the story are heredity and work, and the author deals with one of the gravest ills of life. Pauline, the principal character, inherits from her mother insanity ; from her father strength of character, nobility and intellect, combined with a sound physique. The author’s aim has been to show how, through the influence of power, will, and feeling, properly directed and rationally developed, her sorrowful heritage could be mastered. Messrs. Hurst & Blackett published, in the middle of last month, Mrs. Alec T'weedie’s Life of General Porfirio Diaz, for thirty years President of Mexico. Mrs. Tweedie has compiled this life with TAR AUTHOR. 165 the President’s sanction from authentic diaries and documents placed in her hands for the purpose. It is the life-history of a man who, born in obscurity, has lived a wildly exciting life as a soldier, has played an important part in the history of Maximilian and Carlota, and has now assumed the position of Perpetual President and brought his country from chaos and revolution to peace and prosperity. The volume is published at the price of 21s. nett. Mr. R. H. Sherard’s volume of reminiscences, “Twenty Years in Paris,” which Messrs. Hutchin- son & Co. published recently, has gone into a second edition. Arrangements are in progress for a French and a German translation. “A Veneered Scamp” is the title of a new novel by Miss Jean Middlemass. The story, which is of a sensational nature, is published by Mr. Jobn Long. Dr. Paget’ Toynbee’s book, “ Dante in English Literature,” will be published in the spring by Messrs. Methuen & Co. The work covers a period of 464 years, from the date of Chaucer’s second visit to Italy in 1380 to the death of Cary in 1844. Nearly 300 English writers, who make mention of Dante or quote his works during this period, are traced by Dr. Toynbee. Rather more than forty of these belong to the sixteenth century, about thirty to the seventeenth, and nearly one hundred to the eighteenth, the greater number of the remainder falling within the first forty years of the nineteenth century. The work contains a brief biography of each of the writers mentioned. Mr. Somerset Maugham’s new novel, “The Bishop’s Apron,’ published by Messrs. Chapman & Hall, presents him as a satirist and humourist. The schemes of the ambitious clerical party and the intrigues of the new nobility form the material for the work. Messrs. A. & C. Black have just published Mr. E. A. Reynolds-Ball’s handbook “ Rome, a Practical Guide to Rome and its Environs,” with illustrations in colour by Albert Pisa. Although the work is mainly intended to meet the require- ments of tourists only able to spend a few weeks in the city, it does not neglect the interests of more leisured visitors. It contains, in addition, full details on matters affecting the comfort of the tourist, such as hotel accommodation. Mr. Robert Machray has completed a new serial story dealing with a remarkable and successful case of personation, the truth regarding which is only brought to light by the merest accident. Messrs. Chatto & Windus will publish the story in book form in early autumn. Mr. Fisher Unwin will publish this month a novel by Mrs. Archibald Little, the title of which is “A Millionaire’s Courtship.” A millionaire’s 166 yachting tour forms the groundwork of the story. The book contains many descriptive passages which, however, are subordinated to the interest of the characters. Sir Edward Durand has written, and Mr. Sidney Appleton will publish, a work entitled “ Cyrus the Great King.” It is in the form of a poem depicting the life of the great Persian who figured in the period of war and conquest that only came to a pause with the siege and fall of Babylon. The second volume of the new edition of the Dictionary of Music contains a sympathetic article on Sir George Grove by Mr. C. L. Graves, while Mr. J. A. Fuller Maitland, who is editing it, writes on Grieg, J.iszt, and other composers. The social committee of the Pioneer Club, assisted by Rowland Grey, has arranged what should prove an interesting commemoration of Mrs. Browning’s centenary upon March 6th. Mrs. Meynell has promised to read a paper upon the poems, her relationship with Mrs. Browning making any word from the author of such sonnets as “Renouncement” of fresh interest. Miss Wynne-Matthison will recite two of the sonnets from the Portuguese, and the songs set to ‘‘ Leaving yet Loving,” ‘‘ How do I Love Thee,” “A Sabbath Evening at Sea,” will also be given in the presence of a portrait of Mrs. Browning, wreathed with the true poet’s laurel. The wreath is to be sent afterwards to Florence and laid upon her grave. The two series of “Chronicles of the Burglar’s Club,” by Henry A. Hering, which have recently appeared in Cassell’s Magazine, have just been published in volume form by Messrs. Cassell & Co., with illustrations by F. H. Townsend. Mr. Hering’s burglars differ from other light-fingered gentry, inasmuch as they are men of position, who, having exhausted all legitimate excitemenis of civilisation, burgle for the sport of the thing, and promptly return the articles purloined. Mr. Pinero’s new play, “ His House in Order,” produced at the St. James’ Theatre on February 1st, deals with the marriage of a widower with a kind-hearted irresponsible girl who, lacking the domestic abilities of her predecessor, loses the regard of her husband, and is snubbed and scolded by most of his relations. ‘The good qualities of the lady whom she has replaced are constantly brought to her notice, in order to indicate her own shortcomings. The discovery of incriminating facts relating to the past life of this “ model of propriety ” forms the pivot of the play. The caste includes Miss Irene Vanbrugh, Mr. Herbert Waring, Miss Beryl Faber and Mr. George Alexander. Miss Netta Syrett’s one act play, “The Younger Generation,’ was produced in front of “The Heroic Stubbs” at Terry’s Theatre on the third of Jast month. It deals with the disappointment of THE AUTHOR. a widow who, expecting a proposal of marriage from one of her former admirers, finds that his affections are centred on her daughter. The piece ends by the widow sacrificing her desire in favour of “The Younger Generation.” The three char- acters in the play were interpreted by Miss Irene Rooke, Miss Estelle Winwood, and Mr. G. F, Tully. Capt. Robert Marshall’s comedy, ‘‘ The Alabaster Staircase,” was produced at the Comedy Theatre on the 21st of last month. The main characters in the piece are a Tory Prime Minister, his daughter, and her lover—a wealthy “Socialist” Member of Parliament. The play indicates the change of political faith of the Premier, caused by a fall down an alabaster staircase. In consequence of this change he takes leave of his cabinet, and expresses admiration for the views of the “Socialist,” which were previously abhorrent to him. The caste includes Mr. John Hare, Mr. Leslie Faber, and Miss Lottie Venne. PARIS NOTES. > IOGRAPHIES, memoirs and letters are all more in favour than ever in France, and some of the recent books of this kind are certainly quite as interesting as fiction. Among such volumes is “ Madame de Prie ” (1698—1727), by H. Thirion. The author has taken the trouble to give us in detail the whole story of the life of this extraordinary woman, who at the age of fifteen was married to the Marquis de Prie, a man twenty- six years older than she was. Later on comes her liaison with the Duc de Bourbon, and then we have all the hardships which follow this. According to M. Thirion’s documents Mme. de Prie has been basely slandered, for the account he gives of her differs widely from the idea of her usually given in histories. “Le Voyage de Sparte,” by M. Maurice Barres, is now published in volume. “Le Journal inédit du duc de Croij” is the title of the book of memoirs published by MM. the Vicomte de Grouchy and Paul Cottin. The Due de Croij (1718—1784) left manuscript memoirs enough to have completed something like forty ordinary-sized volumes, but the authors of the present publication have wisely given in two large volumes details concerned with life at Versailles and in Paris. The book is particularly interesting as a picture of the times. “Le Roman de Sainte-Beuve,” by M. Gustave  Sopher NS we THE AUTHOR. Simon, is another volume on the much-discussed question of Sainte-Beuve’s affection for Mme. Victor Hugo. ‘Les Impressions d’une Francaise en Amérique,” by Mme. Vianzone ; “ A l’autre bout du monde,” by M. Paul Varrego, treats of adventures and habits and customs in Australia. “De Sebastopol 4 Solférino,” by M. de Cham- brier ; ‘“‘Le Coup de Grice,” by the Général de Piépape ; “Les Campagnes de 1799,” by M. Edouard Gachot—three volumes of history which are each well worth reading. A volume, published by M. Louis Loviot, containing the “Lettres de Gabrielle Delzant,” with a preface by Mme. Blanc-Bentzon, gives us two types of the modern woman in the best and highest acceptance of thisterm. The letters them- selves are charming, and M. Brunetiére says of the writer of the admirable preface to the volume :— “Depuis trente ans je doute si quelque femme a fait plus ou autant pour la revendication des droits de son sexe que Mme. Th. Bentzon. On! elle n’a jamais élevé la voix! Ce n’est pas sa ‘maniére’ ni celle des femmes de son monde. . . . Elle a vécu de la vie des unes et, 4 force de sympathie, elle a reconstitué ‘l'état d’ame’ des autres... . Elle a passé des mois en Russie pour y observer la femme russe. lle a fait deux ou trois fois le voyage en Amérique pour étudier la femme américaine. Je ne dis rien de |’Angleterre qu’elle connait aussi bien que la France. .. .” “Science et Libre Pensée” is the title of a volume by M. Berthelot, of the French Academy. This is the fourth volume of articles, essays and speeches published by the eminent scientist, at whose jubilee commemoration in Paris, some four years ago, savants from all parts of the world met. Among the articles contained in the present collec- tion are the following :—‘ Les Causes finales,” “Les relations entre la France et l’Angleterre,” “La Paix par la Justice,” “ Le réle des races scandinaves dans le développement de la civilisa- tion moderne,” “ La méthode scientifiques en politique,’ “ L’evolution des sciences au XIX* siécle.” “La Marine qu’il nous faut,” by M. Charles ' Bos, with a preface by M. Edouard Lockroy, is a book that is now being discussed. A sketch of “Le Président Falliéres,” illustrated by photo- graphs and drawing, has been published by the author, M. Jean de la Hire, at the right moment. “ La Comédie protectioniste,” by M. Yves Guyot. The author goes back to the time of Colbert to show the economic evolution in France, and shows later on the work of Cobden and Napoleon III. destroyed by the establishment of custom duties still in vigour. “Le Mécanisme de la vie moderne,” by the 167 _ Vicomte d’Avenel, a volume in which the author treats of the subject of the Stock Exchange. He shows how from 1815 to 1850 the bank became an Important spring in national life, directed chiefly by men of Swiss Protestant birth. From 1850 to 1870 Pereire and Rothschild came to the front, and under the cover of Turkish affairs the first syndi- cates between French and German financiers were established. “Hssai d’une psychologie de l’Angleterre con- temporaine, les crises belliqueuses,” by Jacques Bardoux. Among recent volumes of fiction are the follow- ing :— Le Coeur disséqué,” by M. Ferri-Pisani, a nephew of George Sand ; “ La Bonne Etoile,” by M. Jean Rameau ; “L’Age de Raison,” by Mme. Claire Albane; “Janua Cceli,” by Mme. Jean d’Ivray ; “ L’Inoubliable Passé,” by Mme. Ré- musat; “Ceux qu’on méprise,” by M. Georges Verdéne, with a preface by M. Anatole France. “Tia Cité des Idoles,” by M. Henri Chateau, is a curious novel based on the problem of an ideal society. The author endeavours to show how this can be evolved from contemporary society, but at the same time he shows the instability of it, when built up on the old errors and oppressions. In the Revue des Deux Mondes M. A. Bellessort writes an interesting article, “ La vie japonaise.” In the Revue de Paris M. Anatole France continues “La Bataille de Patay.” In the two last numbers of Za Revue are articles by Edmond Scherer on “ L’Invasion de Versailles’ (1870); Emile Faguet, “Un Ménage d’Ecrivains” ; Dr. Lowenthal, “Pourquoi la France se dépeuple ” ; Charles Wagner, “ A propos de la Morale sans Dieu”; G. Savitch, “ Les types littéraires de la Crise russe.” At the Frangais “ Les Cceurs timides,” by Paul Adam, is announced, and “Deux Hommes,” by Alfred Capus. Other forthcoming pieces are ‘‘ Le Ruisseau,” by Pierre Wolf, for the Gymnase ; “La Dette,” by Bernstein; “Le Bourgeon,” by Feydeau; and “Paris-New York,” by Francis de Croisset. “La Piste,” by M. Sardou, is running at the Variétés, and “Les Hannetons,” by M. Brieux, and “ Au Petit Bonheur,” by M. Anatole France, at the Renaissance. At the Théaitre Antoine a French version of “Old Heidelberg” is being played, and the Thédtre des Arts has produced a five-act piece by M. Saint Georges de Bouhélier, entitled “ Le Roi sans couronne.” ALYS HALLARD. o—~<>—-e-  SPANISH NOTES. ee HE advance made by women in Spain in 7 literature is seen in Dona Emelia Pardo Bazan appearing as a dramatist. Her four- act drama, “Verdad” (Truth), was given for the first time on 9th January, and the enthusiastic applause with which the performance was received, showed the welcome accorded by Spaniards to the work of a woman. Thestory of the play is based on the hero’s love of truth— Truth, truth at any price!” is his watchword, and in this spirit he confesses the murder of his first wife to her sister whom he has married. The murder had been committed in the rage induced by the confession extorted from the victim. The play shows that Truth cannot be welcome, when it reveals shameful deeds of treachery and cruelty, and the drama is another laurel to the fame of the writer, whose novels and philosophical works have long made her name celebrated. The Spanish stage has just suffered a great loss in the death of the popular actor Riquelme. Thanks to the united generous efforts of the above cited artistes, and Borras, Lucrecia Arana, Consuelo Majendia, Josefina Roca, Ruiz Tatay, Ramirez, Gonzalez, etc., the grand performance at the Apolo Theatre produced a large sum for the widow and orphans of the artist. The political world has also sustained a loss in the death of Sefor Esteve, the well-known liberal leader of Murcia, and the large conclave of 10,000 people at his funeral proved his popularity. The Imparcial is publishing interesting articles on some of the leading emissaries for the conference, and it is interesting to see the appreciative tone of the remarks relating to Sir Arthur Nicolson, whose departure from the British Embassy at Madrid is so much regretted. ‘‘ Whatever disagreements or conflicts may ensue at Algeciras,” says Luis Bello, “We can count upon the beneficial effect of Sir Arthur Nicolson’s wide and generous mind, which exceeds the force of mere words and forms, and which is characteristic of his race.” An interesting meeting was held on January 7th, at the Academy of Moral and Political Science, under the presidency of H.M. King Alfonzo XIIL., who made a short speech congratulating the society on the encouragement it affords the country in the study of the sciences. Presentation of the medal was made to Sefior Guisasola, the new member, who delivered his maiden speech on “The Prin- ciple of Authority, its Origin, Character, and Relations.” After drawing masterly distinctions between undue extensions, and undue limitations of authority, the speaker said, “ The base of authority ig a force which is in fact divine, and it is communicated in various forms to the person or THER AUTHOR. institution that exercises it. The force to com- mand is from God, but the form of exercising this force is determined by man.” The speech by the Marquis del Vadillo on the connection between natural and moral forces was also full of metaphysical truths. The Academy of Political and Moral Science has recently elected as a member the ex-minister Don Pio Gullen, whom Sefior Azcarate welcomed as ‘¢a well-informed and discreet politician, an honest and intelligent functionary, a clever writer, and a fluent and accurate parliamentary speaker.” This distinction has been afforded to Pio Gullen in consideration of his studies of the bases and the systems of the parliamentary methods prevailing in Europe and America. “Bl Idolo” (The Idol) by the well-known dramatist, Don Manuel Linares, is a striking picture of the corruption of the Spanish parlia- mentary system, to which the hero, Don Cesar Pedroso, succumbs. For his original ideal is not proof against feminine persuasion to use his influence to her profit. As the Spanish critics of the play remark : ‘‘ The stage reflects our customs.” And it is these customs which Spanish patriots trust will be gradually reformed. The Atheneum of Madrid has just been opened to women as members, and the first to enrol them- selves are la Marquesa de Mont-Roig, la Marquesa de Ayerbe, Sefiora Carmen Figuerola de Ferretti, Sefiora Pardo Bazan, and Sefiora Blanca de los Rios. The Woman's Agricultural Times offers to publish articles from notable Spanish ladies in their own language if Colonel Figuerola Ferretti edits the contributions. This first Anglo-Spanish magazine will promote the en/ente cordiale between the women of the two countries and voice the cordial welcome awaiting Princess Ena of Battenberg as the future Queen of Spain. The Spanish agricultural magazine ( Ganaderva y industriales rurales) has moreover invited contri- butions from English women encouraging Princess Ena, when Queen, to patronize efforts to forward the lighter branches of agriculture as occupations for women. The distinguished Spanish journalist Sefior Ramiro de Maeztu has won the gratitude of his countrymen by the able way he has reported from London the methods he has marked in the recent English elections ; and he has also surprised his countrywomen by the accounts he has given of the able way many wives aided their husbands in the contest. A Spanish magazine suggests publishing Mrs. Alec Tweedie’s Life of Porfirio Diaz, the Spanish minister of Mexico, as a serial, if it be translated. by Don Manuel de Figuerola in the Foreign Office  THK AUTHOR. at Madrid, whose success in a diplomatic mission in Paris was rewarded with the Légion d’Honneur. The great banquet recently given to the political reformer Soriano, in Madrid, was an occasion for the orator to give noble tributes to the authors Galdos and Rusifiol, who were present. He declared that he himself only aimed at being “the ambas- sador of the national conscience,’ and in this he was aided by Galdos, “ the splendid pioneer of cul- ture and morality,” and by Rusifiol, the Catalonian, “who,” to quote the speaker, “represents the intelligence which is the bond of union between all parts of the country.” The Spanish press publishes two charming poems in honour of the Infanta Dofia Paz on her departure from Madrid after the marriage of the Infanta Maria Teresa with her son Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria. The Doita Infanta de la Paz, sister of the late King Alfonzo XII, is well- known for the works of her pen. Her article comparing Cervantes to Schiller was circulated in the Royal Academy at the Don Quixote fétes. The King and Queen patronised this literary function, when the article was read which was written for the occasion by the veteran blind author, Juan Valera, who died a short time before the day of his triumph. A fine edition of the works of this great writer is now in preparation, and the first volume now out contains the ‘“ Eulogy of Saint Teresa,” “Liberty in Art,” and “The Study of Don Quixote and the Various Forms of Judging it.” The Geographical Society of Spain held an interesting meeting the other evening, under the presidency of the minister of the navy to hear the account of Colonel Delmé Radcliffe’s travels in Uganda and many parts of the Victoria Nyanza Lake district in Central Africa. The traveller gave his experiences in good Spanish, and his reports on the progress of the railway scheme of the country, the manners and customs of the natives, and the fauna and flora of the land, were listened to with great interest. RACHEL CHALLIOE. a PUBLICATION AND COPYRIGHT. ——_+—<—+—__ Part I. O discuss in detail the various aspects of “‘ publication” considered with reference to the law of copyright, would be to supply The Author with a great deal of matter conveying very little definite information to its readers. The text books of Mr. Copinger, Mr. MacGillivray, and of Mr. Scrutton contain many scores of pages devoted to the subject, and if the judgments upon which they found their summaries of the law, and to which they refer in footnotes, were set out at length, considerably more space would be occupied, 169 only to show more clearly, what alone appears to be plain, that various points which may arise at any time are undecided, and that the statutes which should provide the definitions dealing with rights that arise out of statute alone, leave a great deal to be settled by the courts at the expense of suitors. As Mr. Scrutton, K.C., observes, in an early page of his work, ‘‘ These Statutes are, with- out exception, of most involved and _ inartistic draftsmanship, and present to the Legislature a suitable, even an urgent, case for codification.” Is it too much to hope that a new government, having among its members an unusual number of well-known authors, may be able to find time to introduce and to pass a new Copyright Act, dealing exhaustively with books, and with literary and journalistic matter generally, and also with plays, lectures, engravings (a very wide-spreading branch of the subject under modern conditions), sculp- ture, paintings, drawings, photographs and music. To leave the law relating to all these to be dug out from many Acts of Parliament and the deci- sions relating to them, and to be amended by privately introduced measures drafted by bodies interested in, and acquainted with, only what concerns themselves, is to suffer the continuance of an “ungodly jumble” to the loss and incon- venience of a deserving and law-abiding section of the public, who are neglected only because they give little trouble to anybody. When we consider the important part which “publication” plays in the law of copyright, it would not be too much to suggest that it is a word that should oceupy the attention of the codifying draftsman almost as scon as he has finished his “preamble.” At present it is the dividing line which marks the passage in most cases from the common law right in the originator (to prevent others from appropriating the product of his brain), to the statutory right (copyright, strictly so called), which takes the place of the common law right directly ‘ publication” has occurred. It is also for this reason the starting point from which, in many instances, the time “begins to run,” during which copyright is to be enjoyed. Publication may therefore be said to demand a statutory definition which has never hitherto been accorded to it, or such varying definitions as will suit the various subjects of copyright. Mr. Scrutton quotes a suggested definition of publication from a case argued in the Chancery Division (Blank v. Footman, 39 Ch. D. 678), whereby it is described as “ making a thing pablic in any manner in which it is capable of being communicated to the public,” and he adds that, though not necessarily so, the subject of publica- tion is generally for sale, or, at any rate, so as to ~ 170 be accessible to all who desire to obtain it, son conditions imposed not by the author, but by the law. Publication for private circulation only, and under conditions imposed by the author, does not divest the common law right. This, it will be seen, is a very general definition, and one of which, as of some others, it may be observed that the bearings of it lie in its application. It is not difficult to deduce from it that “ the publication of a work for private purposes and private circula- tion is not a publication sufficient to defeat the common law right of the author,” but more is needed when some of the subjects of copyright are considered. Anyone would be ready to say offhand that a book or an etching of which copies printed at the author’s expense have been given or even sold to a few (or to a large number) of his ersonal friends has not been “ published.” It would be less easy for the same person not acquainted with the various judgments, to con- jecture or to reason, whether a picture which has been exhibited at the Royal Academy, or at a print-seller’s for the purpose of securing sub- scribers to an engraving, or of which process reproductions have been circulated in Academy guides, and in illustrated newspapers, has been “published ” or not. If he were to go into the matter he would find that these points and many others concerning literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic publication have been decided, as has been said, not by the Legislature in the various copy- right Acts, but by the courts of law after expensive litigation at the expense of suitors anxious to defend their rights imperilled by no fault of theirs. There has usually been someone, that is to say, anxious to make a profit out of the rights in a book, a play, a musical composition, or a work of art, and someone else endeavouring in his own interest to prevent him, and these, instead of finding the law ready made for them, have had to pay for obtaining an interpretation from a judge, which has had to be discussed on appeal. The decision thus obtained may be useful to others by laying down general principles which will govern their cases on some future occasion, but it neces- sarily will leave many points in doubt. To take at random one of the instances referred to above, the seeker after the law might satisfy himself that according to an old decision of the Irish Chancery Court, the exhibition of a picture, say at the Royal Academy, does not constitute such a publication of it as to divest the painter of his common law right. He might also be gratified to find that a recent decision in the United States had endorsed this view in a case in which it was essential to show that the picture had not been already “published ” before steps were taken to protect ib in America. He might, however, be tempted to apply the THE AUTHOR. knowledge thus acquired to the case of a piece of sculpture, and find that in the Irish case already referred to (Turner v. Robinson, 1860, 10 Tr. Ch, 516), Lord Chancellor Brady said: “In the Statutes bestowing protection upon works of sculp- ture the terminus @ guo from which the protection commences is the publication of the work, that is, from the moment the eye of the public is allowed to rest upon it. Many large works in this branch of art, which decorate public squares and other places, are of course so published, but there are others not designed for such purposes which could never be published in any other way than in exhibitions ; therefore I apprehend that these works of sculpture must be considered as published by exhibition at such places as the Royal Academy and Manchester, so as to entitle them to the pro- tection of the Statutes from the date of publica- tion.” Leaving out of the question the advantages which a work of sculpture may be entitled to through “publication” of such a nature, it is evident that these rights rest at present upon the obiter dictum of a Chancellor who founded them upon somewhat insufficient grounds. The publi- cation of a statue, great or small, may date from its exhibition at the Royal Academy, but it is absurd to say that this is because it “could never be published in any other way.” A piece of sculpture can be reproduced and multiplied by castings or otherwise, just as a painting can be multiplied by engraving, or an engraving, by the taking of more impressions from the same plate; and it can be, and often is, pub- lished by sale in a limited or unlimited edition, just as easily as a mezzotint; or, if there is any inherent difference between the two classes of artistic work, it requires considerable mental subtlety to discern it. Books are published as a rule in amanner which leaves little or no doubt as to the fact of publica- tion, and as to the date on which it takes place. Under the Copyright Act, 1842, a book includes “every volume, part, or division of a volume, pamphlet, sheet of letter-press, sheet of music, map, chart, or plan separately published.” Publi- cation means distribution to the general public either gratuitously or by sale, and the doubt whether a book has been published or not at a certain time generally arises when some kind of circulation has taken place, and it is a question whether this was “ private” or not. Notes issued — to students at classes, and republished by one of them, and manuscripts circulated by a clergyman — among his parishioners, have been the subject of — legal decisions in this class of case, and have been held not to have been published.” The distri- bution of lithographed copies of music for private  use has, on the other hand, been held to be publi- cation. Naturally, when in the ordinary way a “publisher ” announces a forthcoming book, and on a pre-arranged day sends out the copies ordered to the trade, in order that booksellers may retail them, there can be no doubt as to publication taking place. It has to take place on British soil in all cases, but this does not affect the question what is, or is not, publication. This, in the case of books, is sometimes quite clear ; sometimes not easy to decide, and the decision is not made clear by any effort of the legislature. A dramatic piece includes every “ tragedy, comedy, play, opera, farce, or other scenic, musical, or dramatic entertainment.” Formerly, acting a play, as distinct from publishing it like a book, was not a publication of it, so that, as one result of this, a man might produce another’s play without infringing his statutory copyright. Since the Act of 1842 (sect. 20), the first public representation or performance of any dramatic piece or musical performance is “deemed equivalent” to the first publication of a book. The representation or per- formance has to be public, but how far many dramatic performances held with the intention of thereby securing copyright are “public” within the meaning of the Act need not be discussed here. In the United States the law seems to be in the same condition that it was in England before 1842. Ina case decided in the Superior Court of New York in 1870, the plaintiff had bought from the author, Mr. Tom Robertson, the right to produce in the United States a certain play which had been acted in London. The defendant had taken the play down in writing when it was acted at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre, or bought the text of it from ingenious, if dishonest, persons who had done so. If the play had been published in England it would have been free for all Americans to annex, or whatever may be the appropriate term. It was argued, however, successfully that the acting in England was not a publication in the eyes of American law, so that the author had not lost his common law right, and could protect himself under it. The result, at all events, was consistent with justice. Apparently, however, if the play had been published and sold as a literary work, as well as produced on the stage, the decision would have been the other way. In England a dramatic composition is looked on from two points of view, that of a book to be read, and that of a performance to be held publicly. The copyright, strictly so called (i.e., the right to multiply copies) dates from publication as a book, and the performing right from the first public representation, so that dispute as to what is or is not “ public”’ may arise in either case. It has been suggested above that definitions of THE AUTHOR. 171 publication are desirable ; it would perhaps be better if its importance were diminished by making the conditions of protection cease to be dependent upon it, and by making publication, where it has to be considered, a matter of compliance with specified formalities, which could easily be done in more if not all of the matters subject to copyright. ESSA ea Iara A HINT TO WRITERS UPON TECHNICAL SUBJECTS. —+—~<—+- —__ T has been stated at times, by not well-informed persons, that the Society of Authors exists only to assist writers of fiction. Though, no doubt, a large number of the members of the Society are writers of fiction, there are many hundreds, dramatists, writers on technical subjects, history, theology, and so on, composers of music and illustrators of books, whose property the Society undertakes to protect. There are two chief reasons why it is advanced against the Society that its main business lies with writers of fiction. One is the fact that many of the articles in The Author refer to writers of fiction— —especially those articles which deal with the work of the agent ; and the other the fact that in examples of the cost of production, the 6s. book is generally taken as a fitting standard. This is not because the 6s. book is necessarily the work of a writer of fiction, but because, taking the market as a whole, the majority of books are published at this price, and it is, therefore, a con- venient price from which to start any calculation. Because of the prevalent impression it may, there- fore, be as well to explain how technical writers can be benefited by the work and funds of the Society. In the past year one or two examples have occurred which demonstrate clearly that writers other than writers of fiction need advice from the Society, and to quote them will be the simplest way of showing the larger scope of our work. Many years ago a member of the Society, a medical man now famous in his special branch, wrote a work dealing with his particular subject. Being then comparatively unknown to the public, he found some difficulty in placing his book, and finally published it by selling his copyright to one of the medical publishers. Hight or nine years afterwards he had advanced not only in reputa- tion before the public, but also in the skill and knowledge of his subject. He therefore came to the conclusion that his book ought to be reissued and brought up to date with the examples gathered 172 from his own experience and added knowledge. But on his approaching the publisher he was unable to obtain anything like satisfactory terms, and the publisher was unwilling to make the alterations required. He found himself in the following difficult position : Hither he must abandon his publication and see an imperfect work of his own placed before the public, or he must repurchase the copyright from the publisher at the publisher’s price before he could bring out the new book, as it was absolutely essential for him to use the old as the basis of the new. At this point he came to the Society of Authors, when, the position being explained to him, he decided to buy back his work and republish it himself. He was, of course, at the mercy of the publisher, who could ask practically any figure he liked for the copyright. This position is not unique ; it has occurred-on two or three other occasions. On one of these the author was not in a position to pur- chase the copyright of his original work from the publisher, and was bound, therefore, to transfer the copyright of the new edition to the same pub- lisher or not to publish at all. Whether we take the first example or the second, in either case the author is at the mercy of the publisher. To all readers of The Author it must be quite clear that this position could have been avoided if the authors had taken the advice which is put forward from time to time in these columns when criticising the agreements drafted on behalf of technical writers. As it was, the authors could only obtain the assistance of the Society to draft their new agreements and to make the best bargain on their behalf in order to get their works out of the hands of their old publishers. It has been pointed out in many places and on many occasions that publishers are essentially men of business, and if they find they can obtain a large price for any property they will naturally make the best bargain for themselves. It is usual for publishers to try to enforce more stringent terms upon authors who write on technical subjects than upon authors who write on more general sub- jects. There are two reasons for this. (1) Authors writing on technical subjects, as a general rule, have not the best knowledge of the business value of their works ; and (2) in some technical works a good part of the cost of production has sometimes to be undertaken by the author, even though his treatise may be by the greatest authority on the Sie as the subject may only appeal to the very ew. In both these cases the Society can be of assist- ance. In the first case, by showing the technical writer what is the real market value of his work under certain conditions ; and in the second, by testing for him the cost of production, and any THE AUTHOR. other details that may come into the agreement, if it has been made essential for him, by the pub- lisher, to pay asum towards the cost of production. Finally, it should be added that some technical works, if adopted by any of the educational centres, become very valuable property, and an author should always remember that such a chance may occur in the case of his own work. G. HE (8 MUSICAL COPYRIGHT. E have watched with considerable interest the energetic measures that the music publishers have been taking against the pirates. It is their natural desire to protect the property which they have, in nearly all cases, pur- chased outright from the musical composers. Their last success was to obtain a conviction in a criminal prosecution for conspiracy. The trial lasted for eight days, but the time was certainly not wasted, as it brought again to the notice of the public the urgent need to remedy the difficulties under which the musical composers labour. Refer- ence has been made from time to time in The Author to the steps the music publishers have taken in order to protect their property and to bring in a Bill which would deal with the question in an adequate way. Their efforts have, to a limited extent, been successful ; but the first Bill which was passed was in many particulars insufficient ; and the second Bill, which they attempted to push through the House last summer to fill up the deficiencies, met with strong opposition from a few who appear to be entirely ignorant either of the ethics of the rights of property, or of the history and evolution of copyright property in particular. While, however, we are exceedingly glad of the result of the prosecution, we should like to add a few remarks regarding musical composers. The publishers who have during the past years taken these active steps in order to protect musical property, put themselves before the public as acting for the composer of music, and for the musical composer only. They pose as the generous guardians of the author of music, just as, in the old days, the publisher of literary wares did on behalf of the author of books. The public, how- ever, must not be deceived by this attitude, for the fact is, that although the musical composer is the author of the work, and is the man in whom the copyright rested originally, yet owing either to his ignorance of the value of his property or, as is more probable, to his lack of gregarious instinct, he continues to sell that most valuable asset—his  ‘4 copyright and performing right—to the publisher, sometimes for a sum down and sometimes on a royalty basis. So the publishers are fighting rather for their own acquired rights than for the musical composers, and should openly state that this is their point of view, instead of coming forward under false colours. The efforts of the society to show to musical composers the value of their property, that is, the value of sound agreements, and to stir up some kind of opposition to the wholly illiberal and unfair contracts which are offered to them, have so far been unsuccessful. It is true that the society has a certain number of composers on its books, but a small body can bring but little pressure to bear upon the powerful publishing houses who have so long usurped the rights to which they are not entitled. Once again, it should be impressed upon the composers’ minds that not only are they getting inadequate returns for the works of their brains, but they are transferring their property without any guid pro quo. —______—~<—_e—_<_ COPYRIGHT LAW IN THE UNITED STATES. —+-—— + — Tur Statutory NOTICE. HE importance of the decision in the recent case of the G. & C. Meriam Company v. United Dictionary, which was fully set out in the last number of 7he Author, can hardly be exaggerated. The effect of it is staggering to publishers and authors, and particularly to the latter in cases where by an assignment or agree- ment they have no control over the form of printing or publishing in this country. The American Courts have laid it down in effect that if a single copy of a book, duly copy- righted in the United States, is published with the consent of the proprietor of the copyright in any part of the world, without the American copyright notice inserted in it, the proprietor cannot sue for infringement in the American Courts, and the copyright in the United States is practically lost. An important feature of the case is the way in which the defendant avoided committing a breach of the law against importation. The book was originally printed in America from plates manu- factured from type set in the United States, and the plates were sent over to England for the purpose of printing an English edition, and as the prohibi- tion against the importation into the United States of American copyright books does not apply to books printed from plates manufactured in that THE AUTHOR. 173 country,* the defendant did not offend against the law in that respect ; moreover, this prohibition is excepted,t where not more than two copies are purchased and imported “ for use and not for sale,” and this was another plea put forward by the defendant. It is the latter exception which makes the decision so fatal to the English publisher. No doubt many American copyright books are printed in England from plates manufactured in the United States, but this is not always the case. On the other hand there is nothing to prevent any person from buying two copies from an English publisher, which may perhaps contain no American copyright notice, and importing them “ for use and not for sale,” and so the prohibition against unlawful importation may be evaded. The harshness of the law was realised by the learned judge who tried the case, because the American copyright notice, as he pointed out, is of no importance in England and might conceiv- ably be detrimental to the sale of the book. Asa matter of common practice it is frequently dispensed with in books and periodicals which are published for sale in England. The merits of the case, the judge admitted, were entirely in the plaintiff's favour, and he regretted being driven to a legal conclusion which ignored them. ‘ The remedy,” he added, “rests with Congress and not with the courts.” The requirement of the copyright notice by the law of the United States is more than a century old, and it may be worth considering whether it is adapted to the reciprocal conditions of the present day. It first appears in the American Act of 1802, which, amending the original Copyright Act of 1790, provided that no author or proprietor of copyright should be entitled to the benefit of that Act unless he inserted the copyright notice. This was slightly altered in the Act of 1831, and revised to its present form in 1870, except that the alterna- tive form of the notice was added by the Act of 1874. The copyright law in the United States is at the present time undergoing revision, and it is to be hoped that Mr. Thorvald Solberg may devise a scheme which will lighten the burden of those who are at pains to secure copyright protection in the United States. The principal countries in the copyright world give protection to the American author with com- paratively little trouble. A book published in the United States can, by simultaneous publication of some copies in England—which may be printed in the United States—and registration at Stationers’ * Revised Statutes, sect, 4956. + Lbid. 174 Hall, acquire copyright protection without further formality, throughout the British Dominions and +n the other fourteen countries within the Copyright Union.* On the other hand, the difficulty of a foreign author in obtaining copyright protection in the United States is even greater, and the formalities more onerous, than in the Netherlands or Siam. In the first place, the author must belong to a proclaimed or treaty country before he is competent to acquire any copyright at all.t Secondly, the book must be printed from type set up in the United States and two cupies delivered to the Librarian of Congress, in addition to a printed copy of the title of the book, on or before the day of publication.{ And, further, the statutory copy- right notice must be inserted in the several copies of every edition, whether published in the United States or, according to this recent decision, in any other part of the universe.§ The wording, even, of the notice must be precise, as is shown by the cases in the American courts. Tt has been held, for instance, that where the notice was « Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by H. A. Jackson e an action could not be maintained by the proprietor of the copyright because the notice was insufficient. || And in another case, “Copyright, 1891. All rights reserved,” was held to be a bad notice, because the proprietors were not specified, although the name of the publishers appeared upon the title page and they were the proprietors of the copyright.4] It may be pointed out that the Canadian Act of 1875 and the Newfoundland Act of 1890, which are based upon the law of the United States, contain similar requirements as to the statutory copyright notice. ‘There is an important distine- tion, however, because the Canadian and New- foundland Acts are local, and do not operate outside the limits of the respective colonies. (See International Copyright Act 1886, sec. 8, (1-) and (4.) ). A country, it is suggested, should only impose obligations within its jurisdiction, and there seems to be something anomalous in the United States legislation which compels an English publisher to observe a formality in England which is not required according to English law. Haroitp Harpy. * Berne Convention, art. 3, as amended by the Additional Act of Paris. + Chace Act, 1891, s. 13. + Revised Statutes, sect. 4956. § Ibid., sect. 4962. | | Jackson v. Walkie, 29 Fed. Rep. 15. { Osgood y. Aloe Co., 83 Fed. Rep. 470. THB AUTHOR. MAGAZINE CONTENTS. —— 1+ BLACKWOOD’S. By the Warden of Wadham. BOOKMAN. By Elizabeth Lee. Book MONTHLY. Welsh Wales: A Literary Republic unknown to Eng- land. By 8. R. John. Our Sea Poetry. By J. E. Patterson. Scott in Ireland. An Oxford Trimmer. Heinrich Heine. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. An Agnostic’s Progress.—II. By William Scott Palmer, Scotch Education : How Ought it to be Organised. By James Donaldson. The Celtic Spirit in Literature. By Havelock Ellis. CoRNHILL. Society in the Time of Voltaire. George Eliot’s Coventry Friends. Draper. Grandeur et Décadence De Bernard Shaw. By A Young Playgoer. Freeman versus Froude. By 8. G. Tallentyre. By Warwick H. By Andrew Lang. FoRTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Critical Notes on “ As You Like it.” By H. M. Paull. Ebenezer Elliott: The Poet of Free Trade. By H. G. Shelley. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Quo Vadis. By G. Lowes Dickinson. Sir Thomas Browne. By G. L. Strachey. Macterlinck as Moralist. By Algar Thorold. Flowers and The Greek Gods. By Alice Lindsell. Leonidas Andreieff. By Simon Linden. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE, The Stuarts in Rome. By Herbert M. Vaughan. Lay Canons in France. By Egerton Beck. MONTH. Religion versus Religions. By C. C. Martindale. Edmund Campion’s History of Ireland. MontTHLy REVIEW. Lord Byron and Lord Lovelace. By John Murray. ‘Ancient and Modern Classics as Instruments of Educa- tion. By J. Herbert Warren. Froude and Freeman. By Ronald McNeill. A Forgotten Princess. By Reginald Lucas. NATIONAL REVIEW. Shaw and Super-Shaw. By Edith Balfour. ; The Northern University Movement. By Talbot Baines. NINETEENTH CENTURY. - An Official Registration of Private Art Collections. By Eugénie Strong. The Reading of the Modern Girl. By Florence B. Low. The Reviewing of Fiction. By Richard Bagot. TEMPLE BaR. Richard Jefferies. By Edward Thomas. (There are no articles dealing with Literary, Dramatic, or Musical subjects in Chambers's Journal or Pail Mail Magazine.)  WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. —— + — ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in The Author. IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :-— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book, General. Allother forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :-— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld, (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —___—_—_+—_+—____———__ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. ——— + EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. THE AUTHOR. 175 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system, Should obtain a sum in advance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.c., fixed nightly fees). ‘This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform, The legal distinction is of great importance, 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9, Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10, An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. e«—~<>° WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —_ ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright, He 176 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. —_—_——_e—<>—_-—__ HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. —-—>+ VERY member has a right toask for and to receive 4 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. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. The must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 41s. per annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. +4 HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. NE THE READING BRANCH. ee EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. —_—_—__—_+—— —___ NOTICES. — HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of I the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind; whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. lHvery effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. —— + The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. ee LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. —-~—+—_ ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C.  AUTHORITIES. — In last month’s issue we gave a short statement that the decision in Werckmeister v. Amerwan Litho- graphic Company had been upheld by Judge Holt of the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York. In his judgment he made some very trenchant remarks on the question whether or not the Act demands a copyright notice on the original painting. The words of the section making it necessary that the notice of the copy- right shall be inscribed run as follows :—‘‘ Upon some visible portion thereof, or of the substance on which the same shall be mounted.” Judge Holt points out that the word “ thereof,” and the words “the same,” do not refer to maps, charts, &c., but refer back to “the several copies.” He continues to show that the copyright notice is not written on the original MS., or on the original map, but on the copies that are made public, and though he draws the distinction that the original painting is more often made public than the map and the MS., yet he thinks the reason for the construction which makes the Copyright Act provide that the notice demanded by it shall be put on the copies of the copyrighted thing instead of upon the thing itself, is so weighty that such a construction should be given to the statute. He ends his judgment by saying :-—“It would seem almost a deliberate vulgarization of art if the finest specimens of painting and sculpture exhibited in the Paris Salon, the London Royal Academy, or the leading art societies in this or other countries were all ticketed with copyright notices. I cannot see why the law should require it, or that it does require 1G. This judgment and this decision are very satis- factory and seem to give a sound common sense interpretation to the United States Act on this point. In addition to the Werckmeister case, another case was printed in The Author from the Pub- lishers’ Weekly of New York. We must thank Mr. A. P. Watt for calling our attention to this important decision. It deals with some legal aspects which touch nearly all authors who publish in the United States of America and Great Britain, and an article from the pen of Mr. Harold Hardy, printed this month, will, we hope, explain the position more clearly to our members. We have received from the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress the statement of its work during 1905. THE AUTHOR. gg A comparison of the figures for that year with the figures of 1904 indicates sufficiently clearly the increasing work of this office. Whereas, in 1904, the sum received from every branch of the copyright business amounted to 75,520 dollars, in 1905 it totalled 78,518 dollars, or an increase of 2,998 dollars. Moreover this increase has not been obtained by an excess in one particular branch of its work, but has been manifested in all depart- ments. The number of titles registered, the certificates granted, the copies of records supplied, the assignments and the searches made, each shows an increase on the preceding year. The entries have risen from 106,577 in 1904 to 116,789 in 1905. The largest number of entries refers to musical compositions, 25,567 coming under this category. Periodicals, with 21,925 entries, come second ; while photographs, with 16,061, come third on the list. The entries referring to books (which include pamphlets) number 15,393. In addition, there are 3,872 entries referring to booklets, leaflets, circulars, and cards, and 10,204 entries of news- papers and magazine articles. The fact that on January 4th, 1906, all appli- cations, with the exception of 273 non-certificated entries, had been acted upon, indexed, and cata- logued, is sufficient testimony to the prompt and businesslike methods of the Copyright Office, and reflects the greatest credit on Mr. Thorvald Solberg, the Registrar of Copyrights. Sm Francis Burnanp who has been for over forty years connected with Punch has now resigned the editorship. There is no need, after the many tributes from other sources, to reiterate the fact that Sir Francis Burnand has always maintained the high principles of the paper, both in his selection of artists and in his selection of authors. We must congratulate the retiring editor on his long and successful connection with the paper. We are especially pleased to do so, as he has been a prominent member of the society for some years. His successor, Mr. Owen Seaman, whose work in Punch and in other papers is so well known, will, we are sure, fill the chair worthily. The society has also been honoured by Mr. Seaman’s membership, and he is, in addition, a member of the managing committee. He has always shown great interest in the arduous duties which he and the other members so generously undertake on behalf of those who belong to the society. ——_—_—_+——-_ THE AUTHOR. OBITUARY. —-— + — E have, with regret, to chronicle the death of Mr. C. J. Cornish, which occurred at the end of January. The late Mr. Cornish, who was in his forty-sixth year at the date of his death, had been a member of the Society for some fifteen years, and showed during that period his practical appreciation of the Society’s work by frequently consulting it for advice relative to the marketing of his property. Most of his books dealt with natural history, sport, and outdoor life, and although his life was but a short one, he found time to write about a dozen of these works, in addition to contributing to numerous magazines articles dealing with those subjects on which he was an authority. «Life at the Zoo,” “ Wild England of To-day,” “Nights with an Old Gunner,” are a few of the works which came from his pen. —_—_—_——__+—_—_+-___—_- THE LAW OF INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT. 1 HE work on this subject, by William Briggs, which has just been published by Stevens and Haynes, is divided into five parts: (1) The Evolution of International Copyright ; (2) The Theory of International Copyright ; (3) The Berne Convention, with a chapter on the Montevideo Convention ; (4) International Copy- right in the British Dominions and Colonial Copyright ; (5) Protection of Authors in the United States. Mr. Briggs starts from the very commencement. He shows how, gradually, property rose from something physical to something metaphysical, and that property, strictly speaking, is a right not a thing; how it became subject to certain laws in each state ; and how, with the evolution of society, different kinds of property were recognised, each in its turn coming under the legislature. He draws attention to manual labour as a title to property, then to intellectual labour as a title, and, finally, to copyright based on labour. Judge Thomson, an eminent American judge, stated: “The great principle on which the author’s right rests is that it is the fruit or production of his labour, and that labour by the faculties of the mind may establish aright of property as well as by the faculties of the body. Every principle of justice, equity, morality, fitness, and sound policy concurs in pro- tecting the literary labours of men to the same extent as the property acquired by manual labour is protected.” This is the view of the great French writers om the subject, but France has always been more liberal, and has always taken a broader view than any other nation in the evolution of this kind of property. Quoting another authority, he says: “‘ Distinct properties were not settled at the same time nor by one single Act, but by successive degrees,” and he goes on to show that although copyright property only became valuable at a late date, with the introduction of printing, it is not, therefore, a whit the less a real property on this account. It has been argued that copyright pro- perty is merely the granting of a monopoly. Mr. Briggs shows the fallacy of the argument. It is argued that although for many years it was not the subject of legislative enactments, it is not the less the property of the author. It is, in truth, as he points out, “‘an antecedent right of property deriving only its legal protection from the State.” England has the distinction of passing the first copyright law in which the author’s interests were considered. This is the Act of Anne, 1709, but though England may boast of this, it is France which can boast of treating most liberally the real ideal of copyright—that is, the right of foreign authors to protection. Her example has in recent years been followed by Belgium and Luxembourg. The writer having shown conclusively that copy- right is the property of the author, then discusses the ethical side. His remarks on this point are of great interest. His chapter on this question begins as follows :—%“Though piracy at sea was at one time considered an honourable profession, general morality has so far advanced that at the present day it is a barbaric practice, is regarded as criminal, but intellectual property has not yet been acknowledged as worthy to rank with material goods in respect of international protection,” but he points out, in a subsequent chapter—the history of international copyright—how, by slow degrees, the immorality of this piracy grew on the international conscience, and sometimes for ethical reasons, and sometimes for practical reasons, nations began to enter into treaties for the pro- tection of foreigners. It is curious to note how the ethical reasons have sometimes preceded the practical development. The nation that has given the greatest freedom to foreigners does not find it more difficult to enter into treaties, but finds it less difficult to do so, and we are glad to think that the English Copyright Commission gave as its opinion that reprisals in the matter of literary — plunder were illegitimate. Piracy, in many cases, does not lead to the production of the best books of other countries in the country that upholds the piracy, and is ever disastrous to its own literature. — The whole question of international copyright, — and the arguments brought forward in its favour, —  prove a strong indictment against the present position of the United States in the civilised world. Darras, the great- French authority, speak- ing of Russian law, says: “It seems to protect foreigners to a certain extent, but if the reality of the facts alone is taken into consideration, its place is marked side by side with the United States and Turkey.” We are pleased to think, however, as from time to time we have pointed out, and Mr. Briggs confirms this fact, that the cultured and intellectual minority in America have always been in favour of the higher evolution of international copyright and repudiated trade restriction. Having dealt exhaustively with the evolution of property generally, and copyright property in particular, Mr. Briggs then proceeds to consider the theory of International Copyright. He shows by careful argument the result of piracy on the ’ literature of nations, and on this question he is in entire agreement with the views that have been expressed from time to time in 7he Author. He next treats, in some detail, the evolution of Inter- national Copyright. He shows how the movement was inaugurated by treaties between the countries. He examines the advantages and disadvantages of treaties as a means of international agreement. Treaties between individual states are, no doubt, advantageous for the protection of their writers, but when there are many countries, and the treaties dealing with the same subject are multiplied in- definitely, then confusion is likely to reign, unless some international system such as is provided by the Berne Convention is adopted. Mr. Briggs points out very strongly that the question of copy- right should not be dealt with in commercial treaties between different countries, as copyright property, owing to its peculiar nature, cannot be dealt with on the same basis as bales of cotton and other similar commodities. He goes further and deals with the question of treaties made by countries that are members of the Berne Conven- tion with countries outside the Convention, or with countries within the Convention, and discusses the advantages to be derived from these separate treaties. He is inclined to think that treaties with countries outside the Convention will tend finally to bring those countries into the Convention, and that treaties between countries in the Conven- tion will broaden and will not narrow the advan- tages which those countries derive from the Con- vention, and therefore would assist the widening of the Convention should such widening at a later date be feasible. Finally, he arrives at the Berne Convention and takes it clause by clause, and views it from the point of view of its general application. Under this chapter he also deals with the Convention of Montevideo. THE AUTHOR. 179 The next division of the work, Part 4, refers to the particular application of International Copy- right to Great Britain under the Imperial Laws, and alternately, with the rights of Englishmen in foreign countries. Part 5, the last, deals with the United States and their relations with foreign countries. Thus he covers the whole range of International Copyright from end to end, showing the gradual advance of civilisation ; the gradual development of the rights of property, and, finally, of copy- right property ; how nations dealt with the newly developed property, and how the more civilised they became the more liberal became the protection which they afforded it. From beginning to end, his arguments lead to the conclusion that the United States have not yet risen to the level of the great nations of Hurope. It is hoped, however, that the consolidation of the United States Law may produce a satisfactory result. To deal with such a wide subject and in so detailed a manner necessitated the production of a large book and an enormous amount of labour. Mr. Briggs’ book covers more than 800 pages. It could not, in order to be of value to the student : — as the specialist, be very greatly reduced in ulk. The author cannot be too highly commended for his careful and laborious work, dealing as it does with the laws and technicalities in all the countries of the world, from many of which it is not always easy to obtain satisfactory and reliable informa- tion. With the exception of one or two minor slips, we have been unable to find any mistake in the facts quoted. In conclusion, we must express our gratitude to Mr. Briggs, not merely for producing a book of over 800 pages with great labour and care, but because by this production he has filled a gap which has existed in treatises on copyright property. a ———$ SOME FRENCH-CANADIAN WRITERS. ee HE “Voyages” of Champlain, the “ Relations” of the Jesuit missionaries, and the epistles of Marie de l’Incarnation, will always be interesting to those who endeavour to trace back to its source the stream of French-Canadian litera- ture. In these early writings we discover the influence of those conditions under which French- Canadian litlérateurs have usually worked. With few exceptions they have been chiefly controlled by religion and patriotism. Living in a stimulating atmosphere of sunlit purity, in the midst of the most picturesque scenic surroundings, they have- 180 always possessed the consciousness of a not less picturesque past. In addition to this, a large pro- portion of them have enjoyed the advantage of well-bred ancestors. ‘There was something of the spirit of the Crusaders in those who went out two or three centuries ago—some of the best blood of France—to found a New France in the western hemisphere. It is true that they had the Indian fur trade in mind, together with schemes of colonization of a more or less business-like descrip- tion; but many of them had also romantic dreams of glory, while every expedition was bathed in the spirit of faith and of religious proselytism. The Church has continued to hold the position it took at the outset in the Province of Quebec, when, indeed, it was not the Province of Quebec, but New France. It had seventy thousand inhabitants at the cession to the British in 1760; these have increased to one million six hundred and fifty thousand now. But they are all Roman Catholic, and in the main their customs and their civil law have been preserved as they were under French domination. Itis one of the triumphs of the British genius for managing colonies that the French- Canadians are loyal to the Crown, contented, happy and well-to-do, and that they have not the slightest wish to change their allegiance. Less than might have been supposed have they been influenced by France. They present a unique example of a branch severed from a parent stem and starting an independent existence. Their literary separation from France has been almost as complete as their political separation. The Church has attended to their education—they have not sent their sons and daughters “ home” for their teaching. They have not felt the impact of literary transformations any more than the rebound of political revolutions. Hon. Hector Fabre has well said : “ Our society is neither French nor English, nor Ameri- can, it is Canadian. One finds in its manners, its ideas, its customs, its tendencies something of each of the peoples in the neighbourhood of which it has lived; French petulance corrected by English common-sense, British stolidity brightened by French sprightliness. The con- tinuous practice of constitutional liberty, an incessant con- tact with institutions and forms foreign to our old mother country, the almost total cessation of intimate communica- tion with her... while they permit the ineffaceable mark of origin, they have destroyed any striking re- semblance. The Canadian feels himself as much a stranger in Paris as in London, for if our language is French, our customs and tastes are so no longer. ... Itis this society, miraculously preserved in certain respects, singularly dis- figured in others, that we must paint if we seriously wish to have a Canadian literature.” It is impossible.within the compass of a short article to mention in detail every author hailing from the Province of Quebec who has produced an historical monograph, blossomed into a fewtlleton, or penned a chanson. Suffice it to say that there TAR AUTHOR. have been many amateurs of a high type of excel- lence, and that out of a total list of a hundred and seventy or a hundred and eighty respectable writers, no fewer than seventy have indulged in verse as well as prose. The poetic form in which the literary genius of a people first breaks out has not been wanting, and if it has been born to blush unseen, it has at any rate served to keep alive a certain interest in things literary, for it is cer- tainly one use of the minor poet that he helps to clear a space in which the undoubted song-birds of the first order may sing. Between the production of the early works of which mention was made at the outset, and the date which marks the beginning of the French- Canadian literature of our modern day, there lies a somewhat arid period. If the stream of literature was in existence, it was surely flowing through subterranean passages ; buried beneath the laborious details of the lives of the pioneers. Such names as Joseph Quesnel, Michel Bibaud, Réal Angers, Bartle, Turcotte, Derome and others, though they were early in the French-Canadian field, were a long way behind their somewhat archaic fore- runners. But in them, as in those forerunners, we discover that naiveté and freshness of senti- ment which is one of the marks of French- Canadian writing. It is at the very antipodes of anything like Voltairean cynicism, Gallic frivolity, or Zolaesque realism. Among the early writers in whom these charac- teristics are strongly marked, a definite place is taken by Octave Crémazie, whose “Le Vieux Soldat Canadian” has been deservedly admired, and who has by some been considered, in his poem “Les Morts,”’ the superior of Lamartine. Among other poems of his are “Castelfidardo,” and ‘ Le Drapeau de Carillon.’ Crémazie was inspired by a keen pride of race, and he was a man of more than common reading. The attractions of com- merce seem, however, to have been stronger in his case than those of poetry. Though one or two of his poems have lived, he produced but little. The name of Léon Pamphile Lemay is familiar as the translator into French, for the benefit of his compatriots in Quebec, of Longfellow’s ‘ Evan- geline,” a work which was performed by him with an ease and sympathetic insight which are worthy of remark. M. Lemay also published a volume entitled ‘‘ Essais Poétiques.” His verse is of a tender, melancholy and dreamy cast ; a dim veil of sadness and pain seems to enshroud its beauty ; yet there is in it a simplicity, a pathos, and a transfiguring of familiar objects which commend it to the appreciative reader. But these names of literary pioneers are taken somewhat at random, and it may be that to some extent accident gave them a prominence over their THE AUTHOR. compeers that was not borne out by their essential attributes. That they were admired and appreciated shows, however, that a literary taste was being developed. This was further assisted from time to time by the establishment of literary magazines. The first of these was “La Bibliotheque Cana- dienne,” which was published in Montreal, in 1825, by the poet Bibaud, already named, and edited by him. It is interesting to turn to this carefully edited periodical, the contents of which were ambitious enough to comprise not only literary, but scientific and historical, matters. It appeared up to 1830. In 1830-81 the same editor brought out a magazine called “ L’Observateur,” and in 1832, he produced two volumes entitled “ Magasin du Bas Canada.” ‘Le Repertoire National,” in four volumes, published in 1848, was compiled by J. Huston. It contains a somewhat miscellaneous collection of all the writings of the French Canadians in prose and verse from 1777 to 1850. A fine edition of this work was produced in Mon- treal in 1895. ‘La Ruche Littéraire” (1853-59) was read with great interest by French Canadians of taste and culture. For by that time literature in French Canada had set for itself more definite aims, and there had arisen a little galaxy of stars upon the Quebec firmament. Among these the most distinguished are Pierre J. O. Chauveau, a novelist of ability; Etienne Parent, journalist, philosopher, and thinker—disposed, sometimes, to kick over the traces of the Church; Abbé J. B. A. Ferland, a careful and interesting historian ; J. C. Tache, a journalist of great force of character ; Hector Fabre, from whom a quotation has already been made—a man of fine taste, a great faculty of expression, and a considerable gift in delicate satire ; Benjamin Sulte, now the President of the Canadian Royal Society, and a very capable historian ; Abbé Provencher, a master of natural history, with especial accomplishments in ornitho- logy—-a man who found plenty to occupy his clever and industrious pen in the Canadian fields, forests, and waters ; James M. Lemoine, the historian of the old families of Quebec; Professor Paul Stevens, a writer of exquisite parables and gems of polished prose that were reproduced again and again by the newspapers ; Hector Langevin, an able lawyer who, at the age of twenty-one, became the editor of an ecclesiastical journal, and never afterwards lost his taste for literature. Here were ten men who may be said to have formed a sort of epoch, and to have brought together into a focus the wandering rays of French-Canadian literary ability. ‘They repre- sented the love of literature for its own sake, and with that disregard of pecuniary reward which has always been characteristic of the French- Canadian author, they helped to create a unique atmosphere of culture. It is impossible to read 181 their productions without being conscious that they contain a sincere and genuine enthusiasm that is as far removed as possible from the dollar hunting proclivities of many of the authors of their continent. To these names may be added those of Abbé Faillon, a preserver of the early folk-lore of the colony, and Emile Chevallier, a writer of charming romances. No name is more deservedly celebrated in Cana- dian letters than that of Francis Xavier Garneau, author of the great work “ Histoire du Canada,” which was published in three volumes in 1848. Like many of his compatriots, Garneau had in his youth written graceful and elegant verse. He takes a front rank, not only in the hearts of his country- men, but in their critical and literary estimate of him. He was a man of initiative courage, heroic perseverance, indomitable will, disinterestedness, and self-sacrifice. His ‘ Histoire” at once took a dignified place among the distinguished chronicles of other nations, and it remains, up to the present, the chief historical work among a people who have shown that they are by no means destitute of historic genius. Garneau has not been surpassed for his discern- meni of the causes that were at the back of the facts revealed in the papers referring to the early history of the colony. He is less passionate and partial than the writers who had dealt with the subject before him; for instance, he never hides the good deeds of the British. Taking his views from an elevated standpoint, he did much to raise the tone of French-Canadian history to a high, philosophical, and fruitful level. Antoine Gerin-Lajoie had the singular good fortune to acquire a wide local fame in the pro- vince before leaving college. A tragedy and a sone—especially the song—made him famous in 1842. The tragedy was based on the adventures of La Tour and his son in Nova Scotia, during the early part of the seventeenth century. The song was merely the expression of home-sickness, placed in the mouth of a Canadian exiled to a foreign land. So popular did the words of this song become among the French-speaking population, that they are now heard wherever French-Canadians have wandered on the continent of North America. The historical novel has an excellent model in “ Les Anciens Canadiens,” by M. de Gaspé, which was published at Montreal about forty years ago. It is a book that has a good place allotted to it in French-Canadian libraries. Its pages are animated by the flame of the past and the spirit of other days, for their author, who produced this work at seventy years of age, had with his own eyes seen much of what he narrates. Besides “ Les Anciens Canadiens,” two romances have had a considerable vogue. Of “ Jean Rivard’’—the work of Gerin- 182 Lajoie—we have already spoken as having brought an immediate fame to its clever young author. The other—* Charles Guérin ”—is the work of Pierre G. O. Chauveau. If the two heroes of these writers had met in the world they would have been friends. Both stories are true to life, inter- esting and well-planned. The people are natural and the local colour is good. “Jean Rivard” is, perhaps, the better of the two as an exact study of French-Canadian manners. Louis Honore Frechette, C.M.G., D.C.L., is greeted throughout Canada and the United States as the poet laureate of Canada. His poetry is of a high order ; it shows variety of conception and great delicacy of touch. His lines to various persons, whether distinguished in public life, or endeared to the author by private ties, are par- ticularly happy. He is a truly national poet, and his inspiration is found, not only in the past, but in the present. The grand dim old Canada, region of the savage huntsman and the pioneer, the voyageur, the trapper, and the missionary, with their all but fabulous doings, of these Frechette sometimes sings. But he sings also of a Quebec as it now stands ; of Montreal, as it now is ; the glories of Niagara ; the Sagueuay, the Thousand Isles, Cape Eternity, Beloeil Lake, Lake Beauport, Cape Tour- mente, and so on—the beautiful natural scenery which retains still its picturesque wildness. It is to people of to-day, or of yesterday, that his strophes are addressed. He sings rather of what French- Canada still has, as well as of what has passed away from her forever. He is the poet of the present, as Crémazie of the past ; the poet of joy and joyous nature, as Lemay is the poet of sadness and the autumn tints of earth. There is a whole- some warmth and freshness, a human life and joy about his poems which are truly refreshing. Among his more serious works are his drama of “ Papineau,” based on Canadian historical incidents ; his “ Dis- covery of the Mississipi,” his “ Canadian Year,” and his “ Légende d’un Peuple.” His poems fall natur- ally into two classes ; one treating of national, #.¢., French-Canadian subjects ; the other consisting of verses which might have been written in any country, with due regard to local colours. The former perpetuate the nobler days of French-Canada, when patriotism had not degenerated into mere provincial sentiment and race-hatred ; when the antagonism between English and French was as legitimate a feeling in Canada as on the battle- fields of Blenheim and Ramilies. But they do more than this. Beginning with the solitudes of the primeval forest, broken only by the red man in pursuit of his game, they retrace, in a long series of pictures the history of a colony, brilliant even under a cloud of obscurity. As it comes down through the excessive ages, this epic in short. poems shows, THE AUTHOR. in three epochal divisions, the development of the country from wilderness into settlement ; from settlement to the strife of the occupants ; and from the victory of the English race to events still pain- fully fresh in the memory of Canadians. “O notre histoire, écrin de perles ignorées,” says the poet ; and with the most finished art he arranges the jewels of his casket, disposing each so as to bring out its best and purest glitter. Cartier, La Salle, Jolliet, Daulac, the missionary martyrs, and others, usually left ‘unnamed among the chronicles of Kings,” stand first with him; and though generals and statesmen get a share of praise, it is with humbler men that this chiefest of French-Canadian poets loves chiefly to linger. ope THE POET v. THE STONEMASON;; or, WHY NOT A NEW MARKET FOR POETRY ? + 4 RADE again!” I fancy I can hear you mutter as you read my title... . Wait! You are not altogether wrong ; but I will try to show that there is much to be said in favour of a “market” even for such goods of the gods as poems, and this from a higher standpoint than merely the mercenary. To-day, poetry is, to use a term applied to grosser things, a “drug” on the literary market. No writer will doubt this; for his or her own experience will have taught them that this is an indubitable and dreary fact ; but supposing any- one to think the statement inaccurate, let them remember a remark made by one of the most prolific publishers we have of belles lettres, that he has been forced to refuse poems which half a century earlier would have brought their authors into prominence, and they will realise how appro- priate is the word “drug” when applied to the demand for poetry. Now, but a very cursory glance into the result of this lack of demand will show how the want of a “market” is proving actually destructive to our highest form of literature. Men—men with the real thing in them—dare not give to the use of their talent the time and application that is necessary to bring out all of that which is in them; for if they did so they would of a certainty go hungry. ‘This, if single, they might endure until finally the old story would have to be again re-told :— ® A sepulchre was built—a dead man’s throne ; A dozen thousand pounds were spent on stone And those who in his need denied him bread Now poured their riches o’er the hapless dead  But, if married, their hearts would speedily cry “Nay!” when the bairns began to voice their urgent needs. Or if not, then would the voice of the wife and mother prove just as effectual ; for she would grow mightily “dispatient” to see the man and father writing poems, however beautiful, whilst the ‘‘leetle ones ” clamoured. And go, because of a lack of market for their wares, poets dare not or must nol waste (forgive the word) time upon the exercising of that which is their right and proper function. And because of this I have little doubt but that the world is losing much fine work, and losing it in a peculiar manner. For it must not be supposed that you can silence a poet, worthy of the name, even by starving his bairns. No! instead of silencing him, in too many cases the combined terror of dumbness and the sheer need of food, force him into a compromise . . . . in fact, turn the rivers of his mind into another channel—too often to him an unnatural channel. For the poet, finding that his natural form of expression—the greatest ever gifted to man—is monetarily valueless, ai least until after he is dead, turns to upon the produc- tion of that more saleable article—the novel. Now, a man may be a great poet and but a poor novelist, so that, as a result, the world gets often badly-constructed novels in place of fine poems. Have I said enough to justify from the highest standpoint my plea for the need of a market—a mart pure and simple where poems may be sold, and the poets with the proceeds of their sales enabled to buy bread whereby they may live to work undisturbed at their art, and so give to the world other, and, perhaps better poems ? Now to my idea. I have entitled this small article “The Poet y. The Stonemason.” I find now that I had done better to have put Sculptor in place of Stone- mason; for it is chiefly with the wealthy people of the world that I look to find my market—with those who can afford the artist in place of the tradesman,” and who could afford the produce of the poet instead of the graven commonplace in- scriptions which are hideous in their frozen inability to express anything of the heart sorrow that prompts the nearest and dearest to show some mark of their love by means of a fit resting place. In short, I propose that the poet should have equal chance with the sculptor in making beautiful the Last Abode. I will go even further, and sug- gest that in many cases the poet might well take the place of the sculptor, especially where the relatives of the dead are not of the wealthiest. This, then, is the market that I propose should be opened to the poet. Let the artist take the place of the inscription-monger. Only a poet can hope to express even a tithe of the things that THE AUTHOR. 183 suffocate man in sorrow. Then, obviously, the poet is the one to whom the work should be entrusted. Wherefore a fine monument and a wretched, inadequate inscription? Better a poor monument and a great inscription. Think you, if ‘“Gray’s Elegy ” had been in truth written upon a tombstone, that anything less than a pyramid could have equalled it as a /asting memorial ? And the pyramids are dumb, save to the imaginative ; but the Elegy speaks even to those who lack the seventh sense. One more plea in the poet’s favour. Even people of but medium worldly means could fee the poet ; for the requiem in shape will be ever costlier than the requiem in words. In closing my little paper, I would suggest, with some humbleness of spirit, that poets need not write personal eulogies of the dead, but express rather the universal emotions of grief and despair and hope . . . and give voice to the human sense of lonesomeness and loss. For, it seems to me, that monuments and inscriptions are to comfort the living ; and nothing gives such ease as expres- sion. Such poems could be universal ; for such feelings and emotions as they would express are shared by all. In such wise might be written poems to the little child or the grown man which would prove universal treasures, appealing to the whole world with that true touch which makes us all akin. Sorrowful man bids the sculptor shape his sorrow in stone; let him call in also the poet who alone may speak heartfully of one who has passed Beyond the bellowing of Time’s aeon-surge. I feel a certain grave yet whimsical laughter as I ask my final question : Will any one open the market ? Wiiu1am Horr Hopeson. ———— ESSAYS ON MEDIZVAL LITERATURE.* — + LL lovers of literature, and still more all serious literary students, will be grateful to Professor Ker for having collected into a single volume his “ Essays on Mediaeval Litera- ture.” The fact that all have previously appeared, either as parts of other works, or in reviews of high standing, in no way diminishes their value as a whole. Though the publications which contain them are easy of access, it is by no means always the case that the reader interested in matters of this kind finds it convenient to be culling information 7 ea * W. P. Ker: “Essays on Medieval Literature.” London: Macmillan & Co. 1905. 184 from a number of different volumes; whilst— and this is of superlative importance—the various essays gain much in interest and significance by the light which they throw upon one another. The range is somewhat wide, from a brief treatise on Early English prose, to a notice of the late M. Gaston Paris. But the author is always keeping close to his subject, and invariably handling the topic immediately under his con- sideration with the suggestive facility of a man whose lucid and penetrating knowledge enables him to give freely out of the abundance of his information. There is nothing that Prof. Ker cannot make interesting. That means simply that he knows thoroughly what he is writing about. In a general way Harly English prose is for every reader, whose interests are not exclusively philological, a very dreary waste in which to be doomed to wander. Prof. Ker nowhere veils the peculiar kind of aridity that is a painfully leading feature in mediaeval litera- ture. On more than one occasion he makes pointed mention of this vice of most writers of the middle ages, and has interesting things to say about it. But even in the normal dulness of Early English prose his acumen discovers important merits. Where the interest of the subject is all to seek, and the art of treating it conspicuously absent, he shows the evidences of well-directed striving to reach methods of expression, that in time bore fruit of style and lucid exposition. Opinions will probably differ respecting the comparative interest of the several treatises. For our own part we must confess to a strong pre- ference for the three essays entitled “ Historical Notes on the Similes of Dante,” “ Boccaccio,” and * Chaucer.” In the first of these the author works out admirably his theme that “Dante is the first modern poet to make a consistent use, in narrative poetry, of the epic simile as derived from Homer through Virgil and the Latin poets.” The in- fluence of Dante is traced through Boccaccio to Chaucer (Prof. Ker is ever coming back to Chaucer)—and again from Chaucer onwards. One result is a revelation of how all modern poetry has its source in Dante, just as all occidental poetry has its source in Homer. Another result is the proof of ‘the vitality of classical poetry in its influence upon the moderns.” ‘Ihe essence of the Homeric simile is happily elucidated as the illus- tration that is not merely mentioned as containing a resemblance, but is further elaborated, beyond its mere parallelism, in such a manner that the picture evoked has a substantiality and value of its own. Of the immortal Boccaccio, Mr. Ker has, of course, things to say that never present themselves THE AUTHOR. to the imagination of the ordinary scribbler who blunders into writing about “John of the Tran- quillities,” under the delusion that he knows all that is to be said concerning him. The great man of letters, the great student, the great stylist, the great novelist, the great poet, the inventor of the otlava rima, the great literary discoverer, stands out in these pages in all his magnificent eminence, Most interesting is the insistence upon Boccaccio’s infallible instinct. ‘ The talents of Boccaccio for finding new kinds of literature, and making the most of them, is like the instinct of a man of business for profitable operations,” writes Prof. Ker, Nor less engaging is the elucidation of the contrast between Boccaccio and his master Petrarcha; the latter always melancholy, and the former always facing life in good spirits; Petrarcha always master, and Boccaccio always a deferential pupil ; but a pupil who saw some things with clearer, and all things with happier eyes than had been vouch- safed to his master. What Boccaccio was to Chaucer we have never seen elsewhere so clearly and fully put into words. There are always new things to be said about Chaucer—notwithstanding all that has been said about him; and some of these new things are admirably expressed in Prof. Ker’s essay. “‘ Chaucer is always at his best when he is put on his mettle by Boccaccio. . . . He learns from the Italian the lesson of sure and definite exposition.” Not that Chaucer copies or imitates Boccaccio. Prof. Ker shows that he does neither. But he learns from Boccaccio what Boccaccio had discovered for himself (for the Greek novelists where he might have found the same methods were unknown to him), the laws of construction and the art of con- ducting a story. ‘There were occasions when Chaucer took his own way, disregarded everything that he had learned from his master, and “let himself go” in the manner of the other medisevalists of his day: and then he did all the things that his master had shown him that he ought not to do, conformed with his age and its manners, and could relate in the dreariest and stalest of medizeval fashions. He gives himself a positive debauch of this kind in “The House of Fame,” and is tedious and monotonous with the dreariest. Very possibly he enjoyed it, and here and there his natural wit comes to light, and lifts him for the moment above the medizeval conventions. We have left ourselves but little space for allusion to a careful study of Gower, and an essay on Froissart (the longest in the book) in which both the course and the character of the original and of the English translation of Lord Berners are fully analysed. But we must not omit to mention the short notice of M. Gaston Paris with which the volume concludes ; an appreciation so warm and so THE sympathetic that we should commiserate the reader who could lay it down without feeling tempted to plunge into that literature of Old France to which M. Gaston Paris devoted his life. —_—___—_——_+—__+—______ AN AUTHOR’S LETTER BOX. —+-—~+— (Reprinted from New York Bookman, by kind permission of the Editor). YOUNG married American woman living in London was presented to Queen Victoria, who paid her a pretty personal compliment. A couple of hours later, at a tea at the American Embassy, a daughter of the Queen conveyed an intimation to the same American lady that she would soon be invited to Windsor Castle. This unusual incident was, naturally, much the talk of society in Tondon, and I heard every particular, for I was at the time visiting the home of the young American woman and her husband. Some years later I worked the incident into a story, and it was pretty generally sneered at by reviewers as a silly example of a writer venturing into social places about which, of course, he could know nothing. I’m case-hardened against that sort of criticism, but I took notice of a polite personal letter from a college lecturer on literature, who wrote to me condemning the use of such a highly improbable invention. To him I explained. He was all right ; he wrote and delivered a lecture on the inexpediency of the use of fact in fiction! T’ve had lots of fun out of an assumption in certain places that I am Bowery-derived—an assumption which has aided some of my critics in knowing that I know nothing about polite people. I once made use, ina short story, of some adyen- tures I shared with a couple of Harvard men while travelling in the Hawaiian Islands. This made one Harvard undergraduate so angry that he could not resist the call to rebuke me. That I should presume to speak of men and measures not of the Bowery made him sad, he said ; but that I should attempt to tell what a Harvard man would do under any circumstance was a piece of imperti- nence he could not encounter without protest. His further remarks and advice conveyed the impression that Harvard, as a social institution, depended much upon his sprightly resentment of such offending as mine. Not long after that I was a guest of Harvard Union, and inquired as to my correspondent, but no one could inform me. One took the trouble, however, to pursue his search as far as the records, and reported that there was, indeed, such a person there, but that he “was a mucker no one knew.” In my youth I reported for a newspaper a trial AUTHOR. 185 at law, famous throughout the mining States and Territories, which revealed that a mine swindle had been perpetrated through the “salting” of a bag of ore samples by an injection of a solution of gold. The cautious expert, who had personally broken down the samples of ore, had placed the bag containing them under his pillow at night, but the needle of the syringe had got there ¢owt de méme. Well, I used that incident in a magazine story not long ago, and promptly received a letter from a man whose letter-head acclaimed him to be a metallurgist and assayer, firmly informing me that such a trick was a chemical impossibility, and adding that I should shun such technicalities in fiction. One more story of this kind and then I'll tell what I’m driving at. In Lees and Leaven there is a deed to be recorded under circumstances related to the plot, and I told how it was done. From out of the West, where that part of the story lay, I received a number of letters protesting against my highly illegal procedure. T don’t know about that, either, for I had asked a lawyer who attends to such matters for a number of important industrial corporations, and I had recorded the deed strictly in accordance with his advice. Here, then, is the point: am I alone among writers in this matter of receiving letters con- demning me for errors I have not committed ? I set down these few cases, but [ recall scores. I think that many such fault-finding letters have been rejected by some newspaper, and the writers send them to authors after failing to get them into print. They sound like “letters to the editor.’ The man who approves is usually in a state of mind milder than that which moves him who disapproves, and the latter is the one who more often feels that the world will be better if he weeps forth his feelings from a fountain pen. Harper’s Weekly once turned over to me a letter from a Cincinnati lawyer scolding that excellent repository of Mr. Harvey’s thoughts for printing a “Chimmie Fadden” sketch wherein, asserted the indignant letter writer, I had been guilty of absolute indecency in “Chimmie’s” account of a night at the opera. In dismay I turned to the rinted page and found that “ Chimmie” had related, with some such reservations as one would make in telling the story to a child, the plot of Faust! hat letter I answered, pointing out that the Faust story in some form had been able to maintain a respectable place in literature so long that my Bowdlerised edition did not deserve the scorn of even the righteous. But the letter writer was not satisfied ; he saw a low purpose on my part in thrusting such a story before the pure eyes of Harper’s readers, who, he told me, were a different sort, morally, from the godless patrons of the opera. : 186 I have had many, perhaps more than a just share, of letters of commendation ; but, I repeat, those who dispraise have been very busy with my hide. The answer is obvious, of course, if one were asked to give a reason—lI’ve got only what I deserve—yet I wonder if I am alone among authors in this respect. A correspondence which came from every part of the country arose from ‘my use, in the person of “Major Max,” of the lines : Is it true, O Christ in heaven! that the wisest suffer most, That the strongest wander farthest and most hopelessly are ] x That ihe mark of rank in nature is capacity for pain, That the anguish of the singer lends its sweetness to the strain ? I would not dare to give an estimate of the number of letters I received asking the name of the author, what more verses, if any, there were, in what book the whole poem could be had, and similar questions. The Sun, in which that ‘‘ Max” story first appeared, found it expedient more than once, so many similar letters it received asking such information, to print replies in its answers to correspondents department. What seems to me to be the most whimsical letter I ever received was from a New York mer- chant, asking if the copyright in my books pre- vented the use of a menu one of them contained. Being assured that my menus were free to all, he explained that he wanted to give a certain chef an order to duplicate a dinner I described in Days Like These, but that a painful experience he had had with the law prompted him to ask my consent before proceeding with his dinner @ Ja Garnett. Epwarp W. TOowNSsEND. a THE TRANSFORMATION OF A GREAT NOVELIST. ere (Republished by kind permission of the Editor from the Westminster Gazette, December 30th, 1905.) 7 ¥ often speak of Laurence Wilders at the Scribblers’, and always with bated breath ; for, famous as the great novelist was to the public, he seemed still greater to us fellow literary men, who could gauge his work more truly and regard it more sympathetically than could the general reader. Even Blossop lowers his voice when he refers to the dead master. Only one man among us, and he is not usually silent, has been in the habit of listening without remark ; and yet Gorham and Wilders were intimate friends. But the other evening, after we had been speak- ing of Wilders’s last book, of the many personal qualities which had endeared him to us, of his fierce outbursts of passion, his impulsive generosity, THE AUTHOR. his almost womanly tenderness of heart, Gorham, gazing at as much of the fire as Blossop permitted to be seen, said slowly and gravely, rather as if he were communing with himself than addressing us : “Poor Wilders has been dead nearly twelve months ; I wonder whether the time has come for ts me to unseal my lips ? ” | We said with ill-concealed emphasis and eager- ness that it certainly had; and Gorham went on, still more gravely: “As you all know, I was Wilders’s most intimate friend. You were speaking just now, Millan, of the extraordinary change which F took place in him some years ago, of the cessation | ¥ \ of those outbursts of passion which used to trans- — = form the gentlest of men into . ‘CA frenzied lunatic,” said Millan. “ Why, yes ; ¢ don’t you remember how he used to rush in here § @> waving a magazine containing one of his stories, es and, striking the thing furiously with his clenched cals? fist, inveigh against the artist ? I recollect on one ha occasion he actually tore the illustrations from a peu! | book of his, and, flinging them on the floor, me danced upon them, yelling, ‘ Look at this! I have (gy described this man as a gentleman ; observe the at bounder this “artist ’ has made of him! my heroine — heroine ! beautiful.” I have taken pages to describe the girl. Look at: this—this hideous housemaid with her nose out of drawing, and her figure like a sack tied round the middle! ‘This, if you please, is the illustration of a scene at a lunch-party ; of course, the “artist” has put the men in evening dress ! And this is a boat. A boat! The wretch has made the man rowing it stern first. The animal kw in this picture is intended for a horse. I know it ~ is, because the line underneath says ‘ He bent Pd from his horse.” ’”’ bad Gorham nodded. ‘‘ Yes, poor Wilders suffered tal a great deal from the artist in his early and strug- oe gling days. Ofcourse they did not give him the best men. But when the drawing was good, how delighted, how grateful he was! And now we bot come to speak of the change in him. Later on, at or a certain period of his life, you will remember that, Flag however bad the block may have been, he never raged, never uttered even a word of complaint. fF... The change was an enigma to all of us. Itshall — be an enigma no ionger; I can explain it. The night before he died I was sitting beside his bed. He knew that death was near, but he was quite placid, and even cheerful, and his face wore a look of absolute content. It was a moonlight night ; he lay on his side looking through the window—he had asked me to pull up the blind—on the pretty FF — little garden at the back of that quaint, old- fF ! fashioned house of his at Leatherhead. 5 “Vou are all right—there is nothing I can do for you, old man ?’ I asked. This is Hl “Tall, slim, graceful, itn  THE AUTHOR. “éNo’ he said, ‘nothing. I am going out quietly and comfortably with, thank Heaven, a mind and a heart at rest. For some time past I have known that my innings were drawing to a close.’ “© Yes,’ I said; we have all noticed at the Seribblers’ how—how much calmer and more peaceful you have been of late.’ « ¢ He turned his eyes to me and smiled. ‘ Ah, yes,’ he said, in that soft pleasant voice of his. ‘I imow what you mean. But the knowledge of my coming death was not the reason of the change. I have often thought I would tell you. I will tell you now. You are referring to the fuss I used to make over the illustrations? Yes, yes ; of course.’ “* You grew resigned?’ I suggested. « «No it was not resignation ; it was action. It began this way: One night after I had been storming at the Club at one of the blocks to a story of mine in the Park Lane Magazine, | came home here, still fuming, and found the artist waiting for me. He had come to ask me some- thing about the illustration for the next number, of which he had brought a sketch. It was a horrible thing, worse even than the one which had driven me almost mad ; but the wretched man was quite complacent ; and I suppose his complacency upset me, for as he gazed at the sketch admiringly, with his head on one side and a conceited smile across his stupid face, I caught up the poker and struck him on the back of the head. He fell without a word or a groan, and, after tearing up the sketch and carefully burning it, I knelt down and examined him. He was quite dead ; oh quite. It was a great nuisance, of course, and I was very much annoyed, for I assure you, my dear fellow, that I did not intend to kill him. But the thing was done ; and as I hate any thing like a fuss—I fear that some men you and I know would have used this affair as an advertisement !—I said nothing about it; but later on, when my house- keeper and the servants had gone to bed, I dug a grave in the garden and buried him.’ ” “ Wilders was silent for amoment or two, and then he continued reflectively, with that pensive smile which made his face almost womanly in its ‘softness : “<T am quite convinced, my dear boy, that we literary men don’t take enough exercise. Jor instance, up to that time I used to be a bad sleeper ; it was not exactly insomnia, you know, but I was just a bad sleeper. That night after digging the grave I slept like a top. Of course it was the healthy exercise, the good smell of the newly turned earth, the work in the fresh air, the pleasant excitement accompanying the wholesome physical exercise. Oh, of course J am not forget- ting the soothing influence of an approving con- science. We are all so selfish ; we so loathe to do 187 good if the doing of it should entail a little trouble. But this affair was a lesson to me, a kind of inspiration. I think scarcely a week passed without my disposing of an artist. No; I did not again use the poker. You know how I detest physical violence. A blow is crude, brutal ; and, my dear Gorham, we must consider the feelings of even the lowest types of humanity. Think of the shock of a sudden blow! No; I used to invite them up to chat over their drawings and give them a glass of wine. There is very little taste in cyanide, you know, and it works with charming celerity. I am glad to think that they never, or scarcely ever, endured a pang. And I always buried them myself. You have no idea how soon I learned to dig even a full-sized grave quickly and neatly. I have often thought that if literature failed me I shoald apply for a sexton’s place. It is a peaceful, wholesome occupation. It is the contemplative man’s vocation.’ “ He was silent for a minute or two, then he said : “Do you think you could drag the bed a little nearer the window ? Thanks, thanks! Yes, lam sorry to leave my garden. It hasn’t many flowers— for obvious reasons ; but I have grown toloveit. I have “ got ” most of my books there, strolling round or sitting in that rustic seat under the plane-tree in the corner. I worked out “ Anabel-Snow ” there.’ «<< The sweetest, the most pathetic, and the most tender of idylls,’ I said. «You are good to say so, dear fellow,’ he mur- mured shyly, his eyes growing moist: you know how he used to melt at a word of praise from one one of us. ‘I don’t think it could have been written anywhere. : . . [am glad [have mentioned that little matter. I—ah, well! I don’t want to talk of example and the rest of it; but, my dear lad, if at any time you should be tempted to turn aside from the performance of an obvious duty just remember the comfort and consolation, the deep and lasting peace, which the discharge of this duty of mine has brought to me.... How exquisitely the moonlight falls on the grass-plot ! Tt is a little uneven; I never could succeed in relaying the sods quite level, quite as they were before. But the next man should grow some good flowers there—the soil must be rich. Will you give me a drink? Thanks, dear Gorham ! T think I can go to sleep now; our talk has soothed me.’ « Tt was his last sleep, as you know,” concluded Gorham, almost inaudibly. Blossop turned his face to the fire and blew his nose loudly. “He was a good man,” he said in a smothered voice ; and we nodded assent. None of us could speak, and there were tears in all our eyes. CHARLES GARVICE. THE AUTHOR. CORRESPONDENCE. —+—<—+ —_ Tue UNIT or An EDITION. Srr,—Much has been gained by the distinction between an edition and an impression. The question of the unit of either is not so easily settled. Much may be said for the unit of 1,000 and the designation of “half edition” or “ quarter edition” where 500 or 250 copies are printed. But there can be no difficulty in stating the actual number of the copies printed, and such a statement would, I submit, be more satisfactory to all persons interested. Perhaps the best solution is to leave the matter to be settled by the discretion of individual producers, and not to overdo the number of general rules which cannot bind anybody. A more important point, and a point so important that compulsory legislation might be brought to bear upon it, is the statement of the date of publication upon the title page. Yours obediently, J. M. Luty. 1+ Sir,—In The Author for January Mr. Lewis Melville writes of Trollope that he “is not dis- appearing, he has disappeared,” and that it is impossible to obtain a set of his best works, If the first of these assertions has ever been true, which I am rather inclined to doubt, it has certainly not been applicable to the United States during the past year or two. There has, indeed, been a regular “boom” in Trollope. I have found it difficult to get his best novels from the public libraries of New York and Cambridge, and the librarians informed me that they were in great demand. Paragraphs or articles about Trollope are constantly appearing in daily, weekly, or monthly periodicals, and his name turns up at social gatherings with almost as much frequency as those of present-day favourites like Mrs. Whar- ton or Miss May Sinclair. Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co. are publishing an excellent edition of his novels. I imagine if Baron Tauchnitz were asked, he would be able to tell of a pretty steady sale of Trollope’s works. At any rate, during my present visit to the United States I have seen more Tauchnitz copies of Trollope than of any other single author ; and Tauchnitz reprints are pretty common over here. I would therefore humbly submit that Mr. Melviile’s attitude towards Trollope is rather belated, or, at any rate, insular. Yours very truly, James F, MuIRHEAD. 6, Riedesel Avenue, Cambridge, Mass. A Missine Vouume. Srr,—Since my communications to The Author of November and December last, certain develop- ments, which may prove of interest to members, have occurred in connection with the old novel “ Rebecca, or the Victim of Duplicity,” whose third volume is still eagerly sought. In the first place we succeeded in tracing, through the kind offices of a gentleman in Paris, a catalogue for 1815 of the publishers of the book, Messrs, Lackington, Allen & Co., London, with a brief extract from a notice thereon, culled from The European Magazine, but without any date. This, however, was soon supplied, and the loan obtained from another friend of the volume of the magazine, January to June, 1808, in the March number of which appears an exhaustive review of “ Rebecca,” signed J. M., the initials, it is assumed, of Joseph Moser, a well-known contributor to The European und like periodicals of his time. Happily, the doubt which prevails in some minds as to any existence after all of a third volume is now quite set at rest, although we have not been so fortunate in establishing the identity of the writer. The fact, however, that ‘* Rebecca” was printed at Uttoxeter, whence was also issued, in the year 1821, a work entitled ‘“* Tales Serious and Instruc- tive,” by Ann Catherine Holbrook, distinctly lends colour to the inference that this lady was the authoress. J. M. was apparently ignorant of the name of the writer, as, although he attributes the authorship to a male—we find the words “he,” “him,” “his” often employed—no other indica- tion is ever given, so he was probably unable to pierce the mask of anonymity. ; The motive of the book was to lash unmercifully the evils of some “new philosophy ” which obtained at that period, and a discourse anent which occupies much space at the commencement of a very able criticism highly appreciative of the novelist’s efforts and the power of his, or her, denunciations. The book must have created some stir in its day, and have contained scenes of a most pathetic, harrowing description, calculated forcibly to im- press upon its readers the lessons of tolerance and Christianity it was the object of the author, or authoress, to convey. It has been suggested how it would be appro- priate to reprint the novel at Uttoxeter on the occasion of its centenary. But we must first trace that missing third volume. CEcIL CLARKE. Authors’ Club, 8.W. to 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. 16 Issue 06 (March 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 06 (March 1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-03-01-The-Author-16-6 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/515/1906-04-01-The-Author-16-7.pdf 369ae41181c61f341ded9e85ad9eecae 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) 1906-04-01 Volume 16 Issue 7 Pages Page range in volume 189–220 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060401 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin FOUNDED BY SIR (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Che Huthor. Monthly.) WALTER BESANT. Vou. XVI.—No. 7. APRIL Isr, 1906. [Prick SrxPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: AUTORIDAD, LONDON. +> NOTICES. —+~>—+ OR the opinions expressed in papers that are K signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. —_+-—>— + —— List of Members. Tne List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. i The Pension Fund of the Society. Tur Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices, March 5th, 1906, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur- chased £200 Cape of Good Hope 34 per cent. Inscribed Stock, bringing the investments of the fund to the figures set out below. VoL, XVI. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— MONRUIS 2S [6 £1000 0 0 Heocal 10ans 3.2 eee. 500 0 06 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 1? Mar WOan: +662 201 9 8 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture Stock 25.5. ies 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation “rust 4% Certificates 2..........<... 200 0 0 Cape of Good Hope 34% Inscribed StOCK ic ce ers te ek 200 0. 0 Wotal ...5.05.5... £2,643 9 2 DS ee Subscriptions, 1905. £ s. a. July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the Lord : : ; : : = 0. 00 Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. 0 5 06 Oct. 12, Thorburn, W. M. 010 0 Nov. 9, ‘ Francis Daveen’’. 0 5 0 Noy. 9, Adair, Joseph 11 0 Nov. 21, Thurston, Mrs. 1170 Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. 0-5. 0 1906. March 7, Sinclair, Miss May Lb 0 March 7, Forrest, G. W. 2.270 March 8, Simpson, W. J. 0 5 0 March 8, Browne, F. M. 0 5 0 Donations, 1905. Nov. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. I i 06 Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. 010 6 Nov.17, Nash, T. A. . 12120 Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A. 010 6 Dec. 6, Finch, Madame 113 6 Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry ; 0 5 0 Dec. 15, Muir, Ward . : Le 10 Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. . 010 O Dec. 18, Sheppard, A. T. 010 6 Dec. 18, 8. I. G. ; 010 0 190 1906. £8. 6 Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. ; ; : Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) 0. Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C. Feb. 5, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt Feb. 5, Yeats, Jack B. ‘ Feb. 12, White, Mrs. Caroline Feb. 13, Bolton, Miss Anna Feb. 28, Weyman, Stanley March 7, Hardy, Harold March 12, Harvey, Mrs. or on 0 10 5 10 10 ROomoocoooleo eSseocoececseocoo- Or COMMITTEE NOTES. — to MEETING of the Committee of Management of the society was held on Monday, the 5th of March, at the offices of the society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W. After the minutes had been read and signed fourteen members and associates were elected, making the total number for the current year fifty-six. The secretary reported that the date of the dinner had been settled for May 9th, at the Criterion Restaurant, and the committee decided to charge 7s. 6d. for the tickets. Formal notice of the dinner will be sent round to the members of the society in due course. Two or three important cases came before the committee for discussion. One of these was adjourned for further information, till the April meeting ; another was left for decision in the hands of the solicitors of the society ; and a third was referred to the dramatic sub-committee. The committee dealt with other matters which, owing to their confidential nature, it is impossible to chronicle. After the meeting of the committee, a meeting of the trustees of the Pension Fund was held. The secretary placed before the trustees a detailed statement of the present finances, and the trustees decided to invest another £200 in the purchase of Cape of Good Hope 82 per cent. Inscribed Stock, and to recommend the payment of another pension of £35 a year to the Pension Fund Committee of the society. Formal notice of the purchase will be recorded in 7'he Author, and the Pension Fund Committee will, in due course, have the trustees’ report laid before them. It will interest members of the society to see that the fund is steadily increasing. ———— Cases. Tux tally of cases since the issue of the last num- ber of The Author isten. Four of these dealt with the retention of MSS. by publishers or editors, and in _Machen, Arthur THE AUTHOR. three the MSS. have been forwarded to the society’s office and returned to the authors. The fourth case is rather more difficult to deal with, owing to the unbusinesslike methods of the publisher. A question of infringement of copyright is ina fair way of being completed. The case is quite clear, and the author’s right has been acknowledged, but the terms of settlement have not as yet been determined. In three cases the secretary has been forced to apply for accounts and money. One has terminated satisfactorily, and the other two will, no doubt, eventually have the same’ happy ending ; but the secretary has on previous occasions experienced considerable difficulty in dealing with the same houses. The firms neglect to render the accounts till the last minute, render explanations as tardily as possible, and pay cheques for the amount due only when the demand begins to grow persistent. In one case where money was demanded the sum has been paid and forwarded to the author. In one case where accounts alone were in dispute the matter has been settled. The back issues are gradually being cleared up. In fact there are only three outstanding. In one, accounts should be rendered, but they have not yet come to hand, although the publisher has promised to forward them. The other two are for the return of MSS.. In the latter cases the secre- tary’s demand has been partly successful, some MSS. have been returned, but there are still some MSS. outstanding. —1 March Elections. Cameron, Miss Elizabeth Trinity, Duns, Scotland. Waller (Elizabeth Waller) Clark, Wm. Abercombie Hemsby, near Yarmouth. Clench, Miss Nora. . 22, Blomfield Road, Maida Vale, W. Cook, W. Victor . . 18, South Street, Chichester. Park Point, Broughton, chester. 7, Cedars Road, Becken- — ham, Kent. Guilsborough Northampton. 5, Cosway Street, N.W. Eversley, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire. Great Dickson, J. M._, Higher Man- Drage, Miss E. Alice Harvey, Mrs. Hall, Osgood) (Irene Meldrum, Miss 8. Jane (Eric Falconer ; Eliza- beth Tytter) Saleeby, C. W. M.D., F.R.S.E. Simpson, W. J., M.D. Place, : 13, Greville N.W. 13, Queen Anne Street, THE AUTHOR. 11, Ridgmount Gardens, Bloomsbury, W.C. Treston, J. . . 16, Mirfield Drive, Monton Green, Lan- cashire. One member does not desire his name or address printed. Sparrow, Walter Shaw . + BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. ——— + (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serye to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) BIOGRAPHY. A Woman oF Wit AND Wispom. A Memoir of Elizabeth Carter, one of the “Bas Bleu” Society (1717—1806). By ALICE C. C. GAUSSEN. 8} x 5}. 263 pp. Smith Elder, 7s. 6d. n. Sir WALTER Scott. By ANDREW LANG, 7% X 5}. 258 pp. Hodder and Stoughton, 3s. 6d. BOOKS OF REFERENCE. Grove’s DICTIONARY OF Music AND Mustcians. Edited by J. A. FULLER MAITLAND. In Five Volumes. Vol. II. 91x 6. 794 pp. Macmillan, 21s. n. DRAMA. PARIS AND (NONE. By LAURENCE BINYON. 73 x 5}. 23 pp. Constable. 1s. n. Tue Soxc oF Songs. A Lyrical Folk-Play of the Ancient Hebrews. Arranged in Seven Scenes. By Francis Courts. With illustrations by H. Ospovat. Flowers of Parnassus.) 5} x 44. 67 pp. Lane. 1s. n. pp EDUCATIONAL. Tue IMPERIAL READER. Being a descriptive account of the Territories forming the British Empire. Edited by the Hon. W. P. REEvES and E. E. SPEIGHT. 7} x 5. 444 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 2s 6d. n. Cmsar’s GALLIC WAR. Parts V. and VI. W. H. D. Rouse, Litt.D. 36 and 27 pp. Blackie. 6d. n. each. Tue PILGRIM’s Proaress. By JoHN BuNYAN. Parts LandIl. 125and128pp. EDMUND BURKE'S SPEECHES ON AMERICA. 128 pp. MacauLay’s THIRD CHAPTER. 128 pp. More’s Utopia. 128 pp. THE AGE OF THE ANTONINES. 104 pp. (First three chapters of Gibbon.) Edited by W. H. D. Rouse, Litt.D. 6} x 44. Blackie. 6d. each. ADVANCED ENGLISH SYNTAX. By C. T. ONTONS, M.A. 74 x 5}. Second Edition, Sonneschien. 2s. 6d. ENGINEERING. PRACTICAL ELECTRO CHEMISTRY. By BERTRAM BLOUNT. Second Edition. Revisedand brought up todate. 9 x 53. 394 pp. London: Constable. New York: The Mac- millan Co. 15s, n, Edited by i x ae. FICTION. Tue WAY OF THE SPIRIT. By H. RripER HAGGARD. 72x 5. 344 pp. Hutchinson. 65. Kari Heryrich. By W. Meyer Foerster. Sole authorized translation from the German by GRACE 191 BARLOW VON WENTZEL. Gowans and Gray. A Toy TRAGEDY. By Mrs. HENRY DE LA PASTURE’ Cheap Edition. 7% x5. 278 pp. Cassell. 3s. 6d. THE Porson oF ToncuEsS. By M. E. CaRR. 73 x 5. 320 pp. Smith Elder. 6s. CHRISTOPHER DEANE. A Character Study at School and College. By E. H. Lacon Watson. New and cheaper Edition. 73 x 54. 317 pp. Brown Langham. 3s. 6d. CONCERING PAUL AND FIAMMETTA. By L. ALLEN HARKER. 73x 5. 252 pp. Arnold. 6s. LOAVES AND FISHES. By BERNARD CAPES, 312 pp. Methuen. 6s. PRINCE CHARLIE. By BURFORD DELANNOY. 732 x 5. 318 pp. Ward Lock. 3s. 6d. MirRIAM LEMAIRE, MONEYLENDER. TON and HEATH HOSKEN. 7} x 5. 3s. 6d. THAT PREPOSTEROUS WILL, 320 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. THROUGH THE Mists: OR LEAVES FROM THE AUTO- BIOGRAPHY OF A SOUL IN PARADISE. Recorded for the author by R. J. Lexs. New Edition. 72 x 5. 385 pp. Welby. 6s. THe EpG@E or CIRCUMSTANCE. By EDWARD NOBLE. 8} x 53. 136 pp. Cheap Edition. Blackwoods. 6d. Lapy Basy. By DorRoTHEA GERARD. Cheap Edition. 208 pp. 8} x 54. Blackwoods. 6d. THE ForBIDDEN MAN. By CORALIE STANTON and HeatH Hosken. F.V. White. 3s. 6d. THE MAN WITH THE OPALS, By ALFRED WILSON- BARKETY and AUSTIN FRYERS. 7} x 5. 312 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. KARL GRIER: THE STRANGE STorRY OF A MAN WITH A SIXTH SENSE. By Louis TRAcy. 7} x 54. 277 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s Tue GARDEN OF Mystery. By RICHARD MARSH. 72 x 5. 318 pp. J. Long. 6s. Tue Rea Mrs. DAYyBROoK. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 72x 5. 319 pp. J. Long. 6s. BROoWNJOHNS. By MABEL DEARMER. Smith Elder. 6s. Sea Spray. By F.T. BULLEN, F.R.G.S. 73} x 5. 313 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. THE PoisoN DEALER. By GEORGES OHNET. lated by F. ROTHWELL, 7$ X 5. 293 pp. Laurie. 6s. TRINCOLOX. By DovuGgLAs SLADEN. 184 pp. THE CoLuMN. By CHARLES MaRRioTT. 188 pp. THE UN- LUCKY NuMBER. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. 84 X 5¥. 156 pp. Newnes’ Sixpenny Novels, Illustrated. CAPTAIN JOHN ListER. A Tale of Axholme. By J. A. HAMILTON. 7% x 5. 338pp. Hutchinson. 6s. A Woman's LoyaLty. ByIzA Durrus Harpy. 7} x 5. 320 pp. Digby Long. 6s. THE MOTH AND THE FoorLtigHts. By GERTRUDE WARDEN. 7x5. 295pp. Digby Long. 6s. LAW. Tue LAw or Torts. By J. F. Cuark and W. H. RB. LINDSELL. Fourth Edition. By WYATT PAINE, 10 x 64. 880 pp. Sweet and Maxwell. LITERARY. By the RicgHt Hon. AUGUSTINE BirRRELL, M.P. Cheap Edition, 83 x 5}. 95 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6d. MILITARY. THE OFFICERS’ FIELD NoTE BOOK AND RECONNAISSANCE AtpE-MrmorrE. By Lizut.-Con. E, GuntTER, P.S.C. With diagrams and tables. 74 x 4}. 100 pp. Clowes. 6s, 6d. n. 7k X 5h. 227 pp. 72 x 5. By CORALIE STAN- 271 pp. Cassell. 3y L.G. MOBERLY. 7? x 5. 78 x 5. 312 pp. Trans- Werner OBITER DICTA. 192 MUSIC. STORIES FROM THE OPpRAS. With Short Biographies of the Composers. By GLADYS DavIpson. 74 x 5}. 7T. Werner Laurie. ORIENTAL. Tue CLASSICS OF CONFUCIUS, Book oF History (SHU Kin@). Rendered and compiled by W. GORN OLD, M.R.A.S. (The Wisdom of the East Series.) 6% x 5 67 pp. Murray. Is. n. PAMPHLETS. THe PLAY-TIME OF THE POOR. Warb. Smith Elder. 2d. PHILOSOPHY. THE UNITY OF WILL. Studies of an Irrationalist. By G. A. HieHt. 9x 6. 244 pp. Chapman and Hall. 10s. 6d. n. By Mrs. HUMPHRY POETRY. THE DAWN IN BriTarn. By CHAarirs M. DouGHTY. Two Vols. 7% x 54. 217and233 pp. Duckworth. 9s, n. POLITICS. INDIVIDUALISM AND COLLECTIVISM. Four Lectures by C. W. SALEEBY. 74 x 5. 154 pp. Williams and Norgate. 28. REPRINTS. Essays, MORAL AND PonLITe, 1660—1714. Selected and edited by JoHN and CONSTANCE MASEFIELD. 5 X32. 263 pp. Grant Richards. 3s. 6d. n. Poems. By CHrIstina Rosserri. With an Introduction by ALICE MEYNELL, 200 pp. 6} x 4. Blackie. 3s. 6d. n. SHAKESPEARE'S Porms. Vols. I. and If. Edited by EB. D. CHAMBERS. 63 x 4. Blackie. 3s. 6d. n. Matne’s ANCIENT Law. New Edition, with Notes by SIR FREDERICK PoLLocK. 8# x 54. 426 pp. Murray. 5s. 0. THEOLOGY. THE LIFE SUPERLATIVE. By SToprorD A. BROOKE. 7ix 54. 314 pp. Sir Isaac Pitman. 6s. ASPECTS OF ANGLICANISM, OR SOME COMMENTS ON CKeRTAIN EVENTS IN THE “NINETIES. By Mer. Moyrs, D.D. 8 x 53. 499 pp. Longmans. 6s. 6d.n. ILLUSION IN RELIGION. By Epwin A. ABBorT, D.D. 45 pp. Griffiths. 6s. To-Day. By J C. Wrigut. Demy 16mo. 1s. 6d. n. A small volume of thoughts for each day. Methuen. TRAVEL, GRANADA. Memories, Adventures, Studies and Impres- sions. By LEONARD WILLIAMS. 84 x 5}. 213 pp. Heinemann. 7s. 6d. n. Rome. A Practical Guide to Rome and its Environs. By E. A. REYNOLDS BALL. 63 x 4}. 256 pp. Black. TOPOGRAPHY. WESSEX, PAINTED BY WALKER TYNEDALE. by CLIVE HOLLAND. 9 x 64. Described 280 pp. Black. 20s.n. 2 ee LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. —— + a ESSRS. METHUEN & CO. published on the 15th of last month, a daily text-book entitled “ To-day,” which has been edited by Mr. J. ©. Wright, whose recent book, ‘In the THR AUTHOR. Good Old Times,” appeared at the beginning of the year. Mr. J. M. Stuart-Young, will publish in the autumn of this year a new story upon which he has been engaged since 1904. The title of the story, which deals with negro character, is “ The Country of the Blind.” The same writer’s memoir of the late Oscar Wilde was published early last month. Messrs. A. & C. Black announce a colour book on Wessex, the text by Mr. Clive Holland. Lieut.-Colonel E. Gunter has published through Wm. Clowes & Son, Ltd., 238, Cockspur Street, S.W., a new edition (eleventh) of his ‘‘ Officers’ Field Note and Sketch Book and Reconnaissance Aide- Mémoire.” In this edition, which has been brought up to date, some notes gathered from the experiences of the Russo-Japanese War, and new tables of guns, rifles, etc., have been added. “A Sovereign Remedy ”’ is the title of Mrs. Flora Annie Steele’s new story dealing with English and _ Welsh life, which will be published shortly. ‘The same writer is also writing a popular history of India, which will deal in broad tones with Indian life, political and social. Messrs. Longmans will publish early this month a volume of short stories entitled “ Simple Annals,” by M. E. Francis. The stories deal mainly with the lives of working women. The same author is engaged on a novel, the scene of which is laid in Dorset,and the title of which is‘ Hardy-on-the-Hill.” A one act play by M. E. Francis has recently been accepted by the manager of a West End theatre. ‘Miriam Lemaire—Moneylender,” by Coralie Stanton and Heath Hosken, authors of “‘ Chance the Juggler,” “The Forbidden Man,” ete., is a nar- ration of certain facts and episodes in the career of a very unscrupulous woman, whose life and character form a study in modern criminality. The scenes of the story are laid in London, Paris, Rome, Cairo, and the Riviera. Messrs. Cassell & Co. are the publishers. Mr. Randal McDonnell’s novel, ‘ Kathleen Mavourneen,” a memory of 1798, has gone into a fourth impression. Messrs. Gill & Son, of Dublin, are the publishers of the book, which is sold at 2s. in boards, and 2s. 6d. in cloth. “In Subjection” is the title of Ellen Thorney- croft Fowler’s (Mrs. A. L. Felkin) new novel, which Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. are publishing this month. Mr. Alexander Rogers contemplates the publica- tion of the second volume of the “ History of the Province of Gujarat,” the first volume of which was published in 1886, under the editorship of the late Sir E. ©. Bayley. The proposed work embraces the whole history of the province down to com-_ paratively modern times, and completes the task which the editors of the first volume commenced. The size of the volume—with which will be  aE re ‘ar IC Me | THE AUTHOR. publishedan amended map, indicating the towns and villages mentioned in the course of the history— will be demy octavo. The subscription price will be 25s. nett, and the edition will be limited to 500 copies. Subscriptions to the work may be sént to Messrs. Barnicott & Pearce, Atheneum Press, Taunton. : Frank Danby’s new novel, “The Sphinx’s Lawyer,” which Messrs. Heinemann are publishing in England, and Messrs. Lippincott in America, is rather a long work, incidentally pleading for differential treatment for educated criminals. It may, perhaps, be summarised by its concluding sentences :—“ Woman is the great compromise ” ; “Teavening law with love.” Mrs. Fred Reynolds, author of ‘A Quaker Wooing,” has just published another book, through Messrs. Hurst & Blackett. It is entitled “In Silence,” and concerns the up-growing of a beau- tiful girl who is born deaf. The scene is laid in the Lake District. Miss May Sinclair, whose novel, “The Divine Fire,” was published a few months ago, 1s Now engaged on a new book which, however, will not be quite so long as its predecessor. : Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton’s new book, “ Animal Heroes,” contains the histories of a cat, a dog, a pigeon, a lynx, two wolves and a reindeer. The illustrations, which accompany the work, are from the pen of the author. Messrs. Constable & Co. are the publishers. EK. Nesbit’s novel, “The Incomplete Amorist,” which is running serially in the Philadelphia Even- img Post, will be published in book form, here and in America, about the end of June. The hero is an amateur of emotions and the heroines are twain. The scenes are laid in Kent, Fontainebleau, and among the art students of the Montparnasse quarter in Paris. The same writer will publish through Mr. T. Fisher Unwin two volumes, “ Man and Maid,” a collection of stories, and“ The Amulet,” which has been running in the Strand Magazine, illustrated by H. R. Millar; and through Wells, Gardner & Co., “The Railway Children,” which has been running in the London Magazine ; the last work illustrated by ©. E. Brock, will be published in the autumn. E. Nesbit is also working on a new children’s serial for the Strand Magazine, and on a new novel, a story of a young couple which will appeal to those who liked the “Red House.” The “ Incomplete Amorist” is in quite a different genre, and may perhaps interest those who view life with more cynical eyes. “The Magician’s Heart” is the title of a play by this writer which will be produced in London next winter. “Stories from the Operas,” by Gladys Davidson, published by T. Werner Laurie, consists of twenty 193 stories taken from among the most popular grand operas constantly performed at Covent Garden and Drury Lane, the object being to present, not a mere synopsis, but all the incidents of each libretto in the clear readable form of an ordinary short story. This, it is hoped, may fill a much-felt want, since many even truly musical people have frequently only very vague ideas as to the actual sfories con- tained in their favourite operas. The book is pape, by kind permission, to the Countess de Tey. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. are just publishing a new edition of Evelyn’s “ Diary,” in three volumes, under the editorship of Mr. Austin Dobson. ‘The format will be that of the “ Diary and Letters ” of Madame d’Arblay recently issued by the same firm. The text, the spelling of which has been modernised, will follow Bray and Forster; but many minor rectifications have been made, and some unsuspected errors corrected. The book, besides containing the notes of the earlier editors, carefully revised, will include a large number of additional notes by the present editor. As in the case of the d’Arblay Diary, the new edition will be illustrated by photo- gravure portraits, contemporary views of localities, maps and facsimile title-page, and will contain a preface, introduction and full index. Mr. John Lane will publish this month a new novel by the author of “The Winding Road.” The title of the work, however, has not yet been fixed. The same writer’s book on “ Heidelberg ” will be published in the autumn by E. Grant Richards. The volume, which will be illustrated, deals with the interesting ruins of the town, and the fascinating and most important history of the Palatinate, with which Great Britain has been so largely connected. John Oliver Hobbes’ new novel,-‘ The Dream and the Business,” which is now running serially through the Grand Magazine, will be published by Mr. Fisher Unwin, probably in the spring. Monsieur Henri Devray, who has translated “ The Vineyard,” and is now translating “ Love and the Soul Hunters,” will in turn translate all John Oliver Hobbes’ works into French, and they will appear serially in the leading French journals. “ Concerning Paul and Fiammetta,” a new book about children for grown-ups, by L. Allen Harker, author of “A Romance of the Nursery,” was published last month by Mr. Edward Arnold. A preface to the work is contributed by Kate Douglas Wiggin. Ata meeting of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, held in January last, it was decided to strike a medal in commemoration of the jubilee anniversary of Mr. Robert Freke Gould’s initiation into Masonry. In addition to being the founder of this lodge, Mr. Gould is also the author of 194 works dealing with Freemasonry, his last work on this subject being “ The Concise History of Freemasonry.” ; : The Bohemian people have paid a compliment to Mr. James Baker, the author of “The Insepar- ables,” and many books and articles on Bohemia, by electing him on the committee for the Bohemian section of the Austrian Exhibition, to be held in London this year. Mr. Richard Bagot is engaged on a new novel, which will be published in due course by Messrs. Methuen. The scene of Mr. Bagot’s new book is again laid in Italy, and the action takes place in an ancient city in the Roman province ; the author leaving Rome and Roman life and occupy- ing himself with one of those provincial dramas, which, in Italy, are apt to assume such tragic proportions. Mrs. Percy Dearmer’s novel, “The Difficult Way,” published by Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co., has just gone into a third edition. It is a story of strong human interest, dealing with the evolution of a human soul, through suffering, to its final peace. “ Brownjohn’s,” published last month, is written in a much lighter vein. This has reached a second edition. Mrs. Dearmer will not bring out another novel until the autumn of 1907. She is at present engaged upon “A Child’s Life of Christ,” to be published by Messrs. Methuen & Co. This book aims at giving a complete life of Christ simply told for children. It will be illustrated in colour by Miss Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale. . Mrs. Alec-T'weedie’s last volume, “ Porfirio Diaz, Seven Times President of Mexico,” which appeared a few weeks ago, has created so much | interest that German and Spanish editions are being arranged. It is a curious fact that although this great Mexican ruler has had decorations con- ferred upon him by all the important countries, Great Britain has never paid him that honour. This is all the more remarkable considering his courtesy to British subjects and the enormous amount of English capital invested in Mexico to-day. Mr. Brandon Thomas’s new comedy, “A Judge’s Memory,” was produced at Terry’s Theatre on March 13th. The main purport of the play is to indicate the manner in which an ex-convict—whose sudden acquisition of wealth obtains for him an entry into society — arranges the marriage of his son to the daughter of the judge who had sentenced him. The caste includes Mr. James Welch and Mr. James Fernandez as the judge and ex-convict respectively. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s military play, “ Briga- dier Gerard,” was produced at the Imperial Theatre, on March 38rd. The play deals with the recovery THE AUTHOR. of certain private papers belonging to Napoleon, the part which Brigadier Gerard played in their recovery, and the adventures which befel him in his quest. The caste includes Mr. Lewis Waller, Miss Evelyn Millard, and Mr. A. H. George. : “The Beauty of Bath” is the title of a new musical play by Mr. Seymour Hicks and Mr. Cosmo Hamilton, produced at the Aldwych Theatre on March 19th. The plot is contained in the resem- blance of an actor to a lieutenant in the Royal Navy—a resemblance so striking as to enable them to change positions and thus to create complications with which the “Beauty of Bath” is closely concerned. The caste includes Miss Ellaline Terriss, Mr. Seymour Hicks and Miss Rosina Filippi. Mr. Bernard Shaw’s play, “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion,’ played at the Court Theatre on March 20th, tells the story of a good-hearted, motherly spinster, who, with her brother-in-law, a judge, is held prisoner by a smuggling sea captain. His intention is to take vengeance on them for their treatment of his deceased mother. But in conse- quence of the kindness shown to him and to one of his crew by the spinster, he eventually abandons. his design. Included in the caste are Miss Ellen Terry and Mr. Fred Kerr. $$ —_—_ PARIS NOTES. —+—<—+ — HE inauguration of the statue in memory of TT Alfred de Musset presented to the City of — Paris, by M. Osiris, has been one of the literary fétes of the month. The statue repre- sents the poet seated in a dejected attitude with his muse standing at his side. It is placed just outside the Thédtre Francais, and the inaugu- ration féte was held in the foyer of the Comédie Francaise. About two hundred guests were present, and the poet’s family was represented by M. and Mme. Lardin de Musset and Mlle. Alice Lardin de Musset. M. Claretie made the opening speech, and several most eloquent ones — followed. M. Francois Coppée spoke warmly in — praise of his brother poet. M. Marcel Prevost — referred chiefly to Musset’s prose writings. Several _ delegates then added their tribute of praise and Monnet Sully recited a poem composed in honour | of Musset. ‘There was military music to openand — close the proceedings, and then the whole assembly — left the foyer to be present at the unveiling of the — statue. Mme. Bartet laid flowers on it. Alfred de — Musset’s old housekeeper was carried in an arm- — chair to witness the inauguration, and Sévérine  took some of the flowers from the poet’s statue to place in the hands of that of George Sand, in the foyer of the Francais. The only regret felt by many of those present was that this féte had not taken place a year previously, during the life-time of Alfred de Musset’s sister. She had watched with keen interest the progress of the statue, and had lent the sculptor her portraits of the poet. It had been her great wish to be present at this inaugura- tion. There was a gala night at the Frangais afterwards, when Alfred de Musset’s works were performed. Among recent new books are the following : “La Psychologie des individus et des Sociétés chez Taine, historien des littératures,” by Paul Lacombe. “Le Vingtieme siécle politique,” by René Wallier. “Le Président Falliéres ” (pamphlet), by Jean de la Hire. “ Histoire du travail et des travailleurs” by P. Brisson. “‘Napoléon et sa famille (VII.)” by Frédéric Masson.* Among new works of fiction “ Sous le fardeau,” by J-H. Rosny ; “ Terriens,” by Jean Revel ; “‘ Les Délices de Mantoue,’ by Jean Bertheroy; ‘“ Le Docteur Jobert,” by Henri Fauvel ; ‘‘ Les Pas sur le sable,’ by Paul Margueritte ; “ L’Ecoliere,” by M. Léon Frapié ; ‘* Les Roquevillard,” by Henry Bordeaux ; “ Cinq Contes pour les Antiquaires,” by Jean Gounouilhou; ‘“ Aimons,” by Francois Gillette.t “Sur la vaste terre,”t by M. Pierre Mille, is a volume of short stories remarkable for their realism and originality. In these days when travelling is made easy and colonisation the order of the century in which we live, we must expect to see both sides of the medal. Some English authors have shown us the effect of Indian life on Europeans. Recent French novelists have OG proved to us the demoralising effect of a different tet climate and other ways and customs on Europeans, dsBte, and M. Pierre Mille now gives us some graphic Bse2: sketches of life in a French colony. Each of his stories is powerful and original. * “Ta Psychologie, etc.,” by Paul Lacombe (Alcan) ; “Le Vingtieme siécle politique,’ by R. Wallier (Fasquelle) ; “Le Président Falliéres,’ by J. de la Hire (Librairie Universelle) ; “ Histoire du travail, etc.,” by P. Brisson (Delagrave); “Napoléon et sa Famille (VII.),” by F. Masson (Ollendorff). } “Sous le Fardeau,” by J. H. Rosny (Plon) ; “ Terriens,”’ by Jean Revel (Fasquelle) ; ‘‘ Les Délices de Mantoue,” by Jean Bertheroy (Flammarion) ; “ Le Doctor Jobert,” by Henri Fauvel (Victor Havard) ; ‘‘ Les Pas sur le sable,” by Paul Margueritte (Plon) ; “ L’Ecoliére,” by Léon Frapié (Calmann Lévy); “ Les Roquevillard,” by Henry Bordeaux {Plon); ‘Cinq Contes pour les antiquaires,’ by J. Gounouilhou (Librairie Jllustrée); ‘“ Aimons,”’ by F. Gillette (Plon). t “Sur la vaste terre,” by M. Pierre Mille (Calmann Lévy). THE AUTHOR. 195 “La Rebelle’’* is the title of Marcelle Tinayre’s new novel now published in volume form. There are some charming pages in it, some very interest- ing secondary characters and two very illogical individuals in the chief réles. Great interest and curiosity is felt in Paris with regard to the books shortly to be published by Mrs. Frederika Macdonald on Jean-Jacques Rousseau. For the last twenty years the author has been collecting details, visiting the French libraries and carefully studying the archives in search of any fresh clues which might throw light on the subject she has studied with such care. Some years ago La Revue published in Paris a French article by Mrs. Macdonald with photographs of some of the documents on which she bases her theory that Jean-Jacques has been basely slandered by his enemies. The attempt to “ whitewash Rousseau” is ridiculed by all those—who know nothing about the facts on which the theory of this new book is based. Mrs. Macdonald’s book is shortly to be published in English, and there will possibly be a French edition of the work. An extraordinary little volume of poems has just been published entitled “ L’Ame Géométrique.” The author is Henri Allorge and his verses are consecrated to geometry with geometrical figures as illustrations! Camille Flammarion has written the preface to this original little book, which alone proves that the contents are not commonplace. The author himself explains his idea in the follow- ing words: “ Le poéte a voulu seulement retracer les images et dépeindre les sentiments qu’ éveillent en lui les figures de la géométrie, laquelle résume, i bien y regarder, toute la vie.” Another woman’s newspaper is soon to be floated in Paris. La Fronde was only short-lived and could not from many points of view be considered a success. The new venture is to commence as a weekly paper entitled La Francaise. Its pro- gramme is extensive, its annual subscription six francs in France and eight francs abroad, and the first number is announced for the month of May, 1906. A curious case was brought into the French Law Courts this last month. M. Friedman, the author of a book published in London in 1884 entitled “ Anne Boleyn,” complains that the French trans- lation of his work completely changes the tone and the documentary nature of it and makes it into a sectarian publication. M. Friedmann is a German and a Protestant, and he claims to have written this chapter of English history in a totally unbiassed way. In the French translation, Protestant is rendered * “Ta Rebelle,”’ by Marcelle Tinayre (Calmann Lévy). 196 heretic, Francois J., instead of being the ally of Anne Boleyn, is her abettor, and Anne Boleyn is spoken of as the concubine instead of the Queen. Such changes as these are made throughout the whole work. The story of the translation is curious also. It was done by M. Lugné Philippon, a professor of English, for the Abbé du Lac and completed in 1894. The translator agrees that the author has cause for complaint but declines all responsibility with regard to alterations after the work had left his hands. ‘he manuscript was next entrusted to M. Dauphin Meunier, who did not even know English, for “corrections of style.’ He, too, declines all responsibility. The Abbé du Lac then stated that he had studied and translated the book in question with M. Lugné-Philippon whom he considered his English professor and had paid the latter £160 for his work. M. Dauphin had ‘then edited the book and found a publisher for it. ‘The Abbé du Lac fails to see that he is responsible for any modifications which were deemed necessary. The verdict had not been given at the time of going to press. In connection with the Alliance Francaise the Alliance Littéraire Franco-Britannique has been founded with a view to encouraging the exchange of visits between literary men, savants, and artists of the two countries. A party of forty members of the English section paid a visit to Paris last month, and were entertained by the French members in various ways during the week of their sojourn here. Sir Archibald Geikie lectured at the Sorbonne to an assembly made up about equally of French and English. The London Daily Chronicle and the Chicago Daily News gave a reception last month at their offices, which are in the same building, to the representatives of the foreign press in Paris. There were about two hundred guests present, and the arrangements were admirably carried out by Mr. Donohoe and Mr. Lemar Middleton, the organisers of this interesting soirée. M. Jules Charetie is writing a libretto on a dramatic episode during the Revolution. M. Massenet will put it to music for the next season at Monte Carlo. The title is to be “La Girondine.”’ Three new pieces are announced by the Théatre de l’Oeuvre, “ Le troisiéme concert” by A. Savoir, “ Le Réformateur” by Ed. Rod, and “ Le Cloaque” by Carpenter. “Glatigny,” by Catulle Mendés, is now being given at the Odéon, “Le Frisson de l’Aigle ” at the Théatre Sarah Bernhardt, ‘“ Bourgeon,” by M. Feydeau, at the Vaudeville, “ Sacha,” by Mme. Martial, at the Gymnase. Anys HALLarp. * THB AUTHOR. SPANISH NOTES. —— N Romero Robledo Spain has just lost @ I powerful parliamentary leader. For forty- four years he took an active part in the Government in different ministerial offices; and when I saw his commanding figure inaugurating the ceremony of the young King laying the foundation stone of the statue to his royal father, I was reminded of the influence he had used for the restoration of Alfonso XII. to the throne. The death of Pereda, whose works, especially ‘Escenas Montafiesas” (‘‘ Mountainous Scenes”), have endeared him to thousands of readers, has. been the occasion of published eulogies from hig. intimate friends, Benito Galdos, Menendez Pelayo, Palacio Valdés, and Clarin. ‘“ For twenty years,” says the great novelist Galdos, “I had the pleasure of Pereda’s friendship, and this friendship com- menced with my admiration for his ‘ Escenas Montafesas.’ Pereda’s sense of humour was. attractive,” continues the writer, ‘and it was this, added to his vigorous personality, his sincerity, and his clear and wide view of things which gave force to his satirical political novels.”” Menendez. Pelayo, who wrote the prologue to the edition of Pereda’s complete works, that the author was | one of the best writers of the day, and the most original poet of the north of Spain, draws attention in his present eulogy to the charm of Pereda’s. conversations and letters, which he says would have left their mark had he never published a book. Pereda’s last letter, bearing the date of 18th February, and addressed to his valued friend Palacio Valdés, runs thus :— “My DEAR FRIEND,— ' “JT was agreeably surprised by your gift of your last novel, “Tristan the Pessimist,” which reached me yesterday. Excuse me only acknowledg- ing the receipt of the book at this moment. [- shall enjoy reading it as soon as I can. But you know the wretched state of my health for the last two years, and how it deprives me of many pleasures; including that of reading, especially works of imagination, which may affect me. You cam understand that for a man of my tastes no illness: could be more cruel and unwelcome. However, it is God’s will, so patience! I know the perusal of your book will delight me; and let me in the meanwhile congratulate you on your reappearance in the arena of art with another work which will certainly prove a fresh triumph. 5 “ With cordial regards, I am always « Your affectionate friend and admirer, «J, M. pe PEREDA.” —  THE AUTHOR. As Palacio Valdés has also honoured me with the gift of his new novel, I can say that it isa masterly psychological study of a pessimist who makes his life wretched by imagining evil in every- body about him. His charming wife is victimised by this mania, and his advantageous circumstances turned into misery. The sad story of the pessimist is relieved by such ideal pictures as the lover of “9 Cirilo and Visita, the paralytic man and the blind ‘j= girl, the noble long-suffering man, who finally wins back his erring wife, is a fine study ; and as usual the famous romantic satirist brightens his study of real life by his sense of humour especially seen in the sayings of the peasant Barragan. Don Fernando de Annton has made his début in the literary world with the ambitious project of reforming society with a series of satirical novels. * “Queralt hombre de mundé” (‘ Queralt Man of the World”) is the first of this series, and although not wanting in interest, the hero is unequal to the part which he is meant to play. The lecture which startled all Madrid with its plain and eloquent truths certainly marks a step to the reform of Spanish opinion, for the famous moralist, Don Miguel de Unamuro, was listened to with rapt attention by the large gathering assembled to hear his eloquent words in the theatre of the _ Zarzuela. With the skill of a sympathetic orator, Unamuno showed the necessity of civilians interest- aa) ing themselves in the army ; he spoke of colonisa- 0 tion, on the use and abuse of the press, and he waxed »ol@ eloquent on the question of religion, pressing home 1% the necessity of realising that apart from sacer- » dotalism God was to be worshipped as the Spirit » of Truth which alone can save, even as it is » eonceived in the moral sense. The recent meeting of the Ibero-American Society has also excited great interest, for it ‘mj marked the great progress woman’s education is making under the protection of the society. The movement was first started, in 1868, by Don Fernando de Castro, rector of the University of Madrid, but it lacked supporters of his opinion. Colonel Fignerola Ferretti now sends the news to England that at last Sefior Castro’s hopes for the higher education of women are in some degree realised, for the salons of the Ibero-American society will now in future see classes for women in various subjects, and more than two hundred pupils have already been enrolled. The speeches of the Marquesa d’Ayerbe and Dofia Pilar Contreras de Rodriguez, which Maugurated this educative departure were eloquent. The marchioness showed that the evil of women being uneducated is often reflected on the sons of a family, who frequently find them- selves burdened with helpless sisters to support, and Dofia Contreras de Rodriguez especially advo- 197 cated the sphere of music as one that is suitable for women endowed with the necessary capacity. The approaching marriage of King Alphonso with Princess Ena is spoken of in the press as the hoped for commencement of a new era, when a mutual nearer acquaintance of Spain and England will introduce many British methods for the advance of education into the country, and when the welcome awaiting the British Queen will prove that the bigotry credited to Spain is a thing of the as RACHEL CHALLICE, a COPYRIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES. Parr I. HarPeR & Brotuers v. M. A. Donouur & Co. HE following is the decision of Judge San- born, of Chicago, in the United States Circuit Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, respecting abandonment of copyright in the case of Harper & Brothers vy. M. A. Donohue & Co., in regard to the reprinting by the defendants of the novel ‘‘The Masquerader” : Katherine Cecil Thurston, the author, is a subject of King Edward VII., and as such has the same privilege of copyright in the United States as if a citizen of this country. This is secured to her by the International Copyright Act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 1105), the Berne Convention, and the proclamation of the President of July 1, 1891, provided for by such Act, 27 Stat. 981. As author of the work called “‘I'he Masquerader,” or “John Chilcote, M.P.,” the literary property vested in her consisted, so far as here material, of the following rights, privileges or powers : Before publication : The sole, exclusive interest, use and control; the right to its name ; to control or prevent publication; the right of private exhi- bition, for criticism or otherwise, reading, repre- sentation, and restricted circulation ; to copy, and permit others to copy, and to give away a copy ; to translate or dramatise the work ; to print with- out publication ; to make qualified distribution ; the right to make the first publication ; the right to sell and assign her interest, either absolutely, or conditionally, with or without qualification, limita- tion or restriction, territorial or otherwise, by oral or written transfer. Such literary property is not subject either to execution or taxation, because this might include a forced sale, the very thing the owner has the right to prevent. After publication: Unrestricted publication, without copyright, is a transfer to the public to do most of the things the author might do, in common with her, except all right of transfer and sale, which remains to the author ; but without  198 advantage, since the work has become, by the publication, common property. : The Copyright Acts substantiaily give the fol- lowing additional rights : To copyright, and thus secure the sole privilege of unlimited multiplica- tion and sale of copies; to sell or transfer the unlimited right of reproduction, sale and publica- tion, the limited right of serial publication, the right of publication in book form, the right of translation, the right of dramatisation or one or more of these rights in specific territory, and the right to secure a copyright either generally, or in one or more countries whose laws permit it, either in the name of the author or assignee. Also the right to the author to license the sale or other restricted enjoyment of some lesser right, without the power to copyright. The author and complainant made a written contract which finally became a binding obligation September 29, 1903. It contained a grant on the part of the author of the exclusive right of serial publication of ‘“ The Masquerader” in Harper's Bazaar in the United States and Canada, and the exclusive right of printing and publishing in book form in the United States, and to supply the Canadian market. Publication in book form to be simultaneous in the United States and England, or at a date mutually satisfactory to the Harpers and Blackwood & Sons (who published the British edition). The author contracts not to publish an abridged or other edition or book of similar character tending to interfere with its sale, with- out the publisher’s consent ; and that the book does not violate copyright, or contain anything libelous, ete. The author reserved the right of translation and dramatisation. The publishers agreed to pay $2,500 for the serial publication, and a certain royalty on the book ; and to take all steps necessary under the United States Copyright Acts “ to secure their own rights and those of the author in said work.” They give no guarantee of securing copyright outside the United States, nor issue special foreign editions, nor sell translation or dramatic rights. If the book remains out of print for six con- secutive months, the right to publish in book form shall revert to the author. Harper's. Bazaar is a serial monthly magazine published in the United States. Blackwood’s Magazine is a like publication having a British and an American edition, the former published in Edinburgh and the latter in New York, which are identical, except advertising matter. The suc- cessive chapters of the book were published serially in all these magazines, during the year 1904. Blackwood published, in both the United States and Great Britain chapters 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, THB AUTHOR. 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, and 32, one month earlier than Harper, and chapters 19, 25, 30, 33. and 34 two months earlier. Harper & Brotherg. had no knowledge of, nor did they consent to, the publication in serial form by the Blackwoods in the United States. The work was simultaneously published by both Harper & Brothers and the Blackwoods in the United States and Great Britain, about the first of October, 1904. Harper & Brothers claim copyright on chapters 1 to 27 by virtue of their publication in the Bazaar in the January to September numbers, and on the balance by publication in book form. Their deposit of titles, copyright notices, deposit of numbers and books were as follows: On June 12, 1903, they deposited the title of the Bazaar thus ; “ Harper's Bazaar, Vol. xxxviii., No. 1, January, 1904.” On January 2, 1904, the title “ Harper's Bazaar, Vol. xxxviii., No. 2, February, 1904,” and on the same date like titles, mutatis mutandis, for March to June, 1904 ; and on June 13, 1904, the: titles for the remaining months of 1904, in like form. And also, not later than the day of the: publication of each number deposited in the New York mail, properly addressed, two copies of each of the several monthly numbers for 1904. Complainant also printed a copyright notice on the foot of the title-page, or page next succeeding, in the January number the words “ Copyright, 1903, by Harper & Brothers,” and in each suc. ceeding number the words “ Copyright, 1904, by Harper & Brothers.” On July 26, 1904, com~ plainant deposited the title of the book, “ The: Masquerader,” with the Librarian of Congress, and on September 28, 1904, and not later than its first publication, it mailed the requisite copies to the librarian. The proper copyright notice was printed in every copy of “The Masquerader.” No copyright notice of any description appeared in connection with either the serial publication in Blackwood’s Magazine, or in its publication of “ John Chilcote, M.P.,” in book form. In 1905 one of the defendants purchased copies of the Blackwood edition of the book in London, and brought them to Chicago. The defendants caused the book in this form to be printed from type set in Chicago, by the title of “ John Chilcote, M.P., or, The Masqueraders,” and were proceeding” to market it, when this was prevented by a tem~ porary restraining order in this suit. The question now is whether a like temporary injunction shall be entered, It was admitted at the argument that defendants did not copy the book published by complainant, but used only the Blackwood edition. There are many verbal differences between the two, but it is the same story. The copyright laws, as amended by the Inter- national Act of 1891, which took effect by its owm  “»> terms, and partly by presidential proclamation, July 1, 1891, give any author, foreign or domestic, _ or any proprietor of any book, etc., the right to *o@ procure copyright, and thereupon have the sole “| liberty or monopoly of publication and sale, and of - translation and dramatisation. It is provided that »/. the type shall be set and plates made in this >» country ; and importation of books not printed | from such plates is prohibited. Provision is made for securing non-importation by furnishing lists of - titles to the Treasury and Postmaster-General. Conditions precedent to securing copyright are a deposit of the title of the book or periodical with the Librarian of Congress, before the day of first publication in the United States or any foreign country, and of two copies thereof not later than the day of first publication in this or foreign country. A condition subsequent is imposed, that no person shall sue for infringement of his copyright unless he gives notice thereof by including a copy- right notice in each copy published. A penalty is imposed for printing notice of a book not copy- righted, and its importation prohibited. ' Each number of a periodical shall be considered ee as an independent publication, subject to the pre- ©» scribed form of copyrighting. By the proclamation of July 1, 1891, it appears ; that Great Britain permits the same rights to fh American citizens in that country as those here ig given. ke It is first insisted for defendants that Harper & | Brothers had no right to take out a copyright in their own names under the contract ; or, if the “(9 copyright is valid, it is held in trust for the author. * Jt is said that her rights could not be secured ~~ except by copyright in her name ; that if the book be out of print her rights shall revert ; that trans- lation and dramatisation are included in copyright, and as the contract reserves them the parties must have intended not to grant that power; and that the publication of an abridgment or other edition by the author would infringe complainant’s copy- right, so that provision of the contract is incon- -sistent with the grant of copyright power. But the contract expressly provides that the publishers should secure their own and the author’s rights by copyright. Now it seems clear that the publishers’ rights could not possibly be secured -except by copyrighting in their own names. If the copyright had been taken in the author’s name any publication by her in Great Britain, in any form, omitting notice of copyright, would have destroyed, not secured, all of the publishers’ rights. Such publication has just been held to destroy the copyright by Judge Kohlsaat in G. & C. Merriam Go. v. United Dictionary Co., U. 8. Circuit Court Northern District of Illinois, opinion filed THE AUTHOR. 199 December 18, 1905. The publication of the work without copyright by Blackwood & Son shows that Harper & Brothers’ rights would have been valueless with the copyright in the authors’ name. Copyright in the names of the publishers was thus vital to their rights, and also fully protected the rights of the author. That the contract is fairly so to be con- strued see Belford, Clarke & Co. v. Charles Scribner & Oo., 144 U.S. 488 ; Miglin v. Dutton, 190 U.S. 259; and Pulle v. Derby, 5 Mch. 328, Fed. Cas. 11,465. While there is force in the grounds of construc- tion urged by defendants’ counsel, yet I think their interpretation would be destructive of all rights given to the publishers by the contract, and should not be sustained. It is further urged that the copyrighting of Harper's Bazaar, as a magazine, without special copyright of the serial numbers of ‘The Mas- querader,” was ineffectual within the decisions of the Supreme Court in Mifflin v. White and Mifflin vy. Dutton, 190 U. 8. 260, 265, 47 L. Ed. 1040, 1043. These are the cases involving “ The Pro- fessor at the Breakfast Table” and “‘ The Minister’s Wooing.” ‘The first ten parts of ‘‘ The Professor” were published serially in the Adlantic Monthly without claim of copyright, and the remaining parts by a copyright notice covering the entire magazine, in the name of Ticknor and Fields, its publishers. Afterwards, Dr. Holmes, the author, published the work in book form, containing proper copyright notice in his own name. It appeared also that the author never authorised Ticknor and Fields to copyright in their own names. In the other case Mrs. Stowe, the author, gave to the publishers of the Atlantic Monthly “the sole and exclusive right to publish the work in this country.” They published the first ten numbers without any copyright claim whatever. She then took proper steps to secure a copyright in her own name, and published the novel in book form. Afterwards the publishers brought out the remaining chapters with a copyright notice on the magazine as a whole, in their own names. It was held in the Circuit Court of Appeals that the author abandoned her copyright on the volume by publishing such remaining chapters serially without proper notice of copyright. In the “ Professor’ case the Supreme Court held that Dr. Holmes never assigned the right to copy- right the book, but only gave the right to print, publish and sell. ‘The publishers were not autho- rised to copyright either in their own names or his. The fact that Dr. Holmes himself took out a copy- right makes it apparent that the parties had no such intention. The copyright of the magazines containing the final chapters, together with the author’s copyright of the book, did not secure a  200 valid copyright, since the object of the notice is to warn the public against the republication of a certain book by a certain author, and no person reading the two copyright notices would know that they related to the same work ; on their face they would seem to cover a totally different purpose. It was held that the entry of a book under title by the publishers cannot validate the entry of another book of a different title by another person. A fair inference from this decision is that if the magazine copyright had been in the name of Dr. Holmes, the publication of the final chapters would have been protected ; but because the whole work was published serially without any lawful copyright notice whatever, the right to exclusive publication was lost. In the case of “The Minister’s Wooing,” the final chapters were put out with a notice proper so far as the magazine itself was concerned, but by persons not authorised to copyright the work ; and this was done after Mrs. Stowe had published the whole book under proper copyright. As already stated, the appellate court held the magazine pub- lication to have been an abandonment. The Supreme Court held that so far as the first twenty- nine chapters were concerned, they, at least, became public property. Mrs. Stowe’s copyright of the balance would have been valid if it had not after- wards appeared in the magazine. Mrs. Stowe not having given notice, in the succeeding numbers of the magazine, of her copyright, such publication vitiated it; the publisher’s copyright not having given notice of the author’s rights. In both cases the court expressed reluctance at being obliged to so decide, and we may well believe a different result would have followed if the maga- zine copyright had been taken in the authors’ name. Besides, the court was construing the law of copyrights as it was in 1860, and before the important amendment of 1891, hereafter referred to. The almost uniform practical construction of the copyright law has been to give notice in connection with each number of a magazine, and this has been often sustained : Drone on Copyright, 144 ; Howell’s Annotated Statutes of Michigan was held copyrightable in Howell v. Miller, 91 Fed. 129, including all in the book which might fairly be deemed the result of the compiler’s labours, Reports of judicial decisions, so far as head notes or other original matter is concerned. Callaghan v. Myers, 128 U.S. 617. Newspapers, Harper v. Shoppell, 26 Fed. 519, 28 Fed. 613; London Punch held copyrightable. Bradley v. Hatten, L. R.,8 Exch. 1. The provisions of the copyright law are to be broadly and liberally construed to insure to the author the product of his brain. Jenkins. J., in Holmee v. Donaghue, 77 Fed. 179. In Tribune Co. v. Associated Press, 116 Fed. THE AUTHOR. 126, the Chicago 7ribume attempted to copyright, under contract, some special telegraphic matter of the London Z%mes, by depositing in the Chicago Post Office, on the evening before publication, the: general title of the newspaper, with serial number and date, and by like deposit, immediately upomw publication, of copies of the newspaper; each addressed to the Librarian of Congress. It was held by Judge Seaman that it was at least ques- tionable whether a copyright can thus be secured for a newspaper. But as the defendant did not copy from the Tribune, but directly from the London Zimes after its publication in England, and as the matter published by the Z%mes and’ Tribune was not identical, there was no infringe- — ment, nor was any copyright thus obtained. In England it was at first held that a newspaper was not a book or periodical in Cox v. Land and — : Water Journal Co., 39 L. J. Rep. 152, but the 7 contrary was decided in Walter v. Howe, 50 L. J. Rep. 621, in Cate v. Newspaper Co., 58 L. J. Rep. 288, and finally by the Court of Appeals in Trade Auviliary Co. v. Protection Association, 58 L. J. Rep. 293. Whatever may have been the true construction of former copyright acts, and whether or not a newspaper is entitled to copyright, I think the International Copyright Act of 181 has set the question at rest so far as periodicals like Harper's Bazaar are concerned. Section 11 of the Act provides as follows : “Bach number of a periodical shall be con- sidered as an independent publication, subject to- the form of copyrighting as above.” 26 Stat.. 1165. The closing words evidently refer to the condi- tions prescribed for securing and retaining copy- right, that is the deposit of title of the periodical,. the two copies thereof, and the notice of copyright to be given on the title-page or page immediately following. If the notice of copyright is to be given in connection with each separate article published in a magazine, and not once for all contained in it, the language used to prescribe the: duty of giving notice is not well adapted to the — object sought; for how is it possible to insert a notice on the title-page, not of a periodical, but of an article? The latter may have a title, but hardly a title-page ; while the former has both. : Did the publication of the story in Blackwood’s Magazine, both in Great Britain and the United — States, or of the British edition of the book, alli without notice of copyright, constitute a forfeiture: — or abandonment of complainant’s copyright ? This is purely a question of copyright, and not. of the underlying literary property. ment, forfeiture, public dedication of the exclusive: right of copy may be presented in several aspects :. Abandon- —  Ue bit (1) Abandonment or public dedication by the owner of a limited domestic copyright ; (2) Acts of abandonment by the owner of foreign copyright ; (3) Acts of abandonment by the owner of the re- mainder of the literary property left after the grant of limited domestic copyright, and which do not infringe on the latter ; (4) Acts of the latter kind which do so infringe. I think that domestic copyright is forfeited or abandoned only in the first, and not in the other cases; and that this conclusion follows clearly from the Copyright Act of 1874, and from the decisions on abandonment. It is insisted by counsel for defendants that the acts of the author of abandonment, in the case here, by publishing in England and America with- out notice of copyright, were binding on Harper & Brothers, depriving them, without their own act, of their copyright. It is so argued because the author could not confer upon Harper & Brothers any greater right than she herself possessed ; and assuming that they had the power to copyright in their own name, yet that right would be subject to all subsequent conditions imposed upon the author. But the statute does not require the awthor to give the copyright notice. It provides that “ 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,” the form prescribed. It is the owner of the copyright who is to give the notice, and he must insert it in every copy published by himself. The statute did not attempt the impossible or impracticable by compelling him to insert the notice in other publishers’ editions, but only those controlled by himself. As said by the Supreme Court, in Thompson v. Hubbard, 131 U.S. 123: ‘The plain declaration of the statute is that no person shall maintain an action for the infringe- ment of is copyright unless he shall give notice thereof by inserting the prescribed words in the several copies of every edition published. This means every edition which he, as controlling the publication, publishes.” Harper & Brothers had no control over the acts of Blackwood & Son, either in Scotland or the United States, and were ignorant of the publi- cation in New York of the American edition of Blackwood. How could they abandon their own copyright without their own volition? For- feitures are strictly construed. It would be a harsh rule which would compel a publisher to insist in his contract with the author on having his own copyright notice inserted in every copy of the work published by all other persons. This might be highly impracticable, and difficult of execution. The statute should not be given such a construction unless imperatively required by its THE AUTHOR. 201 language ; which, as we have seen, means nothing of the kind. In the case of G. & C. Meriam Oo. v. United Dictionary Co., already cited, the owner of the copyright, after publishing the book in this country, took the plates to England and there printed and published additional copies ; omitting, however, the notice of American copyright. Judge Kohlsaat very properly held this to be an abandonment of the copyright. To constitute abandonment there must be a clear, unequivocal and decisive act of the person entitled, showing a determination not to have the right relinquished. 1 Cye., 5. Publication in a foreign country without the consent of the author is not an abandonment. Boucicault v. Woods, 2 Biss. 34. Or without the consent of the owner of the exclusive right to publish in this country. Goldmark v. Kreling, 35 Fed. 661. See also Haggard v. Waverly Pub. Co., cited in George H. Putnam’s work on copy- rights (U.S. C.C. Dict. N. J.). American Press Ass'n v. Daily Story Pub. Co., 120 Fed. 766. The case of Werckmeister v. Am. Lith. Co., 117 Fed 360, decides a contrary rule, but one which I think should not be followed. The publication in Blackwood’s American edition seems to have been an infringement on Harper & Brothers, not an abandonment by them ; but it is not necessary to decide this point. It is further insisted that as it is admitted defendants’ publication is not taken from com- plainant’s book, but from the authorised English edition, published without notice of copyright, the case fails. This position is supported by quotation from Drone on Copyright, 399—400, and Johnson y. Donaldson, 3 Fed. 22. The Chicago 7'ribune case is also in point here, since the defendant in that case received and published telegraphic dis- patches from the London Times covering extracts from its columns; and it was held that the 7ribune could not prevent this by copyrighting its own paper, covering other extracts or articles from the 7'%mes. But I think the rule inapplicable to this case, because defendants did something expressly pro- hibited by the copyright law. Section 4956, as added to in 1891, provided : “During the existence of such copyright the importation into the United States of any book so copyrighted, or any edition or editions thereof, or any plates of the same, mot made from type set . within the limits of the United States, shall be and it is hereby prohibited.” Defendants did just what is here prohibited. They imported a substantial copy of “The Masquerader” not made from type set in this country. They are therefore within the condem- nation of the law. They cannot be allowed to 200 valid copyright, since the object of the notice is to warn the public against the republication of a certain book by a certain author, and no person reading the two copyright notices would know that they related to the same work ; on their face they would seem to cover a totally different purpose. It was held that the entry of a book under title by the ublishers cannot validate the entry of another book of a different title by another person. A fair inference from this decision is that if the magazine copyright had been in the name of Dr. Holmes, the publication of the final chapters would have been protected ; but because the whole work was published serially without any lawful copyright notice whatever, the right to exclusive publication was lost. In the case of “The Minister's Wooing,” the final chapters were put out with a notice proper so far as the magazine itself was concerned, but by persons not authorised to copyright the work ; and this was done after Mrs. Stowe had published the whole book under proper copyright. As already stated, the appellate court held the magazine pub- lication to have been an abandonment. ‘The Supreme Court held that so far as the first twenty- nine chapters were concerned, they, at least, became public property. Mrs. Stowe’s copyright of the balance would have been valid if it had not after- wards appeared in the magazine. Mrs. Stowe not having given notice, in the succeeding numbers of the magazine, of her copyright, such publication vitiated it; the publisher’s copyright not having given notice of the author’s rights. In both cases the court expressed reluctance at being obliged to so decide, and we may well believe a different result would have followed if the maga- zine copyright had been taken in the authors’ name. Besides, the court was construing the law of copyrights as it was in 1860, and before the important amendment of 1891, hereafter referred to. The almost uniform practical construction of the copyright law has been to give notice in connection with each number of a magazine, and this has been often sustained: Drone on Copyright, 144 ; Howell’s Annotated Statutes of Michigan was held copyrightable in Howell v. Miller, 91 Fed. 129, including all in the book which might fairly be deemed the result of the compiler’s labours, Reports of judicial decisions, so far as head notes or other original matter is concerned. Callaghan vy. Myers, 128 U.S. 617. Newspapers, Harper v. Shoppell, 26 Fed. 519, 28 Fed. 613; London Punch held copyrightable. Bradley v. Hatten, L. R.,8 Exch. 1. The provisions of the copyright law are to be broadly and liberally construed to insure to the author the product of his brain. Jenkins. J., in Holmee v. Donaghue, 77 Fed. 179. In Tribune Co. v. Associated Press, 116 Fed. THE AUTHOR. 126, the Chicago Tribune attempted to copyright, under contract, some’ special telegraphic matter of the London Times, by depositing in the Chicago Post Office, on the evening before publication, the: general title of the newspaper, with serial number and date, and by like deposit, immediately upom publication, of copies of the newspaper; each addressed to the Librarian of Congress. It was held by Judge Seaman that it was at least ques- tionable whether a copyright can thus be secured | for a newspaper. But as the defendant did not. copy from the Tribune, but directly from the London Times after its publication in England, © and as the matter published by the Times and’ Tribune was not identical, there was no infringe- ment, nor was any copyright thus obtained. In England it was at first held that a newspaper was not a book or periodical in Cox vy. Land and Water Journal Co., 39 L. J. Rep. 152, but the contrary was decided in Walter v. Howe, 50 L. J. Rep. 621, in Cate v. Newspaper Co., 58 L. J. Rep. 288, and finally by the Court of Appeals in Trade Auciliary Co. v. Protection Association, 58 L. J- Rep. 293. Whatever may have been the true construction of former copyright acts, and whether or not a newspaper is entitled to copyright, I think the International Copyright Act of 1891 has set the question at rest so far as periodicals like Harper's: Bazaar are concerned. Section 11 of the Act provides as follows : “Bach number of a periodical shall be con- — sidered as an independent publication, subject to — lw the form of copyrighting as above.” 26 Stat. | ut 1165. The closing words evidently refer to the condi- — i tions prescribed for securing and retaining copy- we right, that is the deposit of title of the periodical,. hy the two copies thereof, and the notice of copyright. nt to be given on the title-page or page immediately nel following. If the notice of copyright is to be be given in connection with each separate article: et published in a magazine, and not once for all has contained in it, the language used to prescribe the: | 9 duty of giving notice is not well adapted to the: i object sought; for how is it possible to insert a | #) notice on the title-page, not of a periodical, but of | ly an article? The latter may have a/itle, but hardly Gi a title-page ; while the former has both. Did the publication of the story in Blackwood’s: Magazine, both in Great Britain and the United States, or of the British edition of the book, all: without notice of copyright, constitute a forfeiture: or abandonment of complainant’s copyright ? This is purely a question of copyright, and not: | of the underlying literary property. Abandon- | = ment, forfeiture, public dedication of the exclusive: |<’ right of copy may be presented in several aspects :.  (1) Abandonment or public dedication by the owner of a limited domestic copyright ; (2) Acts of abandonment by the owner of foreign copyright ; (3) Acts of abandonment by the owner of the re- mainder of the literary property left after the grant of limited domestic copyright, and which do not infringe on the latter ; (4) Acts of the latter kind which do so infringe. I think that domestic copyright is forfeited or abandoned only in the first, and not in the other cases; and that this conclusion follows clearly from the Copyright Act of 1874, and from the decisions on abandonment. It is insisted by counsel for defendants that the acts of the author of abandonment, in the case here, by publishing in England and America with- out notice of copyright, were binding on Harper & Brothers, depriving them, without their own act, of their copyright. It is so argued because the author could not confer upon Harper & Brothers any greater right than she herself possessed ; and assuming that they had the power to copyright in their own name, yet that right would be subject to all subsequent conditions imposed upon the author. But the statute does not require the author to give the copyright notice. It provides that “ 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,” the form prescribed. It is the owner of the copyright who is to give the notice, and he must insert it in every copy published by himself. The statute did not attempt the impossible or impracticable by compelling him to insert the notice in other publishers’ editions, but only those controlled by himself. As said by the Supreme Court, in Thompson v. Hubbard, 131 U.S. 128: “‘The plain declaration of the statute is that no person shall maintain an action for the infringe- ment of Ais copyright unless he shall give notice thereof by inserting the prescribed words in the several copies of every edition published. This means every edition which he, as controlling the publication, publishes.” Harper & Brothers had no control over the acts of Blackwood & Son, either in Scotland or the United States, and were ignorant of the publi- cation in New York of the American edition of Blackwood. How could they abandon their own copyright without their own volition? For- feitures are strictly construed. It would be a harsh rule which would compel a publisher to insist in his contract with the author on having his own copyright notice inserted in every copy of the work published by all other persons. This might be highly impracticable, and difficult of execution. The statute should not be given such aconstruction unless imperatively required by its THB AUTHOR. 201 language ; which, as we have seen, means nothing of the kind. In the case of G. & C. Meriam Co. v. United Dictionary Co., already cited, the owner of the copyright, after publishing the book in this country, took the plates to England and there printed and published additional copies ; omitting, however, the notice of American copyright. Judge Kohlsaat very properly held this to be an abandonment of the copyright. To constitute abandonment there must be a clear, unequivocal and decisive act of the person entitled, showing a determination not to have the right relinquished. 1 Cyc., 5. Publication in a foreign country without the consent of the author is not an abandonment. Boucicault v. Woods, 2 Biss. 34. Or without the consent of the owner of the exclusive right to publish in this country. Goldmark vy. Kreling, 35 Fed. 661. See also Haggard v. Waverly Pub. Co., cited in George H. Putnam’s work on copy- rights (U. 8. C.C. Dict. N. J.). American Press Ass'n v. Daily Story Pub. Co., 120 Fed. 766. The case of Werckmeister v. Am. Lith. Co., 117 Fed 360, decides a contrary rule, but one which I think should not be followed. The publication in Blackwood’s American edition seems to have been an infringement on Harper & Brothers, not an abandonment by them ; but it is not necessary to decide this point. It is further insisted that as it is admitted defendants’ publication is not taken from com- plainant’s book, but from the authorised English edition, published without notice of copyright, the case fails, This position is supported by quotation from Drone on Copyright, 399—400, and Johnson y. Donaldson, 3 Fed. 22. The Chicago Z’ribune case is also in point here, since the defendant in that case received and published telegraphic dis- patches from the London Times covering extracts from its columns; and it was held that the Tribune could not prevent this by copyrighting its own paper, covering other extracts or articles from the Times. But I think the rule inapplicable to this case, because defendants did something expressly pro- hibited by the copyright law. Section 4956, as added to in 1891, provided : “During the existence of such copyright the importation into the United States of any. book so copyrighted, or any edition or editions thereof, or any plates of the same, not made from type set . within the limits of the United States, shall be and it is hereby prohibited.” Defendants did just what is here prohibited. They imported a substantial copy of “The Masquerader” not made from type set in this country. They are therefore within the condem- nation of the law. They cannot be allowed to  202 found legal rights on acts made unlawful by being prohibited. In the dictionary case above referred to, defen- dant imported the books, as did defendants here, but they were made from plates in this country. It did nothing prohibited, and was, with some reluctance on the part of the court, justified in so doing. - : : On the question of prohibited importation a case of the bringing in of a piece of music pub- lished in Germany, on which there was an English copyright, was presented in Pitts v. George & Go. 66 L. J. Ch. 1; 75 L.-T. Rep. N.S. 820, where such importation was held unlawful. The International Copyright Act there in question was however quite different from the American copyright law. : The motion for temporary injunction should be granted. A. L. Sanporn, Judge. [Owing to the two judgments in the Amercan Courts (the first printed in the February issue, (. C. Merriam Co. v. United States Dictionary Co., the . second printed in the present issue), having given rise to diverse opinions in this country and the United States, it has been decided to obtain the opinion of an eminent United States copyright lawyer on the difficulties involved. Pending a final decision of the questions at issue, either by a judgment of the Supreme Court of the United States or by an amendment of the law, members would act wisely in arranging for the insertion of the “ Copyright notice”’ in all editions of their books, that is, not only editions intended for circulation in the United Kingdom, but also Continental and Colonial issues and translations. The correct form of the notice required by American law is as follows :—Copyright 190—— by in the United States of America. Ep.] Parr II.—ComMENT. This case is of considerable importance as ‘showing the limitation contained in the judg- ment in Veriam Co. v. United Dictionary, which at first sight might appear to be inconsistent with it. The two cases, however, are quite distinct, and no fault can be found with the more recent decision. Messrs. Harper Bros., the proprietors of the American copyright in Mrs. Thurston’s story” «The Masquerader ” (the American title of “John Chilcote, M.P.”’), published it in Harper's Bazaar and in book form in the United States, being careful to insert the statutory copyright notice. Messrs. Blackwood and Sons, the proprietors of THER AUTHOR. the English copyright, published the story entitled “ John Chilcote, M.P.,” in Blackwood’s Magazine, which circulated in the United States, and in book form in England, without the American copyright notice. One of the defendants purchased some copies of “John Chilcote, M.P.,” in England and took them to Chicago and proceeded to issue an edition printed from these copies until they were restrained by an injunction. As in the Meriam case, the absence of the copyright notice was set up as a defence to the action, but in this case it failed for the following reasons :— (1.) The owners of the American copyright, Messrs. Harper Bros., had not authorised or consented to any publication of the story with- out the copyright notice. In the Meriam case, the owner of the American copyright was directly responsible for the publi- cation of the English edition in which the copy- right notice was not inserted. The distinction is a sensible one, because it is the owner of the American copyright who is primarily interested in being able to sue in the United States, and it would be manifestly unjust that he should lose his copyright in that country by reason of anything done by the author or owner of the English copyright in England (see also Falk v. Gast, 54, F. R. 890). Fortunately, the author had assigned the American copyright to Messrs. Harper Bros., and they had registered it under the contract in their own name ; because, if it had been registered in the author’s name, any publication authorised by her in England, omitting the copyright notice, might have been fatal to an action for infringe- ment in the United States. British authors, therefore, should bear this in mind. It is safer to assign the American copy- right and to have it registered in the assignee’s name, because the American owner will take good care that the copyright notice is duly inserted in every edition authorised by him; but if the author registers the American copyright in his own name, he may lose his rights in the United States if at any time any copies are published under his authority in England without the American copyright notice. (2.) The defendants were guilty of a breach of the law against the importation of American copyright books. Tt will be remembered that in the Meriam case (see last month’s Author j the defendant was careful not to infringe the law in this respect. The copies he imported were printed from plates manufactured in the United States, and this is an exception to the prohibition against importation.  THE AUTHOR. Further, he pleaded that he purchased ‘‘ two copies for use and not for sale,” and this is another exception to the rule. In the Harper case, on the other hand, the importation by the defendants did not come within either of these exceptions, and the Court very justly observed that they could not -be allowed to found legal rights on acts which were unlawful. HarotD Harpy. Se PUBLICATION AND COPYRIGHT. —+- =< — Part II. T may be remarked that the importance of a I date of publication as a period for the compu- tation of the duration of the right in literary works does not exist in most foreign countries. The usual and simpler plan for computing copyright is the life of the author, plus a given number of years. In England copyright does not begin until publica- tion, and though before that there is the common law right, publication marks the beginning of the statutory right. It would simplify matters considerably if copy- right lasted with us for a given number of years after the author’s death, and if kis published works and his unpublished works alike were protected by statute. If the rights of a dramatic author were protected by statute from both methods of infringe- ment, without the necessity for publication, or for the formal “ copyright performance,” no one would be any the worse except the dishonest person who looks out for the opportunity to infringe, and authors and others would be saved trouble and expense. The law in France forbids the public representa- tion of plays, whether they have been printed or not, without the consent of the author or of those who stand in his shoes, and does not require that any public representation should be held in order to prevent future ones. When the play has been “ published” it has to be protected by deposit like any other book. - The law in Hungary, Spain, Sweden and Italy, is much the same, that is to say, the author as such can prevent his play from being acted without his authority, and does not have to date the rights given to him by the legal codes of his country from a first public performance or from any other form of publication. Lectures, sermons, and speeches, delivered in public or to more or less private audiences have caused a considerable amount of litigation when persons who have had the advantage of being able 203 to write shorthand have taken them down and published them in print. They are the subject of copyright when printed and published by the authors, but merely delivering them publicly and to an audience in uo sense a private one, seems to have the effect of rendering them public property without securing to them the copyright protection which publication in print confers. The difficulties arising with regard to lectures, sermons, and speeches, however, involve the whole question as to how far they are subjects of copyright, and as to how they might be better protected for the benefit of those who compose and deliver them. Engravings are protected for twenty-eight years from the date of first publication provided that this date is fixed by means of the “ publication line” as it is usually called which contains, besides the date, the name of the proprietor. The regular print- publishers and print-sellers are aware of the law, and, no doubt, comply, as a rule, with all the required formalities. Probably, however, a certain number of engravings of minor importance are, in fact, “‘ published” by their authors in every year without compliance with this condition, and with- out more protection than is afforded by an interested person possessing the plate. How far sales to any- one who chooses to ask the engraver or his agent to sell him a proof constitute a publication may at any time become the subject of litigation. With regard to engravings, the danger to the unwary appears to lie in this, that publication may take place, in fact, without the person who publishes realising that he is losing the benefit of protection of the common law, and that he is not obtaining (by complying with the necessary conditions), the protection which statute law would affordhim. In France, engravers, as well as painters, are on the same footing as authors ; that is to say their copy- right is for the life of the artist and fifty years after his death. Three copies of the engraving desired to be protected have to be deposited by the printer in the national library. In Germany copy- right is for the life of the artist and thirty years after his death ; but certain forms of publication, such ag imitation in the productions of manufactur- ing industries, and reproduction in periodicals, entail consequences which artists have to consider before allowing them to take place. The Act of 1867, which confers upon artists their rights in what they produce, is silent as to the period from which these rights date. Mr. Copinger expresses the opinion that the date of the making of the work of art must fix the time, saying, “The alternative suggestion is that the statutory copyright commences on publication, but the statute lends no support to this view.” The diffi- culty of deciding what constitutes publication of works of art does not, therefore, affect the duration of  204 legal rights in England. Where, however, American rights are concerned, the question whether a picture has been published, and if so the further question whether it has been so published as to be duly rotected, are of considerable importance. With regard to sculpture, Mr. Copinger thus sums up the requisite conditions in order to secure copyright in sculpture in England. The sculptor apparently must “conform strictly to the letter of the acts and engrave on the model, as well as on every cast or copy thereof, his name, and the day of the month and year when the model is first shown or otherwise published in his studio, or else- where, and such date must never be altered.” The difficulty as to the interpretation of “ publication ” in the case of statuary has been referred to. In France, the law with regard to artistic copyright follows as closely as circumstances will permit that which governs literary matter, but the formality of deposit of copies is not necessary in the case of sculptured work. The time of publication is of importance in England in the case of sculpture as the starting point of the term of protection, and the condition of placing the name and date on the work is not a very irksome one to comply with. In conclusion, whether publication has taken place or not is at present a question of fact which in many possible instances is not easy to answer. It is a question of importance to many who claim to be owners of copyrights, both in relation to their rights abroad and to their rights in England. Its simplification by statutory definition, and by the laying down of forms to be followed which will be deemed equivalent to publication, may well be practicable, and it may be suggested that the possibility of this should be considered whenever copyright legislation takes place. At the same time, the importance of ascertaining the date of publication in order to determine the duration of copyright might usefully be done away with by making the possession and duration of copyright as far as possible independent of what is after all but a circumstance of the “invention” which should confer the exclusive right upon the inventor. BE. A. A. ——————_+—_ > —___—_ MAGAZINE CONTENTS. ee nel BLACKWOOD’s. Drake: An English Epic. By Alfred Noyes. Musings Without Methods: The Drama in the Village : What Ails the Stage: Lord Byron and a Forgotten Scandal. BoOoKMAN. The Schoolboy in Fiction. By W. E. W. Collins. Tobias Smollett. By Ranger. THE AUTHOR. {. On the Scientific Attitude to Marvels. Book MONTHLY. A Literary Alliance : Viscount Hayashi on English and Japanese Books and Authors. By James Milne. Our Chief Singer: An Appreciation of Mr. Swinburne and His Poetry. By Arthur Waugh. The Paris Bookshop and How Its Methods Strike an English Book-Buyer. By Alphonse Courlander. Books Women Like : A Woman’s Thoughts on Tempera- ment and Reading. By Georgiana Bruce, CHAMBERS’ JOURNAL. English Public School Education from a Colonial Point of View. By A Victim, CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Revivalism and Mysticism. By W. F. Alexander. The German Drama of To-Day. By Count 8. C. de Soissons. CoRNHILL. Judgment of Ginone. By R. A. K. FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. Boston. By Henry James. By Sir Oliver Lodge. William Pitt. By J. A. R. Marriott, Mr. Bernard Shaw's Counterfeit Presentment of Women. By Constance A. Barnicott. The Press in War Time. By A Journalist. William Sharp and Fiona Macleod. By Katherine Tynan. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Satire and Poetry at Olney. By Sidney T. Irwin. King Lear at the Theatre Antoine. By M. Strachey. Ibsen’s Letters. By G. Lowes Dickinson. Our Road Lay up the Apennine. By Herbert Trench. MACMILLAN’S MAGAZINE. Stevenson at Fontainbleau. By Robert B. Douglas. MONTH. Dead Languages and Living Interest. Bellantis. The Chester Plays. By Darley Dale. Catholics at the National Universities, D. O. Hunter-Blair, Bart., 0. S. B. By L. E. By The Rey. Sir MONTHLY REVIEW. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. By A. E. Keeton. A Servant of the Crown. By Theodore Andrea Cook. Lord Lovelace and Lord Byron. By Rowland EH, Prothero. NATIONAL REVIEW, Edmund Burke. By The Archbishop of Armagh. Christian Tradition and Popular Speech. By the Rey, R. L. Gabes. The Cup of Judgment. By Clotilde Graves. NINETEENTH CENTURY. The Dance in Ancient Greece, By Marcelle Azra Hincks. “The First Gentleman of Europe.’’ By Ellen L. Dillon. TEMPLE Bar. The Laureate of the ‘‘ Beefstakes.” By ‘‘Thormanby.” Kwannon, By Marjorie L. C. Pickthall. (There are no articles dealing with Literary, Dramatic, or Musical subjects in Zhe Pall Mall Magazine.)  THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ——_+——+—— ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. ll. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. ‘Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “‘ office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental tights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or ‘doctor |! Ill. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It isnow possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in 7’he Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :-— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Seczetary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :-— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. Weare advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld, ’ (3,) Always avoid a transfer of copyright.* ————__+—_+___—__ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. —— > — EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 205 _ 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (0.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of g7vss receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (é.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect, The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. ‘The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. —_——_—_<>—_o____—_- WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. ‘The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and c pyright. He 206 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. ——————o ro ——__—_——_ t HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. — + 1. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel's opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. This 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. The must be done within fourteen days of first execution. Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeayour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members_can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. 9 HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music om behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or _. part of 100, The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to- the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. ——_—__—_ <> -______ THE READING BRANCH. —— EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience, The fee is one guinea. ——$$o—— 9 ———___ NOTICES. Sa HE Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made te return articles which cannot be accepted. oe The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crosstd Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. Or LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. — ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.  THER AUTHOR. AUTHORITIES. ——— E have been informed by the Registrar of AY Copyrights at the Public Library at Washington that the third session of the conference on copyright was held in the library at Washington during last month, commencing on March 13th. It is hoped that the copyright bill may then be agreed to and settled by the various interests represented at that meeting so as to be in readiness to submit to Congress. The French and German authors have urged the extension of the interim term of protection granted by the Act of March 3rd, 1905, for books in foreign languages. ‘As soon as it is possible to obtain a copy of the bill for public discussion, it will be laid before the committee of the Society. THIRTEEN AS TweELVE.—This is one of the most insidious ways devised by publishers to squeeze out a little extra profit. In the good old days the royalties were paid on every copy of the book sold. All the calculations as to authors’ profits which were made by the Society were made reckoning that on the one hand the publisher paid a royalty on every copy sold, and on the other hand that he sold thirteen as twelve to the booksellers in the majority of cases. However, the old custom of paying royalty on every copy sold is going out, as the publisher asserts to the author that in the majority of instances he sold thirteen as twelve, and therefore jn fairness could only pay on that number, and the author, ignorant of the usual methods of sale, and, therefore, unable to deny the publisher’s statement, yielded to what amounts to over 8 per cent. reduction. Having advanced so far, the publisher proceeded to reckon thirteen as twelve on his sales to America, and this has been very strongly pressed by one or two publishers who have their own houses in the United States, but although it may be clear that there is a custom by which on the English market in certain circum- stances the bookseller purchases thirteen as twelve, it must be emphatically asserted that there is no such custom in the American market. We have made enquiries of those acquainted with the United States book market, and are informed that there is no evidence whatever of such a practice. If, therefore, an English publisher in the future insists upon reckoning the royalty on sales to America at thirteen as twelve, this should be strenuously opposed by the author, especially if the publisher asserts that this is a trade custom, for he should not by the aid of a falsehood 207 endeavour to obtain an advantage of the author. : - United States thirteen copies are not sold as welve. We have received from the publishers “The English Catalogue of Books for 1905, 69th year of issue, London : The Publishers’ Circular, Ltd.” This annual has been before the public for so long, and is so universally known and so justly esteemed, that any praise of it on our part is superfluous. Commendation cannot go beyond saying that the new volume is in every respect a worthy continuation of its invaluable predecessors. It seems almost impossible to imagine that any man of letters is ignorant of the merits of this practically indispensable book. But if any are to be found, we can only recommend them to make the acquaintance of the work at the earliest possible opportunity. In its index of authors and titles, under one alphabet, they will find that they have a summary of English literature brought up to date, that will save the scholar and student the fatiguing labours of searching to discover what has been done, and will prove no less helpful and suggestive to the general reader. : _ We have much pleasure in printing an interest- ing article from the pen of an editor of a well- known review. Although we do not agree entirely with the legal opinions expressed, which deal with the respon- sibility and the rights of the editor, yet we cannot but think that it will prove a useful hint to many authors, and will lead them to take more careful consideration before they send in their contribu- tions to magazines. A little foresight will not only save the editor a great deal of trouble, but will save the author a great deal of worry. Audi alteram partem is not merely a sound legal motto, but it is equally applicable to ordinary business. ———_+——_+—_____—__ A BALLADE IN SPRING. — \ Aes Spring’s kind hands with unguents meet The wounds of cruel winter tend, And sunny rays with loving heat For bitter frost do make amend, Then hark ! the thrush’s notes ascend, With pride of heart his music’s set, And boastful trills his throat distend On topmost bough a silhouette. THE AUTHOR. (No pedlar in the village street Could more persistently defend The value of his wares and beat, The inverted tub whose upturned end His counter is: while oil lamps lend With guttering light their flare and fret To mark his bodies forward bend On topmost tub a silhouette). To speckle breast no calm retreat, No bosky grove—where others blend In misty chorus dimly sweet— Their shady paths will e’er commend. His tunes however clear offend (He scorns the modest chansonette) And all our finer feelings rend On topmost bough a silhouette. L’Envotr. Authors who wearily have penned Your own and life’s dull novelette, Take heed, nor emulate our friend On topmost bough a silhouette. A. B.C. —_——_ + +—__—_——_- UNITED STATES NOTES. —+— + HAT he is justified in terming ‘ some very pleasing conclusions ” have resulted from the editor of the Bookman’s survey of the American fiction of 1905, as compared with that of previous years. There is more evidence of the indi- vidual note; he finds, and the possibility of creating great sales “through sheer exploitation,” has, he thinks, become an impossibility for publishers. The lists show a renewed interest in the books of English authors. The six most popular novels of last year “were divided equally in authorship, -both as to sex and nationality ” ; whereas in 1904, only two out of the thirty favourite works were English, and one Canadian. We must congratulate the Bookman upon the new educational department which it has inaugu- rated this year. This should be of value to many readers. The bi-centenary of the great diplomatist and man of science, who in his last will and testament wrote himself down “ Benjamin Franklin, printer,” has been celebrated in more ways than one. An exhibition at the Boston Public Library ; a dinner at the New Grand Hotel, New York; and—a strike! The demand of the International Typo- graphical Union was for an eight-hours day with nine hours pay, and a “close shop”; and it was speedily conceded, with some reservations, by Harper, Funk and Wagnal, Munsey, and other houses. The question of the “close” or “open shop” seems to have had more to do with the movement than that of the reduction of hours. A copyright treaty between the United States. and Japan, on the lines laid down by the inter- national conference, was ratified by the Senate on the last day of February. _ The acquittal of Norman Hapgood, who was indicted for telling the truth about Justice Joseph M. Deuel’s connection with a low-class society paper, is highly satisfactory. The directors of Collier’s Weekly have performed a public service, for which they are entitled to the greatest credit. Mrs. Wharton’s “ House of Mirth ” is still pro- voking discussion. No other American work of anything like its calibre has appeared since it was published. In fact the only book of any consider- able note that has seen the light since the beginning of 1906 is Miss Ellen Glasgow’s ‘‘The Wheel of Life.” Some of this lady’s admirers are inclined to think that she has made a mistake in leaving those southern fields in which she has won distinc-- tion ; but, at the worst, the novel is a courageous experiment. Like “The House of Mirth,” it. is another study of the seamy side of smart. New York society. Curiously enough the older work is now at the top of the ‘best sellers,” whilst its successor takes the last place among them. The second on the list is a book which is chiefly remarkable for the eccentricity of its title, Meredith Nicholson’s ‘The House of a Thousand Candles,’” though we notice that a journal of the far west makes bold to call it “ the best romance since the good old (?) days of Stevenson.” Another recently published story, A. B. Ward’s. “The Sage-Brush Parson,” has a certain merit on account of its faithful conveying of the atmosphere: of the west and the sympathetic presentation of its. hero ; and Herbert Quick’s ‘‘ Double Trouble ” is. a diverting tale of the dual-personality order. “ Barbara Winslow, Rabel,” by Elizabeth. Ellis,. may also be mentioned as a romance of rather more than average merit, if of a somewhat conventional type. Like Miss Glasgow, Mr. Nelson Lloyd has. deserted his usual field for New York. His. “Mrs. Radigun” attacks the problem from the humorous side, and is in its way effective enough.. David Graham Phillips’s new book, ‘‘ The Social Secretary,” has Washington as its locale. The author of that highly popular romance, “The Helmet of Navarre,” has made a new depar-- ture. “The Truth about Tolna” deals, like so- many other books we have alluded to, with the life- of contemporary New York. But she has treated the subject in the spirit of comedy rather than satire. The last piece of fiction which we need mention is a new book by the author of the ‘‘ The Grafters.’” The period of Mr. Lynde’s story is some twenty  THE AUTHOR. 209 years after the Civil War, and its scene Paradise Valley, Tennessee. The development of one Tonie Gordon, son of the owner of an iron furnace and an old soldier, is its chief theme. We had, however, forgotten Frances Hodgson Burnett’s new book, “The Dawn of a To-morrow,” which is issued by Messrs. Scribner. It. is a story of the London poor. The first publication of a new series called « American Public Problems,’ which the Holt Company are issuing, under the editorship of Dr. Curtis Ringwalt, will have an interest for the inhabitants of more than one continent. Prescott F. Hall’s “ Immigration and its Effects upon the United States,” deals among other things with the Chinese problem. George S. Meriam has reprinted from the Springfield Republican his scholarly presentation of the negro question, “The Negro and the Nation.” There will doubtless not be wanting a public for Olive Green’s “ Everyday Luncheons,” although a little philosophy is provided by way of hors d’wuvre to Messrs. Putnam’s confections, the menus of which are as the days of the year in number. - Mention of the house of Putnam brings to mind an amusing matter. That enterprising, well-edited and beautifully illustrated periodical, The Critic, recently brought from the grave and reanimated the corpse of the eminent sculptor, William Wetmore Story in order that he might figure as the author ofa poem. Now here is enterprise indeed ! Among the most interesting publications outside fiction of the spring season will be J. H. Hazleton’s account of the inner history of the Declaration of Independence. Another study of the same period, ‘‘ Americans of 1776,” comes from the pen of James Schouler, and is issued by the same house, Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co. A memoir of Jacques Cartier, with Bibliography and a facsimile of the manu- script of his voyage (1534), comes also from the same publishers, Dr. James Phinney Baxter being the editor. The “Studies in American Trade Unionism,” edited by two professors in the John 8. Hopkins University, may be of some interest to European students of public affairs. Specialists write upon each particular trade organisation: the Knights of Labour, the Cigar Makers’ Union, the Machinists’ Union, the railway and building trades are among those treated, and we note that the Typographic Union has two sections devoted respectively to “government” and ‘collective bargaining.” Employers’ associations are also dealt with. A privately printed compilation of 1905, which has just come to hand, the “Chronicles of a Connecticut Farm,” from 1769 to date of issue, may appeal to agriculturists, and possibly, to some others too. Another private issue is the Grolier Club’s Catalogue of the Franklin Exhibition held by them this January. Mr. Bernard Shaw’s pugilist hero, Cashel Byron, has been impersonated over here by a real pro- fessional, no less than Jem Corbett himself. But: there is no fight in the play ! Mr. Carnegie is supposed to be engaged upor his autobiography, which should be good reading: when finished. It is refreshing to hear of an author who chooses: to remain anonymous from weariness of hearing herself praised. This, we are told, was the reason: why Mrs. Mabel Osgood Wright «abstained from putting her name to “ The Garden of a Commutor’s Wife.” And yet the American ‘‘ Who’s Who,” for 1906, contains two thousand new biographies. A statue of Charles Dickens, with a figure of Little Nell standing below him on the upper steps of the pedestal, has lately been erected in Philadelphia. Is this, as has been stated, the first monument raised to his memory in the United States ? Mr. Lippincott has, it is stated, suspended the preparation of his projected English dictionary on account of the persona! strain involved in the work. As, however, a considerable portion of the under- taking had been completed, it is hoped that, if he is unable to resume it himself, the enterprise may be carried through by another house. Messrs. Harper are bringing out a series entitled the “Mark Twain Library of Humor.” The great man himself is editor, so that he will give it something more than his name. The undertaking appears, from all accounts, to have been planned in a most catholic spirit. The chief loss that American literature has suffered since I penned my last notes is that of Paul I.aurence Dunbar. The negro poet died at Dayton, Ohio, on February 9th, in his thirty-fourth year. He worked as an elevator-boy and obtained little recognition till Mr. Howells drew attention to his “Majors and Minors.” Thenceforth, the author of “Lyrics of Lowly Places” became most prolific. The death of Miss Susan B. Anthony, historian of the Woman’s Suffrage Movement as well as an active worker in it, took place only the other day. pe AMERICAN COPYRIGHT LAW OF MARCH 3, 1905. —_-——+—. HE January number of the Droit d’ Auteur contains an interesting article upon the question whethera foreign play first published outside the United States comes within the pro- visions of the law of March 8rd, 1905. The writer: ‘210 points out that the American copyright statutes contain no definition of a “‘ book,” and as the new law only refers to books, it may be doubted whether a play published in printed form comes within the scope of its provisions. Anyone acquainted with the American copyright statutes might well be excused for asking the conundrum, “ When is a book not a book ?” and the answer surely should be, “ When it is a dramatic composition published in book form”; bat even then it is in some respects a book. It is manifest from the history of the Chace Act that “ dramatic compositions ’’ were purposely exempted from the requirement of the “ manufac- turing clause” as to books; and the case of Littleton v. Oliver Ditson Co. shows that a dramatic composition published in book form is not a book in respect of that requirement—that the two copies delivered to the Librarian of Con- gress, in the case of a dramatic composition, need not be printed in the United States. A dramatic composition published in book form, therefore, zs not a “ book” within section 4956. On the other hand, the section (4962) which requires the copyright notice to be inserted in “books” appears to include dramatic compositions ; because the next section (4963) which makes it an offence to insert falsely “such copyright notice ” contains the phrase, “in any book, map, chart, dramatic or musical composition.” The word “dramatic” was added when the section was amended, and this addition was in fact the only amendment madé. It seems to follow, therefore, that the previous section, requiring the copyright notice to be inserted, includes under the term “books”? dramatic compositions, which are not specifically mentioned. Accordingly, a dramatic composition published in printed form 7s a “book” under section 4962. It will be seen, therefore, that under the American copyright statutes a play published in printed form is in some respects a “book,” and in other respects it is not a ‘ book.” The new law of March 8rd, 1905, only deals with books, and whether the author chooses to regard his play under it as a “ book,” or under the earlier provisions as a “dramatic composition,” appears to be optional. In exercising his discretion, however, it would be well for the author to com- pare the formalities and privileges, in order that he may fully realise the effect of his decision. For example, the author of a French play first published in book form in France will lose his rights in America, unless he complies with the formalities as to registration, etc., in the United States. Two courses appear to be open to him :— (1.) He may regard the work as a “dramatic composition’? and comply with the ordinary TAR AUTHOR. formalities of registration, etc., on or before the day of publication; or (2.) He can regard the work as a “‘book” and obtain an interim protection within thirty days of publication, and so be allowed twelve months within which to comply with the ordinary formalities. In case (1) he must fulfil the following con- ditions :— (a) Deliver ‘a printed copy of the tile of the work to the Librarian of Congress on or before the day of publication. (b) Deliver two copies of the work to the Librarian of Congress not later than the day of publication. These copies need not be printed in the United States as is required in case of a “book.” (c) Insert the copyright notices in all copies published. On compliance with the above formalities the author protects his copyright, dramatic rights, and rights of translation in the United States for twenty-eight years, with a possible extension for fourteen years more. In case (2) nothing need be done before publica- tion. Within thirty days after publication, however, the author must send to the Librarian of Congress a copy of the book containing a reservation of his rights under the law of March 3rd, 1905, More- over, within twelve months after publication he must comply with the ordinary formalities as to registration, and as he will have to describe the work as a “‘ book,” the two copies to be delivered will have to be printed in the United States. It is advisable, therefore, that the author should, in such a case, adopt the first method of registering his play as a “dramatic composition,’ and so escape the liability of having the play printed in the United States, which is the ultimate effect of adopting the alternative method under the new law. If, on the other hand, the author is out of time at the date of publication, it appears to be open to him to take advantage of the new law and obtain within thirty days the interim protection, and subsequently (within twelve months) comply with the ordinary formalities as to books. Harotp Harpy. Ce Sn a THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OF AUTHORS. ot N March 27th, the annual general meeting of the society was held as usual in the Hall of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society in Hanover Square. The attendance was not so large as in some former years, but if the numbers present  THE AUTHOR. 211 do not increase in proportion to the growing list of members of the society, this is no doubt due to a settled feeling of satisfaction as to its prosperity, and to a diminished desire to question or criticise its management. Punctually at 4 p.m., Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., chairman of the committee of manage- ment, who presided over the meeting, rose to pro- pose the election of a member of the committee of the Pension Fund, and, on his motion, Mr. Morley Roberts, whose resignation in accordance with the rules created the vacancy, was re-elected unanimously, no other candidate being put forward. {n proceeding to introduce the report and accounts of the committee of management already in the hands of the members, the chairman referred with satisfaction to the continued growth and prosperity of the society, as shown by an increased member- ship of 116 since the last general meeting. During the past twelve months there had been elected 238 members and associates, a record number exceeding that of the preceding year by five. Against these elections there had been the loss of 122 members by death, resignation, and other causes, leaving the balance mentioned. Among the deaths, Sir Henry Bergne made special refer- ence to the loss sustained by the society in Sir Henry Irving and Mr. Edward Rose, but added that there were distinguished names also to be found among the new members enrolled. The aims of the society he summed up as the insisting upon the maintenance of the just rights of authors without supporting claims of a frivolous nature ; the line might not always be easy to draw, but cases were always carefully examined by the committee in order that justice might be done and support afforded to members of the society ; he would, however, like, by way of warning, to say that no author should ask the committee to take up his case unless he were prepared to go into court to support it. If the society were to con- tinue to make terms on behalf of members who became involved in disputes, it must be known that such disputes would certainly be fought out if necessary. Sir Henry Bergne next made allusion to the importance of the society’s action in the field of international copyright, pointing to the cases referred to in the report in illustration of this. He called attention to the relations also men- tioned in the report as existing between the society and the Canadian Authors’ Society, saying that the absence of complete understanding with the Colonies had hitherto stood in the way of effective action to amend the English law of copyright, and that in its absence no amendment of the law could be introduced effectively, while premature action without it would be undesirable. Turning again to the immediate concerns of the society, he alluded to its financial position as being thoroughly satis- factory, the heavy costs in the case of Aflalo v. Lawrence and Bullen having been paid, and the assets of the society showing a substantial surplus available after due allowance for all liabilities. In conclusion, he urged members to bring about the enrolment of all authors wherever possible in the society’s list of members. At the conclusion of Sir Henry Bergne’s address, which was received with applause, none of the members present desired to raise any question or to ask for any further explanation, and Mr. A. & Beckett rose to propose a vote of thanks to the chairman. In doing so, he referred incidentally to the status of dramatic authorship, and to the work being done by the dramatic committee of the society with regard to it. Upon this committee, as he pointed out, appeared the names of such representative dramatists as Mr. Pinero, Mr. Arthur Jones, and Mr. Sydney Grundy, as well as that of Sir Francis Burnand, to whose long and honourable: connection with Punch, recently terminated, he made special reference. In seconding the vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr. Rider Haggard declared that among the records of past chairmen, none was to be found who had done better work for the society than Sir Henry Bergne, the result of whose labours was to be seen in the report before the meeting. Himself a member of more years than he cared to recall, if not an original one, Mr. Haggard viewed with satisfaction its increase in members, in utility, and in prosperity. Its finances were in good order, and when it desired to make itself heard it was listened to. To this state of things Sir Henry Bergne had contributed not a little. After the vote had been put to the meeting and carried with enthusiasm, Sir Henry made a brief speech in acknowledgment, saying that if the chairmanship of the committee of management had given him at times trouble and anxiety, this was compensated by the pleasure which the conduct of its affairs had also afforded him. At the conclusion of the proceedings, in reply to a question, the date of the annual dinner was mentioned (May 9th), and the change of venue to the Criterion Restaurant. There were present on the platform, besides the chairman and the secretary (Mr. G. H. Thring), Mr. A. W.a Beckett, Mr. H. Rider Haggard, and Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins. Other members present included Sir Robert Ball, Mr. KE. A. Arm- strong, Mr. T. P. Armstrong, Miss E. Baker, Mr. P. Warwick Bond, Miss Lottie Brook, Mr. E. E. Charlton, Miss Ellen Collett, Mr. Charles Daly, Mr. Basil Field, solicitor to the Society, Mrs. Wynne Foulkes, “ Rowland Grey,” Mrs. Julian. Mrs. Lechmere, Mr. Mowbray Marris, ‘212 Miss McPherson, Miss A. Moore, Miss Agnes M. Murphy, Miss Olive Katharine Parr. Mr. C. Pendle- bury, The Rev. C. E. Pike, Canon Haslock Potter, Mrs. E. Romanes, Mr. Victor Spiers, and Mr. L. C. “Wharton, etc., etc. ee CONTRIBUTORS AND THEIR LITTLE WAYS. By an Epiror. HE writer of this article found himself, a few years ago, seated in the editorial chair of a magazine, which had for its object the dissemination of new ideas, and especially of arousing fresh and enlightened interest in public affairs. The last thing in the world that the proprietors of the magazine desired was that it should become a refuge for hack writers or a ‘collection of useless trifles. This attitude was expressly explained in widely-circulated docu- ments, and the Press was good enough to give great publicity to it. Obviously, the general policy of the editor in such ‘circumstances was to make the expert, and especi- ally the young expert, place his stores of knowledge at the disposal of the public in a form intelligible to the ordinary layman. The fact that the expert ‘did not want to write was not to be allowed to weigh against the public interest. He must be made to write. New ideas are generated by the marriage of knowledge with enthusiasm. There can be no greater fallacy than to suppose that they are ever the product of ignorance, even of intelli- gent ignorance. To avoid raising false hopes, each number of the magazine was made to contain, in a conspicuous position, the request that no manuscripts should be ‘sent in without previous communication with the editor. It is needless to point out the advantages ‘of such an arrangement in the saving of time, expense, inconvenience and disappointment both to editor and contributors. It would not have been surprising to find that, in the circumstances, the magazine was besieged by the advocates of extreme causes ; and to these the management was perfectly prepared to lend a ‘sympathetic ear. Oddly enough, with the excep- tion of the indefatigable spelling-reformer, such ‘applicants were neither frequent nor persistent. In fact, there was a rather disappointing scarcity of Utopians. On the other hand, there was a rush of would-be contributors, whose only claim to a hearing was, apparently, that they were anxious to write on THE AUTHOR. something, no matter what. Many of them seemed to think that the magazine had been founded for their express benefit, and were furious at not being engaged as regular contributors. They chose the most obvious subjects, and their contributions were, to put it gently, not characterised by originality. To judge by the appearance of the MSS., many of them had been the round of various editorial offices, a fact which a little pains would have disguised. Many of them were only legible with difficulty, and a substantial proportion con- sisted of loose sheets, bearing no name or other mark of identification. In length they varied from afew pages to asmall volume. Neither the limita- tions of a periodical publication, nor the difficulty of keeping in order a large mass of unidentified copy, appeared to have entered into the considera- tion of their authors. The few who sent addressed envelopes for return did not seem to realise that a MS. has to be removed from its envelope for examination, and that the absence of any mark connecting it with its particular envelope added to the editor’s troubles. In spite of the warning in the magazine, the editor did his best to return the MSS. to their owners ; but in one or two cases, in spite of all reasonable care, mistakes were made, and then, needless to say, the indignation of the injured con- tributors was extreme. One of them formulated the theory that the editor was responsible for the loss. It is well that contributors should realise that such a theory is baseless. A man who opens a butcher’s shop might as well be held responsible for carcases sent to him without order — per- haps the consignors would have a stronger claim in that case, for the butcher might protect himself by refusing to take in the goods, while it is obvious that an editor cannot reject a postal packet until he has ascertained its contents, especially when he has given formal notice, by the only means in his power, that he does not desire unsolicited con- tributions ; he has aright to assume that intending contributors will take the trouble to look at his publication to ascertain his conditions. To inform an editor indirectly that you do not consider his journal worth perusal, is hardly calculated to operate as a promising introduction to business. If it were not an obvious suggestion, an editor might venture to hint that a careful study of the pages of his magazine might substantially increase the chances: of intending contributors. Perhaps the following simple rules might be of service :— 1. Ascertain the general character and objects of the magazine, and be sure that your contribu- tion falls within them. 2. Try to choose a subject within this scope, which has not. been recently handled by the magazine.  THE AUTHOR. 213 3. (As a corollary of No, 2.) Do not, when an article on a particular subject has recently appeared, in that or a rival periodical, offer another on the same subject. Another curious delusion on the part of contri- butors is that a personal interview adds to the chances of acceptance. The most fascinating talker in the world may be a poor writer; and, conversely, a really brilliant writer may be an absolutely offensive personality, and may arouse in the editorial breast, already annoyed by the intrusion upon busy time, a desire to get rid of the interviewer as quickly as possible, and a rigid determination never to admit the interviewer's contribution. Even the gift of a photograph is a doubtful step. An editor does not in the least care whether his contributors are ugly as sin, or beautiful as Venus. But, being mortal, he may be prejudiced against the donor by the very gift which was intended (presumably) to win his good opinion. Invitations to lunch and dinner stand on much the same footing as photographs. One other consideration may be suggested to the intending, as distinguished from the accepted, con- tributor. There are certain subjects which demand serious study as a primary condition, even of understanding, to say nothing of forming opinions. The land question is an example. No one who has not studied that question seriously for at least ten years is entitled to have an opinion upon it, much less to adopt the attitude of a reformer or critic. Yet the writer has received dozens of contributions, worth less than the paper on which they were written, which professed to offer practical and invulnerable schemes of reform. ‘The fact that the writers did not realise that the first lawyer’s clerk they might happen to meet could easily knock holes in the bottom of their schemes was, of course, in itself fatal to theirchances. If the land question could be settled by well-meaning amateurs it would have been settled years ago. Another ludicrous example of the amateur expert was the author of an article on the Far Eastern question, sent in at a crucial stage of the Russo-Japanese war. Somewhat struck by the fact that the writer, though dating from a remote Scottish island, dis- played an apparently remarkable acquaintance with the details of Eastern politics, the editor wrote to ask him how recent was his experience of the facts he professed to adduce. To his amusement, the editor received a reply to the effect that the writer of the article had never travelled beyond the limits of his native land, but that he had made a liberal use of the Encylopedia Britannica, which he was buying on the instalment system. But suppose the editor to have satisfied himself that an offered contribution is prima facie suitable, and is not a translation, made without consent, of a foreign author, nor an infringement of copyright ; his troubles are by no means over. If he is wise,. he will ask the author whether his MS., returned for finishing touches, has at last assumed the precise form in which he (the author) wishes it to appear. Receiving an affirmative reply, the editor will in confidence commit the MS. to the printer. But in not a few cases he will, in the course of a day or two, receive an agitated letter from the contributor, regretting that, by a curious oversight, or the mistake of a friend whom he deputed to. make a search, the figures on which he has based his arguments are incorrect, and “ will the editor kindly alter in accordance with the enclosed, after which the article will be exactly,” etc. This- process may be repeated any number of times ;. but it will not in the least obviate the alleged necessity for frequent alterations in the proof,. made, apparently, in entire oblivion of the obvious fact that press corrections cost money. One con- tributor, guilty in this respect, to whom the editor had offered a mild remonstrance in the form of a query as to the cause of these alterations, referred loftily to “the striving after perfection,” as a thing above the souls of editors. But he did not explain why the “ striving after perfection ” had not caused the retention of the MS. till the desired ideal was. reached. Another contributor, indignant at being retrenched in the matter of press corrections,. alleced that she had never before been restricted in this direction—a fact which, incidentally, throws. some light on the cost of printing in the public offices, for she was an official whose duty con- sisted largely in drawing up reports for Government use. Finally, the average contributor is curiously vague on the subject of reprints. In all proba- bility, few editors insist on the fact that the copy- right in an article contributed without special arrangement belongs absolutely to the proprietors of the periodical. But it is obvious that, in self- defence, an editor who does his duty to his pro- prietors cannot allow an immediate republication of an article for which he has paid, in arival publication, published, in all probability, at a cheaper rate, for brooms stolen ready made can be put cheap on the market. It does not seem to occur to contributors that there is anything unbusinesslike in selling an article to A., and then asking that B. may have the: use of it. In fact, they generally pride themselves on their scruples in asking for permission to reprint, and not infrequently suggest that the services of the editorial printers shall be placed at the disposal of the editor’s rival. 'The high-water mark of this editor’s experience was touched when a contributor, whose article had been accepted, asked him to- facilitate a reprint before publication. But that, perhaps, was a joke. 214 There was, it is believed, at one time a theory that common sense and business instincts were not to be expected of authors. If such a claim were put forward on behalf of a writer of genius, or even of conspicuous ability, it might be accepted ; for such men are rare, and we must be prepared to sacrifice time and trouble to give the world the benefit of their thoughts. But, oddly enough, experience shows that such men rarely put for- ward such a claim. Most of the great writers of the nineteenth century seem to have been uncommonly good men of business, and it has certainly been this editor’s luck to find his most important contributors singularly easy to deal with. Personally, he holds that the unsolicited article is seldom of much value, even on its intrinsic merits, and he entirely declines to admit that there is any sanctity about the casual contributor (who ought, quite likely, to be doing something much more useful than scribbling) that entitles him to exemption from the ordinary rules of business. Authorship is a profession which no one should take up without feeling quite certain of a vocation, and without a systematic training in the machinery as well as the materials of his work. Since he has occupied an editorial chair, the writer of these lines has more than once reflected, with a sense of formerly unsuspected meanings, on a favourite rebuke frequently administered to himself and his schoolfellows many years ago, by an acute teacher of foreign languages, whose knowledge of English was less perfect than his common sense. “You boys ; don’t none of you sink you is men of genius because you write badly.” a —_ oo —_—____——_ THE FUTURE OF THE NOYEL. a (Reprinted by permission of the Editor of Zhe Daily Telegraph.) EVERAL people have lately been exercising themselves concerning the fate of the novel— among others, M. Georges Ohnet, who seems ito be perturbed as to the future chances of the literary craftsman. M. Ohnet has, no doubt, con- tributed largely to the romance of the day, and many of his novels have appeared in English dress, to say nothing of the play “The Iron Master,” founded on his “Maitre de Forges.” But in France there was at least one notable critic— M. Lemaitre—who dismissed in a very succinct phrase M. Ohnet’s claim to write literature at all. ‘The exact merits of style and technique which dis- tinguish the real artist from his painstaking and most respectable brother— who writes so voluminously, enjoys so large a circulation, and THE AUTHOR. deserves almost every other form of praise except that of belonging to the first rank—are not patent to every observer, even within the writer’s own country. Still less, of course, are they discernible by foreigners. We do not pretend to say whether M. Ohnet is or is not a literary artist, any more than we should permit a foreign judgment on the interval which separates, let us say, ‘‘ Esmond” from “The Prodigal Son.” But one of the points suggested by the French novelist’s remarks is of as much interest in England as on the other side of the Channel. Will novel-writing sink, so to speak, from its own weight? Will it, as a literary exercise, be submerged by the vast bulk of speci- mens, the enormous mass of productions, which are put on the market every year from teeming presses ? We have some right to speak on such a question in this country, because the novel is, to a large extent, an English invention. Richardson wrote his laborious romances concerning his Pamelas and Clarissas, and forthwith became an European prodigy. Fielding, a better artist, because he possessed the divine gift of humour, taught us how novels should be composed, and his successors bettered the example. When the torch came into the hands of Walter Scott, and Thackeray, and Dickens, we enjoyed the halcyon days of English novel-writing. But on us of alater generation has descended the deluge. There was a time when men and women listened to Byron and Wordsworth, and read poetry. Not many years ago sermons and theological writings held the record among the publications of the year. Now the record is easily held by novels, the pro- duction of which defies all competition. Everybody one has ever heard of is either writing or has written a novel. It used to be said that every son of Adam carried a dead poet in his breast. It would be truer to say nowadays that every daughter of Eve carries an unwritten novel some- where within her heart or her brain. She lets it peep out sometimes, when she publishes “ The Diary of a Lonely Soul,” or composes letters de- scriptive of “ Betty’s” unceremonious visits to country houses. If she has been disappointed in love, or has been the victim of an uncongenial marriage ; if she has discovered the inconstancy of her woman friends, or tried the doubtful experi- ment of a platonic affection; if she suffers from nerves, or has travelled in foreign lands; felt within her the instincts of a “born mother,” or even cut her first wisdom tooth (although this, we understand, is a comparatively rare event), straight- way she writes a novel, and pays large sums to a publisher to issue it for her with suitable prelimi- nary puffs and a generous system of advertising. Women are the great writers of novels at the present time, and apparently are the great consumers of  THE AUTHOR. them. Just as ladies do not dress to please men, but to enjoy the pleasures of mutual criticism, so also they seem to compose their romances. Novel- writing is largely an industry exercised by women, for women, and about women. Of course, this wide extension of literary labour has its good effects as well as its bad. We may sacrifice quality, in consideration of quantity. But it is a most remarkable feature of our present age that the possession of more or less literary gifts should be so largely diffused throughout the com- munity. When M. Georges Ohnet, to whom we have already referred, was confronted by the num- ber of romances composed by both men and women of all classes, he confessed that he was astonished at the excellence of the result. “ Popular culture,” he remarked, ‘‘ has thrown upon the pavements of Paris an illimitable number of persons, fairly well instructed, who, so far from willing to hear others speak or let others write for them, are themselves young, ardent, erudite, ambitious, and—capable. The mischief of it is,” he proceeds, ‘“ that they have reason on their side. I have been reading many romances of which the authors are about twenty-five years of age, and I find that the talent which they have put into their books is extra- ordinary. They know now, at twenty-five, what in other days men learned by fifty. 1 repeat, that these readings have left me almost stupefied.” M. Ohnet was born a good many years ago, and his remarks savour, perhaps, of the reflections of that intolerant middle age which dislikes the phenomenon of the younger generation knocking at the doors. But the fact is that, alike in England and in France, the number of instructed persons who can write is large enough to suggest that the art of writing is itself, at all events in rudimentary forms, by no means difficult of attainment. Perhaps it is something to be proud of that in England every third woman and every twentieth man one meets has published something or other which, without any great strain on our credibility, can be described as a book. But there are drawbacks. The triumph of the amateur, the universal conquest of the world by amateurishness, obviously tends to degrade the very conception of art. For art is a technical business only to be acquired by much careful preparation and long mental discipline pursued with eager and unremitting industry. If “all can grow the flower because all have got the seed,” as Tennyson once remarked in a moment of bitterness, the value of the flower must be seriously diminished. It is not the rare and exquisite bloom of years of culture ; it is the easy and prodigal growth of a sort of grass of the field, which to-day is and to-morrow is cast into the oven. In no other department is the standard of good work 80 215. depreciated as in the case of the contemporary novel. Every artist knows how easily a certain amount of work, which in generous moments one describes as good, is produced. The praiseworthy in intention is over and over again mistaken for the exquisite in effect. We pay compliments with such facility that we have no adjectives left for the best kind of work, the work which comes so rarely, and which is so unmistakable when it does come. Those who are inclined to take a pessimistic view of the world at large are apt to say that we are living in an era of second-rate men, whether they be statesmen, politicians, dramatists, lyrical poets, or novel-writers. Pessimism is never right, but it always has some grain of truth, even in its most querulous moods. There is no cause for despair, because the good work has not only as fair a chance as ever it had, but is still easily discerned by elect minds. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly true that the vast and simultaneous cultivation of an artistic field does not promote the production of those unique specimens which render an age illustrious. How many of our existing novelists or poets have any chance of being included amongst the Immortals ? ——— > — A REVIEW OF THE TOTEM QUESTION. —— + HE editor of Zhe Author has kindly asked me to contribute this further paper on “totems for authors.” Some of the readers of 7’he Author may remem- ber my letter in the January number, in which I suggested that “ writin’ chaps ” were beginning to feel the need of some better means of identification with their work than was afforded by merely attaching thereto their names. I went on then to quote off-hand a few doubles, pointing out that a page might be easily filled in that manner. After that, I put forth my idea that there was much to be said in favour of authors adopting each a totem whereby they might become distinguishable from others of the same name, and suggested that such totems could be registered, so as to prevent others from adopting them. In this wise, as I hope I made clear, though there arose an army of Browns, Smiths, and Robinsons, each determined to achieve fame, it would be possible to sort them out, provided that each adopted and registered a totem. Last month, I amplified somewhat my previous paper, chiefly in the direction of the necessity for simplicity in totems. I endeavoured—without, 1 hope, appearing an unconscious humourist — to- make it clear that a flat iron was better as @ fotem, tlian a less homely design which might 216 THE AUTHOR. not be so readily recognised. For, as I remarked, a totem is essentially intended to act as an identi- fication mark of an author with his work. There- fore, the simpler it is for the general public to recognise and name, the more perfectly does it accomplish its object. I may seem to insist too much on so simple and obvious a point; but I have received letters which have shown me that this detail has not been properly grasped, and hence my reason for further hammering it In. It should be borne in mind that totems are in- tended to help that terrible person “the man in the street’ to identify an author with his books ; therefore, it should not be necessary to possess erudition before the totem can be recognised or named ; and, further, I don’t think, a this respect, that latin quotations or inscriptions are of much use. It is true that the man in the street has some knowledge of foreign and dead languages ; as, for instance, Diew et mon Droit, which, by the way, he believes firmly is Latin, and quotes as such, with befitting gravity; and Semper Hadem which he will insist means “always the same,” and, indeed, I have never contradicted him. It may be very reasonably objected that a Latin inscription or motto cannot, at most, prove actually detrimental to the recognising and naming of a totem, and with this I agree. Ido but intend to suggest that it is of little use having as a totem a design which relies on an understanding of its Latin motto before it can be recognised and named. Indeed, so far from my having a radical objection to the graciousness which Latin imparts to our prosaic language, I have myself more than a sneaking desire to affix something of the sort to my totem. Yes, I intend to have one, though per- haps it is early times. Yet, I would have you to know that, like many people with the maternal instinct, I am “on the way.” T have anticipated a possible outcry against my oft reiterated plea for the use of commonplace objects as totems. And to this, if it arises, 1 am pre- pared to listen with a certain amount of deference. Alisthetic sanity will prompt the writer of beautiful thoughts to object vigorously to having, say, a flat- iron printed always beside his name on the cover of his book of poems or essays. Obviously, to do such a thing would be inartistic and to court ridicule and worse. And here I would take the opportunity to say that, when I advocate flat- irons, tongs, kettles, etc., I advocate also the use of a little humour and common sense in the making of selections. For instance, if Cutcliffe Hyne printed a kettle beside his name, there would be nothing inappropriate ; for his Captain Kettle stories have aade that useful article quite a famous and blood stirring emblem. In the case, however, of such a writer as Mr. Richard le Gallienne, we should have to search round for something that, while familiar and recognisable, was pretty and pleasant to the eye, and also not too obtrusive. As a matter of fact, this writer does not need a totem ; for his name is at present sufficiently unusual to enable him to dispense with one; but later it may be necessary, and then some pleasing natural object will have to be affixed to his books, with, perhaps, around it some well-known line from one of hig poems. To give a practical illustration in the case of another writer of fine thoughts, I would suggest for (Mrs.) Rosamund Marriott Watson that she take for her totem a flower blocked out in grey. Around it she could then print that striking line from her poeem—* The Pilgrim ”—“ And in Death’s garden all the flowers are grey.” Such a totem as this could not, I feel sure; offend the taste of the most fastidious. To the objection of the hypercritical esthete that totems may bring an added flavour of trade into the making of books, I would reply that, if the totem be carefully chosen, it need not in any way carry with it the taint (sic) of trade; for I have ascertained that the words ‘Trade Mark” or “Registered” need not be printed on, or in con- junction with, it. I wish here to refer back again to the need for some such distinguishing mark as this paper is advocating, and I think my strongest argument will be to print a list of authors, by no manner of means a comprehensive one, who are unfortunate enough to have fellow craftsmen bearing the same: surname, and in some cases the same christian names :— Abbotts. Aitkens. Allens. Andersons. Armstrongs. Bakers. Balfours. Barnetts. Bells. Bennetts. Bensons. Bradleys. Brights. Brookes. Browns. Burgesses. Butlers. Campbells. Churchills. Clarkes, Cliffords. Coleridges. Collins. Coopers. Crocketts. Daltons. Darwins. DOWN EERO RENIN TED EDR EOE WOO w& DR CORE OIRO OwWo rw Ot Rw 5 Cunninghams. 4 Jones. 4 Davidsons, Dawsons. Deanes. Dixons, Earles. Edwardses, Evans. Fletchers, Forbes. Fosters. Fowlers. Frasers. Garnetts. Geikies. Gibsons, Graves. Grays. Greens. Hamiltons. Harrisses. Hodgsons. (Another one on the way). 3 Hopes. Huttons. Jacksons, Kellys. 4 Kenyons.  yihaee ees THE 7 Lees. 5 Russells. 3 Lindsays. 3 Scotts. 3 Macleods. 3 Sharps. 3 Maitlands. 3 Sidgwicks. 5 Marshalls. 8 Smiths. 3 Martins. 3 Toynbees. 3 Meakins. 3 Vincents. 7 Moores. 3 Walkers. 4 Morgans. 6 Wards. 7 Murrays. 3 Warrens. 2 Normans. 9 Watsons. 2 Omonds. 6 Whites. 3 Pollards. 6 Williams. 3 Pryces. 5 Williamsons. 4 Reids. 5 Wilsons. 5 Roberts. 6 Woods. 4 Robertsons. 7 Wrights. 5 Robinsons. 3 Youngs. 4 Rodgers. 3 Zangwills. 3 Roses. Upon the need and utility of the totem, I will dwell but little longer. Nothing that I can say will appeal so strongly to the reader as the fact that there are seven Allens, eight Bells, eight Browns, seven Clarkes, nine Hamiltons, sevens Lees, seven Moores, seven Murrays, eight Smiths, nine Watsons, cand seven Wrights, down in my lists, and how many more there are, goodness alone knows. Is it to be wondered at that our friend the “man in the street” falls to wondering ‘‘ who is who an’ which is which?” Yet any author in the above list can render his, or her, name distinguishable from identical cognomens, merely by selecting and registering a totem. More, a commonplace name such as Smith (a thousand apologies!) can be rendered actually distinctive and memorable by association with a judiciously chosen totem. Regarding the different types of subjects suitable for the totemist, it must be borne in mind that ‘totems will have to be printed in black and white, with, of course, the varying shades of grey that -come between. And because of this, such natural objects as flowers, however correctly drawn, will be dificult to recognise without a certain botanical knowledge. Therefore, if flowers are used, it seems to me that their names will have to be printed in conjunction with them (except, of course, in such usage as I have proposed for Mrs. Marriott Watson). And because of this, I am not at all sure whether, in the main, flowers will prove the best of distin- guishing marks, A very little time, however, will serve to show us whether this is so. The same remark applies to any object which depends for its distinctive note on its colouring. In concluding, let me put in a plea for serious- ness. I am very well aware that this idea of mine —*“ Totems for Authors ’’—has its funny side ; but I do hope that this will not be unduly developed ; for to do so may be to kill the idea before it has had a fair chance to prove its utility. A certain amount of genial laughter I have been and am AUTHOR. 217 prepared for; but let it be very genial, and not too much of it—unless the laughter maker has some- thing better to propose in place of that at which he jests ; then, by all means, smash it, and let us have the “better thing.” And after all, if the idea is good, I do really doubt whether the sun of laughter will not nurture, rather than shrivel it. Who for- gets the Punch skits at Bradshaw and Bedlam ; but Bradshaw is to-day a very popular sixpenny worth. A final word. This little paper is intended to be chiefly a paper of suggestions. If I have seemed to dogmatise, forgive me. Put it down to my youth. . . . I dare not say innocence. Many things which I have put forth may prove to be lacking the impress of wisdom; but, if the totem comes to be generally adopted by authors, time will show where I have shot astray. Yet, let me hope that my aim has not been always indifferent. With the editor’s permission, I hope next month to give full details of the steps to be taken to register a totem. Witiiam Hore Hopeson. oo —__— THE ENGLISH MUSICAL CYCLOPADIA, YOL. II.* N having the important musical venture of the I late Sir George Grove brought up to date as far as possible, the publishers, Messrs. Mac- millan & Co., are to be congratulated on their enterprise. This voluame—F to L—is of particular interest. In the space at our disposal, it is impos- sible to review the work as it deserves. We will, therefore, confine our remarks to merely a few points which suggest themselves. First, as was to be expected, a memoir of the projector of the dictionary which bears his name, here finds a place. No scribe could have been chosen better qualified to condense into eight columns a perspicacious survey of such a busy life than Mr. Charles L. Graves, assistant editor of the Spectator, and author of the “ Life and Letters of Sir George Grove,” published by Messrs. Macmillan in 1903. Of considerable value, especially to authors of books about music, is the entirely new section devoted to “ Libraries.” The importance of this subject was overlooked both in the body and appendix of the first edition. Much praise is due to Mr. W. Barclay Squire, F.S.A., of the British * «“ Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians,” edited by Fuller Maitland, vol. ii., F. to L. Macmillan & Co. 21s. net.  218 Museum Library, for the thoroughness with which he has marshalled facts concerning the musical libraries of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain and Treland, Holland, Italy, Luxemburg, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Such a mine of information invests this volume with special importance. Not only have the Public Libraries been noted, but Mr. Barclay Squire mentions several private collec- tions. Strangely, he omits one of the best of these, that of Dr. W. H. Cummings, F.S.A. Another specialist, Mr. Krehbiel, the well-known musical critic of New York, deals also with much ability with the musical libraries of the United States of America. The section devoted to “ Libretto,” by the late Francis Hueffer, the editor’s predecessor on the staff of the Z'imes, is reinserted with but slight curtailment and the addition of a short paragraph. As there was no article in Vol. I. about the Bibliography of Music, it was reasonable to expect, in such a work of reference as this, to find under the letter L some allusion to the “literature” of music, especially as, in the German “ Musikalisches- Lexicon” by Mendel; nearly fifty pages are accorded to such matter. At least there might have been cross references, given under that heading, to guide the littérateur to those articles dealing specially with various departments of musical learning classifiable under ‘ Literature.” For instance, many books on Musical Criticism have been published, especially in Germany, and a précis of such literature by the musical critic of the Times would have been welcome. But, in Vol. I. of the revised edition of Grove, there is no article on Criticism from the musical standpoint. Nevertheless, an essay on the history of this important branch of literature from ancient times up to the present century in various countries, would be full of interest to all writers on music. Perhaps the intention is to make some comment on this subject under Reviewing, or Reporting. The admirable articles by the editor, Mr. J. A. Fuller Maitland, published in the first edition, on Kullak, Leschetitzky, Lesson, and Lusingando, reappear in this volume. These are supplemented by essays on Faccio, Faisst, Fancies, Filippi, Fillunger, Filtz, Fink, Flemming, Flud, Francesca de Rimini, Franchetti, Frank, Ganz, German, Gibbons, Giordani, Giovannini, Glaeser, Glasenapp, Glissando, Glockenspiel, Godfrey, Goetz, Goldmark, Gompertz, Gostling, Graedener, Greek plays, Greene, Gregoir, Grell, Grieg, Grua, Grund, Gruppo, Guild- hall school, Gutmann, Gwendoline, Gye, Gymnastics, Hadow, Haessler, Hallé, Harmonic Minor, Hart- mann, Hawdon, Heckmann, Hebenstreit, Heine- fetter, Heinichen, Heinze, Henschel, Hervey, “ Herz, Mein Herz,” Hinton, Hintze, and Hipkins. THE AUTHOR. The latter article is a panegyric on the late historian of the pianoforte, A. J. Hipkins, and gives evidence that the amiability which character- ised the writings of Sir George Grove, distinguishes equally the pen of his successor. But there are many other articles in this volume from the industrious editor, demonstrating his laudable desire to remedy the numerous omissions which occurred in the first edition of Grove, making it, to quote Mr. James E. Matthew, “ almost as remarkable for its deficiencies as it was for its many and undoubted merits.” A. R. —_———__ ++ —___—__ IMITATION AND COINCIDENCE IN LITERATURE.* ——< + — TNHIS is a work by a poet on a subject of wide, poetic interest, and essentially a book for authors. We fear that comparatively few Englishmen read Dutch, though such an acquain- tance with the language as suffices for reading it. with advantage and appreciation is easily within the reach of every one previously acquainted with English and German. This neglect of Dutch is probably to be attributed in part to a notion that. the language has no merits. But that impression is entirely mistaken. In more than one particular Dutch compares favourably with both English and German. It has never been so overloaded with loan-words as English, and consequently presents. a much purer medium of essentially Teutonic thought ; and it lends itself more readily to the melodies of verse and rhyme: It is by far more flexible than German, and long since attained what German (saving in the hands of Paul Heyse) has still to acquire, a polished prose style. That the literature is rich every one knows; and Tollens may be opened at random for evidence that it merits attention. To the few Englishmen who do read Dutch we can heartily recommend Mr. Koster’s little tractate.. In treating of “Imitation and Coincidence in Literature’? he has an interesting subject, on which he makes remarks deserving of attention. As an example we may quote, “ Unconscious imi- tation is an evidence of greater weakness and want. of individuality than conscious imitation.” The earlier part of the treatise furnishes examples of imitation of all kinds drawn from a wide range, and is particularly interesting. Mr. Koster is no doubt expressing an indisputable fact when he says * Edward B. Koster: “Over Navolging en Overeen- komst in de Literatuur.? Wageningen : Johan Pieterse.. 1904. 8vo.  Fc: Oe Rs Se eae ¥ & that it is, in some cases, impossible to draw the line between imitation and coincidence. But it is not always impossible to draw this line; nor is it always impossible to distinguish intentional from unintentional imitation—though that is a more difficult problem. Wecould wish that Mr. Koster had not decided to leave these distinctions to be in all cases made by the reader. Though only finely distinguishable in appearance, the effects resulting from imitation and “going to school” to writers of unquestionable eminence really differ foto cielo, and we should have much liked to hear what Mr. Koster had to say respecting the difference between legitimate apprenticeship and mere aping; re- specting the distinction between the peculiar charm of classical allusion and mere pilfering ; and to know how far he thinks that a literature in its childhood actually profits by a measure of the latter that would afterwards be justly con- demned. Mr. Koster is promising us a volume of « Comparisons, Impressions, and Views on Literary and Critical Questions,” and we shall hope that some of these subjects will form a part of its contents. In the latter part of the work the author quotes largely, and with approval, from Mr. George Lewis’s “Principles of Success in Literature.” We acknowledge with pleasure the compliment thus paid by a continental poet to English criticism. But we dare to think that Mr. Koster’s kind en- thusiasm for a work that has pleased him has led him to overrate the value of Mr. George Lewis's lucubrations—popular and pleasing always, but by no means profound. Mr. Koster is himself a keen judge of a good verse, and we can agree with him unreservedly in admiring “Tk heb een tempel in mijn haart gewijd.” St AXEL HERMAN HAIG, HIS LIFE AND WORKS.* —— + WPNHE author tells us little beyond the main features of Axel Herman Haig’s life, but has devoted the larger part of the book to his sworks as an etcher, a draughtsman, and an artist. From some points of view this is satisfactory, as ‘the artist must be known by his works, and his ‘fame must depend upon them. Haig was born in the Swedish island of Gotland, and in his early * © Axe] Herman Haig and his Work,” by E, A. Arm- ‘strong. 104 by 8. 176 pp. £1 1s, net. Also a large paper edition, 12 by 10, containing an original etching, £3 3s. net. Both editions limited. The Fine Art Society. THE AUTHOR. 219 days was intended for a ship’s architect. In order that he might deal with his profession from a wider point of view, he came over to Great Britain and lived in Glasgow for three years. He then drifted by one of those curious turns in human life from ship’s architect to a house architect, and by degrees, from his intense love and application grew forth not the mere architect, but the archi- tectural artist. The result of his careful training as an architect is amply shown in his pencil draw- ings and his famous etchings, so well reproduced in the book. He has never, in any of his work, shirked the many difficulties of architectural design with a view to obtaining a mere artistic effect, but it must not be supposed therefore that the true touch of the artist is lacking in his original etchings. His effects of light and shade, his point of view, his grouping of figures and buildings, all show that the true feeling of the artist is his. In his special branch no artist can equal him. His work is quite unique. We thank the author and the publishers for producing such a beautiful record. st A RETIREMENT AND A WELCOME. 1 N event was commemorated in the annals of the Authors’ Club on Monday evening, the 5th ult., when fourteen members sat down to dinner, at 3, Whitehall Court, which should not be overlooked in these columns. It was the official induction and abdication of the incoming and outgoing secretaries of the club. Mr. E. H. Lacon Watson presided, and Mr. H. R. Tedder occupied the vice-chair. Delicately and delightfully did the chairman, in preposing the double toast of the evening, first refer to his friendship and regard for Mr. Thring, who, although relieved from his official duties, was not released from the ties of club membership. Owing to the steady increase of his work as secretary and solicitor to the Incorporated Society of Authors, Mr. G. H. Thring, after fourteen years’ zealous service, had found it expedient to resign his secretaryship to the Authors’ Club. Speaking for himself, the chairman said that the club parted with their old secretary regretfully. But they were happy in having secured, as Mr. Thring’s successor, the senior hon. secretary of the New Vagabonds’ Club, and he had pleasure in welcoming Mr. G. B. Burgin, whose ability and amiability augured well for their future. Mr. Thring and Mr. Burgin having responded gracefully, some anecdotes followed until Mr. Tedder proposed the health of the chairman and. the proceedings terminated. A. R. 220 “THE AUTHOR’S PROGRESS.” * se R. LORIMER has a fluent humour which I carries the reader easily along and keeps him in an amiable mood. The amiability induced in the present reviewer deters him from taking advantage of the many opportunities afforded him to demonstrate that “The Author’s Progress ” is, in reality, a quite inconsiderable performance. Tt would be churlish to pour cold water upon such genial warmth as Mr. Lorimer’s, and it is un- necessary labour to churn wind. “Tt is a positive sin,” he says in one of his infrequent lapses from badinage, “to set deliber- ately about the composition of sentences that seem to contain thoughts but do not, or only hold old thoughts newly arranged or stated over again.” The statement is not an axiom, but if it were it would be only the more incumbent upon us to apply it as a test to the work in which it is found. «The Author’s Progress” must be condemned on all counts of the indictment so framed; it has many sentences that seem to contain thoughts but do not, and more that only hold old thoughts stated over again. In point of fact there is remarkably little substance, new or old, in the book, and we are rather at a loss for its justification. It is charitable to suppose that the author is not very well informed with the existing literature of his subject, and does not know how exhaustively it has been treated before. The supposition, if charit- able, is but indifferently complimentary ; but it is better to be ignorant than positively sinful, and if he is not the one, Mr. Lorimer, on his own state- ment, is the other. Since, however, we cannot find anything new in the book to commend to general consideration we will summarise our judgment of the work as a whole, and say that as a guide book for the young author it is negligible, but that as an essay on a variety of matters interesting to authors it is lightly amusing and worth reading. Mr. Lorimer is an agreeable rattle, an excellent companion, but a poor courier. The wise man will extract as much enjoyment as possible from the company in in which he finds himself, and not gird at it for being less instructive than itself supposes. It is immensely pleasant to be assured by Mr. Lorimer that 7e Author “ from time to time does a deal of good for authors,” and has justified its existence ; his tribute to their official organ will, we are sure, influence the council of the Society of Authors, and enable them to smile at the boyish gaiety with which he hits them with a bladder in what he hopes is an interesting digression. What is, in our opinion, radically wrong with William * “The Author's Progress,” by Adam Lorimer. Blackwood & Sons, 1906. 5s. n. THE AUTHOR. the book is that neither in the numerous digressions, nor in the few straightforward passages is there any indication that Mr. Lorimer has the faintest conception of the pleasures or of the high function of literature. It is because these exist, that ‘ ‘The: Author’s Progress ’’ is a useless trifle. V. E. M. +> CORRESPONDENCE. eee Tur Cost or PRopUCTION. Srr,—In the January, 1906, numberof the Author, p- 115, the following words occur in an editorial on the half-profit agreement : “ For the author is absolutely ignorant of the cost of production,” etc. I always thought one of the objects of our society was to instruct ignorant authors as to this.. Now, though ‘‘ The Cost of Production” has figured for a long time on the title page of the Author as one of the publications of the society, it is and has been for the last year or two accompanied by the remark “out of print.” Cannot this be remedied ” I am, yours, etc., E. G.- 1 A. TROLLOPE. Sir,—In your last issue I read with much interest Mr. James F. Muirhead’s letter, concerning a passage in my paper on Anthony Trollope which appeared recently in The Author. The passage is. to the effect that Trollope “is not disappearing, he has disappeared,” and that it is impossible to obtain a set of his best books. Mr. Muirhead accuses me of being “ belated, or, at any rate, insular,” because, apparently, I did not know that Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co. are publishing an excellent edition of Trollope’s novels, and that Trollope’s name “ turns. up” at social gatherings with almost as much frequency as those of present-day favourites like Mrs. Wharton or Miss May Sinclair. I am “belated” then, because I do not study the announcements of future publications by American firms ! and I am insular, because I am ignorant of the fact that the name of a great master of English fiction “turns up” with almost as much frequency as the names of two charming trans- atlantic authoresses ! When I said it was impossible to obtain a set of Trollope’s best books, I was speaking by the card. My booksellers informed me that several works were out of print, and could only be got second- hand. Iam glad to note that this reproach will soon be removed, for Mr. John Lane is issuing a pocket edition of the novels under the very com- petent editorship of Mr. Algar Thorold. Yours obediently, Lewis MELVILLE. Barnes, March, 1906. 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. 16 Issue 07 (April 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 07 (April 1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-04-01-The-Author-16-7 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/516/1906-05-01-The-Author-16-8.pdf 51ae1d5ad14973140ee8e5cda07a328c 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) 1906-05-01 Volume 16 Issue 8 Pages Page range in volume 221–248 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060501 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Huthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. XVI.—No. 8. May ist, 1906. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ee ee NOTICES. + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. a List of Members. Tue List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. All further elections have been chronicled from month to month in these pages. — a The Pension Fund of the Society. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices, March 5th, 1906, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. They have now pur- chased £200 Cape of Good Hope 34 per cent. Inscribed Stock, bringing the investments of the fund to the figures set out below. Vou, XVI. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— WOnSOIS Oe 86 ee een eet sees: £1000 0 0 Total Loans: 220.65.00.. ieee. 500 0 O Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 Wan Noam. ce 201° 9 38 London and North Western 3 % Deben- Cire LOCK |Site ccs 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 % Certificates ............... 200 0 0 Cape of Good Hope 34% Inscribed HOCK iso ic 200 0 0 Total oc. £2,643 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £8. a. July 13, Dunsany, the Right Hon. the Lord : ; : ; : 50 50 Oct. 12, Halford, F. M. 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Thorburn, W. M. 010 O Noy. 9, ‘Francis Daveen’’. 0 5 0 Noy. 9, Adair, Joseph Lb 1. 0 Nov. 21, Thurston, Mrs. bob 0 Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. 0 5 0 1906. March 7, Sinclair, Miss May 1 0 March 7, Forrest, G. W. 2 20 March 8, Simpson, W. J. 0 5 0 March 8, Browne, F. M. OQ 5 0 Donations, 1905. Noy. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. 1 0 Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. 010 6 Nov.17, Nash, T. A. . Li 0 Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A. 010 6 Dec. 6, Finch, Madame 1, 13-6 Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry 0 5 0 Dec. 15, Muir, Ward . : 1 i 0 Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. . 010 0 Dec. 18, Sheppard, A. T. 010 6 Dec. 18, S. F. G. : 010 0 222 th e & 1906. Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. . : Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C. Feb. 5, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt : Feb. 5, Yeats, Jack B. . on on on HBErEHHOMmCOoOOoOoOSoSo oe noe Feb. 12, White, Mrs. Caroline. Feb. 13, Bolton, Miss Anna Feb. 28, Weyman, Stanley March 7, Hardy, Harold March 12, Harvey, Mrs. March 27, Williams, Mrs. E. L. April 15, Caine, William cocooooooooo: ———__+—>_+—_——- COMMITTEE NOTES. ane ae April meeting of the committee of the society was held on Monday, April 2nd, at the offices, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W. There was a very heavy list on the agenda, and the committee sat for over two hours before all the matters for consideration were settled. The first question, after the reading of the minutes, was the election of members, and twenty members and associates were elected, bringing the total of the current year up to seventy-six. The first case that came forward raised the title of one of the members to publish a series of letters. The legal technicalities which surrounded the matter were exceedingly complicated, and, after perusing the report which was submitted to them by the society’s solicitor, the committee decided to take counsel’s opinion on the members’ behalf. The second question referred to the insertion of certain communications addressed to the editor of The Author, and upon these points the committee passed their judgment after careful consideration. Some weeks ago the committee authorised the secretary to send in an accountant to check the various accounts placed before the society by one of its members. The accountant attended the meeting, and reported the result of his investiga- tion. It was decided, after hearing the account- ant’s report, to take the matter up on behalf of the member concerned. There were three cases of infringement of copy- right, one, perhaps, ought rather to be called in- fringement of the right of publication. In two of these cases, as it appeared from the opinion of the society’s solicitors that the infringement was clear, the committee undertook to carry through the negotiations, and instructed the solicitors, if necessary, to take action on behalf of the members involved. The last case was against a German THE AUTHOR. magazine, and the author whose rights had been infringed desired the matter to be taken in hand by the officers of the society, although he was quite willing to guarantee all the costs of the action. The committee readily sanctioned this course, for even when members are willing to pay the costs it is often desirable that the case should be conducted by the society. Doubt having arisen as to the precise effect of recent judgments in the United States Courts relative to the statutory notice, as mentioned in the last two numbers of Z'he Author, the Chair- man reported that, as the matter seemed urgent, he had authorised the secretary to obtain an opinion from counsel in the United States on the position, and also to place the details of the case before the Registrar of Copyrights at Washington, who has undertaken the drafting of the Consolidating Act on United States Copyright. The committee heartily approved the action of the chairman in this matter. During the month of March the dramatic sab- committee met and considered a letter which had been referred to them by the committee. Their report was laid before the committee, and after careful consideration it was decided to refer one or two points back to the sub-committee. Mr, Bernard Shaw and Mr. A. Hope Hawkins have consented to join the sub-committee. The committee regret that action on the in- fringement of a member's rights by a paper in Canada had to be abandoned owing to a question of law relating to the ownership of the copyright in England. After careful investigation it ap- peared that the member had transferred his copy- right to the magazine in which the article first appeared in England, and the proprietors refused. leave to the committee of the society to use their name, although the committee were willing to guarantee the expenses of the action. The last case dealt with a question of artistic copyright on which the committee had already obtained counsel’s opinion. ‘he member con- cerned submitted a report to the committee, and this report they fully considered, It was decided to ask counsel to give a further opinion, as the legal questions were exceedingly involved ; the committee did not see their way at present to undertake action on behalf of the member unless his title should appear quite clear. oe Cases. The month’s list of cases taken up since the last issue amounts to seven. The first referred to the settlement of an author’s business with his agent. This is still in the course of negotiation, and will, no doubt, be settled satisfactorily, as the t yet, been unsuccessful. on a ke 7 Hewlett, Maurice . ‘ THE AUTHOR. agent has expressed his willingness to help the Society in every way. One referred to the return of an MS., but in this case the secretary has, as One claim for accounts and money has been duly settled. ‘There were three cases for money only. One has been partly settled—that is, part of the amount has been paid and the balance promised. In the two others letters have been received, and there is every probability that the matters will be at an end before the next issue. One case in which the secretary demanded accounts has heen settled by the delivery of the accounts. Of the past cases there are very few still open, and these in a fair way of settlement, as the secretary is in communication with the defaulting parties. If no arrangement is come to finally through the office, the matters will, no doubt, be placed by the committee in the hands of the Society’s solicitors. —— > — April Elections. Aldington, A. E. . . Warwick Court, Wal- mer. Aldington, Mrs. . . Warwick Court, Wal- mer Melcombe, St. Andrew’s Bingham, Rev. Fanshawe Road, Southsea. Bland, Hubert . . Well Hall, Eltham, Kent. Blyth, P. G. . ‘ . 1, Forest View, Forest Road, Woodford Green, Essex. Burnett, James, M.A., 6, Glengyle Terrace, M.D., M.R.C.P.E. Edinburgh. Caine, William . . 42, Grosvenor Road, Westminster. Foster, R. F. , . 522, Monroe Street, Brooklyn, New York. Hall, Gwynne ; . 8, Tanfield Court, Temple, E.C. c/o Indo-China Steam- ship Co. Hong Kong. Morrison, R. D. . : “Mayne N. Thorpe” . 7, Northwick Terrace, N.W. Meredith, Margaret (D. 13, Pembroke Gardens, Elliot) . : : Kensington, & Wood- side, Fleet, Hants. Nicholson, Joseph Shield 3, Bedford Park, Edin- burgh. Pearson, E. A. ©. Nel- 190, The Grove, Ham- son (Violet Glade) mersmith. Pope, Miss Jessie . Kimboltons, Regent’s : Park Road, Finchley, N. 223 Pryor, Francis Robert Rastall, Mrs. Tunerdale Hall, Whitby, Yorkshire. Dorchester, ford. 165, West 58th Street, New York, U.S.A. Roberts, R. Ellis Walling- Wiggin, Kate Douglas a BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY, ———o—1 — (in the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) ARCHITECTURE, THe MopERN Home. A Book of British Domestic Archi- tecture for Moderate Incomes. The text by W. H. BIDLAKE, M.A., HALSEY RICCARDO, and JOHN CASH. Edited by WALTER SHAW-SPARROW. 113 x 84. 176 pp. (The “Art and Life” Library, Vol. V.) Hodder and Stoughton. 5s, n. ART, WILLIAM STRANG. Catalogue of his etched work. Illus- trated with 471 Reproductions. With an Introductory Essay. By L. BINyoN. 10} x 6}. 210 pp. Glasgow : Maclehose. 42s. n. BIOGRAPHY, Toe LoG oF A SEA WAIF, By FRANK T, BULLEN, 7ix 5. 349pp. Smith Elder, 3s. 6d. DRAMA. NicepHorus. A Tragedy of New Rome. By FREDERIC HARRISON, LiTT.D. 8% x 53. 93 pp. Chapman & Hall. 58. n. THe Marp or ARTEMIS. By ARTHUR DILLON, 6% x 5 67 pp. Mathews. 2s, 6d. FICTION. THE ANGEL OF PAIN. By E. F. BENSON. 73 X 5. 346 pp. Heinemann, 6s. Mr. WINGROVE, MILLIONAIRE. By E, P, OPPENHEIM, 72 x 54. 320 pp. Ward Lock. 68, Out of DUETIME. By Mrs. W. WARD. Longmans. 6s. Ir YourH Bur Knerw! CASTLE. 73x 5. 348 pp. Smith Elder. 6s. An AMERICAN DucHESs. By ARABELLA KENEALY, 7k x 43, 343 pp. Chapman & Hall. 6s. A MILLIONAIRE’S CourTsHIP. By Mrs. ARCHIBALD Litre. 74 x 4%. 309 pp. Unwin. 6s. LADY MARION AND TnB PLutTocRAT. By LADY HELEN ForBes. 7% x 5. 317 pp. J. Long. 6s. Kip McGuis, A Nuagcet or Dim Gop. By 8. R. CrooxerT. 81x 5. 400 pp. J.Clarke. 6s. A Venperep Scamp. By JuAN MIDDLEMASS. 7] x 5. 318 pp. J. Long. 6s. 72x 5. 379 pp. By AGNES AND EGERTON  224 me LovE AND LorDSHIP. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 7} X 4 397 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. A Human Facer. By Sinas K. HocKine. 7} x 43 296 pp. Cassell. 3s. 6d. THe FACE oF CLuAy. By H. A. VACHELL, 7} X 54. 6s. 363 pp. Murray. By F. ANSTEY. SALTED ALMONDS. Smith Elder. 6s. 73 x 5. 312 pp. Mr. JoHN Stroop. By Percy WHITE. 7} x 5. 333 pp. Constable. 6s. Tue SPANISH Dowry. By L, DouGALL. 7} x 5. 312 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE SPHINX’s LAWYER. By FRANK DANBY. 7} X 5. 387 pp. Heinemann, 6s. THe GREAT GREEN GoD. By FreD WISHAW. 7} x 5. 311 pp. White. 6s. Toe FLOWER OF FRANCE. By JusTIN HUNTLY McCartuy. 8 X% 53. 323 pp. Hurst & Blackett. 6s. A Frouic. By WALTER EMANUEL. 64 pp. (Sisley’s Library of Humour). 73 x 4. Sisley’s Ltd. 1s. n. SIMPLE ANNALS. By M. F. FRANCIS. 7% x 53. 311 pp. Longmans. 6s, Tue Squrre’s DAUGHTER. By SiLas K. Hockine. 73 x 54. 397 pp. Warne. 3s. 6d. Rouges. By HALDANE MacFaLL AND DION CLAYTON CauTHROP. 7} x 5. 8llpp. Brown Langham. 6s. TH VINEYARD. By JOHN OLIVER HoBBeEs. 128 pp. Cheap Edition. 83 x 53. Unwin. 6d. A Jiut’s JouRNAL. By Riva. Cheap Edition. 9 x 6. 126 pp. J.Long. 6d. FOLK LORE. HinpU MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CEREMONIES. By ABBE J. A. DuBois. Translated by H. W. BEAUCHAMP, C.D.E. Third Edition..7} x 5. 741. pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press. London: Frowde. 6s.n.and 7s. 6d. n. LAW. A TREATISE ON THE LAW OF SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY, WITH REFERENCES TO THE AMERICAN DECISIONS AND TO THE FRENCH CODE AND CIVIL Law. By J. P.BENJAMIN. Fifth Edition. By W.C. A. KER AND A. R. BUTTERWORTH. 10 x 6. 1,160 pp. Sweet & Maxwell. £2 2s. MILITARY. THE OFFICER'S FIELD NOTE AND SKETCH-BOOK AND RECONNAISSANCE AIDE-MémoirE. Eleventh Edition. By Lrevr.-Cou. E. GunrEr, 1st.S.C. With New Tables, Diagrams, and Additions. 7} x 44. 100 pp. and Sketch- Block, Field-Messages, etc. Clowes. 6s. 6d, n. MISCELLANEOUS. To MopERN Marpens. By A MopEeRN Matron. With a Frontispiece by F. Watts. Edinburgh: Geo. A. Morton. London: Simpkin Marshall. Cloth, 3s. 6d. n. ; leather, 5s. n. POETRY. Cyrus, THE GREAT Kina. An Historical Romance. By ‘Str Epwarp DURAND, BarT., O.B. 8% x 7. 392 pp. Appleton. 10s, 6d. n. REPRINTS. Pivrce THE PLOUGHMAN’S CREDE (about 1394 A.D.). ‘Edited by THE Rev. WALTER W. SKEAT. 6} X 4}. 73 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 2s. : THE AUTHOR. SOCIOLOGY. THE MYSTERIES OF MODERN LONDON. By GEo. R. Sims) 8x5. 192pp. Pearson. 2s. 6d. * SPORT. THE Fox. By T. F. Dats, (“Fur, Feather, and Fin” Series.) 7$x5}. 238 pp. Longmans. 5s, THEOLOGY. THE REVELATION OF THE TRINITY. By 8. B. G, McKinney, L.R.C.P. 7% x 5, 270 pp. Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier. 3s. 6d. THE EXISTENCE OF Gop. By THE RiaHT Rev, Mar, CANON Moyes. Sands. 6d. n. each. TOPOGRAPHY. THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND. Painted W.SmitTH, JuNR. Described by A. R. HOPE MONCRIEFF, — 9 xX 63. 232 pp. Black. 10s, n. : ——_—_——_+——__o-—_____ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. — as IRABEAU and Gambetta, Friends of Old England. With some account of Jacques Bonhomme,” by Arthur Pavitt and Baron Albert Yvelin de Béville has been published in its complete form by Mr. Effingham Wilson. The work contains Talleyrand’s “ Entente Cordiale of 1792.” Mrs. Humphry Ward’s new novel, “ Fenwock’s Career,” which is now running as a serial through an American magazine, will be published this month in book form. Its scenes.and subjects are found in Westmoreland, London, and Paris, in the art world of thirty years ago, and in the rise and decline of a great painter who is modelled on George Romney. : Mr. Frederic Harrison has just finished a tragedy dealing with the same period of Byzantine history as his romance “Theophano.” A limited edition of the work, which may eventually be produced at a London theatre, has recently been produced by” Messrs. Chapman and Hall. The Poet Laureate’s new poem, entitled “ The Door of Humility,” contains a love story of the more spiritual kind, in addition to revealing the author’s mind on questions of faith and doubt. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. are the publishers. Miss Helen Zimmern has completed a book, which will be published in the course of the spring” by Sir Isaac Pitman. The title is “ The Italy of the Italians;” and its purpose is to show the intelligent traveller that there is a modern Ital *  oo ane 0g Ay bai f 8 fp To Hordw Fe sont uit ald bA dail vial i ae a6: olf i ae ele isH 1OWF vodalk dodere Pontos if tes ied ISP Fa ing no less interesting in its own way than the ancient ‘one we go to seek, and that Italy's contribntion to contemporary culture and thought is no mean one. The chapters deal with modern art, literature, industry, commerce, agriculture, pastimes, science, and inventions. Mr. Arthur Dillon’s new volume gives his comedy of “The Maid of Artemis,” several songs from which, set by Mr. Charles E. Baughan, have been heard in London concert halls, particularly ‘‘ The Young Year,” sung by Miss Esther Pallisar and Mme. Blauvelt, and “ Endymion,” sung by Miss Ada Crossley. Mr. Elkin Mathews is the pub- lisher. The Rey. Albert Lee, of Windsor, has just com- pleted the manuscript of his new work, entitled “The World’s Exploration Story,” which will be published in the autumn by Mr. Andrew Melrose. “Rouge,” a sensational novel of adventure in » in the very heart of London town, published last month by Messrs. Brown, Langham & Co., Limited, is the combined literary work of Mr. Haldane Macfall and Mr. Dion Clayton Calthrop. Mr. Haldane Macfall is known already to the literary world as the author of “The Masterfolk,” pub- lished a couple of years ago. The story, which rushes through a series of swift adventures, circles round the heroic act of self-sacrifice of a beautiful girl, which, however, does not end in the death that she courted in order to save the hero and his friend. Mr. and Mrs. Egerton Castle’s new book, “If ‘Youth But Knew,” published last month by Messrs. | Smith, Elder & Co., is astory of aman who, having experienced in his youth one of those overpowering sorrows which irredeemably change the course of | life, has become a wanderer on the face of the ‘earth. Miss H. Rosa Nouchette Carey is engaged on a ‘new novel, which Messrs. Macmillan & Co. will publish in September of this year. - Mrs. Croker has just completed a novel upon which she has been engaged for two years. The title of the story, which will be published serially "in The Queen from July till November, is “ The Spanish Necklace.” Messrs. Hurst and Blackett will also publish in September a novel by the same ‘writer, entitled “The Youngest Miss Mowbray,” which has been running through a syndicate of mewspapers. Mrs. Croker has also disposed of the dramatic rights of two books in America, one of which, « Beyond the Pale,” will be produced next season in New York. Her next book will be an Indian Novel, the scene of which is laid in the Madras Presidency. Messrs. Archibald Constable & (Co.’s spring THE AUTHOR. 225 announcements include new novels by J. C. Snaith and Percy White. This firm will also publish a new novel, in the summer, by Miss Marie Corelli. Messrs. Constable are also publishing a new and enlarged edition of Mr. Bertram Blount’s work on “ Practical Electro-Chemistry.” The object of this book was, in the first instance, to give an account of those electro-chemical processes which have been already, and are likely to be turned to industrial use. In the new edition, the subject-matter of the first edition is brought up to date, and con- siderable new material, describing new processes, is incorporated. The volume, which is fully illustrated, is published at the price of 15s. nett. In “ Bonnie Scotland” Mr, A. R. Hope Moncrieff promised a further volume to be devoted to the sterner and wilder aspects of Caledonia. This volume is now included in Messrs. A. and C. Black’s series of “colour books,” under the title of “ The Highlands and Islands of Scotland.” It deals with the less visited districts that are still Highlands, both in ruder natural features and in a life holding out longer against the trimming and taming of Sassenach intromissions. The illustra- tions are by Mr. William Smith, jun. Mr. Geo. R. Sim’s next book will be published by Messrs. Greening & Co. during the present season. The title is “Two London Fairies,” and the stories deal with the adventures of two fairies who assume mortal shape and come to London. “Sir Edward Elgar,” by Mr. Ernest Newman, is expected to be the fourth volume of a new series, «The Music of the Masters,’ which Mr. John Lane is publishing. Mr. Harold Spender has written, and Messrs. Constable & Co. have recently published, a novel entitled “The Arena,” dealing with the inner life of modern British politics, crossed with a strong romantic interest. Messrs. Hutchinson & Co.’s list of Spring publi- cations contains the following announcements of forthcoming books by members of the Society. Under the head of Travel they are publishing a new work in two volumes, by Mr. Douglas Sladen, entitled “Carthage and Tunis.” The gates of the Orient in this book are Tunis the new gate and Carthage the old. Added to the work—which is published at the price of 24s. net—is a lengthy chapter on “ Sport in Tunisia,” by Mr. J. I. S. ‘Whitaker, who has been camping and shooting in Tunis for ten years ast. : In their list of popular classics the same pub- lishers include “The Odes of Horace,” in Latin and English, edited by Mr. W. H. D. Rouse, who has added an index of names.  226 Turning to fiction, we notice new novels by “Tucas Malet,” H. Rider Haggard, J. A. Hamil- ton, Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, Richard Whiteing, Mrs. Thurston, Miss L. Dougall, Dorothea Gerard, Allen Raine, Mrs. Baillie Reynolds, Mr. Charles Garvice, and Miss Mary Cholmondeley. Some of these works have been mentioned in previous issues of The Author. “Tucas Malet’s” novel, “The Far Horizon,” deals with the acts and opinions of a man of foreign birth, who, after many years of office work, finds himself suddenly possessed of leisure, and a moderate fortune. The scene is laid exclusively in London and the western suburbs, and the book covers a period of about three years, from 1899 to 1902, and touches on matters of modern finance, manners, and morals; on matters theatrical and matters religious. In Mr. Richard Whiteing’s new work “ Ring in the New,” the story is told of a girl of education and gentle nurture who finds herself penniless at eighteen with her way to make in the world. Her struggle, and the struggles of other women similarly situated, is one of its main themes. The setting of the story is mainly in London, where the heroine is brought into contact with men and women fighting for a new and nobler Bohemia, its brighter aspects, its refined enjoyments in art, music, and literature. Miss L. Dougall’s new novel, “The Spanish Dowry,” does not discuss any problem but gives an original, if a somewhat fanciful, story. The scene is laid in Devonshire. Miss Dorothea Gerard is represented by two novels, entitled respectively ‘The Pride of Life,” and “The House of Riddles.” The former deals with the marriage of a man of idealistic tendencies with a pretty, but common, girl, and indicates the ill effects of the union in his relations with his children. The early scenes of the latter story are laid in Klondyke, but the action of the later chapters takes place in a Scottish golfing town. “Queen of the Rushes,” by Allen Raine, is a modern novel based on the great wave of revivalism in Wales. Mrs. Baillie Reynolds’ work, “ Thalassa,” depicts the life of a girl taken from a cultured and Bohemian atmosphere abroad, and placed with her guardian, the owner of some mills, and a north countryman, to whom, after passing through various vicissitudes, she is eventually married. Miss Mary Cholmondeley’s novel “ Prisoners” will be published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. in the early autumn. The scenes are laid first in Italy and afterwards in England, and the story is concerned with the consequences of an early love THE AUTHOR. affair being revived by the heroine after her marriage, and of her relation with two half- brothers. Messrs. Cassell & Co. have recently published a book by Mr. Bart Kennedy, containing a series of © personal experiences from his life in the United States. Its title is “The Adventures of a Born | Tramp.” Mr. Morley Roberts’ latest story “The Prey — of the Strongest,” dealing with life in British — Columbia, has just been published by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett at 6s. “The Face of Clay,” Mr. H. A. Vachell’s new story, which has been running as a serial through the Monthly Review, has just been published in book form by Mr. John Murray. The scene of the story is Brittany. A new story, by Mr. Silas Hocking, the title of which is “The Squire’s Daughter,” has been published by Messrs. Warne & Co. Incidentally, it raises the question of the equity of some of the leasehold laws current in Cornwall. A theatrical novel, by Mr. Horace Wyndham, written from ‘inside’? knowledge, and dealing in an intimate way with stage life as it really is (and not as most people imagine it) is to be published early in May by the firm of E. Grant Richards, entitled “Audrey, the Actress.” The book describes in narrative form the lights and shades of life behind the scenes, both in London and on tour, and goes into the whole subject very thoroughly. There is abundance of incident in the adventures of Mr. Wyndham’s heroine, and the various types introduced are sharply drawn. To those who only know the stage from the stalls, “Audrey, the Actress,” is likely to prove of interest. Mr. John Masefield has written a book about the Spanish Main, which Messrs. Methuen & Co. will publish. The volume contains many details of the life of the Elizabethan seaman, and traces. carefully the gradual rise of that romantic caste among the lawless islands on the Spanish Main. A description is. also given of the laws, customs, and haunts of the pirates, and reference is made also to their most famous ships—as, for instance, the Royal Fortune, and their chief captains, such as Roberts and Teach. Mr. Percy White’s new novel, “Mr. John ~ Strood,” which Messrs. Constable & Oo. have published recently, is a study of the character and relations of two men, totally opposed in temperament, and yet long and intimately inter- dependent. It is not merely a portraiture and. analysis of character, but shows the development — of their temperaments and friendship under the — stress of mutual influences. : Mr, Bernard Capes’ new novel, to be published.  Rash See: ee ee. PR a: Wy Na Een 8 SRE P< a ee Ss THER AUTHOR. by Messrs. Methuen in the early autumn, has for its locale Savoy and Piedmont towards the end of the eighteenth century, when Victor Amadeus III., a vain, feeble prince, was on the throne of Sardinia. The pre-revolution setting is historical ; the characters, with the single exception of the king, imaginary, The story relates the devoted self-sacrifice of a woman for an adored husband— an invertebrate saint in character—who has com- mitted a crime for her sake; and of the holocaust she makes of a stronger lover in order to secure the safety of the weaker. The same firm are publishing this month a six- penny edition of the same writer’s novel, “ The “ake of Wine.” A new volume of short stories by Mr. Rudyard Kipling will be published in the autumn. The contents of the volume, the title of which will be “Puck of Pook’s Hill,” will have something of the fanciful vein of “They.” A descriptive book on the rich historic district around Harrogate, by the author of “John Westacott,” etc., Mr. James Baker, will shortly appear, illustrated by numerous photographs by S$. Ambler. The work describes not only the numerous abbeys that cluster so thickly here, but Laurence Sterne’s village, Coxwold, and the wild natural beauties of Malham Cove and Brimham Rocks, and the historic sights of Marston Moor, Knaresborough, etc. Dr. Skeat’s edition of “ Pierce the Ploughman’s Crede,” which the Oxford University Press have published, is mainly reproduced, with additions and corrections, from his edition for the Early English Text Society, which first appeared in 1867. Sir Robert Anderson is publishing, through Mr. John Murray, a volume of personal reminiscences under the title “Some Sidelights on the Home Rule Movement.” Madame Albanesi’s new novel, published by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett, is a story of incident, observation, and character study. It is entitled «* A Young Man from the Country.” An abridged edition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “White Company” is being issued by Messrs. Longmans as a reading book for advanced classes. It will be produced in much the same form as “Micah Clarke,” which has already appeared as a school book. Messrs. Cassell & Co. have just issued a book of Mr. Bart Kennedy’s experiences as a casual worker in the United States. The title of the work is “A Tramp Camp,” and its published price is 6s. The same publishers are about to issue in the comprehensive “Treatise on Zoology,’ which Professor E. Ray Lankester is editing, a volume dealing with ‘‘ Moliusca,” by Dr. Paul Pelseneer. “207 Mr. Justin Huntly McCarthy’s new story, upon which he is now working, will be published in the autumn of the present year. “The Illustrious O’Hagan,” which is the title of the work, is a romantic narrative of the seventeenth century. Mr. McCarthy’s play, based on this story, upon which he is also engaged, will be produced under the same title. Dr. Emile Reich has recently published, through Messrs. Chapman & Hall, under the title of “The Criticism of Life,” a book based upon the series of addresses on Plato and kindred subjects which he has been delivering during the past few months. Mr. F. G. Aflalo will publish, through Messrs. Black, a volume containing the opinions of different anglers on the question of “ What is the right sort of weather for angling ?” Mr. Baring Gouldis publishing, through Messrs. Methuen & Co., a book of topography, the subject of which is the Rhine from Cleve, where it passes into Holland, to Mainz. Contained in the work is a record of the part which the Rhine has played in history, of the three great electorates on its banks, and of the noble families that built their castles overlooking it. Messrs. Constable & Co. are publishing a book dealing with the Victorian novelists, by Mr. Lewis Melville. Among the writers dealt with are Disraeli, Lytton, Lever, Thackeray, Kingsley, Mrs. Gaskell, Wilkie Collins, Anthony Trollope and Charles Reade. Messrs. Methuen & Co. published in the middle of last month a volume of short stories by Mr. Bernard Capes, entitled ‘ Loaves and Fishes,” in which an appeal is made to the order of reader whose palate is not yet aged to the attractions of the adventurous. “In My Garden: a little Summer Book for Nature Lovers,” is the title of a small memorandum book lately published by the Lavender Press. It has an artistic cover, and a jewelled pencil, while its contents aim at being literary as well as practical, for it contains a large number of quota- tions from poetic and prose writers, as well as hints on gardening and table decoration. Its price is 1s. nett, and the first thousand copies is° nearly exhausted. Messrs. Blackwood and Sons are publishing a new book by A. C. Inchbold. It is an Eastern romance called “ Phantasma,” the subject being based on Napoleon Buonaparte’s campaign in Egypt and Syria. “No Man’s Land” is the title of a history of Spitzbergen, by Sir Martin Conway, which the Cambridge University Press will publish. Since early in the seventeenth century Spitzbergen has been the scene of industries which have drawn to 228 its shores innumerable visitors, whose purposes and adventures are recorded by Sir Martin Conway. Mr. A. ©. Addison has published through Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. a new edition of a work which he originally produced a few years ago, telling the story of the Birkenhead. Since its first publication much fresh information and fuller detail from persons acquainted with the shipwreck, and new pictures referring to it, have come to light, and have been incorporated in the work. Mr. J. ©. Snaith’s new work, “ Henry North- cote,” published by Messrs. Constable & Co., has for its hero a poor but rising young barrister, who, after long waiting for briets, at last dramatically seizes his opportunity, and secures a verdict for his client in a very sensational trial. The third of Mr. St. John Lacy’s Chamber- Music Concerts for the season (1906) was held at the Clarence Hall, Cork, on the last day of March. We make the following extracts from the pro- gramme :—Quintet in A (a) Allegro; (0) Lar- ehetto; (c) Menuetto ; (d) Allegretto con variazione, (Mozart) ; clarinet, two violins, viola and violon- cello. Songs—(a) “ Les femmes de Magdala,” (Massenet) ; (2) “Tom the Rhymer ” (ballad) Op. 135, (Loewe). Songs—(a) “Ave Maria,” (Schubert) ; (0) “A Declaration” (“The Heart’s Desire”), (St. John Lacy), Miss Harrington. Duet—‘ Sous les Etoiles,’ (Goring Thomas), Miss Harrington and Mr. St. John Lacy. Songs—‘ What need have we” (“ Chastelar’’) ; “The Brightest Gems,” (St. John Lacy). Finale—(Moderato) from Trio in G min. (Op. 15, No. 2), (Rubinstein) ; pianoforte, violin and violon- cello. ‘Mr. Gilbert Murray’s metrical version of “ Buripides the Hippolytus ” was produced at the Court Theatre on March 26th, with Miss Edyth Olive and Mr. Granville Barker included in the caste. Mr. J. M. Barrie’s new play, “Josephine,” described as “a revue in three scenes,” was pro- duced at the Comedy Theatre on April 4th. The dramatist obtains the material for his play from the political events of the past few years, upon which he constructs a fanciful story indicating the lines along which recent political history would have developed if acted by children in the nursery. ‘he caste includes Miss Eva Moore, Mr. Dion Boucicault, and Mr. A. E. Matthews. “Punch: A One-Act Toy Tragedy,” by Mr. Barrie, was also produced at this theatre on the same night. “Qastles in Spain,” by Cosmo Hamilton, with music by Harry Fragson, was produced at the Royalty Theatre on the 18th of last month. THE AUTHOR. “Prunella, or Love in a Dutch Garden,” by H Granville Barker and Laurence Housman, was revived at the Court Theatre on April 24th. The caste includes Miss Dorothy Minto as Prunella, and Mr. Graham Browne as Pierrot. 5 Mr. Alfred Sutro’s new play, produced at the Garrick Theatre on April 26th, indicates the attempt of “The Fascinating Mr. Vanderveldt ” to compromise a widow whom he is anxious to marry. He succeeds to the extent of involving her in a motor accident, but the fruits of his work are spoilt owing to the intervention of the local vicar. The play terminates by the widow marry- ing a dull and prosaic colonel. ‘The caste includes Miss Violet Vanbrugh and Mr. Arthur Bourchier. 2 PARIS NOTES. a Y the death of Eugéne Carriére and M. Curie, France loses one of her greatest artists, and one of her greatest savants. Of Carriére, Rodin says : “ He was perhaps the only contemporary painter who did not do paimt- ing, but who created life! The works of the others are canvases covered with colours ; his are reality revealed and his soul expressing itself!” At the Salon, which opened a few days after his death, a whole room is devoted to his pictures. M. Curie’s loss is irreparable. It is believed that the work on which he had been engaged since his discovery of radium was almost completed, and that he was about to disclose to the world another of the great secrets of Nature. Corneille’s third centenary was commemorated on the 17th of April, by the inauguration of the exhibition of souvenirs of the great French poet, at the Bibliotheque Nationale. There are about forty portraits of him, the original editions of his. works, various medals of the eighteenth and nine- teenth centuries, and other interesting souvenirs. M. Ferrero has just published the third volume of his “ Grandeur et Décadence de Rome.”* The present volume, entitled “ La Fin @une Aristo- cratie,” is more fascinating than a novel, as the: author reconstitutes with great skill the years of Roman decadence. M. Reinach has recently published his fifth volume on the Dreyfus affair, “ Histoire del’ Affaire Dreyfus.”+ It is entitled “ Rennes,” and takes us. on to the decree of September, 1899, the pro- visional end of the * affair.” * «© Grandeur et Décadence de Rome,” Plon. + “ Histoire de l Affaire Dreyfus,” Fasquelle.  THE AUTHOR. Among the latest publications are the following volumes : “ Mes illusions et nos souffrances pen- dant le siége de Paris,’** by Mme. Juliette Adam ; “ Art et psychologie individuelle,’? by M. Lucien Arréat ; “ Questions esthétiques et religieuses,”’t by M. Pau! Stapfer ; ‘‘L’Argentine au XX° siécle,” § by MM. Martinez and Lewandowski; “La Lutte universelle,”|| by M. Le Dantec; ‘ La famille dans Tantiquité israélite,’€@ by M. Lévy; *« Le Canada, les deux races,’ ** by M. Siegfried ; “Les Vues d’Amérique,” by Paul Adam. “Histoire de Gervaise,” [[ by M. Alexis Noel, is a novel founded on an episode of the war of 1870. The remarkable book by M. Jean Finot, ‘La Philosophie de la Longévité,” tf is now in its eleventh edition, and contains some valuable additions, as the author has made considerable alterations since publishing his first edition. Among recent translations from the English are the following: “ L’entr’aide,” by Pierre Kro- potkine, translated by M. L. Bréal. “ Le Portrait de M. W. H.,” §§ by Oscar Wilde, translated by M. Albert Savine. At the last general meeting of the Société des Gens de Lettres, M. Victor Margueritte was elected president in the place of M. Marcel Prévost. In the Grande Revue of last month, Sir Thomas Barclay writes on the progress realised by modern democracy. He says that the time has come when the people have learnt to take possession of their destiny without troubling much about men but about ideas, and that men of genius will soon no longer be needed in politics, as national affairs are becoming more and more great com- mercial and industrial enterprises, which require the help of practical men. M. Octave Uzanne writes in the same review on the decadence of books, on the mercantile charlatanism now in vogue, and the publicity which certain authors organise for their works. In the Revue des Deux Mondes, Pierre Loti has been publishing his new book, * Les Désen- chantées,”” on modern feminine life in Con- stantinople. M. Brunetiére’s work on Balzac is now pub- lished in volume form, after appearing in this * “ Mes illusions et nos suffrances pendant le sitge de Paris,” Lemerre. t “ Art et psychologie individuelle,” Alcan. i “ Questions esthétiques et religieuses,” Alcan, “ L’ Argentine au X XI. siéele,” A. Colin. || “ La Lutte universelle,” Flanmarion. ‘| “La famille dans l’antiquité israélite,’ Alcan. ** “Te Canada, les deux races,” A. Colin. +7 “ Histoire de Gervaise,” Plon. ‘La Philosophie de la Longévité,” Alcan. ‘$9 ‘‘Le Portrait de M. W. H.,” Stock. 229 review. M.A. Bellessort gives some interesting details in his article on the Japanese. In the Revue de Paris M. Mathieu writes on “ Pascal et son experience du Puy-de-Déme.” The two April numbers of La Revue con- tained some excellent articles, the most curious and interesting of which are the two chapters taken from the “Cahiers de jeunesse” of Renan, an unpublished work which is to appear shortly in volume form. Among the other articles are ‘La Vie de mon pére,” by Paola Lombroso ; “ Eugene Carriére raconté par ses amis,” by Paul Gesell ; “‘ Sur Taine considéré comme historien des littératures,” by E. Faguet, and “Le poete des mineurs du Nord,” by E. Blanguernon. La Poétique, « new review, which we announced in a former number of Zhe Author, has discovered under the most romantic circumstances a poet of exceptional merit. It appears that the Comte de Larmandie, delegate of the Société des Gens de Lettres, happened many years ago upon a most eccentric individual with a marvellous gift of poetry. He wrote on any and every subject, but at a certain epoch in his life he became devout, and tore up all his profane manuscripts. M. de Larmandie begged his new acquaintance to pub- lish his works, but the new convert declared that it would be an act of vanity and that he was content to write his poems for “ Heaven and the angels.” He lent his new friend his manuscripts to read, but, fearing lest they should be published in spite of his wishes, insisted on having them back. M. de Larmandie had, however, learnt them all by heart, and afterwards was able to write them down from memory. Later on, “the poet” was confined for some time in a lunatic asylum, where, in his lucid moments, he wrote some admirable verses on his companions. On recover- ing his reason, he went on a religious pilgrimage, and at present, in his extreme humility, is living a wandering life, and is entirely dependent on the money he receives at the doors of the churches. The poems which M. de Larmandie remembered of his are being published in La Poétique, under the signature of of “ Humilis.” “ La Cathédrale,” and “Mors et Vita,’ are master-pieces. M. de Larmandie, who is himself a poet and has pub- lished more than a hundred volumes of poems and novels, declares that he has more pride and pleasure in having discovered and preserved the works of “ Humilis ” for the world at large than in all his own writings. “ Paraitre,’ by M. Donnay, is the new play now being given at the Francais. Among the new plays are “TL ’Attentat,” by MM. Alfred Capus and Lucien Descaves at the Gaité ; “ Pécheresse,”’ by M. Jean Carol, at the Renaissance. 230 At the same theatre we now have “La Griffe,” a piece in four acts by M. Henry Bernstein. The subject is an extremely modern one, showing us the gradual moral deterioration of an upright man under the influence of an unscrupulous woman, whom he marries, and the ignoble intrigues of certain members of the financial and political world to which he belongs. On the 3rd of May the Russian company from Moscow is to give a series of performances here at the Théatre Sarah Bernhardt. Atys HaLuarD, SPANISH NOTES. —_— HE increasing internationalism in Spanish literary circles is seen in the growing demand for translations of foreign books in Spuin. The Baroness Siittner’s ““ Wappen unter” (“ Arms Down”) is foremost on the list of German works thus translated, and when one recollects that the book won the Nobel prize in the competition last ear of works in favour of peace, its popularity is well understood. ‘La ilustre casa de Ramirez,” “La reliquia,” by the Portuguese author Eca de Queiroz, ure also now translated into Spanish ; Sefior Ruiz de Contresas is producing Anatole France in Spanish ; end Mufioz Escamez is bringing out a Spanish version of “ La Psicologie de la Educa- tion,” by Le Bon. The well-known Castilian writer, Blasco Ibafiez, is editing translations of Renan and Strauss; and Sefior Calleja, a pub- lisher in Madrid, is anxious to publish a collec- tion of standard English books in Spanish. As a translator of three of the novels of Palacio Valde’s, I was glad to hear last week that the author has just been made a member of the Academy of Spain, and that he has now taken his place among “the immortals,” as his plea for the bestowal of the distinction upon one whom he modestly considered more worthy than himself was not granted by those who knew the value of his work. Perhaps this mark of fame may give rise to a demand for the English translation of Valdés’ recent novel, ‘La Aldea Perdida” (“The Lost Hamlet’), which is now ready for the press. The chief literary results of the ter-centenary of Don Quixote, held last spring in Spain, seem to be a “ Life of Cervantes,” by the eminent writer, Fraficisco Navarro Ledesma, whose series of eloquent lectures on the subject last spring, at the Atheneum in Madrid first showed me the power of Spanish oratory; and the book on THE AUTHOR. “ Seville in the Days of Cervantes,” by Francisco. Rodriguez Morin, The research of the latter author is seen in such events of the middle ages as. that “of 8th May, 1595, when, it is said, no less. than 103 cartloads of gold, silver, and precious stones were brought into the city by ships returned from the new world.” Some of this wealth, still possessed by the Church, is exhibited in Seville in such a procession of the effigies of the saints, decked with jewels, and the priceless relics which were paraded before King Alfonso and the Infanta Maria Theresa and her husband at the religious ceremonies last Holy Week. ‘El Marqués de Bradomin” is a play which has recently been staged with great success at the Princesa Theatre at Madrid. The author, Don Ramon del Valle Tnclan, had already familiarised the public with the hero, who is a typical Spaniard of a particular class in his book called ‘‘ Memorias del marqués de Bradomin,” so that readers are familiar with the inert, effete character whose single faith in the love of his cousin was wrecked because not founded on a proper basis. The dawning interest in Spain in the woman’s agricultural movement is not only seen by the twenty poems and short articles con- tributed by Spanish women in their native language to the forthcoming May number of The Woman's Agricultural Times, but by a play which has been written by Colonel Figuerola Ferretti, called “ The Spanish Woman’s Agricultural Times.” This play is founded on the hoped-for establishment of an agricultural college in Spain. The pupils are to be of both sexes, as at the school at Basing, and the Spanish local colouring and the Castilian characters in this novel environment are both amusing and interesting—amusing in the comic incidents of such a fresh departure in the country, and interest- ing inasmuch as it shows that the writer voices the hopes of his countrymen that such institutions, which he has personally inspected in England, may be introduced into Spain. The playwright, Benavente, has also written @ new play called “La Princesa Bebé,” which was introduced at the Benefit of the well-known actress, Maria Guerrero, who took the leading part. The Atheneum has been recently the scene of a great ovation to this dramatist. Senor Burguete the other day gave a powerful lecture on the laws of life and the Jaws of war. Whilst advocating the activity which is necessary for the welfare of a nation, the lecturer spoke more of moral energy than physical, for although main- taining that warfare is better learnt in practice than in a thousand treatises, he struck the note of warning against the slackness in the laws of life which unfits a nation for the laws of war. The Geographical Society recently gave a fitting tribute to General Gomez de Arteche, whose recent  THE AUTHOR. 231 death is so much deplored, and whose works, “La Guerra de la Independencia,” “Tia Geografia historio militar de Espafia y Portugal,” and “A Spanish Soldier of the Twentieth Century,” have rendered such service to the society. Among those present were the Prince Don Carlos, General Azcarraga, the late Prime Minister, General Alameda, etc. Senor Don Luis Tur gave a fine discourse on the late officer’s life, and the President of the society also spoke eloquently on the services he had rendered his country. Spain will presumably welcome the Spanish translation, by Don Manuel de Figuerola, of the Foreign Office at Madrid, of the “ Life of Porfirio Diaz,” by Mrs. Alec Tweedie, as the Minister who has been seven times President of Mexico is deservedly admired by Spaniards. The appreciative account of Martin Hume’s address to the Spanish “Circle” of the Lyceum Club, which the well-known Spanish writer, Senor Ramiro de Maeztu, sent to the leading paper of Madrid, has done much to promote the entente cordiale between English and Spanish women. RACHEL CHALLICE. a ——— AMERICAN COST OF PRODUCTION. — HE following figures referring to American publication may draw aside, to some extent, the veil which covers the American cost. A certain American author desired to bring out a book of the ordinary octavo size at $1.50, say 6s., and found that he could print and bind in cloth 5,000 copies for the sum of $820, according to the following estimate which may be looked upon by our members as thoroughly reliable and authentic. The book was made up of 350 pp. crown 8vo., set in long primer, averaging 35 to 36 lines toa page, each line was 33 inches long and each page contained about 1,000 ems. ‘These are the prices at ordinary printers’ rates. Type-setting .......-..-eeseceeeeees $140.00 liked oo see 105.00 Paper for edition of 5,000 ...... 92°00 PUGHE WOK 5. y o.oo ce cesses ces 132.00 Binding (liberal estimate) ...... 350.00 $319.00 (say $820) It should be noted that plates are charged for in this cost. Jt is customary in the United States to make plates at once and print from them, whereas in England unless the demand is likely to be large, the printers usually print from type, This item, therefore, has a tendency to increase the cost of production. Ifa sum of $1,150 was taken to cover advertising office and incidental expenses making the total cost of production $1,970, the extent of the pub- lisher’s outlay would have been ascertained. $1,150 is a very high figure for advertising, even under American ideas. According to some American publishers, $500 would be much nearer the mark. If the book sold at the ordinary rates of a discount book on the United States market it would sell at 40 per cent. off the published price, less 10 per cent. off the result, and in some special cases 2 per cent. more. But to give the publisher a fair average let the price be reckoned at 80 cents. Should the publisher sell 4,500 copies at that price, leaving 500 copies for review and other purposes—again a large figure—he would make $3,600 leaving $1,630 profit. Supposing the author took half of this he would make $815 which would be a trifle over 123 per cent. royalty on the published price— all royalties being paid both in the United States and in Great Britain on the published price. From this it is clear that if the author obtains no very extraordinary sale and the publisher advertises to a very extraordinary extent, the author can easily obtain 123 per cent on the published price, that is by sharing profits with the publisher. Now let us consider what the publisher will make on his invested capital, 1970: 100:: 815: the percentage required 815x100 + 1970 = 8150+197 = 41°3 per cent. If, however, this circulation does not take place in one year, but in two years, he would make just over 20 per cent. on his capital. This is apercentage that the ordinary trader would not despise. Now let us take a figure which we have been assured by an American publisher is a more com- mon and more reasonable figure for advertising, that is $500. We then obtain the following results. The total cost of the book including advertising is $1,320. The total returns from the sales of 4,500 copies —giving the same ample margin as to numbers and price is $3,600. If $1,320 is deducted from $3,600 we obtain $2,280 as the amount of profit to be divided between the author and the publisher. Again if the author takes half of this he will get $1,140 or just under 17 per cent. on the published price. As, however, the publisher will have made $1,140 on an expenditure of $1,320 supposing the amount is made within the year, he will have made more than 86 per cent. on his outlay, or 43 percent. if the amount is made in two years. There is no reason, therefore, why the author should not have 232 a larger percentage of the profits and still leave the publisher ample return on his capital. If the author should take 20 per cent. royalty $1,360—it must not be forgotten that the royalty is paid on the published price, not on the gross zeceipts—he leaves the publisher $920 profit, and if these sales occur in one year—tor the life of a novel is short—the publisher makes just about 70°2 per cent on the capital he has invested. Taking the sales of a book up to 4,500 copies of an edition of 5,000-—not an uncommon circulation —the author ought to be able to get between 16 and 20 per cent. from an American publisher and leave him an ample profit. Tt must be remembered that the book is adiscount book ; therefore, if it had been published nett it would have stood a still larger percentage. Lastly, the figures are taken on the whole in favour of the publisher. Let us compare these figures with the English cost of a similar book. £ Ss dh Composition of 22 sheets ......... Printing: osc te Paper Moulding and Plates ............... BINS oie 100 £200 8 0 These are all liberal figures, so that if we reckon £200 for the whole this would show the price at which the regular printer would be willing to undertake the work. This fact then becomes evident that the Ameri- can cost of production is £36 cheaper than the English, so that all the talk which the publishers have for some time been cramming down the throats of English authors about the expenses of the American cost of production, is incorrect. As a matter of fact the authority who has been kind enough to supply the figures, states that the American cost could be reduced by another $50 or £10. It is true that some years ago prices in the United States were higher than at present, and it is true also that the expenses incidental to American houses, of travelling and advertising, are still higher than the English. Let the illustration be taken further. We have reckoned $1,150 for the advertising and inci- dental expenses in the United States, taking a liberal scale. ‘Taking a liberal scale for the same on the English market, we should put the figure at about £130, so that we might reckon the total cost of production of the book at £330 against the total cost of production of the American book—taking the same proportion for advertising—at $1,970. THE AUTHOR. Let us now proceed to take the sales of the book in England. 3s. 6d. is a good average price for each copy, after making all deductions; but as this figure, although proved correct on many occasions, has been disputed by some publishers, 3s. 4d. will satisfy all demands. The sale of 4,500 copies at 3s. 4d. would produce £750, and the English publisher would make £420 profit, and supposing the author took half this as in the former example, he would make £210. Now £210 on the published price of 4,500 at 6s. would be £210 on,£1,350, or over 154 per cent. royalty, and the publisher would make over 63 per cent. on his outlay. Let us now take, as in the United States example, the advertising at a more reasonable figure. Where the United States publisher would advertise to the extent of $500 the English pub- lisher would expend £60. The total cost of the book, including advertising, is now £260. The total returns from the sales of 4,500 (giving the same ample margin in numbers and price) is £750, and the total profits for division, £490. Now, if the author takes his half share he will get £245, or over 18 per-cent. The publisher, supposing the amount has been made within the year, will get over 94 per cent. on his outlay, or 47 per cent. if the amount is made in two years. Following again the last example in the United States cost, if the author is so grasping as to get 20 per cent. royalty, £270, he leaves the publisher £220. If, then, the sales occur within one year the publisher makes on his outlay 84 per cent. ; if in two years, 42 per cent. To sum up, therefore, we find the following instructive results : If 5,000 copies of an ordinary 6s. or $1°50 are pliated, and 4,500-copies sold at ordinary rates, and a reasonable sum is spent on advertising. In the United States, on a half profit division the author makes just under 17 per cent. on the published price ; and the publisher, 86 per cent. on his outlay, if the sales occur within one year; a 43 per cent. if the sales occur in two years. In England, on a half profit division, the author makes over 18 per cent. on the published price, and the publisher 94 per cent. on his outlay, if the sales occur within one year ; 47 per cent. if the sales occur in two years. If the author in the United States takes 20 per cent. on the published price under the same circumstances, the publisher makes 70 per cent. if the sales occur in one year; the publisher makes 35 per cent,, if the sales occur in two years.  If the author in England takes 20 per cent. on the published price, the publisher makes 84 per cent. if the sales occur in one year ; 42 per cent. if the sales occur in two years. Authors are requested to make their own deduction. Gon. T. SN SEP SE eee WHEN IS A PUBLISHER’S LOSS A PUBLISHER'S GAIN ? —+ > 5 HE title of this article may appear paradoxical, but the article will explain itself. The clause printed below, or the same with slight variations, is frequently to be found in publishers’ agreements :— “ That the Publisher shall at the time of the delivery of the said statement pay to the Author (subject as mentioned below, and except any copies specially excepted) on all such copies sold at above half their published price, a royalty of 15 per cent. on their published price, and on all such copies sold at or below half their published price a royalty of 15 per cent. on the net receipts of such sales, and on all such copies sold at below one quarter of the published price, the royalties shall be 5 per cent. of the net receipts of such sales. In calculating royalties on such copies sold at above half their published price, thirteen copies shall be reckoned as twelve. No royalties shall be paid upon any copies presented to the author or others, or to the Press, or upon copies destroyed by fire or in transit. Provided always that the royalties provided for in this Clause shall not be payable in respect of special editions to which Clause 6 hereof shall be applicable, or to any sales under Clause 7 hereof.” The royalty of 15 per cent. on the published price has been inserted, and also the royalty of 15 per cent. when the book is sold at or below half the pub- lished price. Asa matter of fact when the royalty on the published price exceeds 10 per cent, rising to 15 per cent. to 20 per cent. or 25 per cent., the royalty, in nearly every case when the book is sold at or below half the published price, remains at 10 per cent. only. The publisher argues that he cannot afford to pay the same royalty on the lower figure as the higher. It will be necessary to show that even when the publisher quotes the same royalty on the lower price, he gains an advantage by selling the book to the bookseller at or below half the published price rather than at the full trade price. The following figures should be carefully studied, for although writers in The Author have, from time to time, criticised the Clause severely, the mathematical results of this method of dealing have never been actually set out. For convenience sake let the example of the six shilling book stand. If this book is sold to the bookseller at above half the published price then the author THB AUTHOR. 233 will obtain the following amount on. each copy sold. Op xX 1D) 4 WO Now the full price, taking a fair average at which the publisher sells the 6s. book to the bookseller is, 3s.6d., sometimes a little less: but as it has often been asserted by the publisher that this statement is incorrect, though it has, as often, been proved to be accurate, it will be fair to the publisher to give him a further advantage and take the published price which the publisher receives from the book- seller right through, reckoning all deductions 13 as 12, &c., as 3s. 4d. It is clear, therefore, that when the publisher gets 3s. 4d. a copy, he obtains, after deducting 15 per cent. the royalty due to the author, 3s. 4d. — 104d. = 40d.—104d. = 291d.= 2s. 52d. But it is possible, if the book is very successful, that an agent from one of the large bookselling houses, may come forward and say, “I am going to buy a very large number of copies, but I will only purchase them if you will sell them to me at 8s. 2d. a copy.” The publisher, in answer to this, to the bookseller’s astonishment may reply : “ No, if you are going to buy large quantities I can let you have them at as low a figure as 3s.” The bookseller is surprised at the publisher's generosity but willingly accepts the lower figure. The result to the author and publisher will then work out as follows :— The publisher sells at 3s., and has to pay the author 15 per cent. on this price. Therefore, he pays the author 3s. X 15 pee eras A ae and gets himself for the book 3s. — 52d. = 36d. — 52d. = 303d. In consequence, selling to the bookseller at the lower figure, and not insisting on the usual trade terms, he gains the difference between 308d. and 292d. or 12d. per copy.. This difference is con- siderable if he makes a large sale at this figure, and it is generally the fact that the price is reduced if the sale is a large one, but the result is still more startling if a 20 per cent. royalty is taken. We then get the following figures :-— Author’s royalty on a 6s. book at 20 per cent. is xX WF = 104d. ee = Lis.x32 =$x 49 =142d, = 1s. 224. If the publisher, therefore, insists on sticking to the trade price he would get per copy 8s. 4d. — 1s. 22d. = 2s. 12d. per copy. Again the bookseller comes along with the same bargain as before. ‘The publisher sells at 3s. 234 The author's royalty on the lower price is 38. x 20 or = Sof 12d, = 73d. Therefore, the publisher will receive 36— 71d. = 284d. = 2s, 44d., instead of 2s. 14d., thus he gains by the sale at half price 33d., whereas when the article was at 15 per cent. he gained 12d. The result is still more startling when the author gets only 10 per cent. on the lower price. It is hardly necessary to work out so self evident a fact. It is, therefore, quite clear that such a clause in an agreement is financially unsound as far as the author’s returns are concerned, as it acts on the publisher as a temptation to sell the book at half price (thus decreasing the author’s royalties and his fair return), rather than to endeavour to maintain the full trade price and allow the author the full royalty. In the hands of a fair-minded publisher there might be no dispute, and this is no doubt the argument of the unbusinesslike author. But the answer is plain, if a fairminded publisher would not take advantage of the clause, then the clause is unnecessary. Whenever, therefore, authors meet it in their agreements they should, at once, strike out the portion that refers to sales at or below half the published price. But they must not confuse this portion of the clause with bona fide remainder sales. With a bona fide remainder sale—a sale where the book fetches little more than the value of the paper, the publisher cannot, of course, afford to pay a royalty on the published price ; and it often happens that pub- lishers, when the sale of a book has really ceased, and they desire to clear their shelves, sell as a remainder, but in this case it should be understood that the whole stock is cleared off and the agree- ment cancelled. G. i. if, Oe ——_____— MAGAZINE CONTENTS. 1 BLACKWOOD’S. Charles Lever. Drake: An English Epic. By Alfred Noyes. Salamanca. By Edward Hutton. A History of Human Error. Musings Without Method : Mr. Carnegie as an Arbiter of Letters : Authors and Publishers : Literature and Advertisement, BOOKMAN. Oliver Goldsmith. By J. H. Lohban. The Romance of English Folk Speech, Hamilton. Laurence Sterne. By Bevis By Ranger. ‘Book MONTHLY. If I Were a Publisher. By Clement K. Shorter. Southward Ho! To Eversley, the Home of Charles Kingsley. By W. J. Roberts. THE AUTHOR. A Derelict Novel Which a Lord Chancellor Wrote and Then Suppressed. By Charles M. Clarke, LL.D. The Pen and the Book, or Wisdom for Author and Pub- lisher While They Wait. CONTEMPORARY. Religious Events in France. By F, Testus. The New Aristocracy of Mr. Wells. By J. A. Hobson. Direction for Popular Readers. By Ernest A. Baker. Archeology and Criticism. By W.H. Bennett, Litt.D. The Truth About The Monasteries. By G. G. Coulton. Nikolai Andréyevitch Rimski-Korssakov. By A, E. Weeton. Dramatic Form and Substance, By Philip Littell. FORTNIGHTLY. Letters and the Ito. By Israel Zangwill. A Saint in Fiction. By Mrs. Crawford, A French Archbishop. By Constance Elizabeth Maud. Philadelphia. By Henry James. uo Survival Value of Religion, By C, W. Saleeby, INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Flaws in Elementary Education, By W. J. Fisher. The Florentine Movement. By Aelfrida C, W, Tillyard, Religion and Metaphysics. By B. Russell, Mont. Science and Religion, By. J. G. A Child Queen of Spain, By the Comtesse de Courson. A Pilgrim of Eternity. By M.N. A Paris Centre of Social Activity, Crawford, The English Pope and His Irish Bull, By The Rey. Herbert Thurston, MONTHLY REVIEW. Dream andIdeal. By Norman Gale, Mr. Morley. By Algernon Cecil. The Moral Crisis. By F, Carrel. The Essential Factor of Progress, By C. W. Saleeby. Roman Catholics and Journalism. By Basil Tozer, Coventry Patmore : Supplementary Notes: With Some Unpublished Letters. Do Our Girls Take an Interest in Literature? By Mar- garita Yates, By Virginia M. NATIONAL REVIEW. Our “Insolvent” Stage, By Austin Harrison, NINETEENTH CENTURY. Eton Reminiscences. By The Right Hon. The Lord Monson. The Papal Attack on France. Education for Country Children. force. By Robert Dell, By R, G. Wilber- PALL MALL MAGAZINE. A Shakespeare Birthday : A Reminiscence of Charles Dickens : Written and Illustrated. By Harry Furniss, Epitah. By Eden Phillpotts. Musical Pictures. By C. Lewes Hind, TEMPLE Bar. Thomas de Quincey. By Edward Thomas. : Filippo Brunelleschi : A Study From Vasari’s “ Lives.” By Marie-Louise Egerton Castle. An Experiment in Fairy Tale, By Wm. J. Batchelder. Recognition. By Evangeline Ryves. TWENTIETH CENTURY QUARTERLY. A New Poet. By Professor Dowden. James Anthony Frowde. By A. W. Evans. Some Historians and The Reformation, A, E. N. Simms, B.D. By the Rev.  WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. 1 ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained, But the transaction should be managed by a - competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. “G.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. : (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or ‘doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It isnow possible for an author to ascertain approximately the ¢ruth, From time to time very important figures connected qith royalties are published in Zhe Author, IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— : (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. 43.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. ‘General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld, : (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —___—_+—>—_+—___—_ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. a EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. : 2. [t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production_of a play with anyone except an established manager, THE AUTHOR. 235 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. \0.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (‘.¢., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event, It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7, Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author, obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very@great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. —_——_+—<_-+_____- WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ee ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the ], assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He 236 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. a HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. ———+ — 1, VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion, All this without any cost to the member, 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past. accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To readgand advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers, (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation.to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect. to stamp agreements, This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it-on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeayour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10, The subscription to the Society is £1 4s. per annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —+— + HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble, —_—_1—9—4—_____. THE READING BRANCH. EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this VI branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. ‘The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. ———_-—>—e _______ NOTICES. —_-~ + HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of I the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s, 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “ The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. All persons engaged in literary work of any kind, whether members of the Society or not, are invited to communicate to the Editor any points connected with their work which it would be advisable in the general interest to publish. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connegted with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Fray effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. — The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. ————_+—>—e__ LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. —-——1—. ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, P either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from. this society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, H.C,  AUTHORITIES. —t 1 | h N important judgment has been delivered in the Superior Court of Montreal. The Province of Quebec, as everyone knows, is | the centre of the French Canadian community, and | im consequence there is a considerable demand for ¢ books in the French language. The case dealt with the reproduction in French Canada of the work of Jules Mary, a popular French novelist. Mr. Justice Fortin decided that under the Imperial Acts and the Berne Convention, no right - of reproduction of the work in Canada could exist ‘i withoot the consent of the author, in other words wf that there was no right of piracy. This decision ty 4 is, of course, merely corroborative of many deci- “oi sions that have been given previously in Canada, ‘oad but it is of importance as dealing with the rights to of foreigners in British possessions. © & we i THE interest of members will, no doubt, be occupied by an article printed in another part of The Author, entitled “Why isan Agent?” The ‘ 4@ article is from the pen of a rising American writer, ‘ofa and the opinion of a literary man and a business esai man from the other side of*the water upon the « method of marketing literary works in England Fas and the United States cannot fail to cause the 4st members of the Society to think seriously on the p@ subject. i From time to time The Author has contained articles dealing with agents. We refer especially to an article printed in the April (1904) issue. ‘These articles point out clearly the difficulties and dangers, as well as the advantages, of an agent’s ' work, but it is of considerable value to have an independent opinion from one in the habit of ; marketing his own work He makes a suggestion at the end of the article and asks whether the Society could not undertake certain duties. If this meets with the approval of authors the Committee would no doubt willingly take the matter under their attention. At any rate the members should inwardly digest his ideas. There are many authors who will not fall in with the views expressed. If so, we should be glad to hear from them. DO t In the last two numbers of The Author articles have appeared referring to the “Date of Publi- cation.”” The importance of this point cannot be over-estimated. It has been raised again in the report on thenew American Copyright Consolidating Bill printed this month, where the following statement is made :—*“'l'he fundamental position reached was that publication itself should be THE AUTHOR. 237 recognised as the dividing point between the common law right in an unpublished work and the statutory protection of a copyright work, we., that copyright should date from publication.” It is hoped that this new Bill will define more clearly than some of the Acts of other countries what really constitutes publication, We have received some further information from the Kegistrar of Copyrights at the Library of Congress, Washington, and understand that the draft of the proposed new Copyright Law will, by the time this paragraph appears, have been introduced into Congress. The questions raised in the last two numbers of The Author have not been overlooked by those who have the Bill in hand. The American Pub- lishers’ Copyright League and their advisers believe they have succeeded in overcoming the difficulty. 9 THE ANNUAL DINNER. —_-——-+—_ EMBERS of the society are reminded that the annual dinner will take place on the 9th of this month at the Criterion Res- taurant at 7 for 7.30. The Right Honble. the Lord Curzon, P.C., &e., and Lady Curzon, of Kedleston, have consented to be the chief guests of the evening on that occa- sion. In accordance with the usual custom, the chairman of the committee for the year, Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., will take the chair. i RICHARD GARNETT. +4 HE bright Easter weather is darkened for innumerable friends by the unexpected death of Dr. Richard Garnett. The news reaches me—and with it the request that I would say a few words in his honour—in a remote part of Ire- land, where i am out of reach of books, and there is something incongruous in speaking of Dr. Garnett elsewhere but in a library. He was a man of books, in a sense more exclusive than could be used of any other man I ever met. Bibliographers there are in plenty, but none who are so familiar as he with the inside of the treasures in their charge ; librarians, too, but none to whom their shelves was so full of living, wrangling, loving, palpitating beings; collectors, but none in whom a sense of hospitality towards the objects he collected is so curiously developed. With no books, no letters, to refer to, I am 238 thrown sadly on my memories. They go back far, since it was in 1867 that I knew Dr. Garnett first —nearly forty years of man’s brief life. In those days he stood in front of a table in an underground passage of the British Museum, with endless shelves, still mostly empty, before him, and a network of com- plicated steel, like a cosmos of bird-cages, stretch- ing around him in every direction. He was still young, slightly timorous, but sedate, polite and responsive, pausing, with a heap of books in his arms, as he carried them to their unknown home in the steel construction, so that he might answer the question of some official. Those were days when his activities were subterranean and before he emerged to public sight in the conning-tower of the Reading Room. He wasstill unknown, still pre- paring to be recognised a few years later as the only living person acquainted with something at least about practically every book of importance in that vast collection. His life, in those days, was spent on his legs, moving from shelf to shelf, gliding along the steel floors under the steel ceilings, always with a book held up to his face, always, with a rapid gesture, weighing, placing, fitting in another ¢essera of the enormous intellectual mosaic of his memory. As a critic, or rather as an appraiser of books, Dr. Garnett was the most democratic man whom we have seen. His taste was gratified by excellence of every kind, and all he asked was that a writer should have shown skill in his own class and generation. He was not overawed by the great authors to such an extent as to despise the little ones. It might be thought that this love of equal- ity would decrease his power of being interested in what was best. But that was hardly true. He would worship with perfect decorum in the temple of Dante, and yet be presently found in a cottage with his toes to the fire, enjoying the company of Filicaja or of Trissino His uniformity of sympathy was one of his most extraordinary qualities, and so long as the language did not bar the way—and his knowledge of the European languages was very extensive—it never betrayed him. He would discourse with propriety of the sonnets of Shakespeare, and then, with no alteration in his voice, of those of some Portuguese of the sixteenth century, or of some Pole of the nineteenth. He was among the earliest of those who admired Walt Whitman with moderation, Baudelaire with discretion, Heine with enthusiasm. Nothing put him out of countenance ; of every genuine product of imaginative energy, in everyage and country, Garnett found something favourable to say. He was not bored by Beowulf, nor made angry by Diderot, nor scandalised by Nietzsche. I think it probable that there never was born, anywhere, another man who contemplated literature THER AUTHOR. from every side, with such an absence of prejudi as did Richard Garnett. In this respect alone the work that he did for English letters, in the peace- able cause of a sweet reasonableness, and in a quiet resistance to Podsnappery, was beyond all price, He wrote verse for more than fifty years with great persistency, but without any self-deception. It was his best recreation, but he pursued it with no illusion that he was a poet of genius. I did not enjoy his poetry very much, and on one occasion, through the inexcusable blunder of a third person, and to my deep chagrin, he was informed of this. The incident would not be worthy of a thought, if it were not that I recall how it emphasised his unassailable courtesy and resolute good temper. His very numerous little volumes of verse contained several things which may be of permanent value. In particular, in the volume called ‘Io in Egypt,” will be found a “Ballad of the Boat,” which is of an original and haunting beauty. It was greatly admired, I remember, by Coventry Patmore. But, of Garnett’s contributions to creative literature, there were two which were of far higher value than any of his poems. I mean the volume of stories called “The Twilight of the Gods,” and the curious little drama about the youth of Shakespeare. The former of these, which preceded, not merely the amazingly clever pastiches of such recent writers as Hughes Rebell and Pierre Louys, but even, I think, the “Thais” of Anatole France, remains unsur- passed for witty and ironic reconstruction of antique life. The latter seemed to me to reveal the odd genius of its author for a kind of humorous travesty of life and literature more brilliantly than anything else which he produced. ach of these books—they appear to have mystified the reviewers, and to have been severely neglected by the public — suggested that Garnett possessed gifts of ironic imagination, which, if he had been born a Frenchman, would have lifted him to a high popularity. I am desired to mention that he was a member of the Society of Authors since 1887, a member of the Council, and a member of the Nobel Prize Committee. EDMUND GOSSE, i ee WHY IS AN AGENT? 1 N our dignified and decorative capacity of ~ Deputy-Assistant Floor-Manager in the Literary Shop, we are frequently called upon to cope with problems of pressing moment to our co-labourers in that famous emporium. As we stroll with negligent air but lynx-like:  i THE AUTHOR. vigilance up and down the aisles of that depart- ment which a discriminating Management has consigned to our devoted care, we are constantly being beckoned hither and yon by perplexed but attractive sales-ladies and mystified counter- gentlemen, who submit to our austere but sym- pathetic consideration the countless questions that arise in the course of the day’s business. And so just have been our decisions in vexing cases, so penetrating our insight into the most (seemingly) inscrutable of enigmas, that our fame has spread beyond the limits of the Fiction Department ; and hardly a day passes without our being requested to step over to the Art Counter, or up to the Biography Bureau, or even (at times) down to the Shilling Shocker Cellars, to settle and pass judg- ment upon difficult points. We have but to quote from two of our most recent rulings to establish the reader’s confidence in our infallibility and to justify ourselves of what may have seemed slightly self-complacent asser- tions on our part in the foregoing paragraph. Not long since there was laid before us the query: “Why is an Author?” To which we replied instantly but in the accents of omniscience : “Because a Man must Live.” And a little later a more tremendous, a veritably staggering riddle was read us: ‘“‘ Why is a Publisher?” Yet we were not slow in reading the answer, ‘‘ Because Man was born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upward.” Comment is superfluous. We have made our point. We now proceed ruthlessly to rend apart the garment of infallibility with which we have been clothed in the eyes of the world ; and shall presently stand revealed as mere mortal clay. “Why is an Agent?” has been asked us. And, humiliating as the confession is to our proud spirit, we must manfully own that for once we are stumped; we do not know. We do not believe that anybody knows. It is inconceivable to us that the mind of man can construct an apology, however evasive and sophistical, for the existence of the literary agent. ‘To the contrary so many arguments occur to us as conclusive proof that an agent should not be permitted to exist, that we are unable to resist the temptation to put our conclusions on paper, for the instruction and (we trust) the edification of our confréres. But first we must dispose of the assertion that the agent himself has put forward excuses for his existence—an assertion calculated to cast doubt upon our claim that the mind of man is incapable of apologising for the agent. To this we reply briefly and crushingly that, as is well known, a literary agent is not human ; he is an unnatural growth, a parasite (and a voracious one) upon the body literary. Blinded by his self-imposed con- 239 viction that he has a living to make, and that the literary fields are more easy to till and more lucrative to the conscientious husbandman than those afforded by the gold-brick, green goods and confidence game acres (as cultivated by his cousins. across the Atlantic), the literary agent mistakenly believes himself a human being and all the others,. authors, authoresses and authoreens, merely easy marks. Sadly enough, the attitude of the body literary towards the agent is consistently such as tends to confirm him in this hallucination. ~We authors continue to surrender ourselves to- the literary agent; hypnotised by his suave assurance, disarmed by his bland and _ benign smile, bewitched by his assertive concern for our material welfare, infatuated we walk into his parlour and—escaping, it is true, with our lives— leave behind us our MSS. and a tenth part of our income. The custom savours of fetish worship— to change the metaphor: the literary agent has with his own fair hands beaten out his own halo (of brass), and so, self-sanctified, has placed himself” upon a pedestal, high, inaccessible, aloof; and into his presence we authors crawl in fear and trembling, giving him reverence without question, because, forsooth, he asks it. With publishers we have learned to walk erect, as men among their fellows ; sometimes we even presume to treat them with a trace of hauteur. But we all kow-tow to the agent ; and he waxeth rich and offensive on: our tithes. ~~ Now, why ? “‘ Because,” says the agent, “I am a necessity.. Remove me and the wheels of the publishing world will cease to go round. I enjoy alike the familiar confidence of the publishers, the published and (though I’m sure I don’t know why I should bother with them ; besides I only pretend to) the great unpublished. “Bring me your MSS., all ye that are weary and heavy-laden, and I will dispose of them at high prices. Publishers believe so thoroughly in my judgment that an author whom I condescend to take up is a made man ; and frequently they pay -me more than a MS. is worth, just because I have: recommended it. They could buy from the author at a cheaper rate, but they like my winning ways so well that they prefer to pay me the higher price. Isn’t it wonderful ? “T save you all trouble and worry. All you have to do is to sit at home and write and send me the result. And wait. In my own good time I will advise you of the fate of your offspring. But you mustn’t vex me in the interim: it annoys me to be questioned, Once give me your MSS. and you will never be disheartened by having them returned to you. Never! If I can’t sell, I will considerately mislay ’em ; and it will take: 240 a communication from the Secretary of the Society of Authors to make me forget that authors suffer from heartache when their MSS. are returned.” Let us seriously consider these claims. Why, to begin with, is an agent (middleman) necessary as a buffer between author and pub- lisher ? No matter what the agent claims, with few exceptions (which will be dwelt upon herein- after) the publisher prefers to trust to his own judgment, or to that of ‘his salaried readers, as to the merits of MSS. submitted. Quite naturally : he has to pay out his own money in exchange for his purchases. He takes the risk—not the agent. In the majority of publishing houses a MSS. sub- mitted with an agent’s stamp on its title-page goes through precisely the same routine as those received from authors direct; the publisher pays for accepted MSS. precisely what he thinks they are worth to him—which, from his point of view as aman of business, is the lowest price he can induce the author to accept. The author who sells his stories or articles through an agent, then, gets just what any other author of his standing would receive—less 10 per cent. The middleman pockets this percentage for having, in a haphazard way, hit upon a publishing house that the author himself would have found in due course of time. In all other lines business-men are learning that it pays to dispense with middlemen. The middleman is out of date ; his appearance to-day is hailed as a recrudescence of the dodo would be. But in the writing trade still he obtains, a curious ‘survival of a darker age—a prehistoric (and -devouring) monster. It is a curious phenomenon of the agency ‘ousiness that the agent in one breath blatantly proclaims himself the conserver and promoter of the author’s interests, and in the next tells you (in a confidential whisper) that he is hand-in- glove with this-or-that editor or publisher. ‘‘So- -and-so’s magazine (or publishing house),” he will say, ‘‘ buys everything I offer it.” Now you can’t serve God and Mammon. In the three cases out of five where the agent is not lying to impress the prospective client, he enjoys unusual privileges with the publisher for—for what? For booming authors’ prices ? We wot not! Unfortunately for the authors who become their dupes, a majority of agents are publishers’ repre- sentatives, the most lucrative part of whose busi- ness is to place the foreign rights of such MSS. as the publisher has bought outright. It is only matural that such publishers should afford their agents special courtesies in the matter of rapid readings on submitted matter and early payments ; and to them, as a guid pro quo, the agents are glad to sell MSS. entrusted to them at a lower rate than they could obtain in other quarters. The THE AUTHOR. system, however gratifying to the author in the point of quick returns, can hardly be held to further anybody’s interests beyond the agent’s and the publisher’s. Agents will assure that by their efforts your existing market will be broadened, new markets created for the products of your pen. Aside from the light shed upon this by the preceding paragraph : the manager for a prominent agency once told us in a burst of (it appears) misplaced candour : “To tell you the truth, you had far better submit your stories direct than through us. When I hand an editor a story by an American writer not of the highest standing, he at once begins to wonder why the author was so keen to pay me a tenth of his price, and to suspect that if the MS. had been saleable through the author’s efforts it would never have come into my hands.” The quotation, of course, is made from memory and pretends to give only the essence of the speaker’s words. When so many circumstances weigh against the acceptance of a story, including the state of the weather, how late the editor was up last night and what his wife said to him at breakfast, it would appear obviously the course of wisdom to dispense with anything howsoever calculated to prejudice editorial judgment. A professional reader cannot help thinking that if a story has been repeatedly refused by other publications, there must exist some good reason for such a state of affairs. He feels it a point of honour to discover the damning flaw. The deduction is patent that a writer should sell his stories direct to home magazines, and only employ an agent to dispose of his foreign rights ; and in the case of a book-writer, he is a fool to do that unless he simply cannot spare the time for a two months’ vacation every year ; the expenses of the trip abroad would be fully covered by the agent’s yearly commissions. “T can get you higher prices than you could obtain by your unaided efforts.” This claim like- wise has been touched upon herein-above. We hark back merely to illustrate our point by the statement made us by the editor of a prominent New York monthly, who pointed out to us the price-mark placed upon a MSS by the agent who had submitted it, and commented: “ is bluffing. He says he wants 300 dollars for this story. If I should call him up now on the telephone, and offer him 50 dollars for the American rights, he would leave a smoking streak on the sidewalk in his haste to get here and pocket the check. A 5 dollar commission in the hand is worth a 30 dollar commission in the bush, to *s way of thinking.” Now as to the agents’ claim that by patronising them the author saves himself the wear and tear  5 ee et pled er Seog we a ae tan! sto Serie ED LARS AIS eb ee: BR le. oe SS THE AUTHOR. on his nervous system and the mental worry caused by first-hand rejections of his offerings. (In this connection it should be parenthetically remarked that the author who cannot inure himself against such disappointments, learn to receive them with an unsaddened heart and faith unabated, is not made of lasting stuff). The plain truth is that by entrusting his material to an agent’s tender mercies he but exchanges one form of worry for another. What can be more wearing than to have month after month go by, without word of your fate? What more exasperating than to possess your soul in impatience for weary weeks, and finally to yield (doubting your discretion) to the temptation to prod your agent ; and to receive the reply (perhaps) : “Oh yes; I sold your story to three months ago”? And then you remember how sorely you needed money, or the encouragement of an acceptance, just three months ago... . Moreover, if an author thinks at all, he is bound to wonder how much of the publisher’s cheque the agent really retains as his proportion. For the author is invariably kept in the dark, or almost invariably. The publisher sends his cheque to the agent, who returns the receipt over his own signature, and deposits the cheque to his own account ; some six months later the importunate author gets the agent’s personal cheque—if he has been importunate enough. This is perhaps the greatest evil of the Literary Agent business. That an author is rarely a good business man has passed into an axiom—which the agent mouthes persistently to his own advantage. The author is, furthermore, generally a gentleman, in almost every case content that his agreement with the agent shall be merely verbal; as evidence of the understanding between himself and the agent he rarely can produce more than a formal receipt for his MSS—sometimes not even that— and a non-committal letter ortwo. And the agent keeps his books in his own weird way; expert accountants become hopelessly befogged when they try to extract information from them. But an examination of them is seldom demanded. The author is loth to question the agent’s good faith ; whatever he may believe, he would be distinctly humiliated if his suspicions were, perchance, proven groundless. If, then, upon mature deliberation, the young author is convinced that it is to his interests to dispose of his stories and articles through a middle- man, he should insist upon a written and stamped agreement with that middleman, even as he would insist upon it with a publishing house of the highest standing. The Society of Authors should be requested to pass upon the proposed agreement before it receives the author’s signature. And— let us be emphatic—the one essential clause of such 241 an agreement should be that the publisher's cheques must be drawn to the order of a responsible third party, by him to be received, cashed, and proportioned between agent and author. It is quite safe to assume that no honest agent would object to such a clause, which would but benefit his profession by weeding out, or reforming, the black sheep. As to the selection of the third party, we venture: to suggest that the Society of Authors should undertake the responsibility when so requested. Otherwise any reputable firm of solicitors should prove acceptable to both parties. In the former event the Society should make a slight charge— say, one shilling per cheque; less if possible—to cover the increased clerical expense incurred in rendering such service. One final query: Why in the name of common sense is it, that when the struggling young scribbler has demonstrated that he can sell his MSS by his own efforts (and he has got to do just that before the agent will condescend to “handle” his stories) ; why, when he has proven his worth and title to an independent literary existence, does he forthwith rush madly off and place all his output in the hands of an agent, thereby voluntarily relinquishing what he seldom can afford to do. without—one-tenth, if not more of his income ? Why But to what end these queries? We are saddened. We have winnowed the _ subject thoroughly, to our way of thinking, threshed it out with a flail of many, many words, and there is. no good grain in all the chaff. We find ourselves no nearer the solution of this eternal riddle. We must bow our head, confess ourself dumbfoundered for once, humble our erstwhile haughty self in the eyes of the stylish young saleswoman in the Poet’s Corner and the supercilious sales-gentlemen in the Fiction Department of the building. Even the mannequins in the “ Historical Romance” Booth will give us the glassy eye hereafter. For Omniscience is punctured. Infallibility has the blind staggers. We cannot say Why is an Agent. iL. XY $< —_—_——_ UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. ‘ _ Se (Printed from the United States Publishers’ Weekly.) THE CopyriGHT CONFERENCE. HE third series of sessions of the Copyright Conference held at the Library of Congress, Washington, resulted in the settling of most oftheimportant principles in the new copyright code, although it was not practicable, as someone said, ‘242 to “solve quadratic equations in a town meeting,” and deal with the details, and, especially, the phraseology of the bill. This will be done by the Librarian of Congress and the Register of Copy- rights with the assistance of experts, especially the representatives of the American Bar Association and the Bar Association of New York, Arthur Steuart and Paul Fuller, with the purpose of putting into legal form, for submission to Congress, the principles agreed upon by the Conference. The gathering included representatives from over thirty associations, representing the producing interests—authors, dramatists, musical composers and artists; the reproducing callings—book and music publishers, printers, lithographers, etc., both on the employing and labour sides ; and, thirdly, the outside interests—as the American Library Association and the Bar Associations. It was most gratifying that the seventy representatives present came to learn that all the organisations had a common purpose of making the law and the rights of authors specific and definite rather than -of denying or limiting rights. There were differ- ences of opinion as to principles and as to details, but on the whole the Conference was most remark- able for the spirit of comity and for the willing- ness to compromise on questions where there was difference rather than agreement. The fundamental position reached was that publication itself should be recognised as the dividing point between common law right in an unpublished work and statutory protection of a copyrighted work, z.e., that copyright should date from publication. It was agreed between the representatives of the artists and of certain repro- -ductive interests, however, that on works of art exhibited before publication some simple kind of copyright notice should be shown, that there might be no question as between works in the public domain and works protected or to be pro- tected by copyright. It was also agreed that copyright protection should cover all component copyrighted or copyrightable parts of a work, so that there should be no need of repeating each copyright notice under each illustration or with each contribution, and that no material should be brought incidentally into the public domain because an illustration, for instance, had not been copy- righted previous to the copyrighting of the book -of which it might be a part. The term of life and fifty years was favoured for original works, and fifty years for reproductive works, with a shorter term of twenty-eight years for labels and prints, which the Patent Office insists on transferring to the Copyright Office. As to importations, an agreement was reached between representatives of publishers and of librarians by which public libraries and like corporate institutions were to be THE AUTHOR. allowed the privilege of importation, without con- sent of the copyright proprietor, of books from the country of origin, or out-of-print books, or books forming parts of libraries purchased abroad. It was agreed that the copyright formalities should be reduced to the simplest terms, the deposit of copies within thirty days after publication and the inscribing of a simple copyright notice on all copies made for sale or use within the United States—the extra-territorial notice being carefully provided against ; and that copyrights should not lapse, as now, for non-compliance with some for- mality, but that infringement suits could not be initiated or maintained unless the formalities had been complied with. Many other questions of principle or detail were brought before the Con- ference for discussion and, in most cases, tentative settlement—only Congress can make the final decision—but the most important are those above mentioned. It was decided that no further conference should be had unless on receipt of the final draft a majority of the associations represented should desire such a meeting. Too much cannot be said of the tact, fairness and effectiveness with which the Librarian of Congress presided over the sessions, or of the service done by the Register of Copyrights in preparing the material for the Conference, and, particularly, the draft on which discussion and action were based. It is hoped that the final draft will be ready early in April, so that the measure may go before the committees of Senate and House within that month for the necessary consideration and hearing. THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS ON THE CoPYRIGHT CONFERENCE. A statement has been issued by the Librarian of Congress, Herbert Putnam, as to the work of the copyright conference which has been in session in Washington during the past week. It quotes from the President’s message on the subject, refers to former meetings and to the work of this con- ference, but does not present its results in any formulated bill to be presented to Congress. Such a measure is to be prepared and submitted to the various organizations which participated in the conference, and when approved by them will be introduced in Congress. The reference to the need for a general revision of the copyright laws, in the President’s message to Congress, December 5, 1905, was as follows : “Our copyright laws urgently need revision. They are imperfect in definition, confused and inconsistent in expression ; they omit provision for many articles which, under modern reproductive processes, are entitled to protection ; they impose hardships upon the copyright  we Safty ae Aen. cerry Set. THE AUTHOR. proprietor which are not essential to the fair protection of the public; they are difficult for the courts to interpret and impossible for the Copyright Office to administer with satisfaction to the public. Attempts to improve them by amendment have been frequent, no less than twelve acts for the purpose having been passed since the Revised Statutes. To perfect them by further amendment seems impracticable. A complete revision of them is essential. Such a revision, to meet modern conditions, - has been found necessary in Germany, Austria, Sweden, and other foreign countries, and bills embodying it are pending in England and the Australian colonies. It has been urged here, and proposals for a commission to under- take it have, from time to time, been pressed upon the Congress. The inconveniences of the present conditions being so great, an attempt to frame appropriate legislation has been made by the Copyright Office, which has called conferences of the various interests especially and prac- tically concerned with the operation of the copyright laws. It has secured from them suggestions as to the changes necessary ; it has added from its own experience and investigations, and it has drafted a bill which embodies such of these changes and additions as, after full discussion and expert criticism, appeared to be sound and safe. In form this bill would replace the existing insufficient and inconsistent laws by one general copyright statute. It will be presented to the Congress at the coming session. It deserves prompt consideration.” Speaking of the three conferences, Mr. Herbert Putnam says: “They have been notable in many respects, but particularly in these: In the number of organizations participating. There were thirty- three in all, represented in the aggregate by nearly seventy delegates. In their representative character : They included not merely authors of all sorts, including dramatists, artists, painters, sculptors, architects and composers, but the pub- lishers, including publishers not merely of books, but of periodicals and newspapers and music ; and of artistic productions and reproductions, such as lithographs, photographs and others ; printers, typographers, lithographers and others. These were represented by officers, but also in many cases by their legal counsel. In addition the confer- ences had the benefit of general legal counsel in specially appointed committees of the American Bar Association and of the Bar Association of New York. “Tt is to be noted also that the conference included not merely the creator of the thing to be protected, and the copyright proprietor in general, but representation of the interests which are con- cerned with the use of material that may be in the public domain—that is, the reproducers. So that consideration was assured of the welfare of this part of the general public and its right to be safeguarded against trespassing innocently to its own cost. “The June conference lasted three days, the November four, the March four—and each day included a double session lasting from five to seven hours ; a total of eleven full days, or nearly 243, seventy hours. This was merely the conferences themselves. It takes no account of incessant correspondence and discussion in the interim since: last June. “The temper of the conferences: There was. not a perfunctory hour or quarter hour. Ordi- narily in such affairs, or in committee meetings, delegates are apt to pull out and read newspapers. or give other evidences of lack of interest in the matter under discussion. In the entire eleven days I recall but one instance, and that but for ten minutes, in which even a newspaper was in evi- dence. The consequence was that every subject brought up, although seemingly special and perhaps. of peculiar interest to one group, was considered by all. “The desire to be candid, and the disposition to be fair—this was particularly evident in the dis- position to find some reasonable mean in questions. that necessarily involved extremes of opinion ;. and a reasonable compromise in questions where interests were diverse. “The results : The conferences could not them- selves frame a bill. This had not been expected’ of them. The most that had been hoped of them was : “That they should establish some general principles. “That they should bring forward into proper recognition particular hardships suffered under the existing law and appropriate measures of relief. “That by frank expression, in a body so disposed to be conciliatory, they should furnish a prac- ticable working basis between interests naturally diverse, or even adverse. “Now they have accomplished all these things. and accomplished them in a degree quite extra- ordinary and never predicted. They have estab- lished as the judgment of the groups represented certain general principles, for instance : “That where there is publication, the protection of copyright should initiate from publication. This. seems simple as stated, but the establishment of it affects in diverse ways the determination of innumerable provisions and clears away innumer- able perplexities. It does not prevent special provisions for dramas and for works of art before publication or of which publication is not intended. “That the copyright in a work should cover all the copyrightable matter therein. Equally simple as stated, but whose enunciation cleared away many embarrassments. «That in the simplification of the copyright notice, some notice must be retained sufficiently identifying the object with the record. “hat the omission of mere formalities should not of itself invalidate the copyright, even though 244 it should prevent recourse against innocent in- fringement. Under the present law, the deposit cf copies is not merely a requirement, but an immediate requirement, the omission of which will invalidate the copyright, since the copies must ibe deposited on or before the date of publication. The substitution of penalties for invalidation of ‘copyright, through omissions of formalities not indispensable to the protection of the public. “A continuous term instead of renewals. The results: Varying terms for different classes of articles, instead of the present uniform term for all. Probably three groups, with three terms corresponding. For certain articles a term shorter than the present. The longest term, however, to insure that no author shall, within his lifetime, be ‘deprived of the benefit of his copyrights, nor shall his immediate family be so deprived. “The public is much interested in these prin- ‘ciples, as it will be in the particular provisions of ‘any bill that may be introduced, but they are not, as a whole, in a condition yet to be promulgated nor were they formulated for promulgation. They were simply for the guidance of those who are to ‘draft the bill. Besides them, the framers of the bill will have for their guidance particular pro- visions, and even particular phraseology, proposed. And among matters to be dealt with were many ‘concerning the direct administration of the copy- right office, and, of course, penalties and legal procedure. Simplification of the latter with im- munity from the production in evidence of matter that cannot be produced.” : ——- —_—____ THREADBARE SIMILES. — 1 ADDRESSED, IN ALL Huminiry, To AUTHORS. CRUEL fate compels me to Yead an enormous number of books which I have no desire to read. Of these books, a big proportion consists of novels of the class that, as a charming hostess said to me once, “one gives to one’s servants to read.” It is ‘chiefly while perusing books of the latter class that I have again and again longed to raise a ‘small cry of protest against the practice of using metaphors and similes so threadbare that one wonders how in the world they manage still to hang together. Thus in five novels that I have glanced through ‘quite recently I have found five different ladies each with,‘ the speculative blue eye of the Saxon”; in five more five different heroes or principal characters each with “the passionate high nose of the Norman”; and in three others three male “characters each afflicted—for I consider that it THE AUTHOR. is an infliction — with “the prominent high — cheek-bone that is said to indicate Caledonian — descent.” I turn to a pile of novels of the same stamp that I had occasion to read some weeks ago, and find four young men, who ought to know better, “boasting the features of an Antinous”; six young ladies, engaged in a corps de ballet, “ whose faces rivalled in sweetness the faces of Guido virgins ’—fancy !—and whose tresses resembled respectively 1. a raven’s wing, 2. burnished copper, 3. burnished gold, quite an advertisement for a Bond Street beauty specialist. Not satisfied with this, one of them has—here we have originality run riot—é lips curving like a cupid’s bow,” while the fairest of all these fair girls, she upon whom a sheepish young lord, who is the principal boy of the story, has fixed his affections, goes, if the vulgarism may be allowed, one better than all her colleagues. For she possessed, we are told, “a dainty shell” which ‘she chose to call her ear.” So that clearly, in spite of her physical allure- ments, she must have been a ballet-dancer of weak intellect, if one can imagine such a thing, who by this time is probably babbling of green fields and green chartreuse. But if the heroine of low-grade intellect is coming into vogue in fiction, in some instances the hero, in the phraseology of the Turf, runs her very close. In a book by a deservedly-popular novelist, a writer who is very far removed from the producers of “ servant-class stories,” we find the young gentleman in love lashing himself into such a paroxysm of affection that for the time he must assuredly have been to all intents and purposes non compos. This is how he “spreads” himself, to use an expressive word from America : ‘Oh, I am jealous of him,” he burst out passion- ately. “I am jealous of the wind that caresses your cheek ; of the carpet that feels your tread ; of the star that peeps in at your window. Iam jealous of all who come near you, or think of you, or speak to you... .” Another subject for strait waistcoats and padded cells. A dozen times—I do not exaggerate—in some of these novels, the dear old similes are trotted out that date back to one’s cradle days, and probably “so long that the memory of man runneth not to the contrary.” Creatures of a species long extinct are still “as extinct as the dodo.” Men, women, little children even, find themselves compelled to accomplish, sometimes they set themselves to accomplish, “tasks of a Sisyphus.” Twenty different men, in twenty  po (Oo . aw qs 101 te 3 to” hoa THE AUTHOR. different books, are “ waiting, like Mr. Micawber, for ‘something to turn up.” If only they would sometimes wait like somebody else, they would afford their readers such a_ pleasant interlude. Perhaps the simile that constitutes the worst offender of all, however, is the one that runs: ‘*As Mr. Punch said to those about to marry— ‘Don’t !’” Glance through any batch of library books, skim your newspapers, even, and you will come across it sooner or later. And, after all, was it such a very brilliant observation? Person- ally I have always thought it rather foolish ; but then, as the Gaiety super said, “ You know, dear, I am only a cyphon,” in this community of Giants of the Pen, and, I repeat, I speak in all humility. If we must have metaphors and similes, how- ever, and ebullitions of affection, and occasionally platitudes ; and if the attributes of our heroes and heroines in fiction must necessarily be contrasted with the attributes of characters in real life, why not strike out a new line and contrast the personal characteristics, qualities and charms of the imagi- nary characters with those of distinguished persons who are alive now? I believe the first batch of novelists, no matter to what grade they may belong, to make this innovation, would increase their royalties on sales enormously. Those four young men, for instance, who boasted the features of an Antinous ; why not have given them the chiselled countenance of one of our leading actors, or the classic profile of a distinguished barrister? In like manner, the heroes with the Norman nose said to indicate an energetic temperament; why not have endowed them with the firm mouth of a Labour Member, or the broad brow of our Napoleon of the Press ? High cheek-bones may denote Caledonian descent, but, when all is said and done, they are not physically attractive. The cheery smile of a jovial baronet, or the strongly-marked eye-brows of a certain popular lecturer, would look far better, and for the rather harsh Caledonian accent there are several Irish leaders of enterprise whose rich brogue could be substituted. Think, too, of the additional interest in the form of what I believe is called “the personal equation” all this would impart to the story, and of the fresh form of excitement it would stir up when the gloriously beautiful visions of the novelist’s dreams came to be compared with their living prototypes. Thus: “Tiady Gwendoline Belthaven was indeed a most remarkable woman. ‘Tall above the average, gowned to perfection in an admirably-cut costume of some soft, clinging material (I find that this is still a very popular style of confection when the writer is a man), she stood there before them all a veritable ... ”’ then, instead of saying Minerva, 245. or Cleopatra, or Juno, or some equally well- favoured and no doubt eminently desirable dame, in her time, our author would adopt the plan [ have suggested, and insert the name of the statu- esque favourite of our burlesque stage, or of the handsome lady now nightly drawing crowded houses to witness more serious drama, or the: naine even of the tall and world-famed contralto: of the concert platform. Teeth like pearls, and the smile of an angel, would become back numbers. We should have instead the smile and the teeth of one or other of the beautiful ladies of the picture postcards. In lien of that commonplace, eyes like stars, or the eyes of a gazelle, and the form of a Venus or some other goddess of a remote epoch, the heroine of one of our front-rank novelist’s next masterpiece would possess ‘‘the great orbs of my Jiady So-and-So, and the admirably moulded figure of Mademoiselle. ...? This, or That—a combination sufficiently irresistible to set any heroine upon a pinnacle at one bound. The proposal opens up a vista of possibilities, and is worthy of serious consideration. Basti Tozer.. —_—__—_—_.- 9 —___— MUSICAL COPYRIGHT.* oe HE three properties—literary, dramatic and musical—are so closely allied, and matters which refer to one, bear in so many instances upon the others, that a book dealing with either literary, dramatic or musical law, separately must, if it is to be complete and satisfactory, exhaust nearly all those points of view which bear on the other pro- perties as well. In the case ofa law that deals with two or three subjects at the same time, it is exceed- ingly difficult to take one of the subjects as apart from the rest and write a satisfactory treatise upon it. Perhaps it is because of this difficulty that a. perusal of Mr. Cutler’s book gives one the idea of confusion. The arrangement does not seem to: be clear, and although there seem to be no points: which have been missed out, yet an unsatisfactory impression is left as to the rights and limitations of this particular property. Mr. Cutler makes a considerable point in his preface of the fact that the book is written by one who is a musician as well as a lawyer, “there are cases where the cultured musician would scent out an origin, common both to a supposed piratical copy of a given theme and to the theme itself, and the family likeness may be sufficiently definite to take KC. * “Musical Copyright,’’ E. Cutler, Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. 1905. 246 away the right to complain of an infringement, but the mere lawyer in such cases might be misled into advising an action by the close similarity between the original phrase and the copy.” ‘This knowledge may make the author an invaluable witness or even advocate in an infringement of musical copyright, but does not necessarily aid him in writing a treatise on the subject. He constantly refers in no measured terms to the present position of musical copyright under the existing acts and to the urgent need of amendment, but seems to con- ‘sider the matter rather from the point of view of the publisher than of the author of the property. _ In the course of his disquisition on international rights he mentions the different decisions referring to mechanieal reproductions. Though such repro- -ductions have been held under British Courts not to be infringements of copyright he rightly concludes that there is no reason why they should not be infringements of performing right. But it is not likely that a case bearing on this performing right will ever come forward before the English Courts, for first, the law makes the reten- tion of the performing right difficult and compli- cated, and secondly, the English composers in most cases throw this right wantonly away, transferring it to the publishers for little or no consideration, and the publishers do not trouble to market the right successfully. They only care to hold the control as distinct from the composers. Matters are managed differently in France, and composers should make a combined effort to maintain this property. After International Rights come Colonial Copy and Performing Rights and here, although the statutes are set out, there appears to be no mention of the Canadian Act of 1900, the passing of which filled a gap in the protection of Canadian Rights. The last chapter deals with the United States Rights, and then follow the appendices. But the first of these dealing with the Retro- ‘spective effect of the International Copyright Act, 1886, ought really to have been incorporated into the body of the book, as the point is one of great importance and considerable difficulty. This is a distinct fault of arrangement and we venture to suggest, at the same time, that instead of naming the cases in the marginal notes it would have been much better to name the point of law especially interpreted. To the ordinary reader the name of a case carries no information. : The book after careful study is accurate in detail, in fact on some points the detail is too laboured. ‘The arrangement, however, is unsatisfactory and the respective values (to use a term borrowed from artistic criticism) of the different headings of his subject have not been fully grasped, and the Perspective has not been fairly handled. THE AUTHOR. OPERATIC FICTION.* — Y the well-intentioned series of volumes he is bringing out, called “The Music Lover’s Library,” Mr. T. Werner Laurie is helping in a praiseworthy manner, the cause of art in this country. This literary concert scheme having made its début with the book entitled “Chats on Violins,” the second item of the programme which now follows consists of ‘“ Stories from the Operas : With Short Biographies of the Composers.” Signor Lobskini, the singing master with the splendid tenor voice, would have ‘‘ pooh-pood” this book. Uneducated musicians sadly under- value the words they sing. All they care about is to display the musical, or unmusical, sounds which issue from a pair of stentorian lungs through an instrument called the larynx. Words, to such minds, have no business to represent ideas. They may be the wings of action, the soul’s ambassadors, and all that sort of thing, but they have nothing whatever to do with the audience. Especially is this the case in grand opera, where the language sung is probably unfamiliar to the listener. So the public, having paid its money, does not at all agree with the roaring Lobskinis, who strut behind the footlights. The listeners naturally desire to know the story of the opera. It is an awful thing to sit an entire evening in a stuffy atmosphere witnessing a number of energetic creatures simu- lating all the emotions of love, hate, joy, or grief, without daring to ask one’s neighbour the meaning of it all, for fear of being regarded as an ignorant worm. So here the reader is presented with twenty fluently-told narratives, summarising the legend, history, or plot portrayed by the performance of as many operas. The author is Miss Gladys David- son. She confines herself to explaining what the literary voice of some of the best-known operas is designed to utter, but usually completely fails to do. To attempt tosketch the historical development of opera, its beginnings, reforms, classical period, its romantic school, or distinctive treatment in various countries, is not her mission. Neither does she waste space in deploring, that, from a literary standpoint, the opera libretto has too often been a disgrace to its author. Save in the case of Gluck, Wagner, Boito, and a very few other composers, the musician has shown small appreciation of the sister art of poetry, or sym- pathy with the poet. In consequence, stilted and atrocious verbiage has in many cases been wedded to sublime music. In ancient times the man who conceived the words composed also the melody, * “Stories from the Operas: with short Biographies of the Composers,” by Gladys Davidson. T. Werner Laurie,’ Clifford’s Iun, London. 3s. 6d. net.  and until musicians are again trained in early youth to fathom the beauties of painting in words, as well as in sound, the lop-sided alliance of two minds to produce a magnum opus, which should be equally meritorious in all departments, must result -either in the music being superior to the libretto, or the words surpassing the value of the music. It is well, therefore, that books dealing with the stories told by librettists in the great operas should stimulate literary interest in that department of art. Asa writer, Miss Davidson merits applause. She unfolds simply, and without affectation, plots of certain melodramas, the music of which gives pleasure to thousands. Perhaps that enjoyment will be increased in the future, after the reader, by perusal of this book, has been enabled to divine what all the beautiful singing is about. Unfor- tunately, only twenty stories are told. When we remember that hundreds of operas are included in the repertoire alone of Covent Garden, it will be per- ceived that Miss Davidson’s scope is very limited. But this is by no means the first book of its kind. In 1889, Messrs. Ward and Downey published twenty-three “ Operatic Tales,” by F. R. Chesney. Is is interesting to observe the manner in which the selection of stories varies in the two volumes. Both writers treat of Lohengrin,” “ Figaro,” “ Faust,” “Carmen,” and ‘ Mignon.” Apart from these works, the two story-tellors take different paths. While Miss Davidson omits Beethoven’s ‘“ Fidelio,” Gluck’s ‘‘ Orfeo,” Weber’s ‘“ Freischiitz,” Rossini’s “William Tell,” and Wagner’s ‘“ Meistersiinger,” Mr. Chesney turns his back on Mozart’s “ Don Juan,” Meyerbeer’s ‘ Robert the Devil,” Wagner’s “Tristan,” and the “ Nibelungen Ring.” The four sections of that great cycle, by the way, were dealt with, in a delightful manner, by Mr.. Philip Leslie Agnew in his “ Run through the Nibelung’s Ring,” published in 1898, and the way in which the entan- glements of the “ Ring” are differently unravelled in that and the present book, is entertaining to ob- serve. As already noted, Miss Davidson makes no attempt to display her knowledge of opera libret- tists. The student should, therefore, refer to that able work “The Opera,” by Mr. Streatfeild, which was published by Mr. Nimmo in 1897. On the _ contrary, these short stories furnish mental nourish- ment of a lighter kind. They are the sort of pabulum the rest-seeker, who is dog-wearied by overwork, may put into his portmanteau when taking an holiday, and peruse as he reclines on a mossy bank with a cigar between his teeth, and a straw hat tilted over his nose. Literary balm of this kind should bring repose to a tired mind, and Solace a weary heart. In proof of our rash asser- tion, may we quote, at random, from the opening of the story intituled “ Martha” ?—“The Lady Henrietta was dull. She sat one summer morning THE AUTHOR. 247 in the gilded boudoir of her fine house at Rich- mond and heaved sigh upon sigh. For although maid-of-honour to Queen Anne, and the loveliest and most fascinating of all the Court beauties, she found no satisfaction in life. She was wearied to death of balls and routs, of the ceaseless flatteries of her many admirers, of the tiresome monotony of court life. And, satiated with pleasure, she had retired to her own home for a few days’ respite, to indulge in vapours to her heart’s content.’’ Could anything be more rhythmical or lovely? And mark, there is a pretty virtue in “vapours.” For, about this book, there is none of that swaggering vapour which was so terrifyingly characteristic of Van Tromp’s Dutchmen. In this volume, the story of “ I] Trovatore ” is, likewise, ben trovato. As regards Miss Davidson’s literary style, it may be defined as aeritorm and of fairylike timbre’ flowing, as it does, through nearly three hundred pages with the merry tinkle of a silvery brook without wearying the reader. Ladies might call the style “dainty.” But that, to our captious self, suggests squeamishness and affectation. The distinctive manner of Miss Davidson’s dictum, is, we prefer to say, befittingly feminine. It is deli- cately womanish. For that reason, doth it not possess a refinement and charm too often sadly lack- ing in the masculine and brutal pen of mere man ? A. R, ee “THE MOTORIST’S A.B.C.” ————. AUTOMOBILE PROPRIETARY LIMITED v. T. FISHER UNWIN, BEFORE Mr. Justice KEKEWICH. HIS was an application by the proprietors of the ‘Automobile Handbook” which is issued under the auspices and by the authority of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland, foran interim injunction to restrain the defendant from publishing a book which he had announced by preliminary advertisements under the title of “ The Motorist’s A.B.C. —a practical handbook for the use of Owners, Operators, and Automoble Mechanics,” by Elliott Brooks. The plaintiffs became aware of the defendant’s publication in consequence of the defendant having sent a copy of his book for review in advance of publication to The Automo- bile Club Journal which is published by the plaintiffs. ‘The plaintiffs discovered on examining the volume that ‘“‘ The Motorist’s A.B.C.” had, as a headline to the pages throughout the book, the words “The Automobile Hand-book,” and this they held constituted infringement. The defendant in his affidavit pointed out that his book was entitled “The Motorist’s A.B.C.” which name appeared on the back of the volume, on the side of the volume, and also on the title page, and that in 248 his published descriptions of the book the volume was described as “The Motorist’s A.B.C.” and never as “ The Automobile Handbook.” Further, that his volume was of a different size, a different price, that the literary contents were altogether different ; that his work contained 100 illustrations whereas the plaintiffs’ book contained no illustra- tions, and that the binding was different both as to material and colour, that the volume was different in its general style and get up, and that it was not a tourist’s book for automobilists such as was the plaintiff’s book. Further, the defendant pointed out that his book “The Motorist’s A.B.C.” was an American production which he had pur- chased for publication in this country and that the title page had been specially printed and that the title was his own invention. Defendant further alleged that. plaintiffs’ book was practically un- known in the trade, and was not mentioned in the various trade catalogues he had consulted, and he had never seen or heard of the book prior to these proceedings being taken. The plaintiffs were represented by Mr. Ogden Lawrence, K.C. and Mr. Sebastian, and the de- fendants by Mr. H. A. Colefax. After adjourn- ment the matter was settled by arrangement, the plaintiffs agreeing to the issue of the present edition of the book as it stands, and the defendants agreeing in any future editions the words the Automobile Handbook shall not appear at the head of each of the pages of his book. The plaintiffs further agreed to pay costs of both sides, the defendant’s costs being fixed at 20 guineas. a CORRESPONDENCE. —— Totrems FoR AUTHORS. Srr,—If a totem would really be of any use to any author, why not adopt the simplest one, which even the man in the street could not fail to under- stand and to interpret correctly ? In other words, the best means of identification seems to me to be one which requires no system of registration, which is patent to everyone, and which cannot be copied without the legal troubles attendant on forgery—I mean a copy of the author’s own signature. The present writer’s “totem” would then be simply :— 7 Plrman¥ (olin Nees THE AUTHOR. DicTionaRY OF Music. Sir,—In your contributor’s rightly appreciative article, in this month’s Author, on the new edition of Groye’s “ Dictionary of Music,” he erroneously comments upon the omission of any reference to the well-known library of my friend, Dr. W. H. Cummings, F'.S.A., in the article upon “ Musical Libraries.” He has probably been mislead byJnot finding this celebrated collection mentioned under the sub-title, London; but if he will refer to the other sub-title, Dulwich, in the same article, he will find it is treated of there. I quite agree with your contributor that such an omission, if it occurred, would have been a blemish, indeed, upon such a careful reswmé as the article in question. Faithfully yours, F. St. Jonn Lacy, A.R.A.M. Note.—In reply to the above charitable comment on our criticism, we may be forgiven for having con- nected the Principal of the largest Music School in the metropolis with “ London.” Considering that Dulwich is as much within the County of London as is Stoke Newington, it was only reasonable to conclude—as most people who refer to the dictionary will do—that if Mr. Bumpus’s library is given under the heading of London, and Dr. Cumnniings’s is not, the latter has been overlooked. Why it should have been sandwiched in between Dublin and Dundee puzzles us. But, as it comes immediately after Dublin, we venture to add that the excellent musical library of Dr. Culwick, which contains many precious and rare volumes belonging to the organist of the Dublin Chapel Royal, is omitted, and we fail to see this excellent collection specified under Drumcondra or even Donnybrook. A. R. AGENTS. S1r,—I should like to call the attention of members of the society to the question of agents, who are not agents. The matter has been discussed once or twice in these columns, but it does occur sometimes to my knowledge that gentlemen purporting to act as agents have really acted as principals. Even without any fraudulent intent such a position is untenable. Constant READZR, 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. 16 Issue 08 (May 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 08 (May 1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-05-01-The-Author-16-8 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/517/1906-06-01-The-Author-16-9.pdf 28aa7669937f83e7cd21ea1aac6aa478 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) 1906-06-01 Volume 16 Issue 9 Pages Page range in volume 249–276 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060601 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Hutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Vou. X VI.—No. 9. JUNE Ist, 1906. [Prick SIxPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. ee ee NOTICES. —_—— + OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or para- graphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. ae List of Members. THE List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. All farther elections have been chronicled from month to month in these pages. ee The Pension Fund of the Society. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices, March 5th, 1906, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. ‘They have now pur- chased £200 Cape of Good Hope 34 per cent. Inscribed Stock, bringing the investments of the fund to the figures set out below. VoL, XVI. This is a statement of the actual stock; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— Console 24%. 2... ess te £1000 0 0 Local Goans - 3.2.6 ee, 500 0 0 Victorian Government 38 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 291 19 11 War lnoan 2262. 201. 9 3 London and North Western 3 % Deben- ture SUCK 8 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4 % Certificates ............... 200 0 0 Cape of Good Hope 34% Inscribed StOCK es 200 0 0 Potal = 18s: £2,643 9 2 Subscriptions, 1905. £8. a: July 13, Dunsany, the Pee Hon. the Lord : 0.5 0 Oct. 12, Halford, B M. 0 5 0 Oct. 12, Thorburn, W. M. 010 0 Nov. 9, ‘“ Francis Daveen ”’ 0 5 0 Nov. 9, Adair, Joseph Tf 0 Nov. 21, Thurston, Mrs. 1126 Dec. 18, Browne, F. M. 0 5 6 1906. March 7, Sinclair, Miss May Lot 0 March 7, Forrest, G. W. 2 2.00 March 8, Simpson, W. J. 0 50 March 8, Browne, F. M. 0 5 0 April 12, Pryor, Francis 20° 25,0; Donations, 1905. Nov. 6, Reynolds, Mrs. Fred. Tt 0 Nov. 9, Wingfield, H. 010 6 Nov. 17, Nash, T. A. 1 1.0 Dec. 1, Gibbs, F. L. A 010 6 Dec. 6, Finch, Madame 118 6 Dec. 15, Egbert, Henry G0 5 0 Dec. 15, Muir, Ward . : 1 1 0 Dec. 15, Sherwood, Mrs. A. . 010 0 Dee. 18, Bde ALL. 010 6 Dec. 18, 8. F. G. 010 0  250 1906. £ 8. d. Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. : : . db 2 Oo Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) 50 0.0 Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C. 9 10 0 Feb. 5, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt 0 5 0 Feb. 5, Yeats, Jack B. : 010 O Feb. 12, White, Mrs. Caroline 010 0 Feb. 13, Bolton, Miss Anna 0 5 0 Feb. 28, Weyman, Stanley B15 0 March 7, Hardy, Harold 010 0 March 12, Harvey, Mrs. : 1 0 0 March 27, Williams, Mrs. E. L. 1 1.0 April 15, Caine, William r 2 : eel April 15, Steel, Mrs. F. A. i COMMITTEE NOTES. —1— HE monthly meeting of the managing com- a mittee of the society was held on May 7th, at 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., at four o’clock. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed, and then the new members were elected. The numbers were satisfactorily maintained. In all, 22 were elected, bringing the total for the current year up to 98. The list of agenda was not so heavy as at the April meeting, but various cases were discussed. One, referring to a contract with a publisher, the committee regretted they were unable to sup- port, as the point in dispute was not of a purely literary character. Another question arose out of a dispute on a contract between a member and a publisher in the United States. The opinion of the society’s United States lawyer had come to hand during the past month, and was laid before the committee and fully considered. They decided to take the matter up in the United States Courts under an arrangement with the member, should he so desire. It is possible, however, and the com- mittee trust, that the question may be settled without legal action. In another case in which the committee authorised the taking of counsel’s opinion, the opinion was considered by them, and the secretary was instructed to forward a copy to the member concerned. As the opinion was adverse, the committee decided it was impossible to take legal action, but were willing, if necessary, to negotiate with the publisher on the member’s behalf. Another case dealt with a point of artistic copy- right on which the committee had already taken counsel’s opinion. This opinion had been referred back to counsel for elucidation on one or two points. Here again, as the opinion—that of an eminent K.C.—was against the member, the com- mittee regretted their inability to proceed to legal THB AUTHOR. action. The opinion was forwarded to the member for his consideration. A question between a member and one of the most important publishing houses in the kingdom, arising out of a half-profit agreement and the accounts rendered under it, was next considered by the committee. The accountant’s report had been submitted to the April meeting and considered, but other questions arising out of the report had to be put to the pub- lishers dealing with certain items in the accounts. These questions had been duly put by the accountant, but information had been refused. In consequence, the committee decided to take the matter up, and, as the agreement contained an arbitration clause, to submit it to arbitration. The result will be of considerable importance to all those members who deal with these publishers. One other question, an infringement of copyright, was considered. he infringer had communicated with the society’s solicitors. He acknowledged the infringement, and stated that it had been an unconscious plagiarism on his part. The infringer has agreed to write a letter to the member of the society which he may use in any way he thinks fit, and it is hoped that the matter will be satisfactorily arranged in the course of a few weeks without the need of taking action. ——— 1+ — Cases. Since the last issue of 7'’ze Author ten cases have passed through the secretary's hands. The first refers to an infringement of copyright in Austria- Hungary. Some time must elapse before this case is finally adjusted, but the society is in communi- cation with a solicitor in Budapest. Six cases have occurred in which money was withheld from authors on one excuse or another. Of these, three have been satisfactorily concluded ; the other three, as they came into the secretary’s hands late in the month, are still in the course of negotiation. There is one agency case for the settlement of accounts, and this will be carefully investigated and most probably arranged before the next issue. ‘A similar case has occurred with a publisher where the secretary is also in satisfactory negotiation with the responsible party. Six cases still remain open since the last issue. Four out of the six are bound to remain open a little longer, as the dates of settlement have been postponed, but, on the dates which have been fixed, the questions will be terminated satisfactorily. The other two cases, we regret to say, have been con- siderably impeded, owing to the reluctance of the authors, for some reason or other, to take legal proceedings against the parties concerned. As has been pointed out, not only in The Author, but by  7 Monro, Harold : ; Snow, Miss Lilian Mabel THE AUTHOR. the committee, this is a very serious position : for the publisher or agent who thinks the society is not in earnest in its applications on behalf of its members may possibly become difficult to deal with on subsequent occasions. Unfortunately, this position often happens in the case of those pub- lishers and agents who ought especially to be kept to their legal contracts. This means, in other words, that the more unbusinesslike the party the more necessary it is that he should feel the weight of the society’s action. ———+ May Elections. Bramley - Moore, Rev. 26, Russell Square, William, M.A. . W.C. Coleridge, the Hon. Mrs. 11, Roland Gardens, Gilbert : : S.W. Davies, Mrs. Goodwyns, Cosham, Hants. DuDeney, Thomas, 78, Hillfield Road, L.R.A.N. Hampstead, N.W. Dowding, Miss Margaret The Market Place, Keith (M.K.D.) . Duff, Miss Lily Grant Chippenham, Wilts. 11, Chelsea Embank- ment, S.W. Westbourne, 64, Kloof Road, Cape Town. Rosemary Cottage, Hast Sheen, Surrey. Ford, Sydney Y. Frankland, George Graham Fergus : Hamilton A. Kirkham 68, Frederick Street, (Arthur Kirkham) Gray’s Inn Road, W.C. Hamilton, Miss Myra 14, Hanover Square, W. Kennaway, Miss Ethel St. Helens, ‘Teign- mouth, S. Devon. 162, Westbourne Ter- race, W. 19, Lichfield Road, Cricklewood, N.W. 43, Connaught Square, W. 294, Essex Road, Is- lington, N. Westbury Lodge, Fare- ham, Hants. Levy, Miss Margaret Lucas, Clarence Robinson, M. J. mye. hl Straus, Ralph 58, Bassett Road, North Kensington, W. Tweedale, Mrs. Violet Balquholly, Turriff, N.B. Wise, Charles ; . Weekley, Kettering. Wroughton, Miss Cicely. 77, Chester Square, S.W.; Creaton Lodge, Northamp- ton, 251 BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. —_-—>—+—_ Cn the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work, Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) AGRICULTURE. RuRAL ENGLAND. By H. Riper HaGGarp. Two Volumes. New Edition. With a New Preface. 9 x 6, 584 and 623 pp. Longmans. 12s. n. ART. MODERN BOOKBINDINGS : THEIR DESIGN AND DECORA- TION. By 8. I. PRIDEAUX. 82 x 5}. 131 pp. Constable. 10s, 6d. n. THE VALUES OF OLD ENGLISH SILVER AND SHEFFIELD PLATE. From the XVth to the XIXth Centuries. By J. W. CALDicoTrT. 123 x 103. 293 pp. Bemrose. 42s. n, THE ReD LINE GUIDE TO THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, SouTH KENSINGTON. (Art Collections Main Building). 93 x 74.66 pp. Kelih. 6d. BIOGRAPHY, MIRABEAU AND GAMBETTA, FRIENDS OF OLD ENGLAND. With some account of Jacques Bonhomme. By ARTHUR PAVITT and BARON ALBERT YVELIN Dg BEVILLE. Complete Edition. With Talleyrand’s “ Entente Cor- diale,” 1792. 74 x 5. 216 pp. E. Wilson. 2s, 6d. WALTER PATER. By A. C. BENSON. (English Men of Letters). 74 x 5. 226 pp. Macmillan. 2s. n, BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG, THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC. By ANDREW LANG. 6 x 43. 119 pp. T. C. and E.C. Jack. Is, 6d. n. COOKERY. Tur New Cookery OF UNPROPRIETARY Foops. By EUsTAcE MILES. 7 x 4%. 128 pp. Partridge. Is. n. EDUCATIONAL. FRENCH ABBREVIATIONS. Commercial, Financial, and General. Explained and Translated by E. LATHAM, 64 x 41. 255 pp. London: EH. Wilson. Paris ; Boyveau & Chevillet. 2s, 6d. n. A GRAMMAR OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE. By G. H. CLARKEand C. J. Murray. 72 x 54. 404 pp. Cam- bridge University Press. 6s. n. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. By IZAAK WALTON. 120 pp. ENGLAND IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. By RAPHAEL HOLINSHED. 128 pp. CAPTAIN COOK’S SECOND VOYAGE, 128 pp. ENGLISH SCHOOL TExtTs. Edited by W. H. D. Rouse, (Litt. D.) 6} x 44. Blackie. 6d. each. FICTION. RinG IN THE New. By RICHARD WHITEING. 309 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE PREY OF THE STRONGEST. TE x 6. By Mor.Ley ROBERTS. 7% x 51. 325 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 6s. A TrAmp CAMP. By BART KENNEDY. 7% x 5}. 338pp. Cassell. 6s. THe ENeMY IN OvR Mipst. By WALTER Woop, 72 x 5. 320 pp. J. Long. 6s. PARSON BRAND, AND OTHER VOYAGERS’ TALES. By L. CopE CoRNFORD. 7% x 5}. 352 pp. E. Grant Richards. 6s. FENWICK’S CAREER. By Mrs. HUMPHRY WARD. 7} x 5, 468 pp, Smith Elder, 6s.  252 Henry NORTHCOTE. By J. C. SNAITH. 7h x 5. 342 pp- Constable. 6s. Tar GREY DOMINO. CRESPIGNY. 7% x 5. Rep Recorps. By ALICE PERRIN. Chatto and Windus. 6s. A BENEDICK IN ARCADY. By HALLIWELL SUTCLIFFE. 74 x 5. 343 pp. Murray. 6s. Tus ARENA. By HAROLD SPENDER. Constable. 6s. WoMEN AND CrrcuMSTANCE. By Netra SYRETT. 7k x 5. 349 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. Hrart’s DevieHt. By LovIS Tracy. 73 x 5. 336 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. By Wit or Woman. By A.W. Marcumont. 73 x 5. 317 pp. Ward Lock. 6s. A Younc MAN FROM THE Country. By MADAME By Mrs. PHILIP CHAMPION DE 341 pp. Nash 6s. 73 x 5. 306 pp. 73 x 5. 381 pp. ALBANESI. 8 X 5} 343 pp- Hurst & Blackett. 6s. Tue BuAcK MoTOR Car. By Harris BURLAND. > 7% x 54. 364 pp. B. Grant Richards. 6s. THE LOsT.EARL OF ELLAN. A Story of Australian Life. By Mrs, CAMPBELL PRAED. 74x 5. 398 pp. Chatto & Windus. 6s. THe UNDYING Past. Translated by BEATRICE MARSHALL, Lane. 6s. THE REVELATIONS OF INSPECTOR Moregan. By OSWALD CRAWFURD, O.M.G. 74 x 5. 319 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. QUEEN OF THE RUSHES. 331 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. Two LONDON Farris. By G. R. Sims. 7} x 5. 222pp. Greening. 3s. 6d. Tiny LUTTRELL. By E. W. HORNUNG. Cheap Edition. 88 x 54. 149 pp. Cassell 6d. GEOGRAPHY. No Man’s Lanp. A History of Spitzbergen from its discovery in 1596 to the Beginning of the Scien- tific Exploration of the Country. By Sra MARTIN Conway. 9% x 63. 377 pp. Cambridge University Press, 10s. 6d. n. By HERMANN SUDERMANN. Tk x 5. 382 pp. By ALLEN RAINE. 7% x «5. GEOMETRY. THE ELEMENTS OF GEOMETRY IN THEORY AND PRACTICE. Part I. By A. EH. PIERPOINT, B. Sc. 73} x 5. 156 pp. Longmans. 2s. HISTORY. ON THE SPANISH Man. By JOHN MASEFIELD. 9 x 5h. 344 pp. Methuen. 10s. 6d. n. Tyr CHURCH AND THE BARBARIANS. Being an outline of the History of the Church from A.D. 461 to A.D. 1003. By THE Rev. W. H. Horton. (The Church Universal, Vol. Ill.) 71 x 5. 228pp. Rivingtons. 8s. 6d. LAW. A Digest of ENGLISH Civit Law. By EDWARD JENKS (Editor). Book II. Part. I. LAW oF CONTRACT (General). By R. W. Les. 10 x 63. 74 and 25 pp. Butterworth. INTRODUCTION AND NoTES TO SIR HENRY MAINg#’S “ ANCIENT LAW.” By SiR FREDERICK POLLOCK, BART., LL.D. 9 x 53. 62pp. Murray. 2s. 6d. n. LITERARY. From A CoLLEGE Winpow. By A. C, BENSON. 84 x 54. 326 pp. SMITH ELDER. 7s. 6d. n. MONOGRAPHS : GARRICK, MACREADY, RACHEL and BARON SrockmMaR. By Sir THEODORE Marrin, K.C.B., K.C.V.0. 9 x 5%. 841 pp. Murray. 12s. n. FRANcOISE. Tolstoy’s Adaptation of a Story by GUY DE - MAUPASSANT. With Introductory Remarks by AYLMER MAupE, 6 x 4%. 28pp. C.W. Daniel. 3d.n. THE AUTHOR. MUSIC. Eia@ar. By E. Newman. (The Music of the Masters), 64 x 44. 188pp. Lane. 2s. 6d. n. NAVAL. A DEATHLESS STORY; OR, THE BIRKENHEAD AND ITS Heroes. By A. C. ADDISON and W. H. MATTHEWs. 83 x 5g. 318 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. POETRY. A PoMPEIAN EPISODE. 46 pp. THInTy RHYMES. 55 pp. By ARTHUR LEWIS. 63 x 4}. Elkin Mathews. 1s. n. each. A CuristMAs REVERIE, By ARTHUR E. CALEB. 5 x 4, Smith. 6d. n. POLITICAL. Sipz LIGHTS ON THE Home RuLE MovEMENT. By Sir RoBERT ANDERSON, K.C.B., LL.D. 9 x 53. 233 pp. Murray. 9s. 0. REPRINTS. THe Works oF JoHN RuskIN (Library Edition Vol. XXIII). Edited by E. T. Cook and A. WEDDERBURN- 10 x 63. 479 pp. Allen. 21s. net. DocUMENTS ILLUSTRATING ELIZABETHAN POETRY. By Sir PHILIP SIDNEY, GEORGE PUTTENHAM and W. Werpse. Edited by Laurin Macnus. 6% x 4. 221 pp. Routledge. 2s. 6d. WALDEN ; OR, LIFE IN THE WOODS. By H. D. THOREAU. With an Introduction by THEODORE WatTs-DUNTON. 299 pp. Frowde. TWENTY-THREE TALES. By TOLSTOY. Translated by L. and A. MAUDE. 271 pp. Frowde 1s. n. Tue WORKS OF GEOFFREY CHAUCHR. Vol. Ill. The Canterbury Tales. From the Text of PROFESSOR SKBAT. 595 pp. Frowde. 1s. 6d. n. TRAVEL. Tur Wortp or To-Day. Vol. V. By A. R. Hope Moncrierr. 102 x 7}. 266 pp. The Gresham Publishing Co. In Tuscany. By MONTGOMERY CARMICHAEL. Third Edition. (With New Preface). 8 x 54. 353 pp. Burns and Oates. 6s. 2. PICTURES FROM THE BALKANS. By JOHN FOSTER Fraser. 7% x 5. 298 pp. Cassell. 6s. Tue LAND OF PARDONS. By ANATOLE LE BRAZ. Translated by FRANCES M. GOSTLING. 9 x 58. 296 pp. Methuen. 7s. 6d. n. LHASA AND ITs MYSTERIES. With a Record of the Expedition of 1903-4. By L. A. WADDELL. Third and Cheaper Edition. 93 X 5g. 530 pp. Methuen. 7s. 6d. D. TOPOGRAPHY. Tue SILVERY THAMES. Described by WALTER JERBOLD. Illustrated by E. W. HASLEHUST. 10 x 138. 124 pp. Leeds and London: Alf. Cooke. 21s. n. Tur HARROGATE TOURIST CENTRE. Historic Glories. By J. BAKER. Simpkin Marshall. 2s. n. 8 x 10. 42 pp. —___+——_+—_____—_ LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. ee REAT Bowlers and Fielders : their Methode at a Glance,” by G. W. Beldam and C. B. | Fry, is a companion volume to “Great — Batsmen,” by the same’ authors, published last — Like ‘Great Batsmen,” the present work | summer. Its Beauties and Lal it £ 2k ia a ne 7 " 4} J 1 isle e A THE AUTHOR. is founded upon action photography. Included in the work are chapters by Mr. F. R. Spofforth, Mr. B. J. T. Bosanquet, Mr. R. O. Schwarz, and Mr. G. L. Jessop. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. are the publishers. Mr. Edward Latham has just published, through Mr. Effingham Wilson, of 54, Threadneedle Street, E.C., and Boyveau and Chevillet, of 20, Rue de la Banque, Paris, a volume of French Abbreviations, Commercial, Financial and General. In his Pre- face the author expresses the hope that, although the work has been written mainly for students, it may yet be consulted with advantage by those who claim the French language as their native tongue. The Red Line Guide to the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, compiled by Mr. H. P. Mitchell, and published by J. J. Kelih & Co., Limited, is designed to help the visitor to see what he wishes in the most con- venient way. It directs him by a red track on the plan to the leading objects in the various sections of the Museum, and gives short accounts of them of a nature to enable him to understand something of their qualities and histories. “ Ruth,” by Edith Elizabeth Fisher, published by the Broadway Publishing Company, New York, is a story of middle-class life, the scene of which is laid in England. The complications in the tale are due to the fact that elderly people, through a mistaken sense of duty, attempt to interfere with the love affairs of the young. Mr. Alston Rivers will publish in the autumn a children’s story entitled, “ Longlegs, Shortlegs, and Fatty,” by T. Wilson Wilson. “The Censorship of the Church and its Influ- ence upon Production and the Distribution of Literature,” by Geo. Haven Putnam, is a study of the history of the prohibitory and expurgatory indexes, together with some consideration of the effects of State Censorship, and of Censorship by Protestants. The work presents a schedule of the indexes issued by the Church, together with a list of the more important of the decrees, edicts, pro- hibitions, and briefs having to do with the prohibi- tion of specific books from the time of Gelasius I., 567 A.D., to the issue in 1900 of the latest Index of the Church, under Leo XIII. The author presents a section of titles of the more important of the books condemned. He has attempted to indicate the influence exerted by the censorship of the Church on the undertakings of authors, pro- fessors, publishers, and booksellers in each one of the European States in which the regulations of the Index came into force. In the final chapter is presented a summary of the conclusions reached by certain representative Catholics of to-day in regard to the present literary policy of the Church of Rome. “From a College Window,” which has been a 253 feature of The Cornhill for some time past, has been published in book form by Messrs. Smith, Elder, & Co. Mr. A. C. Benson is the author of the work. Messrs. Chatto and Windus published in May a new volume of stories by Mrs. Alice Perrin, under the title of “Red Records.” The stories deal mainly with the weird and supernatural in India, in camp and station, as well as in the villages and the jungle. The same publishers are publishing a new edition, at 3s. 6d., of Mrs. Perrin’s earlier stories, “ Kast of Suez.” Mr. Angus Hamilton’s book “ Afghanistan” is an exhaustive account of the conditions of Afghanistan, which Mr. Hamilton visited recently. The domestic life of the Ameer is dealt with, and a description of the Oxus, its fords, trade, and the strategic value of the roads which approach it, is given. Mr. Heinemann is publishing the book, with a map and illustrations, at 16s. nett. The title of Miss Rosa Nouchette Carey’s novel, to be published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. in the autumn, to which we referred in our last issue, is “No Friend like a Sister.” We regret that, in announcing the publication of the eleventh edition of Lieut.-Col. E. Gunter’s “ Officers’ Field Note and Sketch Book,” in the May issue, we placed “Ist 8. C.,” instead of «P.§. C.,” after his name. Mr. John Bloundelle-Burton’s new romance, entitled “Traitor and True,” will be published almost immediately by Mr. John Long. The story, which is laid in the reign of Louis XIV., and, consequently, forms one of the cycle of Bourbon romances written by the author, deals with one of the many plots to which Le Dieudonné was con- tinually exposed during his long reign. ‘This plot is, however, distinct from most of the others, owing to the fact that it was carefully hushed up after justice had been done on the chief conspirator, owing to the exalted rank of himself and his family. Mr. Bloundelle-Burton has fallen in with this deter- mination, and the real name of the traitor remains hidden under another. «The Lake of Wine,” by Bernard Capes, is the new story in ‘The Novelist,” Messrs. Methuen’s series of sixpenny novels. “T’Entente Cordiale (More or Less)” is the title of a work described by its author—Mr. Raymond Needham—as a study in symbolism pro- ductive of a little mild abuse. Acting on the observation of Rochefoucauld that the greatest act of friendship is not to expose one’s faults to a friend, but to show him his, the author has endeavoured to prove his friendship. Messrs. R. A. Everett & Co. are publishing the book at the price of 3s. 6d.  254 Mr. Oswald Crawfurd has written, and Messrs. Chapman and Hall have published, a volume of reve- lations dealing with certain aspects of criminal life considered from the point of the real, not the amateur detective. Its ,title is “The Revelations of Inspector Morgan.” In the “Twenty-three Tales by Tolstoy” newly translated by Mr. and Mrs. Maude, are two stories not contained in any other English edition of Tolstoy’s works. The tales are, for the most part, children’s stories and folk-stories. The stories are published by the Oxford University Press. Another tale adapted by Tolstoy from Guy de Maupassant, translated by Mr. Maude, has been published by Mr. C. W. Daniel as a 3d. booklet. In the preface Mr. Maude compares Bernard Shaw’s «Mrs. Warren’s Profession” with Tolstoy’s “Power of Darkness.” A coincidence is to be noted between the serial story which has been running for some weeks in the Daily Mail, dealing with a German invasion of England, and ‘‘The Enemy in our Midst,” the novel by Walter Wood, which was recently published by Mr. John Long. ‘This also treats entirely with the subject of a German raid on England. “The Enemy in Our Midst” was written for Messrs. C. Arthur Pearson, Ltd., and was published serially by that firm twelve months ago. Early in the autumn Messrs. Cassell & Co., Ltd., will bring out in volume form the first series of “ Survivors’ Tales of Great Events,” which Mr, Wood is writing for ‘“‘ The Royal Magazine.” “ Cyrus the!Great King,” an historical romance by Sir Edward Durand, Bart., C.B., has just been published by Sidney Appleton in London. The price of the book is 10s. 6d. nett. The author in his argument, which acts as a preface, states: “The story is laid during that period of the world’s history when God raised up Cyrus (a chosen instrument to crush idolatry, to restore the People of the Captivity, to rebuild the Temple, and in this sense to prepare the way for the coming of the Christ), having called Him by name some century and a half before His actual advent.” The dramatis persone comprise most of the well-known historical characters of the period. In addition to the volume of Tolstoy’s stories, translated by Mr. Aylmer Maude and noticed above, we have received from the Clarendon Press two very interesting volumes of the World’s Classics, one “The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer,” from the text by Professor Skeat, and the other ‘‘ Walden, or Life in the Woods,” by H. T. Thoreau, with an introduction by Mr. Theodore Watts-Dunton. The format of these books is so well known to members that there is no need to comment upon it. The fact tbat, “The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer ” THE AUTHOR. are from the text by Professor Skeat is sufficient to insure the contents of that book being of excel- lent quality. Professor Skeat has long been known as the greatest authority on Chaucer’s works, The other volume may not appeal to so large a public, though nowadays, as Mr. Watts-Dunton says in his preface, when Nature seems to be the fashion, when every newspaper that aspires to be up-to-date sends its own special commissioners to scour the country to interview her in her every changing mood, Thorean will at last come into his own. If the public is limited, lovers of natural history, at any rate, will read the volume with interest. Among the editors of other volumes in prepara- tion are Mr. R. Warwick Bond, Mr. Austin Dobson, Dr. Robertson Nicoll, and Mr. A. Waugh. Mr. Ernest Newlandsmith’s new book, entitled “Art Ideals,” will shortly be published by Mr. ©. W. Daniel. Mr. Newlandsmith will be remem- bered as the author of “The Temple of Art” (Longmans, Green, & Co.), of which latter work a new and revised edition has now been published by the Order of the Golden Age, Paignton. Mr. Lewis Melville is writing a book of histori- cal memoirs, to be entitled “The First Gentleman of Europe.” It deals with the social history of the later Georgian period, and refers to the Prince of Wales who became George IV. It is also a history of his boon companions, and does not over- look the unfortunate Queen Caroline. Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Williamson’s new book, “Lady Betty Across the Water,” tells of the experiences and adventures of a young English girl who visits America for the first time. The book abounds in contrasts, and sharply compares English and American manners and customs. Messrs. Methuen & Co. are the publishers. The same publishers have issued an English translation by Mrs. Gostling of a book about Brittany, by Monsieur le Braz, the well-known Breton writer. “Gladys’s Repentance ” is the name of Edith ©. Kenyon’s new story for young people which is _ now being illustrated by Mrs. Skinner. This book will be the same size and the same price (2s. 6d.) _ as Miss Kenyon’s stories, ‘A Girl in a Thousand ” and “ Love’s Golden Thread.” — It will be issued in the early autumn by Messrs 8. W. Partridge & Co. Miss Margaret Todd will publish very shortly a new novel entitled “ Growth.” Arrangements are being made for its publication in England and the United States simultaneously. “The Matrimonial Lottery” is the name of a— new novel by Miss O’Conor-Hecles, author of - “ Aliens of the West,” “The Rejuvenation of Miss — Semaphore,” etc., which will soon be published by — Mr. Everleigh Nash. The story is humorous.  “ The Flower of France,” a play by Mr. Justin Huntly McCarthy on the subject of Joan of Are, has been given for copyright purposes at the Scala Theatre. “For Life and After,” an adaptation by Mr. George R. Sims of his novel of the same title, has been produced at Reading. Mr. Bernard Shaw’s play “ Arms and the Man,” was produced at the Theatre Royal, Copenhagen, towards the end of April last. “Olf and the Little Maid,” a one-act play by M. E. Francis, produced at the Haymarket Theatre on May 8th, narrates a man’s love for a maid, and his promise of marriage given on the strength of his success in a lottery. Owing to the lottery proving to be a swindle, and the consequent change in his circumstances, he offers the girl back her freedom, but as her feelings are not affected by the incident, the play terminates happily by her consent to the marriage. Miss Dorothy Minto and Mr. Sydney Valentine are included in the caste. “ Raffles,” by E. W. Hornung and Eugene Presbrey, was produced at the Comedy Theatre on May 12th. The play deals with an incident in the career of Raffles, who combines many good social qualities with a taste for burglary, which he indulges at the expense of those whose hospitality he accepts. The caste includes Mr. Gerald Du Maurier, Miss Jessie Bateman, and Mr. Laurence Irving. Mrs. Henry de la Pasture’s play, ‘‘ The Lonely Millionaires,” produced at the Adelphi Theatre on May 15th, narrates the story of a girl whose father, a retired cotton spinner, is anxious that she should make a good marriage. The daughter, however, foolishly elopes with her Italian drawing master— a married man. From this situation she is rescued by her father’s private secretary, who proves to be a millionaire and a baronet. The play terminates by the girl contracting an alliance such as her father desired, by marrying her rescuer. Mr. Oscar Asche and Miss Lily Brayton are included in the caste. “The Means of Shakespeare’s Imagination,” is the title given by Mrs. Craigie to her lecture delivered, under the auspices of the London Shakespeare League, at the Botanical Theatre, University College, Gower Street, on May 2nd. Mrs. Craigie affirmed that Shakespeare’s inspira- tion was drawn from contemporary French, English, Spanish, and Italian literature and manners, and that he did not influence his own age, but was influenced by it. She incidentally expressed the belief that if we could restore the soliloquy, give patience to the audience to listen to it, and the actor elocution to speak it, a great revival would be seen in the British drama. ? THE AUTHOR. 255 PARIS NOTES. ee LLE. LOUISE READ, the friend and executrix of Barbey d’Aurévilly, has given us two more volumes by the celebrated novelist and critic. “A cdté de l’Histoire * is a collection of about twenty-three articles on the most diverse subjects, some of which, although written so long ago, are astonishingly up-to-date, as they apply to questions of to-day. Writing of the Russian Empire d’Aurévilly says: Mysté- rieuse eb impénetrable puissance, protégée par son climat et aussi par deux Génies au doigt sur la bouche, comme le Silence antique—le Génie de la police et celui de la diplomatie . . . la mystique et schismatique Russie est plus grande encore par Vopinion qu’on a d’elle que par tout ce qu’on fait en réalité les forces vives et cohérentes d’un pays.” Another of these articles is on the ‘“ Chinese Empire” and another on a book entitled ‘“ Chris- tianism in China, Tartary, and Thibet.” The chapter on “ Les Civilisations ” is one of the most remarkable. Among the others are “La Diplo- matie au XVII° siécle,’ ‘“ Deux Diplomates,” * Saint-Simon ” and ‘‘ Royalistes et Républicains.” The “Deuxiéme Memorandum” (1838)f is the title of the second book, recently published. It is a diary in which d’Aurévilly noted down the events and impressions of each day at the begin- ning of his journalistic career. All that he did, the most trivial events of his every-day life, the books that he read, the visits he paid, everything is noted briefly. At the end of the volume are some more notes, dated 1864, and written for the Ange Blane, or the Baronne de B. .. ., during d’Auré- villy’s stay at his father’s home. In these later notes the light, witty, cynical tone has given way to a more serious and more profound way of look- ing at life. The old home is full of memories, the card-table is still there, around which he had seen merry groups, the garden his mother had loved is overgrown with weeds, the silence and the intense melancholy are deeply felt by him. When he leaves he writes: ‘“ Cette ville a de mon coeur sous ses payés et dans les pierres de ses maisons.” Rarely has any author described in so touching and sincere a way the effect of the return after many years to the home of one’s childhood. “Ames Cévenolles,”t byJ.Hudry-Menos, isa. remarkable psychological study in the form of a novel. It is a story which should appeal to English readers, who will recognise in the sturdy conscientious Huguenots of the Cevennes * “A cdte de I’ Histoire” (Lemerre), + “ Deuxiéme Memorandum” (Stock). t “ Ames Cévenolles” (Armand Colin).  256 mountains the same obstinacy and hard, unrelenting narrow-mindedness which animated the most rigid of their Puritan ancestors. The story is based on the conflict of the old and new ideas : a Protestant pastor who expects his son to succeed him in the Church and Presbytery, the education and evolu- tion of this son, his love for a girl who had been brought up in the old belief, the tyranny of the so- called religious parents and a tragic dénouement, all this holds the reader’s attention from the first * page to the last. There is nothing exaggerated, and no attempt to defend one side or the other. It isa simple story simply told, but each character lives, and one feels that the whole story is just one example of the hundreds of similar tragedies enacted constantly in our very midst in the name of religion. The descriptions of the country and of the simple customs of the in- habitants of the Cevennes, together with the ardent patriotism, make the book essentially French, but the characters themselves are s0 human, that they belong to all countries, and make the novel itself one to be read universally. “Le Voile du Temple,” by M. Jean Dornis, is another powerful novel based on religious con- flicts. There are some very fine pages in this book, which from the first chapter to the last is full of ideas. Among recent books are “Le Dernier Condé, ”* by M. Charles Laurent. “Qrezels’t by the Comte de Saint-Aulaire. “Les Pierres d’Oxford,”t by M. G. Grappe. «Esai sur la Poésie anglaise au XIX* siécle,” § by M. G. Grappe. “La Renaissance catholique en Angleterre au XIX° siécle,”|| by M. Thureau-Dangin. “Le Testament volé,’ by J. H. Rosny. A curious book has been written by M. Henri Maassis, entitled “Comment Emile Zola composait ses Romans ’”’** (d’aprés ses notes personelles et inédites). The Prince of Monaco is giving to the French nation an Oceanographic Institute, together with the magnificent Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. The gift is valued at ten million francs. The Osiris prize of £4,000 has been awarded by the five academies to M. Albert Sorel, member of the French Academy, and member of the Academy of Moral and Political Science. * “Le Dernier Condé” (Ollendorff). + “Grezels” (Perrin). t “Les Pierres d’Oxford” (Sansot). § “Essai sur la Poésie anglaise au XIXe. sitcle” (Sansot). || ‘La Renaissance catholique en Angleterre aux XIXe. siécle” (Plon). J “Le Testament volé” (Fontemoing). ** “Comment Emile Zola composait ses romans” (Fasquelle). THE AUTHOR. At the Thédtre Francais “ Paraitre”’ is still being given, and at the Vaudeville “‘ Le Bourgeon.” At the Renaissance “ La Griffe” is having great success, and at the Thédtre Antoine “ Le Canard Sauvage.” The great event in the theatrical world here is the appointment of M. Antoine as director of the second State Theatre, the Odéon. The new direc- tor intends to make various changes in the house itself, both in the lighting arrangements and in the arrangement of the seats. Among the first of the new pieces that he will produce are “ La Maison des Juges,” by M. Gaston Leroux, “La Faute de V’Abbé Mouret,” and Shakespeare’s “ Julius Cesar,” translated by M. de Grammont. M. Gémier is to be director of the Théatre Antoine, which is to retain the name of its founder. Mme. Jane Hading has just started for a tour in England, which is being arranged by M. Frédéric Mayer. Among other pieces she is to play “Le Retour de Jérusalem,” “ La Chate- laine,” and ‘‘ Le Maitre de Forges.” After a tour in the provinces she will play at the Coronet Theatre on the 11th of June. Avyva Havin $$ —_— SPANISH NOTES. — F the gentler sex is the dominant note in my I Spanish report this month the reason is not far to seek, for the advent of our Princess Ena as Queen Victoria of the country cannot be without its influence on the women of all classes in Spain. The enthusiasm for the English Queen has been spontaneously exhibited in the twenty- four short articles and poems from the pens of Spanish ladies, which appear in the Spring number of Zhe Woman's Agricultural Times. Miss Bradley, the editress of the magazine, can therefore be credited with having published the first Anglo-Spanish periodical ; and the biogra- phical notes added to these contributions by Colonel Luis de Figuerola Ferrétti, the initiator of the proceeding, give a most interesting apergu of the advance made by literary women in Spain. At the recent Spanish dinner at the Lyceum Club, honoured by the presence of the Spanish Ambas- sador and his Legation, Martin Hume, the well- known writer on subjects relating to the Peninsula, remarked that the entente cordiale between Spanish and English women could only be the result of the education of woman in Spain ; and this education the eminent author will see is already possessed by the Spanish ladies patriotic enough to publish their hopes for their country in a foreign magazine. To refer to the first of these Spanish collaborators in the “ W.A.T.,” the name of Emilia Pardo de  THE AUTHOR. Bazan is renowned through Spain as that of a novelist, litterateur and dramatist of the highest rank. Then the cap and gown marking the pictures of the Senora doctora Arroyo de Marquez and of the Sefora doctora Sotis de Reyes show that these ladies have taken their places as lady doctors in Madrid, and in both cases they are efficient partners of their husbands in the same profession ; and their addresses to their future Queen plead for her Royal patronage for the project of children’s hospitals in Spain, and for the creation of a Faculty of Medicine exclusively for women. The little poems to the English Queen-elect by Carmen Blanca y Trigueros, Maria del Pilar Contreras de Rodriguez, Carolina de Soto y Coro, and Rosa Equilaz de Parada Santin breathe the poetic spirit peculiar to the country. The cordial hope expressed by Con- cepicon Gimeno de Flaquer that her country- women may find lucrative employment in the “lighter branches of agriculture” is characteristic of the lady, who inaugurated the first meeting on Feminism in Spain, which was held in the Atheneum of Madrid, under the presidency of H.R.H. the Infanta Eulalia. The lines of the Countess del Val are an expressive welcome to her future Queen ; and, like most of the writers in this Spanish Supplement, the Countess is on the executive committee of ladies of the Ibero- American Union, which is so active in all that pertains to the progress of woman’s education ; and when one mentions that some of the other writers, like Matilde del Real, are Inspectors General of girls’ schools, whilst Blanca de les Rios de Lamperez is an authoress, who was accorded by the Royal Academy of Spain a special prize for one of her works, one sees that education has made a decided stride in the circles of these active women. Moreover, when one knows that some of these Spanish contributors to the “ W.A.T.” have posts on the newspapers of their country, one realises the increasing influence of women in Spain. Sefiora Carmen Burgos de Segui’s article gains in importance as we hear that in her commission from the Minister of Education to report upon the Educational Institutes of the Continent she has visited Paris and Rome, and hopes soon to come to London. Her lecture in the Eternal City on Feminism in Spain was a great success. The Anglo-Spanish royal marriage also stimu- lated the editor of the Ganaderia e industrias rurales, the agricultural publication of Valladolid, to tender through Colonel Figuerola Ferretti invitations to Englishwomen interested in the lighter branches of agriculture as employments for woinen to send short articles on the subject to his magazine; and the responses he received must have shown our Spanish sisters that the movement 257 is now a very real one in England. This recent simultaneous expression of English feeling in a Spanish publication and of Spanish sentiment in an English magazine—both publications having similar aims—-mark a great stride in the entente cordiale of Spanish and English women, which, if continued, will be a practical form of the union of Spain and England so sympathetically set forth in the message sent to the Lyceum from our ambassador at Madrid by the voice of his sister, Miss de Bunsen, on the evening of the banquet to the Spanish Legation. The advent of our English princess as Queen in Spain certainly signalises a great awakening of intellectual interest in England. Hitherto, the Peninsula seemed to limit its attention to Paris, now attention is turned to London. Sefiora Cabrera di Iborra writes full of enthusiasm for English works which she is ready to translate, and the success of Maria de Otocha Ossoris y Gallardo in this line has given additional value to her contribution to the “ W.A.T.” ; and the clever arguments laid down in the same magazine for an hygienic education by the Sefiora doctora Concepcion Alexandre show that she is a student of logic as well as medicine. Salome Nufiez y Topete is a capable journalist ; and the address contributed by Consuelo del Rey de Zambuena shows that she is rightly regarded as an expert exponent of advanced views on woman’s education, and in this article (as in that of Mercedes Wehrle) the ideal of that education is seen to be in accordance with the system adopted in England. In fact, the deeper one delves, the more one sees that as “one touch of nature makes the whole world kin,” the note of intelligence when fairly struck resounds in Spain as well as in England, and, as Janotha, the Court pianist, writes to Spain, “the joy and happiness now reigning in that country will send forth melodies like ‘wireless telegraphy all over the world.” RACHEL CHALLICE. a WHY IS AN AGENT? An Answer to “L. J. V.” I. T is an easy, if somewhat useless, achievement to put up a thing and then to knock it down. This, however, has been successfully accom- plished by “L. J. V.,” in three pages of the May Author. In answer to his query “Why is an Agent?” he has clearly proved an incapable and fraudulent literary agent to be both fraudulent and incapable ! One might just as easily argue that because one  258 THER AUTHOR. has met with a fraudulent and incapable lawyer— and who hasn’t ?—therefore the whole legal pro- fession is useless. «J, J. V.” gives as a fair sample of the agent a person who not only keeps books whom nobody can see, who decides on the destination of an MS. haphazard, but who also, when he does happen to place anything—a weak admission on the part of “Z, J. V.,” surely !—either forwards to the author no money at all, or else deducts the larger part of it, over and above his exorbitant commission, to gwell his already swollen banking account. That sharks exist among literary agents—as among other callings—ready to prey upon the oung and foolish, must of course be admitted. But that all agents are the same, I, for one, most emphatically deny. There are literary agents and literary agents, and, given an honourable one and one who knows his business—such are to be found if one is not too lazy to make inquiries—the advan- tages of employing him are obvious. Briefly, a capable agent knows the literary requirements of the different editors and publishers. He knows the length and style of the short stories and articles suitable for such-and-such a periodical, and the style of matter most likely to suit the various publishing firms—exclusive knowledge which only years of ceaseless study can attain. He knows, moreover, which magazines are “full up,” so does not waste valuable time in submitting in that quarter. In the course of business he is bound to be asked by editors for articles and stories, which commissions he naturally passes on to those of his clients most capable to undertake them. Again, a reliable agent not only obtains payment on acceptance—he holding himself responsible for the good faith of his client—but he also, for the most part, does obtain higher prices. This does not necessarily imply that he bargains with editors —a practice which would soon lower his standing— but owing to his knowledge of the pecuniary value of the work he submits, and by refusing all offers until that price is reached. The unknown author is ready to accept the first price that is offered, so long as he gets into print, and editors, it must be admitted, trade upon this fact when they are dealing direct with the unknown author. The publisher, as a rule, offers the lowest price he thinks will be agreed to; he never offers more than he thinks an MS. is worth to him. But between these two prices is a large margin—a margin which the agent, knowing the literary market, is in the position to curtail considerably. Thirdly, a capable agent will not submit to an editor or publisher unsuitable work. Therefore it stands to reason that a publishing firm, knowing this fact, will read and consider very carefully all work submitted by that agent—a course he cannot possibly pursue with the greater part of the MSS. sent in. That he can “induce publishers to buy everything he offers them”? is, of course, only what an agent who knows nothing about his business would tell a prospective client who knew nothing about im. With the literary agent with whom “LL. J. V.” is unfortunately acquainted, we are not here dealing. No honourable agent will expect a client to bind himself to submit all his work through his hands for a fixed pericd. If the client cannot increase his output by employing the agent who can advise him as to the literary market, he should at once cease dealings with that agent. No honourable agent would accept an offer from an editor or publisher for his client’s work without first receiving his client’s consent. In the same way, he would not be in a position to refuse an offer, but he would advise the author as to whether he should accept it. Again, he would always make a point of enclosing the editor’s letter containing the offer when writing on the subject. That an agency of any standing whatever should make false payments when a letter to the publisher would at once expose the fraud, is, on the face of it, a doubtful contingency. Another objection raised by the long-suffering “«Z. J. V.” is the uncanny silence of an agent before he places the MS., for which he does not pay. Would this writer have his agent inform him every time his MS. was returned ? Why disappoint an author in this way? Of what advantage is it to him? And consider, say with a hundred clients, the extra expense and trouble such correspondence would entail. But an honourable agent is always ready to answer all queries concerning MSS., to show his correspondence and books, or to return an MS. when requested. The final query of “L. J. V.” is, Why should an author who has placed his own work employ an agent ? The obvious answer is, Because he wishes to increase his output—a course which an agent who makes it his business to know the require- ments of the six hundred odd periodicals, not to mention publishers, in daily need of literary fuel, is undoubtedly able to bring about. Lastly, do not employ an agent until you have made the most stringent inquiries concerning him. Satisfied as to his integrity and ability, stick to him—as long as he helps to increase your income. But because you do not take the precaution to make inquiries—for which, being members of the Society of Authors, there is no excuse—and as a result place yourself in the hands of a shark, do not promptly label all agents as sharks, and sweepingly assert that they are of no use. GrorGE G. Maanus. cite! EB get af fe a iy iy 1 it bi  THE AUTHOR. II. In the May issue of the Au/hor an interesting article appeared on literary agencies, on which you invited comment. As it seems to me there are two points altogether missed by the article. I should like if possible to draw attention to them if they are not touched upon by some better accredited critic of the article ? Putting aside the financial bearings of the question, it would appear that a writer sends his works to an agent, firstly because he believes the agent has a wider knowledge of the magazines than himself, and is therefore in a position to place his work more quickly than he can do it himself. It surely must often happen that a work fails to be accepted, less because it is wanting in merit, than because it is not fitted by length, or is unsuitable in style or subject to the special magazine to which the writer first sends it, though he very possibly may get it accepted, after many false tries, necessitating much discouragement, as he has so slowly to learn the why and wherefore his MSS. are rejected. The agent should surely be able to give the writer advice as to curtailing or brightening his work, which might ensure its acceptance. The only allusion the writer of the article in the May Author makes to the knowledge an agent ought to possess on the suitability of a writer’s work to certain magazines, is a passing one that an agent will “by haphazard ” place his client’s work in the hands of a publisher or editor whom the writer would have discovered for himself in time. This may perhaps be true of publishers, whose numbers are limited, but a glance at any writers’ year-book, or press guide, shows a multi- plicity of magazines, among which a writer may struggle for years before he finds his feet. Editors generally presume that a writer must read their particular magazines before venturing to send in acontribution. There would be very little time for writing if an author tried to read even a fraction of the magazines which might take his work. Is not this where the superior knowledge of the agent should come in, and save the author’s time ? Saving of time is also the reason I drew attention to the other point I think the writer of the article overlooked. He makes no allusion to the mere clerical work which the author has to undertake, if he is determined to find the right market for his wares. It may take the best part of a morning to get off half-a-dozen MSS. to their different destina- tions, the clerical work comprising not only the mere folding and stamping, but methodical entries in the register, the writing of a fresh letter to each editor, possibly the re-typing or re-covering of the MSS. This is all, of course, the A BC of the writer’s daily task ; but if an agent can save him so many hours of work, it must be an advantage, 259 even if the wear and tear on his nerves entailed by the personal reception of rejected MSS. be not also taken into consideration. I have not written as in any sense holding a brief for literary agencies, for I have not yet tried a competent professional one, a fact which rather inclines me to wonder if I could not have been saved many wearisome hours of clerical work, and many unnecessary discouragements, if I had called in the assistance of a competent agent, and it is from those who have used them that one would be glad to have the reply. Maupe C. Knieut 9 UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT. 1 G. anp C. Merriam Oo. v. THE UNITED Dictionary Co. OLLOWING is the decision rendered April 10th by the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on the appeal from the Circuit Court for the Northern District of Illinois in the suit brought by G. and C. Merriam Co. against the United Dictionary Co. to restrain infringement of copyright in their ‘ Webster’s High School Dictionary ” :— This is an appeal from a final decree of the United States Circuit Court for the Northern Dis- trict of Illinois dismissing the bill of complaint of the appellant for want of equity, the case having been heard upon the pleadings and an agreed statement of facts. The bill was filed to restrain infringement of copyright in the book entitled “ Webster’s High School Dictionary.” The facts briefly stated are as follows :— Appellant, before the publication in this or any foreign country, was the owner of the literary pro- perty in and the right to copyright the book “Webster's High School Dictionary,” and on August 9th, 1892, published and copyrighted the same simultaneously in Great Britain and the United States. Thereafter appellant continued to publish and sell this book in the United States, complying with all the requirements of the statutes and printing the statutory notice of copyright in every copy published or sold in this country. The book, under the name ‘“ Webster’s Brief Inter- national Dictionary,” was subsequently published commercially in England under an agreement be- tween appellant and George Bell and Sons, entered into on July 18th, 1894. ‘This contract expressly provides that George Bell and Sons will net either directly or indirectly sell in or import the book into the United States, or sell to others for the purpose of importation, and George Bell and Sons agree to use all reasonable means to prevent such 260 THE AUTHOR. importation by others. Under this contract the book has been published and sold in England. The copies so published and sold in England by George Bell and Sons have not borne the notice of the American copyright, but have been in full com- pliance with all the provisions of the English copy- right law, and appellant has in England a valid and subsisting copyright in the book. No copies of the English book have ever been imported into or sold in the United States either by appellant or George Bell and Sons, or anyone acting for or on behalf of either. The appellee, United Dictionary Company, is an Illinois corporation, organised June, 1904, with a capital stock of 1,500 dollars. George W. Ogilvie, who was the organiser of defendant corporation in January, 1905, caused a newsdealer in Chicago to cable to England and procure for him a copy of “ Webster's Brief Inter- national Dictionary.” This book was received in due course and turned over to Ogilvie. This and another copy subsequently imported by Ogilvie are the only copies of “ Webster’s Brief Inter- national Dictionary,” as far as the record shows, that ever came into thiscountry. Upon receipt of the first copy the appellee, United Dictionary Com- pany, of which Ogilvie is director and principal stockholder, had the pages of ‘“ Webster’s Brief International Dictionary ” photographed and repro- duced verbatim, and had plates made which com- pletely reproduced that book, and which also reproduced ‘‘ Webster’s High School Dictionary,” except the first three and the last thirty-four pages, the remainder of the two books being identical, This reproduction was with full knowledge of the American copyright and of the identity of the books. It is expressly stipulated that “said Ogilvie obtained said copy of said ‘ Webster’s Brief Inter- national Dictionary,’ not for the purpose of selling said individual copy, but for the purpose and intent of having the United Dictionary Company reprint and republish said book without the consent of either complainant or George Bell and Sons.” Appellee advertised the intended publication of its book in The Publishers’ Weekly, and has circu- lated pamphlets and printed matter in which this announcement is made. The book has not yet been published, but will be unless its publication is restrained ; and if published, will constitute an infringement of appellant’s copyright in the book ““Webster’s High School Dictionary,” if that copyright be valid. The question chiefly argued in this court is, whether the failure, under the circumstances of this case, to insert in the books published in Eng- land the copyright notice required by the United States copyright law works a forfeiture of the United States copyright, notwithstanding an exact and literal compliance with the United States statute in regard to all books published or circulated by or with the consent of appellant in the United States. Wright, District Judge, delivered the opinion of the court : Appellant’s copyright of ‘Webster’s High School Dictionary” was in strict conformity to law, and is unassailable in the United States unless the publication in Great Britain omitting notice of copyright as required by Section 4,962, Revised Statutes, deprives it of the right tomaintain an action for infringement. Appellee imported two copies of the British publication of the book for its use ; that is, to re- print and republish it in this country for sale. The importation and publication is sought to be justi- fied by appellee because the publication in Eng- land was printed from type set or plates made within the limits of the United States, and more particularly appellee’s insistence is that the publi- cation is justified because of the failure of appellant to insert in the books published in England the copyright notice required by the United States copyright law. In support of these contentions it is argued that the only prohibition contained in the law is against the importation of books not made from plates from type set in the United States during the life of the copyright, and that the books in question having been made from plates from type set in the United States, there exists no law against the importation of them, and having been lawfully im- ported, and being thus properly in the United States, and containing no notice therein of a United States copyright, they were legally subject to be produced by reprint or publication by any person, notwithstanding the copyright of the United States edition of the book. The prohibition against importation found in Section 4,956, Revised Statutes, we think was not intended to do more than its plain terms import, considered with the context of the whole section. Manifestly the object of that prohibition is to pre- vent from being done abroad the work of producing copyright books designed for sale in the United States. The prohibition of that section has no application to the facts in this sale in the United States. Appellant had already provided another edition of the book for sale in the United States by obtaining copyright according to law, which was duly protected thereby. However, in the ulti- mate view we entertain of the question involved we do not consider the absence of a specific prohi- bition in the statute against the importation of a book in the situation of appellant’s English publi- cation as of controlling effect. The vital question is whether protection can be afforded against  THE AUTHOR. infringement of the copyright appellant obtained from the United States, or whether the facts stated constitute an infringement. If the importations of the British book were in large numbers designed for sale in the United States in competition with the domestic copyright, then the question would be not only of illegal importation, but of infringement of the domestic copyright, as well as the same now is of infringe- ment by reproducing in this country the foreign publication. It has been argued with force that because Sec- tion 4,956, Revised Statutes, provides that 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 to the Librarian of Congress a printed copy of the title of the book, and also two copies of the book not later than the day of publication thereof in this or any foreign country, that therefore the publication of the book being, as contended, thereby authorised, the pro- vision in Section 4,963 for the insertion of the copyright notice in the several copies of every edition published has reference to the several copies of every edition, wherever published, in this or any foreign country. Appellant did comply with these requirements in obtaining its domestic copyright. The law does not require this to be done in both countries, the requirement being that the copies be delivered before or on the day of publication in this or any foreign country. Appellant having fulfilled this requirement before the day of publication in this country, it had done all the law demanded in this regard. Other than this the provisions of this sec- tion relative to the deposit of copies of a publica- tion in a foreign country, the demand for copies to be delivered to the librarian is but supplementary to the provisions of Section 4,953, and should be limited to the purposes of that section, which enables authors or proprietors of a book in a foreign language to obtain copyright in this country. No provision is made in that section for a case like the one we are considering. The only reference in that section to a case like this is con- tained in the proviso: “That this Act shall only apply to a citizen or subject of a foreign state or nation when such foreign state or nation permits to citizens of the United States of America the benefit. of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens.” By other legislation it is provided that existence of the conditions de- scribed in the proviso shall be determined by the President of the United States by proclamation from time to time as the purposes of the law may require. So, in the case of a domestic owner of a literary production, which is also of domestic origin and in 261 our own language, which is the case of appellant, we find no special provision in the law for copy- right abroad, but do find in the proviso quoted that such a case has been anticipated by legislative recognition or sanction, confirmed by executive proclamation, thus pointing out the way, if not creating the right, to citizens of the United States to obtain from foreign nations copyright benefits. Congress did not assume to give to citizens of this country the right to a foreign copyright, but doubtless did all they could do, encouraged foreign nations, who alone could grant the benefits, to do so, and in legal effect authorised citizens of this country to seek copyright benefits in foreign countries upon the conditions provided for them. Under these circumstances appellant obtained from Great Britain a copyright of the book in ques- tion, and was thus induced to publish it in Eng- land, which enabled appellee to obtain a copy for its use. So far as appears, the copyright granted by the English Government was in strict con- formity to the laws of that nation. Indeed, ifat all, it had to be as prescribed by the law of England, for Congress had no authority to define the con- ditions upon which a copyright might be granted by a foreign nation. The Congress by their legis- lation did not assume such authority, but merely as an act of amity provided that when a foreign state or nation permits to citizens of the United States the benefits of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own citizens, then a citizen or subject of such foreign state or nation should have the privileges relative to copyright as con- ferred by law upon citizens of this country. The law of England does permit to citizens of this country the benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own subjects, as evidenced by the proclamation of the President of the United States. It is true that the book so copyrighted and pub- lished in the foreign country contains no notice that a copyright exists in the United States. The law of England does not require that it should contain such a notice of its own copyright. The English copyright is valid in that country. It was obtained by appellant, a citizen of the United States, with both the legislative and executive invi- tation and sanction of its own country. Shall it now be held by the courts of the United States that because of such invitation and sanction appellant was induced to and did obtain a valid copyright in a foreign nation, it thereby invalidated the one it had obtained in its own country. We do not believe the Congress intended to have their enactments interpreted to au absurdity such as that would be. It was never intended that the notice of copyright in this country should be inserted in foreign copyright editions of the same book not designed  262 for sale in the United States. In the case of Eng- land, if such conditions were held to have been imposed, the effect would be to burden citizens of the United States with conditions that nation had not cast on its own subjects, and this would be inconsistent with the terms of the proviso of the statute hereinbefore quoted, by means of which these reciprocal rights were effected, to the purpose that if foreign nations should permit citizens of the United States the benefit of copyright on sub- stantially the same basis as its own citizens, then the latter should have like benefits in this country. If appellant had inserted a notice of the American copyright in the English editions of the book, would it have been true? It is plain that it would not. There can be no just pretence that the identical matter of the English edition had ever been submitted to the forms of law essential to a copyright in the United States. The title and the first three and last thirty-four pages of the English edition were different from the domestic edition. This being true, is it not evident that to have in- serted such a notice would have been a violation of Section 4,963, Revised Statutes, subjecting the offender to a penalty of 100 dollars ? It is not to be imagined the law demanded a violation of itself. An infringement may result in the wrongful use of a part as well as the whole of a publication pro- tected by copyright. Appellant rightfully published its book in England in conformity to the laws of that country, with the approval of the law of its own sovereignty, at the same time having a copy- right in the United States entitled to the protec- tion of its laws from illegal infringement. The publication by appellee of the book imported from England would be an infringement of appellant’s copyright, and should be enjoined. The decree of the Circuit Court is reversed, and the cause remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with the views herein expressed. ———1 << —___—_— MAGAZINE CONTENTS. —— BLACKWOOD’S. The Early Royal Academy: The Story of Its Founda- tion, and The Romances of Some Original Members. Drake: An English Epic. Book III. By Alfred Noyes. Grammar to the Wolves. By P. A. Wright Henderson. Musings Without Method: Paris in the Seventeenth Century : An Amateur of the Arts. BOOKMAN, Sir Richard Burton. By Thomas Lloyd. Swinburne’s Tragedies. By Alfred Noyes. Book MONTHLY. A Great Unknown. Special Peeps at Mudie and His World of Readers. By James Milne. THB AUTHOR. Treasure Trove : Some Unpublished Verse of Our English Poet Crabbe. By M. Jourdain. Wanted Humourists: Has The Triumphant Woman Novelist Killed Them All? By C. E. Lawrence. CONTEMPORARY. China and The West. By Dr. Timothy Richard. The Moral Consciousness of Jesus. By Wm. Douglas Mackenzie. In The Footsteps of Ramon Lull. By Havelock Ellis, Pre-Raphaelitism and The Present. By L. March Phillipps. CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL. Other Times, Other Manners. By Percy Fitzgerald. English Antiquities, Genuine and Spurious. By George Clinch. CORNHILL. The Spring Call: A Poem. By Thomas Hardy. A French Traveller in Charles II.’s England. From an Unpublished MS. By D. K. Broster. FORTNIGHTLY. Heinrich Heine. By H. B. Samuel. The English Stage in the Eighteenth Century. Part I. By H. B. Irving. Mr. J. M. Barrie’s Dramatic and Social Influence. By Edith A. Browne. The Cradle of Modern British Art. By Julius M. Price. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. Darwin and Mendel. By L. Doncaster. The Shadow and The Substance : Two French Plays. Archbishop Temple. By The Rev. Hastings Rashdall. The Poetry of Blake. By G. L. Strachey. MACMILLAN’S. Religious Drama. By Robb Lawson. Some Types of Modern France. Rhythm and Rhyme. By Geo. Bourne. Henry Sidgwick. By Prof. James Sully. MONTH. Science and Religion. By J. G. The English Pope and His Irish Bull, 1. By The Rev. Herbert Thurston. A Child Queen of Spain. By The Comtesse de Courson. Reality in Teaching. By R. Smythe. MonTHLY REVIEW. Spiritualism. By Isabella Blackwood. Accursed Races. By Frederick Boyle. NATIONAL REVIEW. The Genesis of Italian Unity. By The Right Hon. Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, Bart. The Value of a Public School Education. By Reginald Lucas. A Century of Children’s Books. By Eveline C. Godley. NINETEENTH CENTURY. The Future of Shakesperean Research. By Sidney Lee. Eugenics and St. Valentine. By Havelock Ellis. The Vocation of the Journalist. By D. C. Banks. The Lighter Side of Hannah More. By Norman Pearson. The Individual versus The Crowd. By Sir Martin Conway. PALL MALL MAGAZINE. To The Artist: A Poem. By Eden Phillpotts. TEMPLE BAR. Honoré de Balzac: A Sketch. By Mary F. Sandars. Balzac by Himself: A New Translation of a Letter to Madame Hanska.  THE AUTHOR. WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ot ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (@ bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duetion forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for * office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IV. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author. Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. a WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. —_-——9 — EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. {t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. 263 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system. Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (i.¢., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (0.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced, 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative : that he rums a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. —___—_+-——+ ___—_ WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ae ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He  264 should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. —__—_——_-—>__+____——_ HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. —— + 1, VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2, Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the .experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4, Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers: —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. THE AUTHOR. TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ee HE Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble, Se THE READING BRANCH. ae EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience, The fee is one guinea, 7+ 7 NOTICES. Sg HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of I the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. Worckstee = 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. Cyerou Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. et The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do. not receive an answer to important communications within two days te write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. o> LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. a EENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this Society. Be Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance — Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.  THE AUTHOR. GENERAL NOTES. —— — T appears to be a growing habit for certain members of the Society of Authors to use the fact of their membership for purposes entirely «4c outside the scope of the Society’s work. A What the Society does and does not do is fully ~ set forth in the prospectus issued from the office, + and in various other ways from time to time in these pages. But as this misuse has raised some difficulties «and doubts in the minds of other members, it may mo be as well to state that membership of the Society ob does: not give any literary status, and certainly “0D does not give any sovial status. ; That because a man isa member, and can obtain the assistance of the Society as an author, his mem- bership does not necessarily constitute him either a capable literary agent or a capable publisher. That, if he happens to be either an agent or a publisher, the committee strongly deprecate this use of his position as member as a lever to raise his business in either of the above trades. That as far as the committee are able, they restrict his use of the Society’s machinery to the advancement of his interests and to the protection of his property as an author. It is hoped that this statement will be sufficient to lay to rest once and for all the doubts that have arisen. In the May Author an article was printed entitled “Why is an Agent?” The reason for printing it was stated in these columns. It has aroused con- siderable comment from members and others. To some of these we gladly give publicity. Personally, we think, and have often stated, that the agent is absolutely essential. He has done in the past, and will do in the future, excellent work for the profession, but we also have often stated that as the author is dealing on the most con- fidential terms with an agent, terms as confidential ds those that exist between solicitor and client, doctor and patient, so to a greater degree than in ordinary business must he beware that his confidence is not misplaced. We cannot even agree with the dictum of an agent—one of no mean standing—who stated recently that an agent could be of no use to an author until he had found himself. It is true that an author may not be profitable to an agent until he has found himself, but the agent from his full knowledge and his practical ability can be of the - greatest help to all those authors, famous or other- wise, whose talents are either naturally ill adapted for business, or whose temperaments revolt from business worries. 265 The advantages that are derived from the exist- ence of this middleman are too numerous to place the proposition in doubt, and the constant com- plaints are not sufficient to shake our steadfast belief in his powers. For complaints do not show that all agents are unnecessary, but merely that some agents are inefficient. Ture Canadian Magazine for May contains an amusing and cynical article by Stephen Leacock on “The Passing of the Poet.” He endeavours to draw the conclusion that the present lines on which the higher civilisation is run tend to destroy poetry and sentimentality. “It is pleasing to turn,” he says, “from this excessive sentimentality of thought and speech to the practical and concise diction of our time. We have learnt to express ourselves with equal force but greater simplicity. To illustrate this I have gathered from the poets of the earlier generation, and from the prose writers of to-day, parallel passages that may be fairly set in contrast. Here, for example, is a passage from the poet Gray, still familiar to scholars :— ‘Can storied urn or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath ; Can honour’s voice invoke the silent dust, Or flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of death ?’ ‘‘Precisely similar in thought, though different in form, is the more modern presentation found in Huxley’s ‘Physiology ’ :— ‘Whether after the moment of death the ventricles of the heart can be again set in movement by the artificial stimulus of oxygen, is a question to which we must impose a decided negative.’ ” This is excellent jesting. Please note the remark « gtill familiar to scholars.” We cannot, however, admit its truth. ‘Poeta nascitur non fit,” and will come to life again some day, however rapid our existence, however practical our methods. True poetry throughout the world’s history has gone through changing periods of life and death, and it cannot be supposed when the human race has advanced to what we are pleased in our present ironical mood to think is its very highest phase, that the genius of poetry has forsaken us never to return. me THE ANNUAL DINNER. —— HE annual dinner of the Incorporated Society of Authors was held on May 9th, at the Criterion Restaurant, instead of the Hotel Cecil, where it has taken place upon recent occasions. Sir Henry Bergne, K.C.M.G., Chairman of the Com- mittee of Management, presided, having upon his left hand as “the guest of the evening,” Lord Curzon of Kedleston. Altogether about two  266 hundred and fifty members and guests were resent, the latter including, besides Lord Curzon, M. Raoul de Saint Arroman, vice-president of the Société des Gens de Lettres ; Dr. G. R. Parkin, C.M.G.; M. Georges Pettillean, representative of the Société des Gens de Lettres in England ; The President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England ; The Right Hon. Sir Horace Rumbold, P.C., G.C.B., G.C.M.G. ; M. Pierre de Sales, member of the Committee of the Société des Gens de Lettres ; The Right Hon. Sir Charles Scott, G.C.B., and many others. After the Chairman had given the healths of “His Majesty the King,” and “ Her Majesty the Queen and Royal Family,” which were drunk with loyal enthusiasm, Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins proposed the toast of “Lord Curzon of Kedleston and Lady Curzon,” opening his speech with an expression of his regret, shared by all present, that Lady Curzon’s health had not permitted her to be present, and with a reference to the serious illness which, before Lady Curzon’s last return to India, had evoked such universal and hearty sympathy throughout the Empire. To Lord Curzon Mr. Hawkins referred as the guest of the society, but not a stranger to it, for he had long been a member, and had occupied a place upon the council. Dr. Johnson had said of Warren Hastings that it was a new thing to find a clerk in the India Office translating poetry —a new thing for a governor of Bengal to patronise learning. We might not compare ourselves with Dr. Johnson, but we might compare Lord Curzon with Warren Hastings. He had marked out for himself'a subject, and had written a most elaborate work, which made that subject his own for years to come. What he had written had foreshadowed what he was going to do, and what he had done was vindicated and illustrated by what he had written. Lord Curzon’s services to the Empire needed no words from him in order to commend the toast to the audience, but he himself from a personal point of view felt much indebted to the chairman for having invited him to propose it. His acquaintance with the high reputation of “Lord Curzon dated from his own first week at Oxford, when he heard him spoken of by all as the most promising undergraduate at the University. Lord Curzon was now resting, and if he were to enjoy a long rest it would be one earned by good work well done, but he predicted that it would not be long before their guest that evening would again be summoned to office, or to what was perhaps even more important—to the exercise of an influence even greater than office (loud cheers). On rising to reply to the toast of his health and that of Lady Curzon, Lord Curzon said that his THB AUTHOR. first word must be one of apology at the unfore- seen, but enforced absence of Lady Curzon, who had not recovered from a severe attack of influenza the first fruits of her return to the dubious ameni- ties of the British climate. He was glad to bea member of the Incorporated Society of Authors, a body of persons joined together in order to protect the fraits of their productive and creative faculties from the frand of the pirate, and the wiles of the oppressor. He did not know whether every- — one present was an author, but he believed himself to be right in assuming that the majority should be so described, and he felt almost appalled at the forces imprisoned beneath the apparently innocent surface of the gathering before him, and he also wondered what would happen if some man with a dynamite bomb secreted beneath the hall were to blow them all into the air (laughter). He had no doubt that there would be no appreciable difference in the intellectual and moral conditions of the race, for the present was an age of such extraordinary fertility of literary production that nearly every- body wrote, and the majority of them wrote remarkably well. He was glad to see that that observation received the endorsement of those present. It was a period of such marvellous versatility that were they all to be suddenly eliminated, a similar number, equally competent would arise to take their places, and the world would roll on tearless and unmoved. There never was a time when the literary faculty was more widely diffused, or when literary actors played so many parts. The president of their society, Mr. George Meredith, had given to the world the noblest prose and the noblest poetry. Mr. Swin- burne in the maturity of his intellect taught them how to write political pamphlets. Mr. Thomas Hardy seemed to have deserted the field of fiction in which he had won such unsurpassed distinction, and now gave to the world reflective and imagina- tive verse of a very high order. There was also the attractive writer who sat on his left (Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins), and who dramatised his own ad- mirable and romantic creations. Mr. Barrie had gone over almost entirely to the stage ; and lastly there was Mr. Rudyard Kipling who wrote every- thing exceedingly well, and who, to judge from his speech delivered a few evenings before at the banquet of the Royal Academy, could distance all competitors in public speaking, if he chose to adopt that as his profession. Referring to his own presence in the assembly of authors, Lord Curzon said that as Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins had remarked, he had written and published books, including that rashest of experi- ments a volume of speeches. He had also written, on one occasion, a book about India, which had 4 been illustrated and prepared for the press—it  THER AUTHOR. had even been printed, for, thanks to the kindly offices of the Incorporated Society of Authors, he had parted with his rights in it for a considerable sum—when just at that moment he became Viceroy of India, and upon his work, like the knife of the guillotine, fell tke fiat of Lord Salisbury, that no present or prospective Viceroy of India ought to do anything so improper as to bring out a book about the country he was about to govern. Asa result, his contract was torn up, his book was with- drawn, and to that day it had never appeared—one of the small, neglected, blessings of mankind. He had escaped from one other danger or com- pliment, as the case might be. All his books had been sold out before the era of the Z%imes book- sale, and he had therefore been spared the pang of seeing a work published at two guineas stand- ing on a bookshelf with a seductive label upon it, offering it to the public for the modest sum of eighteenpence ; indeed, he might count as one of the proudest moments of his literary life, an occasion when he had been compelled to buy for ten pounds, at a second-hand book shop, a work which had been originally published at the modest price of two pounds. Turning to the question of India and of native Indian literature, Lord Curzon observed that it was difficult to speak in general terms of litera- ture in connection with a country such as India, having a population of three hundred millions, of whom only about fourteen and a half million men and one million women could read and write at all, while of these, not more than one million men and one hundred thousand women could read and write the English language. This meant that literary development in India was circumscribed in area. He had himself, however, done what he could to encourage and to patronise literary effort in India, having as Governor-General opportunities for so doing, by conferring long and high-sounding titles, accompanied by artistic badges worn on the person—a power which he wished the chairman of the Society of Authors might enjoy in England. He regretted that the achievements of Indians writing in English should be regarded in England largely as matters of amusement, and that only the amusing eccentricities of what was known as Babu English should be cited as examples. These were quoted in newspapers and unfair inferences were drawn. He himself had indeed been addressed in a petition as “ Your Orpulent and Predominant Excellency,” and had wondered whether the intention of the petitioner would best be served by inserting a C. or by omitting an R. Another had written of himself with relation to the Viceroy, “as a baby waiting to receive his mother’s milk ” ; and yet another had compared himself and his request to “a peacock looking towards the sky to 267 quench his thirst.” It was, however, a style which at times might reflect a sly gift of humour, as upon the occasion when he had been out upon a shooting expedition, and the telegram had reached Caleutta “ Viceroy in camp, another Rajah killed.” To him, however, when he considered the differ- ence between the two languages, the noteworthy feature consisted not in the absurdity of the mis- takes, but in the brilliancy of the successes obtained. He found it difficult to explain the facility and the ability with which the educated natives of India acquired and spoke in this foreign tongue, for such English was to them, a facility and brilliancy which distinguished them in public speaking, where many would not lose by com- parison with eloquent members of the British Houses of Parliament, in pursuing the profession of barrister, and in presiding in the courts as judges. This facility, in his opinion, was greater in them than in any Anglo-Saxon race. It might not be widely diffused, but he would ask the Society of Authors to appreciate the fact that the English language was finding a bome in India, and that the educated people there were so eager in acquiring it, that the time might well come when an English literature would grow up in India, written by Indian writers, and an Incorporated Society of English Authors of Indian birth might hold its session in Calcutta. With regard to what Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins had said as to Dr. Johnson’s opinion of the clerk in the Indian office translating poetry, he would refer to the Govern- ment office as the official nursery of literature of high quality. The India office had given us Mill and Charles Lamb ; the Board of Education, Matthew Arnold; the Inland Revenue Office, W. M. Rossetti ; the Record Office, Mr. Maurice Hewlett ; the War Office, Mr. Frank Marzials ; the Post Office, Anthony Trollope and Mr. W. W. Jacobs. Indeed, it seemed to him that the Civil Service was in reality an Incorporated Society of Authors. In conclusion, he again thanked those present for their reception of the toast of Lady Curzon and himself. Sir Henry Bergne then proposed the toast of “The Society,” quoting at the outset the words of Mark Twain, when upon a similar occasion he proposed “ Literature,” saying, ‘I approach this toast with feelings of profound melancholy ; Shakespeare is dead—Milton is no more—I myself am feeling far from well.” He himself, he said, in the same way, but in a more chastened spirit, felt depressed on account of the duty imposed by custom upon him as chairman to propose the toast of a great literary society, although not him- self a distinguished author. Consolation, however, lay in the fact that the reply would be in the hands of one having every right and title to speak 268 to it.* Sir Henry Bergne hoped that here it would be recognised as a sign of saving grace that the toast had been so ordered as to preserve the proper relative positions of Man and Super-man. Man might propose the toast, Super-man would win approving glances from every bright eye in making the full and appropriate response. He recalled the passage : “| sometimes think that never blows so red The rose, as where some buried Czesar bled ; That every hyacinth the garden wears . Dropped in her lap from some once lovely head. And suggested that the annual festival of the Society might be regarded as a sacrificial rite, where, out of the agonies of distinguished authors and authoresses, or of undistinguished chairmen compelled to make speeches, there might some day rise the blossoms of a more perfect and glorious English literature. He would quote another verse from the same poem, so well known as to be almost hackneyed : ‘A book of verses underneath the bough, A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou Beside me singing in the wilderness. Oh | Wilderness were Paradise enow.” From this his hearers might appreciate Old Omar’s idea of the proper way to celebrate a festival, in contrast with those of the present day— a big dinner, followed by speeches in a hot room on a fine evening in May. “What a blessing,” Sir Henry ejaculated, “to live in an age of progress.” Turning to the affairs of the Society, he enlarged upon its continued prosperity. Its finances were in a sound condition, its numbers increasing, so that he hoped before long it would be able to count 2,000 members. On its list of members were to be found almost all the most distinguished names in contemporary English literature ; and not only so, but there could be reckoned among them many of high distinction, not only in letters, but in the greater field of the world’s action. Of such there could not be a more brilliant example than Lord Curzon, to whose eloquent and admirable speech those present had listened with so much pleasure. Two other names in this connection he would also mention, that of Major-General Baden-Powell, whose name not long ago resounded throughout the world, and that of Mr. Douglas Freshfield, who, in addition to great gifts as a writer, had shown his personal grit and determina- tion in difficult and dangerous feats of mountain exploration. In conclusion, the Chairman reminded the Society that its special work lay in securing for the author throughout the world due recognition * Mr. Bernard Shaw. THRE AUTHOR. of his right in his own intellectual property, and he claimed for the committee that it was their endeavour to tread humbly but steadfastly in the footsteps so firmly planted by their honoured founder, Sir Walter Besant. ‘“ Festina lente’ was sometimes a good motto, and it was his own conviction that by patient and persistent action on the part of the Society, the goal would surely in the end be reached. He gave accordingly the © toast of “ The Society,’’ coupled with the name of Mr. Bernard Shaw. | Mr. George Bernard Shaw said that in acknow- "edging the toast of The Society of Authors he was practically acknowledging the toast of the profes- sion of literaturein England. Thatprofession, asthe public saw it, had many aspects. It had the philo- sophic aspect that they who belonged to it were really the creators of the mind of the country. He did not know whether the country was aware of how largely it was dependent for its ideas on what it read. This creation of mind was the chief and great function of authorship, and it was the con- sciousness of that function which gave the pro- fession its dignity and themselves their self-respect and courage. No author who lacked that con- sciousness had either self-respect or courage. Then, they had another aspect of it, an aspect which presented itself that evening, the aspect of a brilliant, distinguished, flattered, and envied pro- fession. “But,” he went on to say, “‘there is a third aspect which we, as a Society of Authors, are never able to lose sight of. Literature is also, unfortu- nately, a sweated trade. That is one ofthe reasons for the existence of our Society. If we had literary property recognised to the fullest extent, we should still have almost all our work to do. “ Those of you who, like myself, have studied sweating as an industrial phenomenon, are aware that it occurs at its very worst in those trades where the employer, instead of having the work done in his own factory, gives it out to workers who do it in their own homes. You can get at the factory through your factory inspector and your Factory Acts, but you cannot get at the private home. Now this giving out of work to be done at home is the universal practice in our literary industry, and it results in such sweating that I have often said that the greatest service anyone could render to our profession would be the dis- covery of a method of writing books with the aid of a steam engine of several hundred horse-power, because that would lead to books being written in factories, where the unfortunate author would have the protection now enjoyed by the factory opera- tive. ‘There is another condition characteristic of the worst sweating, and that condition also, I am sorry a Se ae ivig pie a cite ie H } THE AUTHOR. to say, exists in our profession. I mean the com- petition of subsidized labour. You must have noticed how delicately Lord Curzon in his speech touched for a moment on the sore subject of the civil servant who, with a State-guaranteed income and pension at his back—an income to which, by the way,-the author as taxpayer has to contribute— fills up his spare time when public business is slack by reviewing and writing for the magazines. However, I do not complain of the competition of the civil servant. I suspect that his tendency is to raise prices rather than to lower them, because in his beanfed financial security he is able to make a compliment of writing, and to stand out for good terms with a bumptiousness which is beyond the daring of those of us who must take what is offered or starve. No, the really terrible competi- tion that we have to face is the subsidized compe- tition of the married woman. Many ladies, the wives of professional or city men, have a graceful talent for literature which they turn to account, not to save themselves from starvation, but to gain the special social consideration which comes with a little literary reputation, and to add a few luxuries and a certain profuseness of pocket money to a household already provided with necessities by the husband. Now if any of the ladies present are in this position, I cannot too earnestly implore them never to accept a cheque for a piece of literary work without asking themselves whether, if they were single women, with nothing but their pens between them and starvation, or worse still, widows with children depending on them, the sum would be sufficient to support them in reasonable decency during the time occupied by the work. In fact, reasonable decency is hardly sufficient : we poor authors are expected to keep up, not merely a respectable appearance, but a romantic one (assent and laughter). «Tam afraid that we authors are not always as clubbable—not as public spirited—not even as professionally spirited as we ought to be. We are often shamefully deficient in social conscience. You see, our profession does not bring us into daily collision with other people and other in- terests, as political and business occupations would. For instance, our distinguished guest, Lord Curzon, who has governed India and who has written books, could tell you that governing India is a very different thing from writing a book about India. As an author, he could shut himself up in his own study, invent an India solely to please his own imagination, invent its history, invent its politics, its philosophy, its religion, in short, invent a whole world without being pulled up by contact with a single real person or a single actual emergency. He might come out of his study, after dazzling literary and imaginative feats, an 269 ignorant, an unsocial, and consequently a most inconsiderate man. But ten days of governing India must either have killed him, or made him a man of the real world, with an instinctive habit of never acting or even thinking without reference to the opinions and welfare of millions of other men. That is the habit and that is the spirit which the Society of Authors is striving to foster and create in the relatively small circle of our profession. Av ithout union and collective action we are helpless. When we begin working, we are so poor and so busy that we have neither the time nor the means to defend ourselves against the commercial organisations which exploit us. When we become famous, we become famous sud- denly, passing at one bound from the state in which we are, as I have said, too poor to fight our own battles, to a state in which our time is so valuable that it is not worth our while wasting any of it on lawsuits and bad debts. We all, eminent and obscure alike, need the Authors’ Society. We all owe it a share of our time, our means, our influence. /It is of even greater service to those who never make any direct use of it than it is to — those unlucky members whose cases, have to be taken up and contested for them/by our | indefatigable secretary, Mr. Thring ; for it is just the knowledge that Mr, Thring is there, ready to pounce on the evildoer, that prevents cases arising. I am proud to say that the committee work of the Society is done, as it ought to be done, by men who, like our honoured chairman, Sir Henry Bergne, have nothing to fear for them- selves personally from the chicanery, the commer- cial oppression, and I am afraid I must even say, the contumely against which they are defending their less fortunate colleagues. And yet even eminent literary men seem still capable of astonish- ingly unprofessional conduct. Not long ago I received an application for an article at the not | unreasonable price of one hundred guineas. Need EY say that it came from America? I replied that I had not time to write it. The answer was that that did not matter at all: the article would be written for me: all that was wanted was my name. So you see, ladies and gentlemen, that many nameless members of our profession enjoy the privilege of writing brilliant and highly-priced articles, though the price does not go into their own pockets. However, that is not the point of my story. It happened that Mr. Thring at that moment commanded me, whether I had time or not, to write a review for our paper, Tur AUTHOR, of a book entitled ‘The Confessions of a Pub- lisher. I obeyed Mr. Thring meekly, as I always do ; and I did my best to make that publisher wish he had never been born; but I naturally felt aglow of professional virtue at having 80 nobly  270 devoted to my profession the time I might have spent in earning one hundred guineas. Fancy my feelings when an eminent man of letters, who is actually a member of the Society, took the opportunity to write a whole column in the Morning Post, making fun, not of the publisher, but of me and the Society of Authors. I have often wondered since what that eminent literary man did with the money that he got for that article. As it is a matter of public knowledge that he did not fling it at the feet of his editor and then go into the nearest field and hang him- self, and as I can assure you that he did not send it as a donation to the Society, I can only conclude that it never struck him that his action was in any way unprofessional. But what would have been said to a doctor, to a lawyer, to an officer in the army, or to a clergyman who should have behaved in that way? ‘That is the sort of thing we still have to fight against. The literary skill, the satire, the special pleading that belong in all honour to us are wantonly placed at the service of our commercial antagonists ; and beginners in literature are taught by the leaders whom they admire and imitate, that it is amusing, clever, and fashionable to sneer at the attempts of your own profession to organise itself as all other honourable professions are organised. “Organisation ought not to be difficult to us, because we have one great advantage over the other professions. We have the great advantage of being loved in our professional capacity. No man wants to see his doctor professionally, though he may delight in his company as a private man. Our lawyer is never welcome when his business is law. Our clergyman—but here I perceive I am getting into difficulties ; so let me hasten to make my real point, which is, that the public is always delighted to spend day after day in our company professionally, however soon private intercourse with us might pall. There is really no excuse for us if we remain only partially organised. We are a poor profession—many of our members are absent from this modest banquet quite simply because they cannot afford it—but there is no reason why we should not be a strong and united profession. You will excuse me, I am sure, for having devoted my speech with some seriousness to this issue, instead .of entertaining you in the lighter vein which is considered appropriate—I don’t know why—to after dinner oratory.” Major-General Baden-Powell, rising to propose the toast of the guests, said that early in the evening his neighbour, a lady, had asked him a pertinent question. She had inquired why he joined the Society. To this he had answered that he had once written a book, and had found that if he had only the financial success of his THE AUTHOR. literary ventures to depend upon it might be wise to establish a claim upon the pension fund. The finances of the Society were in good order, and he thought it might be able to afford him at least a small tombstone. He had tried writing another book, and had found, through joining the Society and after seeking the advice of its secretary, that there was brotherly sympathy between all in the profession of writing. He reminded those present who had had the pleasure of dining with the Sette of Odde Volumes, of the inquiry addressed by custom to each member in turn, “ Who are your guests to-night?” and “ For what reason did you ask them here ?” and pro- ceeding to refer to those present as guests, and to their claims to honour at the hands of the Society of Authors, he mentioned that one of them, M. Georges Petilleau, had nearly had written upon his tombstone that he tried to teach him (General Baden-Powell) French. He concluded by referring to the other distinguished guests present, to the representatives of the Société des Gens de J.ettres and to Dr. Parkin,—men whom the Society knew by their works, whom they desired to meet face to face and honour. M. Raoul de Saint Arroman, vice president of Société des Gens de Lettres replied as follows : ‘“‘Monsieur le Président, Mesdames, Messieurs: J’ai pour premier devoir de vous exprimer les vifs regrets du président de la Société des gens de lettres, Monsieur Victor Margueritte, que des obligations impérieuses retiennent 4 Paris. Il m’a confié la mission a la fois trés agréable et trés lourde de le représenter & ce magnifique et con- fraternel banquet, ou l’autorité de son talent et le charme de sa parole lui eussent conquis, j’en suis certain, toutes les sympathies. “Tl regrettera d’autant plus de n’y avoir point assisté que, fils d’un général héroique de Parmée francaise, il était beaucoup mieux qualifié que moi pour répondre au toast gracieux que vient de nous porter le major général Baden Powell, un des héros de Parmée anglaise. “Si je n’avais, tout pres de moi, mon ami le romancier Pierre de Sales, qui me contait ce matin sa joie de se retrouver 4 Londres ou il passa quel- ques mois de son adolescence et ou il etit le bonheur d’apprendre votre admirable langue, je serais bien plus confus de ne pas la savoir et de ne pouvoir répondre en anglais aux choses si éloquentes et si pleines d’humeur qui viennent d’étre dites. J’ai pour excuse, qu’au temps déja lointain de ma jeunesse, nous ne nous souciions que trés peu de Pétude des langues vivantes. Cela a changé depuis, fort heureusement. En tout cas, si je ne sais pas anglais, je ne l’admire pas moins. Je professe pour votre langue une admiration profonde parce qu’elle constitue un systéme complet de pensée et  THE AUTHOR. Wexpression, qu’elle resserre les formes de la parole et qu’elle est une langue d'action bréve et signi- ficative. Elle va droit, vite et loin. Tout ce qui n’est pas indispensable, vous ne vous en embarrassez pas ; vous le supprimez purement et simplement et est merveille de vous voir sous entendre une foule de choses. Seuls, parmi les grands peuples de VEurope, vous osez vous affranchir de l’usage encombrant des terminaisons du verbe. «(est ainsi que vous avez créé une langue quasi- monosyllabique, originale, en un mot pratique et positive comme le peuple anglais lui méme. “Ft c’est avec une maitrise admirable que se servent de cet incomparable instrument vos écrivains, poétes, romanciers, dramaturges que nous lisons assidiiment et dont nous aimons les géncreux, puissants et délicats talents. “ Mais si j’ai le chagrin de ne pas savoir l’anglais, jai du moins la satisfaction de voir autour de mot se développer l’amour de cette langue et j’ai le droit de vous assurer que la jeunesse francaise Vétudie assez énergiquement pour espérer qu'un jour viendra ot elle parlera anglais aussi correcte- ment que la jeunesse anglaise parle le francais. Et ce ne sera pas l’une des moindres garanties de la pérennité d’une entente cordiale que les événements se plaisent 4 rendre de plus en plus parfaite. “ Je ne pense pas altérer la yérité en constatant que cette entente, dont nos deux nations se sont réjouies, présentait a /’origine un caractére surtout politique et commercial. Laissez-moi souhaiter qu’elle s’étende aux questions littéraires et artisti- ques qui méritent, elles aussi, toute notre sollicitude. D’ailleurs serions-nous trop audacieux en nous en attribuant les prémisses ? Et ne nous est-il pas permis de supposer que nous en avons, nous gens de lettres des deux cétés du détroit, jeté les bases, lorsque, en septembre 1893—et si je commets une erreur de date, mon compatriote et confrére Georges Petilleau rectifiera, puisqu’il était mélé A cette manifestation—vous avez accueilli et fété un groupe de littérateurs de France, dont notamment Emile Zola, Aurélien Scholl et Francis Magnard faisaient partie ? “Nous ne Pavons pas oublié. Aussi bien le monde des lettres de France a-t-il vu avec une extréme satisfaction renaitre, se développer et s’affermir nos communes sympathies. “ Permettez-moi donc de souhaiter que cette ére nouvelle, si féconde pour nos deux grands pays en résultats politiques et économiques nous conduise 4 une solidarité nécessaire pour la protection de nos communs intéréts artistiques et littéraires. “Tl semble qu’ un jour donné, plus ou moins prochain, des questions comme celle du copy-right et du domaine public pourraient tenter votre esprit. Ne serait-il point fort intéressant, en effet, d’examiner, par exemple, s'il ne serait pas équit- 271, able que la propriété d'une ceuvre ne s’éteignit plus 42 ans aprés la date de la publication ? alors qu’en France elle ne s’éteint que 50 ans aprés la mort de Vauteur, | Cette question importante mérite, je crois, d’étre soumise aux délibérations de votre illustre compagnie ov j’ai le plaisir de rencontrer, comme secrétaire, l’avoué honoraire de la Société des gens de lettres de France, M. Georges Herbert Thring, que je saisis occasion de remercier ici de ses bons offices. “ Monsieur le Président, Mesdames, Messieurs, en terminant je puis vous assurer que je rapporterai fidilement I’écho de l’inoubliable accueil que vous avez réservé aux représentants de la société des gens de lettres. “(est de tout mon coeur que jen remercie la société des auteurs anglais en exprimant le voeu tres ardent que nos relations se multiplient et quils nous rendent bientot a Paris la visite que nous avons été si honorés de leur faire A Londres.” M. Pierre Sales, speaking in English, expressed his warm satisfaction at revisiting England, where he had at one time resided, and where he had then had the opportunity of acquiring the English language. In the study of each other’s literature the two countries had a bond of union which would increase in strength with the wider cultiva- tion by each of the knowledge of its neighbour’s language, and would form a lasting tie between them. He expressed his pleasure at the reception accorded to those representing the Société des Gens de Lettres by the members of the Incor- porated Society of Authors, and in graceful terms thanked those present for the enthusiastic manner in which the toast of the guests, coupled with the names of himself and his colleagues had been received. Dr. Parkin, also replying on behalf of the guests, expressed his great pleasure in being present as one of them, and in being one of those asked to respond for them. Unable to reflect. the senti- ments of all, he desired to confine himself to his own special point of view with regard to the Society of Authors and its work. Dr. Parkin said: “It gives me great pleasure to be here this evening as the guest of the Authors’ Society, and I consider it a great honour to be one of those asked to respond, on behalf of the guests, to the toast so gracefully proposed by General Baden-Powell, and so cordially received by this large gathering. It would be quite impossible for me, in replying, to reflect the sentiments of all the distinguished visitors whom your Chairman has mentioned as present here this evening, 80 perhaps I shall be wise if I do not even make the attempt, but confine the few words I have to say to my own special point of view in regard to the Society of Authors and their work.  272 “Tt has been my business to study, in many parts of the world, the forces which have held this great Empire of ours together in the past, and are likely to hold it together in the future. Amongst the strongest of these, if not the very strongest, is, [ am convinced, our common literature—that literature which it is your daily task to create. I need not speak of what the verse of Shakespeare, Milton or Spenser, the prose of Bacon and others, has meant in the growth of our English nation- ality. As our race has spread to the remote corners of the world, a common language and common study of the best work of our greatest minds has constantly held us firmly linked to- gether in thought, in spite of distance. And so through all the centuries since those earlier times down to these days, this country has been inter- preted to her children abroad by the work of her authors. And if Shakespeare reflected the spirit that made England great in his own time, when he said :— ‘ Come the three corners of the world in arms And we shall shock them—nought can make us rue, If England to herself do rest but true,’ So our latest great poet, Kipling, has equally interpreted—one may say crystallized—far better than all the politicians can do, the true relation of the great colonies of the Empire to the Mother- land when he describes Canada as ‘ A daughter in her mother’s house, But mistress in her own.’ “The future which our English literature has before it in thus interpreting each part of the Empire to all the others is immense. In verse and prose, in history and fiction, every side of English life is studied by your offspring abroad. Gradually, as a literature grows up in the colonies, they will be equally understood here. This is a part of your work as authors, and it is a binding force which I trust much more than the work of politicians, which sometimes seems to me to tend more to disruption than to union of sympathy or of national life. ““T cannot but think, too, that the growth of a great reading public on the distant continents where the English language prevails, offers the greatest hope that English authors have of ultimately securing the fullest material reward for their work, and the widest range of influence for their thought. The conditions of securing for the author this constantly expanding market are not what they should be, as you well know, and no doubt it is a considerable part of your work as a society to endeavour gradually to improve these conditions, by securing better copyright laws and by other means, which bring the author and the reader together on fair terms. THE AUTHOR. “But I know of few considerations that should be a higher inspiration to you than the conscious- ness that you are influencing the springs of national life. On Canadian prairies, in the Australian bush, and on the veldt of South Africa, what you write is shaping the thought of our race. It is with a deep sense of the dignity and importance of your work, and of its far-reaching national character, that we, who are your guests, acknowledge the honour you have done us in asking us here to-night. I have to thank you most warmly for the way in which this toast has been received.” In proposing the health of “ The Chairman,” Mr. Oscar Browning referred to the work of the society in connection with Canadian copyright, and to the need for its efforts. He concluded a humorous speech with an eloquent recognition of the work on behalf of the society done by Sir Henry Bergne, whose health, he proposed. After Sir Henry Bergne had replied, thanking those present for the manner in which the toast of his health had been received, the guests rose, and the customary adjournment to coffee and a “‘conversazione” in the adjoining room brought to an end the annual dinner of 1906. ee SOME PROVINCIAL LITERARY SOCIETIES. —— + RROGANCE is. an offence against perfect A virtue of which the average man is not greatly ashamed of being accused. It is not contemptible like vanity, nor odious like con- ceit. The accusation, indeed, is almost tantamount to an acknowledgment of his possession of other qualities generally conceded to be desirable, or at any rate useful, and he meets it with half-hearted deprecation rather than with indignant denial. Arrogance is most common in the intellectual domain. After all, publication of the written word does establish a primd facie case for its writer’s qualification to theorise or dogmatise, and it would be counsel of perfection to suggest that a journalist should proclaim that he was not in reality an authority on the subject of his own copy. Journalists being a numerous folk in London, arrogance very likely is a salient charac- teristic of the metropolitan press ; it is said to be by a good many thinking people who live else- where, and their charge may well make the subject of a desultory enquiry into the strength of its foundation. A country parson, paying a brief visit to town lately, declared that London journalists had a great deal to Jearn from their provincial brothers; he maintained that the art of writing leading articles was a lost art in the  THRE AUTHOR. capital, and that the high value of that feature of a newspaper was not perceived by Londoners ; but it was against the writers of the “ literary pages” of the daily papers in town that his ire was roused in particular. He declared that their arrogance was unjustifiable and intolerable, and that more solid information, more attractively presented, was given in the reports of the proceedings of provincial literary and debating societies than is given in all the London literary papers put together. The remark was suggestive and we have since looked with interest at these reports, or at such of them as we have had an opportunity of collecting, with a wish to find out what sort of literary matters engaged the attention of dwellers in provincial towns and country villages. It is satisfactory to observe the general diffusion of intellectual activity. No township seems to be too small to harbour a literary and debating society, and the secretaries’ reports of the attend- ance at the meetings prove that the societies fill areal want. It is unfortunate that our attention has been directed to the matter at the close of the winter session, for the concluding meetings seem to be generally devoted to frivolous amusement, or at any rate, to informal debates on matters not literary. Thus at Bacup and some other places the breach of promise action in Pickwick was played ; at Croydon recitations and songs sup- planted essays; at Clapton a mock parliament assembled ; at Doncaster a mock election was held ; and at Carnbee a cinematograph was operated. At Prestwick a debate was held to discuss the question whether Scotsmen of to-day are better than Scotsmen of a century ago, the meeting deciding that intellectually they were, although physically they had degenerated. At Motherwell the relations of landlord and tenant were debated ; Bournemouth discussed commercial morality, which it decided showed no tendency to decline, and on another occasion debated the taxation of land values. At Enfield high finance was con- sidered, one member of the society presenting ‘an ideal budget,” which deserves the consideration of many more people than have yet had an oppor- tunity of studying it. Kelso discussed socialism ; Lymington taxation of ground values ; Kenilworth home rule for Ireland; Alvechurch vegetarianism, which it preferred to animal food; Amble the feeding by the State of underfed school-children ; Savoch of Deer character and talent, a majority thinking that the latter was more desirable than the former ; Grimsby the reasons why the man in the street does not become the man in the church. From the reports of all these debates it is manifest that they are made the reason for careful study of the questions at issue, and that their primary purpose is to acquire and diffuse 273 information, practice in oratory being regarded as subsidiary. Lectures on travel and papers on topographical interest are another frequent feature of the pro- vincial literary societies. At Perth, Canon Cooke compared the condition of Alsace-Lorraine before and after the war of 1870 ; Twrgwyn mentally took a tour in North Wales, and papers were read on the literature and romance of Yarrow at Selkirk, on “the mill stream” at Cardiff—a particularly interesting essay following the course ofa particular stream and describing its beauties, with views, and its service to man; on a trip to the Rhine at Ballinling, on the Ober-Ammergau Passion Play of 1900 at Norwood, on the scientific results of Nansen’s arctic expedition at Rochdale, on a journey to the Southern Pacific across the Andes at Lenzie, and on a trip to Bruges at Chatham. Natural history provides another favourite subject for attention ; the instincts of insects were con- sidered at Cowdenbeath, the migration of birds at Penrith, Nature’s protection of insect life at High- gate, animals of bygone days at Cullen, spiders at Highbury, and microbes at Fochabers. Sometimes a literary interest is grafted on to subjects of this sort: ‘the skylark in poetry” formed the subject of a good essay at Manchester, and “a bird evening” of another at Southport. A collection of syllabuses of these provincial societies would be invaluable to many aliterary journalist at a loss for subjects, and an extraordinary range of interests is covered by them. It is impossible to form an accurate judgment of the quality of the papers from some of the reports, but where they are of any considerable length they prove that the men and women who are responsible for them are people of the highest cultivation and generally of trained literary critical ability. We have read with the greatest possible interest and appreciation summaries of essays on Madame de Sevigné, read at Manchester ; «‘ Browning’s Jews ” at Hampstead ; “ Oliver Goldsmith” at Peterhead —an excellent and delightful paper by Dr. Smith ; ‘Women of the Sagas” at Kirkwall ; « Joseph Addison” at Lisburn; ‘ Schiller’s Wallenstein Dramas” at Burnley, “ Ruskin the Seer’ at Coventry, and “ Merejskowsky » at Hull. And it is pertinent to this article to point out that in all these cases the essays are written and read by local people, and are not lectures delivered by lecturers who make this kind of thing their business, and who are engaged by committees through lecture agencies. Among the hundreds of reports which we have read, we have only found four which summarise papers not written in the town at which they were read by the townsman who wrote them ; these four being a lecture on the relation of true bookmen to their books, delivered by Ian Maclaren  274 at Kingston, in Surrey; on “ Literary Life behind the Scenes,” delivered by Coulson Kernahan at Birmingham and at Bangor ; and on “ The Wrong Word,” by E. W. Hornung, at Norwood. The rest are the work of men whose names are not generally known in Fleet Street, and if some Fleet Street men of our acquaintance could read them their arrogance would be diminished. We cannot single out any one for quotation, but it is a pleasure and a benefit to read so thoughtful an essay as that read at Darwen by the local librarian, Mr. J. Pomfret, on “The Modern Novel.” It shows that “ pro- vincialism ” is a state, having nothing to do with the fact that the man who betrays it lives in the provinces ; there is nothing provincial about Mr. Pomfret ; he takes the large view of literature. And that is the arresting thing about these pro- vincial literary and debating societies. _Whenthey turn their attention to literature they show that the grace of God moves them; they take the high standpoint and survey the wide realm with eyes that see and are not dimmed by the shadow of self which, it would seem, always falls between the pro- fessional author and his work. They approach their self-appointed task as a labour of love into which no element of professionalism or thought of gain enters. Perhaps this is why the resultant essays are of such good quality. We acknowledge that our own eyes have been opened by the inquiry on which a chance conversation sent us roaming. Henceforward we have nothing but respect for the smallest village literary society, of which we have probably thought until to-day with a tolerant kindliness born in reality of unjustifiable arrogance. V. E. M. ee ee ge A GUIDE FOR AUTHORS.* ee gg ae HERE have been many guides for authors, good, bad and indifferent—for the most part indifferent. It is doubtful whether authors in general pay much attention to these well-meant efforts. Indeed, it is possible that some might be deterred from any attempt at authorship were they compelled before embarking on a novel to read carefully through some such work as that which lies before us. “The King’s English ” is more serious than most of its fellows. Its aim is primarily to instruct: it mingles amusement with its instruction accidentally rather than of set purpose, as befits a work issued from Oxford and the Clarendon Press. Former books in a similar vein have dealt with authorship in a more desultory fashion, not without an eye to the delectation of the general reader. They have * “The King’s English.” Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906 THE AUTHOR. given humorous advice as to the handling of editors, as to the best modes of dealing with a publisher, as to success (from the popular stand- point) in the field of literature. The anonymous authors of this work despise such extraneous topics : their subject is our noble language, and to that subject they adhere faithfully for some three hundred and sixty closely-printed pages. They attack it from a scientific point of view, and carry out their scheme with commendable thorough- ness, and with many selections from our most admired authors, illustrating literary crimes of every degree of magnitude. Writers of every grade, from the highest to the lowest, are pilloried in these remorseless pages. Thus, while the manual deters the ignorant by the severity of its. criticism, it affords some sort of salve by the number and importance of the authors whom it rebukes. “ After all,” we can imagine the careless or uneducated aspirant saying, “ why should we be at such pains to write correctly when Thackeray and Dickens, George Borrow and Anthony Trollope, so often failed to obey the fundamental rules of syntax.” And certainly some of these great men made surprising lapses on occasion. Seriously, however, this is a book that does most thoroughly deserve to be studied by every- one—man, woman or child—who aims at good writing. We should like to see it adopted as a text-book by the profession. An examination, at any rate on the first part, might well be a com- pulsory step in the career of every journalist and author. As things stand, it is notorious (to quote from the preface) that English writers seldom look into a grammar or composition book. Even in our schools, English is rarely taught, except inci- dentally. The anxious student commonly acquires his knowledge of the language as best he can, by the analogy of Latin (which he probably does learn grammatically) and by the reading of the English classics. It is difficult to understand why he should be expected to acquire a thorough know- ledge of a difficult subject in this haphazard fashion. Is it because the masters themselves— horrid thought !—are afraid to venture into the unknown country? The first part of this book, and especially the chapters dealing with syntax and punctuation, we make bold to recommend to such schoolmasters as take what is called by courtesy ‘‘an English form.” To authors and journalists “The King’s English” should be invaluable —if they would only condescend to study it with the care it deserves. It is tolerably certain, however, that those who most need the information it contains will be those who imagine themselves far beyond instruction in so simple a matter as the writing of their own language. KE. L. W.  THE AUTHOR. THE DINNER OF THE ROYAL LITERARY FUND. —— + PYNHE Dinner of the Royal Literary Fund was held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole, on May 10th. Mr. Whitelaw Reid, the United States Ambassador, presided, and there was a distinguished company present. After the usual loyal toasts the Chairman pro- posed, “ Prosperity to the Literary Fund.” Dealing with provision in America to meet the same purpose, he had to confess that, however well the experiment had worked in England, no provision was made in the United States—in Franklin’s own country—for broken-down men of letters. Better provision was made for broken-down bricklayers. As for what they did for those men of letters who were not broken down, those to whom they were only in debt, perhaps the less said the better. The first time he ever had the honour to meet the late Mr. Gladstone, he asked him among various other questions, “What does your Republic do to reward distinguished public services from private citizens ?” to which he was compelled to answer, “There are only three things we can do. If they live at the North we can invite them to lecture. If they live at the South we can call them Colonel or General. Wherever they live, in the North or the South, if they can get votes enough, we can send them to Congress and let them take the consequences.” After passing some comments on the literatures of England and the United States the chairman made an eloquent appeal for support for the Fund. The Bishop of Bristol then proposed “ Literature,” and Mr. Sidney Lee made a characteristic speech in response, laying especial stress upon the neglect of education in English literature in the great public schools and universities, and he recommended the suggestion to Mr. Birrell, as he considered a Bill to remedy this evil would receive—what Education Bills do not usually receive—universal approval. Mr. J. ©. Parkinson, Treasurer and Vice- President, announced that the total sum received was £1400. The health of “The Chairman” was drunk and the proceedings terminated. —_——_——___+—__2+—___—__ CONGRESS OF 1906 OF THE INTER- NATIONAL LITERARY AND ARTISTIC ASSOCIATION. —1- HE next congress of the International Literary and Artistic Association will be held at Bucharest from the 20th to the 25th September, on the occasion of the National 275 Exhibition, which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the coronation of the King of Roumania. This congress will be of particular interest, and it is hoped that it may result in the adhesion of the kingdom of Roumania to the Berne Convention, to facilitate which the Roumanian Parliament has already modified the laws respecting Roumanian copyright. For members of the Congress a very considerable reduction of railway fares has been already secured, and further concessions are anticipated. ee ee CORRESPONDENCE. eS Wuy Is AN AGENT? ibe Sir,—With reference to the article in the May number of Zhe Author, “ Why is an Agent ?” may I venture to remark that the great need for an agent, to my mind, appears to arise from the difficulty of collecting the sums due for accepted stories, articles etc. These are usually paid for after publication, and unless application be made for the money it is in many cases not sent ; yet it is often impossible for an author to keep watch in all the papers and magazines to which he may have sent his work. If any of your readers can suggest a means by which this could be satisfactorily managed without the help of an agent, I think the suggestion would be useful to many. HE. H. G. 2 ee dl: Sir,—The truly humorous (and inaccurate) article on literary agents in your May number, signed «T,, J. V.,” merits serious consideration in only one respect—where it gives publicity to the following libel :— “Moreover, if an author thinks at all, he is bound to wonder how much of the publisher’s cheque the agent really retains as his proportion. For the author is invariably kept in the dark, or almost invariably. The publisher sends his cheque to the agent, who returns the receipt over his own signature, and deposits the cheque to his own account. Some six months later the importunate author gets the agent’s personal cheque—if he has been importunate enough.” The implication is abominable, and without a shadow of foundation so far as it is applied to any agent at present in business with whose methods I am acquainted; that it is equally so with refer- ence to the majority, I have little doubt would be testified by any reputable author who is familiar with the methods of the leading agents. Perhaps your correspondent may not realise that, as with authors, there are also two kinds of  276 agents, those who are worth while, and those who are not. Agents who are worth while can hardly afford to spend much time over authors who are not. Whether or not that may have been the reason for “L.J. Vs” fund of inexperience with the methods of the worth-while agent I of course cannot say, but I recommend the idea for him to meditate upon. An AGENT. —_—— + III. Sir,—I feel that perhaps it is due to those of my fellow authors who have placed their feet on a rung or two of the literary ladder, to tell them my experience with regard to “‘ Agents.” I have had experience with one high-class agent. I received all courtesy, kindness, and encourage- ment, and any small cheques due to me were punctually paid. Yet the fact remains that the agent never once placed any of my work except where I myself in one way or another had made the preliminary opening. Not only so, but gradually short stories and other manuscripts were returned to me, and some work that needed rather special experience amongst publishers was declined. Gradually I have gone on by myself, with the’ result that I have placed nearly every short story I have written, also a couple of young people’s stories, one of which the agent would not touch at all, and the other he returned after vain efforts to place. Also a small shilling book found a publisher, not counting two previous novels for which I found the publisher, and the agent made the arrangements. Another point is that when a story goes through an agent the author has no means of revising, and no means of meeting the wishes of editors and publishers as to length, &c. Since I have worked direct with publishers and editors I have learned much as to what they want. I quite admit that possibly an agent will get better prices in the long run, but my own experience goes directly to prove that for an author to get a footing amongst the publishing houses it is best to communicate direct. I live a long distance from London, but I am con- vinced that it is better to pay travelling expenses now and again than agent’s fees.—Faithfully yours, Aw AutHor or THREE NovELS, CHILDREN’S TALES, AND TWELVE SHORT STORIES. ——1—> + — TYPEWRITERS. Str,—There must be many members of the society who, like myself, are in the habit of typing their own work and whose machines from time to time require to be cleaned or to receive some small repairs. May I, through the columns of The Author, inquire whether any such member THER AUTHOR. can furnish me with the address of a competent person who may be trusted with the healing of a typewriter and whose charges are not exorbitant ? The need for such a person’s services is so manifest that I cannot help believing he must exist. Some years ago my machine developed a habit of misprinting certain letters. I carried it to the London office of the makers and it was declared to want cleaning. It was retained for about a fort- night; a charge of sixteen shillings was made ; and its evil ways, though somewhat checked, were not cured. A few months later, at a holiday season, when I was away from town, the disease became acute; a small spring broke and an important letter was paralysed. I took the dis- abled machine to a local watchmaker of repute. He put in four new springs—three others being feeble—and incidentally cleaned the machine throughout. These operations he performed within twenty-four hours, and his charge, fixed by himself as a fair price for the time and skill expended, was eight shillings. Also my machine was completely cured and continued to work well during a prolonged existence. The successor of that first machine is now beginning to suffer from the same infirmity and I should be glad to put it into the hands of some one who would treat it as successfully as the local watchmaker treated its predecessor, but who does not, like that friend in need, dwell fifty miles away from London. Yours faithfully, C. B. ToTEMS FoR AUTHORS. Srr,—Replying to the little note by Mr. Howard Collins in last month’s issue, I may say that I quite appreciate his point. Yet I am afraid that even a signature would prove an unsatisfactory totem, as the only difference protectable between men posses- sing the same name would be the difference of appearance in their signatures, and this difference would not be so readily appreciated by the general public as to make the ‘“‘signature” the best of totems. For instance, take the two Churchills— B. Winston Churchill and 8. Winston Churchill— merely to distinguish by their different initials and the manner in which they signed their names would be a greater task to the memory, than if each printed a small distinctive design beside his name upon the covers of his books. Also, if two men possessing the same name had the unhappy faculty of signing somewhat alike, I imagine it would be impossible to force either to change his style, whereas the copyright office would see to it that no person imitated a registered design such as I advocate. I am, dear sir, yours faithfully. Wiit1am Hope Hopeson. 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. 16 Issue 09 (June 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 09 (June 1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-06-01-The-Author-16-9 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/518/1906-07-01-The-Author-16-10.pdf 4a1b37c3e37c5264c222df0f6c97fd95 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) 1906-07-01 Volume 16 Issue 10 Pages Page range in volume 277–292 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060701 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Muthor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. Monthly.) FOUNDED BY SIR WALTER BESANT. Voi. XVI.—No. 10. JULY 1sT, 1906. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER : 374 VICTORIA. ‘TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS : AUTORIDAD, LONDON. +—}_»—____ NOTICES. + EMBERS are reminded that Te Author is not published in August or September, only ten numbers being issued annually. The next number will appear in October. For the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are respon- sible. None of the papers or paragraphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Com- mittee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of 7he Author that the cases which are from time to time quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. 1 List of Members. THE List of Members of the Society of Authors published October, 1902, at the price of 6d., and the elections from October, 1902, to July, 1903, as a supplemental list, at the price of 2d., can now be obtained at the offices of the Society. They will be sold to members or associates of the Society only. All further elections have been chronicled from month to month in these pages. Vou. XVI. THE PENSION FUND OF THE SOCIETY. —-~>— The Committee’s Decision, 1906. HE Trustees of the Pension Fund of the iE Society have reported to the Pension Fund Committee that there are sufficient funds to enable them to declare another small pension. The committee consider it is their best policy to allow the funds to accumulate for the present. They would, however, be glad to receive informa- tion, unofficially, from any member of the society of any urgent case within the member’s personal knowledge. Information of such cases, which should be as full as possible, should be sent to the Secretary, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and will receive the prompt and careful attention of the committee. ge gs Investments of the Fund. Tue Trustees of the Pension Fund met at the Society’s Offices, March 5th, 1906, and having gone carefully into the accounts of the fund, decided to invest a further sum. They have now pur- chased £200 Cape of Good Hope 3% per cent. Inscribed Stock, bringing the investments of the fund to the figures set out below. This is a statement of the actual stock ; the money value can be easily worked out at the current price of the market :— DOUROIS Oe One oc ce ieee ee £1000 0 0 local owis 3. ee. 500 0 0 Victorian Government 3 % Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ............... 29 19 11 WSE Wi0an 2.0 es ZOOL 9 8 London and North Western 3 % Deben- tite SEOCK 2.72550 200 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation imat 4.96 Certificates ....-:......... 2002.0 0 Cape of Good Hope 34% Inscribed SlOCK 2. 200 0 9 Motel: 22. £2,643 9 2  278 Subscriptions, 1906. £ gs. a March 7, Sinclair, Miss May 1.10 March 7, Forrest, G. W. 2 250 March 8, Simpson, W. J. 6 9 0 March 8, Browne, F. M. 0.2 4 April 12, Pryor, Francis 2 2 20 June 15, Cuming, E. W. D.. Ll 0 June 15, Skrine, Mrs. J. H. 010 O Donations, 1906. Jan. 2, Jacobs, W. W. : : a) Jan. 6, Wilkins, W. H. (Legacy) —50 0 6 Jan. 10, Middlemas, Commander A. C. 9 10 0 Feb. 5, Roe, Mrs. Harcourt : 730 ) 0 Feb. 5, Yeats, Jack B. : : --0 10 0 Feb. 12, White, Mrs. Caroline. . 0 10.0 Feb. 13, Bolton, Miss Anna ©0520 Feb. 28, Weyman, Stanley . : 2b 50 March 7, Hardy, Harold. . 7 0°10-.0 March 12, Harvey, Mrs. : : 2 0 0 March 27, Williams, Mrs. HE. L. . ~ ko 10 April 15, Caine, William. : ~ 1 L 0 April 15, Steel, Mrs. F. A. . : » 0-15. 0 June 12, Oliphant, Captain Blair . 7 8.0. 0 June 12, B.S. G. : : : . be 070 June 16, Behnke, Miss Kate E. . » 0 5. 0 June 28, G. W. Caldicott . : oi 10 —__—__—_>_+—___—_—_- COMMITTEE NOTES. —+~<> + HE meeting of the Pension Fund Committee was held on Monday, June 11th, at three o'clock, at the offices of the society. ‘The committee received and considered the report of the trustees of the fund. The committee’s decision is fully recorded on the first page of The Author under the heading of “The Pension Fund.” The attention of members is especially drawn to this statement. At four o’clock on the same afternoon the com- mittee of the society held its monthly meeting. It is satisfactory to report that the rate of election is still well maintained. Twenty-six members and associates were elected at the meeting, bringing the total for the current year up to124. This number is in advance of the elections at the corresponding period of last year. In last month’s Author mention was made of a case in the United States in which the society had obtained the opinion of an American counsel. The result of further negotiations between the parties was placed before the committee, who decided to leave the settlement in the hands of the THE AUTHOR. author concerned, though in the event of his inability to come to an arrangement they repeated their willingness, as decided at the former meet- ing, to assist the member in an action for the maintenance of his rights in the United States Courts. The case of infringement of copyright mentioned in the last issue of Zhe Author has now been settled. An umple apology has been made to the author, and the report of the settlement was placed before the committee. A complaint by a member of the society against a fellow member, with full details as set forth by both parties, was brought before the committee. After careful consideration, the committee decided that the complaint had not been substantiated and that the complainant should be informed of their decision. The next question referred to a dispute between a composer and a music publisher, in which the latter had neglected to take any notice of the letters sent him by the secretary and had refused to furnish the member with a proper state- ment of account. The committee decided to place the matter in the hands of the society’s solicitors and to issue a writ if necessary. The sale of books by The Times’ Book Club is being carefully con- sidered by the committee, but it is not desirable to make any statement on the subject at present. On another page of Zhe Author will be found a message of sympathy which has been forwarded through the British Foreign Office to the Norwegian Government on the occasion of the death of Dr. Henrik Ibsen. The secretary reported that he had that morning received a copy of the United States Copyright Bill which is going before the Senate. It’ is ciren- lated to all the members as a supplement to this month’s issue. eee i Cases. Tue secretary has dealt with a since the appearance of the list in the June num- ber of Zhe Author. One of these has been trans- ferred to the society’s solicitors, with the sanction of the committee. This case is mentioned in the Committee Notes. The next case is one of accounts, and it is hoped that the publishers will forward these in due course. There are six cases in which the secretary has had to apply for money. Two of these have already terminated successfully, the money having been paid. One of the remaining cases deals with a claim against an American publisher, and cannot, in consequence, be settled for some little time, and another deals with a paper in bankruptcy. Any action taken by the society in this case would be of no avail. In the other two cases a settlement .  \ on the question of agents. Allen, H. Warner will, no doubt, be arrived at before the issue of the next number of Zhe Author. There are three matters dealing with agents’ accounts, all of which are in course of negotiation. There is no need to say anything more at present The matter has been fully discussed in the last few numbers. Two other cases refer to the interpretation and settle- ment of agreements. One case is in the course of satisfactory negotiation, and the other case the committee have decided to take in hand if the publisher does not accept the offer made by the author with a view to settlement. There is one case remaining which deals with the question of the right to a pseudonym. It may be remembered that a case of a similar kind occurred some time ago, in which the society took counsel’s opinion. The former was satisfactorily settled, and no doubt a similar result will be effected in the present instance. —+~+ June Elections. Woodside, Purbrook, Cosham, Hants. Behnke, Miss Kate Emil. 18, Earl’s Court Square, 5. W. Benson, The Rev. Robert Catholic Rectory, Hugh Cambridge. THE AUTHOR. Letts, Miss Winifred M. . Lawson, T. Robb MacGillivray, E. J. Quetteville, The Rey. Philip W. de Rentoul, Robert Reid, M.D. Skrine, Mrs. John H. Stopford, Francis Powys . Terry, R. R. 279 4, Glendart Avenue, Blackrock, County Dublin. 90, Delaware Mansions, Elgin Avenue, W. Temple Gardens, E.C. Cote-du-Nord, Trinity, Jersey. 78, Hartington Road, Liverpool. Itchen Stoke, ford, Hants. 51, Clarendon Road, W. Cathedral Clergy House, Francis Street, Westminster, S.W. 2 os Alres- Towgood, Miss Edith 42, Drayton Court, Ethel Drayton Gardens, S.W. Wilkinson, David 103, Beckwith Street, sirkenhead, Cheshire. _¢-—<>—_e —_____—_ BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. Boynton, Major Walter Brandon, D. Chadburn, Mrs. Clarke, Lieut.-Col. J. A. Cuming, E. W.D. . Donkin, Charles, M.D. Goldacker, Miss Dagmar- yon. Grant, Mrs. Forsyth Horne, A. B. . Horridge, Frank . Hudson, H. Lindsay James, Miss Winifred Johnson, Matt. G. . Bramley Hill, Croy- don. 2edfields, Crookham, Hants. Braziers, Chipperfield, King’s Langley, Herts. Bailey’s Hotel, Glouces- ter Road, S.W. Pembroke Road, Kensington, W. St. Laurence, Bexley, Kent. 24, Porchester Gardens, Bayswater, W. Northumberland Terrace, Edinburgh. 15, Buckingham Gate, o.W: c/o London and West- minster Bank, Loth- bury, H.C. Claremont Villa, Spire Hollin, Glossop, Derbyshire. Lyceum Club, Picca- dilly, W. Thorpe Grange, Barnard Castle. 20 ? 43, + (In the following list we do not propose to give more than the titles, prices, publishers, etc., of the books enumerated, with, in special cases, such particulars as may serve to explain the scope and purpose of the work. Members are requested to forward information which will enable the Editor to supply particulars. ) ARCH Z OLOGY. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE. 104x 7}. 280 pp. RESEARCHES IN SINAI. With Chapters. By C. T. CUNELLY. Murray. 21s, n. STONEHENGE AND OTHER BRITISH STONE MONUMENTS. Astronomically considered by SIR NorMAN LOCKYER, K.C.B., F.B.S. 9} x 64. 340 pp. Macmillan. 10s, n. BIOGRAPHY. PORTRAITS AND JEWELS OF MARY STUART. 3y ANDREW Lang. 104 x 64. 107 pp. MacLehose. 8s. 6d. n. THE LIFE OF OSCAR WILDE. By ROBERT HARBOROUGH SHERARD. 9 x 5%. 470 pp. Werner Laurie, 12s. 6d. n. BOOKS OF REFERENCE. Tue STATESMAN’S YEAR BOOK, 1906, Edited by J, Scort KELTIE, LL.D., with the assistance of F. P. A. REN- wick, M.A., LL.B. Forty-third annual publication. 7 x 43. 1,604 pp. Macmillan, 10s. 6d. n. CLASSICAL. From Epictetus and By W. H. D. Rouse, Litt. D. Methuen, 33s. 6d. n. Worpbs OF THE ANCIENT WISE. Marcus 6% x 44. Aurelius. 366 pp.  280 EDUCATIONAL. A Juniorn ARITHMETIC. By C, PENDLEBURY and F. E. RoBINSON. 7x 43. 204 pp. Bell. 1s. 6d. ENGINEERING, ELECTRICITY IN HoMES AND WORKSHOPS: A Practical Treatise on Electrical Apparatus. By SIDNEY F. WALKER. 7} X 5. 359 pp. Whittaker. 5s. n. FICTION. AMELIA AND THE Docror. By H. G. 73x5. 319 pp. Smith Elder. 6s. Lapy Berry AcRoss THE WATER. By C, N.and A. M. WILLIAMSON. 73X54. 340 pp. Methuen. 6s. In SupsEcTION. By ELLEN THORNEYCROFT FOWLER (Mrs. A. L. FALKIN). Hutchinson & Co. 6s. THE HOUSE IN SPRING GARDENS. By MAgor ARTHUR GRIFFITHS. 745. 306 pp. Nash. 638. JENNIE BARLOWE, ADVENTURESS. By Exuior O’Don- NELL. 74x 5. 319 pp. Greening. 6s. FENWICK’S CAREER. By Mrs. HUMPHREY WARD (Edition de Luxe). Two Vols. 83x 6. 238+230 pp. Smith Elder. 218. 0, THE CARDINAL'S PAWN (Cheap Edition). By K. L. Mon'r- GomMERY. 8$x5%. 160 pp. Unwin. 6d. HARLEY GREENOAK’S CHARGE. By BERTRAM MITFORD. 74 x5. 353 pp. Chattoand Windus. 6s. PHANTASMA. By A. C. INCHBOLD. 72 X 5. Blackwood. 6s. “THALAssa !” By Mrs. BAILLIE REYNOLDS. 352 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. {OBINSON CRUSOE’S RETURN. HUTCHINSON. 376 pp. 7 is 4x 5. By Barry PAIN. 64 x 5. 168 pp. Hodder and Stoughton, Is. n. Mora. By T. W. SPEIGHT. 83 x 5}. 128 pp. Cheap Edition. Greening. 6d. THE COMPROMISE. By DoROTHEA GERARD, 7} X 5. 368 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. THE Grie oF Fear. By S. H. BURCHELL. 7} x 5}. 322 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 6s. Pau JeRoME. By Mrs. Mary Kocu. Greening. 6s. THE BRIDLE OF ANSTACE. 74 x 5.409 pp. Lane. 6s. AYLWIN. By THEODORE WATTS-DUNTON. Classics). Limited edition (with postscript). 489 pp. Frowde. 5s. n. THE Rep VAN. By ALAN ST. AUBYN. Digby Long. 6s. 7% xX 5. 320 pp. By ELIZABETH GODFREY, (The World's 6 x 4. 7% x 5. 320 pp. BEss OF THE Woops. By WARWICK DEEPING. 73 x 5. 406 pp. Harpers. 6s. AUDREY THE ACTRESS. By HORACE WYNDHAM. 7? x 5, 370 pp. E. Grant Richards. 6s. Law, Nor Justice. By FLORENCE WARDEN. 8 xX 5}. Hurst and Blackett. 6s. THE AMATEUR CRACKSMAN. 73 x 5. 368 pp. Nash. 6s. 325 pp. RAFFLES : HORNUNG. By E. W. tARDENING. GARDENING MADE Easy. By E. T. Cook. 202 pp. Country Life Office. 1s. n. My GARDEN. By EDEN PHILLPOTTS. Life Library). 9} x 53. 207 pp. Newnes. 8 x 5. (The Country 12s. 6d. n. LITERARY. TH LEGEND OF SIR PERCEVAL. Studies upon its Origin, Development, and Position in the Arthurian Cycle. By Jessie L. Weston. Vol. I. Crétien de Troyes and Wauchier de Denain. 7% x 5}. 344 pp. Nutt. 12s, 6d. n. THE AUTHOR. MILITARY. AIDS TO SCOUTING, FoR N.C.O.’s AND MEN. By Magor- GENERAL R. S. S. BADEN-POWELL, C.B. Revised and Enlarged Edition. 4%x33. 178 pp. Gale and Polden. Lg, 0: MISCELLANEOUS. PETROL PETER: OR PRETTY STORIES AND FuNNy PIc- TURES. By A. WILLIAMS. 103 x 84. 24 pp. Methuen. 8s. 6d. n. NATURAL HISTORY. ANIMAL Heroes. By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. 8 x 6. 363 pp. Constable. 6s. n. POLITICAL. SPEECHES. By LorD CURZON, OF KEDLESTON. Vol. IY. 1904-5. 84 x 5}. 242 pp. Calcutta: Government Printing Office. POETRY. ae: ‘‘ CHLORIS AND ZEPHYRUS.” An epic in blankverse. By JULIAN KINGSTEAD. 79 pp. G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 3s. 6d. n. REPRINTS. MATTHEW ARNOLD’S POEMS. 291 pp. DRAMAS AND- Prize Porms. 154 pp. Edited by LAURIE MAa@nvs. 6 x 4. Routledge. Is. n. each. Pearut. <A fourteenth century poem, rendered into modern English by G.G. CouLTON. 53 x 43. 51 pp. Nutt.” en. TRELAWNY’S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LAST DAYS OF SHELLEY AND Byron. With Introduction. By EDWARD DoWDEN. 201 pp. Frowde. 2s. 6d. n. THEOLOGICAL ESSAYS OF THE LATE BENJAMIN JOWETT. Selected, arranged and edited by LEWIS CAMPBELL. 267 pp. Frowde. 2s. 6d. n. TWENTY-THREE TALES. By ToLstoy. L. & A. MaupE. 271 pp. Frowde. ls. 6d. n. leather. Translated by Is. n. cloth, and SPORT. FISHERMAN’S WEATHER. By upwards of one hundred living anglers. Edited by F. G. AFLALO, F.R.G.S. 8 x 5%. 256 pp. Black. 7s. 6d. n. THEOLOGY. A SHorT HISTORY OF FREELHOUGHT. Modern. By JoHN M. ROBERTSON. Re-written and Greatly Enlarged. Two Vols. 480+ 455 pp. Watts. 21s. n. THE MODERN PILGRIMAGE: FroM THEOLOGY TO RELIGION. By R. L. BREMNER (Popular Edition). 74 x 5. 296 pp. Constable. 2s. 6d. n. REVELATIONS BY VISIONS AND VOICES. Apport, D.D. 34 pp. Griffiths. 6d. n. Ancient and Second Edition, By EpwIn A. TOPOGRAPHY. THE PLACE-NAMES OF BEDFORDSHIRE. By the Rey. W. W. Skat, Litt. D. 9 x 53. 74 pp. Cambridge: Deighton, Bell. 3s. 6d. n. TRAVEL. INDIA UNDER RoyAL Eyes. By H. F. Prevost Bat- TERSBY. 9x 6. 453 pp. Allen. 12s. 6d. n. FELICITY IN FRANCE. By CoNSTANCE E,MAup. 7} x 5}. 331 pp. Heinemann. 6s. 9 x 6.  THE AUTHOR. LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. ESSRS. MACMILLAN & CO. will shortly publish a book entitled “ Playright and Copyright in all Countries,’ by Mr. W. Morris Colles and Mr. Harold Hardy, barristers-at law. The primary object of the work is to enable authors to see at a glance what steps must be taken, before or after publication, to secure international protection of their copyright and dramatic rights in books and plays throughout the world. The formalities as to registration and delivery of copies, in all countries where copyright is recog- nised, are set out in detail; and the requirements of the British Colonial laws, including the Austra- lian Commonwealth Copyright Act, 1905, are specifically dealt with. The book is dedicated, by kind permission, to Sir Henry Bergne, K.C., K.C.M.G., chairman of the Authors’ Society. John Oliver Hobbes’s new novel, “ The Dream and the Business,” is a study of character and its development. It also depicts a conflict between two religious ideals, those of Roman Catholicism and of English Nonconformity. Mr. Fisher Unwin will publish the work. “Beauties of the Seventeenth Century,” by Mr. Allan Fea, published in the middle of May ‘by Messrs. Methuen & OCo., contains a series of memoirs of memorable women who figure in this period of history. Avoiding politics as far as possible, the author dips into private history and personal anecdote. The book, which is published at 12s. 6d. nett, contains 160 illustrations. “Harley Greenock’s Charge,” by Bertram Mit- ford, is a story of South Africa, the chief hero of which ig a resourceful, up-country hunter, who undertakes the guidance of an adventure-seeking young Englishman on a visit to South Africa. Messrs. Chatto and Windus are the publishers. In “ Modern Bookbindings: Their Design and Decoration,” published by Constable & Co., the author (Mr. S. T. Prideaux) draws attention to the progress in England and France in a field of work that has an increasing number of recruits and a growing and interested public. The next serial in the Monthly Review will come from the pen of Mrs. Henry De La Pasture. It will have for its title “The Lonely Lady of Grosvenor Square,” and will, in large part, be a London story. On the afternoon of June 28th Mr. Cecil Sharp delivered a concert-lecture on English Folk-Songs, at which several songs, collected by the lecturer in Somerset, were sung by Miss Mattie Kay and Mr. J. Campbell McInnes, 281 Messrs. Putnam announce the publication of a new novel by Father Robert Hugh Benson. It is a dramatic study of England in the middle of the sixteenth century, and is entitled “The Queen’s Tragedy.”’ The principal character is Mary Tudor, and her sister Elizabeth also comes prominently into the story. In “ Thoughts on Ultimate Problems.” by F. W. Frankland, published by Mr. Philip Welby, the author bases his reasoning on the theory that all existence is necessarily psychic. His conclusions as to the origin of evil and the necessity for a redeemer are, in the main, in accord with orthodox theology, including the ultimate triumph of good over evil. Mr. Frankland, however, holds the view that evil came into the world by sheer force of necessity, and “ without foresight of any of its effects.” Mr. J. J. Haldane Burgess, author of “The Treasure of Don Andres,” etc., is translating “ Rasmie’s Biiddie,” his book of Shetlandic poems, into Esperanto. The June issue of The Monthly Review con- tains an article entitled “The Gaming of Monte Carlo,” by F. Carrel. “The Life of Oscar Wilde,” by Mr. R. H. Sherard, was published by Mr. Werner Laurie last month. One of its main purposes is to dispel a number of false reports associated with Wilde’s life, as for instance the recurring rumour that he is not dead. Mr. Sherard also discusses his writings. Mr. Eden Phillpotts has written a volume entitled “ My Garden,” which contains the thoughts of a literary man who is also a gardener. It is issued from the office of Country Life. Another volume from the same office, entitled “Gardening Made Hasy,” by HE. T. Cook, is a concise little encyclopedia, at a popular price. “Paul Jerome,” by Mrs. Mary Koch, just pub- lished by Messrs. Greening & Co., is a character study. An Anglican priest, who is bound by vows to remain celibate, finds love too strong for him, marries, and suffers accordingly. We have received from Mr. Harold Thornberg, the editor, a copy of an illustrated magazine en- titled “ Dag,” published in Helsingborg, Sweden. The magazine is tastefully produced and contains a varied assortment of articles, poems, etc. The Antiquary contains an article by Miss Olive Katherine Parr, entitled ‘* Buckfast Abbey : The Pheenix of the West.” Miss Marian Bower has sold stories of 16,000 words in length to Messrs. Tillotsons and Chamber’s Journal. The same writer has also sold a 5,000-word story to Pearson’s Magazine. Miss Marian Bower has also arranged with Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co. for the publication of her next 282 TARE AUTHOR. book, which she has entitled “The Wrestlers.” The September issue of Zhe Monthly Story Magazine, New York, will contain an 8,000-word story from the pen of this writer, who is also represented in Zhe Sketch. : In view of the Warwick pageant early this month, Messrs. Black’s announcement of a colour book on Warwickshire is opportune. Mr. Clive Holland and Mr. Fred. Whitehead, R.B.A., who have collaborated in the volume, have an intimate acquaintance with the country, the result of leisurely pilgrimages over its length and breadth. From the text of the cne and the series of water- colour drawings of the other there emerges a com- plete picture of the county which lies nearest the heart of England. Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. have in the Press the 8th edition of ‘‘ A Handbook for Steam Users” by M. Powis Bale, M.I.C.E., and Messrs. Crosby Lockwood & Son a 5th edition of “ Pumps and Pumping” by the same author. “ The Third Time of Asking,” by M. E. Francis, was produced at the Garrick Theatre on May 30th, preceding Mr. Alfred Sutro’s play, “The Fascinating Mr. Vanderveldt.” The piece refers to a rustic’s love for a girl. Owing to his fear of losing her, he has the banns put up without first asking her consent, which, however, he succeeds eventually in obtaining by the aid of various presents. The cast includes Mr. Arthur Bourchier, Miss Pamela Gaythorne and Mr. A. Whitby. A dramatic performance of ‘“ Foil and Counter- foil,” by Mary Woodifield, was given at St. George’s Hall, Langham Place, on Thursday, June 28th, by the members of the Wyndham Club, in aid of the Soldier’s Home, Guard’s Depdt, Caterham. a PARIS NOTES. i s A Vie intime d’une Reine de France au XVII* siécle ” is the title of a curious and interesting work by M. Louis Batifol. The queen is Marie de Médicis, and the epoch studied by the author is from the year 1600 to 1617. In the first chapter we have an account of the sad and lonely childhood of the little mother- less princess shut up in the great Pitti palace. ‘Two months after her mother’s death, when Marie was only five years old, her father, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, married the famous Bianca Capello. It was not until Marie was twenty-seven that her marriage with Henri IV. of France was arranged. In the following chapters we have a detailed account of the splendours and miseries of: Court life, of the expenses of the Royal household, of the old customs and traditions which had to be continued, of the king’s love affairs, of the queen’s artistic tastes and love of magnificence, and finally of her financial enterprises. The author’s object in writing this book is not so much to give us the “psychology ” of Marie de Médicis as to re- constitute the past history of France for the sake of making us understand the present. “Cette étude,” says the author, ‘‘montre comment le cadre de la cour de France, créé lentement a travers les siécles et conservé religieusement, témoigne du gott prédominant des hommes d’alors pour le- maintien scrupuleux des traditions. . . . elle indique que la royauté en France, au début du XVII siécle, loin de réaliser la théorie du pouvoir absolu . . . . est, au contraire, contenue de tous cdtés par un ensemble de forces passives plus maitresses en réalité de |’Htat que le roi lui-méme,. au nom des principes invoqués d’usages séculaires et de ‘lois fondamentales du royaume’.” ‘A travers le Féminisme suédois’* is the title of a work by Mare Hélys, giving a very thorough study of the Swedish woman. The author com- mences by explaining the characteristics and the evolution of the Swedish woman, taking us back to the days of Marguerite Valdemar, Queen of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, and her famous Union of Calmar, concluded in 1397. Going on to modern times, the following subjects are among those treated :—The legal position of woman ; the question of the political vote ; popular education ; the teaching of housekeeping; the students of Upsal University and those of Cambridge com- pared; women and agriculture; literary women ; the modern Swedish woman, beauty, physical culture, dress, family life in Sweden ; the difference between free love and mariages de conscience and between the bachelor woman and the old maid ; the evolution of love and of the new ideal recog- nised by Swedish women. The author has studied her subject carefully and thoroughly ; she has lived among the people of whom she writes, and the result is a volume which can be relied upon for information on a subject which is only vaguely known outside the Scandinavian countries. “Notes et fragments d’histoire,” by M. Félix Rocquain, Member of the Institute, is a volume- containing a series of articles on various subjects, among which are the following :—‘ L’Hypnotisme au Moyen Age,” “ La Politique sous le Second. Empire,” “ Notes sur. Napoléon.” M. Edouard Gachot has now completed his work, entitled “‘ Campagnes de 1799,” upon which he has been engaged for ten years. The last volume is * “ A travers le Féminisme suédois” (Plon).  THE AUTHOR. on “Jourdan en Allemagne,” and “Brune en Hollande.” “T’Esprit du Temps,”* by Michel Salomon ; “Art et psychologie individuelle,’> by Lucien Arréat. ‘Les eléments du caractere,”{ by P. Malapert. — “Albert Besnard,”§ by Gabriel Mourey ; “Histoire du travail et des travailleurs,”|| by P. Brisson. “ Autour de Marie-Antoinette,” by M. Boutry,4/ with a preface by P. de Nolhac; “La lutte universelle,’** by M. Le Dantec; “ L’Eglise catholique et l’Etat sous la troisieme République (1870-1906), Tf by M. Debidour. Among recent novels are the following :— “ T’Eteignvir,”{} by M. Schalck de la Faverie. “Disparu,”§§ by Brada, is now published in volume form, after appearing as a serial in “ Lec- tures pour Tous.” It is the story of the mysterious disappearance of a bridegroom a few days before his wedding. The interest is kept up throughout the whole book until the dénouement in the last chapter. “Dona Quichotta,”’|||| by Georges de Peyrebrune, is a novel treating a subject which has been dramatised several times. It is the story of a wife who deserts her home, and of the consequences of this desertion. “ Au Pays des Pierres,’€/4€] by M. Le Roy. A small volume of poems entitled “ Fleurs Vivantes”’ has just been published by the Comte de Larmandie, Délégué of the French Societe des Gens de Lettres. Madame Fernande Blaze de Bury (Dick Berry), author of “The Storm of London,” has just com- pleted her new novel, “The Nymph.” She has written this in France, and it is a study of French life, and chiefly of life in the chéteanx of Touraine. At the monthly dinner of the Sociele des Gens de Lettres veference was made by M. de Saint- Arroman and M. Pierre Sales to the dinner of the Society of Authors, at which they were the French guests. ‘They were most agreeably impressed by the cordiality of their reception. A most interesting expedition is being organised by a French scientific review for the month of September, namely, a visit to the sites of the travels * “T/Esprit du Temps” (Perrin). + “ Art et psychologie individuelle ” (Alcan). tT “Les éléments du caractére” (Alcan). § “ Albert Besnard ” (Davous), || “‘ Histoire du travail et des travailleurs "’ (Delagraye). { ‘“ Autour de Marie-Antoinette’ (Emile-Paul), ** “Tia lutte universelle”’ (Flammarion). +t “ L’Eglise catholique et I’Etat sous la troiséme République ” (Alcan). i “TL Eteignoir ” (Dujarric). § “ Disparu” (Plon). Jil] ‘‘ Dona Quichotta”’ (Hatier). 47] “Au Pays des Pierres” (Fasquelle). 283 of Ulysses—the Ionian Islands, Greece, Italy, Sardinia, Tunis. Lectures will be given during the cruise on the problems respecting the origin and composition of the Odyssey, on the monu- ments and sites described by Homer, on the con- ditions of commerce, the state of material resources, and scientific notions, etc., at the time of the navigations of Ulysses, etc. The expedition dates from September 4th to September 30th. The fifth volume of the quarterly periodical entitled “Vers et Prose” has appeared with articles and poems by J. Moréas, Henri de Rég- nier, Verhaeren, Maurice Barrés, de Gourmont, d’Annunzio, John-Antoine Nau, Paul Fort, and other writers. In recent reviews the following articles have appeared : “Une Géographie Nouvelle,’ by Jean Brunhes, in the Revwe des Deux Mondes; ‘ Les élections de 1869,” by Emile Ollivier; “Le sentiment décoratif aux Salons de 1906,” by Robert de la Sizeranne, in the same review. In La Revue: “ Mercantilisme et Esthétique en Amérique,” by Albert Schinz; ‘Les Penseurs grecs,” by E. Faguet ; “ Le Conseil International des Femmes,” by G. Avril de Sainte-Croix. The theatrical season is now over, and dramatic authors are preparing for the autumn. M. Capus is finishing his play, “ Les Passagéres” for the Renaissance next winter. “ La Vedette,’ by M.M. Vaucaire and Peter, is ready for the 7hédtre Antoine. M. Antoine is contemplating various innovations at the Odéon, now that he is appointed munager of this second State theatre. Anys HALLARD. ee a SPANISH NOTES. — ++ rHVHE fact of Senor Nakens, the editor of a well-known Republican paper, publishing his justification for helping Morel to evade the police in Madrid has excited much commotion in Spain, inasmuch as the writer states that he considers everyone should stand by any criminal who demands protection. Such opinions, so detrimental to the safety of a country, are vehemently confuted by Colonel Luis de Figuerola Ferretti, in an article he has written for the English press. A sympathizer with such a criminal should openly take his place beside him and share his punishment, says Ferretti, but to support him secretly is much more dangerous. For, as he rightly says, if Nakens had not con- cealed his knowledge of Angiolillo’s intention to kill Canovas, the assassination would not have taken place, neither would the policeman have 284 been shot if he had not allowed Morel to continue his road to Torrejon. ‘he great demonstratioa against Anarchism in Madrid on the 17th was useful, but Colonel Ferretti regrets the harm done by the publication of such wrong principles as those of Nakens, especially as the Jmparcial frankly says, “It must be clearly understood that neither the majority or the minority of the preseut government represent the real opinions of the public or the predominant trend of the country, nor the execution of any plan for the public benefit of Spaniards, or the hope of reforms for the good of national interests.” ‘‘ No,” says the same journal, ‘they are the result of the abuses of favoritism and the system of the encasillado,” 1e., the deputies being nominated by the ministers in the lists divided into squares or casillos. On the great state occasion of the congratula- tions of the Senate being presented to King Alfonso and Queen Victoria, the young monarch said he trusted that he and his royal bride ‘‘ would achieve deeds of glory which emulate in the present day the grandeur of ages past.” “ But this aim,” he continued, “ cannot be attained without constant and intimate co-operation between Parlia- ment and the Royal Power.” Now the wedding festivities are over in Madrid, the country is again seething in the uncertain state of dissolution or non-dissolution of the Cabinet. Will Moret continue or will Maura take the helm again? Such constant chaos is the despair of all good patriots, for how can a govern- ment only in existence a few months carry out any good programme for the welfare of the country ? Colonel Figuercla Ferretti ventured to prepare a petition to King Alfonso, in November, 1902, for the adoption of the English procedure, whereby the public would show its devotion to their King and country by electing at the polls the deputies who would best support the interests of both. But although the idea received royal commenda- tion, the more narrow views of a high official led to the Colonel’s Court appointment being sacrificed to his patriotic aims. The King and Queen quite startled the people of San Ildefonso the other day by quietly walking out of the Palace to penetrate into the poorest streets. The greetings when they were finally recognized by the humble folk were tumultuous, and as the King realizes more and more the devotion of all classes, he will see that such republicans as Nakens would have no followers if the Polls were used for revealing the real opinions of the people, and Colonel Ferretti, who advised such public elections, will, it is hoped, have the reward of success in his efforts for his country. At the interesting meetings held by the Geogra- phical Society to celebrate the fourth centenary of THE AUTHOR. the death of Christopher Columbus, Don Ricardo Beltran y Rompide was given the Grand Cross of Merit. Such works as his “ Voyages and Discoveries of the Middle Ages in Connection with the Progress of Geography and History ” (1876), his “ History of Greek Philosophy” (1878), his “ Compendium of the History of Spain’’ (1901), are some of the books which show the scientist’s title to the decoration. The literary Réunion at the house of the Count and Countess of Villana in honour of the new Queen Victoria was a great success. The beautifully decorated rooms were crowded with the poets and authors assembled to do honour to the royal bride, who sat on a small raised platform with the young King and listened to the recitations of Sefora Pardo Bazan, the Senores Cabestany, Cano Cueto, Santos Chocano, Echegaray, Perez de Guzman, the duque de Rivas, Ferrari, etc., and the poems by Selles and Machado were written especially to celebrate the marriage which has been a subject of such enthusiasm in the country. The Infanta Dona Maria de la Paz, whose writings are well known, aud the Infanta Eulalia, who also writes, were there with the other members of the Royal family, and as such statesmen as Canalejas, General Azcarraga, Sefiores Ugarte, and Viesca, the Count of Casa Valencia, etc., were also present, the literary Réunion was quite a national féte, and the young Queen was presented with an album of parchment containing the poems and addresses written in her honour by the many dis- tinguished Spanish /it/érafeurs of the occasion. Literature has recently sustained a great loss in the death of the celebrated poet Manuel del Palacio. He, with Eusebio, Biasco Rivera, Navarrete, Roberto Robert, etc., formed the brilliant coterie whose poems were so active before the Revolution of 1868. After that time he took an active part in politics, but the author of “ El nifio de Nieve” (“The Child of Snow ”) still found his pen his most powerful weapon, for he had the gift of concentrating in four verses more than many people could put in as many pages. His verses, poems, and sonnets form a large collection. Ledesma, whose work on Cervantes was one of the best memorials of the Don Quixote celebration of last year, is now the subject of an erudite criticism by Benito Galdos, which forms part of another volume added to his “‘ Episodias Nacionales.” The celebrated novelist reminds his readers that Ledesma’s “ History of the Literature of the Middle Ages ” stamped him as a great writer, and that in his “ Historia de la Litteratura Feminina Espanola” he showed that there have been always many women in Spain who have done good work beyond that of mere domesticity. Ledesma’s book, “ Angel Guerra,” is a living picture of Toledo, and with a criticism of the writer’s work on Miguel de  THE AUTHOR. ‘Cervantes, Galdos concludes his powerful notice of his literary colleague. In art there has been as much activity lately as in literature, for the pictures lining the walls of the annual Exhibition of Fine Art in Madrid shows -great versatility and power. The flock ofsheep by Lino Casimiro Iborra is another of those present- ments in which the painter shows his perfect -acquaintance with the characteristics of animals, for although each sheep appears at first sight to be quite similar to its neighbour, they are seen to be very diverse, even in expression, and it is these touches, so slight yet so decisive, which gives the artist his high rank as an animal painter, and won for him the bronze medal at this exhibition, and the order with which he was decorated by King Alfonso XIII. The gold medal at this exhibition was carried off by Manuel Benedito for his charming picture of Breton fishwives. The silver medal was given to Ramon Pulido for his beautiful work called “ Inmaculada” (“* The Immaculate Conception’’), and the work repre- senting a cardinal receiving the homage of village folk, by César Fernandez Ardavin, is characteristic of Spanish life. Art is moreover making great strides among the women of Spain, for Antonia Jerrera is only one -of the many lady artists whose brush brings forth real works of art. As painting and music are so closely allied, I cannot close these notes without mentioning the compositions by Senora Pilar Contreras de Rodri- guez. Her talent is seen in the charming choral pieces written for the play, “The Spanish Woman’s Agricultural Era,” and her musical albums of part-songs and solos show she is as versatile as she is brilliant. Percy Horspur. ——__+—_>—_+_____—__- MAGAZINE CONTENTS. Eases BLACKWOOD’S. Musings Without Method: Sir Theodore Martin’s “** Monographs ’’—The Degradation of the Modern Stage— Racine. BOoKMAN. Dr. Richard Garnett: In Memoriam. Pollard. 2. By Sir F. T. Marzials. 4, By Beatrice Harraden. Alice Zimmern. I. By A. W. 3. By F. M. Hueffer. 5. By Agnes A. Adams, 6. By Book MontTHLY. A Thackeray Club. By Lewis Melville. A Blue Stocking and some Vignettes of the Eighteenth ‘Century. CHAMBERS’s JOURNAL. Replicas and Copies of some Great Renaissance Paint- ‘ings. By E. Govett. 285 CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Herbert Spencer and the Master Key. By John Butler Burke. Schoolmasters and their Masters. The Truth about the Monasteries : Robert Hugh Benson. Mankind in the Making. By D. C. Pedder. A Reply. By Father By May Higgs. The Decadence of Tragedy. By Edith Searle Grossmann. CORNHILL. A Medizval Romance. By F. 8. Lady Hamilton and ‘ Horatia.” By E. 8. P. Haynes. FORTNIGHTLY. Richard Burton. By “Ouida.” Christianity and China. By A. R. Colquhoun. The Library of Petrarch. By Edward H. R. Tatcham. The English Stage in the Eighteenth Century. Part II. By H. B. Irving. Jacques Emile Blanche. By Frederick Lawton. “Words, Words, Words.” By R. W. Tyrrell. The Comédie Francaise: What it has Done for the French People. By Jules Claretie. INDEPENDENT REVIEW. The New Humanity. By G. K. Chesterton. Henry Sidgwick. By F. W. Maitland. MACMILLAN’S. The Spirit of Hidden Places. Men and Morals. Anonymous. The Decline of Ballet in Eugland, 3y Lance Fallow. By 8. L. Bensusan. Corneille. By H. C. MacDowall. MonvrH. Anagrams. By E. F. Sutcliffe. The ‘‘Forgeries” of Cardinal Vaughan. Herbert Thurston. St. Elmo’s Fire. By G. A. Bouvier. Slips of the Learned. By Beta. By the Rev. MONTHLY REVIEW. Ibsen as 1 knew Him. By William Archer. ‘Another Way of (Mountain) Love.” By F. W. Bourdillon. Three Gardens and a Garret. By A. M. Curtis. NATIONAL REVIEW. The Value of a Public School Education By Charles Lister. Latin as an Intellectual Force in Civilisation. Sonnenschien. : A Rejoinder. 3y KE, A. NINETEENTH CENTURY. The Joys of Spain. By Austin Harrison. Spain under the Saracens. By Ameer Ali. “St. Deiniol’s, Hawarden.” By Mrs. Drew. Euripides in London. By Norman Bentwich. The Salons and the Royal Academy. By H. Heathcote Statham. Some Women Poets of the Present Reign. By Isabel Clarke. PALL MALL MAGAZINE, “Edwin Drood” and the Last Days of Charles Dickens. By His Younger Daughter, Kate Perugini. A Painter of the Sea: The Life’s Work of Mr. Napier Henry, A.R.A. By J. P. Collins. Thebes of the Hundred Gates. By H. Rider Haggard, To an Opal. By Eden Phillpotts. TEMPLE BAR, John Ruskin. By W. G. Collingwood. Education of a Viscount in the Seventeenth Century. By Dorothea Townshend. 286 WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. eo ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement. There are four methods of dealing with literary property :-— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained. But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Il. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement). In this case the following rules should be attended to: (1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for ‘office expenses,” unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights. (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production. (2.) Keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous to the author, Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Seczetary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— (1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheld. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —_—__—_+—_>__2___—___ WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. Baa EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. : 2. [t is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with anyone except an established manager. THR AUTHOR. 8. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays. in three or more acts :— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to- perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent. An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system, Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to- perform on the basis of royalties (7.c.. fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (4.) apply also in this case. 4. Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is- better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event, It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should» be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is- of great importance. 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager~ holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words. 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. ‘hey should never be included in English. agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of" delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, om account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information: are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ——_+——_—___——_- WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as: a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two- rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He-  Do THE AUTHOR. should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. —— ee HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. a 1. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor, but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion. All this without any cost to the member. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinary solicitors. Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Send to the Office copies of past agreements and past accounts, with a copy of the book represented. The Secretary will always be glad to have any agreements, new or old, for inspection and note. The information thus obtained may prove invaluable. 4. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination. 5. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 6. The Committee have now arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers : —(1) To read and advise upon agreements and to give advice concerning publishers. (2) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (3) To keep agreements. (4) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particulars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 7. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 8. Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members. 9. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 10. The subscription to the Society is. £1 1s. per annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. 287 TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. —+—~@—+ A ees Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or _ part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society’s safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to. the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. i THE READING BRANCH. —+-—<— + —_ EMBERS will greatly assist the Society in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. ‘The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works. The Readers are writers of competence and experience. The fee is one guinea. —~>— + NOTICES. —*—>—+—. HE Editor of Zhe Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of charge, the cost of producing it would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for “The Author” should be addressed to the Offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, S.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 2ist 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. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all subjects connected with literature, but on no other subjects whatever. Hvery effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. > The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post, and he requests members who do not receive an answer to important communications within two days to write to him without delay. All remittances should be crossed Union Bank of London, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only. —_«—~p>— as LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. oo ENSIONS to commence at any selected age, either with or without Life Assurance, can be obtained from this Society. Full particulars can be obtained from the City Branch Manager, Legal and General Life Assurance Society, 158, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C. GENERAL NOTES. —————+ S a supplement to this number of The Author, we are circulating the draft of the American Copyright Bill. By the covering letter which has been forwarded to the Society we under- stand that the first hearing of the Bill was given on June 6th in the Senate Reading Room at the Library of Congress. ‘The letter, which was written prior to the hearing, further states :— “The hearing will be by the Senate and House Com- mittees sitting as a joint committee. This method of pro- cedure has been arranged for the convenience of the numerous participants and others who may be interested, and in recognition of the unusual character and importance of the Bill. The courtesy and consideration of these arrangements on the part of the Committees will doubtless be recognised by an ample representation at the hearing. It is especially desirable that the fullest representation of participants shall be secured at the outset when the Bill is presented, explained and supported, as may be arranged at the informal meeting on Tuesday, June 5, This latter meeting will be held at 4 p.m. at the Library of Congress.” A Copyright Act passed on 21st December, 1905, by the Government of Australia, has been sent to the Secretary of the Society, and he wrote to the Secretary of State to the Colonies, to inquire whether it had received the Royal assent, he has received the following reply :-— “5th May, 1906. “ Srr,—With reference to your letter of the 4th ultimo, I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to acquaint you that the Governor-General of Aus- tralia is now being informed that His Majesty will not be advised to exercise his powers of dis- allowance with respect to the Commonwealth Copyright Act, 1905. “‘T am, sir, your obedient servant, “C. P. Locas.” This Act cannot, of course, run counter to or supersede the Imperial Act of 1842, which binds Great Britain and all her colonies and dependencies, but like the Canadian Acts, the Indian Act, the Cape Act, and the Acts in other colonies, only affects the publication of books within the colonies mentioned. It is printed as a supplement to this month’s Author. Instead of the separate colonies passing separate Acts, it is a great pity that all the colonies should not have combined with the Imperial Government to pass a really satisfactory Imperial Copyright Law. The tendency of the present day has been to obtain uniformity in copyright all over the world, but every separate law passed by separate countries without this object in view will, of course, make further uniformity more difficult. We venture to suggest, once more, to the Premier, and to the THB AUTHOR. Government, how desirable it is that they should take up this question energetically with the view to a comprehensive settlement. On the death of Dr. Henrik Ibsen the Committee of the Society forwarded the following letter to the Foreign Office, enclosing the message of sympathy printed below, for transmission to the Norwegian Government and to the family of the distinguished dramatist. The Secretary of the Society has received a note from the Foreign Office stating that the Committee’s desire has been carried out, and that the message has been forwarded to H.M. Charge d’Affaires at Christiania :-— The Right Honble. Sir Edward Grey, P.C., &c. Sir,—The Society of Authors desire to convey to the Norwegian Government and the family of the late Dr. Ibsen an expression of their respectful sympathy on the occasion of the death of this distinguished dramatist. Iam directed by the Committee to solicit your good offices in order that the inclosed message may be transmitted to the Norwegian Government through H.M.’s Legation at Christiania. I am, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) G. HERBERT THRING. “ The Incorporated Society of Authors of England desire to convey to the Norwegian Government the expression of their sincere regret on the occasion of the death of the distinguished author and dramatist, Dr. Henrik Ibsen. They cannot allow the occasion to pass without a request that the Government will convey to the members of the dramatist’s family the Society’s sympathy in a loss which affects not merely Norway, but the whole world.” ———— oe UNITED STATES NOTES. 1+ T seems incumbent upon me to begin my summer instalment of Notes with something about “ The Jungle” and Mr. Upton Sinclair. The book is not only at present the “biggest seller” in the United States, it is the talk of two Continents. Those cautious critics who remembered Mr. Sinclair as the author of “‘ The Journal of Arthur Stirling,” and were accordingly disposed to dis- count his statements, have been sadly undeceived. And the care taken both by the author and his publishers to secure the absolute trustworthiness of their production is a healthy sign of the times. The sensation produced by the book seems to have come as a surprise. Mr. Sinclair’s object appears to have been a general indictment of American industrial conditions from a Socialistic view-point, of which the slaughter-house exposé was to be but an incident. He disclaims the notion of having desired to stir up any special agitation of the kind which Mr. Roosevelt’s action has aroused. Possibly the importance of the matter of the  book may have caused its merits as a piece of writing to be somewhat exaggerated ; but of the fact that it is being widely read there can be no doubt. The publishers disposed of 12,000 within one week in the United States, and report a con- siderable sale in Canada, besides three large English editions up to date. The upshot will certainly be to help Bryanism ; probably also the vegetarian cause may benefit. As a piece of pure literature the success cf the season has been Owen Wister’s new story, which, even in popularity, has only quite recently been displaced by the Packington revelations. What a contrast ! The aristocratic charm of the South and the horrors of democratic Chicago, civilised life and bestial existence! In narrative quality “Tady Baltimore” is probably superior even to “The Virginian.” The teller of the story, who on one occasion is made to say, “ We’re no longer a small people living and dying for a great idea, we're a big people living and dying for money,” has been accused in some quarters of superficiality, but he is at least a real live gentleman and not a mere vehicle for epigram. Has anyone, we wonder, noticed that Mr. Wister’s hero calls King’s Port “the most wistful town in America ?” The game of pseudonymity still flourishes on this side. ‘“ Wymond Carey,” whose “No. 101” is full of exciting incident, continues to conceal his identity ; but a curious world is to learn who “Sidney McCall” is by Christmas-time, I hear. All who are interested in higher education should read Dr. Daniel Coit Gilman’s account of the launching of the University of which he was first president. He it was who largely made Johns Hopkins what it is. Two Harper books, “The Spoilers” by Rex Beach and Irving Bacheller’s “Silas Strong,” are enjoying much popularity, but neither of them can be called a work of art. The former, how- ever, contains a faithful picture of the conditions of life in the mining districts of Alaska. Miss Margaret Potter has issued the first instal- ment of a trilogy of novels (poor Frank Norris set this fashion) dealing with Russian life. The hero of “The Genius” is a thinly-disguised por- trait of Tchaikovsky. Great liberties are taken with the personality of Rubinstein, who is also introduced ; and Mozart is absurdly belittled. In “The Dawn of a To-morrow,” Frances Hodgson Burnett has told the tale of an averted suicide with a sentimental skill which will appeal to those who value the emotional above all things. Miss Frothingham’s second novel, “The Evasion,” has had the honour of being compared with “ The House of Mirth.” Boston, instead of New York, is its theatre. If we mistake not, Mr. Louis J. Vance has the THE AUTHOR. 289° makings of a good romancer. His new book, “The Private War,” published by Messrs. Apple- ton in New York, has the same é/an which caused his “Terence O’Rourke” to be received with such favour by the English public. Winston Churchill's latest novel will be out early this month. ‘ Coniston” is to be, I under- stand, quite a new departure. John Paul Jones, whose remains have recently been restored to America, has been made a popular hero by Mr. Alfred Henry Lewis. He was not in life, I fancy, such a very picturesque personage as he has now become. Mr. John S. Phillips has withdrawn from the firm of McClure. Poor San Francisco is of course fated to be exploited. “The Doomed City,” by Frank Thompson Seabright, a Californian, has, we are told, attempted to avoid exaggeration and mis- statements, which is very praiseworthy of him. “Glimpses of the San Francisco Disaster” con- tains half-tone reproductions of photographs, many of which were taken as early as six o’clock in the morning following the shock. Harper's Weekly for April 28th was devoted to the description of the catastrophe. The way in which the book-trade, in company with so many other local interests, rallied from its sudden ruin, can be described as nothing less than heroic. A work of great interest is promised for the autumn by Doubleday, Page & Co. It is “ Recol- lections and Letters of George Washington,” con- taining his correspondence with his secretary, and the latter’s account ef his death. That portion of mankind who are interested in bishops, and perhaps some others, will have wel- comed Bishop Potter’s recent work, which is not confined in its scope to the western hemisphere. Messrs. Putnam, who issue the last-named work, are the publishers of J. Hampden Dougherty’s authoritative treatise on “ The Electoral System of the United States.” A work upon “ The Ethics of Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelungen,” by Mary Elizabeth Lewis, also bears their imprint. This firm make a speciality of foreign translations. We are able to offer them our congratulations upon their excellent version of that remarkable work, Otto Weininger’s “Sex and Character.” We only wish that Arvéde Barine’s brilliant “ Louis XIV. et la Grande Mademoiselle”? had enjoyed equal good fortune. We are glad to know that M. Jaurés’s “Studies in Socialism” has not been committed to the tender mercies of the anonymous translator. Mr. Alonzo Rothschild has written an interesting study of Lincoln, and some delightful reminis- cences of “Rip Van Winkle” have appeared from the pen of his friend, Francis Wilson.  290 Two important Revolution books have been issued by Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co. in James Schoulet’s “Americans of 1776” and J. H. Hazleton’s “The Decalration of Independence.” A memoir of Jacques Cartier, the explorer, by Dr. James Phinney Baxter, also comes from this firm. The “manuscript edition” of Thoreau’s works issued by Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. is said to have beena great success. Yet no writer seems to have had more contradictory verdicts passed upon him than the Walden recluse. Among notable travel books of recent publication are Dr. Hugh R. Mill’s “ Siege of the South Pole,” an exhaustive record of Antarctic exploration ; J. A. Harvie-Brown’s “Travels of a Naturalist in Europe,” which deals with the opposite extremity of the globe; and George Milton Fowler’s description of Porto Rico. Prof. Harry Thurston Peck’s perspicuous account of American political history from 1885 to 1905, which has been appearing under his own editorship in Zhe Bookman, will be issued in book form, much enlarged and fortified, in the autumn. It is very readable, and at the same time eminently judicial in tone. The penultimate instalment contains some very candid criticism of President Roosevelt. When writing one of his earlier books, it is said that the future chief of the Republic used “I” so frequently that the publishers had to order a fresh supply of the letter from a type-foundry ! Richard Harding-Davis’s “The Galloper” will appear in book form, with others of his plays, during the summer. He has now come to live nearer New York than he used to. Mr. Ripley Hitchcock has left Messrs. A. 8. Barnes & Co. and joined the Harper Brothers. Mr. Vincent Brown’s novel, “A Magdalen’s Husband,” is being dramatised by the English author and Mr. Belasco, and will soon be played in America. In my obituary notes special mention should be made of Professor Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, the distinguished geologist, whose remarkable excursion into the field of poetic drama I noticed some time since. He served in the Federal Army during the Civil War, but in 64 began scientific duties at Harvard. In 1873—80 he directed the Kentucky Survey, and four years later became geologist to the Atlantic Division of the United States Geological Survey. He was a voluminous writer, both on scientific and other subjects. He died at Cambridge, Mass., on April 10, in his sixty-sixth ear. William: Root Bliss, who died a day earlier, was the author of “Quaint Nantucket” and similar works. George Hermann Elwanger, who also died during THE AUTHOR. April, was an authority upon horticulture, writing some dozen books on the subject, in addition to other works, including “ Meditations on Gout, with a Consideration of its Cure through the Use of Wine”’ (1898). The list also includes the names of Mary Henry Allibone, who assisted her husband with his “Dictionary of Authors”; of Professor George Albert Wentworth, the compiler of numerous manuals on mathematics and physics; and of Carl Schurz, the biographer of Henry Clay. ——_ ee. MUSICAL COPYRIGHT. [6 Edw. 7.] A Bint tro AMEND THE Law RELATING TO Musica Copyrrieut. A.D. 1906. E it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and con- sent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :— Penalty for being in Possession of Pirated Music.—1. Every person who sells, exposes, offers, or has in his possession for sale any pirated music shall (unless he proves that he acted innocently) be guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction in manner provided by the law in force in that part of the British Islands where the offence is committed, and shall be liable to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding one month or to a fine not exceeding five pounds, and on a second or subse- quent conviction to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding twvo months or to a fine not exceeding fen pounds. Any con- stable may take into custody without warrant any person who sells, exposes, offers, or has in his possession for sale any pirated music. Right of Entry by Police for Execution of Act.— 2, Any constable authorised by an order of a court of summary jurisdiction made under section one of the Musical (Summary Proceedings) Copy- right Act, 1902, to seize pirated copies of any musical work, may, between the hours of six of the clock in the morning and nine of the clock in the evening, enter any house or place named in such order, and, if necessary, use force for making such entry, whether by breaking open doors or otherwise. Definition —3. Inthis Act the expression “ pirated music” means any musical work written, printed, or otherwise reproduced without the consent law- fully given by the owner of the copyright in such musical work. Short Title and Extent—4. This Act may be cited as the Pirated Music Act, 1906, and shall extend to the British Islands. ee ime a ee  The Bill printed above has been before the House -of Commons and read a second time. It has been backed by members differing as widely in politics as Mr. Balfour, Mr. John Redmond, Sir Alfred Thomas, Mr. Enoch Edwards, Mr. Keir Hardie, Mr. Crombie and Mr. Sloan. This fact alone is sufficient to show that its passing or non-passing -does not come within the range of party politics. Mr. Caldwell has issued a memorandum in opposi- tion. It is needless to recall to the minds of readers the fact that Mr. Caldwell has throughout been the bigoted opposer of musical copyright amendment, and has, according to his lights done his best to withhold adequate protection from the unfortunate possessors of this copyright property. It is sometimes difficult to follow Mr. Caldwell’s reasoning. If he objects to any property in brain production in the shape of music, his point of view may be right or may be wrong, but it is easily understood. If, however, he acknowledges the right of property he ought also to acknowledge a right to its adequate protection. He states: ‘“ Musical copyright has the same protection and remedies at law as the most valuable work of lasting benefit to the world, and has in addition the power of seizure and other powers granted by the Act of 1902, under which enormous seizures of pirated music have taken place.” Unfortunately the peculiar character of musical production does not place music on an even base with other literary productions, and the powers at present granted for the protection of composers are still inadequate. This was pointed out in The Author when the Act of 1902 was passed. But Mr. Caldwell seems to think differently, which clearly demonstrates that he fails entirely to grasp the position. He also refers to the Royal Commission of 1878, but at that date the pirate had not discovered his simple method of obtaining a livelihood, and since that date large strides have been made in the opinions of all civilised countries as shown in recent copyright legislation, either proposed or passed, as to the value of author’s rights to the author. Lastly comes the question of cheap music. If the publisher obtains the greater benefit, as no doubt he does, owing to the ignorance and stupidity of composers, this is no argument why the property should not be protected; for what would Mr. Cald- well say when the day comes and the composers can show such public spirit for their profession, and, binding themselves together, can enforce terms on the publisher. Then Mr. Caldwell’s lack of legisla- tion will take effect in the right quarter. But merely to say that the public demand cheap music, and therefore must have it at any cost, is an economic question to which the reply is self-evident. There appear to be only two courses possible—to THE AUTHOR. 291 ask the honourable member to draft his own Bill so that those interested in musical property may have some real idea of what he looks upon as an adequate protection ; or toask him to earn his living for the period of five years either as a musical composer or a musical publisher. _[NorEe.—Since going to press the death of this Bill must be chronicled with regret.—Ep. ] 9 CORRESPONDENCE. a Srr,—As I am the writer of the signed article in The Morning Post to which Mr. Bernard Shaw referred in his speech at the annual dinner of the Society (f., Zhe Author, Vol. XVI., No. 9, pp. 269, 270), I may be permitted to doubt the accuracy of Mr. Shaw’s historical parallel between myself and Judas Iscariot. If my conduct were as he said ‘“‘ unprofessional,” the officers of the Society might have drawn my attention to the circumstance at the moment, which is rather remote. They have still the opportunity to do so, if I “sneered at the attempt of our profession to organise itself.” Humiliter me submitto. Faithfully yours, A. LANG. 1, Marloes Road, W. a Musican CopyrRicHt. Str,—The points taken by your reviewer in his notice of my ‘‘Manual of Musical Copy- right” are all worthy of notice, and will be attended to by me in any subsequent edition. There is, however, one criticism which I hope you will allow me to answer, as the reason for one alleged fault of arrangement is very simple and may be stated in a few words. I am blamed for relegating to an appendix the subject of the retrospective effect of the Inter- national Act of 1886, and not incorporating my arguments on that subject in the body of the work. The book was intended to be readable by the non-lawyer part of the community, publishers, musicians, etc. The retrospective question is of the most subtle and technical kind. I have treated it at great length, holding as I do a view which is opposed to that of most of the bar, though it is in accordance with a decision of the Court of Appeal. The subject is perfectly separable from the other subject matter. Had I interrupted the practical portions of the book to insert this severely legal argument, I 292 should have scared any non-lawyer reading con- tinuously the chapter in which it occurs. If I had given a separate chapter to it, the difference of arrangement from mine would have been merely formal, and I have somewhat reduced the quantity of matter in the body of the work, by eliminating this long essay, and thereby facilitated pro tanto the task of research. Se I repeat my thanks for the careful and judicious notice. T remain, Sir, yours truly, Epwarp CUTLER. Adgware, Hyde Park, W. —1.—<> + Future or THE NOVED. Str,—In “The Future of the Novel,” printed in The Author, I find the following alarming statements :— “‘ Everybody one has ever heard of is either writing or has written a novel”; and “In England every third woman and every twentieth man has published something or other.” It may relieve and reassure a few startled minds to learn that I am the only one of 20,000 in- habitants in a country town who has written a novel, so far as I know (and such things soon become matters of gossip), while I can confidently assert that not more than a dozen men and women here (including the newspaper staffs) have had anything published. I may add that of all my many friends very few are writers—about one in fifty ! Perhaps a literary man, in a literary set, is apt to be deceived on this point. Yours truly, M. P. —_1—<—+—__ “ Repecoa ”’—A Nove. Sir,—In continuation of my previous remarks in The Author anent this old book, it will be of interest to learn that there has recently come into my possession a small 12mo volume, published at Burton-on-Trent in 1822, entitled, “ Realities and Reflections, in which Virtue and Vice are Con- trasted,” by Ann Catharine Holbrook—mark the spelling of both christian name and surname—who is by many considered to be the writer of “ Rebecca.” Upon the fly-leaf is inscribed “ A scarce volume by this little-known Staffordshire authoress.” Therein is also pasted a cutting (apparently from some book catalogue) quoting another work of Mrs. Holbrook’s, called “The Dramatist ; or Memoirs of the Stage. With the life of the authoress, &c. Birmingham, 1809.” It is claimed THE AUTHOR. for “ Realities” that the incidents depicted are taken from “real life,” and they form a series of “tales, moral and instructive,’ addressed to the young. After careful comparison, I find many indica- tions that point to Mrs. Holbrook as being not only the writer of these short stories but of the novel under discussion also. The same highly religious tone pervades both, with a marked simi- larity in several of the characters, and the inflexible- resolve that villainy shall be exposed and punished. Moreover, in the list of subscribers given at the end of the booklet are residents at Ashby—the sur- name of “ Rebecca.’ Does not this fact offer a valuable clue to identity? For we know how often writers of fiction have sought for their heroes and heroines the names of places familiar to them.. I may add that search is still being actively prosecuted in likely quarters for the missing third volume of the novel, which it is hoped may soon be discovered. I also much desire a copy of ‘ The Dramatist”’ referred to above,as valuable light might be thrown upon Mrs. Holbrook’s work in that ‘life of the authoress” issued therewith. CECIL CLARKE. Author’s Club, 8.W. —— Srr,—For the benefit of “Agent” and others this small experience of literary agents may be of interest. [ will confess at once I am not “ worth while.” I wrote three stories, had them typed im one volume, and sent them to a literary agent’s firm, then advertising in the “ AUTHOR.” An offer was made to them for the last story in the volume. They refused it without consulting me, and declined to tell me who had made the offer or the amount, as it was “not their custom to do so.’ They pressed me to allow them to sell the last story separately, but I refused. I wished the MS. to go to America and not be hawked round Britain, but I impressed on the firm the stories were not to be detached from the volume unless sold. After a period of some months I recalled the volume, and it was returned to me with only the title page of the last story. The rest was missing. The agents knew nothing about it, but of course “my interests were fully protected.” They owned the stories had been separated and that they had no authority to do so. About five months after it was returned to me, without any explanation except it had been discovered in an editor’s office in Kentucky. Odd ! Yours truly, Rowan ORME.  SUPPLEMENT I UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT.  A BILL TO AMEND AND CONSOLIDATE THE ACIS RESPECTING COPYRIGHT. CONTENTS. PAGES ee ee Copernic (Seog, 1-3) rer eects tn 5 S uyuot-Marrmn oF CopYRIGHT (Secs. 4-7) ......-:------s----e-tesrcerercrcerettcce steers 5 Mee i Oars CoprmiceT (Bec, 8) een irrretttrrcit terete 6-7 Mow fo Smoune Corveigur (Secs. 9-17) -.-..-.--:---csc-rrerereteercr terse 7-9 Hiei crn oF Copynigur (Secs. 18-20) ----..-1i.----es cee rretteneseetnerener teense 9-10 Prormction or CopyriGut (Secs. 21-36) ......--.----s--seeeerrrneesenrteeeenenetees ese 10-15 Waasaver ov Copvergur (Secs, 37-4D) ......-...--:-se-cerettersnesetercrseeessescererteccesere es 15-16 Gopyaraur Orvicm (Secs. 46-60) .....-..--..-cecrcccereereeertsettertrsssrerenstneestsser eee 16-19 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS (Secs. 61-64) ......-------seeerercerstenseterereeeseneeeeescecse rere s® 19  A BILE TO AMEND AND CONSOLIDATE THE ACTS RESPECTING COPYRIGHT. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the copyright secured by this Act shall include the sole and exclusive right :— (a) For the purposes set forth in subsection (b) hereof, to make any copy of any work or part thereof the subject of copyright under the provisions of this Act, or to abridge, adapt, or translate into another language or dialect any such work, or make any other version thereof; (b) To sell, distribute, exhibit, or let for hire, or offer or keep for sale, distribution, exhibition, or hire any copy of such work ; (c) To deliver, or authorize the delivery of, in public for profit, any copyrighted lecture, sermon, address, or similar production prepared for oral delivery ; (d) To publicly perform or represent a copyrighted dramatic work, or to convert it into a novel or other non-dramatic work ; (e) To dramatize any copyrighted non-dramatic work and roduce the same either by publication or performance ; (f) To publicly perform a copyrighted musical work, or any part thereof, or for purpose of public performance or the purposes set forth in subsection (b) hereof to make any arrangement or setting of such work, or of the melody thereof, in any system of notation ; (g) To make, sell, distribute or let for hire any device, contri- yance or appliance especially adapted in any manner whatsoever to reproduce to the ear the whole or any material part of any work published and copyrighted after this Act shall have gone into effect, or by means of any such device or appliance publicly to reproduce to the ear the whole or any material part of such work ; (h) To produce any abridgment, variation, adaptation, or arrangement of a copyrighted work of art. Suc. 2. That nothing in this Act shall be construed to annul or limit the right of the author or proprietor of an unpublished work, at common law or in equity, to prevent the copying, publication, or use of such unpublished work without his consent, or to obtain damages therefor. Suc. 3. That the copyright provided by this Act shall extend to and protect all the copyrightable component parts of the work copyrighted, any and all reproductions or copies thereof, in whatever form, style or size, and all matter reproduced therein in which copyright is already subsisting, but without extending the duration of such copyright. Sno. 4, That the works for which copyright may be secured under this Act shall include all the works of an author. Suc. 5. That the application for registration shall specify to which of the following classes the work in which copyright is claimed belongs : (a) Books, including composite and cyclopedic works, direc- tories, gazetteers, and other compilations, and new matter contained 5 Nature and Extent of Copy- right. Subject Matter of Copyright. Comp. Constitution, Art. 1, sec. 8 ; Rev. Stat., sec. 4952. Comp. Act of June 18, 1874, sec. 3 (18 Stat. at L., part 111, p. 79). Comp. Rey. Stat., sec. 4959; Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 5 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1108). Not subject matter of copy- right. Who May Obtain Copyright. Comp. Constitution, 1787, Art. 1, sec. 8; Rev. Stat., sec. 4952; Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 13 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1110). Comp. Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 13 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1110). 6 in new editions; but not including works specified in other sub- sections hereunder ; (b) Periodicals, including newspapers ; (c) Oral lectures, sermons, addresses ; (d) Dramatic compositions ; (e) Musical compositions ; (f) Maps ; (g) Works of art ; models or designs for works of art ; (h) Reproductions of a work of art ; oe (i) Drawings or plastic works of a scientific or technical character ; (j) Photographs ; (k) Prints and pictorial illustrations ; (1) Labels and prints relating to articles of manufacture, as heretofore registered in the Patent Office under the Act of June 18, 1874 : Provided, nevertheless, That the above specifications shall not be held to limit the subject matter of copyright as defined in section four of this Act, nor shall any error in classification invalidate or impair the copyright protection secured under this Act. Src. 6. That additions to copyrighted works and alterations, re- visions, abridgments, dramatizations, translations, compilations, arrangements, or other versions of works, whether copyrighted or in the public domain, shall be regarded as new works subject to copyright under the provisions of this Act ; but no such copyright shall affect the force or validity of any subsisting copyright upon the matter employed or any part thereof, or be construed to grant an exclusive right to such use of the original works. Sec. 7. That no copyright shall subsist :-— (a) In any publication of the United States government or any reprint, in whole or in part, thereof: Provided, however, That the publication or republication by the government, either separately or in a public document, of any material in which copyright is subsisting shall not be taken to cause any abridgment or annul- ment of the copyright or to authorize any use or appropriation of such copyright material, without the consent of the copyright proprietor ; (b) In the original text of a work by any author not a citizen of the United States first published without the limits of the United States prior to July first, eighteen hundred and ninety-one ; or in the original text of any work which has fallen into the public domain. Szo. 8. That the author or proprietor of any work made the subject of copyright by this Act, or his executors, administrators, or assigns, shall have copyright for such work under the conditions and for the terms specified in this Act: Provided, however, That the copyright secured by this Act shall extend to the work of an author or proprietor who is a citizen or subject of a foreign state or nation, only when such foreign author or proprietor,— (a) Shall be living within the United States at the time of the making and first publication of his work, or shall first or cotem- poraneously publish his work within the limits of the United States ; or (b) When the foreign state or nation of which such author or proprietor is a citizen or subject grants—either by treaty, conven- tion, agreement, or law—to citizens of the United States the benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to its own  7 citizens, or copyright protection substantially equal to the protec- tion secured to such foreign author under this Act ; or when such foreign state or nation is a party to an international agreement which provides for reciprocity in the granting of copyright, by the terms of which agreement the United States may at its pleasure become a party thereto. The existence of the reciprocal conditions aforesaid shall be determined by the President of the United States, by proclamation made from time to time, as the purposes of this Act may require. Suc. 9. That any person entitled thereto by this Act may secure copyright for his work by publication thereof with the notice of copy- right required by this Act ; and such notice shall be affixed to each copy thereof published or offered for sale in the United States by authority of the copyright proprietor. In the case of a work of art or a plastic work or drawing, such notice shall be affixed to the original also before publication thereof. In the case of a lecture or similar work intended only for oral delivery, notice of copyright shall be given at each public delivery thereof. Sec. 10. That such person may obtain registration of his claim to copyright by complying with the requirements prescribed in this Act ; and such registration shall be prima facie evidence of ownership. Registration may also be had of works of which copies are not repro- duced for sale, by the deposit, with claim of copyright, of the title and one complete printed or manuscript copy of such work, if it be a lecture or similar production, or a dramatic or musical composition ; of a photographic print, if the work be a photograph ; or of a photograph or other identifying reproduction thereof, if it be a work of art, ora plastic work or drawing ; the notice of copyright in these latter cases being affixed to the original before publication as required by section nine above. But the privilege of registration secured hereunder shall not exempt the copyright proprietor from the requirement of deposit of copies under section eleven herein where the work is later reproduced in copies for sale. Sec. 11. That not later than thirty days (but in the case of a periodical not later than ten days) after the publication of the work upon which copyright is claimed, there shall be deposited in_the Copy- right Office or in the United States mail addressed to the Register of Copyrights, Washington, District of Columbia, two complete copies of the best edition ; or if the work be a label or print relating to an article of manufacture, one such copy ; or if a contribution toa periodical for which contribution special registration is requested, one copy of the issue or issues of the periodical containing such contribution, to be deposited not later than ten days after publication ; or if the work is not reproduced in copies for sale, there shall be deposited the copy, print, photograph or other identifying reproduction required by section ten above: such copies or copy, print, photograph or other reproduction to be accompanied in each case by a claim of copyright. Src. 12. That the postmaster to whom are delivered the articles required to be deposited under section eleven above shall, if requested, give a receipt therefor ; and shall mail them to their destination without cost to the copyright claimant. Suc, 13. That of a printed book or periodical the text of the copies deposited under section eleven above shall be printed from type set within the limits of the United States, either by hand or by the aid of any kind of typesetting machine, or from plates made from type set within the limits of the United States, or if the text be produced by How to Secure Copyright. Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4956, as amended by the Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 3 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1107). Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4961. U. 8. type-set- ting and litho- graphic process. Comp. Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 3 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1107); H. R. pill no. 13355, March 2, 1904, passed by the House of Repre- sentatives April 26, 1904 (68th Cong., 2d sess.). Comp. Act of March 3, 1905. Notice of copy- right. . Comp. Rey. Stat., sec., 4962; Act of June 18, 1874, sec. 1 (18 Stat. at L., part III, p. 79); Act of March 3, 1905. 8 lithographic process, then by a process wholly performed within the limits of the United States: which requirements shall extend also to the illustrations produced by lithographic process within a printed book consisting of text and illustrations, and also to separate lithographs, except where in either case the subjects represented are located in a foreign country ; but they shall not apply to works in raised characters for the use of the blind, and they shall be subject to the provisions of section sixteen with reference to books published abroad seeking ad interim protection under this Act. In the case of the book the copies so deposited shall be accompanied by an affidavit, under the official seal of any officer authorized to administer oaths within the United States, duly made by the person claiming copyright or by his duly authorized agent or representative residing in the United States or by the printer who has printed the book, setting forth that the copies deposited have been printed from type set within the limits of the United States or from plates made from type set within the limits of the United States, or, if the text be pro- duced by lithographic process, that such process was wholly performed within the limits of the United States. Any person who for the purpose of obtaining a copyright shall knowingly be guilty of making a false affidavit as to his having complied with the above conditions shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, and all of his rights and privileges under said copyright shall thereafter be forfeited. Such affidavit shall state also the place within the United States, and the establishment, in which such type was set or plates were made or lithographic process was performed and the date of the completion of the printing of the book or the date of publication. Sec. 14. That the notice of copyright required by section nine shall consist either of the word “ Copyright” or the abbreviation “ Copr.” or, in the case of any of the works specified in sub-sections (f) to (1) inclusive, of section five of this Act, the letter ( enclosed within a circle, thus: @), accompanied in every case by the name of the author or copyright proprietor as registered in the Copyright Office ; or, in the case of works specified in subsections (f) to (1), inclusive, of section five of this Act, by his initials, monogram, mark, or symbol, provided that on some accessible portion of the work or of the margin, back, permanent base or pedestal thereof or of the substance on which the work shall be mounted his name shall appear. But in the case of works in which copyright is subsisting when this Act shall go into effect the notice of copyright may be either in one of the forms prescribed herein or in one of those prescribed by the Act of June 18, 1874. The notice of copyright shall be applied, in the case of a book or other printed publication, upon its title-page or the page immediately following, or if a periodical, either upon the title-page or upon the first page of text of each separate number or under the title heading ; or if a work specified in subsections (f) to (1), inclusive, of section five of this Act, upon some accessible portion of the work itself or of the margin, back, permanent base or pedestal thereof, or of the substance on which the work shall be mounted. In a composite work one notice of copyright shall suffice. Upon every copy of a published musical composition in which the right of public performance is reserved there shall be imprinted under the notice of copyright the words “Right of public performance reserved ;”? in default of which no action shall be maintained nor recovery be had for any such performance although without the consent of the copyright proprietor.  a Seo. 15. That if, by reason of any error or omission, the requirements prescribed above in section eleven have not been complied with within the time therein specified, or if failure to make registration has occurred by the error or omission of any administrative officer or employee of the United States, it shall be permissible for the author or proprietor to make the required deposit and secure the necessary registration within a period of one year after the first publication of the work: Provided, That in such case no action shall be brought for infringement of the copyright until such requirements have been fully complied with : And provided further, That the privilege above afforded of completing the registration and deposit after the expiration of the period prescribed in section eleven shall not exempt the proprietor of any article which bears a notice of copyright from depositing the required copy or copies upon specific written demand therefor by the Register of Copyrights, who may make such demand at any time subsequent to the expiration of such period ; and after the said demand shall have been made, in default of the deposit of the copies of the work within one month from any part of the United States except an outlying territorial possession of the United States, or within three months from any outlying territorial possession of the United States or from any foreign country, the oe of the copyright shall be liable to a fine of one hundred ollars. Where the copyright proprietor has sought to comply with the requirements of this Act as to notice and the notice has been duly affixed to the bulk of the edition published, its omission by inadvertence from a particular copy or copies, though preventing recourse against an innocent infringer without notice, shall not invalidate the copyright nor prevent recovery for infringement against any person who after actual notification of the copyright begins an undertaking to infringe it. Sec. 16. That in the case of a book published in a foreign country before publication in this country the deposit in the Copyright Office not later than thirty days after its publication abroad of one complete copy of the foreign edition with a request for the reservation of the copyright, and a statement of the name and nationality of the author and of the copyright proprietor, and of the date of publication of the said book shall secure to the author or proprietor an ad intervm copy- right. Except as otherwise provided, the ad interim copyright thus secured shall have all the force and effect given to copyright by this Act, and shall endure as follows :— (a) In the case of a book printed abroad in a foreiyn language, for a period of two years after the first publication of the book in the foreign country ; (b) In the case of a book printed abroad in the Hnglish language or in English and one or more foreign languages, for a period of thirty days after such deposit in the Copyright Office. Suc. 17. That whenever within the period of such ad interim pro- tection an authorized edition shall be produced and published from type set within the limits of the United States or from plates made there- from, (a) of a book in the Hnglish language, or (b) of a book in a foreign language, either in the original language or in an English translation thereof, and whenever the requirements prescribed by this Act as to deposit of copies, registration, filing of affidavit and the printing of the copyright notice shall have been duly complied with, the copyright shall be extended to endure in such original book for the full terms elsewhere provided in this Act. Sno. 18. That the copyright secured by this Act shall endure,— (a) For twenty-eight years after the date of first publication in * Failure to com- ply with formali- ties. Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4962. Comp. Act of March 3, 1865, sec. 3 (13 Stat. at L., p. 540). Ad interim pro- tection. Comp. Act of March 3, 1905, Duration of the Copyright.  Comp. as to prints or labels, the he of June 18, 1874, sec. 3 (18 Stat. at L., part 111, p. 79). Comp. Rev. Stat., secs. 4953 and 4954, Extension of term of subsist- ing copyright. Comp. Act of Feb. 3, 1831, sec. 16 (4 Stat. at L., p. 439). Right of trans- lation. Comp. Act. of March 3, 1891, sec. 1 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1107). Protection of the Copyright. Protection for unpublished works, Infringement of copyright. Comp. Rev, Stat., sec. 3082. 10 the case of any print or label relating to articles of manufacture : Provided, That the copyright which at the time of the passing of this Act may be subsisting in any article named in this section shall endure for the balance of the term of copyright fixed by the laws then in force ; (b) For fifty years after the date of first publication in the case of any composite or collective work ; any work copyrighted by a corporate body or by the employer of the author or authors ; any abridgment, compilation, dramatization, or translation ; any post- humous work ; any arrangement or reproduction in some new form of a musical composition ; any photograph ; any reproduction of a work of art ; any print or pictorial illustration ; the copyrightable contents of any newspaper or other periodical ; and the additions or annotations to works previously published. (c) For the lifetime of the author and for fifty years after his death, in the case of his original book, lecture, dramatic or musical composition, map, work of art, drawing or plastic work of a scientific or technical character, or other original work, but not including any work specified in subsections (a) or (b) hereof ; and in the case of joint authors, during their joint lives and for fifty years after the death of the last survivor of them. In all of the above cases the term shall extend to the end of the calendar year of expiration. The copyright in a work published anonymously or under an assumed name shall subsist for the same period as if the work had been produced bearing the author’s true name. Sec. 19. That the copyright subsisting in any work at the time when this Act goes into effect may, at the expiration of the renewal term pro- vided for under existing law, be further renewed and extended by the author, if he be still living, or if he be dead, leaving a widow, by his widow, or in her default, or if no widow survive him, by his children, if any survive him, for a further period such that the entire term shall be equal to that secured by this Act : Provided, That application for such renewal and extension shall be made to the Copyright Office and duly registered therein within one year prior to the expiration of the existing term: And provided further, That, should such subsisting copyright have been assigned, or a license granted therein for publication upon payment of royalty, the copyright shall be renewed and extended only in case the assignee or licensee shall join in the application for such renewal and extension. Src. 20. That the author’s exclusive right to dramatize or translate any one of his works in which copyright is subsisting shall, after the expiration of ten years from the day on which the work was registered in the Copyright Office, continue effective only in case a dramatization or translation thereof has been produced within that period by his consent or that of his assigns, and in the case of translations shall be confined to the language of any translation so produced. Sec. 21. That every person who, without the consent of the author or proprietor first obtained, shall publish or reproduce in any manner whatsoever any unpublished copyrightable work shall be liable to the author or proprietor for all damages occasioned by such injury, and to an injunction restraining such unauthorized publication, as hereinafter provided. Sxc. 22. That any reproduction, without the consent of the author or copyright proprietor, of any work or any material part of any work in which copyright is subsisting shall be illegal and is hereby prohibited. The provisions of section thirty-eight hundred and ninety-three of  Tt the Revised Statutes, prohibiting the use of the mails in certain cases, and also the provision of section thirty-eight hundred and ninety-five of the Revised Statutes, shall apply, and the importation into the United States of any such fraudulent copies or reproductions is hereby prohibited. Suc. 23. That if any person shall infringe the copyright in any work protected under the copyright laws of the United States by doing or causing to be done, without the consent of the copyright proprietor firat obtained in writing, any act the exclusive right to do or authorize which is by such laws reserved to such proprietor, such person shall be liable : (a) To an injunction restraining such infringement ; (b) To pay to the copyright proprietor such damages as the copyright proprietor may have suffered due to the infringement, as well as all the profits which the infringer may have made from such infringement, and in proving profits the plaintiff shall be required to prove sales only and defendant shall be required to prove every element of cost which he claims ; or in lieu of actual damages and profits, such damages as to the court shall appear just, to be assessed upon the following basis, but such damages shall in no case exceed the sum of five thousand dollars nor be less than the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, and shall not be regarded as a penalty : (1) In the case of a painting, statue or sculpture or any device especially adapted to reproduce to the ear any copy- righted work, not less than ten dollars for every infringing copy made or sold by or found in the possession of the infringer or his agents or employees ; (2) In the case of a lecture, sermon, or address, not less than fifty dollars for every infringing delivery ; (3) In the case of a dramatic or musical composition, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and not less than fifty dollars for every subsequent infringing performance ; (4) In the case of all other works enumerated in section five of this Act, not less than one dollar for every infringing copy made or sold by or found in the possession of the intringer or his agents or employees. (c) To deliver up on oath to be impounded during the pendency of the action, upon such terms and conditions as the court may prescribe, all goods alleged to infringe a copyright ; (d) To deliver up on oath for destruction all the infringing copies or devices, as well as all plates, molds, matrices or other means for making such infringing copies. Any court given jurisdiction under section thirty-two of this Act may proceed in any action instituted for violation of any provision hereof to enter a judgment or decree enforcing any of the remedies herein provided. Sec. 24. That the proceedings for an injunction, damages and profits, and those for the seizure of infringing copies, plates, molds, matrices, etc., aforementioned, may be united in one action. Sno. 25. That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this Act, or who shall knowingly and wilfully aid or abet such infringement or in any wise knowingly and wilfully take part in any such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding one year or by a fine of not less than Remedies. Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4964 (as amended by Act of March 38, 1891, sec. 7, 26 Stat. at L., p- 1109) and Rev. Stat., sec. 4965 (as amended by Act of March 2, 1895, 28 Stat. at L., p. 965). Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4966 (as amended by Act of Jan. 6, 1897, 29 Stat. at L., p. 481). 12 one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, in the discretion of the court. False notice of | Any person who, with fraudulent intent, shall insert or impress any copyright. notice of copyright required by this Act, or words of the same purport, in or upon any article for which he has not obtained copyright, or with fraudulent intent shall remove or alter the copyright notice upon an article duly vopyrighted, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars. Any person who shall knowingly issue or sell any article bearing a notice of United States copyright which has not been copyrighted in this country, or who shall knowingly import any article bearing such notice, or words of the same purport, which has not been copyrighted in this country, shall be liable to a fine of one hundred dollars. The importation into the United States of any article bearing such notice of copyright when there is no existing copyright thereon in the United States is prohibited, and such importations shall be proceeded against as provided by sections twenty-six to twenty-nine, inclusive, of this Act. Prohibition of SEC. 26. That any and all such fraudulent copies prohibited importa- importation. tion by this Act which are brought into the United States from any foreign country shall be seized by the collector, surveyor or other officer of the customs, or any person authorized in writing to make seizures under the customs revenue laws, in the district in which they are found; and the copies so seized shall without delay be delivered into the custody of the principal customs officer of the collection district in which the seizure is made; whereupon the said officer shall (except in cases of importation by mail) publish a notice of such seizure once a week for three successive weeks in some newspaper of the county or place where such seizure shall have been made. If no news- paper is published in such county, then such notice shall be published in some newspaper of the county in which the principal customs office of the district is situated ; and if no newspaper is published in such county, then notices shall be posted in proper public places, which : notices shall describe the articles seized and state the time, cause, and place of seizure, and shall require any person claiming such articles to appear and file with such customs officer his claim to such articles within twenty days from the date of the first publication of such notice. Sro. 27. That any person claiming the property so seized may, at any time within twenty days from the date of such first publication of Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 3076, notice, file with the collector, or other proper officer, a claim, stating his interest in the articles seized, and deposit with such collector, or other proper officer, a bond to the United States as now prescribed by law, in the penal sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, with two sure- ties, to be approved by said collector, or other proper officer, conditioned Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 838] that in case of the condemnation of the articles so claimed the obligors shall pay all the costs and expenses of the proceedings to obtain such condemnation. Such collector, or other proper officer, shall transmit the said bond with a duplicate list and description of the articles seized and claimed to the United States Attorney for the proper district, who shall proceed : for a condemnation of the property by information as in customs revenue 4 cases. Src. 28. 'Fhat in case the property shall be condemned it shall be delivered into the custody of the United States Marshal and destroyed in such manner as the court may direct. If not condemned the said articles shall be delivered to the importer on payment of the duty, if  13 any be due. If probable cause is found by the court as an existing fact connected with the seizure, the officer or other person making the seizure shall be entitled to a certificate affording him an absolute defense to any action on account of seizure. If no such claim shall be filed, or bond given, within the twenty days above specified, the collector, or other proper officer of the customs who has custody of the property, shall declare the same forfeited, and it shall be destroyed in such manner as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Sec. 29. That mails from foreign countries shall be carefully examined by postmasters, who shall forward to the principal customs officer of the district in which the post office is situated any foreign mail package supposed to contain any article imported in violation of the provisions of this Act. Upon receipt of such package the customs officer shall detain the same in his custody and notify by mail the eddressee of the package of its detention, and require him to show cause within thirty days why the supposed prohibited articles should not be destroyed. If the person so addressed shall not appear and show cause to the contrary, the customs officer shall make formal seizure of the articles contained in the package supposed to be pro- hibited importation, and if the package contains any prohibited articles shall declare the same forfeited, whereupon said articles shall be destroyed in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury shall direct. If upon examination the articles prove to be innocent of any violation of law the package shall be forwarded to the addressee in regular course of mail, subject to the payment of customs duty, if any be due. If the addressee appears and shows to the satisfaction of the said officer that the importation of the articles is not prohibited, the said articles shall be delivered to the addressee upon payment of the customs duty, if any be due. Sec. 30. That during the existence of the American copyright in any book the importation into the United States of any foreign edition or editions thereof (although authorized by the author or proprietor) not printed from type set within the limits of the United States or from plates made therefrom, or any plates of the same not made from type set within the limits of the United States, or any editions thereof pro- duced by lithographic process not performed within the limits of the United States, in accordance with the requirements of section thirteen of this Act, shall be and is hereby prohibited : Provided, however, 'That such prohibition shall not apply— (a) To works in raised characters for the use of the blind ; (b) To a foreign newspaper or magazine, although containing matter copyrighted in the United States printed or reprinted by authority of the copyright proprietor, unless such newspaper or magazine contains also copyright matter printed or reprinted without such authorization ; (c) To the authorized edition of a book in a foreign language or languages, of which only a translation into English has been copy- righted in this country ; (a) ‘To books in a foreign language or languages, published without the limits of the United States, but deposited and registered for an ad interim copyright under the provisions of this Act: in which case importation of copies of an authorized foreign edition shall be permitted during the ad interim term of two years, or until such time within this period as an edition shall have been produced from type set within the limits of the United States, or from plates made therefrom, or by a lithographic process performed therein as above provided ; Comp. Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 3 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1107). Comp. Act of Oct. 1, 1890, Free List, sec. 513. Comp. Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 3 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1108). Comp. Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 3 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1107). Comp. Act of March 3, 1905.  Suits : diction. Juris- 14 (e) To any book published abroad with the authorization of the author or copyright proprietor when imported under the circum- stances stated in one of the four sub-divisions following, that is to say: (1) When imported, not more than one copy at one time for use and not for sale, under permission given by the pro- prietor of the American copyright ; (2) When imported, not more than one copy at one time, by the authority or for the use of the United States ; (3) When specially imported, for use and not for sale, not more than one copy of any such book in any one invoice, in good faith, by or for any society or institution incorporated for educational, literary, philosophical, scientific or religious purposes, or for the encouragement of the fine arts, or for any college, academy, school or seminary of learning, or for any State, school, college, university or free public library in the United States: but such privilege of importation without the consent of the American copyright proprietor shall not extend to a foreign reprint of a book by an American author copy- righted in the United States unless copies of the American edition can not be supplied by the American publisher or copyright proprietor ; (4) When such books form parts of libraries or collections purchased en bloc for the use of societies, institutions or libraries designated in the foregoing paragraph; or form parts of the libraries or personal baggage belonging to persons or families arriving from foreign countries, and are not intended for sale : Provided, That copies imported as above may not lawfully be used in any way to violate the rights of the American copyright proprietor or annul or limit the copyright protection secured by this Act ; and such unlawful use shall be deemed an infringement of copyright. Src. 31. That all copies of authorized editions of copyright books imported in violation of the above provisions of this Act may be exported and returned to the country of export, provided it be shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury upon written application that such importation does not involve wilful negligence or fraud. If absence of wilful negligence or fraud be not established to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury, the importation shall be proceeded against as in the case of fraudulent copies in the manner prescribed by sections twenty-six to twenty-nine, inclusive, of this Act. Sec. 32. That all actions arising under the copyright laws of the United States shall be originally cognizable by the circuit courts of the United States, the district court of any Territory, the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, the district courts of Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico, and the courts of first instance of the Philipine Islands. Actions arising under this Act may be instituted in the district of which the defendant is an inhabitant, or in the district where the violation of any provision of this Act has occurred. Any such court, or judge thereof, shall have power, upon bill in equity filed by any party aggrieved, to grant an injunction to prevent the violation of any right secured by said laws, according to the course and principles of courts of equity, on such terms as said court or judge may deem reasonable. Any injunction that may be granted, restraining and enjoining the doing of anything forbidden by this Act may be served on the parties against whom such injunction may be granted  15 anywhere in the United States, and shall be operative throughout the United States and be enforceable by proceedings in contempt, or other- wise, by any other court or judge possessing jurisdiction of the defendant; but the defendants, or any or either of them, may make a motion in the proper court of any other district where such a violation is alleged, to dissolve said injunction upon such reasonable notice to the plaintiff as the court or judge before whom said motion shall be made shall deem proper; service of said motion to be made on the plaintiff in person or on his attorney in the action. Said courts or judges shall have authority to enforce said injunction and to hear and determine a motion to dissolve the same, as herein provided, as fully as if the action were pending or brought in the district in which said motion is made. The clerk of the court, or judge granting the injunction, shall, when required so to do by the court hearing the application to dissolve or enforce said injunction, transmit without delay to said court a certified copy of all the papers on which the said injunction was granted that are on file in his office. When any action is brought in any place whereof the defendant is not an inhabitant, service of process shall be made by the marshal of the district of which the defendant is an inhabitant, or of the district where he may be found, upon receiving a certified copy of the process from the clerk of the court where the suit was brought, and return shall be made by said marshal to said court. Suc. 33. That the final orders, judgments or decrees of any court mentioned in section thirty-two of this Act arising under the copyright laws of the United States may be reviewed on appeal or writ of error in the manner and to the extent now provided by law for the review of cases finally determined in said courts respectively. Sec. 34. That no action shall be maintained under the provisions of this Act unless the same is commenced within three years after the cause of action arose. Src. 35. That in all recoveries under this Act full costs shall be allowed. Src. 36. That nothing in this Act shall prevent, lessen, impeach, or avoid any remedy at law or in equity which any party aggrieved by any infringement of a copyright might have had if this Act had not been passed. Suc. 37. That the copyright is distinct from the property in the material object which is the subject of copyright, and the sale or con- veyance, by gift or otherwise, of the original object shall not of itself imply the cession of the copyright ; nor shall the assignment of the copyright imply the transfer of the material object. Src. 38. That the right of translation, the right of dramatization, the right of oral delivery of a lecture, the right of representation in the case of a dramatic composition, the right of performance in the case of a musical composition, where the latter is reserved as provided in section fourteen hereof, the right to make any mechanical device by which music may be reproduced to the ear, and the right of repro- duction of a work of art or of a drawing or plastic work of a scientific or technical character shall each be deemed a separate estate subject to assignment, lease, license, gift, bequest, or inheritance. Suc. 39. That the copyright in a work of art and the ownership of the work shall be deemed to be distinct properties, and, except as pro- vided for in this Act, the copyright in any artistic work shall remain in the author of the work, even if such work be sold or disposed of by Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 972. Transfer of Copyright.  Assignment of copyright. Foreign as- signment. Comp. Patent Act of March 3, 1897, sec. 5 (29 Stat. at L., p. 693). Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4955. Comp. Act of June 18, 1874, sec, 2 C18 Stat. at L., part 111, p. 79). The Copyright Office. Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4948 ; Act of Feb. 19, 1897 (29 Stat. at L., p. 545). Comp. Act of Feb. 19, 1897 (29 Stat. at L., p. 545). Comp. Act of Feb. 19, 1897 (29 Stat. at L., p. 545). 16 such author, unless the copyright therein be expressly assigned or disposed of in writing by him, or pass by operation of law or testamentary disposition. Src. 40. That every assignment of copyright under this Act shall be by an instrument of writing signed by the assignor. Suc. 41. That every assignment of copyright executed in a foreign country shall be acknowledged by the assignor before a consular officer or secretary of legation of the United States authorized by law to administer oaths or perform notarial acts. The certificate of such acknowledgment under the hand and official seal of such consular officer or secretary of legation shall be primd facie evidence of the execution of the instrument. Suc. 42. That every assignment of copyright shall be recorded in the Copyright Office within ninety days after its execution in the United States or within six calendar months after its execution without the limits of the United States, in default of which it shall be void as against any subsequent purchaser or mortgagee for a valuable con- sideration, without notice, whose assignment has been duly recorded. Suc. 43. That in place of the original instrument of assignment there may be sent for record a true copy of the same duly certified as such by any official authorized to take an acknowledgment to a deed. Src. 44. That the Register of Copyrights shall, upon payment of the prescribed fee, record such assignment, and shall return to the sender, with a certificate of record attached, under seal, the original instrument or the copy of the same so filed for record; and upon the payment of the fee prescribed by this Act he shall furnish to any person requesting the same a certified copy thereof, under the seal of the Copyright Office. Suc. 45. That when an assignment of the copyright in a specified book or other work has been recorded, the assignee shall have the privilege of substituting his name for that of the assignor in the statutory notice of copyright prescribed by this Act. Src. 46. That all records and other things relating to copyrights, required by law to be preserved, shall be kept and preserved in the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, District of Columbia, and shall be under the control of the Register of Copyrights, who shall, under the direction and supervision of the Librarian of Congress, perform all the duties relating to the registration of copyrights. Src. 47. That there shall be appointed by the Librarian of Congress a Register of Copyrights, at a salary of dollars per annum, and one Assistant Register of Copyrights, at a salary of dollars per annum, who shall have authority during the absence of the Register of Copyrights to attach the Copyright Office seal to all papers issued from the said office, and to sign such certificates and other papers as may be necessary. There shall also be appointed by the Librarian such subordinate assistants to the Register as may from time to time be authorized by law. Src. 48. That the Register of Copyrights shall make daily deposits in some bank in the District of Columbia, designated for this purpose by the Secretary of the Treasury as a national depository, of all moneys received to be applied as copyright fees, and shall make weekly deposits with the Secretary of the Treasury, in such manner as the latter shall direct, of all copyright fees actually applied under the provisions of this Act, and annual deposits of sums received which it has not been possible to apply as copyright fees or to return to the remitters, and  17 shall also make monthly reports to the Secretary of the Treasury and to the Librarian of Congress of the applied copyright fees for each calendar month, together with a statement of all remittances received, trust funds on hand, moneys refunded, and unapplied balances. Suc. 49. That the Register of Copyrights shall give bond to the United States in the sum of twenty thousand dollars, in form to be approved by the Solicitor of the Treasury, and with sureties satisfactory to the Secretary of the Treasury, for the faithful discharge of his duties. Sec. 50. That the Register of Copyrights shall make an annual report to the Librarian of Congress, to be printed in the Annual Report on the Library of Congress, of all copyright business for the previous fiscal year, including the number and kind of works which have been deposited in the Copyright Office during the fiscal year, under the provisions of this Act. Suc. 51. That the seal provided under the Act of July eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy, and at present used in the Copyright Office, shall continue to be the seal thereof, and by it all papers issued from the Copyright Office requiring authentication shall be authenticated. Suc. 52. That, subject to the approval of the Librarian of Congress, the Register of Copyrights shall be authorized to make reasonable rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, for the conduct of proceedings with reference to the registration of claims to copyright as provided by this Act: Provided, That no breach of such rules or regulations shall affect the validity of the copyright. Suc. 53. That the Register of Copyrights shall provide and keep such record books in the Copyright Office as are required to carry out the provisions of this Act, and whenever deposit has been made in the Copyright Office of a title or copy of any work under the provisions of this Act he shall make entry thereof. Suc. 54. That in the case of each entry the person recorded as the claimant of the copyright shall be entitled to a certificate under seal of copyright registration, to contain his name and address, the title of the work upon which copyright is claimed, the date of the deposit of the required copies of such work, and such marks as to class designation and entry number as shall fully identify the entry. In the case of a book the certificate shall also state the receipt of the affidavit required by section thirteen of this Act, and the date of the completion of the printing, or the date of the publication of the book, as stated in the said affidavit. The Register of Copyrights shall prepare a printed form for the said certificate to be filled out in each case as above provided for, which certificate sealed with the seal of the Copyright Office shall, upon payment of the prescribed fee, be given to any person making application for the same, and the said certificate shall be admitted in any court as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. Suc. 55. That the Register of Copyrights shall fully index all copy- right registrations, and shall print at periodic intervals a catalogue of the titles of articles deposited and registered for copyright, together with suitable indexes, and at stated intervals shall print complete and indexed catalogues for each class of copyright entries, and thereupon shall have authority to destroy the original manuscript catalogue cards containing the titles included in such printed volumes and representing the entries made during such intervals. The current catalogues of copyright entries and the index volumes herein provided for shall be admitted in any court as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein as regards any copyright registration. Comp. Act of Feb. 19, 1897 Q9 Stat. at L., p. 545). Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4951. Comp. Rey. Stat., sec. 4949. Comp. Trade-mark Act of Feb. 20, 1905, sec. 26. Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4957. Comp. Trade-mark Act of Feb. 20, 1905, sec. 16. Catalogue of copyright entries. Comp. Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 4 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1108).  Comp. Act. of March 3, 1891, sec. 4 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1108). Disposal of ac- cumulated copy- right deposits. Copyright fees. Comp. Rev. Stat., sec. 4958 ; Act of June 18, 1874, sec. 2 (18 Stat. at L., part 11, p. 79); Act of March 3, 1891, sec. 4 (26 Stat. at L., p. 1108). 18 Suc. 56. That the said printed current catalogues as they are issued shall be promptly distributed by the Copyright Office to the collectors of customs of the United States and to the postmasters of all exchange offices of receipt of foreign mails, in accordance with revised lists of such collectors of customs and postmasters prepared by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Postmaster-General, and they shall also be furnished to all parties desiring them at a price to be determined by the Register of Copyrights not exceeding five dollars per annum for the complete catalogue of copyright entries and not exceeding one dollar per annum for the catalogues issued during the year for any one class of subjects. The consolidated catalogues and indexes shall also be supplied to all persons ordering them at such prices as may be deter- mined to be reasonable, and all subscriptions for the catalogues shall be received by the Superintendent of Public Documents, who shall forward the said publications ; and the moneys thus received shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States and accounted for under such laws and Treasury regulations as shall be in force at the time. Sec. 57. That the record books of the Copyright Office, together with the indexes to such record books, and all works deposited and retained in the Copyright Office, shall be open to public inspection at convenient times ; and copies may be taken of the copyright entries actually made in such record books, subject to such safeguards and regulations as shall be prescribed by the Register of Copyrights and approved by the Librarian of Congress. Suc. 58. That of the articles deposited in the Copyright Office under the provisions of the copyright laws of the United States or of this Act, the Librarian of Congress shall determine what books and other articles shall be transferred to the permanent collections of the Library of Congress, including the Law Library, and what other books or articles shall be placed in the reserve collections of the Library of Congress for sale or exchange, or be transferred to other governmental libraries in the District of Columbia for use therein. Sec. 59. That of any articles undisposed of as above provided, together with all titles and correspondence relating thereto, the Librarian of Congress and the Register of Copyrights jointly shall at suitable intervals determine what of these received during any period of years it is desirable or useful to preserve in the permanent files of the Copyright Office, and, after due notice as hereinafter provided, may within their discretion cause the remaining articles and other things to be destroyed: Provided, That there shall be printed in the Catalogue of Copyright Entries from February to November, inclusive, a statement of the years of receipt of such articles and a notice to permit any author, copyright proprietor, or other lawful claimant to claim and remove before the expiration of the month of November of that year anything found which relates to any of his productions deposited or registered for copyright within the period of years stated, not reserved or disposed of as provided for in sections fifty-eight and fifty-nine of this Act : And provided further, That no manuscript of an unpublished work shall be destroyed during the term of its copyright without specific notice to the author, copyright proprietor, or other lawful claimant, permitting him to claim and remove it. Suc. 60. That the Register of Copyrights shall receive, and the persons to whom the services designated are rendered shall pay, the following fees: For the registration of any work subject to copyright deposited under the provisions of this Act, one dollar, which sum is to include a certificate under seal. For every additional certificate under seal of registration made, fifty cents. For recording and certifying any  19 instrument of writing for the assignment of copyright, or for any copy of an assignment, duly certified, if not over three hundred words in length, one dollar; if more than three hundred and less than one thousand words in length, two dollars; if more than one thousand words in length, one dollar for each one thousand words and fraction thereof over three hundred words. For comparing any copy of an assignment with the record of such document in the Copyright Office and certifying the same under seal, one dollar. For recording the transfer of the proprietorship of copyrighted articles, ten cents for each title of a book or other article in addition to the fee prescribed for recording the instrument of assignment. For any requested search of Copyright Office records, indexes, or deposits, fifty cents for each full hour of time consumed in making such search. For the personal inspection of copyright record books, indexes, applications, or any article deposited, including the copying of an entry actually made in any such record book, ten cents in the case of each book or other article: Provided, That for such inspection or copying, or both, if made by or on behalf of any person party to a copyright suit already begun or if the inspection and use of a book or other deposited article is made in the reading-room of the Library of Congress, or in any division of the Library to which the said article would naturally pertain, no charge shall be made: Provided further, That only one registration at one fee shall be required in the case of several volumes of the same book or periodical deposited at the same time or of a numbered series of any work specified in subsections (h), (j), (k), and (1) of section five of this Act, where such series represents the same subject with variances only in pose or composition and the items composing it are deposited at the same time under one title with a view to a single registration. Suc. 61. That in the interpretation and construction of this Act the words “ United States” shall be construed to mean the United States and its territorial possessions, and to include and embrace all territory which is now or may hereafter be under the jurisdiction and control of the United States. Suc. 62. That in the interpretation and construction of this Act words importing the singular number shall be held to include the plural, and vice versd, except where such construction would be unreasonable, and words importing the masculine gender shall be held to include all genders, except where such construction would be absurd or unreasonable. Sno. 63. That in the interpretation and construction of this Act «“ the date of publication ” shall in the case of a work of which copies are reproduced for sale or distribution be held to be the earliest date when copies of the first authorized edition were sold or placed on sale ; and the word “author” shall include an employer in the case of works made for hire. So. 64. That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed, save and except section 4966 of the Revised Statutes, the provisions of which are hereby confirmed and continued in force, anything to the contrary in this Act notwithstanding. ’ BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO. LD., PRINTERS, LONDON AND TONBRIDGE. Miscellaneous Provisions. Repealing clause. 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. 16 Issue 10 (July 1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16 Issue 10 (July 1906) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-07-01-The-Author-16-10 publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/4/519/1906-United-States-Copyright.pdf 72fb5c27fbd06a85029995d2769fda51 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) 1906 Volume 16 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 Bradbury, Agnew & Co. Location The location of the event or organisation London Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19060701 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 United States Copyright (1906) Subject The topic of the resource <em>United States Copyright</em> (1906) Description An account of the resource Summary of the Bill to amend and consolidate the acts respecting copyright. Relation A related resource <a href="https://historysoa.com/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=89&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&amp;advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=16&amp;sort_field=added">Supplement to&nbsp;<em>The Author</em>, Vol. 16</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1906-United-States-Copyright America copyright publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/4/520/1913-The-Author-23-index.pdf 29d0ed5e64f75b6638248c213cd4a326 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) 1913 Volume 23 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 Bradbury, Agnew & Co. The Society of Authors 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. 23 (1913) Subject The topic of the resource Index to <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 23 (1913) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Index Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1913-The-Author-23-index publications The Author https://www.historysoa.com/files/original/5/521/1912-10-01-The-Author-23-1.pdf 16703a334a81a55278ec807dcaf47115 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) 1912-10-01 Volume 23 Issue 1 Pages Page range in volume 1–32 Ngram Date Version of the date in YYYYMMDD format for use by the Ngram plugin 19121001 Ngram Text Version of the text with no HTML formatting for use by the Ngram plugin Che Hutbor. (The Organ of the Incorporated Society of Authors. FOUNDED BY SIR Monthly.) WALTER BESANT. Vou. X XITII.—No. 1. OcToBER 1, 1912. [Prick SIXPENCE. TELEPHONE NUMBER: 374 VICTORIA. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: AUTORIDAD, LONDON. —— sg eg NOTICES, eg Y OR the opinions expressed in papers that are signed or initialled the authors alone are responsible. None of the papers or paragraphs must be taken as expressing the opinion of the Committee unless such is especially stated to be the case. Tue Editor begs to inform members of the Authors’ Society and other readers of The Author that the cases which are quoted in The Author are cases that have come before the notice or to the knowledge of the Secretary of the Society, and that those members of the Society who desire to have the names of the publishers concerned can obtain them on application. ARTICLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS. Tue Editor of The Author begs to remind members of the Society that, although the paper is sent to them free of cost, its production would be a very heavy charge on the resources of the Society if a great many members did not forward to the Secretary the modest 5s. 6d. subscription for the year. Communications for The Author should be addressed to the offices of the Society, 39, Old Queen Street, Storey’s Gate, §.W., and should reach the Editor not later than the 21st of each month. Communications and letters are invited by the Editor on all literary matters treated from Von, XXII. the standpoint of art or business, but on no other subjects whatever. Every effort will be made to return articles which cannot be accepted. ADVERTISEMENTS. ° As there seems to be an impression among readers of The Author that the Committee are personally responsible for the bona fides of the advertisers, the Committee desire it to be stated that this is not, and could not possibly be, the case. Although care is exercised that no undesirable advertisements be inserted, they do not accept, and never have accepted, any liability. Members should apply to the Secretary for advice if special information is desired. <a THE SOCIETY’S FUNDS. oe ROM time to time members of the Society K desire to make donations to its funds in recognition of work that has been done for them. The Committee, acting on the suggestion of one of these members, have decided to place this permanent paragraph in The Author in order that members may be cognisant of those funds to which these con- tributions may be paid. The funds suitable for this purpose are: (1) The Capital Fund. This fund is kept in reserve in case it is necessary for the Society to incur heavy expenditure, either in fighting a question of principle, or in assisting to obtain copyright reform, or in dealing with any other matter closely connected with the work of the Society. (2) The Pension Fund; This fund is slowly increasing, and it is hoped will, in time, cover the needs of all the members of the Society. *2 THE PENSION FUND. 1 before the trustees of the Pension Fund the accounts for the year 1911, as settled bv the accountants, with a full statement of the result of the appeal made on behalf of the fund. After giving the matter full con- sideration, the trustees instructed the secretary to invest the sum of £500 in the purchase of Antofagasta and Bolivian Railway 5% Pre- ferred Ordinary Stock and Central Argentine Railway Ordinary Stock. The amounts pur- chased at the current prices were £237 in the former and £232 in the latter stock. The trustees desire to thank the members of the society for the generous support which they have given to the Pension Fund. The money now invested amounts to £4,454 6s. Later in the year, at a meeting of the Com- mittee of Management, a question concerning the funds of the society was brought up for dis- cussion, and it was suggested that it would be a good thing for the Pension Fund trustees, if they had power, to sell out the Fund’s holding of Consols and to invest in some more satisfactory security. The suggestion was placed before the trustees of the Pension Fund, and a meeting was called, when the chairman of the Committee of Management, the trustees, and Mr. Aylmer Maude, the member of the Committee of Management who had made the suggestion, were present. The figures were very closely considered, and it appeared clear that altera- tions in the investment of the funds could be carried out with advantage to the Fund’s income. It was decided by the trustees, with the approval of the Committee of Management, to sell out the holding of Consols. With the amount realised, were purchased— $2,000 (£400) Consolidated Gas and Elec- tric Company of Baltimore 44% Gold Bonds ; 30 Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway 4°, Extension Shares, (1914) £8 paid ; £250 Edward Lloyd, Ltd., £1 5% Prefer- ence Shares. These amounts are fully set out and added in the nominal value to the Pension Fund investments, below. The trustees have also, in view of the option extended to them as holders of £232 Central Argentine Railway Ordinary Stock, subscribed for 3 Central Argentine Railway £10 Preference Shares, New Issue. The nominal value of the investments held on behalf of the Pension Fund now amounts i January, the secretary of the society laid THE AUTHOR. to £4,454 6s., details of which are fully set out in the following schedule :— Nominal Value. 8. ot. Local oans 2.2.5.3 .-.555,.- 500 0 0 Victoria Government 3% Consoli- dated Inscribed Stock ........ 291 19 11 London and North-Western 3% Debenture Stock -............ 250 0 0 Egyptian Government Irrigation Trust 4% Certificates ........ 200 0 0 Cape of Good Hope 34% Inscribed Stock 2. 5755 200 0 0 Glasgow and South-Western Rail- way 4% Preference Stock .... 228 0 0 New Zealand 34% Stock........ 247 9 6 Irish Land 22% Guaranteed Stock 258 0 0 Corporation of London 24% Stock, 1927—57.............. 4388 2 4 Jamaica 83% Stock, 1919-49 132 18 6 Mauritius 4% 1937 Stock ...... 120 12 1 Dominion of Canada, C.P.R. 34% Land Grant Stock, 1988 ...... 198 3 8 Antofagasta and Bolivian Railway 5%, Preferred Stock .......... 237 0 0 Central Argentine Railway Or- dinary Stock .....:2....:.... 232 0 0 $2,000 Consolidated Gas and Electric Company of Baltimore 44%, Gold Bonds ............ 400 0 0 250 Edward Lloyd, Ltd., £1 5% Preference Shares = .......... 250 0 0 80 Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway 4% Extension Shares 1914 (£8 paid) .............. 240 0 0 8 Central Argentine Railway £10 Preference Shares New Issue... 380 0 0O Total’ 7. £4,454 6 O PENSION FUND. —— Tue list printed below includes all fresh dona- tions and subscriptions (7.e., donations and subscriptions not hitherto acknowledged) received by, or promised to, the fund from April Ist, 1912. It does not include either donations given prior to April 1st, nor does it include sub- scriptions paid in compliance with promises made before it. The full list of annual subscribers to the fund appears in this issue.  LEASE NERDS THE AUTHOR. Subscriptions. 1912. April 6, Bland, J. O. P. April 6, Taylor, Mrs. Basil April 6, Forrester, J. Cliffe June 6, Probert, W. S. June 6, Wheelhouse, Miss M. V. June 6, Acland, Mrs. C. D. : June 6, Spurrell, Herbert (from 1912 to 1915). June 6, Spens, Archibald B. July 18, Liddle, S. : Aug. 7, ‘Joseph, L. Sept. 6, Garvice, Charles (in addi- tion to present sub- scription of £1 1s.) Donations. 1912. April 2, XX. Pen Club April 6, Taylor, Mrs. Basil : April 6, Cameron, Mrs. Charlotte . April 10, Kenny, Mrs. L. M. Stac- poole April 10, Robbins, Alfred F.. April 10, Harris, Emma H. April 11, Ralli, €. Scaramanga April 11, Aitken, Robert. April 16, 7M YE (£1 per month, February, March, April) April 22, Prior, Mrs. Melton May 2, Baden- Powell, Miss Agnes May 25, Koebel, W. H. : May 28, Harland, Mrs. Henry May 28, Wood, Mrs. A. E. : June 4, Hornung, E. W. June 4, Ward, Dudley June 6, Worrall, Lechmere . June 13, Robbins, Miss Alice E. July 5, Hain, iM. ; Aug. 16, Shipley, R. H. —_—__—_+—— —____ PENSION FUND. ooco SCOorfooon noo a wOoro coroonrooooown _ ee bt Or Or Or Or COMUeM Aue % bo or co bel CO OUD Or ecoooo oooco a ooo eoeoococo QOoecoececoocas ComPLete List or ANNUAL SUBSCRIBERS. A. L. M. ‘ Abbott, The Rev. Edwin, D.D. Adams, Newton . Allen, Rey. Geo. W. Allen, Mrs. Grant . Anderson, Arthur Andrews, Miss C. C. Armstrong, Miss Frances Arnold, Mrs. J. O. Askew, Claud ecocoocrooocrH om —_ 2 OOo Oe OO a eecocoececoo= B. e BC. . Bagnall, Miss L. T. Baldwin, Mrs. Alfred Balme, Mrs. : Barne, Miss M. C. . Barnett, PA, . Barrington, Mrs. Russell Bashford, H H. H. Beale, Mrs. W. Phipson Beeching, Canon . : Begbie, Harold Bell, Lady . Benecke, Miss Ida Benjamin, Lewis . Bennett, Arnold . Berkeley, Mrs. F. R. Bland, J.O. P.. Bland, Mrs. E. Nesbit Bloundelle-Burton, John Bolton, Miss Anna Bond, R. Warwick Bosanquet, E. F. . Boughton, Rutland Bowen, Miss Marjorie Brandon, Miss D. . Breakell, Miss Mary Brend, Charles C. . Brinton, Selwyn Brodhurst, Spencer Broster, Miss D. K. Brown, R. Grant . Budgen, Miss : Bungey, E. Newton Burmester, Miss Frances G. Burne- Murdoch, W. G. Ck. . Caine, William Calderon, George . Cannan, Gilbert Capes, Bernard . Capes, Mrs. (Marian Hawtrey) Carlyle, Rev. A. J. ‘ Carr, Miss M. E. . : Caulfield, Kathleen M. . Channon, Mrs. Francis . Chase, Mr. and Mrs. L. N. Chesterton, G. K. : Child, Harold H. Clifford, Lady : Clifton, Mrs. Talbot Clodd, Edward Clough, Miss B. A. Cohen, Mrs. Herbert Collier, Hon. John Colquhoun, A. R. . Cooke, W. B fat Soococorr cocoon ee SS OSS OH OSCH SSS OOS COOH OC OHS COCO mMHENE foal ek bee o SCH ENE AnNooOUmenpao:s _ Oo = Or _ Ot S Or Or Or Or Or Or OL OL! Or a m _ _ ASOAaonrnsdonean i =“ Oo © 10 oo PMR eee orem esocosoosese es Sé oe as oaacos coe eon oboe noc® Cotesworth, Miss Lillias E. (‘‘ Hester White’) . : . Coulton, G. G. Cox, Miss Marion Roalfe Cromartie, Countess of . Crommelin, Miss May Cross, Victoria : Curwen, Miss Maud Dale, Miss Nellie . Darbishire, Otto Darley, R. H. Daveen, Francis Davy, Mrs. E. M. . Dawson, W arrington De Morgan, Wm. . Desborough, The Right Hon. The Lord, P.C. Dixon, "A. F. Dixon, W. Scarth | Dobson, Austin Drake, F. Maurice. ‘ Dummelow, Rev. J. R.. Dunsany, The Lord : Durand, The Right Hon. Sir Henry Mortimer . Durand, Ralph Diiring, Mrs. E. D. C. E. H. BEAK. . . M. C: ZS . Edgington, Miss May Ellis, Miss M. A. Esmond, HOV. |: Kyre-Matcham, Mrs. Fagan, J. B. Felkin, Alfred Laurence : Felkin, The Hon. Mrs. A. L. ‘(Ellen Thornycroft- -Fowler) . Fenn, Frederick Festing, Miss : : Field, The Rev. Claude . Fieldhouse, Arthur FitzGerald, Colin . : FitzGerald, Mrs. EK. A. . Fleming, Mrs. A. D. i Forbes, The Lady Ellen Forrest, G. W. : : Forrester, J. Cliffe Forster, R. H. Fox, A. D. Francis, René : Freshfield, Douglas Fuller, Sir Bamfylde ; Galsworthy, John : ‘ Garnett, Edward . : 4 & wh cCcoonoceH mocoococoocoorooce mooenocooroqoocorcocre He SOM COHONENRFOSCOCOOCHF DH _ he SOHO Orr S OLOTO OH CLOT _ Sr ov Ou Or OU _ mM Oooo So OO ON Ot OCR ee _ it oucoro _ _ He OOCOCOMUrFUNOOR& S oo coooooocenocecoo coocoeooco ececooocoooocoeooooaonace]e ecocoocoocoocanoocoeoo THE AUTHOR. Garvice, Charles Gaunt, Mrs. Mary Gay, Mrs. Florence Geddes, Mrs. George, W. L. : Gidley, Miss E. C.. Giles, Miss Edith J. F. Gilson, Captain Charles . Gilliat, Rev. Edward Glenconner, Lady ; Godfrey, Miss Elizabeth Gonne, Capt. C. : Gosse, Edmund Graham, Capt. Harry Graves, A. P. : Greig, James Gribble, Francis . Grier, Miss Julia M. Grogan, Walter E. Gurney, Mrs. Guthrie, ee H. A. Hep Haggard, Mrs. Hain, H. M.. Halford, F. M. Hamilton, Henry . Hands, Mrs. Morris Hannay, Rev. Canon J. O. (Geo. A. Birmingham) Hargrave, Mrs. Basil (Parry ee Harraden, Miss Beatrice Harrison, Austin . : Harrison, Mrs. Darent . Haultain, Arnold . Hawkes-Cornock, Mrs. . Hawkins, Anthony Hee Heath, Miss KE. . Heath, Miss Helena Heath, Sidney ‘ Hecht, Mrs. Arthur Hedgecock, F. A. . : Heming, Lieut.-Col. D. . Hepburn, Thomas ‘ Hering, H. A. Hichens, Robert Hills, Mrs. Martha Hitchings, F.N.W. . Hollins, Miss Dorothea . Holme, Miss. Holmes, Miss Eleanor Hughes-Gibb, Mrs. : Hutchinson, Rev. H. N. Inkster, C. L. Inman, Rev. H. T. J. A. RB. J.K. J. COHFOCCONOMOOCOCOSCOOHHOONK COSCSCrHFSCOOONH mecormoooooowoorw SooooooorFONnNe n°? i _ = Ooo eH mo OUN & SO Oro © OF Or Or ht owe ao an»nwmnooorcn a ie CUMMHKaAnNoeanrwNoowrandaanodorX aod & ccooooooaocacoocoOoSeSoSoSSOOaASCS SOO ecooocooooocooooanooacooooooeceo  J. L. W. ; Jackson, C. S. Jacomb, A. E. James, Henry James, Miss S. Boucher Jessup, A. E. Jones, Henry Arthur Jones, W. Braunston Keene, Mrs. Kelly, W. P. Kenny, Mrs. L. M. “Stacpoole . Kersey, William H. Kilmarnock, The Lord . Kipling, Rudyard Kitcat, Mrs. Knowles, Miss Margaret Lack, H. Lambert Lambe, J. Laurence Larden, Walter Larken, E. P. Laurence, Lionel . Laws, T.C. . : Lee, Rev. Albert . Letts, Miss W. M.. Lewis, Rev. Arthur Lewis, T. C. Liddle, S. . Lion, Leon M. : Little, Mrs. Archibald Locke, W. J. Logan, The Rev. Robert Longe, Miss Julia . Lueas, E. V. M.M.B... Macdonald, Greville Mackenzie, Miss H. : Macnamara, Miss Margaret Maenaughton-Jones, Dr. H. Macpherson, J. F.. Malcolm, Mrs. lan. “Malet, Lucas”? ... Mann, Mrs. Mary E. Maquarie, Arthur . Marchmont, A. W. Marks, Mrs. Mary Marriott, Charles . Martin, Miss Violet Masefield, John Matheson, Miss Annie McCormick, E. B. Meredith, Mark ; Middlemass, Miss Jean . Miniken, Miss Bertha M. M. Moffatt, Miss B. . Montgomery, Miss K. L. Montrésor, Miss F. F, Morton, Michael THE AUTHOR. tw % Q Palle moO Oe SOESSHSHSOSONNOSOHSCSOOSOOCOH OHH UMC OCOC OC ORHHENOOS MrOOCHOCoocoCcOoOHreHOoCoCSCONS bet bok pe SOM OM kK OSCoANO OC & = = bt el pt ped ARMSOSONSOAMRAKHKNOAUAMNOMAMH OOo oT et _ a) ee or or OS Or Or O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mulliken, Mrs. Narramore, William Nembhard, Miss M. Nicholls, F.C... Niven, Frederick . Northcote, Rev. H. O’Brien, The Rev. G. E. O’ Donnell, Miss Petronella Orezy, The Baroness Osgood, Mrs. Irene Owen, Charles P. : Pakington, Hon. Mary : Parr, Miss O. K. . Parry, Sir C. Hubert, Mus. Doc. Paul, H. M. Pearson, Mrs. Conny : Pendered, Miss Mary L. Pettigrew, W.F. . : Phillips-Wooley, Clive Phillpotts, Eden Phipson, Miss Emma Pickthall, M. W. . Pinero, Sir Arthur Plunkett, G. N., Count . : j Pollock, The Right Hon. Sir Frederick, P.C. : ‘ : Pope, Miss Jessie . Portman, Lionel Prelooker, J. . Prideaux, Miss S. T. Probert, W. S. Pryor, Francis. Purdon, Miss K. L. Rawlings, Burford Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie Reynolds, Mrs. Fred Rhys, Ernest : Richardson, Mrs. Aubrey Riley, Miss i osephine Rittenberg, Max Roberts, D. G. Roberts, Morley Roe, Mrs. Harcourt Romanes, Mrs. Ropes, A. R. Rorison, Miss E. Rossetti, Wm. M. Rumble, Mrs. ; : Rumbold, the Right Honble. Sir Horace, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.M.G. Russell, G. H. , ; Rutter, Frank S. F. F. S.M. . Sabatini, Rafael : . Saies, Mrs. . : : ; : — SCUSSSHSCONSOHSCSOOSCOHMOOCOOCCCONm SSSKSOSCSCOCOSCOSCCOOHMORHEHOHOE coocooccre —_ SCH UNooananua? — _ | WOSSTHAONOCOH Aan uo a he AOoIrtaonn»neHeareOoOnonm bot et ee AnaraKooed ra Or Or S Or Or Or or ooooooo SeSessoesooalraceooscoocococco SeEmooecoscoacscooacoscscoanacococos® o> Salmond, Mrs. M. A. C. . Salter, Miss E. K. ; ; : Salwey, Reginald E. : : : anders, Miss E. K. : : : Scott, G. Forrester Scott, Mrs. C. Seaman, Owen. Sedgwick, Prof. A. Sedgwick, W. : Selincourt, Mrs. ‘Basil de Douglas Sedgwick) Sergeant, Miss “Constancia Seton- Karr, H. W. Shaw, Fred G. : Shaw, Mrs. Bernard Shepherd, George H. Shera, Miss B. M. : Sherwood, Miss A. Curtis Shipley, Miss Mary Simpson, W. J. Sinclair, Miss May Skrine, Mrs. J ohn H. Skrine, Rev. John H. Slaughter, Miss F. Smith, Bertram Smythe, Alfred Snell, Miss Olive Somers, John Somerville, E. (. Speed, Lancelot Sproston, Samuel, Junr. Stacey, Mrs. W. Sy aoe Stanton, Miss H. M. E. Stawell, Mrs. Rudolf Stayton, Frank . Stein, Sir M. Aurel Steveni, W. Barnes - Stewart, J. C. ] oe Stockley, Mrs. Stott, M. D. Sturt, Geo. . Sullivan, Herbert . Summers, J. Sutherland, Her Grace The Duchess of Sutro, Alfred Taylor, Mrs. Basil. Tearle, Christian . Teixeira de Mattos, Alex Thomson, Lieut.-Col. J. Thorn, Ismay : Thurston, E. Temple Todd, Margaret, M.D. Toynbee, Paget . Toynbee, William Travers, Miss Rosalind . Trench, Herbert Trevelyan, G. M. . (Anna Kee OOCCOCOM cocoeooocroscooomoronesceooowoosce —_ COCCOFRMSOSCONOCONNOFOF ” _ MONO OS ON GOLOT OT S OY CLOT OUT bt et et Or OT OT SOTO — bo Oe! Ole OS Or Or O OFS OL OTH © Or Or ie SKonrononan a eoouco cococoooooo cara THE AUTHOR. % _ moO Oe Trevor, Major Philip. . : Truman, Miss Olivia M.. ‘ ‘ Tuckett, F. F. Turner, G. F. : Turner, Reginald . Tuttiett, Miss M. G. Twycross, Miss M. Tyrrell, Miss Eleanor Underdown, Miss E. VS. : Vachell, H. A Vacher, Francis Vernéde, R. E. Von Holst, Gustav Voynich, Mrs. E. L. : Waldestein, Sir Charles . Walkley, S. ‘ ; Ward, Mrs. Humphry : ; <1 Ward, Rev. F. W. Orde Warden, Madame Gertrude Watt, A. P.. : Weaver, Mrs. Baillie : Wentworth, Patricia _ Dillon) Weyman, Stanley J. Wheelhouse, Mrs. . Whishaw, Mrs. Bernhard Whiteing, Richard Wicks, Mark Willard, Mrs. : Williams, W. Wynne Wills, The Rev. Freeman Wilton, Margaret W. . Winchilsea and Nottingham, Countess of : Woods, Miss Mary A. Worsley, Miss Alice Wright, E. Fondi . Yolland, Miss E. . Young, Capt. Geo. F., CB. Young, Ernest. ‘ Young, W. Wellington . COOCOHMHY OF OOoOm ~ OM HO OUR OS Or OTS Ott et or CH OCOUCH ROOM _ SO mH Or Or G F. onc Cereooocoocu —_ Oo The eoecococor or Or SL OL OTTO a COMMITTEE NOTES. HE last meeting of the committee before the vacation took “place on Monday, July Ist, at the society’s offices. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and signed, twenty-four members ‘and associates were elected, bringing the elections for the current year up to 204. ‘The committee accepted, with regret, four resignations. The solicitors then reported upon the cases they  THE AUTHOR. 7 had in hand, first dealing with matters that had been before the committee at their last meeting. These, the solicitors were able to state, were going forward in most cases satisfactorily. In the matter of fresh business, action was sanctioned for recovery of damages for wrongful dismissal of a member from the staff of a daily paper, and the solicitors were instructed to proceed. There were several small county court cases which had been placed in the solicitors’ hands during the month. In three of these, money had been recovered and forwarded to the authors. The others were pro- ceeding, and if no payment was made, summonses would be issued. The secretary then mentioned certain cases which had come before him during the month. One in America it was decided to place in the hands of the society’s American lawyers, failing payment by the American publisher. One was a complaint against a paper in Burma, and this the secretary was instructed to submit, when he had the necessary particulars, to the society’s solicitors in that country. In a third case, relating to the payment of the costs for settlement, by the society’s solicitors, of an agreemevt between an author and a publisher, the committee decided, after full con- sideration, that the bill must be settled by the member. Lastly, the secretary placed before the committee an offer received by a member from a publisher, and the committee instructed him to ask the member for permission to publish the suggested contract in the pages of Zhe Author, without mention of the member’s name. Owing to the passing of the new Copyright Act, the committee had under discussion the question of the collection of fees by the society for its members, on contracts, literary, dramatic and musical, the collection of fees under the compulsory licence clauses of the Act, as they affect mechanical reproduction of a composer’s works, being specially mentioned. It was decided to refer the matter to the Council, and notice was sent to the Council in due course, which body met early in July. The question of the election of members to the Council was considered, and four members were duly elected, subject to their consent. It was decided to increase the salary of one of ‘the clerks and also to pay the insurance premiums of all the clerks in the office. The chairman received from the committee ‘power to act in any matters of immediate import- ance that might come before the society during the vacation. It was decided also to purchase any files that might be required for the filing of the society’s correspondence which had grown so enormously recently. The committee expressed their thanks to Mrs. Wentworth-James for further society’s funds, donations to the aes Composers’ SuB-COMMITTEE. TuE last meeting before the vacation of the Composers’ Sub-Committee was held on Thursday, July 11th, at eleven o’clock, at the offices of the society. The minutes of the former meeting were con- firmed and signed. The secretary read a letter which he had received from a patent agent whom he had con- sulted on the matter of gramophone stamps and trade marks. In it the agent pointed out that he considered it useless to try and register the gramophone stamps under the Trade Marks Act. He suggested that the Composers’ Sub-Committee should rely on artistic copyright and that it would be as well for the society to keep a register of as many stamps as they could obtain from their members, and others, for the purpose of reference in order to prevent infringement. The committee instructed the secretary accordingly. Mr. Elkin, one of the directors of The Mechani- cai Copyright. Licences Co., Ltd., then attended the meeting in order to discuss with the Composers’ Sub- Committee some of the objections that had been raised to the form of contract for the collection of gramophone fees in the-hope that the sub- committee might, finally, be able to approve the agreement as put forward by Mr. Elkin’s company. The agreement was dealt with clause by clause, and after all the points had been fully discussed between the sub-committee and Mr. Elkin, he undertook to refer the matter to his directors, and then to refer the matter back to the sub-committee for further consideration. The sub-committee consider that the issues involved are of the greatest importance and, therefore, were pleased to welcome Mr, Elkin, as representing the Mechanical Copyright Licences Co., Ltd. ae CounciL MEETING. Tue second meeting of the Council for the present year was held at the rooms of the Society of Arts, 18, John Street, Adelphi, W.C., on Friday, July 19th, at 5 o’clock. The Chairman put before the meeting the agenda which were contained in the circular convening the meeting, and ran as follows :— “Under the new Copyright Act certain com- | pulsory licence sections come into force under which fixed royalties are payable to authors and composers. The Committee of Manage- ment propose to meet the new conditions by extending the activities of the society so as to | 8 THE AUTHOR. include not only the collection of fees under these sections for the members involved, but the collection for all members of moneys under any contracts, literary, dramatic or musical, which they may have entered into. This collection will be made subject to the payment of a certain commission to the society on the sums collected. The meeting is called to discuss this extension of the society’s activities.” The Chairman explained briefly to the meet- ing what the society proposed to do. It was not proposed to act as agents for the placing of work in the ordinary sense, but merely to collect fees on a commission. He said that he had received a letter from one of the members of the Council stating that he considered the action which the society proposed was ultra vires. The matter was discussed by the mem- bers present, and it was decided to take counsel’s opinion. If counsel’s opinion on the technical point was in favour of the society, then it was unanimously agreed to organise a branch of the society to carry out the fresh activities proposed. Subsequently, counsel’s opinion was obtained, and from this it was clear that the society had full power to take up the matter. ether eoeipen$ care Cases, Forty-oNE cases have passed through the :ecretary’s hands, making roughly an average of fourteen cases a month, since the last issue of The Author, in July. The number is rather higher than usual, as during the Vacation the tendency is for the number of cases to decrease. Not a few of the claims have been for money due from magazines and periodicals. There are, unfortunately, far too many of these concerns which, lacking sound financial sup- port, soon get into arrears in the payment of their contributors. Knowing that they can always rely upon getting copy from fresh contributors, the managers of these publica- tions leave the author’s account till the very last moment, paying the printers’ bill first because of the control that an unpaid printer has over them. The unfortunate author, not being in the same strong position, and without knowledge, is kept waiting and sometimes is not paid until he has actually issued, through the society, a summons for what is due to him. There have been fourteen claims altogether, either against publisher, editor, or theatrical manager, for money due. In four of these the secretary’s application has been sufficient to bring the amounts owing. Four have been placed in the hands of the society’s solicitors (who have recovered in one case and are proceeding by legal process in the remaining three), and in the other six the secretary is still pursuing the delinquents, most of whom have promised payment. The secretary has handled nine claims for the return of MSS. wrongfully detained. In four of these the MSS. have been restored to their owners in response to the secretary’s applications. In one case the editor reported he could not trace the MSS. and as the author had no evidence of its arrival, the matter had to be dropped. Another case is against an actor touring in South Africa from whom, at the time of going to press, no answer has been received. In a third case the editor has promised to make a search, but has yet to report with what result, while in the fourth unsettled case, one of the MSS. has been returned, the agent—resident in America— having disclaimed all knowledge of the rest of the MSS. sent. The last case is being handled by the society’s solicitors and relates to the detention of a play by a member of the theatrical profession. Some difficulty is being experienced in getting into touch with the party at fault, but it is hoped that a satis- factory conclusion may yet be reached. In seven claims for accounts, the secretary has been successful in five. The remaining two have only come into the office recently, but there is no reason to anticipate that there will be any difficulty in obtaining the state- ments. Two requests have been made, on behalf of members, for fuller particulars of certain items in accounts rendered by publishers. In both eases the desired information has been fur- nished and the members have expressed them- selves satisfied. Two claims have arisen respecting appro- priation of title. These cases are not always easy to deal with, as priority in the use of a title does not always give the first user ex- clusive possession. Everything depends upon whether the duplication of title is likely to mislead the public into purchasing the second author’s book, or witnessing the second author’s play in mistake for the book or play of the first author. No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down in these matters. Each case must be governed by its particular circumstances. However, in the two cases under this head, the society has been successful on behalf of its members. The first, which was against a cinematograph company, was placed in the  THE AUTHOR. 9 hands of the society’s solicitors, who persuaded the company to withdraw the film from circu- lation. The secretary was similarly successful in the second case. This case was against a theatrical manager who agreed to alter the title of his piece, when his attention was drawn to the fact that it was likely to conflict with the title given by the member concerned to a play which was still well before the public. Of two claims for infringement of copyright, one was settled by the offending newspaper compensating the author. The other, which is against an American pirate, has only just come into the office. Two cases arose in which the authors sought cancellations of their agreements with their publishers. In one the agreement has been eancelled. In the other, the secretary is waiting to hear from the publisher as to the terms on which he will deliver the balance of the stock to the author and cancel the contract. There were two claims for breach of agree- ment. One, against an actor, referred to the suppression of an author’s name from the play- bills and programmes of his play. Here, suitable compensation has been offered to, and accepted by, the author, and a draft apology for insertion in the papers has been drawn up. When this is signed by the actor the matter will be at an end. In the other case, a well- known firm of publishers broke their agree- ment by selling copies of a cheap edition of an author’s work in territory not covered by the licence granted them by the author. The firm have proved rather difficult to deal with in the matter, and the secretary has been forced, in consequence, to bring it to the notice of one of their directors who has promised, on his return from abroad, to communicate with the secretary. The last case referred to the division of gramophone fees between a composer and an author—both members of the society—under the Copyright Act, 1911. A division accept- able to both parties has been arranged. One case remains open from former months. The author has given the delinquent an exten- sion of credit, but proceedings will be taken if the amount is not, as has been promised, paid shortly. Souicrrors’ CasgEs. Nineteen cases have been placed in the hands of the society’s solicitors. The majority of them refer to the collection of money. Of these, numbering twelve, six have already been successful, the money having been obtained and forwarded to the authors. In two of the cases remaining, summonses have been issued but have not yet been returnable, in another an offer has been made for settlement, and in another the time for payment has been post- poned with the consent of the author. There have been two cases of infringement of copy- right—one in Sweden and the other in England. The former is in the course of a favourable settlement, as the penalties have practically been assessed, and it is only a question of how far the author is willing to accept the proffered terms. The other has only recently come into the office. In a case of piracy in Burma, considerable difficulty has arisen owing to legal technicalities, but it is hoped that the difficul- ties will be cleared away and the author enabled to establish his title. A question relating to the cancellation of an agreement and the rendering of accounts is being negotiated and is nearing a settlement. One case for the return of a MS. in the United States is still open, as it has only just been placed in the hands of the society’s lawyers in the United States. A question of account is being investi- gated, but as the defendant is away for his holiday it is difficult to get sufficient informa- tion. There is a serious allegation of over- charge of the cost of production on the account. It is possible, however, some explanation may be forthcoming. The last case refers to the purchase by a magazine of a story purporting to be the work of a well-known author who, in fact, had not written the story in question. It is hoped to bring the culprit to book. It is a most serious question of misrepresentation and must run very close to forgery. Of the cases in the solicitors’ hands before the last meeting a full report appears under the Committee Notes, but many of these which were then unsettled, have been satisfactorily terminated within the past three months. fag July Elections. Alford, Miss Daisy Oke Wayside, : Minehead, : Somerset. Baker, Arthur E., Tauntonand YewTree F.R.Hist.8., Secretary House, Winsford. and Librarian. Berkley, J., Major, R.F.A. Rooksbury Mill, Andover. 54, Parliament Street, S.W. Flint Cottage, Mt. Ephraim Lane, Streatham, S.W. Bolster, Reginald, c/o Messrs. Grindlay & Co. Burgess, George (‘ Hmil Meene”’) 10 38th (K.G.0.) Cen- tral India Horse. 53, Telford Avenue, Streatham Hill, S.W. Daylesford. Newport, Isle of Wight. Sidgard. Cooke, Major 8. A. . : Dodwell, Samuel (Bernard Phelps) Eldridge, Robey Frank Fisher, Miss M. L. (Jlollina Joy). Fulton, Grenville. Authors’ Club, 2 Whitehall Court, S.W. Clarence ‘Terrace, Leamington Spa. Portslade, Sussex. Adamson Road, S. Hampstead. St. Bride Foundation, Bride Lane, E.C. The Cottage, Bushey Heath, Herts. Hain, a, M., PhD. 2 F.R.S.L. Hall, Leonard . ; : Jessop, George H. . a4 Peddie, R. A. . ‘ : Perrin, Mrs. Ida : ; Philip, Alex. J. : . 8, Darnley ‘Terrace, Overcliffe, Graves- end. Shelley, Bertha ‘ Lyceum Club, 128, Piceadilly. Shipley, R. H. . : Charleville, | Cranes- water Park, South- sea. Slater, Catherine P. . Edinburgh. Stewart, Miss Edith Anne. Clarewood, Limps- field, Surrey. ———_+—_ > +—___—_ BOOKS PUBLISHED BY MEMBERS. SS on eee While every effort is made by the compilers to keep this list as accurate and exhaustive as possible, they have some difficulty in attaining this object owing to the fact that many of the books mentioned are not sent to the office by the members. In consequence, it is necessary to rely largely upon lists of books which appear in literary and other papers. It is hoped, however, that members will co-operate in the compiling of this list and, by sending particulars of their works, help to make it substantially accurate. AGRICULTURE. A Free Farmer tn A Free Starz. A Study of Rural Life and Industry and Agricultural Politics in an Agricultural Country. By ‘“ Home Countizs” (J. W. Robertson Scott). 84 x 5% 335 pp. Heinemann. 6s. n. ARCH AZOLOGY. Tur Form or THE AtrHapet. By. W.M. FLINDERS Perris (British School of Archeology in Egypt Studies Series, Vol. IIL). 124 x 10. 20 pp. Nine Plates. Macmillan and Quaritch. 5s. n. ARCHITECTURE. Tur CATHEDRALS OF ENGLAND AND WALES. Being a fourth edition of ‘“ English Cathedrals Illustrated.” By Francis Bonn. 8 X 5}. 493 pp. Batsford. 78, 6d. nD, THE AUTHOR. ART. VISVAKARMA EXAMPLES OF IxpriaAN ARCHITECTURE, ScuterurE, Parytrnc, Hanpicrarr. Chosen by Awnanpa K. CoomaraswaMy. PartI. 11 x 9. 79 pp. The Author, 39, Brookfield, West-hill, N., and Luzac 2s. 6d. Art and SwapesHt. By A. K. Coomaraswamy. _ Madras: Ganesh & Co. Rs. 1. Inp1ran Drawrnes. Second Series. Chiefly Rajput. With 27 collotype plates and 16 text illustrations. By A. K. Coomaraswamy. Probsthain. 25s. n. Hercutes BraBazon Brapvazon. 1821-1906. His Art and Life. By C, Lewis Hinp. 114 x 9. 103 pp. Allen. 21s. n. BIOGRAPHY. Tue Fourrn GuneraTIoN Reminiscences. By JANET Ross. 8? x 53. 400 pp. Constable, 12s. 6d. n. Intimate Memorrs or Naproreon III. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF THE MAN AND THE EMPEROR. By the late Baron D’Amnis. Edited and translated by A. R. Atrrxson. With illustrations from the collection of A. M. Broadley. 9 x 6. Twovols. Stanley Paul. 248. n. A Yxrar anp A Day. By Outver Carist1an MALvery (Mrs. Archibald Mackirdy). 8} x 5}. 333 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. Grorce Borrow. The Man and his Books. By E. Tuomas. 9 xX 53. 333 pp. Chapman and Hall. 10s. 6d. n. Tue CumBERLAND Lerrers. Being the Correspondence of Richard Dennison Cumberland and George Cumber- land between the years 1771 and 1784. Edited by CLEMENTINA Back, and now printed for the first time. 9} x 6. 352 pp. Martin Secker. 16s. n. CarprinaL Dre RicneuiEev. By Eveanor C. PRIc#. 9 x 54. 306 pp. Methuen. 10s. 6d. n. Som Otp Love Storres. By T.P. O'Connor. 6} X 4}. 376 pp. Nelson’s Shilling Library. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. Tur Farrtes AND THE Curistmas Camp. By Liitan Gask. ImIustrated by Witty Pocgany. 8% x 63. 261 pp. Harrap. 5s. n. DRAMA. MaAKESHIFTS AND REALITIES. 8} x 53. 39 pp. PRESERVING Mr. PANMURE. By Artuur W. PINRO. mann. Is. 6d. n. By GerrrrupE Rosiys. Werner Laurie. 6d. A Comic Play in Four Acts. 64 x 5. 296 pp. Heine- THe Hoty Gram. A Romantic Mystery Play. By Haxiuyt Earrron. 7 x 43. 67 pp. The Faith Press. 2s. 6d, EDUCATIONAL. Tue GIANT AND THE CATERPILLAR. And other Addresses to Young People. By Joun A. Haminron. 7} X 43. 256 pp. H. R. Allenson. FICTION. Tos Mummy. By Riccarpo Srernens. 7} x 5. 428 pp. Nash. 6s. Tur Rep BupeEer or Stortus. Edited by CHARLES Garvice. 8} X 61. 312 pp. Hodder and Stoughton, ls. n. Gay Lawness. By Heran Maruers (Cheap Edition). 8} x 5}. 153 pp. Stanley Paul. 6d. TALES OF THE OPEN Hazarv. By HaLLiwE Lb SUTCLIFFE. 7% x 5. 312 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. :  THE AUTHOR. L1 From THE ANGLE or SEVENTEEN. By EpEN PHILLrorTtTs, 74 x 5. 235 pp. Murray. 3s. 6d. n. Beira. By E. C. Boorn. 7? x 5. 364 pp. Arnold. 6s. . Mornine Star. By H. Riper Haceaarp. pp. Cassell. 1s. n. My Lapy oF THE Bass. 415 pp. Gay and Hancock. 1s. n. To-pay. By Percy Ware. 72 x 5. Constable. 6s. THe Narrow Escape or Lapy Harpwetr. By F. Frangrort Moorr. 7} X 5. 335 pp. Constable. 6s. Tue Hovss or Fortune. By Max Pemprerton. 7? X 43. 248 pp. Eveleigh Nash. 2s. n. Love at Pappineton. By W. Prtr Riper. 271 pp. Nelson. 2s. n. THe Oakum Pickers. By L. §&. 375 pp. Methuen. 6s. Setming or Sermincrorp. By Berrrram Mrrrorp. 74 x 5. 320 pp. Ward, Lock. 6s. JupitH Ler. Some Pages from her Life. By Ricwarp Mars. 7? x 5. 317 pp. Methuen. 6s. Force Maseure. By Patrick RtsHDEN. 409 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. THe Vicars Secret. By C. 255 pp. Murray and Evenden. Tue Hippex Hicuway. By Firorence Bone. 8 189 pp. (The “Leisure Hour” Monthly L Religious Tract Society. 6d. THe Love Race. By Kente Howarp. Hodder and Stovghton’s Penny Stories. Aw Encuisnwan. The Romance of a Shop. L. PENDERED. 72 x 5. 342 pp. Revised. 6s. Tue ScyoLtar’s Daucurer. 255 pp. Tue Tracrpy of THE Korosko. 252 pp. Desorsr or Ton’s. By Mrs. HENRY DETA PASTURE. 314 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 74. n. each. Tae Diamonn Smr. By Max PEMBERTON. 348 pp. (Cheap Edition). Cassell. 1s. n. Bricut SHame. By KuiaHiey SNOWDEN. 276 pp. Stanley Paul. 6s. RosE oF THE GARDEN. By KatTHaRINE TYNAN. 312 pp. Constable. 6s. THe \Virta Mystery. By Hersert FLOWERDEW. 73 X 5. 319 pp. Stanley Paul. 6s. SasLtE anpD Mortiey. By STEPHEN ANDREW. 316 pp. Greening. 6s. ‘THe Waster. By Mrs. Henry Tirrert. 319 pp. John Long. 6s. ‘THos—E OrHer Days. By E. Puairriirs OPPENHEIM. 7% X 5. 320 pp. Ward, Lock. 6s. ‘THe Turnstite. By A. E. W. Mason. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. ‘Tne DarksomME Marps or Bagurers. By WILLIAM H. Kersey. 74 x 5. 309 pp. Stephen Swift & Co. 6s. ‘THe Marriace or Kerrie. By C. J. Curcrirre HynNe. 7% x 5. 312 pp. Heinemann. 6s. Tue Turee Anarcuists. By Maup Stepney Rawson. 7% X 5. 320 pp. Stanley Paul. 6s. Waitt Roseteaves. A Story of the Yorkist Court. By Emmy Rocunes. 73 x 5. 345 pp. Drane. 63. ‘THe Rep Hanp or Utstar. By G. A. BrrMincHaM. 7? <x 5. 310 pp. Smith, Elder. 6s. A WitpEerness Woornc. By W. VicrorCoox. 7} x 5. 312 pp. Methuen. 6s. ‘The Secret Marriace. By A. WiLson 73 x 5. 302 pp. Ward, Lock. 6s. 74 x 5. 308 By 8S. H. Burcwert. 7} x 5. 319 pp. 7k & 5. Grsson. 72 x 5. 72 X 5. E. JEFFERY. 25. ne Th X 5. wo Xe ibrary 4x By Mary New Fuition rab ok ta Ol Re ~J rs 1 4 By Beatrice HarRapEn. By A. Conan DoYLe. 72 x 5. 12 X 6. 7k x 5. 7k Xx 5. 72 X 5. 72x 5. 344 pp. BARRETT. MiraBet’s Isnanp. Ward, Lock. 6s. Great 1s Discrerinr. By O. C. Ironstpn. 7} x 5. 286 pp. E. J. and H. Henryson for Capitalist Common- wealth Association. 6s. Datsy’s Aunt. By E. F. Benson. Nelson. 7d. n. THe K®rEPER oF THE SECRET. (Mrs. Francis Channon). Boon. 6s. Ciara. Some Scattered Chapters in the Life of a Hussy. By A. Nem Lyons. 7} x 5. 336 pp. Lane. 6s. Buriep Ative. By ArnoLtp Bennett. New Edition. 72 x 5. 323 pp. Methuen. 6s. A Brnepick ry Arcapy. By Hatitweiui SUTCLIFFE. 84 x 53. 158 pp. (Cheap Reprint.) Stanley Paul. 6d. Epetweiss. By “Rrra.” 84 x 6. Reprint.) Stanley Paul. 6d. SopHy or Krayonta. By AntHony Hope. 370 pp. Nelson. 7d. n. Mrs. FauntLeRoy’s NerHew. By Beatrice Brairu- waite Barry. 207 pp. Ouseley. 2s. n. Hans. TuHere 1s Victory IN THE Cross. A Continental Story from Real Life. By Huryr. M. Harn, Ph.D. Elliot Stock. Mareiace. By H. G. Macmillan. 6s. Lonpon LavENDER. Methuen. 6s. Meapow Sweet. By Tue Baronsss Orczy. 7} X 5. 376 pp. Hutchinson. 6s. Tue Ovreost or Erernity. By Cosmo HamMILTon. 8 x 5.. 344 pp. Hurst and Blackett. 6s. Our Nance. By W. Bravnston JONES. 303 pp. Ouseley. 6s. A Maxesuirt Marriace. By Mrs. Batis REYNOLDS. 73 x 5. 300 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. Toe Aneto-Inpians. By Atice Perri. 7? X 5. 312 pp. Methuen. 6s. Ourvia Mary. By HE, 308 pp. Methuen. 6s. Tur Demon. By C. N. and A. M. WiuiraMson. 7 x 41. 208 pp. Methuen. 1s. Barpara. By Aice and Craup ASKEW. 319 pp. Fisher Unwin. 6s. Tne Escort. A Farcical Comedy. By Gertie Dz S. Wentwortn-JAMES. 73 x 5. 320 pp. Everett. 6s. WILHELMINA IN LoNnpDON. By Barry Par. New Edition. 7 <x 4%. 126 pp. J. Long. 6d. Tue Oruer Sipe. By H. A. VACHELL. 287 pp. Nelson’s Sevenpenny Library. Untm Tuat Day. By Haro~tp WINTLE. 349 pp. John Ouseley. 6s. Tur Sevento Son. A Novel. By Cuartes REINHARDT. 7k x 43. 339 pp. Stead’s Publishing House. 6s. Larkmeapow. A Novel of the Country Districts. By MarMapuKE Picxruaty. 74 x 43. 332 pp. Chatto and Windus. 6s. oo Lamorna. By Mrs. AtrRep SipGwick, 7} X 5}. Methuen. 6s. Tur Rakn’s Procress. By Marsorre BowEN. 302 pp. Rider. 2s. n. Tur Winp Among THE Bartey. By M. P. Wittcocks. 72 x 5. 313 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. Drevorep Sparks. By W. Perr Rivce. 323 pp. Methuen. 6s. oe Honours Easy. By Mrs. J.O.ARNotp. 7} x 5. 316 pp. Methuen. 6s. Av Lavenper Corrace. By Mary L. PENDERED. 73 x 5. 364 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. By Lovis Tracy. 73 x 5. 319 pp. 61 x 4. 279 pp. By E. M. CHannon 74 x 5. 344 pp. Mills and 124 pp. (Cheap 61 x 41. WeEtis. 73 x 5. By E. V. Lucas. 72 x 5. 72 x 5. Marta ALBANESI. 72 X 54 Tk xX 5 64 x 41, 7} x 54. 330 pp- Th X Be 73 x Be 12 THE AUTHOR. By Mrs. Puirip CHAMPION DE 316 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. By C. N. and A. M. WiLLiaMson. Tue Five oF SPADES. Crespigny. 7} xX 5. Tur HeatHer Moon. 72 x 5. 356 pp. Methuen. 6s. Tur THREAD OF Proor. By Heapon HI. 330 pp. Stanley Paul & Co. 6s. Barriers. By Tue Hon. Mrs. Jutian Byne. and Hardingham. 6s. A FuasH or Summer. By Mrs. W. K. Crirrorp. 6} x 44. 319 pp. Hodder and Stoughton’s Sevenpenny Library. A Duran Brive. By CHARLOTTE CAMERON. 287 pp. Stanley Paul. 6s. ZENOBIA; OR THE Mystery or LIFE. 72 xX 5. Holden nr 72 X By W. 8. Rock. 7k x 5. 266 pp. Drane. 6s. New CHRONICLES OF REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK Farm. By Kare Dovetas Wiaein. 7 X 43. 296 pp. Hodder & Stoughton. Is. Mrs. Lancetot. A Comedy of Assumptions. By Maurice Hewterr. 7? x 5. 339 pp. Macmillan. 6s. Mary Pecuett. By Mrs. Bettoc LownpsEs. 7? x 5. 314 pp. Methuen. 6s. THe Royat Roap. By ALFRED OLLIVANT. 7} X 5. 301 pp. Methuen. 6s. THREE WomEN. By Nerra SYRETT. Chatto and Windus. 6s. A Mopern Anas. By THEODORA WiLson WILSON. 72 x 5. 316 pp. Stanley Paul. 6s. THE GATE OPENERS. By W. L. MontcomEry. 319 pp. John Long. 6s. Toe Book or Wonpver. A Chronicle of Little Adven- tures at the Edge of the World. By Lorp Dunsany. Illustrated by S. H. Sruvg. 84 x 7. 98 pp. Heine- mann. 6s. n. 73 xX 5. 347 pp. 7h xX 5. Tue Antagonists. By E. Tempie Taurston. 7} x 5. 300 pp. Chapman and Hall. 6s. Tue Vircin Fortress. By Max PemBerton. 7} X 5. 310 pp. Cassell. 6s. THE Broad Wak. By Baroness LEoNIE AMINOFF. 73 x 5. 312 pp. Constable. 6s. Tue Licurep Way. By E. Puiiies OPPENHEIM. 74 x 5. 315 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. Tue Browns. By J. E. Buckrosg. 72 x 5. 316 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. Countess DapHne. A Musical Romance. By Riva. 74 x 5. 306 pp. Stanley Paul. 2s. n. Tue Banpgpox. By L. J. Vance. 73 X 5. 303 pp. Grant Richards. 6s. To Live anp To Cuertsu. By Erriz ADELAIDE Row- LANDS. 74 x 5. 320 pp. Everett. 6s. THe EaGRAVE SQUARE MysTERY. By A. W. Marcumont. 74 x 5. 296 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. Kine Soromon’s Mines. By H. Riper Haaaarp. With Hight Illustrations in Colour. By A. C. Micwaxrt. 83 x 54. 333 pp. Cassell. 7s. 6d. n. Daisy THE Mixx. A Diversion by Mary L. PENpERED. veg iiae Edition.) 74 x 5. 269 pp. Ham-Smith. 3. n. Tue Cius or Queer Trapes. By G. K. Cuesterron. 7; X 43. 192 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 1s. n. Satty Bisnop. By E. Tempte Tuurston. 7} x 5. 331 pp. Chapman and Hall. WHEN THE WAR Is O'ER. Longmans & Co. 28. n. By Masor F. M. Peacock. GARDENING. THe New Garpenina. A Guide to the most Recent Developments in the Culture of Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables. By Warter P. Wricnt. 81 x 54. 400 pp. Grant Richards. 6s. n. HISTORY. Princess AitFRiIpA’s Cuarity. Part II. By Henry LANSDELL. 64 x 4. 96 pp. Burnside. 6d. CALENDAR OF StaTE Papers. Colonial Series. America and West Indies. Jan.-Dec.1., 1702. Preserved in the Record Office. Edited by C. Heapitam. 104 x 7. 843 pp. Wyman. 15s. n. In tHE Footsteps oF Ricuarp Ceur De Lion. By Mavupe M. Horsacn. 9 x 53. 357 pp. Stanley Paul. 16s. n. JUVENILE. Att Axsovur Sues. A Book for Boys. By Ligvr. TaPRELL Doruinc, R.N. 81 x 6. 371 pp. Cassell. 6s. Tommy Loss. By Water Emanven. Illustrated by Joun Hassaty. 10 x 7}. 53 pp. Chapman and Hall. 2s. 6d. n. LAW. INTERNATIONAL Law. A Treatise. Vol. II., War and Neutrality. 711 pp. Longmans. 21s. n. Tue Case or Oscar Sutater. By A. Conan Dovyte. 6 x 4. 99 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 64. LITERARY. Tse British Museum Reapimne Room. By L. OppeNHEmM. Second Edition. 9 x 6. A Handbook for Students. By R. A. Peppir. 6} x 4 61 pp. Grafton. A Lirrtz oF Everytuinc. By E. V. Lucas. 6% x 4}. 190 pp. Methuen. ls. n. THE ROMANCE OF THE MEN oF Duyon. By Francis GRIBBLE. 7} X 5. 282 pp. Mills and Boon. 6s. Papers, CriticaL AND Reminiscent. By WILLIAM Suarp. Selected and Arranged by Mrs. WILLIAM Smarr. 7$ x 5}. 375 pp. Heinemann. 5s. n. Essays ON QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE OLD ENGLISH Porm oF Berowutr. By Kyur Sryerna, Ph.D. Translated and Edited by J. R. Cuark Hart, Ph.D. 103 x 74. 284 pp. Published for the Viking Club. By Curtis & Beamish. 12s. 6d. n. MEDICAL, Tue First Signs or INSANITY, THEIR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT. By B. Hoxuytanprer, M.D. 9 x 53. 347 pp. Stanley Paul. 10s. 6d. n. MILITARY. Tourcormne. By Hitarre BELLoc. Stephen Swift. 1s. n. British BavrrieEs : 64 x 44. 117 pp. WARFARE IN Enauanp. By Himarre BELLoc. 63 x 4. 254 pp. Williams and Norgate. 1s. n. MISCELLANEOUS. Intustratep Music-Tirtes. By W. E. Imeson. 46 pp. Robert Stockwell, Baden Place, Crosby Road, Borough, S.E. 1s. 6d. n. A Boox or Famous Wits. 9 x 53. 326 pp. Methuen. By Water JERROLD. 7s. 6d. n. MUSIC. Opera Storres. By Fruson Youna. 8 X 5}. 213 pp. Grant Richards. 5s. n. NATURAL HISTORY. Tue Brros or AusrrRaLiA. By G.M. Matimws. Vol. ID. Part II. 144 x 10. pp. 121—235. Witherby. Scs-ALPINE PLANTS, OR FLOWERS OF THE Swiss Woops AND Meapows. By H. Sruarr THompson, with 33 coloured plates (168 figures}. By Gnorqr FLEMWELL. 83 x 53. 324 pp. Routledge. 7s. 6d. n.  THE AUTHOR. NAVAL. Kine’s Currers anp Smucorers. 1700—1858. By E. Kesre Cuarrerton. 8} x 54. 425 pp. Allen. 7s. 6d. n. Lessons FOR THE CuuRcH’s CHILDREN. Book I. Being the first of a Four Years’ Course of Lessons for Sunday Schools and Children’s Services. By the Rev. J. Hastock Porrer and the Rey. A. E. W. Suzarp. 5. 223 pp. Skeffington. ls. 6d. 1X 5. ORIENTAL. THE Memoirs or Basur. A new translation of the Baburnama, incorporating Leyden and Erskine’s of A.D. 1826. Fasciculus I. Farghana. By ANNETTE S. Bevertpce, M.R.A.S. 82 x 53. 185 pp. Luzac. 10s. 6d. nn. £2 2s. the whole work. POETRY. Wetsa Portry, OLp anp New. In English Verse. By Atrrep PrrcevaL Graves (“ Canwr Cilarné ’’). President of the Irish Literary Society, etc. 72 x 5. 170 pp. Longmans. 2s. 6d. Sones or Exme. Being Verses of African Sunshine, Shadow, and Black Man’s Twilight. By CvULLEN GourpsBury. 745. 144 pp. Fisher Unwin. 3s. 6d. n. Battaps or Burma. (Anecdotal and Analytical.) By “Voray.” Illustrated by T. Martin Jonas. 1k X 53. 116 pp. Thacker. PHILOSOPHY. THovcHTs on Untmate Propiems. Being a series of Short Studies on Theological and Metaphysical Subjects. By F. W. Franxuanp. Fifth and Revised Edition. 7% x 43. 133 pp. Nutt. 1s. Gd. n. THe Strarecy or Nature. By M. Bruce Wiis. 7 x 4}. 60 pp. Association of Standardized Know- ledge. 2s. 6d. POLITICAL. THe Lapy Next Door. By Haronn Brcsre. 330 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 6s. REPRINTS. Ausrratia. An Anthology in Prose and Verse. Compiled by Frorence Gay. 9 X 53. 250 pp. Constable. 5s. n. Tue Works or THomas Harpy 1n Prose AnD VERSE. Wessex Edition. Prose; Vol. VII., Under the Green- wood Tree, or The Mellstock Quire. 211 pp. Vol. VIII, Life’s Little Ironies. A Set of Tales with some Colloquial Sketches, entitled, A Few Crusted Characters. 259 pp. 9 x 53. Macmillan. 7s. 6d. n. each. Tue Lover’s Catenpar. Compiled and Edited by Mrs. Havetock Etuis. 72 x 5. 423 pp. Kegan Paul 5s. n. Wessex TaLes. 287 pp. A Parr or Brug Evzs. 435 pp. The Wessex Edition of the Works of Thomas Hardy. Vols. IX. and X. 9 x 53. Macmillan. 78. 6d. n. THE Porms or Apam Linpsay Gorpon. Including several never before printed. Arranged by Dovenas SuaDEN. 7 x 44. 320 pp. Constable. 2s. 6d. n. SCIENCE. Axioms AND PRincipLes or THE SCIENCE oP ORGANIZATION. Second Edition. By M. Bruce Wittiams. 104 x 53. 24 pp. Association of Standardized Knowledge. 7s. 6d. THE BuitpiIneG or THE ALPs. By T.G. Bonny. 9 x 5h. 384 pp. Fisher Unwin. 12s. 6d. n. 7? xX 518 In PRatsE oF 18 SOCIOLOGY. Otp Towns anp New NEEps np THE Town EXTENSION Puan. Being the Warburton Lectures for 1912. (Illustrated.) Delivered by Pavun WatErHovusEe and Raymonp Unwin. 83 x 73. 62 pp. Manchester University Lectures, Nos. XIII. and XIV. Sherratt and Hughes. ls. n. Wuat THE WorKER Wants. The Daily Mail Inquiry. By H. G. Wetrs and others. 8} x 61. 161 pp. Hodder and Stoughton. 64. Tue Task or Soctan Hycrenr. By H. Havetock Euuts. 8} x 53. 414 pp. Constable. 8s. 6d. n. THE Ox~p Enerish Country SaurRE. By PP. #H, Drrcurietp, F.S.A. 9 x 5}. 347 pp. Methuen. 10s. 6d. n. THEOLOGY. Vittace SERMONS To SrmptE Sours. By the Rev. S. Bartne Gounp. 7} x 43. 150 pp. Skeffington. 2s. n. TRAVEL, Rome: THE CRADLE oF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, AS ILLusTRATED By Existing Monuments. By H. T. Inman. 63 x 41. 297 pp. Stanford. 4s. n. Tue PassEs OF THE PyrENEES. A Practical Guide to the Mountain Roads of the Franco-Spanish Frontier. By C. L. Frexston, F.R.G.S. 8} x 5}. 196 pp. Kegan Paul. 10s. 6d. n. THe Rest Srperta, ToGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF A Dash TurovcH Mancuvrta. By J. Fostur FRASER. 7% xX 5. 179 pp. Cassell. Is. n. By Desert Ways To Bacupap. By Louisa Jesr. (Mrs. Roland Wilkins.) 6} x 41. 370 pp. Nelson. Is. My Paristan Year. A Woman’s Point of View. By MavuprE ANNESLEY. 8} x 5$. 293 pp. Mills and Boon. 10s. 6d. n. TuRoucH HoLuanp IN THE ViveTTE. By E. Kersie CHATTERTON. 8 x 6, 248 pp. Seeley Service. Lire 1n tHE Inpran Portce. By C. E. Govtpspury (Late Indian Police). 9 x 5}. 284 pp. Chapman and Hall. 7s. 6d. n. Nova Scotia. The Province that bas been Passed By. By Brecxies Wittson. Revised Edition, with Illus- trations. 8} x 5$. 258 pp. Constable. OS) BOOKS PUBLISHED IN AMERICA BY MEMBERS. — BIOGRAPHY. Tse FourtH Generation. By Janet Ross. 400 pp- New York: Scribners. $3.50 n. FICTION. AN Impertan Marriage. By Arraur W. Marcumont. 317 pp. New York: Dodge Publishing Co. 75 cents. Mary Pecuett. By M. A. Bentoc LownpEs. 324 pp. New York: Scribners. $1.30 n. EDUCATIONAL. Sweer, H: Anglo-Saxon Primer: with Grammar and Glossary. Eighth Edition. New York: Oxford Uni- versity. 8vo. 60 cents n. Anglo-Saxon Reader in Prose and Verse: Grammatical Introd., Notes and Glossary. with Eighth 14 THE AUTHOR. Edition Revised. New York: Oxford University. 8vo. $2.40 n. Elementarbuch des gesprochenen Englisch; gram- matik, texte und glossar, Third Edition. New York : Oxford University. Svo. 60 cents n. First Middle English Primer: with Grammar and Glossary. Second Edition. New York: Oxford University. S8vo. 50 cents n. First Steps in Ang'o-Saxon. New York: Oxford Univers'ty. 8vo. 75 cents n. 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Second Middle English Primer : Extracts from Chaucer, with Grammar and Glossary. Second Edition. New York: Oxford University. 8vo. 50 cents n. Short Historical English Grammar. New York: Oxford University. 8vo. $1.10 n. The Student’s Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon. Oxford University. 4to. $2.90 n. REPRINTS. Srupres aND Appreciations. By Fiona MacweEop. Selected and Arranged by Mrs. WiitiaM SHARP. 424 pp. New York: Duffield. $1.50 n. SCIENTIFIC. New York : Borany; oR THE Moprrn Srupy or Puants. By Marre C. Stopes. 94 pp. New York: Dodge Pub- lishing Co. 20 cents n. ee LITERARY, DRAMATIC, AND MUSICAL NOTES. a = ELSH Poetry, Old and New in English Verse,” by Mr. A. P. Graves, : issued by Messrs. Longmans & Co., is the first attempt to present in English verse, as nearly as possible in the metres of the originals, a selection of Welsh poetry, old and new, fairly typical of the lyrical literature of the Principality. The anthology contains a foreword by the Bishop of St. Asaph, an introduction embodying the views of expert critics on the various periods and branches of Welsh poetry with which it deals, and bio- graphical and critical notes upon the poets treated of. J. Giberne Sieveking’s new books include a biographical work and a novel. The former is a Memoir of Sir Horace Mann, and deals with the later life of Charles Edward at Florence, where Mann was George II.’s Envoy. The title of the novel is “The Great Postponement.” M. Alexander Teixeira de Mattos has acquired the right of translation for the United Kingdom and America of all the entomological and other works of J. H. Fabre, the French naturalist, that have not been published in this country. Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton will publish this autumn a volume of travel sketches by Mrs. H. R. Curlewis (Miss Ethel Turner), entitled ‘Ports and Happy Havens,” the various sketches being of Colombo, the Red Sea, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Holland and Belgium. Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co. at the same time are bringing out a new edition, with an entirely new set of illustrations of the same author’s ‘‘ Seven Little Australians.’ This book is now in its sixteenth edition, and like the rest of Miss Turner’s books, has been translated into Dutch, Swedish, Danish and other foreign languages. The same firm will also issue a new edition of “ That Girl” which they have bought from Mr. Fisher Unwin, who published it for the author in 1908. Edith C. Kenyon’s new novel “ The Wooing of Mifanwy: A Welsh Love Story,” appears - this autumn by Messrs. Holden and Harding- ham. The atmosphere and environment is in the heart of rural Wales, where Miss Kenyon lived in her early womanhood. “Intimate Memoirs of Napoleon III.” is the title of a new work translated from the French of Baron d’Ambes by A. R. Allinson. This book is the private diary of a life-long and intimate friend of Louis Napoleon, whose identity is here thinly veiled under a somewhat obvious pseudonym. The Baron follows his hero from boyhood through the years of exile and adventure, as a conspirator in Italy, asa refugée in London, as President of the Republic of 48, finally as Emperor down to the disasters of 1870, the fatal day at Sedan and the death at Chislehurst. “Great is Discipline’? by O. C. Ironside is a novel which deals with a factory founded by a “ self-made ” man’s thrift almost wrecked by Trade Unionism, and re-established by  THE AUTHOR. 15 science. The published price of the book is 6s. Copies may be obtained at 4s. 6d. net. from Mr. E. Dracup of 21, Millbrook Road, Bedford. Part III. of ‘“‘ Princess Alfrida’s Charity ” by the Rev. Henry Lansdell was published in July. The present, and concluding portion, contains biographical notes of Sir John Morden during his living at Wricklemarsh, his pur- chase of Church property, his treasurership of Bromley College; his mastership of his own College, with its first inhabitants; provision for the government of Morden College ; and how the administration of the Charity devolved into the hands of the first trustees. Messrs. Burnside, Limited, Booksellers, Blackheath publish the book. A cheap edition of Annabel Gray’s novel ““The Mystic Number Seven” is announced by Messrs. W. Stewart & Co., 19, Newcastle Street, Farringdon Street, E.C. The novel, which was originally published some eight or nine years ago, is sensational in character. It will be published now at 6d. net. and will be followed by a complete edition of Miss Gray’s works at cheap prices. “Rome, The Cradle of Western Civilisation, as Illustrated by Existing Monuments,”’ is a book by Mr. H. T. Inman, published by Messrs. Edward Stanford. The author’s aim has been to enable English visitors to see the monuments of ancient and medieval Rome as a whole and from a point of view of personal interest to themselves. Some dozen or so plans, and an index enhance the usefulness of the volume. Her Majesty the Empress of Japan has been graciously pleased to accept a copy of * Four- teen Years of Diplomatic Life in Japan,” by the Baroness Albert d’Anethan, published by Messrs. Stanley Paul & Co. ‘“* Edelweiss,’ by Rita, is the latest addition to these publishers’ “clear type” sixpenny novels. Messrs. Stanley Paul announce, also, that their Majesties, Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra have graciously promised to accept a copy of Mrs. Charlotte Cameron’s latest story, entitled “A Durbar Bride,” the only novel dealing with the historic event written from an eye-witness’ point of view. Mrs. Charlotte Cameron represented the ‘‘ Lady’s Pictorial” at the Durbar, and fully availed herself of the many opportunities afforded her for gathering interesting material for her new book. Mr. J. J. Haldane Burgess is preparing for publication a third edition of his volume of poems in the Shetlandic, entitled “ Rasmie’s Biiddie.”” A foreword in verse will occupy the opening pages of the new edition. Messrs. Methuen & Co. announce the publication of a volume of poems by L. F. Wynne Ffoulkes, under the title of “Poems of Life and Form.” Variety of theme and mode of expression is the keynote of the poems which are dedicated to H.R.H. The Princess Frederica of Hanover. Miss Florence Bone’s autumn books are: “The Furrow on the Hill,” published by the Religious Tract Society, and “ Curiosity Kate,’ which is to be published in England by Messrs. Partridge, and in America by Messrs. Little, Brown & Co., of Boston. Messrs. Smith Elder & Co. will shortly bring out a book entitled ‘ Two Troubadours ” by Esme Stuart. Though the lively twins, ‘““Two Troubadours”’ chiefly fill up the canvas, many characters well-known to the public in ‘‘ Harum Scarum ” reappear. Mr. Norman Porritt, M.R.C.S. will publish during October with Mr. Evan Macleod, “The Ear; its hygiene and care,’ founded on thirty years of practice and the experience gained in the special eye and ear department, the author established at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, to which Institution he is now consulting surgeon. Without trespassing on the domains of the medical man, the book aims to be a practical guide for that large section of the lay public which suffers from deafness and other ear ailments. Messrs. John Long have just published a novel entitled ‘‘The Gate Openers” by K. L. Montgomery, author of “ The Cardinal’s Pawn.” The novel is based upon a dramatic chapter of English history, the Rebekah Riots in South Wales in 1843, and is the story of the crusade against the turnpike system. We have received from Mr. B. T. Batsford, prospectus of a work by Mr. Aymer Vallance, to be published shortly, for which subscribers’ names are invited. The work constitutes an account of Oxford collegiate architecture lavishly illustrated. Mr. Vallance’s- book differs from those of previous writers who have devoted a large share of their attention to the history of the various colleges as institu- tions, whereas, the present work deals with them as monuments of beautiful architecture and storehouses of admirable craftmanship. Separate descriptions are given of the University Church, of the schools and the Bodleian, and then of each college in turn, but one of the special features of the book is the introduction, an analytical essay, in which 16 THE AUTHOR. the development of the college plan is traced and the most characteristic details of college architecture compared and summarised. The volume includes reproduction from water- colour and other drawings by the following artists and draughtsmen: J. Hoefnagel, M. Burghers, J. Malchair, E. Dayes, J. C. Nattes, J. Nash, H. O'Neill and G. Hollis. The book will appear in the autumn at £4 4s, net., but up to October 8th orders will be accepted at the rate of £3 13s. 6d. net., and a list of subscribers’ names will be published in the work. “The River Rhymer,” a volume of verses, treating of the Thames, its places, people and life, from the source to the sea, by Mr. J. Ashby Sterry, will be published this month by Mr. W. J. Ham-Smith. Mrs. Fred Reynolds will shortly issue a new novel under the title of ‘“ Letters to a Prison.” The letters are written by a young wife, separated from her husband, and give the pageant of the year from a mountain village in Wales. A local love story is inter- woven in the plot which itself touches the deep things of life. The September number of ‘‘ The Librarian ” contains the first part of an article on a subject of great interest to librarians, namely, ‘‘ Biblio- graphy.” This is a subject not very much studied in this country, compared with America and Germany and one or two other countries where bibliography is regarded as of great national importance. Miss Margaret Reed’s article appears, as well as Mr. T. Edwin Cooper’s article on “‘ Library Architecture.” Messrs. Stanley Paul & Co. announce for immediate issue a new novel by Miss Arabella Kenealy entitled ‘The Irresistible Mrs. Ferrers.” The irresistible Mrs. Ferrers is a fashionable beauty, whose ambition is to be known to history as the most beautiful and brilliant woman of her day who charmed all men and succumbed to none, and the story tells how she directs her life to this end. There are some original views in the book on the woman question. “The Three Anarchists” is the title of a new novel by Maud Stepney Rawson. The story is- written round the unsatisfied soul- starved young wife of an elderly, weak, cruel and penurious man, and the other principal character is a human stepson at inevitable enmity with so opposite a father. Both crave for the fulness of life, the woman intensely desirous of founding a real home and making real happiness; and the young man responding to her love and care with more ? than mere affection. Messrs. Stanley Paul & Co, are the publishers. T e same publishers announce for immediate publication “The Thread of Proof,” a new story by Mr. Headon Hill. The principal theme of this volume is the abnormal astuteness of the conductor of a railway restaurant-car, whose power of observation and deduction enables him to solve the many absorbing ““ mysteries’ that come under his ken. Mr. Herbert Jenkins is publishing, either this month or in November, Mr. W. L. George’s new book “Woman and To-morrow.” It deals with the principles and aims of Feminism in the arts, the home, the labour market, ete., with its reactions on woman’s political position and sex-relations. A French translation of Mr. George’s novel ‘A Bed of Roses” has been arranged for. Mr. C. E. Gouldsbury, author of “ Dulale, the Forest Guard,” a story of Indian life, has written his reminiscences of ‘‘ Life in the Indian Police’ which Messrs. Chapman and Hall are publishing. It will be illustrated by the author’s own photographs. Mr. Goulds- bury was eighteen years old when he joined the constabulary service, and for thirty years he hunted native criminals and suppressed murderous dacoits. In the intervals of duty he enjoyed big game shooting in the jungle, and there are tales in the volume, of both work and sport. Miss Annesley Kenealy’s forthcoming novel is to be published by Messrs. Stanley Paul & Co. Miss Kenealy has recently placed a serial with Munsey and the National Press Agency and short stories with the Strand Magazine, ete. We have received a_ little book by W. E. Imeson relating to “ Illustrated Music- Titles and Their Delineators.” The book contains some interesting information which should be useful to collectors. There is also a dictionary of delineators at the end of the work, and nine illustrations. ‘The Giant and The Caterpillar ’ and other addresses to young people, by the Rev. John A. Hamilton, has just been published by Messrs. H. R. Allenson, Ltd. There are 62 addresses in all in this volume which should prove very helpful to Sunday school workers and others engaged in the training of the young. Early in September Miss M. P. Willcocks published, with Messrs. Mills and Boon, a study of Devon village life, called ‘‘ The Wind among the Barley,” after the title of an old country dance. Cranfordian in style, it is yet uncranfordian in matter, since the E E : |  THE AUTHOR. i7 actors of the Amazons. Mrs. Alec Tweedie, whose travel books are so well-known, has just written a personal one, entitled “‘ Thirteen Years of a Busy Woman’s Life,”’ which has just been published by Mr. Lane in England and the United States. It is hardly an autobiography, but rather chapters from the author’s life, with sketches of other well-known men and women. Mr. Bertram Mitford’s new book will be published shortly by Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co. This is Mr. Mitford’s fortieth novel, and of this total, all but nine are entirely or mainly concerned with South Africa. It is entitled ** Seaford’s Snake,’’ and is not one of the nine exceptions. Messrs. Stanley Paul & Co. announce for immediate issue ‘‘In Jesuit Land: The Jesuit Missions in Paraguay ” by W. H. Koebel. The story of the Jesuit missions in Paraguay forms one of the most fascinating chapters in the complex history of the River Plate Pro- vinces. Mr. Koebel has traced the work of the missions from their inception in the early days of Spanish South American colonisation and discovery down to the final expulsion of the Jesuits by Bucareli in the middle of the eighteenth century. The same publishers have added to their “Clear Type” Sixpenny Novel Series “ Justice of the King,” by Hamilton Drummond, and ‘Priscilla of the Good Intent,” by Halliwell Sutcliffe. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. published on September 25th a new book by The Right Hon. James Bryce, entitled ‘“‘ South America Observations and Reflections.”” The volume is the product of a journey made by the author through this region, and records his impres- sions regarding scenery, social and economic phenomena, the people, and the prospects for the development of industry and commerce in Panama, Peru, Bolivia, Chili, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Mr. Bryce has also something to say about the relics of pre- historic civilisation, the native Indian popula- tion, and the conditions of political life in the republics. Mr. Maurice Hewlett’s new novel, “ Mrs. Lancelot: a Comedy of Assumptions,” published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. on September 17th, is concerned with love and politics, and high life in the days when the great Reform Bill was the burning question of the moment. Three men and one woman occupy the stage almost exclusively. They are Mrs. Lancelot and her husband, her story are not exclusively would-be lover, who was no less a personage than the Prime Minister himself, the famous Duke of Devizes, and Gervase Poore, a young and enthusiastic poet, who finally cuts the knot of a complex love entanglement. A re-issue, in a new and attractive binding, at 1s. net. of Mr. Clive Holland’s novels, ‘‘ My Japanese Wife,’’ ‘‘ Marcelle of the Latin Quarter” and “ An Egyptian Coquette,”’ will be published by Messrs. Lynwood & Co., Ltd. immediately. Of ““ My Japanese Wife” over 417,000 copies have already been sold, and the demand continues. It has also been translated into several foreign languages. Messrs. Methuen & Co. are to publish, on the 17th of this month, the late Mrs. Paget Toynbee’s edition of the ‘‘ Letters of Madame au Deffand to Horace Walpole.” This edition has been completed and seen through the press by Dr. Paget Toynbee. Since the publication of the Marquis de Sainte Auldires’ editions of these letters in 1859 and 1877, Mrs. Toynbee had discovered a large number of letters, many of which have never hitherto been published. The whole of the newly discovered letters were transcribed by Mrs. Toynbee from the original manuscripts, and all the previously printed letters, or portions of letters were carefully collated by her with the originals. The text of the original has been reproduced as faithfully as possible. The work is produced in French, as it was judged not only that French letters with English notes, ete. would be an incongruity, but also that the work of a writer regarded in her own country as a second Sévigné should appeal to a large circle of readers in France. Mr. Edward Arnold will issue shortly ‘The Campaigns of a War Artist,’ being the work of the late Mr. Melton Prior, the well- known artist of the Illustrated London News. Madame Albanesi is engaged on a serial for the weekly edition of The Times. The story, which will commence running as a serial early in 1913 will appear later in book form with Messrs. Methuen & Co. somewhere about June or July. Madame Albanesi has only just recently brought out a new novel, through Messrs. Methuen, entitled ‘‘ Olivia Mary,” which is the first new novel she has published since 1910, when ‘“‘ The Glad Heart ” appeared. A number of the same author’s books are being brought out at sevenpence, notably, ““ I know a Maiden ” and “‘ Love and Louisa ”’ with Messrs. Everett, ‘‘ A Question of Quality ” with Messrs. Hurst and Blackett, and next year, ‘“‘Susannah and One Other” and 18 THE AUTHOR. “Capricious Caroline ’’ with Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton, while a sixpenny edition of “The Glad Heart ” is also on sale. The book and serial rights for Great Britain and the Colonies of Mr. Carlton Dawe’s new novel ‘The Crackswoman’” have been acquired by Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co. ~ The poems of Adam Lindsay Gordon the poet of Greater Britain and the best of all sporting poets have only to be known to meet with instant appreciation. Mr. Douglas Sladen has undertaken the editing, and in an edition published by Messrs. Constable & Co. has arranged them according to subject prefixing a memoir giving all the latest facts that have come to light about this Scottish aristocrat, who became policeman, horse-breaker, squatter, member of Parliament, livery stable keeper, trainer, and the most famous steeplechase rider and poet Australia has known. Mr. Sladen’s edition costs but half-a-crown, though it is delightfully printed and delightfully illus- trated. Three of the illustrations are sketches drawn by Gordon of himself on horseback, and 34 pages of the poems are new. His Majesty the King has graciously accepted a copy of “* When the War is O’er,”’ by the late Major I’. M. Peacock. The book is published by Messrs. Longmans & Co. Mrs. Archibald Little has been commissioned by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co. to write the text on the customs of China for their standard work on the “‘ Customs of the World,” Part I. of which will be published this autumn. Mrs. Little is leaving in the Dunnottar Castle for a five months’ cruise to the Far East, and, there- fore, will not be available to speak at any meetings before next spring. Madame Sarah Grand’s new book, ‘* Adnani’s Orchard,” is to be published on the 15th of this month. It is a romance dealing with the social aspect of the land question. “The Silence Broken” is the title of a collection of short stories by Mrs. Baillie Reynolds, published by Messrs. Mills and Boon. A new novel by the same writer has just appeared through Messrs. Hodder and Stough- ton, entitled “A Makeshift Marriage.” The story appeared serially in the Daily News last month. Mrs. Baillie Reynolds has also written a new serial for the Lady’s World, which will commence next month, under the title of “A Doubtful Character,” and a serial for Messrs. Mowbray, entitled ‘‘ The Secret Stair.” She is now engaged upon anewnovel for Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. Nearly all Mrs. Baillie Reynolds’ novels have been purchased for publication in Sweden, In addition to various short magazine stories, she wrote a complete novelette, entitled ‘“‘ The Swashbuckler,” for Messrs. Cassell’s new magazine of fiction. This story was also published in America, where most of Mrs. Baillie Reynolds’ writings appear. DRAMATIC. ** Rebecca of Sunnyhook Farm” by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Charlotte Thompson was produced at the Globe Theatre on Sep- tember 2nd. It is a simple picture of humble life in America, telling the story of a little girl from the day she comes to live with her aunts till her departure with the “ fairy prince”’ of her fancy. Included in the caste are Edith Taliaferro, Marie L. Day and Mr. Archie Boyd. Mr. Louis N. Parker’s play ‘“‘ Drake ’’ was produced at His Majesty’s Theatre on Sep- tember 8rd. The play shows Drake at the outset of his career; on his return from his journey round the world; and at the time of the Armada. Various scenes from these three periods of the life of Drake are represented. Mr. Lynn Harding as Drake, and Miss Neilson- Terry as Queen Elizabeth are in the cast, which also includes Mr. Herbert Waring. On September 4th Mr. Graham Moffat’s new play, ‘“‘ The Scrape of the Pen” was pro- duced at the Comedy Theatre. Briefly, the story is this. A scapegrace son, prior to leaving home for Africa, has persuaded a girl to sign a marriage contract before witnesses, and has also left behind him another girl who subsequently bears him a child and dies. The first girl, hearing nothing of him for some years, and believing him to be dead, marries a farmer and adopts the motherless child. The scapegrace returns suddenly and claims his ‘‘ wife,” but finding he is responsible for a daughter, tears up the marriage contract and devotes himself to the child. Mr. and Mrs. Graham Moffat, Mr. Alfred Brydone and Mr. Norman McKeown are in the cast. Mr. H. V. Esmond’s new comedy “‘ A Young Man’s Fancy,” produced at the Criterion on September 7th, deals with a somewhat erratic youth, for whose heart are two competitors, one a rich and romantic American girl, and the other the scheming daughter of the proprietress of a Regent Street flower shop. The plot turns upon the endeavours of the young man’s aunt to separate her nephew from the flower-shop girl—endeavours soon rendered rather unnecessary by the marriage of the girl to another party. Miss Lottie  THE AUTHOR. 19 Venne, Mr. Charles Maude and Mr. C. M. Lowne are in the cast. Mr. Granville Barker’s play, ‘‘ The Voysey Inheritance” was revived at the Kingsway Theatre last month. Mr. Barker’s production of “* The Winter’s Tale ” at the Savoy Theatre took place on September 21st. The decoration of the play was by Mr. Norman Wilkinson, the old music under the direction of Nellie Chapman and the morris and country dances taught by Mary Neal and Clive Carey. In the play were Mr. Henry Ainley, Mr. Leon Quartermaine, Miss Lillah McCarthy, Miss Esmé Beringer and Miss Enid Rose. Mr. Forbes Dawson’s drama, “‘ The Triumph of the Blind ” was produced on September 16th at the West London Theatre, and has now gone on a long provincial tour. Mr. Dawson’s sketch, ‘“ The Woman Makes the Home ’”’ will be produced at a London Music Hall this month, after which it will go on a tour of the combined Syndicate Halls. Negotiations are pending also over a three-act comedy by Mr. Forbes Dawson. “ The Girl in the Taxi’? by Frederick Fenn and Arthur Wimperis was produced at the Lyric Theatre on September 5th with music by Jean Gilbert. Oo PARIS NOTES. —— ++ HE sudden death of Massenet was a great aa shock and cast a gloom over Paris, so universal a favourite was he. Rarely has any man been endowed with such charm. He was not only a melodist as a composer, but also in his daily life. Strangely enough his Memoirs were almost ready for publication. Only two or three months ago he read us a few chapters of them, and little did we think then that he would not see the publication of the volume. He had dated them 1848—1912. It was in 1848 that he made his début in the musical world, for it was then that his hands were first put on the piano. He delighted in telling the story of the acceptance of his first compositions, His volume, ‘‘ Mes Souvenirs,” is charming, full as it is of interesting reminis- cences, and told in the bright, witty way peculiar tohim. Massenet was a great worker, rising at four or five in the morning. Of late years he had gone out very little into society. He died at his home in the Rue de Vaugirard, and his funeral, at his request, was as simple as possible. Many novelists travel to distant countries in search of new material and what they term “local colour” for their forthcoming book. René Boylesve finds his material very near home, and his novels gain from the fact that the “ local colour” is genuine. As a result his pictures stand the test of time. ‘Le Bel Avenir”? was a wonderfully delicate, psycho- logical study. In that novel we were able to watch the effect of education and surroundings on three young Frenchmen. In a more recent book M. Boylesve gave us an account of ‘‘ La Jeune Fille bien élevée,’”’ and in his latest novel the girl about whom he had told us is ‘‘ Made- leine, jeune femme.’ In his preface, the author explains to us that, in the first of these two books, he merely wished to show the way in which a girl brought up in a French pro- vincial town was educated. He declines, as a novelist, to go into the question of the best way of educating girls. In his latest novel he merely shows us the result of Madeleine’s education. He maintains that the novelist simply holds out to us a magic mirror, in which life, too vast to be seen by most eyes, is reflected and as it were condensed. In conclusion, M. Boylesve very truly observes that most of the misunderstandings which lead to disorder every day are due to a lack of psychology. The story of Madeleine’s married life is told by herself, and starts from the moment she gets into the train on her honeymoon journey. We will not spoil the story by giving a résumé of it, as all those who know this author’s work will prefer to read the book itself. Another story which treats of a woman’s married life has recently appeared, under the title of ‘‘ Lettres d’une Divorcée.”” The author of this novel is Leona Faber. It is cleverly written in a clear, natural style, so natural indeed that it seems more like a diary contain- ing a story from real life than a work of imagina- tion, There is not a word too much in it, a rare quality in a woman’s novel, and yet in these few words the writer has made her characters very living. There is a dearth just now of really strong novels. Perhaps it is because everyone appears to be either reading or writing memoirs. M. Elie Halévy has now published the first volume of a work entitled “ Histoire du peuple anglais au dix-neuvieme siécle.’’ England, in 1815, is the subject of the first volume. The author treats in turn the political institutions, the social economy and the religion and culture of the English nation. ““La Colline Inspirée”’ is the title of the forthcoming novel by Maurice Barres. It will 20 be published first as a serial in the Revue hebdomadaire. “Les Ravageurs”’ is the latest work by M. J. Fabre, the celebrated entomologist. In this volume we have an account of the various insects to be dreaded by the agriculturist, and not only does M. Fabre tell the ravages which may be made by the insects, but he shows how it is possible to fight against them. The volume will be welcomed by all who have read the preceding ones. : “* Etude raisonnée de ]’Aéroplane et descrip- tion critique des modéles actuels” is a work which will render great service to the science of aviation. It is written by M. Jules Bordeaux, a brother of M. Henry Bordeaux, the well- known novelist. The theatres are all opening their doors once more and announcing their programme for the Autumn season. “* Bagatelles,’ by Paul Hervieu, is the new play at the Comédie Frangaise. At the Odeon, M. Antoine announces a whole list of new writers, and the Athénée is rehearsing a play which it is hoped will have the same success as “Le Coeur dispose ”’ of last season. Atys HALLARD. “‘Mes Souvenirs” (Pierre Lafitte). ‘Madeleine, jeune femme” (Calmann Levy). “Lettres d’une Divorcce”’ (Ollendorff). “Les Ravageurs” (Delagrave). “Etude raisonnée de l Aeroplane” (Gauthier Villars). —_—_— + _—___. NEW LITERARY CONVENTION BETWEEN FRANCE AND RUSSIA. a ae the courtesy of the Foreign Office— which we desire to acknowledge in the fullest way—we were indebted for very early information that a copyright convention had been signed between France and Russia. The politeness shown us was accompanied by an intimation that, as the treaty was still un- published in either country at the date when the communication was made, the intelligence must be regarded as confidential. Having however, recently received an intimation that the convention has now been made officially public we are at liberty, first of all, to express our pleasure in being able to say that a first step has been taken towards drawing Russia THE AUTHOR. into the general concert of the Western Literary Conventions. We are still, it is true, very far from the much-to-be-desired consummation of finding Russia among the signatories of the Berne Convention ; but where the difficulties are so many, to have seen a beginning made is no small matter. It would be to ourselves a source of the highest satisfaction if steps could be taken that would lead to some agreement between Great Britain and Russia such as that which now exists between Russia and France. According to the terms of the new convention the authors belonging to either country will enjoy for their literary or artistic works, published in either country, or in any other country, or not yet published, the rights accorded, or to be accorded, in either country. The same rights are accorded to authors who are neither Frenchmen nor Russians, if they publish in either of the contracting countries. The expression “ literary or artistic works ” is in the new convention interpreted in the wide sense now generally used in copyright enactments. The literary author of either country enjoys in the other country an exclusive right of translation for ten years, dating from January 1 of the year of the publication of the original, on the condition that this right of translation is mentioned as reserved. The right lapses if the author does not make use of it within five years from the date of the publi- cation of the original. Authors of drama and of musical drama, published or not, have protection for the original during the whole duration of the copy- right of the original, and for translation during the period of their right of translation. In the case of musical works a statement, on every copy, of the reservation of rights is necessary. Photographs must bear the name of the publisher, and the date of publication, Literary and artistic works cannot be repro- duced for the cinematograph without the consent of the author. The new convention is to remain in force for five years. SCALE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS. ee {ALLOWANCE TO MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY 20 PER CENT.) Front Page sue os sae ee oe Other Pages, “4 5 ; Half of a Page .., 110 9 Quarter of a Page 015 6 Eighth of a Page ie asa or, ww 0 7 9 Single Column Advertisements aay perinch 0 6 g Reduction of 20 per cent. made for a Series of Six and of 25 per cent, for Twelve Insertions, All letters respecting Advertisements should be addressed to J. F, Betyont & Co., 29, Paternoster Square, London, E.C.  THE AUTHOR. 21 HOW TO USE THE SOCIETY. a 1. VERY member has a right toask for and to receive advice upon his agreements, his choice of a pub- lisher, or any dispute arising in the conduct of his business or the administration of his property. The Secretary of the Society is a solicitor; but if there is any special reason the Secretary will refer the case to the Solicitors of the Society. Further, the Committee, if they deem it desirable, will obtain counsel’s opinion without any cost to the member. Moreover, where counsel's opinion is favourable, and the sanction of the Committee is obtained, action will be taken on behalf of the aggrieved member, and all costs borne by the Society. 2. Remember that questions connected with copyright and publishers’ agreements do not fall within the experi- ence of ordinarysolicitors, Therefore, do not scruple to use the Society. 3. Before signing any agreement whatever, send the document to the Society for examination, 4. Remember always that in belonging to the Society you are fighting the battles of other writers, even if you are reaping no direct benefit to yourself, and that you are advancing the best interests of your calling in promoting the independence of the writer, the dramatist, the composer. 5. The Committee have arranged for the reception of members’ agreements and their preservation in a fire- proof safe. The agreements will, of course, be regarded as confidential documents to be read only by the Secretary, who will keep the key of the safe. The Society now offers ; (1) To stamp agreements in readiness for a possible action upon them. (2) To keep agreements. (3) To enforce payments due according to agreements. Fuller particu- lars of the Society’s work can be obtained in the Prospectus. 6. No contract should be entered into with a literary agent without the advice of the Secretary of the Society. Members are strongly advised not to accept without careful consideration the contracts with publishers submitted to them by literary agents, and are recommended to submit them for interpretation and explanation to the Secretary of the Society. 7, Many agents neglect to stamp agreements. This must be done within fourteen days of first execution. The Secretary will undertake it on behalf of members, 8. Some agents endeavour to prevent authors from referring matters to the Secretary of the Society ; so do some publishers. Members can make their own deductions and act accordingly. 9. The subscription to the Society is £1 1s. er annum, or £10 10s. for life membership. . TO WARNINGS TO THE PRODUCERS OF BOOKS. ERE are a few standing rules to be observed in an agreement, There -are four methods of dealing with literary property :— I. Selling it Outright. This is sometimes satisfactory, if a proper price can be obtained, But the transaction should be managed by a competent agent, or with the advice of the Secretary of the Society. II. A Profit-Sharing Agreement (a bad form of agreement), In this case the following rules should be attended to: C1.) Not to sign any agreement in which the cost of pro- duction forms a part without the strictest investigation. (2.) Not to give the publisher the power of putting the profits into his own pocket by charging for advertisements in his own organs, or by charging exchange advertise- ments. Therefore keep control of the advertisements. (3.) Not to allow a special charge for “office expenses,’’ unless the same allowance is made to the author. (4.) Not to give up American, Colonial, or Continental rights. (5.) Not to give up serial or translation rights, (6.) Not to bind yourself for future work to any publisher. As well bind yourself for the future to any one solicitor or doctor ! III. The Royalty System. This is perhaps, with certain limitations, the best form of agreement. It is above all things necessary to know what the proposed royalty means to both sides. It is now possible for an author to ascertain approximately the truth. From time to time very important figures connected with royalties are published in Zhe Author. IY. A Commission Agreement. The main points are :— (1.) Be careful to obtain a fair cost of production, (2.) Keep control of the advertisements, (3.) Keep control of the sale price of the book. : General. All other forms of agreement are combinations of the four above mentioned. Such combinations are generally disastrous te the author, Never sign any agreement without competent advice from the Secretary of the Society. Stamp all agreements with the Inland Revenue stamp. Avoid agreements by letter if possible. The main points which the Society has always demanded from the outset are :— C1.) That both sides shall know what an agreement means. (2.) The inspection of those account books which belong tothe author. We are advised that this is a right, in the nature of a common law right, which cannot be denied or withheid. (3.) Always avoid a transfer of copyright. —_—___§_+— WARNINGS TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS. + EVER sign an agreement without submitting it to the N Secretary of the Society of Authors or some com- petent legal authority. 2. It is well to be extremely careful in negotiating for the production of a play with any one except an established manager. 3. There are three forms of dramatic contract for plays in three or more acts :-— (a.) Sale outright of the performing right. This is unsatisfactory. An author who enters into such a contract should stipulate in the contract for production of the piece by a certain date and for proper publication of his name on the play-bills, 99 THE AUTHOR. (b.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of percentages on gross receipts. Percentages vary between 5 and 15 per cent, An author should obtain a percentage on the sliding scale of gross receipts in preference to the American system, Should obtain a sum inadvance of percentages. A fixed date on or before which the play should be performed. : (c.) Sale of performing right or of a licence to perform on the basis of royalties (7.c., fixed nightly fees). This method should be always avoided except in cases where the fees are likely to be small or difficult to collect. The other safeguards set out under heading (8.) apply also in this case. 4, Plays in one act are often sold outright, but it is better to obtain a small nightly fee if possible, and a sum paid in advance of such fees in any event. It is extremely important that the amateur rights of one-act plays should be reserved. 5. Authors should remember that performing rights can be limited, and are usually limited, by town, country, and time. This is most important. 6. Authors should not assign performing rights, but should grant a licence to perform. The legal distinction is of great importance, 7. Authors should remember that performing rights in a play are distinct from literary copyright. A manager holding the performing right or licence to perform cannot print the book of the words, 8. Never forget that United States rights may be exceed- ingly valuable. They should never be included in English agreements without the author obtaining a substantial consideration. 9. Agreements for collaboration should be carefully drawn and executed before collaboration is commenced. 10. An author should remember that production of a play is highly speculative: that he runs a very great risk of delay and a breakdown in the fulfilment of his contract. He should therefore guard himself all the more carefully in the beginning. 11. An author must remember that the dramatic market is exceedingly limited, and that for a novice the first object is to obtain adequate publication. As these warnings must necessarily be incomplete, on account of the wide range of the subject of dramatic con- tracts, those authors desirous of further information are referred to the Secretary of the Society. ——__+—_—>—_—_ —______ REGISTRATION OF SCENARIOS AND ORIGINAL PLAYS. —-—> By in aed typewritten in duplicate on foolscap paper forwarded to the offices of the Society, together with a registration fee of two shillings and sixpence, will be carefully compared by the Secretary or a qualified assis- tant. One copy will be stamped and returned to theauthor and the other filed in the register of the Society. Copies of the scenario thus filed may be obtained at any time by the author only at a small charge to cover cost of typing. Original Plays may also be filed subject to the same rules, with the exception that a play will be charged for at the price of 2s. 6d. per act. DRAMATIC AUTHORS AND AGENTS. Oe RAMATIC authors should seek the advice of the Society before putting plays into the hands of agents. As the law stands at present, an agent who has once had a play in his hands may acquire a perpetual claim to a percentage on the author's fees from it. As far as the placing of plays is concerned, it may be taken as a general rule that there are only very few agents who can do anything for an author that he cannot, under the guidance of the Society, do equally well or better for himself. The collection of fees is also a matter in which in many cases no intermediary is required. For certain purposes, such as the collection of fees on amateur performances, and in general the trans- action of frequent petty authorisations with different individuals, and also for the collection of fees in foreign countries, almost all dramatic authors employ agents; and in these ways the services of agents are real and valuable. But the Society warns authors against agents who profess to have influence with managers in the placing of plays, or who propose to act as principals by offering to purchase the author's rights. In any case, in the present state of the law, an agent should not be employed under any circumstances without an agreement approved of by the Society. ——_—___+— WARNINGS TO MUSICAL COMPOSERS. ag ITTLE can be added to the warnings given for the assistance of producers of books and dramatic authors. It must, however, be pointed out that, as a rule, the musical publisher demands from the musical composer a transfer of fuller rights and less liberal finan- cial terms than those obtained for literary and dramatic property. The musical composer has very often the two rights to deal with—performing right and copyright. He should be especially careful therefore when entering into an agreement, and should take into particular consideration the warnings stated above. Se STAMPING MUSIC. ae The Society undertakes to stamp copies of music on behalf of its members for the fee of 6d. per 100 or part of 100. The members’ stamps are kept in the Society's safe. The musical publishers communicate direct with the Secretary, and the voucher is then forwarded to the members, who are thus saved much unnecessary trouble. a a THE READING BRANCH. ———— + EMBERS will greatly assist the Svuciety in this branch of its work by informing young writers of its existence. Their MSS. can be read and treated as a composition is treated by a coach. The term MSS. includes not only works of fiction, but poetry and dramatic works, and when it is possible, under special arrangement, technical and scientific works, The Readers are writers of competence and expericnce. The fee is one guinea, o> REMITTANCES. OEE The Secretary of the Society begs to give notice that all remittances are acknowledged by return of post. All remittances should be crossed Union of London and Smiths Bank, Chancery Lane, or be sent by registered letter only,  aU. THE AUTHOR. 23 GENERAL NOTES. The Editor of “The Author” would be indebted to those Members who haye no further use for the July number, containing a supplement of the Board of Trade Regula- tions, if they would forward the same to the Office, as the issue is sold out. ELECTIONS TO THE COUNCIL. Miss Marie Coreu, The Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour and Prof. Gilbert Murray have joined the Council of the Society of Authors. An AMENDED AGREEMENT. In the July number of The Author, under the heading of “A Dangerous Clause,” attention was directed to an agreement between publisher and author, in which Messrs. George Allen & Co., Ltd., figured as publishers. The author concerned informs us that Messrs. Allen & Co. have deleted the objectionable clause, to his gratification. EpirortaL MretTuops. A WELL-KNOWN writer, who is a member of the society, has forwarded to us the following letter which has been addressed to him. Tur GooLe ure To DarE—? Monthly Magazine. Head Office : 37, Kinesway, GOOLE, August 19th, 1912. Dear Mr. G.,—Having heard of your great talents in writing and having read many of your loving stories, we should be very thankful to you if you could let us have a nice story, no matter how short it is, for our magazine. Our publication is quite a new one, it is why we want as much as possible the help of great and_well-known writers to launch it, and afterwards support it. We must admit beforehand that we will not’ be able to ive you any remuneration for your kind service, as we ardly possess enough capital to get the magazine to print, but we and all our friends feel certain that our publication will be a success, but it would be a greater success still if we are able to print stories written by great authors. We ask you to send us an article as a sort of help to us. Hoping you will favour us with a few stories which will appear as one of the “clous”’ of the issue, We are, dear Mr. G., Yours very respectfully, The Manager Secretary, G. C. De BAERDEMAECKER. p-p. E. W. TOowNEND G. C. de B. All correspondence should be sent :— Tue GooLe up To DaTE—? c/o G, C. DE BAERDEMAECKER, 37, Kingsway, Goole, Yorkshire. The letter hardly calls for any comment, but it affords one more illustration of the view, which still prevails in some quarters, that authors differ from most other people in that it is not necessary for them to be paid for their work. That the editor has hardly enough capital to get the magazine printed does not seem a sound reason for asking the author to provide it in the form of gratuitous contribu- tions. It is fairly certain that the printer has not been asked to print the magazine without payment; why, then, should the author be expected to fill its pages on these terms ? CoLONIAL PUBLICATION. On another page of this issue we publish, with the kind permission of The Publishers’ Circular, an article on the Australian book trade. The question of Colonial publication is a matter of increasing importance, and notes have from time to time appeared in The Author dealing with the subject. One point seems quite clear—that English works do not get a fair circulation on the Colonial markets. One main reason for this is the fact that the American publisher is much more energetic and pushing than the English publisher. He has already practically secured the Canadian market for himself, is gradually securing the New Zealand and Australian markets, and, no doubt, will extend his activities further into the South African market if he is allowed to do so. The English author may benefit by this, if he cares to give his Colonial rights to be marketed under his American contract. Indeed, we know of one author who has done this and has found the result eminently satisfactory, securing to himself a larger Colonial circulation than he had obtained previously through his English publisher. But our patriotism revolts from such action. By another way, however, it is possible that the Colonial market may, at no distant date, open up a wider field for the English author, namely, by Colonial publishers endowed with energy and foresight, making contracts direct with the English authors. This is hinted at in the article which we publish, Robertsons, apparently, issuing one new American novel every week. Why should they not issue one new English novel every week? The English author, if he deals direct with a Colonial publisher, can obtain a larger royalty than if he deals through an English publisher, or even through an American pub- lisher, for the extra middleman is bound to take 24 THE AUTHOR. a share of the profits. This method of obtaining increased circulation and increased returns has been proved by certain authors who have dealt direct with Colonial publishers. There is this further argument, that if a Colonial publisher knows that he has the sole right for the Colony he can put much more push into the sale of the book than he would when his stock may meet with competition in the same market from other booksellers and publishers. In the first instance, we should like to see the English publisher obtaining the larger markets to which the English author is entitled. Failing this, we should like to see the Colonial publishers making direct contracts. Lastly, failing the two former methods, it may he necessary to advise English authors to place their Colonial rights with the American pub- lisher, but patriotism forbids the reeommenda- tion of the last till the two former methods have been tried and found wanting. CopyYRIGHT. As all members of the society ought to know, the new Copyright Bill came into force on July Ist. We have warned members from time to time of the great danger of transferring the copyright to a publisher or to an exploiter of copy- right property. We desire once again to affirm this statement, that in no circumstances should a dramatist, composer, or a writer of books get rid of his copyright, however tempting the offer may be that is made to him. Under the present Act copyright has a much wider significance than it had under the Act of 1842, and, therefore, what was wrong under the Act of 1842 becomes now an heinous crime. AUTHORS’ INSURANCE. WE have received from Vienna the Fortieth Annual Pension List (for 1911) of the Viennese Journalists’ and Authors’ Society (Concordia), and also the Fourteenth Annual Report for the same year of the Viennese Old Age and Sick Fund of the Viennese Journalists, erected in honour of the Jubilee of thie Emperor of Austria. The former document opens with the sentiment, “ Physical existence without financial solidity and security is not happiness but torment”; a sentiment with which too many authors will be ready to agree. The forty years’ history of the former society has been a record of long struggles with difficulties, happily, however, a successful struggle which en::bles the directors to declare the present state of the society satisfactory. The number of members at the end of last year was 339. As all make a voluntary insurance all are in some sort beneficiaries; but we must confess that the extremely complicated nature of the provisions for voluntary insurance and for pensions of different sorts render it difficult to understand what pensions are distributed, The report of the younger society is in this respect by far more lucid. Its members are 221, of whom 29 receive old-age pensions amounting altogether to about £70. We congratulate both societies on their flourishing condition. OO AUSTRALIAN BOOK TRADE NOTES. —_— + (Reprinted by the kind permission of the “ Publishers’ Circular.’’) MELBOURNE, July Ist, 1912. T all times large buyers of books, the A Australian people are likely to excel themselves in this respect in the future, splendid general rains having fallen over this grateful continent during the weeks of June that must represent a cash value of goodness knows how many million pounds sterling. We have also the blessing of a low rate of postage for books throughout the Common- wealth, which should help greatly to spread the printed page; book postage within Australia is now 2d. per Ib. for imported books, and 1d. per Ib. for those printed and bound here. Many of the representatives of English and American publishers were in Melbourne during the past month, gathering in their “ journey ” orders, among them being Messrs. E. R. Bartholomew, Roger Macdonald, John Wyatt, J. Kettlewell, J. Ogle, A. Macgregor, William Steele, A. Gould, and John Morgan. Record orders are reported from Sydney, and doubtless the Melbourne ones will prove equally generous. The trade is now largely engaged in thinking and planning for Christmas, in taking stock, and in holding sales of surplus stock. As to bargains in books, the whole of the Australian book trade is really like a huge bargain counter, in that we sell many books at much less than their published price in England and America. Novels and travel books especially are thus cheapened here, the newest novel, at a dollar and a half in America or six shillings in Eng- land, being sold by us at three shillings and sixpence in cloth. Luckily the 25 per cent. discount does not obtain in this country. All net books are sold at an advance on published price, the 7d. net cloth selling for  # THE AUTHOR. 25 9d., the 1s. net for 1s. 3d., and sometimes for 1s. 6d., and the 2s. net for 2s. 6d. Fifteenpence has become a very popular price, with the growth of the great Is. net series, such as Everyman’s, Collins’ Pocket Classics, World Library, Home University, and so on. The Australian country-town bookseller is generally not a big factor in the distribution of literature, most of which is done from the big cities ; he is often not so much a bookseller as a seller of books and other things. Our people are so thinly spread over a vast territory that it is difficult to market one’s wares even in one’s own district ; but time will remedy this with the continual extension of railways and settlements, and the country bookseller will, as his town and district develop, become a substantial unit, and a tradesman of knowledge and pride, as in the old country. Owing to the lack of means of free communi- cation between the settlements and the outside world, an institution known as the Mechanics’ Institute and Free Library has evolved. This is a combining of the residents of a settlement or township to form a centre and provide a building for general recreation and _ self- improvement purposes. These institutes, of which there are some hundreds in Victoria alone, receive substantial Government grants of money, which are mostly spent with the big city bookseller. About 90 per cent. of the purchases are of modern fiction, and very discriminating these “‘ back blocks ”’ people are—only the best sellers being found on their lists—and they get 15 per cent. discount off the ordinary selling prices. It may be a debatable question whether public money should be spent in the purchase of light reading, but it remains that the Mechanics’ Institute is a factor to bear in mind when buying novels from the publisher. The American novel, about which the English publisher shows, or ought to show, some concern, is still a strong feature in the Australian bookseller’s stock. The public are not so much attracted by an author’s name as by the quality of the novel, although the fine cover designs and attractive jackets must help to draw attention to them. The American publishers do not bind up in a special cover for this market, like the Eng- lish Colonial library, and most of them prefer to let one distributing firm, like Robertson’s, deal with an important book for Australia and New Zealand. In this way Robertson’s issue at least one new American novel every week now. Melville and Mullen also handle occasional “sole agency ” novels for two or three English publishers. Cole’s Book Arcade, who have so far steered clear of sole rights to any extent, have pub- lished one or two books themselves lately, being possessed of a fine plant and premises for this purpose. One particularly, of much interest to early colonists, being ‘“‘ The Gold Rushes of the Fifties,’ by W. E. Adcock, narratives of the gold finds of the “ roaring fifties ’ that gave Victoria her great impetus in the race for wealth and population. Publishing in Australia will presently become a trade of importance when matters of tariff, copyright, and labour conditions are more definite than at present. Meanwhile we ‘have the N.S.W. Bookstall Co., Ltd., issuing a successful shilling series of humorous books and “ shockers ’’—some sixty odd titles—and Gordon and Gotch announcing the printing of sixpenny novels here. This subject of publishing in Australia will be dealt with further in a future letter. S. J. E. ++ A MINOR NOVELIST. — ja WE have read with great interest the article in the September National Review, signed by ‘“* A Minor Novelist.” It is difficult to criticise the results of ‘“‘ A Minor Novelist’s”’ experience, as he has not given the names of the works he has published or the names of the publishers with whom he hasmade his agreements. In other words, he has given no idea as to the quality of his work or the quality of the publishers. No doubt it was impossible for him to do so. It seems clear, how- ever, that in many cases he has undersold the book market and has undersold, accordingly, the market of his fellow-workers. This may have arisen either from ignorance or from necessity. In any case the matter is very serious, as it is owing to these lapses that the minor novelist finds himself in the present position. If all authors of fiction undertook not to accept less than a certain amount, either the minor novelist would not exist, at any rate in the position stated in the article, or he would be able to get a living wage. We entirely disagree with the statement that it is a counsel of perfection for popular novelists to tell young authors that they should never part with the copyright. This amounts to 26 saying that no publisher will ever alter his agree- ments. The daily experience at the office of the Society of Authors is absolutely the con- trary. Nowadays, very few authors writing on any subject sell their copyright, and even if a book is commissioned by the publisher and the writer is a specialist he takes care not to betray himself and his comrades. If they do so they do so through ignorance of their rights and powers ; and publishers, who naturally demand from an author not merely all they are entitled to but all they think they can get, will readily alter an agreement and concede an author the copyright when they find out that the author also knows something about his business. : We give to “ A Minor Novelist ” our sincerest sympathy, if his reason for selling both his serial rights and book rights below the market value was to him a matter of necessity, and we think, as he himself suggests, that it would be much better for him to drive a taxi-cab than to keep on underselling the literary market. Another fact he puts forward that shows a lack of power to drive a satisfactory bargain for one or both of the above reasons, is his acknowledgment that when he sells a serial he is generally required to confer upon the pur- chaser the right to make any alteration he pleases in the plot, incidents, or characters. This is a serious confession for any author to make who has any respect for his own work or his art. Many authors are willing to make alterations themselves to meet the objections of an editor or his staff, but to give an arbitrary power to another person to make such cor- rections seems to point to the fact that the author of the article is not really a minor novelist, but a scribbler of stories, to suit the taste of any chance comer. Since this note was penned we have read in the Globe a very sensible letter dealing with the points raised, and signed “ Another Minor Novelist.” It appears that he has written eight books and that they have brought him in an average of £200 per book, and best of all that he has never parted with his copyright. oe PUBLISHERS’ ROYALTY AGREEMENTS. a Tue Autuor Grants. i the June number of The Author we published the first part of an article entitled “ The Author Grants.” In that .article those clauses were dealt with in which the publisher asked the author to transfer his | work in book form in | between author and publisher) at the price of in | the English language.” THE AUTHOR. copyright. What was stated in that article must be repeated here, No AUTHOR SHOULD TRANSFER THE COPYRIGHT TO A PUBLISHER WHILE HE PRESERVES A CONTINUING INTEREST IN HIS WoRK. But in this article it might be added, NO AUTHOR SHOULD GRANT TO A PUB- LISHER THE EXCLUSIVE LICENCE TO PUBLISH HIS WORK DURING THE TERM OF COPYRIGHT WITHOUT LIMITATION, for this may lead to evils almost as serious as those which result when the author transfers his copyright. In the article referred to it was suggested that the first clause in all agreements should be “ What the Author grants ” and should run as follows :-— “‘ The author grants the publisher a licence to publish his format (or in format agreed The other limitations which this clause should contain are :—(1) limitation as to country (generally Great Britain, Ireland, the Colonies and the Dependencies thereof) ; (2) limitation as to edition (an edition 1,000, 2,000 or 8,000 copies); (8) limitation as to time for a period of 3, 5 or 7 years. Here, as in the former article, we set out from the publishers’ own agreements the clauses which they have asked the author to sign, in order that the author may easily recog- nise them, and may as easily gather from the following comments some of the disadvan- tages under which he will labour if he affixes his signature to them. They are as follows :— A. The publisher shall during the legal term of copyright have the exclusive right of producing and publishing the work in England and the colonies and the United States of America. The publisher shall have the entire control of the publication and sale and terms of sale of the book, and the author shall not during the continuance of this agreement (without the consent of the publisher) publish any abridgment translation or dramatised version of the work. During the continuance of this agreement the copy- right of the work shall be vested in the author who may be —S as the proprietor thereof accordingly. . The author hereby agrees to assign to the said & Co. their successors and assigns, and the said & Co. hereby agree to purchase the sole right of publication of the above work in the British Empire and elsewhere. The said & Co. shall be at liberty to dispose of copies at special terms to America, and the author shall be entitled to receive per cent. of the price at which copies are sold in sheets to America. C. That the copyright of the said new novel shall remain the property of the author and that at the expiration of five years from the date on which the publisher first publish the said new novel or at the expiration of any subsequent period of five years thereafter this agreement may be terminated by either party on giving three months notice of intention to do so. That the publishers shall issue or cause to be issued a  rt hake bree = ae is7 ay THE AUTHOR. 27 special edition of the said new novel for sale in the Colonies and Dependencies of Great Britain (with the exception of Canada) and they shall pay to the author on all copies of the said new novel sold in such special edition a royalty of 4d. a copy. That the United States rights, the Canadian rights, the rights of translation, dramatisation and the right to publish the said new novel in English on the Continent of Europe are reserved by the author. D. The author hereby agrees to assign to the publishers their successors and assigns and the publishers hereby agree to purchase the sole right of publication in volume form during the legal term of copyright of an original work entitled “ ” of which he is the author. Tf the above book ahall be included in the publisher’s Colonial Library, or any colonial edition arranged for by the publisher, the royalty shall be 3¢. per copy on all copies sold. The publisher shall have the right to arrange for publication of the said work in the United States of America and shall credit the author with per cent. of all profits accruing from such an arrangement. All profits arising from minor rights such as translations, continental editions, &c., to be divided equally between the author and the publisher. Let us now take, for particular comment, the clauses printed above, in their order, stating, as we have already stated, that to grant to a publisher an exclusive licence to publish a work during the term of copyright without limita- tion, may lead to evils almost as serious as those which result from the transfer of copy- right. The evils resulting from the transfer of copyright have been set out in many numbers of The Author and in the reports. As far as literary and dramatic works are concerned the result attending this constant repetition has been, on the whole, successful. No dramatists transfer their copyright, and very few authors, except in the cases where the work has been commissioned. The musical composer, however, is not free of the shackles of the music pub- lisher who endeavours to bind him in every possible way, with the scantiest return. A. The publisher shall during the legal term of copyright have the exclusive right of producing and publishing the work in England the Colonies and the United States of America. The publisher shall have the entire control of the publication and sale and terms of sale of the book, and the author shall not during the continuance of this agree- ment (without the consent of the publisher) publish any abridgment translation or dramatised version of the work. During the continuance of this agreement the copyright of the work shall be vested in the author, who may be registered as the proprietor thereof accordingly. _ This article deals with the conveyance of the licence to publish, that is, the appointment of the publisher as agent to do certain things, as distinct from the conveyance of copyright, 7.e., the transfer of property, which allows the publisher to act as principal. This is a step in the right direction, but an author must beware, for the grant of a licence to publish unconditioned by limitations of time, place, price, edition, etc., may prove as dangerous almost as the transfer of the copy- right. If a publisher is granted a licence to publish, he can only publish the work that an author submits to him; he cannot make even those alterations which, often so galling to an author who conveys the copyright, do not, however, damage his literary reputation. The clause then, as it stands, isolated from the rest of the agreement, is a dangerous clause, as it does not limit the publisher either in shape, price, time or edition,—it does not even limit the publisher to book form, though apparently it does not include all the countries of the Berne Convention. There is, however, one serious defect in the clause. “The author shall not during the continuance of this agreement (without the consent of the publisher) publish any abridgment, translation, or dramatised version.” What do these words mean? What would they mean if read to an_ unsophisticated author? They would read rather as a vagary of the publisher, and the author would think that the words, like the words in a lease, would mean that such consent would not be unreason- ably withheld. The author would indeed have some right to think so, when he reads another clause, not printed here, from the same agreement, which carefully apportions the division of profits on serial and other minor rights. There is something, no doubt, to be said in case of some books, scientific books, diction- aries, and others of a like kind, in favour of restricting the author from publishing an abridgment while the book of his original grant is selling, and the publisher might well desire to have a word in the matter. But this agree- ment cannot apply to translation rights, still less to the sale of a dramatic version. What then actually happens? The author, with some difficulty, arranges with a foreign author and publisher to translate and publish his book. He writes to the publisher and asks for his consent. The publisher replies that he eannot give his consent unless he receives 50 per cent. of the profits, there is nothing to prevent his asking 75 per cent. even. The author is bound to acquiesce or lose his market. An agent, it is true, takes 10 per cent. for finding a market, but here a publisher will ask 50 per cent. for doing nothing. The case is worse, however, when it comes to the sale of a dramatic version. It is important for an author who has dramatised his work to have control of the publication of 28 THE the words of his drama, and this could not interfere with the publication of his book, although the publisher might say that it would. This right to publish a dramatic version must not be confused with the right to perform, i.e., dramatic rights which are included in some publishers’ agreements. : An author may take infinite time, trouble and labour in converting his book into a drama, and in getting it accepted by a manager, and then be met by the same demand. This, too, when he expected merely a polite letter of sanction. An author cannot be urged too strongly not to sign any agreement in which these words are included. To Clause 2 an objection must be raised on the ground of bad draughstmanship. If the author has clearly never conveyed the copyright to the publisher the copyright is vested in him, and he is clearly entitled to be registered as proprietor. There is no need, therefore, to insert the clause, and anything that may raise an extra chance of a legal argument should be avoided. B. The author hereby agrees to assign to the said & Co. their successors and assigns, and the said & Co. hereby agree to purchase the sole right of publication of the above work in the British Empire and elsewhere. The said & Co. shall be at liberty to dispose of copies at special terms to America, and the author shall be entitled to receive per cent. of the price at which copies are sold in sheets to America. It should be stated once for all that the agreement with a publisher should be personal to that publisher, even where the author is only conveying a licence to publish. It is a mistake, therefore, to allow the words “ their successors and assigns,’’ to come into a publication agreement. Many authors would be quite willing to allow certain publishers to have a licence to publish, but if anything happened to the firm they might strongly object to the agreement being sold in the open market to any chance purchaser. If, however, the author does grant a licence to the “ publishers, their successors and assigns,” he should see that his grant is strictly limited and that he is guarded against his work falling into the hands of another person antagonistic to his interests. There is one further point in the clause which should be mentioned, and that is, the wording. The author should not “ assign the right of publication,” but should merely ““ grant a licence to publish the work in book form.” These slight alterations mean a good deal from the legal point of view. AUTHOR. This clause is unlimited as to country and is not limited as to book form. It is wider than the one quoted just before and is dangerous. Clause 2 is not an unreasonable clause, as it gives the publisher liberty to deal with the American market, when the author has not acquired the American copyright. In fact, save in exceptional cases, this liberty is best left to the publisher. All the author has to see is that he gets a fair royalty. C. That the copyright of the said new novel shall remain the property of the author and that at the expira- tion of five years from the day on which the publisher first publish the said new novel or at the expiration of any subsequent period of five years thereafter this agreement may be terminated by either party on giving three months notice of intention to do so. That the publisher shall issue or cause to be issued a special edition of the said new novel for sale in the Colonies and Dependencies of Great Britain (with the exception of Canada) and they shall pay to the author on all copies of the said new novel sold in such special edition a royalty of 44. a copy. That the United States rights, the Canadian rights, the rights of translation, dramatisation and the right to publish the said new novel in English on the Continent of Europe are reserved to the author. A licence to publish limited as to time. This form of grant has a great many advan- tages and is certainly to be recommended to the writers of technical works, who must have power, from time to time, to reconsider their position and bring their works up to date. Three years is, in most cases, a good limit, and the publisher is not likely to suffer. If the author desires he can—should no alterations be necessary—allow the publisher to continue, or if alterations are necessary, give him the option of publishing the new edition. There is one point, however, against which the author must guard himself in dealing with time limitations, and that is, the possibility of the publisher over-printing towards the end of | the contract, so that when the time limit has expired there is a large stock on hand. It has been decided in the Courts that the publisher would have a right to continue dealing with this stock after the time limit has expired. Clause 2 is satisfactory, for the publisher actually undertakes to do certain things. In many agreements where the publisher obtains these rights he does not undertake, and cannot, therefore, be compelled to do anything with them at all. : This difficulty has already been emphasised frequently in those articles dealing with the conveyance of copyright. Clause 3 is essential where an unlimited licence to publish has been transferred to the publisher, but the words “ and all other rights  ss & \ + 4 4 og | THE AUTHOR. 29 not included by this agreement,” should be added. It is always much better, however, and much clearer for the author to limit the publisher by granting him a licence to produce the work in book form at the price of only in Great Britain and Ireland, the Colonies and Dependencies thereof. Then such a clause as Clause 3 is surplusage and should not be inserted. When the publisher has been limited in a proper way it is always dangerous to insert a further clause reserving certain rights to the author unless the clause is very general, as some rights may be omitted inadvertently, and questions may arise as to whether they belong to author or publisher. The best plan, therefore, is carefully to limit the publisher as to the exact rights the author intends to convey and to insert no further clause as to what rights the author retains. D. The author hereby agrees to assign to the publishers their successors and assigns and the publishers hereby agree to purchase the sole right of publication in volume form during the legal term of copyright of an original work entitled “ ” of which he is the author. If the above shall be included in the publisher’s Colonial Library, or any colonial edition arranged for by the publisher the royalty shall be 3d. per copy on all copies sold. The publishes shall have the right to arrange for publica- tion of the said work in the United States of America and shall credit the author with per cent. of all profits accruing from such an arrangement. All profits arising from minor rights such as translations continental editions, ete., to be divided equally between the author and the publisher. On the subject of “their successors and assigns,” and “ sole right of publication,” we have already spoken. The sole right of publication in this clause is limited to volume form. So far this is satisfactory, but the limitation is not sufficient. There is no limit as to country. There is no limit as to price, there is no limit as to time, and there is no limit as to edition. In the next clause there is no undertaking on the part of the publisher to perform this part of his licence, but if he thinks it will suit him to market the book in the Colonies he undertakes to pay the author a fixed number of pence per copy. This might be satisfactory if he had bound himself to Colonial production. The question of the amount to be paid would of course be a matter of bargaining, and we hope to deal with Colonial sales and prices at greater length in another article. Sale on half profits to America when royalty is paid on British and Colonial sales should only be permitted when the publisher under- takes to charge only the cost of printing and paper against the profits on the American edition. This the best firms undertake to do, but examples have come to hand when a proportionate amount of the cost of composition has been charged against the profits. Why such a course is unfair and unjustifiable wiil be explained in a subsequent article. It is sufficient here to emphasise the fact that where profits are being shared on the American sales and there is a royalty agreement on the English sales, only the cost of printing and paper should be charged against the American edition. Under no circumstances should the latter part of the clause stand, but if through the publisher’s agency under an agreement signed by the author any of the minor rights are sold, then the author should pay the publisher the usual agency charge of 10 per cent. ———__4¢ 9 THE PALACKY AND SOKOL COMMEMORA- TION AT PRAGUE. —+- <> By James Baker, F.R.G.S. HE unveiling of the national memorial to the memory of the famous historian, Francis Palacky, was linked by the Bohemians with their national festival of the Jubilee of the foundation of the Sokol move- ment, a movement for the physical and moral development of the Slav people, that has grown under splendid organisation to gigantic proportions. British writers and journalists were honoured on this occasion, by the City of Prague sending invitations to five members of the British International Association of Journalists, as guests of the City during the festivities, that lasted four days. The writers so honoured were all men who had written upon Bohemia, when on a former occasion as members of this Association they had visited the country ; and a right cordial welcome they received at the impressive ceremonies held in the Pantheon, and at the unveiling of the remarkable monu- ment by Sucharda. Francis Palacky is a writer who has done so much for his country as a historian, that it is strange his dramatic, forceful work is not more utilised in England by writers upon Central European life and polities, up to the year 1526 ; when, alas, his history closes. The scenes enacted in Prague, both in the Pantheon and before the monument to the memory of the patriot and historian, were full 30 of intense significance. The whole of the Slav peoples were represented, and the addresses given by his Excellency, the President of the Bohemian Academy, and Professor Dr. Joseph Pekats were worthy and interesting culegies of Palacky’s work, and its outcome. What a tremendous influence the work has had, was evidenced by the demonstration at the unveil- ine of the monument, a gigantic and notable work of art. The Viceroy and Church dignitaries, Princes, nobles, and people listened to an oration from Dr. Kramai, the well-known Slav Parliamentarian. The writer of this article also spoke a word on the debt English writers owed to his work. Not only at this historical and literary festival were the British visitors honoured, but also at the imposing Sokol demonstrations, and at the banquets and concerts coincident with the festivals. On the great Letna Plain they witnessed from the Tribunes the astounding gymnastic and drill display simultaneously of 11,000 men and 6,000 women, organised by the Sokols or Faleons, who number now far over 100,000 members, and they were present at the march past of over 20,000 of these splendidly drilled men before the old Town Hall of Prague and the Lord Mayor and Council. The links between England and Bohemia in bygone days have been many, and of world-wide influence, far more than the general reader can glean; for even Green and Bright and other historians omit to mention that Richard II. marriel Anne of Bohemia, an event of great importance to the world’s history. The British International Journalists who were invited learnt much during their stay. They included Mr. D. A. Louis, the scientifie writer of the Times, Mr. Walter Jerrold of the Telegraph, Mr. R. J. Kelly of the Freeman, and Mr. Rainbow of the Eastern Chronicle ; and the writer who has watched for over thirty years the wondrous developments in Bohemia that are now of such weight in Central European politics. Palacky’s famous saying: “If the Empire of Austria did not exist, we should be compelled to create it,” has to-day a wondrous significance. ee “TO PLEASE ONESELF.” By W. Haroip THomson. HE other day I beard a novelist—you would know his name quite well if I were to set it down here—bemoaning the fact that in the ten years during which he had been making THE AUTHOR. a really good income from writing he had not done anything for the sheer joy of pleasing himself. “T was making just enough to live on,” he said, “and getting pretty sick of things. I was writing essays of the style that are cal’ed graceful, and stories which editors usually dub ‘ pretty, but too slight,’ and I was getting them accepted here and there, and now and then. But J wanted to get on, I wanted to become known, and I wanted to make money. So I followed the advice of an old hand who had found that there was better fun than starving on art. He told me to stop dreaming; he told me to forget any hopes I had of being recognised asa stylist; he told me to stop framing phrases that had a tendency to make people think, and finally he told me to stop doing what I wanted, and to do instead what editors said their readers wanted. So I went in for that sort of thing.” He shrugged his shoulders at that point and ended : “ Well, I’ve done what I set out to do— I’ve made a name and I’ve made money. But I’ve made the name by stuff I’m ashamed of, and I know that I won the money hard because I starved the artistic side of me until it died.” I believe—and am sorry to believe—that the case of that writer is quite a common one. Or at least it is common as regards the starving of the artistic nature. Few writers, perhaps, gain a popularity or financial reward such as his, but a pitiful army in their efforts to do so learn the bitterness of crushing that desire which, in the first place, made them stretch out their hands for the pens—the desire to write of the sweetest things they know in the sweetest words at their command. To write something just to please oneself ! That is the craving I am sure that comes often and with an increasing pleading to every author dependent upon his work for a livelihood. There are those who du please themselyes—who give of their very best and reach just to that point where they please what might be called the literary gallery ; there are others—a small and to be envied band——who write to please themselves and at last gain a public of which they may be proud and a return with which they may be pleased. But the average writers, the middle-class in the penman’s world, the men and women who, if they can write what is in popular demand, must do so in sackcloth and with tears, as a rule, cannot afford to permit themselves the joy of doing what they term to be their best. Their best would perhaps some day meet with its reward, but they recognise that before that glad day has had time to dawn, their eyes would have been closed. It is the canker in the breast of the average pro- fessional author—the stifling of his inclination to sit down and express the best that is in him  THE AUTHOR. without regard to popular taste. Perhaps “ the best that is in him” is not quite the right phrase. I do not mean that he may have some noble philo- sophy which he feels called to expound, nor indeed that he may have anything particularly serious to say at all. It would be more correct to say that he longs to set down with all the artistry in him his own thoughts upon the sweet or sad things which he sees or hears—anything which appeals to and moves the higher emotions. The insistent editorial demand for action in every paragraph, quite irrespective of the language in which that action is described, is what makes cynics of the more ambitious penmen. During their period of apprenticeship and when writing was so far a hobby merely, they had written what they wanted and had no doubt seen their essays, their graceful stretches, their short stories that were free from blood and detectives and ‘ther popular ingredients, in print from time to time. But at last, perhaps not for a lone time—because authors are creatures in whom hope dies hard— they were forced to recognise that where money- making by the pen is concerned it is the matter and not the manner that counts. It was forced upon them that writers much inferior to themselves in education having not the slightest pretension to culture; men and women whose outlook and whose language were both mawkish—were those who were making the big incomes, True, they were not admired by the book-reading public save in a few well-known instances, and could never hope to gain the praise of critics or fully educated people, but still they were doing something enviable, they were making good incomes wherewith to maintain themselves and those dependent on them. And the young writer seeing them, and perhaps being helped to his bitter decision by sheer need, reluctantly sets out to crush what is artistic in him; with much travail of soul he represses the inclination to set down anything which might be dubbed over-subtle and clever for the understanding of the mass ; he, in fact, far more than the actor, has to recognise the necessity of playing to the gallery. If he be a story-writer he will be told quite plainly and quite truthfully that what is wanted is a story—not fine writing ; psychological insight, deft portrayal of character counts but little if at all. There ‘are, of course, openings for imaginative articles written with cleverness and with style ; for Sketches where the writing is what tells, but the author who has a living to make gets to know very soon that the writing of such articles or sketches is ‘a huge gamble. The market is so very small—the pay’ so very poor. Practically nobody wants his 31 literary cleverness—thousands want what editors and writers themselves pleasantly term ‘ muck.” I am not forgetting the exceptions who win through from the first with material of which they may well be proud—but the exceptions are, after all, of little moment to the rank and file. And so when the average author—travelled, per- haps, well read, cultured, possessing what is pathetically called a “soul ’’—sitg at night in his quiet study longing to express on paper and in language such as would please some kindred Spirit the thoughts that come to him, he knows the dread voice which whispers—* Forget.” “ Forget in your working hours at least your appreciation of the beautiful - forget the fascination of building a gracious picture with words; forget that there is in you the power to move minds and hearts like your own with finely-wrought sentences embodying high thoughts. “* Remember instead that if you are out for pay in this game of writing, you must either wait for long years before your work ‘ gets there,’ or you must learn to tickle the palates of your masters in the gallery. In one way it is, of course, just as clever to do that as to please the elect, but it is a cleverness which will bring you no joy—unless indeed the money is the only reward asked. And in that case the gallery is your proper audience, and you have no reason to talk either of your achievements or of what might have been,” PSUS REEy See cams BOOK-PRICES CURRENT.* —1—>— + dee parts of the periodical lying before us are the first three numbers of the twenty-sixth volume containing records of the sales from October 5, 1911, to April 15, 1912. That the publication always maintains its high interest need not be said, but naturally other sales are thrown into the shade by the first section of the sale of the Huth Library (begun on November 15, 1911). Itis only from the pages of “ Book-Prices Current ” itself that it will be possible for any one to form any correct impression of the multitude of books cf extraordinary rarity and interest that were on this occasion offered for sale. The Shakes- periana were sold en bloc, but there remained a wealth of manuscripts, block-books, incuna- bula and rarities the mere titles of which (apart from the interesting bibliographics! particulars) form marvellous reading. To do the sale any * “Book-Prices ‘ Current.” Vol. XXVI. London: Elliot Stock. 32 THE AUTHOR. justice in a short notice is impossible ; its record is matter for slow and pondered perusal. A copy of “ The Mazarin Bible ” (No. 1300— the bibliographical notes deserve particular attention) sold for £5,800. To the student of English literature will be hardly less inte- resting No. 1124, a collection of 384 broadside ballads in black letter, chiefly belonging to the period of the Restoration, in excellent preserva- tion, which sold for £400, and seems to us to have been cheap at that price. A further instalment of the Amherst Library was sold on December 12, presenting among other rarities the second edition of Caxton’s “‘ Book of Good Manners,”’ prohably the only copy in existence. Authors should look at the prices fetched by modern autograph MSS. at the sale of the library of J. S. Burra, of Ashford, Kent, together with other properties (December 18—15, 1911). Sir Walter Besant’s “ Herr Paulus was sold for £2; Gissing’s ‘‘ Eve’s Ransom,” £11; Edna Lyall’s ‘‘ Donovan,” £50. Other autographs by modern writers are men- tioned. At the sale of the remaining portion of the library of Dr. Joseph Frank Payne several first and early editions of Milton’s works were sold; among them a first edition of “Paradise Lost’ for £40. How many fold does the price given for this single copy exceed the sum paid John Milton for the whole copy- right of a work out of which the publishers and booksellers of England have been ever since making profits? Particulars very interesting to authors will be found recorded in the sale (April 15, etc., 1912) of the library of Louisa Lady Ashburton. <A considerable number of works by Carlyle, or relating to Carlyle, were sold, with autographs of his in them. The vastly enhanced value of the volumes in con- sequence of the autographs contained in them is deserving of remark. The numbers are 5007 to 5024, and should be studied by any one who desires to form a just estimate of what auto- graphs in a book mean. ——_—_—\e—o— 2 —___—_ LITERATURE AND LIFE.* —_-—~o + — Tat Mr. Watt has a public is sufficiently demonstrated by the number of works which he has published, and we entertain no doubt that his new book, ‘“‘ Literature and Life,” will be highly esteemed by those for whom it is * “Titerature and Life.” The Rev. Lauchlan Maclean Watt. London: A, & C. Black, 1912, A volume of “The Guild Library.” intended. Every prolific author knows to whom he is addressing himself, and how he may best hold their attention. For that reason we are unwilling to lay stress upon certain features of the book which do not exactly commend themselves to our judgment, the somewhat lyric tone of a good deal of the prose, and the values assigned to some of the authors whose works are recommended. We hasten to add that the latter feature is one respecting which it is, after all, almost im- possible that two minds should think abso- lutely in agreement. Practically ‘“* Literature and Life *’ is one of the many books recom- mending other people what they should read. Of such works there seems to be no end; and seeing how many people, comparatively speak- ing, never read anything that they ought to read, all these books are books that will do good if thev produce any effect at all. In the present case the author goes a point farther and dwells not only upon what should be read but how it should be read, and this also is commendable. Authors are likely to find the chapters on “Style and Thought,” ‘*‘ Vocabulary,” and ‘“‘ The Writer and his Age,”’ the most suggestive, and we could imagine this part of the book proving valuable to writers who have not yet succeeded in saying things as they wish to say — The book is furnished with an excellent index. CORRESPONDENCE. ne CopyRIGHT BILL. Str, — Your readers will have been much interested by the supplement to the July issue of The Author. It is evident that the Board of Trade is anxious enough to accord fair play to authors, such as they have never had before ; and it will be their own fault if they do not take advantage of it. The paragraph that insists on stamps of royalty being affixed to the different copies of the book is of particular interest. It is a pity that the words “if not otherwise arranged” are not left out, as they leave a loophole to dishonest publishers, who are sure to take advantage of it if allowed to do so. The iniquitous rule of counting thirteen for twelve will now, I fancy, be abolished for ever. This is the author’s opportunity to get quit of their unjust trammels, and if they don’t join hands one and all, they will be greatly to blame for being robbed of their property with their eyes open. Iam, &c., JUSTITIA. 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. 23 Issue 01 (October 1912) Subject The topic of the resource <em>The Author</em>, Vol. 23 Issue 01 (October 1912) Type The nature or genre of the resource Publication Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1912-10-01-The-Author-23-1 publications The Author