Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-06-21
The Rejected Addresses.

| A new edition of this admirable book has been
published in Boston from the 22d London edi-
ton, with an original preface and notes by the
author. The National Intelligencer, noticing the
reprint, says:
| A generation has passed since the rebuilding of Old
Drury Lane Theatre and the publication OF this bril-
liant book, and 1t will be ever new to those who first
read it. The preface and notes add greatly to the in
terest of the work. 1t is curious to know that This
book was banded about among the trade unable to find
publisher There is much comfort to young begin
ners in land in the anecdote, and it is worth
ting for their benefit and for those who hold in
| their hands the hopes Of unfedged authors.
The book was commenced six weeks before the
opening OF the Theatre, and it Of the first impol-
lance it should be forthcoming the next day. The
thors 90 on to say:
"Urged forward by hurry, and trusting to chance
two very bad eoadutos in any enterprise-we at length
congratulated ourselves having completed task
in time to have it printed and published by the OPEN
ing OF the theatre. But alas difficulties, lar
from being summoned, seemed only to be beginning
Strangers to the arcana OF thu booksellers rade and
unacquainted with their almost invncible objection to
single volumes of low price, especially when rendered
by writers who have acquired previous name
little Anticipated that they would refuse TO publish
Rejected addresses, even although asked nothing
for the copy gat Such however, proved to be he case
Our manuscript perused and returned to us by seve
raj OF the most eminent publishers. Wedo we re MEM
Der betakns ourselves to one OF the CT It Ia Bond
street, whom we found in back parlor, with his 'uty
leg propped upon cushion, in spite OF which warn
ing he diluted his luncheon with frequent glasses OF
MADEIRA What have you already witten! was his
first question: an interrogatory to which We had been
subjected in almost every instance. Nothing by VIII CHI
we can be known Then | am afraid to undertake
the publica ton. We presumed timidIy to !gest that
every writer must have beginning, and that to refuse
to publish for him until he had acquired name was
to initiate the sapient mother who cautioned her son
against going into water until he could swim. AN
old ioke--a regular joel exclaimed our companion.
tossing off another bumper. Still older than Joe Mil
ler repy for, if we mistake not it is the very
first anecdote in the facilities of Hier"ces' Tia sirs'
resumed the bbopolst, you are learned are you! So,
soh Well, leave your manuscript with me; viii
look it over tonight and give you an answer Tomorrow.
Punctual the clock we presented ourselves at the
door on the following morning. when our papers were
returned to us with the observation: These tres ars
really not deficient in smartne IS they are WE'LL vastly
we'll for beginners, but they will never do-never They
would not pay for Advertising and without 1t should
not sell fifty copes.'
"This was dscouraging enough. If the most expert.
enced publishers feared to be out of pocket by the work.
it manifest tortiori that its writers ran risk OF
being still more heavy losers, should they undertake
the publication on their own account. We had no OBJ
lection to raise laugh at the expense OF others but
do it at cost uncertain as we were to what
our contemplation. In this dilemma our addresses,
in every sense rejected might probably have never
seen the light, had not some good angel whisper 8
to betake ourselves to Mr. John Miller the dramatic
publisher then residing in Bow street, Coven Garden.
No sooner had this gentleman looked over our manu-
script than he Immediately offered to take upon himself
all the risk of publication and to give US half the pro-
fits, should there be any; liberal proposition, tn
which we gladly closed. So rapid and decided was It's
success at which none moe uneignedly astonsh-
ed than its authors that Mr. Miller advised us to col
lect some limitations Of Horace, which had appeared
in the Monthly Mirror, offering to pub
ly; and as editions OF the Rejected addresses were
lish them upon the terms We did so according
called for in quick succession we were shortly enahltd
to sell our half copyright in the two works to Mr. Mil
Ter for thousand pounds"
The authors say "to the credit Of the genus irritable
be it recorded that not of them whom we paroded
or buesqued ever betrayed the least the
casion or refused join in the laugh had OCCASION
ed" Sir Walter Scott showed his amabiluy and love
of humor, when, pointing the author to "2He Earning
of Drury Lane" he said, 81 certainly must have writ
len this myself although forget upon what OCCASION"
To those to whom the Rejected Addresses, by reason
of their youth, is new book, may safely say, TO
them it will be "the book of the season.