New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-15
LITTER FROM A POOK-PUBLISHER.
10 the Editor Of The n. y. TribsA<.

10 the Editor o. The n. J. TrtbsN.
SIR bsve conversed sish several of the New. Yerk
pub sbers and know thu, the article which appeared
| il The Pubiistsrs' Circula- over the etter M.
does lot accord with the experience sentiment Of
many Ct eminent houses. The leg stions in the
Article in question were, /. to me- Ct altogether
too sweeping a character, and cannot hold toe Com
mittee blame ess by whose sanct N It published.
1t the desire OF several at recent meeting of the
Association to adopt by vote the article question ss
expressive Of TIE sentiment OF the publishers as a
BODY There were only some eight or ten members
present, larger psIt Of whom composed the E1ecq-
tive Board, in which body the motion origin Ated aud
any auch vote, if it had been taken a. experience Of
the VII Tvs Of the pub i.hers collectively would have
been sh .ur6 with whatever truth it might 70
be TIE OF icsl voice Of the Association The on way
to test the mater fairly would be TO bring al the pub
isbers .cpe her and ct 70 vote be taken should
ike to zee II experiment tried.
The m.,iv, Ct the Executive Board In causing such
an article TO be pennee was 6 good one; and for
ny self en- nly opposed to quarrel with he e1tav-
agance of its statements and the personal m4leyo
lence which pr myted some of them. The writer Of
the article went bel ond his mark. The few remote
and isolated facts upon which he based his assertions
he exagper ated int geneIaties II Is onli too true
III thcfe IS q EN hul VI OOoCuIc pliuG nuV Ni1uOI-
o1sly be.iege book dverser', each claiming 10 make
bis sheet the special organ OF the trade aud ready 70
prostitute bis coumi to any species OF puifery that
will pay But thee we not among the respectable
prints, and thei. colan very rarely worth the
trouble Of buying. I'm 0" OF no paper whose critical
opinion. are worth hsvin that in any way open
bribery. OF the leading papers in NeE-York, there
are one or two rather (. cautious about offending
their patrons; and there ia uoher which deals out its
otnsure or prsiss with an eye mainly to he wealth
and eninence Of the pabIis her, rather tbsu to the
book itself but in the main 'or one, have great con-
fcence in the honesty of heir intentions AS for the
assertion that crticisms are fra Iuently bought vita
IS BILL the thing is absurd and reposterous. 1t Ger
tsinly never occurred in my exp erience aud don't
believe that dozen such instaDc, e could be cited in
all the history of book publishing in this country.
OF che count in " Ms" allegation IS wish to make
especial reference. He says, {" In some cases the
critic mSy be salahed by the pabl sher as MANI
script resc er, or in some other capacity" There i,
no use Of denying that this inenoe1 to apply to
THR TRIBUNE, and now hear that il was uudoubt
edIy prompted by feeling of personal msleVoIence
sometime since, by his own account, had diff.
fculty with the principal critic Of TsE rRBUSI, and
some iLfeelipg was excited which has never been
healed tina, that critic also holes the position Of ae-
airy adviser 10 two Of our publishing houses is
Familiarity known in literary Giro c. but at the same
time confidence in his impsrtisiy ia generally enter
tanned and il is never dou )ted that he designs 10
be honest, and is usually just he believes that nine
teen cut of twenty Of publi-hers would concede
this much. / consider, therefore, Ms" sur
called for and believe it to have been prompted by
personal feeling. And moreover let me say that !
NJ only lately evinced disposition to crush some
Of that same ndept ndent criticism which he loudly
pleads for. An unfsvorab notice of one of his
recent works appeared in daily paper, to
which he Indignantly replied by personal |
retort in the advertising columns of the sane
paper and he slso caused to be inserted in the |
editorial columns of another daily paper something |
too much under his control vulgar and sbu,ive par
agreph upon the writer Of the offensive review. I |
VIC uld ask M" if this is not holding rod
actory critics, and If it does not possess Gestures
quite as bad bribery Let me say that have no
i'll v i'll toward I'M My busuess relations with him |
hs We always been friendly; Hope they always will be-
But protest sins the personal feelings of sny mao
Being allowed to cOntro or influence the Publishers
Association. and ageinst The Publishers Circular
being the medium OF ipiudicious and ll-sdvsed a.
cks 10 which the Publishers do not all sympathize.
desire equally with others to criticism purged
and rendered INDEPENDENT msny and Just beneve |
that the true interests OF literature require it. Bat
seems to INT that the evil OF putting is rapidly curing
inelf and that combined action on oar part would |
have tel ded more TO hasten END 30 desirable than
violent and sweeping charges of vensiy which, If
has any effect, tends to weaken public confidence in
use ful me, um Of commune alton bet1e publishers
and resdprs am, Sir your obedent rvaut,
he,e. York Dec a 1855. PUBLISHER