The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-08-12
For he Transcript.
Mistakes OF Publishers.

'iiN tfhhty bub Wnltils Nlti wv tthE VII
given to the press, brought fame to
their authors and profit to their pub
fishers. A list OF such books would
contain works in almost every depart !
ment of literature, theology, juris-
prudence, history, poetry, romance,
and whatever else.
Strange as it may seem, such list
might be headed by book so univers-
ally popular as Robinson Crusoe. Al
though De Foe was in good repute as
an author, the manuscript of that
book ran through the whole trade of
London, no one venturing to print it,
till at length it came to the hands of
publisher famous for his speculative
propensities rather than for his good
judgment. He printed it, and cleared
a hundred thousand guineas by his
venture; and booksellers are TO this
day making money continually by new
editions of it in all styles. Jane Eyre
was rejected by nearly every respecta-
BILE publishing house in London, and
was finally rescued by accident from a
booksellers iron safe where it had be-
gun to grow mouldy, by daughter of
the bookseller, who had himself for
gotten it. Kinglake's "Eothen" was
offered by its author to twenty differ
ent houses, till, at last, in fit of des-
peration, he gave the copyright to an
obscure bookseller, and paid the ex-
penses of publication out of his own
pocket. VANITY Fair was rejected
by Colburn, for whose magazine it was
written, that astute publisher com
planning that there was no interest in
it. Beresford tried in vain to sell the
copyright of the "Miseries of Human
Life for twenty pounds; but when it
was published more than five thou
sand pounds were realized from the
sales. Buchan offered the copyright
of his Domestic Medicine" to every
principal bookseller in Edinburgh and
London for 9100, without securing a
purchaser. After it had passed through
twenty-five editions. the copyright was
sold for 81, 600.
"The Rejected Addresses" were re-
ally rejected by Mr.. Murray, without
ever looking at the manuscript, though
the price asked for it was only 600
A publisher was afterwards found fol
it. and after sixteen editions had beer
published, the same Mr.. Murray gave
G131 for the right to issue new edi
ton. The total amount received by
the authors was more than $1,000.
Samuel Drew's Immortality anC
Immateriality of the Human Soul,
masterpiece of profound thought, acute
reasoning, and logical accuracy, wa
offered to publisher for 91O. Fl,
thought the risk too great, and tn
book was published by subscription
A second edition being called for, tn
author advanced the price of the copy
right to 600, and found purchase
at that price. 1t passed through fou
editions in England, two in Amerca
and one in France; and as the autho
: outlived the copyright, he gave tn
work thorough revision and sold
for $3.50. The manuscript of the frs
volume of Blair's Sermons was sen
to Strahan, the kings printer, who, al
ter examining it, wrote letter to tn
author discouraging the publication
1t was not till Dr. johnson had warn
ly commended the work, both in cor
versation and by note to Mr.. Strahar
that he ventured to give R100 for i
! Such was at first the unpropitious re
ception of one of the most successfJ
: theological books that has ever AZ
/. peared. The sale was so rapid an
extensive that the publisher made d
:. Blair present Of another 9100, pal
+. him G300 for the second volume, an
5000 for each of the other volume
Prideaux's connections" was handle
about from hand to hand among tn
publishers for more than two year
:. none of them yenturing to print it.
:, remained in manuscript till Archdei
:. con Echard, the authors ardent frien'
:. urged it upon Tonson, who publishe
y. it and made fortunate speculation
- so doing.
=. Several similar cases have occurrt
N in the history of American hteratur
ii Lowell Mason's first book of mus
A. the Handel and Haydn Collection, w
" rejected by the large publishing hou
to es of Boston, New York, and Phi
" dolphin; but when published, 1t III
D. rapidly through forty editions. "Su
ny Side" was at different times offer'
anxiously to FIVE different publisher
i. every one of whom rejected 1T. A
g. edition of five hundred copies was