The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-29
A Letter from Miss NJ. e. Braddon.

n IIcLJef from MIsS re bEduUOhs
To the Editor Of the Round Tdble-Sir:-I
have been favored with copy of your Journal
for July IA, 1866. Init perceive that you re-
vlew as written by me, novel entitled What
is this MysteryW published in New YORK by
Messrs. Hilton ~ Co. Allow me to say in reply
to your most iliiberal criticism, that | never
wrote novel with the title given, and that |
have never had any correspondence with It's
publishers, VINO, nevertheless, announce their
book as printed from my advance sheets" )" and
who also chal acterize the work as Miss Brad
don's latest and best" 1t may Gel nope 1t is
not-in accol dance with American notions OF
literary faT dealing to make these positively
false statements. Messrs. Hilton d Co. may de-
rive profit from them; but the true interests of
literature and its commerce cannot be served
by such audacious mendacity.
/ trust the day will never come when English
publishers shall fall into imitation OF the course
pursued by Messrs Hilton & Co., in the publ
cation of "What is this Mystery? A Novel, by
Miss NJ. e. BrGddon." Doubtless it would Ee a
''smart" speculation 10 appropriate any anony-
nous trash, label II with the name OF an Aneri-
can writer of repute, then announce 1t as printed
from hrs or her advance sheets, and puff it
into circulation as the --latest and besto of that
writer's productions, when the verbiage, SO
issued, is neither the 'latestn nor the "best,n
out is absolutely the very reverse of what 1T
Oretends TO be. But should such trading ever
arise IN England, then, perhaps, American states
men will see the urgent necessity for an inter
national copyright TO protect the characters of
American writers from the outrageous diShon-
esty into which unrestralned literary piracy can
| degenerate. For the present, the reputation of
every English writer is at the mercy of any
American publisher; and while this unhappy
state of thirgs continues U7rec pTOcdted, L sup
pose it Will last, however much its continuance
may demOraliZe the commerce OF literature, and
| however much it may encourage downright
| knavery.
Let me add that literary criticism, as a cor
| rective influence, is not advanced by personall-
ties; and that it is insulting to an author and
unfair IN itself to assume as you do when re-
| viewing What is this Mystery 2" that her (the
| authors) creations were the result OF the medi-
| tations and inspirations of millinor's shop"
This remark is simply impertinent, and IT is only
| as true as may be the assertion that the review
in which it appears is the result OF the medita-
| tons and inspirations OF a tailOls shop; though
| why good and wholesome "meditations and in
| spiratons" should be foreign TO miliner3 and
| tailors' shops am at a loss to discover. More
| over, offensive criticism will rather deter than
| encourage literary aspirants-always very
| Cnsitive race--for whose advent you insert, in
| the same number of the Round Table, an elabo-
rate demand. have the honor to be, sir, your
most obedlent servant, NJ. n. BRANDON,
Author OF Lady Audleys Secret" etc.
London, July 30, 1866.