The New York herald., 1873-03-31
BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS.

Somebody ought to devote year or two to a..
certaining the peculiar qualities OF the American
novel.
AS the works of our writer's come under our
notice from time to time we find them with some
exceptions, individually bad. This Is not much 70
be wondered at. for there Is really no encourage
ment for the American novelist.
II an unknown writer carried the manuscripts or
new novel to any OF our publishers he would
scarcely get respectful hearing, however brh-
liant his work. not because there are any cliques
in literature, but because the American pub
Usher is naturally the enemy OF American letters.
One house is publishing six Serials the authors
of which are Lord Lytton Wkie Collins, Charles
Reade, F. w. Robinson, MISS Thackeray and MISS
Braddon. rr w
Yet the same house did not publish ''The Coming
Race" though it is certain that II Lord Lytt0n had
been known to be the author 1t would not have lsft
the only genuine literary sensation Of the last tive
or three years to one OF the minor houses.
Our publishers ought to be called the repub.
fishers.
They are mostly only the wholesale agents for the
works Of English authors and publishers.
Harper's "Library OF Select Novels" though 10
comprises nearly four hundred volumes, has not Q
single American work Of fiction.
If the writer of novel on American society
came to us tomorrow with a novel better thous
sand times than DIR. Mayo's "Never Again." We
should not know where to send him, assuring him
that he and his work would meet with polite treat
ment.
Outside of fiction there is less dficulty az is evt
dent from q very handsome book now before us.
Mr.. Charles HallOck's excellent volume, 'TAe
Fishing Tourist" just published by Harper d
Brothers, makes its appearance at the most fitting
season Of the year-just as the Spring is coming i'm
Though Mr.. Hallock calls MS work sort Of refer
ence book for anglers and tourists it has deeper
and prefounder interest for the lovers Of nature.
Unfortunately the scope and size Of the work are
not in harmony, and its readers are compelled to
be content with few hints OF the haunts OF the
American game fish, these hints only serving 70
sharpen the appetite for more.
book which may have some interest is little
volume by Seth Wilbur Payne, called "Behind the
Bars" 1t will be remembered that Mr.. Payne was
sent to the Albany Penitentiary for some words in
the Utica Bee of which he was editor, rejecting on
Judge DoOlittle. This volume is the record Of his
prison experience, and, though unphil0sOphcal in
tone and thought, it gives some hints Of prison life
and prison fare which are valuable.
As was to be expected, this is about the time f0n
works commemorative of the old anti-savery leads
ers. The latest volume of this kind is memoir Of
Samuel J. May, published by Roberts Brothers. To
a considerable extent 1t is autobiography, andit s
rich in the flavor of the anti-slavery times.
James Miller has just published a new edition Of
Mrs. Krklands 'Holidays Abroad" the two
volumes bound together.
Among the other new editions recently issued
are Mrs. Julia g. r. DORIS "Sibyl Huntingdon" bN
j. b. Lippincott Il Co., ana "Wild Tmes,n q tale OF
persecution in the days of Queen Elizabeth. by
Cecilia M. Caddell, published by the Catholic Pab-
lication Society.
All the way from the Pacific coast comes treat
Use on the claw Of Judgments" by A. G. Fireman.
published by A. L. Bancroft & Co. The work is
worthy the attention Of the legal profession, for II
1t should not in itself be accepted as an authority
1t Will at least be valuable an index to author-
ties on the subject of which 1t treats.
Another work which commends itself to the care
al scrutiny of the Bar Of this city and State is the
draft ofthe Revised Statutes, OF which the third
part has just been printed. The work Of the Com.
missioners will soon be completed, and it is i'm
portant that their ab0rs should be thoroughly un-
derstood by the Bar and Bench before the Legsla-
ture is asked to sanction the compilation.
Few books of real Importance are coming from
the press and very few promising freshness On
originality are to be expected.
Still new poet or new novelist or new his.
toran may burst upon US at any time, and he need
have no fears about finding publisher after the
the world has recognized his genius.