The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-18

Are Oar Publishers Only Republishers
The dulness of the times is the reason
gwen by our publishers for their present in
dispostion to undertake the publication Of
new American books At the same time their
lists OF foreign issues are SO large as to sug-
gess the inquiry whether our publishers have
not become. in q general sense, mere re-
Pupnshers. If the hard times are o bar to
the appearance of works by American hands
the same logic apparently ought to apply to
repoDiications. It is well known that in the
absence OF an international copyright law our
publishers, in order to preserve q comfy of
dealing among themselves, have system of
announcements" by which they regulate
their rights in books first published abroad.
The latest Of these announcements, which
is only specimen of others which appear
from time to time in rapid sue
cesion, is curious subject of study,
especially when considered in connection
with the inquiry we have suggested This
bulletin includes the names of three publish
ing houses. One of them announces as having
sin press" as many as twenty-four new books;
another announces eight and the third is con-
tent with four The longest list includes pretty
nearly everything which has just appeared or
is just about to appear in England, while the
take in the chance omissions Of the first. A
careful examination of the advertisements in
the English literary weeklies does not reveal q
single book other than these or those pre-
viously announced which would be likely to
have any sale in America, if we except ''The
novel that would have some interest for
Americans on account of their admiration for
her fathers genius. Two of these houses will
bring out novel called "Claude Meadowleigh,
Artist" and two of them announce Mrs.
ELEPHANTS For Love and Life" novel en-
called 'Ingram Place." besides Campanella's
"My Life and What Learnt in IT, What is
more remarkable still is that the leading house
in this list is about to publish thirteen other
English novels besides those named The
same house will republish Through Rus
sia," Mrs. Guthrie's account of q journey
from st. Petersburg to Astrakhan and the
Crmea; ssThe Fall of Prince Florestan Of
Monaco" clever squib, intended as satire
on liberal politics in England, but which can
have no interest for American readers except
such as centres about NJ Blanc's world
famed roulette table; "The March TO Coo
massie,' by the correspondent of London
journal, and the journal of Henry Cock
burn" continuation Of the Scotch Judges
Diary, part of which appeared nearly twenty
years ago. The publication of this part of
Lord Cockburn's journal has been withheld,
we suppose, till most of the men and women
described in it are dead Another house will
publish Palmer's ''History of the Jewish Ma
ton and DR.. Farrar's ''Life of Christ" while
the more modest rival of the Others
will give us Percy Fitzgeralds Boswell
and Molesworth's History of England" 1t
will. be seen that there is not a work of sur
prising interest in this entire list. The theory
about the dulness Of the times preventing the
publication of American books is completely
overturned by it, and we are almost inclined
to think the strange desire on the part Of our
publishers to become republishers is based on
some other reason But we can assure them
that if it is their policy to keep American
books out of the market because they would
have to share their profits with American
writer's, while they may keep oil they can
make out Of English books, they will find they
have adopted shortsighted course We
have publishers not disposed to undervalue
our native writer's, and when the quality Of
the opposition with which they must contend
is made plain American readers will sustain
them by buying what they have to, offer and
retaining in o great measure from the pur-
chase of English books.