New-York tribune., 1879-09-29
CHARLES READE AND HIS CRITICS.

CHARLES READE AND HIS CRITICS.
A CHARACTERISTIC LETTER FROM THE BRITISH
NOVELIST, IN WHICH uE SAYS A GOOD Wohp
FOR HIMSELF AND HIS DRAMA.
The following letter was addressed by Charles
Reade. the novelist, to the Editor OF Inc n""c"''
~ Ergmipcr:
SIR: some time ago there was produced IN Manches-
Yer an unsEtfu plagiarism frOm Zoa's novel l. A,soln
mor mud the writer paid nothing for the use OF loas
Ideas. The Manchester press praised this keu.,' 1
dia moi say one word against his pWncthousness
In selling foreign authors pearl without ,lf, hfi
plngiarisn of The French subject and nay an the
French propretors oersy ana cl INV a of snd
den repuisve Manchester deiicucy, my E,gh arr Is
dsparas.S all rSunS S,b ana oey @ ngisoTs is black
sneped in my old friend The Manchester Er-
G"ne "n,s cf SSin.t Criticism have done cotton SPIN
ners aud orcasters the furor 10 place on ther pro pro
have undoubted reht based both on proyncsl anu m
porcne b'eeoo,sns h,. II naS, nor done cotton spin
ptrs and crltcast.rs the honor 10 place my pers.ai
Character on their provincial boards. and they
haye no right under the pretence of criticism.
60 caumniate the gentleman OF family ana tne
OF honor. as well as 10 dtrecate me a9e W WIv. &
Your contributor tells your readers that ought To nav
PAID the drauatist Busnach ana that nave net NJ,
SO. aud taai was not punculous 10 u'ains VIZ, q, % nv
Burnett Both statements are reckless ana rata, 10 y
high reputation Tor h0h0rabe 1esiA win ' iS 49,
authors and y0uT contributor has ouiseppeu ni.
literary functions in these personalities claim 10 u'
n
acer 20 lose ana would no. thlnG' Whiu'S u" nie
sr Mrs. Burnett il not dramatist but a novelist.
She puhlishci novel. with no inuualion 10 Ehe,1sn
readers that she wished 20 reserve siase risnt ne
notice " All rights resctved' Which, in an Enslish
nov-I reserves copyright ONLY the sole righ oi r.
iudersiood aud rcsrected. No piraucd version Mas
printed. though the MOik Was pOpul"I hN'
Snd no remonsiramcc from Mrs Burnett reached
Iny cars was mvned To dramaze the iaie Ior l.9i
Keep lis play out london 1he.eupon lresigned inc
commission. but claimed the usnt L. deal wtn me 'u s
iect later ouy nos without som. comp n,%t on 10 '
Laitun. Accordingly | wrote "J"Ht ana inAue
country Al tue cud Oi 10 showed Mr hht'9h NV
'bn,k and made hn compensation. which was larger
than my profits such wa my respect ior ,@sie 9
pil0litya moral title, but not lre.i one. ave Man
chescr cotton lords more p-ncous NJ thef trade lN~"
TRANSACTIONS WITH MRS. BURNETT.
Next an American actress wished TO play Joan Ia
the states ana offered me liberal nightly fee. DR..
Burnett heard and oj ced oy ctef, but unfortunately
he left in dara 70 tAe law Of the case IN the
United States, aud therefore prepared 10 compound
objected 70 withdraw my drama Hliorethcr and cisa-
point INV American actress. bui l offered TO pay Mis.
Burnett FOR ogtl performance ou or my l'''
But Mrs. Bpru,u, u reply, aetonished me;
lean Congress has thought mt 10 pefyert the
established meaning irfo an arbitrary and cOnhuDd
sense. the rights OF translatne OF dlanal Mns.
writer can fstbom tte imicciltty OF rhh,ers Con-
found them tnry never clu sN tie thng thcy m"ih'
tive sctiDers Mrs Burnett Gcchuoi to deal with me,
! wrote back aud withdrew 70 during her pleas
ure still Offering liberal payment should sne
skssSc. ssaafS nS MY "' ceu0s '"H of he! own drama
and actually sent her roi9gap,s III e's,u"s- @ f,c
we are 10 hour. Meantime observe the conduct OF
Mr. Burnett They pounced the inchoate core
fpoudencc. and wickcdly misrepfesenied even mat.
the little rOgues suppress tht PROPOSED 10 pay nor
nberally even when thought she had no legal rlrht
and Iney compare me 10 t"e thieves who steaI my
works contrary To aw anu neYer pay me a ctnt, -,
Now. sir, suppose A aud march INFO bakers shop,
aud each .akes ioai without leave, hnt puts Gown
the mouey o. the counter. anu u o.iy cans .Ae "a
rogue A sDd the same commercial characters IL
But @ suppose man mas an unsncloscd meadow. and
perfect law permits people To craze cows ih' re gIa'
gratis but Que honest fellow SAYS. "Pn grszc cow
there, Tor nave legal fghi but ia pay you peosuse
and higher sin ihan American morality in It's public
dealing with foreign authOrsi We'll the above l. the
exact position took even when doubted Mrs Bur,
nejts legal right. So uuchf0 my words nisrr eseted
by Yankee anouynuncula; might say skunkult Now
for 5ots. Let us whether they accord WIN the
far interpretation or the American interpretations oI
my words nov.r r,.v.o in N. United State. with
N, But this spring was PLAYED four nights
IN some out ofthe-way part o That country Ih9se M9S
IN Pocket II all II with Mrs. Burnetti sent
her every OF II. and forward you the voucher
nenis and say whether avn or am not ppnethous In
dealing with hat gifted woman aud her rights
DEALINGS WITH THE FRENCH AUTHORS.
Now for VI. zoa. Busnach. and Gastineau deceased
The facts are these France there is absolute stage
right IN a novel. The dramatsts could not handle
"LAssommor' without ,ia's express permission He
conceded il on the terms, his share IN the thear-
cal receipts which in France large aud settled 10y
tariff For foreign countries Zola Buenach and Gas.
tineau, beng COprOprctors IN law. appointed
an agent. and secured him percentage and- a
large one with tins agent treated. agreed 10 give
aIOO cash, 23 night London. aud AZ IN the
country ana In the colOules The American
right was Withheld from me. l paid the flOO, ana
am now paying the French prOprietOrs $50 rer
week The writer they employed IN the United
States was uufOrtunntr and the other day they
came 90 me for my drama. sold II 10 tpem Oh
the Colonial terms. Oue-nal 10 them, one-hef 10 me-
An American manager paid us a bonus of 600, ana
agrees 60 a moderate nightly paymtn nt al over The
States ThereupOn l. considering that the French AlOO
would dwinde in SUBDIVISION, divided my own 4lOO.
and begged NV good brothers n art lIoa and Busnach
10 accept apiece They received tins tri1e IN the
same fralernal spirit and can lay my hand on
the vouchers. II have any friends IN Manchester-
and used have one or wO-I Will ask tncm TO belhv
this one good thing who has his faults that IN
honorable treatment OF authors, those pllaged ana
standard benefactOrs OF their contemporaries. have :
WAYS been in advance Il men IN general. or you sr,
will only AK that you will be 50 good as to PRINT the
truth deliberately. there, where yCu nave puOnsheG
fulschOod inadvertently. am sr, your faithful ser
want. NHAALEo MADE.
10 Albert GATE Enigbtsbridge sept. IS.