Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-17

Tine sums that Some People Have
Earned with Their Pens.

Tine Sums that Some People Have
Earned with Their Pens.
New York letter.
/ have spoken Of Washington Irving
as the paid American author of his
day, and it is evident that he was also
the most successful in obtaining
foreign patronage. Although John
Murray at first declined the Sketch
Book, he was afterward glad to publish
all Of Irving's works, and the entire
sum realized by the author in England
was el2,2l7, equal to nearly 500, 900.
All Of this came from Murray except
$1,000, which was paid by Bently for
the Alhambra. The highest sale was
for the Life Of Columbus. This work
is now but little read, and yet such
was the interest in the subject that
when published Irving received 1880
from Murray and $1,000 from Ameri-
can publishers, in all about $25, 900.
No American author has ever received
SO much for any one work except Mrs.
Stowe, who has, it is said, cleared
S40,00O on Uncle Toms Cabin. I"
Irving's popularity increased rapidly
during his latter days. Up to 1872 he
had received $4,000, and had been
before the public nearly forty years.
During the last eleven years of his
life his publisher (Putnam) paid him
$4,000. The demand has continued
siuce the authors death, and the COM
missions received by his heirs for five
years we're $4,000. Bayard Taylor,
on the other hand, survived his popu-
larity, and hence left his family COM
p~aratively poor. At one time Putnam
devoted himself exclusively to Taylor
and Irving, but he afterwards enlarged
his publishing operations. He found
that Irving increased in demand, aud
hence got up new editions until it
would not be easy to reckon the Rum-
Der.
Clemens, the humorist, (better
known as Mark Twain, has done bet
ter than any other man of his turn Of
labor. He has been fifteen years be-
fore the public, and during that time
has become rich enough to live on his
income. His property In Hartford is
worth more than $4,000. Mrs. Stowe
has made more by her pen than any
other American woman. and has prob
ably cleared 100000. This may seem
like a large sum, but when it is spread
through a quarter of a century it is
not such an immense thing as it ap-
pears to be. Marian Harlan Mrs.
Terhune), who has written industri-
ously for twenty years, has probably
made $4,000 by a dozen novels. Mary
j. Holmes has probably done equally
we'll. Gail Hamilton miss DOdge),
enjoyed a good sale for her book du-
ring the first few years, but her vanity
got the better Of her judgment and she
Quarreled with her publishers. Her
next book was devoted to the quarrel,
audit at oneeimpaired her popularity.
She now has & corner in the paper,
but will never do much in books
again. WalEorth, who was shot BY
his son, never made much out Of his
books, which were. in fact, too inferior
to sell without extraordinary pufery.
Josh Billings SHAW, has found unu-
sual popularity. He is witty, and
says many wise as well as funny things.
1t seems a pity that such a clever fel-
low should be obliged to borrow the
poor jokes of Artemus Ward, aud print
them as original, butsuch is one OF the
weaknesses Of funny fellows. Carleton
has paid Shaw $4,000 for his almanac
during the last dozen years.
Longfellow has made poetry pay
well. Never before has such perma.
nent success been achieved by means
of a few hits. Less than half a dozen
fine things has led to the sale Of all
he writes, but little of which is read.
Hawthorne, who had more genius
than any other American writer,
never received .Auch from his novels,
though they are superior to any other
productions Of American fiction. AT
the present time there is, as has been
said, very little chance for li~terateurs,
and they must submit to the trial Of
, their patience. Let me remind them
that Wordsworth's poem of "Peter
Bell" lay in Ms. nineteen years; that
Butler was twenty years working uu
his Analogy" and that Southey had
1.-THE Doctor on hand for an equal
. period. 1.-THE Doctor is a strange
volume. 1t is but little read, and yet
a certain class is eloquentin its praise.
Southey shows in every page his i'm
mense range Of reading-nowhere, in
deed, equaled in the history Of litera-
lure. He was determined to keep the
authorizing secret. Hence, as a
{ blind, be occasionally introduces,
among other quotations, the name Of
SOuthey. This was a capital idea,
but it was evident that no one else
Guild write such a book, and the lit
erary world laid it at his door with a
unanimity which could not but hatter
its author.