The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-04-21
Anonymous Authorship.

1t used to be thought that the name of
the author had much to do with securing
large sale for a book; and it has been
a stereOtyped complaint with unsuccess-
full writer's that their works are rejected
by publishers, not upon their merits, but
simply because they have not won
name in literature. There doubtless is
or rather has been, some truth in this.
But, after all, good deal depends upon
the book itself, and now a-days the book
and magazine publishers are giving en-
enlargement to all who show themselves
worthy of it. The writer who cannot
find market for his wares may be pretty
sure the fault is his own. 1t is, we be-
lieve, a fact that the poems of William
CuIlen Bryant have never had a remun-
great, and at the time unprecedented
sale of .Uncle Toms Cabin" certainly
was not due to the celebrity of the au-
thor who indeed owes her celebrity to
this book. And Judge Tourgee. He had
written and published number of novels
which attracted no special attention, and
it was not until the ''Fool's Errand" APP
peared that he became known to the
general public. Both of these books owe
their success less to their literary quail
ties than to the timeliness of their subjects
and the method of treating those sub
iectS. Mrs. Stoves novel struck the KEY
note Of the antislavery movement, while
Judge Tourgee's book appeared at a time
when the Southern question was upper
most in the public mind. The success of
"Helen's Babies" scarcely less than that
Of "Uncle Toms Cabin or the "Fool's
Errand,' cannot be accounted for in this
way, and indeed, critically speaking, it is
hardly to be accounted for in any way.
1t is of a very ephemeral order of ltera
ture, and yet, published anonymously, it
had an immense sale, and helped to sell
Il number of very indifferent books by the
same author, after he had revealed his
identity. More wonderful still was the sale
OF nearly one hundred and fifty thousand
copies of that SillieSt and trashest of
books THAT Husband of Mine" Mrs.
Dennison, its author, had been writing
stories for years; goodygoody stories,
temperance stories, very moral and
somewhat prosy, and showing no special
literary talent. We fancy she was as
much surprised as the conscientious critic
at the success of her anonymous venture
into the regions of bathos and absurdty.
The publishers were quick to take the hint
from the rapid ale of these anonymous
books, and have given Us several series of
novels by clever and we'll known writer's,
but whose names have been withheld
These ventures have been profitable to
the publishers and authors, and have been
received with great favor by the reading
public. What bids fair to he the best of
these series Of anonymous HeIs is now
in course of publication by James r. Os-
good x Co. of Boston. 1t is known as
the Ground Robin Series" and is to con-
tain the works of prominent American
writer's The Typography is in the best
style Of the art preservative and the bind
ING very quaint and pretty The initial
volume, "a Nameess Nobleman," is al
ready out and the second volume "A Les
son in Love- is in press. The story Of
"A Nameless Nobeman" is dramatically
told, and the fact that the plot is found
ed on the actual traditions of an honora-
Die family in the Old Colony of Massa-
chusetts will invest it with additional in
tereSt to American readers. The story
"Opens in France but the scene is soon
changed to Cape Cod. The actors are
French mobiles and Puritan rusticS and
are cleverly drawn. There is no attempt
at sensationalism, but the book abounds
in incident, and has most ingenious and
complicated plot. Speculation is already
rife as to the author, who it is said had
the christening Of the series