Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-10
L0NGFELLOW
The Most Popular of the American Poets
Among the Masses of the En-
giish People.
Immense Sales of His WOrks-The Pro-
posed Tablet in Westminster
Abbey.

NEW York, November S.-The World
has the following on topic OF international
interest Just now:
The opinion expressed by the London
Daily NtiUs of Thursday on the proposition
to place the bust OF Longfelow in Westmin-
ster Abbey, published in the World yester-
day, having excited some comment, re-
porter of The World was instructed to ascer-
tain from publishers the literary status Of
Longfellow in Euglsnd-the number of edi-
tions of his works published in that country
as compared with the works of other poets.
The following is the opinion referred to. 1t
appeared in the London Daily Netcs Of the
LIST instant: Judging by his poetical gifts
alone, we scarcely think that if Lonefellow
had been an Englishman he would have re-
ceived the honor of a memorial in the
Abbey"
The manager of the New York branch of
Messrs. George Routledge & Sons, Longfel-
lows only authorized publishers in En-
gland, was asked il he could give approx
jmateIy the number of copies of the poets
works which have been sold in Great
Britain
"Your question is a difficult one 10 an
swer," was the reply, sand doubt whether
the Messrs. Routledge themselves have any
record showing the exact number of copies
they have circulated among the people. 1t
is now nearly forty years since Mr.. Longfel-
low first arranged with our firm 10 produce
his works in England, but previous to that
arrangement numerous editions of his Voices
Of the Night and some of his other early
poems, particularly those on the subject of
slavery, had been issued by twenty different
English publishers, and the numb Der of copies
SO issued could not even be guessed at. Then
there are editions of Lougfellow's poems, of
which the English copyright has expired,
published by Frederick Wsrue & Co.
and by Cassell, Peter & GAlpiD,
both of London, the latter firm hav-
ing recently produced beautifully
illustrated edition of his complete works
Then there is an English edition of Euanqe-
line sumptuously printed on tinted paper and
illustrated by Gustaye Dore. 1t is an ex-
pensive but superb work, the illustrations
being equal TO those of the same artists
work in Tennyson's Elaine. All these edi-
MSonn f s 9S dns are 6s and ef Msszss
publishers of Lougfellow's works in England,
all other publishers producing them having
done SO previous 10 our requirement of the
monopoly by lapse of the English copyright
or by arrangement with our firm"
"Leaving all these English copies of Long
fellows poems out OF the question, how
many copies OF his works do you think your
firm has produced since Longfelow appointed
you his London publishers-tbat is, during
the last forty years?" asked the reporter.
Approximately l should say about
100000 copies-probably more. There
has always been IN Eugland constant and
steady demand for editions of Longfellow's
poems of all prices and in every style ever
since | have been connected with the pub
fishing business, and my experience goes
back more than thirty years. None of the
English editions OF LongfelIow are imported
into this country by the same rule that none
of he A cd e
nyson are sent 70 England
Several New York publishers informed
the reporter that IL is we'll known in the
publishing trade on both sides of the 4 lam
tic, and Is honestly confessed by English
publishers and booksellers, that in England
LoDgfellow is the most popular modern poet,
and that his works have always been in
contemporary and personal friend, Alfred |
Tennyson.
An Englishman at present staying in New |
York, who has been on the staff of the Lon |
don Daily Nei0s, was shown the paragraph |
relating TO the Longfellow memorial in |
Westminster Abbey and his opinion asked of |
it. 81 think recognize the style Of Prof |
Morley" he said. ale occupies the position |
of professor of English Language and litera-
ture in the University OF London, and is the |
author of several standard works; but he has /
frequently covered himself 9th ridicule by |
his unreasoning depreciation of LoDgfellOw,
whom he ha. called 4 third-rate versiGer,
and by his exravagant praise Of Robert
Browning, whom he exalts to the level of
Milton and prefers TO Byron, Wordsworth,
Shelley or any other nineteenth century poet.
Morley is connected with the London Daily /
Necs, and writes on literature and kindred
subjects for that journal. have attended
MS lectures on English literature, and am
we'll acquainted with his Antipathy to Long
ellow's poetry, so the probabilities are IN
avor of the accuracy of NV conjecture"