New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-09
CHEAP BOOKS And INTERNATIONAL COPY.
Right.
From The London Echo.

/. From the LO11dOn Echo.
Books in America cheap no absolute rule ~
comparison can be laid down, but speaking
broadly they may be said TO be sold Cor a nth az
their English price, and in some cases much less
it is idle to think the American people will ever
forego this advantage in Difference to argument,
about International copyright, and the strong Ian
guage which some English writers have used on the
subject Is beside the mark. Literary property like
every other property, is the creation OF law aud
there IS no real point. though there may be a good
deal OF violence, IN calling an American publishers
" thief" and "rObber" for taking what Is not
recognized property in the country in which he
lives There are good reasons for a better nterna-
tlOnal understanding on this question-in other
words for q treaty-but the reasons are of a prac-
teal character and 1t is Improbable TO talk of
rights" which, on one side at least, not recog-
nized.
Why are books costly in this country' The
American people have cheap books and we know
the reason. They greatly appreciate cheap books,
and there is need to say why. To whatever ex-
tent they may hereafter recognize the CLAIM of Eng
lish authors they will never exchange cheap books
for dear books. Why is it that in England We
await the converse transitOn-the transition from
dear books TO cheap books 7 Ia the United states
people buy boOks-here they borrow them. Our
publishers publish for the most part for circulating
Observation-Disclosures buyers are little Thought OF.
The writings of the great English classics may DO
bought at moderate not TO say low, prlces-a CON-
plete Shakespeare may be had for shilling. But
while eminent authors of bygone generation
readily accessible to the multitude, modern authors
are not. Books that have had a great run-popular
books, more or less sod-are after time repub-
lshed in cheaper forms, though frequently he con-
cesson made IN this respect can matter little TO the
great mass of the public. A cheap edition ola
fifteen shilling book is not irresistible, though pub
lished at seven and sixpence; 10 the majority OF
people it is still an expensive luxury. or course
there are people that buy such books, both in their
original and cheap forms; many of them are bought
for the same reason as silver thimbles and card
eases-i.e., as appropriate presents. Students
tools of their trade bought often after much hes-
tation and with painful conviction that they are
Z" very dear" The literary parsonage known rs the
general reader" is not toOk-bu except under
strong temptation. He fingers, 18th more promising
customers, around the boOkstalls and peeps into
booksellers windows but he Is content to draw the
bulk of his mental nOurshment from lending libra.
res. and, it may be. lending friends. Among tho
artisan and labOrlng classes 1t may he feared that
book buying is more honored in the breach than
tho observance" There are mechanics who buy
technical books bearing on their trades, wishing al
the while that they cost less, or that they could
buy more freely. We touch here an aspect of tho
subject that has an important bearing upon indus
trial progress: in the United States technical books
are cheap, and find many possessors among tho
wage-earnlng classes.
with us a national tradition. We move slowly out
OF old ways because new ways are more trouble
some. and because there are many sound proverbs
about bird In the hand aud letting well alone.
The English publishing trade IS organized on cer-
tain ines-it has Its Sn rut and natural lndlspo-
stiOn to get out OF it. But there is no obvious
reason why English books-new books or books
comparatively new-should be dear. The cheapneSs
of books in America is due TO a special cause, but
French books are not dear. while the rights OF
French authors are respected quite as much as in
this country. In France the book of tue day may
be had for three or tour francs, and III England Wa
want books of the day at the same price. 1t is an
obvious remark that publishers know their own
business aud that if cheap books would pay as well
as dear ones they would be forthcoming. IL may
be admitted that all books cannot be sold cheap
that there are works for which the demand would
in any circumstances be small and which must
therefore be sold at comparatively high prices. But
publishers appear TO lie finding out that cheap
books do pay During the last twelve months a
considerable number of cheap modern books have
been placed in the market, and the sale OF them has
been enormous. We refer to the sixpenny reprints
of which Mrs. Brassey's Voyage of the sunbeam"
NAV be taken to be the best-knOwn representative
These reprints are produced in the style as the
similar reprints in America and there is no apparent
reason why the system should not ind here much
larger development. The boOkselling trade is, we
believe, divided in opinion as to the tendency OIL
these reprints some believing them TO spoil the
sale of the more expensive editions, and Others be-
lieying them to yield, on the whole, better prohts
This is not a question with which the public need
concern themselves What is wanted Is cheap and
good books and abundant room for choice In no
other way will the sale of literary garbage DO
diminished. The quantity of detestable matter
periodical or Otherwise-in the literary market -
simply appalling, and it requires to be met and
fought on its own ground.