New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-16
NOTES ON BOOKS.
.npp,cAN NOVELTIES-ENGLIsH EDITIONS
SALES AND BINDINGS.

fRoN THE Hh"' ~ LONDON, October Z.
III, rro,ish publsher who used 10 he among the
,oost conservative Of q conservative race Is pecoh-
INC inventive an innovator- quite modern III snort
sixnenpy editions of books are now to DO foiio"eu
bv sixpenny magazine, Messrs. Longnans ne"
venture replacing Fraser, which has dieu 'nO
aeotb. deseryedly enough it sheer dulness DO duly
rewarded with such penalty. ferhaps 4" iHo'0
wonderful instance of this fresh activity among
ook.maklng Britcns is the advertisement OIL an
edition of Herrck by Messrs. s. Low u Co.; WIN
many splendid American engravines after oes'gL'
Nv +. A. Abbey" The fact that this IT, or may oo'
an jmported book does not lessen the siRni'io'''0
of the advertisement. 1t cannot be hNe wars sun
the excellence of American engraVlhes oos"" "
known in England. To the best oil my roco-ie0''on
II is not three Yet in that short space vi ''uo "
English publisher has learned that IL is iecoin-
,nendation TO IAN English public that tne lius""
tions to his book should 10 American no Hl'sn'
fo;rlv have added that Mr. Abbey, the designer, Is
also American. But tho superiority OK American
ort N general remains to be developed in some
or less distant future 1t Is the cutting OF pic
tures or wood in which we are now admitted 10
excel.
There seems also to be an English market LOT
I" American Men of Letters" Mr.. Sanborns Ihoreau
being advertised by the same London mouse II
Englshmen will read about Thoreau they VIII reau
about ANYBODY for of all American writers OIL any
VEIN of true though thln) genius, Thoreau Is tie
most totally unknown in England. IL known DY
name to anyone. it is commonly as hlehu VI
Emerson that he Is mentioned
And now Mr. Howells is rapidly becoming an
English celebrity. Known to consiueraOie au-
dleuce he has long been but not to the many me
Times tho other day Proclaimed him as the true
type of the true American novelist; HIM ana not
MI Henry James, r.. since Mr.. Henry James
American genius had undergone sea chahge anu
become more or less European ;-European possibly
Int certainly not English. will take leave 10 add'
fer the delicate charm, the subtety, the art SENSE
which distinguish Mr.. James's novels ARE the
Tarest of qualities among English contemporary
writer's. However. here now is Mr.. HOwels SET on
pedestal by the journal which once could have MADE
him known and seen of all men. 1t is perhaps not
less TO the purpose that the English or rather the
Scotch nublsher has taken him up. A Modern
Instance" appears this week in two volumes ana is
announced in the sereotyped phrase as 10 ue h"'
at all libraries And Mr. Howellss other novels are
also advertised by the same house as issued with
the sanction OF the author; meaning, nope tha1
he reaps his due profit from these English editions
Something of this sudden fame may be due 10
Mr. Howells's presence in London, ana 10 Ihe
ocouaiptance with him which few people had
Uowells saw fit to come to London Just after most
of those who would naturally most want to see
him had left it, and were dispersed about the
world. Some few of the best, VINO stayed behind
for reason, sufficient to them. were rewarded, so
they saw by this unexpected chance of discovering
this new American new to London. that Is, or 10
them. AS for Mr. Howells hear he found the
bospitalities of this dead season so pleasantly Dur
densome to him as to interfere with his work lie
has fled 10 France, accordingly, there, lot US hope
TO be interfered with no more.
American publishers who expect an English
market for their Christmas and New Year cards
will have to bestir themselves. / remember seeing
last year an American card labelled as specimen
of $500 or pei haps 81 900 prize land quite SpOed
Dy tue labol. But here is London firm, MessIs
Uildesheimer q Faulkner, who appear 70 have
spent this year the respectable sum OF S2o,OOO IN
prizes for designs. They even organized an e1-
hibition last summer. with Mr.. Millais for one OF
the Judges and crowd CT spectators to help him.
And they are only of many firms in England
who produce these Injuries
The most decisive proof that the edition lie lure
business has been overdOne may be found IN an
auctioneers advertisement. in list of what the
trade calls re manders to he sold this month occurs
"Stainton's edition de lure of Shakespeare slO DO
sold oft by auction u.s. suppose. the last indgnlty
that can befal book. If the same calamity has not
oyertaken others of these elephantue productions oil
tbe modern press it is only because tho publishers
of them have capital enough to enable them to
hold a considerable unsod stock. Many arts have
been employed 10 work them of upon the public,
snch as raising the prlce and creating momentlry
artificial scarcity. But IN one case, 80 far as l
know has the whole edition been sold. unless at a
reduced price 10 some speculative publisher or
bookseller
This does not hinder the trade from engaging in
other similar ventures. John Hill Burton's Book
Hunter" is one of the latest. This published, it
is true some mouths ago, and has not been the least
successful of its kind. The stale trick OF putting
u the price before the book was out was resorted
TO- and an enhanced selling price still maintained
notice a copy in recent catalogue priced at forty
five shillings Presently it will be cheaper. So
little is really known of photography by the
general English public that any volume Of easy
chat about books gets reputation. Burton'6
book swarms with errors. In It's present shape
it is moreover but clumsy piece Of book-making.
Mr.. Backmore's Lorna Doone " is to undergo
the honor OF republication in of these pIetentiouS
issuos-one vol. crown 4tU. gilt edges, says the
notice before me- with the finest wood engravings
of Exmoor and the neighboring scenery. aid full
page illustrations of incidents and characters IN the
story, by Mr.. Armstrong, Mr. W. Small,-and other
attractions all IN the superlative degree This will
FORM we are further told, the Twentieth Edition of
Mr. Blackmore's Celebrated Novel, of about 5000
copies to the edition. Surely remarkable sale for
an English novel. At present "Lorna Doone" is
purchasable only in compact and very closely
printed volume quite unreliable by any but
young eyes know hard worked and eminent
man of science and literature who devoes his leisure
30 the reading of Lorna Doone" and Romola'
alternately. The other day he had finished his
fifth perusa of the former. Enthusiasm of this sort
is enough to make resolve to read the book
Mt oil do