Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-01-21

Some Fortunate Authors.
How SOME WRITER'S MAKE THE PES A
C;oLD MIxE


GOLD NINE.
When Milton sold the original copy of
his great poem. ssParadise Lost. ? for a
sum of money about equal to $50 10
United States currency. he did 50, not for
his own benefit. but 10 the great advantage
Of the publishers Whether this has been
used - a precedent or not by the latter
class, it j. certain thai they have continued
the practice Of paving small 50 ms tor
works OF merit and reapiBg large rewards.
Still. the workers in the field Of literature
at the present time meet with fully as
great pecuniary success as do the toilers
in the more prosaic walks of business life.
The public, however. very often Judge of
the success of an author By his popularity.
and imagine that because certain work
meets ready sale a stream OF wealth is
pouring into the Golfers of the author.
whereas the profitis almost wholly reaped
By publishers.
The literary workers in this country
have met with great success in many in
dividual cases. Longfellow. the poet, af-
f,r,ls an example for the vary ing success
Of the efforts Of writer for the public.
Always recognized as one Of the greatest
poets Of America, and with the public
ready to read with ayidity anything that
he chose to offer them, he received but
scant pecnniary reward. The visit Of the
poet TO England, however. changed all
this. The English people took him into
favor at once and his success was almost
unparalleled. and to-day Longfellow is. uu-
doubledly, the most popular poet in Am
erica HE vaine ia rx.H
when he can receive from Harper Broth
ers the sum of $40 per line for his poetry.
As an evidence of his present popularity.
il may be mentioned that every copy of
the holiday edition de iure Of one of bis
poems has been sold in advance at very
large price.
On the other hand. Ralph Waldo Emer-
son. although bearing natural reputation
as an author, has met with slight reward
so far as money is concerned. At present
he is entirely dependent upon his copy
rights, which only allow him yearly in
come of about 81 .2O1. One reason, per-
haps, for this is the fact that the people
have gone ahead. while Mr.. Emerson, fig-
uratively speaking. has been standing still
world Of literature.
~ Wtll-pdiu WTHtT ~ Drtl IltEit, kuOWD
first by his Heather Chinee." This writ
er achieved an immense popularity by his
work on the Overland Monthly. He
made a contract with Fields. Osgood & Co.
of Boston. to write exclusively for their
publication-Eve.y Saturday-for which
he was to receive 5000 per annum. As
is well-known, Mr.. Harte failed to keep
his contract As an evidence of his worth
from business point Of view. may be
mentioned the fact That he received 5000
for four-coumn sketch in New York
daily. and which Mr.. IIarte is credited
with writing in one night.
Another singularly successful writer was
the late DR.. Holland. Although never adj
mitled TO be one of the great writers. this
author had the singular facility for pro-
,lucing successful books. and volumes of
his works are to be found in One half the
homes in this country-that is, among the
readers of fiction. When DIR. Holland
was with Bowles on the Springfield Re-
publican. his salary was only $500, vet at
his death he left n handsome estate, rs
well as large amount of stock in the
Century company. He did fully as good
work on the Republican rs he ever did in
his life. but he had not at that time re-
ceiyed recognition.
Oliver Wendell Holmes is a rich man,
not SO much on account of the money re-
ceived Tor his work rs because of MS care
tul methods of living. Like all Yankees,
MIR. Holmes is a provident man, and has
accumulated something for that proverbial
RAINY day"
b. z. Shillabex who is better known
and quoted as Mrs. Darlington, is only in
moderate circumstances. To those who
are aware of the immense sales of Shila-
ber's writings. this may appear strange.
for. from the first, he has been popular with
the masses; but it was his fate to fall into
the skillful net spread by the publishers.
who reaped the benefit of his work. This
is also true of another popular writer,
William L. Thompson, whose major
Jones Courtship' is so very popular
This gentleman is by no means Il wealthy
man. He now occupies the editorial
chair of the Savannah Morning News. Il
paper of which he was the founder and at
one time the proprietor.
Bob Burdet;e. the popular Burlington
Hawkeye man. is generally supposed to
be storing up filthy lucre,' but those
who know the inner history of that genial
humorist are aware that he earns nothing
by his writings except his salary. The
only other means he has to increase his
store Of worldly good. is by lecturing.
which pays him about a. 900 annually.
Orpheus c. Kerr (Newell) has long
been favorite humorist, has made a
great deal Of mouey-and spent it, lie is
said to be engaged on Sunday paper in
this city at moderate salary.
Among literary writers who have rapid
ly increased their bank accounts is John
Habberton. the author of "Helen's Ba-
bies." Striking out into new path he
struck the popular fancy. and at present
his income is about 5000 per annum.
Beside his newspaper work. Mr.. Habber-
ton has dabbled in dramatic literature.
and received very large compensation
therefor.
The best paid writer on the American
press is Charles Il. Lewis. the Detroit
Free Press man, otherwise known as
M. Quad" He is at present receiving a
salary Of 1900 per week. On the other
hand. that cultivated writer, A. Bronson
Alcott. receives a very moderate income.