Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1885-12-31
An English "PirNte."

General Lewis Wallace, late Milister
to Turkey, and author of several popu-
lar novels, was telling me recently OF
some experiences in London which
beautifully illustrate the relations OF
publishers and authors of this country
and England. What he relates is
strong argument in favor of interna-
tional copyright. Il found on reach
ing London about ten months ago"
said General Wallace, 'that my novel
of Ben Hur' was advertised by Messrs.
F. Warne & Co. rs from the presses.
They also advertise themselves as
agents of the Century Company OF this
CITY. and l find by looking at the mag
azine that they are SO recognized By
the publishers here. OF course l knew
| had no legal rights in England. but
was naturally curious to know some
thing of the style in which the book
was reproduced in England, the char
acter of the house printing it, and
something about the success which It
had met with abroad So / called al
their place and asked clerk if he had
a novel called ""Ben Hur." He handed
me a cepy, price two shillings. and l
| paid him for il.
| asked several questions which led
naturally to the inquiry as to what sale
the English edition had met with.
The clerk told me that they had sold
1000 copies in the past fortnight-a
thousand a week. That was flatter-
ing, and told him ! was glad TO hear
it, as was the author. "Indeedt' he
exclaimed; and at the same moment
he reached out aud took back the
volume be had sold me. He then
asked me il | would not remain whera
| was for a moment He disappeared,
and returned in q moment without my
book, but with request that l would
see the principals of the house. was
yery glad to do so. and going into the
private office l met two gentlemen
who we're introduced to me as mem
bers of the firm. Ny bought copy o.
,, my stolen book lay on the table. aud
took it up in the course OF the conver
sation which followed and glanced a
it as we talked.
At first the conversation was pleas
an. enough, but glancing at the title
= page L found that the subtitle hat
/ been changed from "A Tale of tn
: Christ to 1.-The Days of Christ
That was annoying, and l asked VIII
: had authorized the change. The re
r ply was that the publishers had don
+ It to avoid hurting the sensibiiities c
II religious readers in England In othe
8 words, they had appropriated my proF
erty and had changed IT to suit thei
own views of wha. its language an
II tone should be. Have you made an
y other of these unauthorized changes?
4 asked. .Well. We have omitted tw
of the tales told By one of the cha
d acters," answered the speaker OF I'll
r. firm. You can imagine was gettin
warmed up by this time. and spoi
% rather strongly. But tue next di
q covery enraged me- beyond measur
.o They had actually written up and Il
3 serted a preface TO tho novel No. n
publishers preface. 1t was witho
signature of any sort and TO the ordi
nc ary reader must have read 1t as II |
d. the author. 1 have written no prefa
:. whatever. / demanded to know
~ them what they proposed to do in L
RS way of remunerating me fcr takil
d and for altering my book IN
promised to give the matter due co
sideration. That was ten months az
and have never heard from them
n. = Tribune.