The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-02

They VIII Net the Widow a Full Half Million
Within Two Years.


Within Two Years.
New York Special.
The presentation of check for two hundred
thousand dollars to Mrs Grant by Charles L.
Webster & Co., the publishers of General
Grants memoirs, and the announcement that
Mrs Grant will probably realize half million
dollars within two years. has naturally created q
good deal of interest in the subject of literary
work and its resources as a means of livelihood
In letter written to Cyrus w. Field Mr..
Webster says: 1.-THE contract with General
Grant for the publication of the memoirs was
signed just year ago to-day, since which time
the book has been practically written, published.
and the great bulk of money for the first volume
collected. 1t seems fitting to me, on the ami
versary of the signing Of the contract, to pay
Mrs. Grant the check which you know about,
and 1t will accordingly be handed her this morn
ing. More is due her, and win be paid as soon
as collected. We expect to collect as much
again when the second volume appears, SO that
Mrs. Grants profits, within a year from publica-
tion will not fall below $40o, 900, and will prob
ably reach $500. 600"
Both as regards the time and the amount in
volved, this is the most extraordinary result of
authorship in the history Of English literature.
Nor is it all, for on the day tine contract was
signed, Feb n, 1885, Mr.. Webster gave to Gen.
Grant a check for $1,000. MIR. Webster re-
marked yesterday that this last was probably
the most acceptable check that General Grant
ever received, for it went to him at time when
he was broken in health and fortune, and sorely
in need of money. He was at that time decid
eddy skeptical about the success Of his book. and
repeatedly said to Mrs. Grant: ''Do not base
teo much hope, Julia, ON what Mr. Webster
says, because he is altogether too sanguine. n
However, although he never saw bound volume
of bis book, he lived long enough to realize that
it would be a financial success, though he did
not even then dream what splendid venture it
would prove He saw the printed sheets and
Webster & Co were hurrying up bound copy
for him, bat he died q few days before it was
ready. The largest sum ever received before IN
one lump by an author for book was check
for f20. 600 ($100 000) given by his publishers to
Lord Macaulay as he first payment on the
History of England" Sir Walter Scott made
about $500, 600 by his pen in something like six
years, but $780, 900 in one year and $500, coo in
less than two years is altogether unprecedented.
Nor are these all the remarkable facts connected
with the book The first edition, 325 900 copies,
is the largest first edition ever published. Of
that great number only eleven Thousand copies
second volume is in active preparation, and will
be issued some time during the month Of April.
Forty presses are at work on it. and the plates
are SO arranged that every impression of the
presses prints an entire copy of the book The
terms made by Webster e. Go with General
Grant were liberal. but they have nevertheless
profted largely themselves. They agreed to
give him seventy per cent of the net profits de-
rived from the sale of the home edition and
eighty five per cent. of the profits Of the foreign
edition. Sampson. Low, Marston, Scarf and
livingston, of London, who publish the foreign
edition, give Webster q CO. ninety per cent. of
the net profits This is likewise the largest per-
centage obtained for an American book abroad