Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-01-20
Eow SOME BOOKS SUCCEEDED.
A Good Work, II Once Published, Bound
to Make It's Way Into Favor.

NtiO York sun.
At one Publishing house it was said that
the greatest successes in American author
ship we're the two books, "Unce TOMS
Cabin" and 'Ben Hur." Mrs. Stoves
book sold about 100000 copies and nested
her at least O,OOO, while General wal
lsce's religious novel sold over 300 600
copies at 81 80. and brought him about
SIS, 600. "Ben Hur" did rot sell we'll for
year or two. II hes been said that
its popularity was started by the re-
remark that General Garfield is ssid to
have made-that he gave Mr.. Wallace
foreign mission because he had
read ais book. 1t in rot fair, the publish
er thought, to ascIioe the success Of merit
to any such thing. Such a great book
would make itI way without any help.
It would be slow process, perhaps, but it
would be Just as sure in the end
Glsdstones magazine article about
Robert Elsmere" fastened the success OF
that work, but it had 10 be nyhow. One
lady would have read il and told another,
and both would have told other ladies and
men, and SO the sale would grow. "You
might as we'll ask me" said the publisher,
''whether it would be worth your time TO
write book if you were second Chsrli s
Redo, as to ask me how "a make Ben Hur'
or Robert Esmere' SSH well. Bota are
things that can't be stopped. Ifyou were a
Charles Resde nothing could stop you
writing books and nothing could stop their
selling. Merit is mast arful. Il forces
everything bsf0re it. Justso is tire answer
to the question: Does it pay to write a
novel?' No, if the novel ia not CREST: yes,
if it is great. Itpays Howells, it pays Mrs.
Burnett, it paid E P. Roe"
This pG5liIher WAS reminded that novel
writing can scarcely be said to pay Mr..
Howells Without bis retainer of SIC, 600
a year from Harper & Brothers his income
outside from royalties On his books would
not suffice for him TO live like gentle
man. With the guarantee of $4,000 ard
his habit OF writing books and short stO-
ries to be collated into books he does well,
and yet rot 20 well as to tempt man
from commercial life to become another
Howells; Tor it is hard to work, this writ
ing of novels Some light was thrown on
what il called the phenomenal sale of
Roe's books An edition Of 80, 900 of one
af his books was cold on the cars in paper
at 80 cents copy. This has a!wsys been
discussed az remarkable. As a matter OF
fact, it is talked of in the publishing trade
az simply a novel from advertising. The
cheap book was put cut with list OF
Roe's other books in the back at $50
each to introduce that author to new read
ers and to tempt them to pay the full
price for other books from the same pen.
Another piece of gossip is 70 the effect
that Wallace first book, "a Fair God "
did not make any impression on the read
ing world until Ben Hur" came out and
carriedit alongin its train. Amelie Riyes-
Chandler is credited in the trade with hav-
ing been brought TO the surface by Thomas
Bailey Adrich, in the Atlantic-an insti-
tuition where manuscripts are said TO be
actually read, and where there is con-
tinual search for lew talents. 1t is conjec-
tured that Miss Rives is yet to make
money. The rumor is that she did not
get more than 81, 800 out OF The Quic&
aud the Dead" Mrs. Burnett, On the
Other hand, is believed TO be certain of
$40, 900 a year, beginning with year ago
and ending no one knows when.