The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-11
OUR LITERARY BUDGET
FROM THE FIELD
OF. LITERATURE.
The PubIishor's Readers who Judge tn
work OF All but Handful Of Auth"r'-
Philoioay and Literature Estrangeo %"
Account Of the Attitude Of Literary Men


Account Of the Attitude Of Literary Men
sIt would lie interesting 10 know Wheh
and how the war between authors and pup
hshers' readers will come to an end, said
a very well known author recently 10 re-
porter Of the New York Sun. "The subject
IL one about which the public knows next
10 nothing. vet il has disturbed the literary
world for at least two centuries. Inc
readers hired by the great publishing
houses are like guards at the door oil
prison. No man or woman can get out OF
the nrison obscurity without their leave eX-
cent by two chances: He must start in
some 0ut-oi-the-way corner Of the wOrid'
ike Rudvard Kiplng, ard make his name
hefore a line of his work is ever submitted
IN a reader or he must possess falth III
himself and money enough TO back II by
publishing his own works. as Gunter dld
win MIR. Barnes. Of New York. WIN
only two such opportunities for slipping by
the .readers' il stands TO reason that most
authors must fall in line and rise or fall
under the older order OF things"
The public would be surprised. IN al
nrobahilify. 10 know that only the very
highest. or next to the highest, rank en-
,Lles writer to sell his goods without Their
first being submitted 10 reader. Mrs
burnett and Mr.. Howells are perhaps the
only TWO persons in this country whose
next book Will ~ taken by any publisher
IN whom it may ~ offered without its being
-eni the rounds of the salaried critics OF the
firms. Ills matter of gossip in the liter
AIRY world that Mrs. Custe.' experienced dit
dcultv in getting her first and greatest BOOK
nublishod. Its naviette and UNAFFECTED
frankness. the very qualities which gave II
an enormous sale, seemed Objectionable IN
the ewes Of the readers. Robert BIS
mere was rejected by more than
one set of readers before IL was
published, and within week news
has reached me that an American
who has made study of the buccaneers
and their era. and offered his book 10 every
publisher in this country, has had 1t accept
ed in London, though 1t Is distinctly an
American work. What luck Mr.. j. Nhlt
comb Riley has had with the great publish
ers | have never been informed, but the fact
that his books Of poetry are still published
bv an obscure house IN Indianapolis is sug-
gestiVe Of great deal to one who studies
the fortunes Of authors. My statement OF
the emallness f the number Of authors who
are not dependent on the judgment Of the
readers is not exaggerated. 1t was only
the other day that | met a novelist whose
name is printed in triumphant type as a
contributor TO several periodicals, and
when congratulated him he said: 1T
all very fine, hut have just had the manu-
manuscript Of book returned to me, and
must send 1t the rounds till 1t finds pub
Usher"
at is the fashion for authors to char
acteriZe publishers readers as literary
hacks. The term may be coirect-that de-
ponds upon who is and who is not a hack -
but The words are used sneeringly, and thus
an injustice is done. The readers are OF
all sorts and conditions. 1t stands TO rea-
son that Howells and Whittier and DR.
Holmes and George w. Gable are not
readers, They are too busy, and theii
time commands more money than could be
paid for such work. But a host Of essayis's
journalists. nOYelists. and poets Of the sec
ond rank are thus employ ed, and though
some have Jailed to make either name OF
a living AS originatOrs. this IL not true al
all. Only the other lay The sun mentioned
a famous novelist as having hut just sue
ceeded in living entirely by bis own ere
ztions. 1t did not say that up 10 this TIM
he has been a reader yet that is true. lie
never was or will be called "a hack ! H.
fer to Mr.. stockton.
sThe real trouble IL that too many pro
fessional readers make literary style ant
literary finish tue test OF all that they read
That is the one thing their own writing pos
sesses. and vet it has failed 10 get them ;
living. But they mel her see other and more
important merits in manuscript, nor dl
they learn TO invest their own writing viii
some other charm than mere smooth, well
balanced, and finished writing. The publish
ers themseVe. know nothing Of this part o
their work, except that each one Of then
every year sees his readers reject some
book that makes a mint OF money in the
hands Of the rival who accepts II. They
reprimand or discharge such readers some
times, but when they fill the vacant place
they 20 to the same class of non-successiu
or half successful writers for the new mate
rial. Are they not helplessy To whom else
can they apply If any one will tell then
how to yet readers whose judgment Is sure
10 bee that Of the general public, they vii
be glad 10 pay $4,000 or 100000 year te
every such assistant