New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-08
AUTHOR AND. PUBLISHER.
WITH SOME NEW POINTS FOR THE SOCIETY
OF AUTHORS AND FOR AN EMIL
NENT PUBLISHER.

Society OF Authors has the following paragraph:
- AIMING those members whose loss by death we
deplore are ID Lord Lytton, always one Oh our
rc,test sunnorters He took the chair at one Of
our public meetings, and at all times showed tho
warmest interest in the work ana success OF the
| Society. ~ Mr. james Russell Lowell, not only
the American who had endeared himscH 10 oil
hearts, but very specially the 1riend OF this
Society and the advocate of international copy
rirht Those who were present at the dinner OF
tho Society in 1888. and heard his brilliant and
oloment address, since printed in The Author
will want no reminder Of his interest in our work
and in the well-being of literature this side OF
the Atlantic"
The report is signed by Mr. Walter Besant
chairman of the Executive Committee. He does
not saw too much of Lowelrs interest In the
Society Nothing that concerned literature could
be Indifferent to Lowell can imagine that the
great American author had in his long career
known moments when the advice of such
Society would have been useful TO him, and would
have meant money to him, as it now means money
TO many others. Lowell was, in truth, careless
about such matters and had a childllke falth In
men: even in publishers and even in secondhand
booksellers I used TO think he took pleasure in
being their victim, and his easy good-nature forbade
him to seek redress even when he had found out
Lowell once bought a copy Of Chapman's
Homer. the first edition, from Mr.. Quaritch. for
which he paid, I need not say, long price. When
the book arrived at Elmwood ii proved to be an
imperfect CODY: a number Of leaves missing
Mr.. Ouaritch had not thought it worth while TO
mention the defect. "Of course you returned
the book" said. WELL no." answered Lowell.
with dry look in his eyes. Il know the book
is often imperfect The fact that he had paid
perfect price for his imperfect copy made little or
no impression on him. The book is now / pre-
snme. in Harvard College Library. to which Lowell
meant his treasures to go. Unless the missing
leaves have been supplied. that rather miscel-
aneous collection Of books has therefore one more
miscellaneous copy. There is but one golden rule
for the collector either perfect copy or none.
1t is interesting TO hear from Mr. Besant that
the Society of Authors is growing at great pace.
Never before he says, has much work poured
into their hands Authors are at last awake to the
benefits offered them. They are bringing
their agreements before accepting them; they are
also-a thing without precedent in the history
Of authorship-actually asking what their agree
ments mean for either side Then comes this
Characteristic and most sensible passage
The passing Of the International Copyright
Acts makes it douby important for writer's OF sue
cess and position to know how 10 protect their
nronertv, II is not too much to say that never
until the Society began was it possible for writers
TO realize as at last they learning, III that they
possess property over which they should be as
careful as over fields and houses, and 81 that the
mere administration of this property really does
not entitle the agents to take over all the rent 70
themselves.
To the publishers this last proposition will seem
startling indeed To others than publishers II,
hat
stating such proposition and OF dwelling on IL.
But there still is. The publisher himself stilt
Iool,s oskance at tie Society Of Authors. Not all
nublishers perhape but some. Look at the tone on
the leading trade organ" The Publishers Circular
which. | believe, Mr.. MaIston edits the seplor
mariner in Messrs. Sampson Low. Marston q Cos
Always sneer at the Society and always Sne suss
oestion that the author and publisher would nat-
uraly constitute happy family but for the inter-
ference of outsiders.
Iool, nj the seventh case in the Appendix
10 this Report where an author, unable
- 40. either money or answer to Lis
letters from a certain publishing firm, put his
claim in the hands of the Society. There was
colonial house and London house. The london
house was very dignifed. says Mr.. Besant. The in
terycntion Of the Society was, IN its opinion I'M
called for Their friends abroad would certainly
deal honorably with the author. Notions of honor
ana honorable dealing vary. The publishers notion
in this case might be thought peculiar The author
had sent his Ms. to the colonial house. SIX
months later came u letter saying We hoped to-
have sent YOU COPY of your book by this mail, bun
regret il is not quite ready. We propose to style
tho boo,, -" The author replied that as no
terms had been submitted for his signature, he
should like 10 know what he was 10 get NO
answer. and then it was that the Society inter-
yened in the way which. TO the publishing mlno.
seemed 40 uncaled for pointing out that the hon.
orable colonial house had appropriated the authors
work and had offered n5 terms The honorable
colonial house was as much surprised as the London
house at hearing from Society calling itself
Socictv Of Authors" 1t had been :" too busy 70
write the author though not too busy TO print and
rublish his book Finally they proposed certain
farms and. subject to changes made by the Society.
d., pronosols were accepted" Eight nine OF
,bese sample cases are given. Can any one
douht asks Mr.. Bcsant, that almost all these
authors would have been robbed had it not been for
flo vigorous intervention Of the Society"
Now lot MS listen TO IA voice, / will not say from
,ho other side but from among the publishers, Mr..
Frederick Macmillan. No house stands higher than
his lie presided last week at the annual trade
dinner Of the Booksellers Provident Institution.
and made speech in the course of which he quoted
4 remark author of it apparently unknown that
the interests of booksellers and authors are highly
antaeonistic' Bookseller here means publisher.
~ il used TO in the last century; so that the re-
mark seems an old one. Old or new, Mr. Macmillan
thinks that he who made it has great deal to an
,wcr for Why? Because the antagonism DC
tween author and publisher is O foolish and mA-
chicvous fancy"
Such is the answer Of an honorable and success
full publisher the best he can offer. " 1t would be
as reasonable adds he, to talk about the nat
ural antaSonism between the man who builds all
encinc and no who drives it, He might have drawn