The morning call., 1894-05-07
BOOKS, HERE AND ABROAD.

1t appears from the records of the pub
fishing trade that in the year 1893 twice as
many books were published in France as in
England and three times as many in Eng
land as in this country. The fact is singu-
lar There are more readers in England
than in France, and in this country. which
con tains population nearly twice as large
as that of England, every one reads. The
explanation is probably TO be found in the
fact that the profession of letters is more
highly hopOred and better rewarded in
France than in England, and in England
than in this country, which leads to its be-
ing embraced by larger number OF per-
sons in London than in New York and in
Paris than in London. The late Fred
Somers, who had lived in all these coun-
tries, said that no American who had ac-
quired reputation ought to remain 10 this
country; he could make much more money.
command larger market and win more
consideration in the dominions of the
Queen than he could ever hope to attain in
he United States. In Paris the skilled
writer is in direct line of political promo
ton. In London he takes place with the
best in the land, while here he is too often
the mers hack of mercenary publisher or
printer.
The market for literary wares in Eng
land is regulated by conditions which we
do not understand here. In this country
an author who hopes TO live by his work
must expect that five or six thousand
copies will be sold to as many different
persons. He cannot wear good clothes
unless ten Thousand copies are sold. In
England, on the contrary, he only nseds to
secure two buyers, Nude and Smith. The
former conducts the circulating library
from which most Englishmen and English
women get their reading; the latter owns
all the railroad and other bookstalls. If
these two take up book it is certain to go
into general circulation, and, if the work
possesses merit, the authors fame is made.
On the other hand il Nude and Smith DO
not fancy a book they can kill or cripple
it either by taking a few copies only or by
taking none at all. Smith killed George
Moore's new novel, Esther Waters" by
refusing to sell it on his stalls, and Nude
has more than once given the death blow
to book which he did not approve by re-
fusing TO circulate 1t.
Every one who reads in England sub
scribes guinea year to Nudes. For
this be gets all the new books in the course
of a year, aud they cost him less than the
cheap repu blicatioEs cost American read
ers. To supply his subscribers Nude buys
1000 or 1000 copies of every work that is
likely TO be popular. The only concern
which resembles Nudes in this country
is the American News Company, but that
10 nstitution deals more largely with periodi-
Gals than with books. Under its present
regime it is distributing agency. 1t has
agencies in every city, town and consider
able village. People who want magazines
and papers subscribe through it instead of
applying to headquarters. 1t does deal to
a certain extent in books, but they are
chiefly cheap books in paper covers, such
as are in demand in country towns. 1t
has never gone into the business OF circu.
iating the expensive publications of the
Harpers' and such houses. and 1t has never
combined a circulating library with its
sales department.
For some years authors who have been
dissatisfied with their transactions with
publishers have been casting about for a
new plan to get their wares into the mar
ket. but thus far no practical system has
been devised. The American News Com
pany stands ready to sell books for any
one. An author who has his work printed
by a job printer and bound by a book
binder may send his entire issue to the
News Company, which will embark its
machinery in the work of marketing it,
and will account with fidelity for the pro-
eeeds of its sales. less small commission.
The objection to the plan is that few
authors have money enough to meet the
cost Of paper. printing and binding, to say
nothing of advertising, which Is serious
item. Still, it would seem that, sooner or
later, some organization will be perfected
to emancipate the writer from the control
of the publisher. Mark Twain and A. G.
Gunter have made some pioneer steps in
the direction; others may improve upon
their example and break the chains OF
a mi laflarc