Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-22
Literary NOtes.

The profits Of authors seem 10 be n
perennial subject OF literary gossip. 1t
is now reported that Robert Louis Ste
venson is asking In England $1,000 for
the serial rights alone OF his new story.
THE Lord Justice Clerk" Rudyard Kip
ling's Jungle Book has sold In England
to the extent OF 1000 copies, while no.
body knows how many have been dis
posed of in America and elsewhere. AS a
contrast to Stevenson and Kipling. the
late X. NJ. Ballantyne is mentioned as
a popular author who failed to receive a
due reward for his toll. He wrote for
thirty years book after book. each Of
which had large sale. and although
during all that time he lived without ex-
travagance and almost without rest" he
nevertheless left less than 5000 TO his
heirs. If 1t could be known how much
of an authors success is due 10 judcious
advertising, perhaps some OF the literary
celebrities OF the present day might not
feel as conceited as they no doubt do.
Some patent medicines are just as good
as others. but the advertising is different.
The most common mistake of the would
be author is In thinking that all he or
she has 10 do TO get a manuscript printed
and paid for Is 10 send IL on 10 a pub
Usher. Nine times out of ten no thought
will be taken as to whether the produc-
ton is in the line OF the works issued by
the publisher, or Is suitable TO the pc
riodlcal TO which II Is sent; and nine hun
dred and ninety-nine times out Of thou
sand the story, or whatever 1t Is, is not
worth publishing. anyhow. Furthermore.
1t Is never even suspected that there are
thousands of people just as capable OF
good writing, and just as anxious to get
into print. The proud and conceited
tyro. fiattered by the polite praise OF
friends, is sure that instant success VIII
be his or hers, and is therefore very
much surprised to get back the manu-
script, with the stereotyped Declined.
with thanks''-not once only, but as often
as 1t is committed TO the mails except
In very rare instances IL there Is any
one quality more lacking than another In
literary people II is literary judgment,
is strange. but 1t is true. In most OF the
affairs of life they can see as true as
other persons, but when IL comes to judg-
ing their own poor little prose or
poetic scribblings they see as through a
glass darkly. These are all truisms. but
we have recent knowledge of some as
plring geniuses In Richmond who might
read them with profit.
Mr.. Barrett Nendelrs Study I'm En-
glish Literature" book which Is TO
bear the title of William Shakespeare"
Is to be brought out soon.
Mr.. Ruskin's next book Is to be called
Letters to a College Friend" These
epistles date from $40 10 1915
Some private and confidential letters OF
Motley to Bismarck wsrs sold at auction
In London the other day for $500. The
New York Tribune says II would be in
teresting to know whence they came.
The new Dictionary Of the Bible.
planned by the late Professor Robertson
Smith, Is TO be edited by ProfessJIs
Cheyne and DIR. ]. Sutherland black.
Professors Toy. G. +. Moore. AMI Francis
Brown will represent the United STATES
on the stan OF contributors.
The title OF Rider Haggard's new novel
has been changed. 1t will be called Joan
Haste"
'The Manxman," Hall Gaines sombre
story. Is said to be nearly ready for pub
iication N book form.
A new History Of English Literature"
is in preparation by Mr.. J. Logic Ro-
bertson.
Mr.. Bret Harte's forthcoming novelette,
Is to be called "Chu-Chu," which nay
mean what you choose until you know
more about It. THE Bell-Ringer Of
Angels 10 the title Of his volume OF short
stories which u to be publ'sted in the
autumn. ~
A correspondent Of the New York Critic
suggests that some Of the great mAga-