The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-01
"DAVID HARUM."
Pathetic Facts Concerning the Author
Of This Successful Book.
Philadelphia Press

n
Of This Successful Book.
Philadelphia Press.
David Harum," an American novel,
which the author, Edward Moves Westcott,
did not live TO see published. has proved
TO be one of the bonanzas of the publish
creases steadily, and it bids fair to make a
record even against THE Christian" On
Sept. II, 1885, the Press having been ia
vored with advance sheets, strongly COM
1T was to be found in the book stores. A
very interesting article concerning the au-
thor OF this truly remarkable novel and
giving the inside history of the publication
of David Harum is to appear In the May
number OF Book News, and the courtesy of
accorded the Press. Mr.. Westc sent the
manuscript TO d. Appleton & Co. on Dec.
81, 1887. accompanied BY modest letter ex-
the novel would be found suitable to the re-
quirements of the publishers. He was a
total stranger to the firm and came TO their
notice without any recommendation what
ever.
Inc manuscript was read by Mr.. Ripley
Hitchcock, who, In speaking to the repre-
sentative of Book News, mentioned the de-
light with which he first made David's ac-
quaintance. On Jan. IL Mr.. Hitchcock wrote
the author expressing his appreciation and
saying that he wished to make Davids de-
lightful humor known to the reading pub
lie. Certain minor notifications seemed
advisable in arrangement and treatment of
secondary characters, and the suggestions
which were made brought reply, from
which it was learned that the author was
upon his deathbed. Two letters were re-
ceived from him before he died on March
81. 1898 His friend, Mr.. Forbes Heermans,
went over the manuscript and read the
proofs. David Harum'' was published in
on Sept. % 1895. The first printing order
was supposed to be sufficient for some little
time but on Oct. it was found necessary
to give another and larger order. This was
two weeks after publication. The dates of
subsequent printing orders to the end of the
year are Nov. l, Dec. i, Dec Is and Dec. 20.
The enormous sales of the book for the last
three months and at present are familiar.
The sales in March were $3.50 copies, an
average of about thousand a day. Since
April the average has been 1900 daily.
Often the daily sales have exceeded 1900.
The book is now (early in ApriD In it's
ninetieth thousand. Readers may be inter-
ested in the following extracts from a letter
which Mr.. WeStc0tt wrote to Mr.. Hitch
cock in the latter part Of January. 1898:
'Lenox's love affair is in allegiance from the
first part of the book to the latter part. 1t
been carried along TO prosperous con,
clusion from the start that there would
have been no reason for him or anybody
else to make David Harum's acquaintance.
/ purposely laid but little stress upon the
episode. To my mind the sentiment so to
speak, of the book lies more In Johns en-
easement of the at, affections Of the eccentric
lowed from it. putting him In a position to
marry the woman of his choice. at last"
In another part Of the same letter Mr..
be published even without much delay it
would In all probability be posthumous. /
have had the fun OF writing 1t. anyway,
and nobody will ever laugh.over II M re
was going to do next"
In all literary biography there is surely
fences from Mr.. Westcott's letter last
quoted.