New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-06
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
CURRENT TALK OF THINGS PRESENT
AND TO COME.


ers in New-York as a tattered company that
waits at the door Of a downtown bakery for an
early morning gift of stale bread. The name of
"The BREAD Line" has been chosen by Albert
Bigelow Paine for his story that The Century
Company is getting out this week Mr.. Paine
is one of the editors OF 'St. Nicholas, ana was
at one time newspaper man; his story treats
of the experiences of two writer's and TWO
artists in attempting to found a weekly paper
in this city, which he treats in humorous
manner.
With all that has been written about clearing
houses there has never been a single volume
published containing complete account or the
history, methods and administration at the pres
ent day Of clearing houses in the United states
Such book is supplied by James G. Cannon IN
his Clearing Houses which D. Appleton q
Co. publish this week. AS Mr.. Cannon is him
self banker and a recognized authority on
clearing house matters there is good reason to
believe that his book will be a valuable one potn
for practical men and for students Of finance
It will be qualification to many readers Of
''Harper's Magazine" to learn of some new ar
rangements which have just been completed for
that periodical. the results of which will be
first in the Christmas number. THE Easy
Chair" which George William Curtis conducted
for so many years, and made Of the most
delightful features Of the magazine till 1t was
discontinued at his death just eight years ago,
Is to be restored. 1t will be carried on by Mr.
William Dean Rowells. Furthermore there will
again be Editors Study among the last
pages of the magazine. This will be conducted
by Mr.. Henry Mills Alden, the editor, who for
the first time in his thrty-seven years service
on the magazine will contribute regularly to It,
The Study" however, will be different
lines from those that governed it when Mr.
Howells and afterward Mr.. Charles Dudley
Warner, wrote 1t. 1t is explained that the need
has been felt for some medium to express the
peculiarly intimate relations that exist between
the old time readers of the magazine and the
editor: and under Mr.. Alden's direction It will
be henceforth a kind of organ OF communica-
ton between them.
Mr.. Howells Will also be regular contributor
to THE North American Review" writing for
it, If not every month as often there seems
to be occasion for him to speak to the readers of
that magazine. His services have been ex-
clusively retained by the house Of Harper &
Bros, who will hereafter publish everything
he writes This statement is not invalidated by
the previous one for as is well known Mr. G.
B. NJ. Harvey, Editor of 1.-The North American
Review is also the managing head of Harper
& Bros, and that magazine is edited and
published In the Franklin Square house.
The curious and interesting Book of Sun
Dials' originally compiled by Mrs. Alfred Gatty
and revised and enlarged by several other hands
has been out Of print for some time. A new
and considerably improved edition of 1t, the
| fourth. with matter and new Illustrations
will therefore be welcome. The Macmillan Com
| pany is bringing 1t out this week.
It is certainly a most desirable method of
teaching English reading and literature. that of
setting pupils to the study OF good books of cur
rent interest. An instance OF this has been
| noted by the publishers of ITO Have and To
| Hold" large number of copies Of this book
| having been ordered by 8 private school in this
city for in it's literature classes; this is the
| second school that has made such use Of Miss
! Johnstons book.
"It is no longer the poor author and the rapa-
| cous and dictatorial publisher" said a we'll
| known publisher lately. 1.-THE position is quite
| reversed. Instead of the author coming humbly
to get a hearing for his works, it is he who
stands off and let's the publishers scramble for
the privilege of publishing them by offering the
highest prices for them. It has got so now that
we frequently have to buy pig in a poke in
| negotiating for the work of a successful author
| Such a thing as opportunity Of examining
| his manuscript before bidding on 1t is often
| quite out Of the question. 1t is made known
that such a work is ready for the publisher, and
| then the proposition Is, take it or leave it..
| Prices have in the case Of several we'll known
writer's been screwed up so high that dabbling in
! their books gets to be a dangerous speculation
| Not only do they get great payments in ad-
vance on account of royalties, but frequently
| large sums besides for the serial rights. OF
course there are ways for some publishers to
| get back part of these payments, as when works
! are syndicated and the rights are sold in various
ways that bring in returns besides the regular
sale of the book. But for most of US IT is a
ticklish thing to have much to do with the work
of very popular and hence very high priced
| author"
Zone Of the means by which the paid to
| authors have been advanced in late years is the
| literary agent. not beloved by publishers. He
| fourishes in England, but has yet had little
| to do in this country. He is the broker who
| disposes Of the authors work to the publishers
| by going around and getting various bids on 1t
from different houses. The author naturally
| feels disincned to do such things himself while
| the agent has all the machinery in motion to
| perform the business expeditously" So said an
| observer in the publishing trade. Zone reason
why the agent is less in evidence in this country
| than in England" he continued, sis the greater
| loyalty of American authors to their publishers
Over there you will find a successful writer often
| represented in the lists OF many different pub
| fishers Here there is a much greater tendency
| among authors to stay by the houses that have
| made a success of their works and that have
| become identified with them; and this tendency
| is not encouraging to the activity of the literary
| agent. among the successful Of them at
| any rate"