The age-herald., 1900-04-08


 David Harum is now closing in on the last 5OOO0 copies of the 100000 mark
 
 Richard Carvel' is now in it's three hundred and fortieth thousand
 
 ITO Have and To Hold" which leads the sales of books in nearly all the large cen- ters. Is quoted as having reached the one hundred and fiftieth thousand. However the sales are so rapid that one can hardly keep up with them so as to quote cor rectly.
 The note that MT. A. Hope Hawkins has been elected chairman of the English So- ciety of Authors for 19eO creates the same amusement as when we see quoted in Brit ish papers-Atherton R. H. Davis Lane Allen, K. D. Wiggins and c. E. Craddock. While one may not exactly comment upon the syntactical eccentricities of the above names, we must confess that R. H. Davis, for instance, Is at first glance scarcely rec ognized as our own Richard Harding Davis.
 Readers who are fond of Jerome K. Je- rome, as they know him best in the ad- ventures of his unfortunate heroes in "Three Men in Boat" will be glad to know that he has written a new work, en- titled "Three Men on Wheels" The scenes of the new work are laid in Germany and no doubt the book will be thoroughly en- joyable For, 1t is said that Jerome K. Jerome melted in tears of laughter the grave and revered Tolstoi when reading from his works
 John Kendrick Bangs, another laughter producing author, has written what Is termed continuation of Coffee and Repartee'' and "The Idiot" "The Idiot at Home" the title of the new work, Is said to be concerned with the married life of '"rhe Idiot'
 MT Henry Guy Carleton has dramatised ''When Knighthood Was in Flower" and, it is reported has succeeded in pleasing both the actress and the author-Miss Mar lowe and MT. Major. No doubt the dra- matised version will prove as popular in public favor the novel, for few books of recent years have been more graciously received and favorably received than .When Knighthood Was in Flower"
 The late MT. R. D. Blackmore left in- structions in his will that memoir or bi- ography of him was to be published. Mr. Blackmore is often quoted as an example of a man who had it in him to write single book. The story of how Lorna
  years after it's publication has often been told, but will bear repetition. It is said that ''the manuscript was rejected by eighteen firms of publishers, and that when 1t finally appeared and was highly spoken of by the critics, it was absolutely ignored by the reading public. Years after' when England was talking about the mar riage of Princess Louise and the marquis of Lorne, the idea got abroad that the book had something to do with the family of the bridegroom. From that day the book was recognized and appreciated. Yet the tardy success of Lorna Doone" was al- ways something of millstone around MT. Blackmore's neck.
 Apropos of the passing away Of this old time interpreter of life on the Devonshire Moors, 1t is claimed that Eden Phillpots IS proving himself a worthy successor to MT. Blackmore Mir Phillpots' Children of the Mist" which has been well received and reviewed was highly commended by MT. Blackmore himself. He seems to have struck rich vein in depicting the life or Devon and Dartmoore, the country which he knows best and loves with the fervour of a native of the soil. MT. Phillpots has recently given up other work in order to devote himself wholly to these studies In fiction.
 The spring trade is characterized by demand for various books on outdoor sub- jects, together with an increase in the sales of paper-bound fiction There is much demand also for European guide books Baedeker's, as usual, having almost undis- puted preference in this field. The volume On Paris is most sought for in view of the coming exposition. There is also demand at present for historical and descriptive books of-the city of Paris in general
 Notwithstanding the marvellous successes of many books which have often been noted, and the ever increasing sales of books in general, the failure of two Of the oldest American publishing houses oc- cured recently. An editorial in New York paper points to the failure of Ap- pletons and Harpers as carrying with it a lesson for publishers in general. It claimed that these houses being founded years ago, the imprint of their names was of the greatest importance, consequently were eagerly sought by the best writers as one of the chief actors in the success of their books. As is very often the case, though, too great and long continued a measure of success leads to careessness in regard to topography and all the many little details which go toward making a book attrac- tive Whether this Is true in regard to the firms mentioned cannot be stated authori- tatively, but we all know perfectly we'll that no department of business has made greater demands upon its managers of re- cent years than the publishing business, and success has meant the most pro- nounced energy and resourcefulness of tal- ent and ingenuity. The trade has been ed- ucated to expect only the very best or the text, but also as to its presentment. And paper, print and illustrations now count for as much in estimating the stability Of a book as the subject matter itself.
 Just at a time, too, when commentators had come to the conclusion that literature