New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-04
ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT

While half the inhabitants of the literary
world" that radiant and paradisiacal sphere
sre debating with some heat as to whether IL
d a righteous or an impertinent thing to write
sn introduction for every new edition OF
classic that appears one firm OF publishers
comes a little closer to settling the matter than
does any one of the debaters. The Macmlahs
have begun the publication of a Library OF
English Classics" The first volume, devoted TO
"The Plays of Richard Brinsey Sheridan" is so
handsome an octave it gives much in excel
lnnce of manufacture for the modest price |
asked that one might hesitate TO complain IL
the inevitable introduction were included. But
the introduction, it seems, is not inevitable.
For this volume Mr.. A. W. Pollard has pro-
yided a brief photographed. not critical, note
and there is no other PREDATORY matter. Inc
other volumes in the series will be produced IN
tho same way The interesting point is that we
do not in the least miss the customary miro
duction On the contrary, there is mover anu
very nIeasant sensation experienced in taking
up the book and plunging straight INTO nheIi
dams text. We do not find that text any the
less readable or clear because some htteen OF
twenty pages telling us what some one thinks
of If all have been omitted. We are not sure
but that we enjoy the book the more for the
omission 1t may be said that this is not the
first time a classic has been REPRINTED without
the services of an intrusive essaylst ,Perhaps
not But lie has been with us so long that we
seem never to have been without him. We love
him. in his place. publishing his discourses IN
magazines or in books by themselves But we
are glad to have it made plain that he IS not
Indispensable upon every OCCASION
Authors are always seeking to have legislative
euactmpnts passed for their benefit in one way
or another. 1t would perhaps be well for them
to establish in one of the great cities an ONCE
for the registration of their works long in ad-
vance of the publication of the latter. From TINS
office monthly bulletin could be issued, in all the
languages from English to Pushtoo, proclaim
ing the literary plans afOOt. Why should TINS
he done? Well because, for example, within
the last six months two books "Danton'
have appeared, there have been two on Greek
Terra Gotta Figures" and there have been two
on ''Pompeif" Obviously six authors have been
rendered overwhelmingly unhappy, for no man
likes to see another choose the same moment for
doing abominably what he is doing superatiyely
well. Naturally there are difficulties in the way
of establishing, or rather, of administering such
an institution as propose. But the dlf1lcul
ties could be overcome. The publishers, who
are also interested in the matter might refuse
to print books that had not been thus registered
in advance. And when b finds from the bull
Ietjn that has cut in ahead of him. the manu-
scripts of the two might be weighed in the
balance by a committee of publishers anC
authors There would be heart burnngS at the
beginning but in time authors would recognize
a boon in the scheme. We offer it TO them with
out any charge whatsoever.