The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08
THE LITERARY OUTLOOK
NEW SYSTEM OF PUBLISHING BOOKS
WHICH REGULATES PRICE.
A Small Edition of what May he a
Success M N-OveI-Queer Course
0f a Publisher.
Correspondence Of the indianapolis Journal.


but Il is so, sane a method of regulating
prices by Quantity that doubtless We shall
have it before long. The system has only
been recentl. introduced in London, though
IL has been lin use by a Lfepsic publisher
Tor some thirty odd years. 1t consists
merely in fixing the price of books &C
cOrding to tile number Of pages. The pages
are supposedly Of the uniform 12mo. size,
and twenty-five make a unit in the case
OF the London publisher, who has just TAX
e. the matter up The price per unit is
one-half petce zone cent? For a paper
cover one pence is added; for cloth binding
five pence. md for leather ten pence. A
book of 80 I,ages bound in cloth, therefore,
Will cost ~ cents. Thus far the London
publisher has brought out books of a kind
on which there is no royalty 10 be paid,
but they hale been books which are worth
having or Keeping. 1t would be a good
thing if this system could be introduced
here, simply: because there is a great need
OF some method for publishing books which
would be simpler than the present. There
IS a most deolorable lack Of harmony, both
as to size and price Of books. A sort of
vnwritten law insists that a copyrighted
novel. EXCEEDING 5000 words in length.
shall be made up in book form at a retail
price Of SIS. As the system Of net selling
las not beeh extended TO books Of fiction,
this price o. $50 is itself fiction. No one
nowadays expects to pay more than 81 or
SL10 for a novel which is listed at $50.
XXX
L was toidi on reliable authority the other
day that ore Of the prominent New York
publishers lad bound up but five copies of
a novel which since has been selected as
one Of the best American novels by a lead
ing English critic. The circumstance came
about in tbs manner: The novel was &C
cepted during the absence of the senior
member OF the firm. and on his return this
gentleman expressed great dispIeasure. The
author insisted upon holding the publishers
10 the cont act, and, in spite OF the fact
that the publishers stated to him that they
would not announce the book or advertise
It I'm any way whatever. he was foolish
enough to allow them to set UP the copy
and bind five books in accordance with the
letter Of the contract. Since that time the
author has been wise enough to secure the
rights Of tie book. and another publisher
Is going TO bring it out next spring. The
book stands a good chance Of being one OF
the successes of the season, and It seems
very strange that the matter should have
had such a. history as it has. The author
has been token up by his present publish
ers, and Is HOw receiving from them a reg
ular stipend. Under this arrangement he
Is engaged On another novel. which he will
have finished early in the spring. With the
praise OF the London Academy for this
young writer ringing in our ears, IT is rea-
sonable TO infer that his former publishers
VIII regret not having given him better
treatment. The binding UP Of five copies
Of a book in order to carry out all that the
publishing contract legally demands is one
Of the moss unheard-of proceedings-par-
t~lcularly difficult to understand in the light
NJ the AUTHORS cordial reception by the
leading critics of England into the ranks
Of the best authors Of the year.
xxx
Enough books have been published this
fall TO make interesting comparisons. The
most noted: authors-Kipling, Hope, Wey-
man. Zack.: etc.-were first in the field. a
fact which -on the whole is an advantage
10 the lesser literary lights who were fortu-
nate enough TO be delayed until the season
was under way. But the most noteworthy
feature OF the present output is the falling
of in sales Of the famous authors. Kip
hng's Kim easily ranks as the best book
OF the year in fiction. yet. as one said of it
recently, 'T3ipling has written a book in
kim" that will make more fame for him
than money. However, as Kipling received
$4,000 for Che serial rights of kim" he
may be regarded as ahead of the game"
OF the twelve best books of fiction selected
by a LOndcn committee only two or three
have exceeded a sale of $1,000 COPIES. But
for the blessed prop and stay of serial
rights" sats one author. Il should be in
Al - -
situation with many other of the notabIes.
Some of these have had a falling off of 90
Per cent in: book sales.
The publication of 1.-The Life and Letters
of John Richard Green recently revealed
20 many the reason why the History of the
English People by this distinguished
author. did not treat more of the part En-
Glish literature played in national affairs
after 1860. in one of his letters Mr.. Green
explains that when he reached the year
1850 he was suddenly impressed with the
fact that sometime and somewhere his book
must come. to an end. His publishers in
sisted that 500 pages should be the limit. 1t
was necessary then to let some of his mat
ter go, and the author deliberately chose
literature rs the part which he should
throw overboard. At some length he ex-
plains his reluctance in coming to this de-
Cision. He was anxious TO do justice TO the
famous writer's of his time for one thing,
but the true historical spirit. as he under
stood il. urged him 10 sacrifice his per-
souaI preferences. Literature. he explained,
ceased 10 sand in the forefront Of national
characteristic after 1860. Science and in
dustrv PLAYED the greater part, and there
fore he wa5 obliged 10 let them take prece-
dcuce i'm Isis work. Green's letters were
edited by Mr.. Leslie Stephens, who has
shown his superior fitness for editorial
tasks by Eis work on the national biog-
raphy. Shakespeare, etc. He has shown, or
rather the letters themselves have shown.
that Greer. was something more than a
historian, something more than a mere
lover of books He left a fascinating rec
ord Of his avn life which shows unmlstak-
able literary quality.
Richard Vhiteiug. known in this country
as the author OF NO. John street" was
reported TO be dangerously i'll not long ago.
He is now back at his desk. working at an
other moved. The long years which Mr..
Whiteing served as leader writer for the