The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-08
Making of - y -
y - Book Titles.


ent moment breyity Is the arst considers
uon. Publishers object to long names,
booksellers dislike them and the genera.
public cuts or initiates them title
must he short. distinct aud easily remem.
nHed. Every word beyond the three OF
four that are absolutely necessary is q
word too many. II is better for title
TO explain little or nothing than FOR Il 70
explain too much When Kinglako chris.
tened fascinating book of travels
'Goihcn" rclders could draw no possible
fotetnSte or It's contents from that mystic
Eastern word; yet the title was gcod
ore. only those few who understood
Romany could judge what to expect from
Borrow's "Lavcngro;" yet that also is u
masterpiece Of titles At one time Dor
row had contemplated the far less salts
factory title OF "Lefi: A Dramn." which
would have been both vague and mis-
leading The choice Of title Is. indeed
one of an authors most difficult ana often
worrying tasks.
Tho od.fashioncd title erred in trying
to combine the duties of preface ANA con,
tents-llst with SIS own natural office, says
the London STANDARD II wouid take far
too much space to quote many snch
tiles but as moderate example we mty
notice the title of popular work pph.
hshcd hy William Hone In the year 1892.
This title runS rs follows: "rhe Year.
Pook OF Daily Recreation ani Infnrn,.
tinn. Concerning Remarkable Men anl
Manners Times aud Seasons, Solemn ties
aud Merrymak.nEs Antiquities ana Nov.
elites on The Plan OF tho Everyday
Book ma Table Eook: or Everlasting
Calendar OF Popular Arrangements, sports.
feetlmcs. ceremonies. Customs and
Events Incident to Elch OF the TArec
Hundred aud Sixty-dve Days in the Past
and Present Time; Forming II Complete
History OF the Year anl Perpetual
Key to the Almanac" or course. this
title admits of ready condensation. AMI
tho book Is now always simply referred
to as "rhc Year Rock" but It Is fair
sample Of our foref9thcrs' love Of mutt.
plying words We may TAKE it for grant.
ed that at no time would hook Scl,cr
have entered the full name In his bls.
-
Headers Of the present day. whose read.
ing is often almost confined to sdmmtne
the headlines OF a newspaper. would never
wade through such q tit'e MS this, It must
he understood that Mother of those Is un
extreme specimen of what the od-fnshloncl
tt!c-makcr could do. Even that dcllrAtfu
work which we now briefly describe as
"Bcsweli's Johnson" hns somewhat for.
mtdGhc front pAgc. 1.-THE Life Of Samuel
'"""""" III. n, Comprising Series of HIS
Eplstol1rv Correspondence ana Conve'sn-
tions With MANY Eminent Persons; ma
Various Original Pieces Of Ills Compost
lions, with Chroao'oglcnl Account Of HIS
Studies ana Numerous Works. tho Whole
Itvh,h'Nng n View ~ Literature and Lit
erory Mon in Grcnt Britain for Nearly nnlf
hart cave MS simply "Thc 1.fe Of Sir Wal.
Ter Scott"
In the case NJ n work of history or bio.
rr0phy, tho choice OF ttlc Is usrllly
,asy and obvious often there are no nj
ieru1tlves rs chnoec from with fiction
It is difficult Dickens considered twenty.
me different names before be solootsd
THE Tale Of Two cities" Ic always
liked 10 have his title chosen before ne
,criors,v began Ia write at n telr lie
snld once. 81 shall Meier ne able 10 do any
hing FOR tho work until II has dyci
meme" IN general tho host namo for
novel Is the name nr lis bero or bero,ne
1'cronq rrnerouv acted on This pr.nc,ple
,irsclf. md his ,leporturcs from II. os I,
.orr Mutual Friend" ana "Grcat tx.
,cctatlons." are not exactly happy
scott dia tho same for ,Ae most mart. i'm,
l., sometimes hickcred with Coost1 b,a
,hout his titles II was Constable who
,reyoflnd nm scott N nae tho nonn -.
.Kcruvottb instood of co,lipg tho, |
,om7nce "rpmnor van" ana tho nrh. |
isbor also sp,oe,tod tbot mo ",htot.
.bo,i1 ho ob,istonas eric vr,,or,. " a..
more et communion t,t,e n the "N,ooas.
orr
AAA
In tbo lac, ronort r,,pv nm outbor hos
,nar an,,,no,,oG 20 t,,.o 4a s,,,gos+,o,s Of
Ne n,,.,l,shor IN mo matter ~ titns :, |
so pl,orrood Who n,rs,,Ie1 ro,,,,.
49,, -,