New-York tribune., 1901-06-02
Gbe Ne,n1Dork gribn,1e.
ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.
SUNDAY, JUNE >. 1901.

The veteran who holds sway in the Editors
Study of Harper writes forcby, even
iously. in the June number about modern liter
airy conditions. He points ont the dangers at
tending the restless craving for nOvelty-the
diSplacing of "a slow selling book, however
good by a book ''Of less worth; the public
liberation of comparatively worthless books
Hnd. in case publishers ana editors surrender
their business to wholly mercantile purposes
regardless of the best literature" the conse
quent application to literature OF u general
publishing syndicate, upon purely mercantile
''basis.' We appreciate the strength and sin
ccrity of this accomplished editors arguments
but we do not believe that he and other true
lovers of literature need worry. Literary fash
ions come and go. little authors have a way of
falling out Of the ranks and their successes
disappear with them: but the great books. the
genuine books. live and grow more familiar to
the many with every yeai. Never have there
been available more good working editions of
the literary classics than and they sell;
never have there been published in the space of
decade more books OF a serious if not tre
mendous worth Those who are acquainted
with the methods of the book clubs which are
spreading with astonishing rapidity over the
United States can testify that these clubs are
not buying trash. but books of real and in
structve value. There is old fashioned say
ing about killing the goose that lays the golden
egg-such would he the effect of putting liter
aturc upon purely mercantile basis and
do not think that il will ever be done
4 queer feature of the period is its verse
the mass of it is SO excellent unimpeach-
able in form. entirely without any particular
reason for being as regards meaning. Its sad
r IL. II
growth of culture and we have no complaint
10 make long are not required To read
it. out of this excellence Of form may come.
in future generations. something that Is true
poetry words with wings" Meanwhile the
versiiicrs and the logrollcrs provide not little
amusement for the calm observer. Even the
triher who audacously paraphrases the work of
Il genius may be fOrgiven-winter and oblivion
come soon to that playful graSshopper. Let
him tnke his stridulous notes and rake in his
little gains he wilt end is sure.
Copyright questions are still far from being
settled. and the next half century mark will
probably many ana DCsSibly revolutionary
changes. English authors uncertain and
irritable in their attitude on this matter, and
there is Il more or less veiled antagonism be-
tween Them and their publishers 1t is state
of affairs which, happy tn say, Is not
apparent in this country Mr. q. III. Thring
member of the English Authors Society. de
clares in The Fortnightly Review" that III
copyright legislation the author has been,
curiouSly enough. the last person To he con
si,lercd that the Great Public for Il long time
looked upon the authors property its own.
and that now the rights which it holds
are TOO considerable. He remarks further that
the ideal of international copyright legislation.
from the authors point Of view, would be
worldwide and tine-long." and he adds that all
There is a growing conviction that perpetual
copyright is on the way. both in England and
the United States; and il has been said that
such "a law would under the changing condi-
tionS of the time he of equal benefit to publish
crs and authors. ana would, in the populariZa-
ton of good. cheap editions take no advantage
from the general public
every man. il is said has it in him to write
one good novel" Harpy would be the author
whose guardian angel would tell him 10 stop
when that one novel was finished; or would
counsel him Ia turn the forces going To the pro
ductian of three Indifferent books into the
making of a single fine one; would. i'll
some cases, persuade him that while lie might
be an unimportant novelist he would be Il valu-
able and agreeable farmer or bank clerk.