The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-26

OF the fall books, Temporal Power"
by Marie Corelli heads the list of those
thus far published in number issues
200. 900 copies being deemed necessary
for the demand in England and Amer
lea. In the American market, how
ever, Mr.. Owen Wister's THE Virgin
ian'' leads in popularity, as evidenced
by sales, with THE Mississippi Bub-
BILE" and "The Two Vanrevels" close
behind. Only the latter story. how
ever, is a fall book, the first two hav-
ing been started on their careers in
the spring.
Not long ago, Miss Corelli wrote the
editor of an English paper, complain
ing because her name had been omit
ted from published list of guests at
some distinguished gathering. The ed
itor replied that he had done this in
Difference to Miss Corelli's often-voiced
objection to newspaper notoriety and
at once the suspicion arose as to her
sincerity in her opposition to public
comment. Miss Corelli has always
seemed to be very clever advertiser
of Marie Corelli-perhaps this little ar
gument now being carried on with the
English editor is another one of her
plans to gain publicity, not to say no.
toriety.
When Kipling was at the hight Of
his popularity in this country-it was
at the time when a severe illness some
three years ago threatened his life-a
popular edition of his works was got
ten out. Twenty thousand sets of fif-
teen volumes each were issued, and so
great was the confidence at the time
in the lasting qualities of sales of Kip
ling that one jobbing firm contracted
for the whole edition. AS it happened
Kipling recovered his health and short
ly began an action against a firm of
American publishers for infringement
The public did not understand, and
later. when the schoolboy stories sp-
peared, there was considerable turning
fof feeling against the author whom
they had just been pra1sing to the
skies. OF course, the present attitude
of the majority of readers toward Kip
ling may not be right-public opinion
is often wrong because the general
public is a tickle and sentimental body
but the fact remains, though there
may be shame for it, that Kipling no
longer stands in the same high rank
which the public gives to its favorites
as ne STOOD three years ago. Barely
two-thirds of the popular edition of
kipling have been sold, though the
prices have gradually declined from
SIS to Sc a set. At the present time
more than 5000 sets are in the hands
of a New York house, and these are
to be disposed of at a very low rate,
in order to be clear of the edition.
There are some facts relative to Kip
ling which should be kept in mind. OF
his works probably nearly 5000 900 VOL
umes have been sold: he is still in
highest demand by the publishers. and
commands the best prices for his short
stories; his yearly income from his
writings amount to at least $50, 900, and
there is an army of leading critics who
still regard him as the greatest living
writer OF fiction. Lovers of Kipling
are not yet called upon to mourn his
passing.
There should be some sort of a law
compelling authors to Indicate their
sex in their nom de plumes. Too
much confusion results in such discov-
cries as that The Love Letters OF an
En0lshWomann was written hxy =