New-York tribune., 1902-11-15

ris noteworthy fact that many successful
English novels which enjoy a serial run in the
English magazines are seen in this country
onlv in book form. To the outsider ii is rather
baaling 10 understand why book which sells
well from one end OF the country 70 the other.
is quoted in lists of popular books and shows
every element OF success, should not be served
out 10 readers of the periodicals. The explana-
tions Of magazine publishers show an interesting
condition in magazine editing "As a general
rule" said one of the guild the other day. lit
is safe 10 say that the standard for magazines.
that Is 10 say. Of the first class. is higher than
that for books. This is readily seen by running
over the list Of first class book publishers and
noting the great number of books they are able
10 nut out each month. Then glance over the
better magazines, and you will see that the field
is comparatively restricted The fact is that
any good magazine turns down large NUMBER
Of stories that simply demand TO be printed
they are SO thoroughly available-except for the
lack of room"
There are other difficulties in the way Of 81
rnultaneous serial publication in the two coun-
tries. For one thing. magazines of the same
Standing do not care to have their serial dupi-
Gated at I'll agreeing intervals. Even though the
ocean lies between. a magazine here hardly
relishes the thought OF having every install
rent of a story anticipated by an appearance
IN London Such serial publication can only be
arranged with careful simultaneity. and that Is
usually with the problems of different scheo-
niles a hard condition 10 reach. It is also true
that serialization allows less local allusion IN
the case OF a foreign story than does the book
form. An Englishman may buy tale full OK
American things and ways and thought. ana
read Il with interest; but he does II with his
ewes open On the other hand. he does not
care 20 buy an English magazine and md IL a
storehouse OF American fiction.
Another obstacle in the way Of simultaneous
serialization is that there is rather prejudice
against secondary serial rights. Naturally, there
Is the regular course of serial publication. start
ing with some good magazine and ending in
the syndicated columns OF some country news
papers This is like the progress OF editions
from reiterated thousands at 81 90 TO the more
placid but sometimes widely, If slowly, cir
culating paper issue. Any serviceable piece OF
fiction is likely 10 run through this levelling
process unless its appeal is too special 70 be
largely welcome. But the fundamental reason
why good stories of action, with the proper
oonstructional qualities of sustained interest and
distributed climax. written by Englishmen. find
their way to American readers in book form
only seems 10 be the severity OF selection which
comes from restricted space. and the more local
appeal OF native fiction equally serviceable for
serial purposes. There are, OF course, excep-
tions 10 the rule. Some English authors. such
as Kipling and Barrie and Mrs. Humphry Ward
are familiar in the pages of American maga-
zines But in general English writers are
crowded out OF American magazines Of the
first order by the overplus OF satisfactory ma
tive material.