The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-02
The Literary Outlook.
By Herbert Brewster.

ny hclUeIt OTcWsl6T'
The life of book today as compared
with the life of a book twcIty years
ago. is just onehalf. The statement is
made by well known London publisher
who has been making extended investi-
cations, and there seems to be no reason
for doubling his conclusions. There is
perfectly logical reason for this, and only
the confirmed pessimist will conclude
that The books of today are only half as
good as those of two decades ago. There
were fewer novels-indeed, it would be
more exact to say that there were few
novels-in those days. Almost any bound
volume would be popular for year; some
times it took longer than that to make
the fact of its having been published
known, and that is what the term pub
fishing should Indicate. Today condi-
tons have so changed that the issue of
book may be made practically stimuli
taneous in all parts of the country. Even
before the works are ready for the mar
ket the enterprising publicity experts con-
nected with the various publishing houses
have informed the reading public that
their wares are forthcoming, and the
statesmen will have filled the shelves of
the booksellers with their volumes before
the stipulated date of publication. The
publishing of books nowadays has reach!
ed the stage of an exact science. BY
visit to the pressroom of a modern
magazine one can foresee the manner in
which bound volumes of novels will be
given to the public in the course IF
few years. Two score of electrically
operated presses turn out forty thousand
complete magazines in a day Folding
and binding machines prepare the various
forms for their proper place in the vol
ume and scores of men and women as
sist in the operation. Yards of floor space
are piled high with the completed pro-
duct, and every day huge trucks carry
away heavy loads of mail SACKS to the
postoffices for distribution. So exactly
is everything timed that on the morning
set for publication every subscriber has
his copy or it may be purchased on any
newsstand in the country, no matter how
remote. Even in London and many of
the larger towns of England the identical
copy may be had on the appointed day,
such is the systematic arrangement of
production and distribution: 1t is no won
der, then, that the novels of today arc
fortunate if they have a run of popularity
extending over three months, and the
London publisher who made the compari-
sons gave them six months of life, as
compared with a year for the novels of
twenty years ago. Truly we are living
in an age of electro magnetic swiftness.
And yet, in spite of all this, there is a
growing number of genuine book lovers;
there is an increasing reverence for the
art of printing, when it's product is
bound between handsome covers and put
together with care. The friendship for
books and the love for books is on the
increase, no doubt. 1t is the desire and
ambition of the majority of men to pos
sess at least a few books which may be
read and reread. The best writer's of all
time have felt the cOmpanionshp which
books alone give. 1t was said of Southey,
who spent all his life among books, that
during the last few days before his death
he wandered about his library lifting out
this and that favorite and putting each
one back with the greatest care. Il can
keep my appreciation of them while I
live he said, land love them until
die"
controversy has lately arisen among
English authors and publishers as to
whether books are better printed in
England or America Almost without ex-
cepton the authors claim that the pub
fishers of their own country are far be-
hind their American rivals in the pro-
duction of tasteful and attractive books,
and naturally enough, the publishers
deny any such condition. 1t is true that
American publishers get their books in
more attractive form, but the larger
amount of hooks turned ont from orr
binderies will not last longer than their
popularity with the readers. If one de-
sires to keep book for years in his
library it is generally necessary to have
it rebound
AS a proof, however, that we are not
always engaged in making poor books
the record breaking instance of expen-
siveness in books now being PREPARED
in this country may be cited A New
York publisher of limited editions is at
work on a set of Dickens, which. when
. completed, will contain one hundred
and thirty volumes. The price for each
volume will be 81 900. so that each com
plete set will cost $3.50, 900. Only fifteen
sets are to be printed from the plates
used, which, of course. are specially
prepared fer this work. seven sets to go
to England and eight to remain in this
country The illustrations are entirely
new, and are done by Harry Furniss. /.
ID. Gibson, Christy, and several other
wei known artists. Unlike the ord-
nary custom. the illustrations are to be
bound separately and will of them
selves fill seven or eight volumes. The
first six volumes of the set are now be-