Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-12

It would be recognized by the publisher
In question.
That individual, however, had appar-
entity never heard of It, AT all events,
he returned the manuscript to the mes
senger who called a week or two later
to inquire into It's fate. And II was
not until sometime afterward and then
only by accident that he discovered
he had declined with thanks both a
handsome fortune--for such the book
would most certainly have brought
him-and a novel from the pen of the
Queens grandson.
Instances OF publishers refusing books
by unknown authors which afterward
achieved Immediate and well-nigh
limitless success are. of course, plenu-
full, A typical example Is afforded by
Blackmore's perrennlally doomed
Lorna Doone," which was hawked
about for months by the author, and
adversely reported upon by nearly
every reader" In London, ere being
accepted-and then not without con-
siderable trepldation-by Messrs. Samp-
son, Lowe and Co.
John Strange Winter" absolutely
failed to get any publisher to risk
bringing out Boobies Baby" In book
form, until II had achieved q unani-
nous and terrific success as a Graphic
serial. Marie Corelli's first story "A
Romance of Two Worlds narrowly
escaped being consigned to permanent
oblivion, MIR. Hall Calne Uhen Mr..
Bentley's principal reader) having
Judged It unfavoraby.
Thackeray's Vanity Fair" was re-
fused by score of publishers, ana
brought out In the end at the authors
own risk. Carlyles "Sartor Resartus'
III trpanf That fro
mendous successful novel, "Mr. Barnes
OF New York" was reJected-almost
sontemptuously-by practically every
house of repute on both sides of the
Atlantic. At length the author, Mr..
Gunter, spent 1925 in publishing and
advertising II, and cleared over $50
600 by the venture.
To bark back a little further, Milton
was obliged to accept S25 for the manu-
script OF Paradise Lost" Fanny Bur-
ney modestly asked $3.50 for "Evelina,"
and at length, after a score OF heart
breaking refusals, accepted In despair
paltry 800 for It, II sold as scarcely
any other novel had ever sold be-
fore up till that time, and its gifted
authoress had not the slightest diff
Guilty in obtaining for her next story,
Cecilia" a cool $4,000 down.
For the inimitable Vicar Of Wake
field" a book that sells well even now,
Goldsmith received but $3.50, and that
as a favor. No one would have Uncle
Toms Cabin" at any price, until 1t had
achieved success as n serial In Wash
lngton paper whose editor was with
difllculty persuaded into using II with
out fee or reward, The manuscript
of TON Jones" lay for years dusty ana
neglected on a shelf In the authors
study, and only found publisher after
Fielding had made name for himself
as dramatist,
II must not be supposed however,
that all publishers are invariably blind
to the promise OF genius. Quite the
contrary.
To cite but one instance. Thomas
Moore was as yet comparatively UNI
known when the Messrs. Longman
detected the vast possibilities that lay
dormant in the man, and anxious TO get
something better out of him than the
"pot-b boilers" he was at that time turn
ing out offered him $4,000 for a lengthy
poem the subject to be chosen by HIM
self,
Moore was then a poor man. and the
sum mentioned meant for him com
parative wealth He shook the dust
OF London off his feet. buried himself
to work assiduously to saturate his
mind with Oriental facts and imagery,
The result was seen later n In "Lalla
Rookh," a work so true to nature that
II was translated into Persian and sung
as a genuine native production In the
streets and cafes Of lspahan,
or, again, take the case Of the pale
faced, quiet, round-shoudered lad who
in the year 1862, was tying up parcels
in Messrs. Hachette's publishing house
~ the muniiicent salary OF five dollars
a week.
Sir" he remarked timidly one day TO
his chief, 4 have been reading one Of
Flubert's novels. ] am convinced that
II | had time | could do as well-per-
haps better
VERY well, NJ lola" WIS thes reply,
take time and try
And NJ. lola did as he was bid-with
what result all the world knows
BOOKBOVER.