New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
AUTHORS OF THE PAST.
The "reminiscences of a peteran
Publisher.

AFTER WORK. Fragments from tne Wo5hsanop
svo pYA s.4 Imoprted by Charles scrioners
sona
As a veteran in the ranks OF British publish
ere, the genial Edward Marston actresses the
readers of this agreeable volume. he mas gain
cred into its pages the records OF MANY ih'ei
ssting experiences and many personal details
concerning the famous authors whose DOCKS ne
has published When the country boy OF TWEEN
tv-one went I'D to London IN 1S46 to make his
fortune he entered the excellent publishing
bouse of Sampson Low, and with that house ne
YVES associated partner for half hfeuine-
Among the writer's with whom he came INTO
contact in his early years were Macauiay anu
Bulwer Lytton- The former he recalls as
stout parsonage with shirt collar close up TO
his ears pounding the pavement with MS stich
as he went along as If in heated argument vi
Lytton he remembers that he was tall, sienoer
and stopped of shoulder. with high foreheao'
bronzed complexion and an aquiine nose: that
he had charming manners and that, being ex-
trernely deaf he was difficult to talk to, An
other distinguished client OF the firm was WilKie
Collins who had says the publisher. perfect
knorledge Of his own value and needed no III
erar-y agent to make bargains for him. An
other author whose business capacity was equa'-
ly acute Charles Reade. He asked lhe
publisher $4,000 for the entire copyright Oh
bis novel Hard Cash." pointing out that the
ordinary novel which deals however any, Win
shadows only. is one kind of property slory
that cuts deep into realities of, the day. anu
has already set hundreds discussing 1t as Dis
tory and law. is different thing" 81 come to
you" he wrote on another occasion. "as trad
ing author determined TO make money by my
great labor" That attitude not often
sdopted by authors In the COS of the last CEN
tury-publishers are familiar enough with IT
now Mr. Marston describes the author OF
Hard Cash" as tall and stout, OF fine horid
complexion. and with large, wide opened eyes,
gentle and mild, think he himself used TO
say, like those of cow His voice was rather
husky, and gave one sometimes the idea that he
was speaking with suppressed passion"
For many years Mr.. Marston was the friend.
as well as the publisher. Of the author of Lorna
poone" and he offers US various readable ex-
tracts from Blackmore's letters. He sends the
Londoner occasional details respecting his pre-
cious garden, where. his vines, the white
punches hang like waterspouts and black ones
life far thundercIouds" All things, adds the
novelist, know my hand. and say mot without
self-seeking) how much better is the grape than
the gall. the fruit Of the vine than the famine or
the pen. I have taken to trowel instead
of pen, and now what nature made me for
q lyer (not in books. but among potsherds."
Wings Of silver and gold nave none but grub
ar9agg AnY one LOOKING at my vines would say:
This is your role, my good fellow: stick to 1t
any ass can write novels (at least in the opinion
OF the publishers). but to make vine needs IN
tellect"
But for Mr.. Marston, Blackmore notes in one
epistle Lorna Doone" the 'ininlitable, might
never have seen the light for all the magazines
rejected her. and rival publisher refused to
give even f2OO for the copyright. His friend
1cb1 a ~, a
Of BIackmore's own certainty that he knew
good work when he it'-that the author
did not regard that remarkable book as his best
or even his second best work He wondered
that his later works did MT sell as well. He
though there was something rather childish
about Lorna" We may Join in his wonder
ment when we remember that in these days
few people speak of the Maid Of Sker," which
closely approaches Lorna" in power and charm.
II is by the way. pleasant to be told by the pub
Usher that all Blackmore's works have had a
large and continuous sale.
OF another novelist Clark Russell, we find q
touching picture which is strange indeed as that
Of the author Of stirring tales. 1t Is that
Of an old man, a cripple, tied for twenty years
to chair and crutch-but invalid, neverthe-
less Of inexhaustible cheerfulness and clever
Mr.. Marston takes a comfortable view Of the
future Of book publishing, though he does not
doubt that such modern developments as penny
literature. the literary agent" etc. have ma
terialiy affected the interests of old fashioned
authors and publishers" But the titbit Itera-
ture at popular prices will, he is convinced, pre-
pare the half educated reader Of to-day for bet
ter books. We echo his opinion that there is
q grand future for the higher class of literature
and for publishers OF good books"
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