The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-18

by editors and publishers. Al q matter
Of fact, there never was a time In the
history OF the world. probably, when
writer's OF original minds, Of creative
imagination, Of somewhat faoile express
sion, had such q chance as at the pres
ent moment, and especially in this city.
One Of the large publishing houses, it
is said. receives about 10000 unsolicited
manuscripts a year. In the periodical
which it publishes it can use on ar aver
age twenty a montj., or at the outside
$50 in the twelve months. or these, it
is further remarked, fully one-half are
arranged for in advance, from writer's
whose productions literally command a
place, from explorers who 60 TO the ends
Of the earth, from scientific persons who
in their professional work have made
important discoveries regarding this
thing or that, from travellers who are
engaged to visit remote or familiar
scenes, from historians who are authori-
ties in their special fields, and so on.
Putting aside these men and women
who by long years Of study and other
hard work have become recognized az
valuable contributors, there remains for
the editor in question the opportunity to
accept about 1875 out of the 10000 manu-
scripts. He cannot accept more, because
he has not space for them. II he ac-
cepted an extra thousand OF the contri-
buttons, and paid for them an average
Of SIS only. he would have locked up
capital to the extent of 5000. It 10
hard enough for the unfortunate editor
and his assistants to. c carefully the
whole 10000 unsolicited manuscripts,
without expecting in addition such an
unwise outlay Of capital as has been
indicated.
One of the last letters received from
correspondents on this subject is from
a man who tells how he engaged in
literature" three years ago-a state
ment that must bring sympathetic
smiles to the faces Of those who have
been patiently toiling, studying, travel
ling, observing, writing for ten or twelve
times that number Of years. We judge
from this correspondence letter that
he has not been successful; and he lays
stress upon the fact that he had great
difficulty in finding a hearing for his
first effort, a manuscript which was
a slang lexicon and a dissertation upon
the yegg species Of vagrant." If the truth
we're fully known il would probably be
to the effect that so few book buyers are
interested in this subject that the sale
Of the work, however well written,
would not pay the cost Of the white paper
used. not to mention the printers bill,
the stereotyping, the cover design, the
advertising, the selling expenses, &c.
The case reminds one, though in q diff
ferent way, of a learned octogenarian
now living near New York, who forty
years ago was the friend OF some of the
greatest scholars Of two continents, a man
who was as familiar. with the universe
ties Of Europe as with those of this
country. He spent nearly thirty years
in translating, editing, compiling a great
historical work, which he felt convinced
ought to be accessible tothose who could
read no tongue other than English. When
finally finished, the manuscript was SUBJ
mitted to publisher after publisher,
who agreed heartily with the old gen.
tleman's idea, but told him simply and
candidly that the great outlay neces-
sary for publishing it would not be a
wise investment because there was such
a limited market for a book of the kind.
Thereupon this o%ctogenarian hired a
typewriting machine, learned to operate
it in ten days. and laboriously made sew
eral copies of the whole volume. These
copies were presented to some Of the
more important institutions Of learning
in this country and in England. and they
are readily accessible to scholars who
may desire to consult them. 1t is worth
while remembering that this friend Of
ANDREW WHITE and JOHN BRIGHT, this
former pupil of RENAN, did not write
complaining letters to the newspapers.