New-York tribune., 1908-05-17
GDe 3SSeaaap;' 2a},ooaG:ls gr-ibi>noaosss Crib noos
SUNDAY, MAY II, 1908.

splor" q value of its own, calculated to
strengthen the novclists appeal? Does it really
hegiltcn tie potenTiality of character? re-
cent commentator plauSbiy argues that noveiists
gain something when they peg out some dis
trict with which they profoundly familiar,
and lay within it the scene Of novel after novel,"
There is something in the idea. 1t is undOubt
edy true that the reader derives, from work
done On this hypothesis certain impression Ut
unity. Undoubtedly 1t makes a rich atmos-
pliere; it makes one familiar with ones sur
roundingS, so that every recurrence of a familiar
feature increases the sovereign conviction Of
reality At the same time it is curious to note
the rarity of the novelist who can do this with
success. 1t must be that success is only poSsi-
ble when the exploitation of specific region in
book after book is the outcome of experience,
of circumstance, and not, strictly speaking, q
matter Of malice afOrethousht. Thomas Hardy,
for example is i sophisticated artist If ever
there was one, but the Wessex novels came nat
uraly and spontaneously from his genius. His
Wessex is painted from the inside, by one born
to the element in which he moves. If most Of
the novests who repeatedly use the same back
ground are far less inspiring than he is, it IS
largely, of course, because they lack his gifts,
but it is also due to the fact that they 60
deliberately to work to collect their local color,
doing their work from the outside
There is some interesting reading in the r.
ports of that action against the London "Times,"
in the matter of The Letters Of Queen Vic
toria" which brought the plaintiff, Mr.. John
Murray. verdict of $4,000. The action arose,
it Will be remembered, from the assertion made
in letter to the Times by one "Artifex'-
identified at the trial with Mr.. Fl. e. Hooper, Of
the "Times"-that the Letters" had been issued
at eXorbitant price. Mr.. Murray resented
the statement that he had exploited the great
personality of Queen Victoria for his own ends,
and coined the national interest in her dongs
for his own enrichment into thirty two pieces Of
silver to be precise" No one can blame him.
That old remark of Byron's about Barabbas was
bad enough. No publisher with a spark of man
hood in him could sit still on being compared
with Judas. But at the trial the important
thing, of course was just the setting forth Of
the figures in the case. 1t seems that the cost Of
the work, printed in three large volumes in an
edition of 10,2OO copies ran to f7,O60 exclusive
of what WAS paid to the editors, Lord Esher
and Mr.. 4. C.. Benson. By the terms Of their
agreement they were to receive two-thirds Of
the profits. Their payments to 1892, max
ing the total cost of the book f12, ,452. Calcu-
latng his own profits, Nj. Murray roughly eSti-
mated that something over two Slllings would
g into his pocket on each copy. There were
some extraordinary expenses connected with the
preparation OF the work For amanuenses alone
1920 WAS paid Mr.. Murray also testified that
he WAS told that the proofs were 10 be read by
distinguished people, and, therefore, they must
be on the best paper with broad margin fo.
corrections"
The late Emile Gebhart, whose brilliant char
acteristiCs were noted in this place week ago.
writing, when attacked by his last illness,
companion book TO his "Sandro BOtticei-
book meant to bear the title Of "Michel-Ansc,
Sculpteur ct pentre." AS the G0upiis intend 20
bring out this volume in the autumn it is prObI-
bic that the lamented author had nearly
pleted it. \ correspondent Of The AthenpUui'
remembers that Gebhart, when a young student
in the French school of Athens appointed
by the directors to be Ernest Renans guide and
take him to the Acropolis. His friend says:
Lately NJ. Gebhart recalled his experience of
this occasion before few friends He told
hi he tlne