New-York tribune., 1910-02-06
Ube Nem1llork gritbmoae.
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 6. 1910.

1h, literary critic has such large liberties i'll
tl,, matter OF speaking his mind that he can
I.. complain in when lie is himself made the sub
It-t nf discussion Very good humoredy, too,
+, he treated hy the anonymous author, evi-
dcttly Il novelist. who diSCOuISes in The
Atdhnr'' on The Reviewer and His Little
Ways" He is not it appears. an utter villain.
III hr can he horrid,' we are told, "he can also
h, very. very nice. If he can obstinately per
vert the most original actions of your charac-
t-r> into something old and commonplace, he
can also display an insight into their motives
tbat surprises YOU What are his more OBJ
n"xiouS foibles: His praise is sometimes be-
slowed i'll the wrong direction. IF you are the
scjr European authority on the manners and
customs OF the Elecampane Indians 1t jars upon
You 10 find a j0vial person writing OF your
book 4 thrilling narrative but we think less
& It's main theme than does the author. Any
write about Indians, and what appeals
II Us is the r7lcy account of the doings on the
voyage out" obviously the only thing for
tll. sole European authority to do in a case OF
tins sort is to tae his reviewers scalp. Then
the wicked critic is irritable and careless over
Se1UeIS. he is unjust TO long boOks-just be-
cause they are long-and when he takes d holi-
day he leaves his work in the hands of the
office boy. Decidedly, it is time for him 10 get
lis come -uppance.' But we wonder why his
l1ieSt monitor fancies that reviewers spend
i.a,st of their time on novels? Is it because. for
the novelist. there is nothing like leather?
He is la ardiy to be blamed for his notion that
action constitutes the greater part of current
literature since he and his affairs are forever
being forced upon the public attention. An
otIler communication in Tie Author embodies
q preliminary report framed by the sub-com-
ni:ttee of the Society of Authors appointed to
j'o into the question of the price of novels.
1jr campaign recently started for cheaper fc-
tot Is still i'll the experimental stage, but this
report shows that enough material has already
Teen gathered TO Justify the recommendation
that the six shilling standard should be main
jaiued. The CONSENSUS of opinion from the pub
E~hers consulted is TO the effect:
~ ta) that from 5000 copies at least to
1c.)00 (thc highest figure mentoned) must be
sold At IS. net; (b) that 5000 must be sold at
=. 81. net: and (C) that 5000 copies must be
lie amount equivalent to that which he usually
receives on 5000 copies at 6s., i. G. As. Cd net
-, That. leaving exceptional cases out of
count. it does not appear probable that the
enhanced by 4 reduction in the price of the
original issue. on this point figures relating to
particular cases have been submitted in proof
Of tie opinion.
90 That the same proportionate royalty could
not ne offered upon the lower prices. On this
point the publishers are all very clear.
These figures ought to prove fairly concu-
sFe among those nOveliSts who have no iu-
>ions as TO their drawing power" The truth
il that it takes pretty clever writer to reach
even the lowest average indicated i'll the fore
going quotation.