New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-19

youth, hoping to better himself, he
| soon obtained a job in book shop,
and in the evenings he read history in
the aIcoves Of the Mercantile Library.
Thus George Palmer Putnam laid the
foundation Of his success as a pub
Usher. and in this memoir his son
shows him to have been always the
worker Of energy and ambition that he
was at the outset His career is not
without interest for readers to-day. 1t
discIoses sound traits Of character in
the man, and incidentally it revives
the literary atmosphere Of New York
in an older generation.
Mr.. Putnam's want of early training
threatened to embarrass him when he
was making his real start in life
Hoping TO put his reading at the Mer-
camille TO good purpose, he compiled in
his scant spare hours a book Of ref
erence, Chronology: An Introduction
and Index to Universal History" and
plucked up courage to submit his man
uscript to Professor NcVickar, Of
Columbia College. The scholar looked
sternly at his visitor and asked,
Where were you educated, sir?" Il
have never had any education, sir"
was the reply, and the interview ended
with an expressive, PROFESSIONAL, All"
But the mere fact Of Putnam having
done this bit Of work suggests the stuff
of which he was made. Nothing could
keep him down. Industry and a great
practical resOurcefulness enabled him
steadily to prosper. He was only
twenty-six when he was in business for
himself with a partner, and the firm
Of Wiley & Putnam rapidly made its
way. 1t is at this point that his son
gives US some interesting notes on the
earlier days Of American book publish
ing A very important proportion Of
the stock in a New York shop in those
days, he says, was made up Of works
imported from England. American
literature" he adds, though slowly
developing. was still far from sufficient
20 supply even the very inconsiderable
reading public which then existed"
The English branch Of the business
was, indeed Of such serious signif-
canoe that Mr.. Putnam went TO Lon
don almost as soon as his partnership
had been established, and a year later,
in 1871, he opened there the first
g. 10 % A
in Great Britain. To his work as
pioneer in a trade that has since been
enormously developed by many houses
he brought as HIS special contribution
a keen feeling for trade justice. He
initiated then the policy which by and
by made him an effective worker in
the cause Of international copyright.
The young American, modestly but
independently looking about him in
England, was not slow TO resent the
accusation that there was something
singular and portentous about the lit
erary pirates" then flourishing in his
native land. He saw that English pub
fishers had foibles Of their own, and
IN the approved piraticai manner were
doing their best 70 create public TO
reply TO Sydney Smiths famous query,
"Who reads an American book?" Ia
1916 he drew up a table of the books
written by his countrymen which were
reprinted in England during the pre-
ceding FIVE years. 1t exhibited a total
Of nearly four hundred works. This
did not discourage him in his endeavor
20 deal fairly with the British author.
Carlyle, 10 whom he carried some I'M
commonly favorable proposals, thought
him "a very intelligent, modest and
reputable-looking fellow" and gave
him his full confidence How he ex-
cited the appreciation of Elizabeth
Barrett Browning is shown by this
ecstatic letter Of hers, written to Rob
ert Browning, in 1915:
Only let me remember 10 tell you this
time In relation 20 those books, and the
question asked Of yourself by your noble
Romans, that just as ! wes enclosing
my sixty pounds debt 10 Mr.. Moxon l
did actually and miraculously receive a