New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-26

Sir Henry lucy in his always inter-
esting Sixty Years in the Wilderness
in the May "Cornhil," has passage
which l quote:
MIR Gladstone, l believe, receives
fair price for his occasional articles III
The Nineteenth Century 1t does not
approach the fee he commands Tor SIM
liar work from American publishers. y
little more than a year ago l happened
20 act as intermediary between the editor
of an American weekly magazine and
MIR. Gladstone in the matter of securing
the ex-Premier as contributor. l was
authorized to offer for an article not eX-
ceeding /. 800 words the sum of E100
$4,000. This is pretty we'll for prose.
He thereafter became an occasional con-
tributor TO this magazine, for which, in
deed, he is writing the article on Mr..
Motley l; is not probable that the rate
OF remuneration has been cut down.
This extract is from Sir Henry Lucy's
Diary, December %, 1889. At that time,
and for long after that, Mr.. James
Knowles-afterward Sir James-was ed
u
had created it and made it easily the
first of the monthly reviews. He was
born editor. No journalist had a keener
sense for news. In this case, news
meant the topic that ought to he handled
st once: the subject the public would
want 10 read about on the first day of
the next month and who was the right
81, 10
very wide acquaintance and very par
ticular art in persuading the right man
10 do an article for him on the right
subject. and do it over his own name.
He could entice Cabinet Ministers, Gen
erals, Poets. Ambassadors, celebrities of
all kinds. into his spreading net.
The list Of writer's names was in itself
an advertisement for this English peri
odcal; perhaps its best advertisements.
At one time Mr.. Knowles was disposed
70 rely too much on names, but he soon
learned that the public with half crowns
to spend wanted something more than
name for its money, and he sought for
specialists on special topics To the last.
there was always Il strong list Of per-
sonalities but il was the strength of the
articles still more than of the writer's Ev
which ne finally appealed t. his readers.
MI Edward icey would write on Egyp.,
which he knew. Mr.. Nail discoursed ~
Tho Dialogues of Lucien. and wrote
others of his own. Sir Frederick Bran
well urged on a reluctant and happily
unbeleving public the claims of he
Channel tunnel, to which he was con-
sulting engineer. Mr.. Andrew Lang en-
lightened us one month on Homer and
the next on Mary Queen of Scots, and
perhaps the third on Joan of Arc. Ten
nyson would lead off with poem. HuX
icy elucidated points of science. The list
is endless, and | return to Mr. Gladstone.
II was thought, and il was. a brilliant
performance 10 enlist the Prime Min
lister in the ranks of contributors to
monthly review; albeit Mr. Gladstone
had written often elsewhere, as the eight
or nine volumes Of his almost forgotten
"Gleanings" are there to attest. He and
Mr.. Knowles were friends. Mr.. Knowles
was a guest at Mr.. Gladstones Thurs
day breakfasts, and Mr.. Gladstone
lunchod or dlned from time to time at
Queen Annes Lodge: the quaint, pleas
ant house in Queen Annes Gate, where
the great editor lived. The house looked
on st. Jamess Park and was pleasantly
furnished with pictures and books, as
well as with tables and chairs HIS hos
pitalties were systematic They we're
one means of recruiting contributors.
flourish Of advertising trumpets aid
tinkling cymbals veritabe fanfare. an
bounced Mr. Gladstones first appear
ance in the Nineteenth Century" 10 an
admiring world. II was a sensation
AS the articles grew frequent. the SEN
sation grew less. TO tell the plain truth,
Mr. Gladstone was never a writer OF the
first order He had not the touch. He
had not the instinct the delicate 9erccp-
zion. the natural feeling for words, the
sense Of proportion, which go to the
making Of a writer as writer. He hcver
knew what 10 leave out: perhaps the
most essential Of all knowledge for the
purposes Of review articles or journalism.
He preached, he refined, he emphasized,
and he had a great deal too much 20 say
and said ii without mercy and without
discrimination So it happened that
after the novelty bad worn off, his arti-
cles were thought to emerge too often
Mr.. Knowles thought so, though he was
TOO loyal 10 his friend TO say IT. Readers
thought go. But MT. Gladstone never
thought so-hOw should he? He poured
them ont in profusion until, as | have
heard. Mr.. Knowles had finally 10 sug-
eest to the great man that exigencies OF
space and obligations TO other contribu-
tors were such as 10 compel a hard
pressed editor to apply for papers as and
when they were wanted.
incidentally, 1 knew something about
the matter OF pay to which Sir Henry
Lucy refers. / had written an article
VOW and then for the Nineteenth Cen
fury" mostly, I think, on American
topics At time when American in
1erests and Anglo American relations
were much discussed in England Mr..
Knowles said he could find room for
more articles If would write them.
told him I liked nothing better than to
write for him. there being no better way
Of reaching English minds than through
the Nineteenth Century" but that
could not afford to write often
What do YOU mean by not afford"
'I mean that for what send to you
lA