Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-31
Literary Discoveries
of S. S. Mcclure

Were Robert Louis Stevenson to como
back to life he could command almost
any price for his work. Yet when offered
5000 by 5. s. Mcclure for "St. Ives" he
blushed and said no novel of his could
possibly De worth more than $4,000.
Imagine Chambers or McCutcheon say
ing that! But Stevenson was, above all
things. modest. And he didn't hire a
business agent. as do our literary pluto
Gratis nowadays. If he had, he would not
have absent -miudedly sold the novel to
Mcclure while under contract with
another publisher for all his output. The
oversight not only made trouble for the
guileless author, but caused equal dis
comfort to the equally innocent publisher.
In My Autobiography" Just published
by the Frederick A, Stokes Company,
New York. Mcclure gives delightful
"reminiscences Of Stevenson. once the
author of "Treasure Island" took his
wife to France for a pleasure trip. He
mad check for $40 and some odd money.
After a while he announced that his
funds were running short and they must
return home. Upon unpaCking their
trunks they found the $500 check un-
touched
But, speaking OF authors remuneration
for their books, II hardly seems possible,
does it, that there was ever q time when
men like kipling and Conan Doyle were
not well known and sought after by gen.
erous publishers. But as recently al 1887
Kipling found himself in New York with
a bag of manuscripts of which he could
not sell a single one. Years afterward.
for the American rights of THE Light
That Failed" he received $500, and he
offered one Of the Jungle Book" stories
for Si95 while as soon MS his books be-
came known in this country he was paid
81. 100 for Kim"
For the first u Sherlock Holmes"
stories which he bought Mr.. Mcclure
paid only $50 apiece.
Never happier than when rescuing some
talented author from oblivion and pre-
senting him to the public, It was Nc
Clure lot 10 discover most Of the writers
who have become famous during the
last p or 80 years And he says truthfully
that he offered them through his news
paper syndicate an unparalleled oppor-
tunity 10 test out their merits. II the
editors bought tho stories II was sure
sign thar their readers liked them; II they
did not, 1t was good tip to the author
to go away and hide himself or turn to
some more useful occupation.
Mcclure must have been a godsend to
young venturers on the sea OF literature,
for he says himself that he was easy to
get by" IT believed in man 1 could
give him n large audience al once; could
give that gaze OF the public which Is
the breath Of life to writer"
Is the supply of good writer's con-
tlnuous? Mcclure thinks not. 1T is
usually Is OF 20 years before new man
comes along who has really anything to
say, and there must be a new race OF
critics and editors, too, who will permit
him 10 say something new"
one feels like quoting extensively from
this admirable volume. Il seems that the
writer says everything Just right, and
always. one feels. In a different way from
what any one else would say It Take
this gem, from his description OF his
privaUons while trying TO work his way
Few persons. surely, have ever had to
wage a more dscouraging fight against
hopeless odds than Mcclure waged in
getting his syndicate started. The details
are narrowing. And yet" he says, "all
this time we were very happy. was
rich In ideas and in hope, and my wife
believed In my Ideas and In me-"
Such a partnership wins Quit Is
bound to win. And in the case OF the
AIcClures you are Just as pleased over
the final success as you would be over
the happy ending OF fascinating novel.
Indeed. the autobiography is as interest
ing as any novel We have seen in long
time.