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Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), 15th October 1890, Edition 1 of 1, Page 1356

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      Sir,—In The Controversy Respecting The R...

      In another case , where a local history was produced by us at our own cost , and where we

      paid the reverend and most learned author 100 guineas for plates in his own possession , the work entailed upon us a loss of upwards of £ 350 , not

      one penny of which did we apply to the author for on account of our arrangement with him , nor did he ever offer - - - one — — penny ¦— — — ^ to - — us — in — — return — — - — for — —

      our heavy loss , though we had paid him at first 100 guineas . We would ask the publishing world where is

      the reverend gentleman and author who has ever voluntarily recouped publishers for heavy losses after printing works which did not sell and never

      paid even the money expended upon them ? It is believed that the Life of Christ' was judiciously advertised , and the work being made well known by that meansin our — opinion ' made —'

      Archdeacon ^ f Farrar as an , author . The j _ question is , would the reverend gentleman have recouped Messrs . Casseil for their large O outlay . / if the work

      had been a failureor ¦ could he have obtained from his bankers an , advance to cover the printing % j , & c , beforehand on the supposed — m— — — — ground | - j — — of — ^

      the work succeeding ? This outlay the publisher and printer incurs , never asking the author for an advance , and then , Shylock-like , he wants all

      the profit , and will not incur any of the risk where failure is the result . In our experience we never knew an author

      whose works were not going to sell by thousands , took and it the is known last census that in as one his case guide , where , struck an all author the

      women and children out , made heavy deductions from ' at first the ' to men be left printed , and his ordered publish a e millio r and n printer copies

      printed only 250 copies , , about 50 only being sold , and thus saved his customer from a heavy loss . The moral from this last discussion is for

      publishers is arr in future for never at firs to tand pay stand authors like more modern than Shylocks ang to their bargains , .

      Your obedient servants ,

      West-end Publishers .

      1356 • The Publishers' Circular ) Oct. 1...

      1356 The Publishers' Circular ) Oct . 15 , 1890

      Sir,—Until It Is Finally Settled That * ...

      Sir , —Until it is finally settled that * property * * is ¦ " - ' * ¦ r —¦ o - ^ r bbery " rv ^^ a ¦ ' ^ I l . think *>* . J « AA . A A » . that 1 ^ u «^« «/ Mr A . IJL ^ L . J Besant ^ VMLVAA V ' s and «> W A A V- * Arch JL Jk . A . V ^ * * -

      deacon Farrar ' contention that the division of profits between the latter gentleman and Messrs . Casseil & Co . is not an equitable one is nothing

      less was than in a very impudent large . measure The creation due to of the the publish property ers and — — the - — — author - ^— — — — - ^— ¦ —— - — was w - — — - - ^ paid h ^^ - ^ k— — i ¦ ~** ^ « ^ ¦ ^ 11 ¦ ^^ he ^ & ^ —| — - asked ^ t ^ ^ m i i ^ b ¦ * ^^^ ¦ —m ^^ u , ^ b and ^ r ^ V ^"^^ | * i , m pre j fc » ^^ ^^^ - ,

      sumably , all he wanted . A bargain is a bargain , and in no other department of business than that of — publishin ™ - - ' — ¦ — - ~~ g M ^^^ i , I be ^^ lieve ^^^ ^^^ , is any ^^ ^^ ^^ M claim ^^^ " ^^ ^~* ^^ ^^ ever — i ~ v ^*^ ^~» ¦ ^ acknow fc ^^ w ^ ^ r * - 1 ^ ^^^^ ^ j * v -

      led Besant ged . similar to that now put forward by Mr . Yours obediently ,

      October 8 . W . H . 1 * .

      ' An Author' Writew : When Mr. Besant An...

      ' An Author' writew : When Mr . Besant and others talk about the

      equity of the transaction , do they not see that Messrs Canon . Farrar Casseil simp ? ly If acted Mr . Besa as the nt paid employed clerk o a f type-writer in the production of the 'Golden

      Butterfl that type y / -writer did he according feel bound to his in profits equity ? to If pay she now now claims claims more more , and and Mr Mr . . Besant Besnnt replies renlies . * No Nn IT

      there promised fore to I have give , been you £ more 20 , and than I just gave / has you , she £ 50 , a , right to reply , « Before I can admit that , you must

      let me know what you made out of the book' ? book Messrs of their . Casseil own design wished as to Messrs produce . Maple a certain may

      ' An Author' Writew : When Mr. Besant An...

      4 duction wish to pro was duce a certai a n bookcase manufacture . To its pro ra - necessary paper ,

      writer bookbinder , a printer , a bill , poster a proof , and corrector others , . a The reader joint , a production of these loyes working ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ pih out Messrs .

      C B ^^ ass H * | , ¦ * ^^ pf ^ te e ^^» ll ^^^» ' ^^* s ^ fc ^^^ idea T ^™^^ ^^^» ^^^ was ^ P" ^^ fc ^ " ^^^ " ^^^ " an ^^^ r emp ^^^ article ' ~ K *^ ™^ ^^ r % V ~^ ^^ F which ^ * ^^^ - — — sold ^^^^ for more ^ —r — m ^ were than f as cost 9 clearl paid entitled in wages *¦• ¦ as . Messrs To that . Map - - profit le to they the

      profit V *• ^ e ^^ ^ * on n r ^ p * ^ their k ^^^^ v- »» ¦ * y F bookcase ^^ p * ^*^ ^* ^ ** ^ ^^ w . ™^ A ^» - « merchan ^ - ^^ —» —^ — - — — — — t who ^ makes clerk £ 5 , 000 s an on extra a cargo sum for of their wheat services does not pay he did his ;

      he would have to claim from them when he made their a loss . Messrs loyCanon . Casseil Farrar very present generousl of y £ 2 mad 000 e

      His not emp over e -refined reply a , * Well , it ' s , not . much considering your income . '

      Canon Farrar may possibly have some day to in emp his loy clerical a curate duties at , sa . y , Immersed £ 200 a year in literary to help pur him

      b curate su o nus , he , and k may would have £ 100 doubtless to ¦ . thro And w if compensate extra that work curate him on tuin b that y > a

      round w \* r ^^ v ^ M , ^ 4 ^ on ^^ ^ , say R ^^ % J ** j , m an w ^^ d X' * sa * # ys , ^^ * But ^^^ ^ ^^ before ^ - * ^ r ^ ^^— ' — - I thank ' — - - — you Canon I should Farrar like think to know that your curate total has income acted , in ' w ac ill

      cordance with equity and the teachings of the

      • Life of Christ' 1

      However Stk,— Much I Had I Intended Migh...

      however StK , — much I had I intended might be to misrepresented say nothing further ; but I ,

      taking will answer to themselves Mr . Galpin quotations ' s appeal . in Messrs which . I Casseil never , dreamed of the most distant reference to myself

      or them , have gone out of their way to blazon abroad what * — —— they _—— what — ^ j gained ^_ — they — — . paid — But — - to I — made - me — — without - no charge - one ^ j againsfc hint i t of

      them direct or indirect , and have never said anything of them which I have not said plainly to them .

      Your obedient servant ,

      F . W . Farrar .

      Letter Mr , . Says Harry :— Quilter, In ...

      letter Mr , . says Harry : — Quilter , in the course of a long j

      Although fortunes are now and then made in the publishing trade , they are almost as frequently lost , and I have never yet personally come across

      the publisher who was not entirely willing to act as a distributor and producer of any given or respectable bookand assist the author by the

      best of his advic , e as to its production on the payment of a royalty of 10 per cent . It is within my own personal experience that publishers

      whom I have no reason to suppose less interested than their fellows would take half the abovementioned sum ; and the curious part of the

      matter is this—that even amongst authors , who are there by are no m found eans p ressed xtremel for few a few who hund are red willing pounds to ,

      have the courage of their y convictions and pay for above the pr - oductions mentioned rate their . The imm question ortal wo may rks well at the bo

      asked why , if the publisher exacts so many unfai not r be pou content nds of to flesh ive , our him litera the mode ry Antonios rate con should dition g

      on shop which keeper he , broadly is ready s to peaking deal . , who There em is ploys no other capital as well as intelligence , who is willing to work

      at the a 90 less per rate cent . , Why in , their then , pocket will not and authors pay put the 10 per The cent answer , ? is a very simple onealthough it

      is continually burked in all transactions , between author and publisher . The truth is that publishing

      books is a gamble , neither more nor less ; the

  • Citation
    • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), Oct. 15, 1890, page 1356, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15101890/page/18/