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    500 The Publishers' Circular: m ^ ^^^ s

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Shilling Stobijes.

    in It could the people hardl themselves or onlin and a minor their line degree of thoug be fc # * said ht .

    ^ k V ^» # X / *» - *^ b * i UUL \ 41 yy , y VS .-L \ J ill y T XU Ut MA * fc * - » Xi ^* . VfcVj ^* " * - >^»* , » X ^ •** ¦«•«•* ^* fc that stated -we time couid btheir judge dress a nati but on ' s we progress could certainl at any y , y

    estimate their well-being at the same period from their fiction . In literature it is doubtful whether the old class

    of literature patient , hard for -working its own i sake nvestigators rather , men than who for loved the notoriety and pe 2 uniary reward that its worship

    superfici brought al them intelligence , is not fast win dyiDg the out day ; , smartness and honest and , steady-going knowledge is out of count . <

    larly In marked our lig . ht The literature cry is thi for s something tendency is that particu shall - be light and frothy , piquant to the taste , and smart

    rather than laboriously truthful to nature . A sine qud the reader non is b that y no it carefull shall be y studied amusing descri ; entertaining ptions of

    character , but treating everything—the fbiMes , li wa ght ys , and and fashions facile touch , the tendencies pleasantl of y the suggesti time— ve with but a

    never unpleasantly heavy , , and always characterised , a by novelist clever insi in ght day % and l s gone C 3 dexterous by Jwould ingenuity have . devoted Where

    several pages to the delineation of a character , carefully filling in every detail , the present wielder of the pen presents the creation by a few skilful

    touches ; it is the case of the lightning caricaturist as compared with the sober , painstaking portrait painter .

    It was probably owing to this tendency of which We have spoken that authors and publishers were first led to direct their attention to the question of

    shilling fiction . The idea was to provide at a moderate price works that should be peculiarly appropriate to the timesgently titillating the

    mental J . J . J . fancy without boring , O the » f human mind O ; skimming DAiJxi works that the should surface be li of ght life and amusing it in rather character than ,

    ixtiug uxao ouxxa \/ C \ jl J . JJ . C 7 as a > o iv were y » ci . o ± . nvux ? JL ujiaii penetrating beneath into _ keen , , analysis , , of motive and - - *¦—— — - descri — — — —— - — — ption h ¦¦ — —m ~ ¦ — — ¦ ¦ of h —— character ~^ h ~ — - ^ m —r ~~~ m h - ^^ f ^^ - *^ - ^*~ -m— . —^^ v ^ v v Exciting ^^^^^^^ «^ " ^^» ^ w ^^ v ^ ^^ m ^^ " ^^ BJBBVHt they ^»^ ^»™^ w ^ b * m mi ^^^™—»— ~^ b- g ^ BBBK ht — h —^

    be demanded , but never to be dull taken ; at such a sing stories le sitting as imperativel and were y admirabl ^^^^^ * ¦ * ~~ ^~^ ^^^^~ ~^^ " ^ ~ y m adapted ~^^ r ^ r ^^*^^ ^ r ^^ r h ^^ - ^ r - ^^^ ^^ v ^^ ^ for ^^ . ^^^ p ^^^ the ^ t ^ ^^^ i ^^ B ^ B ^ r confines ^^ ^^^^ ^ VbH ^^ . ^^ ^^*^^ . ^^ V V ^^ F of ^^^^ t ^ B ^ a ¦ . ¦ BJ ¦ ¦¦ railway > ^ BP ^ Bf SB M S ^ V ^ B' ^^ W

    carriage . Shilling works of fiction written on such lines as we have indicated ¦ ¦ H have H almost invariabl ¦ ¦ BB # y we W

    — — — — —~ — — ~ — " ^^^^^ B *^^ V ^ B ^ ^ " ^^ ^ " »^*^^^^ ^ b" ^^^ ' ^ B » ^^ ^^^^ ^~ ^ ^ ¦ ^»^ BF " ^ BT ^^> r - ^^ think the this necessary we proved might successful instance gift of narration , the provi stories ded . of the As Hugh testimony authors Conway had to ,

    • Grant J . S . Allen Winter Florence . ' Wilkie Warden Collins , Ma Helen C . Mathers Rowsell , Mrs - . H . » Lovett —~ - , Camero BT n B « BBk B > and Ba Bl BhBj others B , VH . bT ry All BBS of BV these BftBBJ # in B , ) »•¦¦•

    humorous their " — own special a third ^ " ^ - ^» " way ~* T ^ bod ""^^^ - ^ B ^ » , ^ so sentimental , me ' bei ^^«* ^» ng B ^^ ^*» sensational ' B «» V ^ W have * B * ^ B « B > "B * B » achieved * V , others » ^* ** BT ^ T »» in ' this — — 1 V form ^^ , * of ^ B > - ^ m literary v ^ »¦ w ^^ ¦«¦ ¦ bi <* w v y ¦»¦¦ endeavour ^ toT bj pa , ^^^ * 4 # V V V *^ w *» * VM undoubted T 4 ** B , *¦¦«¦ ^ f «* ^ B * « W B ^^^ B ^ , v ^^ ^» VM kudos ^ BbV « * jb ^ ***¦ ¦ ^ w ^ . W

    field Unfort unatel nce th y there ate wa have s crowded a number into of the writers same w ¦ ho , not only M in " ™ ——— g themselves » —• . -BBT BkBT * BT ! B * open * - ^^ Bl ^ M are , ( , - ^^ ill »*» adapted »»>«» SV U W ^ B ^ * B ** for B * ^ . ^ *»• "such ^ " *¦ ~ l .. T Tl l " l

    • work ing a ( being clear - and wanting distinct in method plot , , and incapable otherwise of form defi - - cient ) , but they have by their presence materially

    interifered with the success of those already there . A asp powerful irants after imagination literary , fame it may , is be an remarked important to these and

    under under imagination certai certain n which conditions conditions is an useiul usefu imag l ination qualification Qualification and , , nothing but but an an more , unsupported by genuine knowledge and

    ex-The perience result of of the the world invasion , is apt of to this lead untrained to disaster but . highl y imag 4 b ! inative oV body of authors Ba h is that the ^ ^ ¦! * ^^ m ^_ ^

    fiction market is for greatl experienced y overstocked writers ^ . of shilling *^ works of I thf > Foremost writer whos among e aim such is to be literary sensati workers onal . In comes this ,

    therefore as he believes calsts , lies asid the e the great wfsh secret -washy " of success accessor . ^ H | of e .

    probabili , ty , and wantonly revels y in crime . His villai , * n is ^^ ^^» " a ^ B ^ BF nian ^^ r ^ BMW — ^ " —^^— of - ^ B ^ " ^^ no ^^^^^ ' ^ K ^ ordinary ^ B ^^ ^ B ^ ~^ FW SB > . ¦¦¦** ^^^^ - ^^^ » typ —~ . ^ b m M— e ^— ; ^ p I — al ¦ 10 ^ . # possesses » J— - « Bl powers ^ B ^ 3 »— \ - > —¦ 1 ¦ • — " of ^ B ^ ^ Bf ^ ^ . - * .

    moment foresi ght ^^ vouchsafed and a gift _^ to of few turning . As up a rule * at the " * tHwarfced / wrong love SBW ^ J ^^^ B / V is BB > Bl « r the ^ B ^ ^^^^ " ^ B ^ cause ' ^ B ^ ^ B ^^ " ^ v ^ BV VSb * of ^ B ^^ B | ^ his ^^^» ^^ B nefarious - ^ ~ ^ " *— ¦ ^ proceedings B ^~^ , — ' ^^^^ ^^^^ . ^^ , Bt

    gold but , ! they the promptings may also of proceed the green from -eyed a desire monster ^ , or a 7 irit B of BBB ) re BBV venge «¦ or very possibl BT » - y all three

    comsp BW BB «»*> ¦¦^ m ' ^^ ^^»» ^ BT BJ ^ BP B > V > BJB" | »» T , ^ B ^ ¦ ^ B > « ^^ WW - ^ ^ - ^ ^^ « ' ^ — — ' ™ entire bined . absence Not infrequentl of lanation y he would for his seem conduct , from to the be actuated by a spirit exp of pure f * cussedness . ' , He i &

    generall ^ black B ^ W Vj ^ ^^^ ^ BJB ^ ^ fB > ^ B' moustache ^^^^ ^^ ' ^^ y ^^^^ dark ^ B ^ B ^^^ , »^^^ an BJB ^ conceali •^¦^^^ " d . MT ^ B ^ he ^ B ^ ^^^^ affects BJ ^^ ¦ ^^—^^^^^ a mouth , as ^^ ^^^ ~— ~ ^» a ^^ of — — r ^ ule ^ hard ~ — — , a heavy ^ cruel - — ^ ^^— ~^^ and menacing aspect , . Occasionall ng y the latter , as- ,

    moments sumes a the coldl lips y are cynical curled appearance in haughty ; , at contemp other - tuous disdain . His eyes . are invariably restless

    villain and shifty - ^ SB * ^ b the > , this whole _ ^ is _ an worl infallible ^ d ^ Bh B ^ over ^ 0 k ^ ¦ ^ Bt si gn b be y which detected BK B > * Bt any . Why fair-haired men , by the way may ; should

    appapalling rently be atrocity incapable we have of committing never yet deeds been able of ap to - make ¦ out ; probabl BIB for the same reason ... that it

    faced seems ^^^^^¦^^ B ^ Bff ^ V ^ "fc ^^^ ^ BB" ^ B impossible bald ^^ ^ fB ^ B , ^ B ^ ^ B -headed ^ ^^^ ^^^ " ^ BT ^ B" ^» F ^ B ^ to ^^^ y man W imag ^^ ^ " i committing ¦ ine ^^ ^^ ¦ a ^ ^^ ^ little I " a , murder - ^ stout ^ — ^^ ^ , round _ . ^^_^^_ _ And . ^^ _ - yet such , men must have their bad feelfngs like the

    rest Piling of poor atrocity humanity on . atrocity with reckless . and ext ^ B > BBk ^ BB ^^ " ¦¦¦ r > ^ a B ^ BF v BJ ^ a ^ B ^ ¦ g V ^ B ^ - ant ' ^^^^~ ^ ' ^ a ~ " '"' ban ^ " ^ ^ ™ r ^ ' d ^ on " ^^^ » ' ^ , V the daring ^ " " ~ ~ g B ^^ B | concoctor — ^^ " ^ of

    As shilling a rule dreadfuls the whole presentl fabric ^ y alls finds about himself his ears in a , and fix . b he bbsb has # bb to creep btf from ¦ 1 beneath 1 the debris in ¦ an

    extreme One v ^; ^»* ^> ^** great ^ t " ^^ ly ^^ ^^^ lame ^ difficulty ^^^ ^ " ^^ ^^^ ™ ^ and ^^^™ ^^^ impotent ^ he » ^^ ^^ has ^^ ~ fashion ^^^^^^ to ^^ contend at — the close — with — . throug ^ B ^ SB ^^ Bj ^^ ^ B ^^ ^ BF ^ . S ^ BB ^ hout m ' ^ B ^ ^^^^» ^^^ the ^^ " ^^ ^^ " ^^ " ^ narra ^ ^^^^^ ^¦ ¦ ^^ ¦ ¦ ti ^^ F ~ ^^ ve « ^^¦ - ^ is — the - ^ ^ ^^ ^ - ^ conversation ^^^ ^ - ' ^ — ¦ — ^^ . — It ~— is

    difficult to make this sufficiently heroic and of a suitable character with the thrilling events that accompany ¦ fcHBV - ^^ ~ B £ ¦ 0 T ^ B ^ Bbj « B > BB > mt ^ ^ B ^« " ^^^^ it ^^ ^ B ^ . Bf From B ) B ^^ BB > ^^ B ^ ^»^»^^» the ^ B » ¦ ¦ ' ^^^^ ^^ B" Scy ~^^ " ¦ ^^^ lla " ^™ ^^ " ^^ of ^^^ " ~^^ ¦ stilted ™ ^— —^ » ^^^ ^— m ^ ' elodrama ^^^ *— ' — ^^ ™ ™ ^^^ ¦ ^ ^^

    on the one hand , he is very apt to recoil on the is Chary Bf on the bdis latter of utter rock commonp b that he 1 lac ¦ usual ¦ 1 e on i l the y conies otjier . to Bat grief it ,

    and A ^ . ^ B' ••¦^ ' while ^ BF B > ^^ " ^ B ^ ^""" ^ the ^^ " ^^ ^^» ^ " ^^^^ ^»™ nat ^^^ w ^^ " ^ ure ^^ " ^—^^^ ™ of ^^^»^^¦ " ™ ^^ the ¦ ¦ ^^ - ^ ^ events ^^ — ^ ^ - ^ -m he relates — ^~ ^ ^ - ^ — — ^^ m is ^^ a - ~ — — of which the most the various awe-stirring characters description , the their language sensations in express

    ydu is prosaic marry and jne ? unemotional * asked the . professedl in the extreme y ardent . * lover Will in BB ) MBt the BB child ¦ ' s play BJ ¦ ¦ ¦ . ' ¦ Yesif ¦ you p BJ lease / timidly

    rep ^ lied ^ " ^ " *^ ^^ ^^ the ^ ^^^^ " ^^ ^ - ^ —~ blushing - ~— ™ ™ " ^^ bride ^^ ^ . , ^ . ^ About ^^ m " ~ ^~ on a ^^ ^ par W ^^ ^ ' ^ ^ ^ with — ^^ g this is much' of the dialogue in some of these shilling W ^ BtfrBf * Jh * ffB > affs A Bt *« V bpjk stories P ^ # * B # ^ B ^ BVA B « ^ bT *^ bT . V

    Next we have the sentimental writer—usually a w broad oman , , well but -worn not invariab lines , and ly so appeals . Her rather plot runs to the on sympath flBBXBBBMB « Bf ies I Bl of »¦» the reader bVBB ¦ » 7 1 B than ¦ B » to any » - « npvelty I I « v ¦ of

    » "B ^ . , jb' ^^ B * ¦* " ^^ ' ^^ ^ r " ^»^ ™^«^ ' ^ B ^ ^ b ^ B ^ B ^ ^ B ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ' ^^ ' ^^ ™ ™ ^— ^ ^^— ^™ — upon incident with . v The arying key- degrees note is of love intensity , and it throug is played hout . A bW patrician V ^^ VI VBfe father iBlVIBk —generall VIBB ^ B BV 4 Bl BJ in VV difficulties ¦ ¦ ¦ 4 ¦ i . A

    charming V * > BB ^^ VJV *¦ ^^ B 1 ^^ ^ B ^*^ daughter ^^ Vm ^^^ ^ . v ^^ ^ V ^^ B * . ^ Wv A ^^^ ^^^ handsome .. ^^ V ^^ V ^ B y . «^ B ^^ B , ^^ ^^^^— true ^ v ^^ ' ^^ - hearted ~^ ^^^^ V ^ v ^^ diabolicall lover fc — B penniless y beautiful » . Scheming fiendish l ^^ i ^» ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ - rival disposition ¦ f — qpp p lenty i ¦ i ed . foreign *~ ~^^ Dark ~ i »» ,

    woman ^^»^ B *^ V ^ P " ^^ ^ B ^ ^^ . ^ . ^^ ^*^^ ^^ ^^ These ^ ^^^^ ^ ^ " ^^ ^ v are ^ B ^ ^ ^ ' ^ ^• ' ^^ B ^^ the B , JJ ^ B ^ characters »^ ^»^^ ^ " —^» ^^^^ ^™ ^^ ^^^ that ^ " ^ ^^ ^^ with ^^ ^— ^— , ^ m certain — ^^^ alterations having ¦ w *¦>& ¦ v v «¦ w ^^ m w «» a been ^^ ^ bT ^ b * 4 »« m in loosel bv * ^^ ^ b ^ v detail ^ ^^ fl ^ y v fky shuffled **> *> ^ are i ^ i ^» — m . ^ v ^ fjj ^ mainl ^ in ^ # ^** the vpr ¦* *¦ y writer w * emp *¦* «¦ v ^ ^^^ wb loyed ' s vbjbt imag b «> wi «) itffr , and ina ^* - ,

    dealt tion , in out company in various with situations a few minor of misfortune beings , they , hope are , j structed ealousy , somewhat and distress after . this A favo fashion urite : plot Young is g con irl - , daug \ 41 h ter of parents k / UA ( generally UIAA f clergyman *»\^ fc I-I Hi as fthat

    furnishes AUfUgVVJL V * evidence poor f- ^ V ^ X ^ -1- VM of respectability ^ gVUVAW ) , >¦» T goes OM ) , out -- ^ -- * - -v * - — as governess the heart uuuia of in old house lady of and wealth is aiv y treated im nobleman as , one captivates >/ of the

    famil « jaa « j y . u vr Garden * v * Mi Jkuuj | parties , «<» jiva , lawn vuvu -tennis m u > t' v - m atches v * - —• ,

    dances take p , lace picnics . Soil , but of apparently house , long little l ^ o gpyerouesfljng ^ n for ? his ,

    500 The Publishers' Circular: M ^ ^^^ S

    500 The Publishers' Circular : m ^ ^^^ s

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), May 16, 1887, page 500, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_16051887/page/14/