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Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), 1st June 1886, Edition 1 of 1, Page 542, rpHE spirit of the American press has be...

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    • 188 Fleet Street, June 1, 1886.
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      542 The Publishers' Circular June I, 188...

      542 The Publishers' Circular june i , 1886 ——¦»¦¦— .. »¦¦¦ .. ¦»»»— . — .. —^ . J ¦ - ¦¦— - — 1- — . —————— I-- — - — —— —1 _»¦¦—n . . ¦ - 1 —1-

      188 Fleet Street, June 1, 1886.

      188 Fleet Street , June 1 , 1886 .

      Rphe Spirit Of The American Press Has Be...

      rpHE spirit of the American press has been J- for some time increasingly favourable to

      the adoption of an international copyright law . It is clearly evident that in the United States

      the objectors to a simple arrangement , free from the burden of ; trade clauses , are those

      ¦ who take a very superficial view of the question , imagining that , commercially , American

      labour would suffer by the adoption of any bill which would concede to British authors in

      America the privileges which , without restriction , American authors would possess in Britain .

      Many Americans , however , strongly oppose the so-called Manufacturing Clause , considering

      the proposal too trivial to interfere with measures which aim at a great reform . As a rule

      those who take this latter view are men whose opinions should carry weight . General

      McClurg , of Chicago , is one of the number . In The Dial , the monthly journal of current

      literature , published in Chicago , the General writes 2

      1 The Englishman ' s book is as much his own in America as his trunk , and the American ' s book is as

      much his own in England as his coat or his hat . That this should ever have been denied will some ¦ day ^¦ TbV b ^ vbjb seem Bbbb * ™ B ^ ^^ V »^*^™ ^^ h ^ as ^*^* W *^ strange b ^ b * b ^^ bbb » ^ b—^ ™^^^ bbjb ^ -b » - as -b ^ p * bf b ^ bv that « bv b ^ bbh m ^ p > BP ^^ r" the v b ^ b Bt vb ' ri bbb « m g ^^ h ^ ht ^^^ b" w ^ of ^^ r i ^ all ^ pjp *» t bbv ™ ™ * men ^ b bb ^ bb wb' ^™^^^ to BV ^ t ^

      " life , liberty , and tlie pursuit of happiness " should , ever liave been questioned . That under this denial thousands £ BBBi fBBBBB BBfB » U yes W ¦ millions BMBBBBBBBBBbbBBb of dollars BBTBl ' worth BiBBB of BBB 1 BNT BBBJ o-

      perty B * ^^^^ BV ^ V ^ B * JB * ^ B *^ B ^ should ^» ^ , ^ , ^^^ " ™^ throug , ™ p »»» ^^*^^ " > v ^ h ™™> a " ^ BJB' ^ long ^^ ^^^* ™™* B ^™ series ™*^ B ^ B ^ ^^ " ^ * W ^ r of B ^ v BB * ^ years ^^^ pr ^ b of ^~ supposed enlightenment and civilisation , have been confiscated-, as if contraband , from British and

      Amexican men and women of letters , will one day be regarded as a late instance of the old and ill rei BBt ff 1 of ¦ mi B ght over ri bp ht . And yetwea ¦* le

      professing ^^ P ^ B gn V ^^ B ^^^ " ^™ - ^*^ ^ v MW to ^ BBIBm B believe ^ P « "B" ^^ ^ B >~ B ^ B » - B- ^ that ^ B ^ B ^ g 7 ^*^ B ^^^ government ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^ PBPJBB ^ V ^ B > B ^^ pr ^ is p * , ma best »» w ^ BB * , ^ B ^ Bp' ^ B founded 1 peop V ^ p ^ ^ pr * BB" ^ , ^ ^ BB ^ b ^ upon a sense of right and justice in the whole people , are v BB among ¦ ¦ ¦ - V 4 the last of civilised hP nations b to sustain Pl BPP

      ^ p ^^ " ^* B ^ ^ PjPF ™ ^ p ^ P > ^ BPBph ^ P ^ ^^^ ^ P ^ r ^ P ^ ^ B- ^ PPT ^ PPPP ^ 'BB * V " ^ ™ " ¦« PJ ^> ^ PPr ^ P > PPP > PP * Vp- ^ PF ^* BPB ^ BB VP ^^ ' PPF ^ B > ^ pr rv ^ PP ^ F ^ PP ^ PP" ^ V ^ B * B * PBBI this form of the reign of might and wrong . Perhaps we do not clearly understand , as between ourselves and ¦ PJI B PPP- »¦ - ¦ England bbbbbbbbbk PB how we V bpBJ and BJbBBbT bbb BBFBb we B | b BT alone ¦ PB BBBj B » BbB" BJ are BB / BB BB responsible B ^ BB BBBkP BPf BBJ

      for ^^ the *— whole ^^ - ~ ™ ^^ ^ , great m ^ ' ^ m- -w v w w wrong ^* , ^^ . «* pa ^* , ^^» ^^ *« pr ^ ^^ - « " ^ P ^ ^** l ' We V W — know P- — —— » that - ^ - — B . ^ the ^^ —> BB -BW books | B > B ^ « B > B » I W of ^ P ^ Eng B ^ bB ABl » Bh lish BB , «* Btp ^ BPBI authors < Bnr ^ - ^ , Btf B ^ Bfc * . *> - ^ Bp PBbT «¦ are B ^ * H > B ^^

      to-day , as a matter of course , let us say , appropriated in this country , and enjoyed by millions of readers , without V W * B » BV BB PPB > BhBP **¦ -W , — as « - < W T ^^ a » rf *¦ ¦¦ ^ rule B ( ^ B > B , ^ fc « P > , any "B _ ^* IpBl f recognition * " ¦¦• ^ b' ^^ ^ pT B ^ H f ~ ~ tf ^ ** pV ^ * *** ** of *^ T pVpt the Vb # ** B *« * B ^ "authors fc <•*¦ ~ P' 4 pW W ^ PPP > P | ^^ B ^ Bf ^ b # '

      right in them—without one cent of reward to those who by labour and toil created them . "We hear their murmurs often expressed with Saxon lainness

      of speech . From Macaulay to William p Clark Russell their words are bitter . "We read in a ¦ pamp ~ r ' ¦ " » hlet ' " ^ " ^ issued ' ~ » ' - ¦ ' '" ^ " -B— — ^ ¦ by ¦ — Mr WB « . » BBhfPBB * . BB Ruslri B |>> B ^ ¦ * P ^ pV ^ Bl M * n Bi in tfB ^ *^ January B ^ # - ^ . JBP | pB ^ 4 , ¦ * Pi ¦ B- M | — last ^ b B ^_ jBy ppp V , of m ^ rf «

      ' * tho whole continent of America which pirates all my books , and disgraces me by base copies of tlie ¦ p T *^ "lates ^ " ~~ ^ " ' ^ ^ in ¦ *— " them —¦ — - ^ « P- J- **** . * " And - " ¦¦< W » ¦ ¦—» latest > V - ** ^ B' ^ B ^ ^ ¦ of ^ pP ^ IPW * ¦ all _ B » j , P % , a _ Mr a _ T . T * *• . Bunthome jT r V ^ b B * Ji ¦ k . / Bfc ¦ B » pbT J ^ BlJk * ^*

      Gilbert has pettishly but pointedly refused the ten pounds which were sent him by the Messrs . Harpers , and -- ¦ has informed ¦¦ - us ¦¦¦ that # " notwithstanding the fact

      -- —— — — - —— ~ - — — — -. ~— — —— —p ¦**» * - —^ -V - > .- * -. U « « , IK---V "_ , * * Bf * V A -tt'AJ * * -mf * - ' ~ Utl * ¦ ^^ V <« . * I ** * " * ^* * * - » " ¦¦ ^ - / * - " that I have been pillaged right and left by such of your w — " (^^ our - — — — ) m " countrymen - — -- » - » t « -. — t- _ - > -. ib— - -b _^ bb ...-, as m ^ w ^_ r are % w JK ~_^ engaged •*»«* »« l i — - ¦ ! , - »_• -V--k in Jl ~ " pub WJ ~\ Jt fw ^ -

      lishing or theatrical ventures , I am not yet reduced to a state of absolute penury . " We know too in what round terms we are denounced as a nation of

      pirates by that gentle journal tho Times of London . But have wo not known as well that our

      authors are no better treated in England ? Has not

      Mr » . otowe been pointed out as a woman from whom

      Rphe Spirit Of The American Press Has Be...

      Englishmen had wrongfully withheld a quarter of a million BtBVBl B | BBBMB of bW BBB dollars BBBPT ri B I BBBBB htfully BBBB BW ¦ B VB BB her BkBBf B due BB for BH PPl innurner BB fbWJI ¦ -

      * B » B *> ^ bPT * 'B —^ ™ - «» ^ « — - > *^» g ^ - «« ^ ' ^ " ^ P > B B " ^ - » ^ pr ^ - ^ - ^ B *«) B *^ A V . ^ ^ L * J ^" able _ Bb copies A of «& " Uncle ^ B ^ ^ BW b Tom . BnpKB ' s Cabin P «* B « B " sold in Eng bbbbBB kBi Vtah land VBppipj and her ^¦^ p 1 colonies Bmr pjv ^ pp b ? Do w ^ v we not know bbb ¦ that ¦ Tj i

      ^^^^* w ^^ p ^« p ^ ^ bp ^ p' ^^ p ^ 1 ^ ^ w ^^ p 1 ^ p ^^*^^ ^^^ ^ p ^ ^^^ ~*^ r ^^ - ^ ^ p > ' v ^* ^ p ^ v ^ V W *^ r ^^ p ^^^ ^ p ^^ ^>* ^ ^ ^^ v ^ ^ ^ pf ^^ L S ^ _ Mr Bmta . BWB . Long b *_ vb fellow ^~ ^ «| , who ^ B never comp lained ^ _ h —b , could count « bb * ^^ p ^ ^ " ^^™> ^*^*^ ^*^ twenty ^ " ^ ^ ^ " ^ ^^ - ^»^ ^ v g -ei - ^— g h ^ bb ht ^^^^^ " ^^ different ^^ ^~ ^^ ^ ^ p ^ ^~^^ ^ p ^ ^ ¦ ^^ editions ¦ ^— ^— ^^ bp ^ b ^^ ^ p ^ p ^ ^ " ^^^ p ^ p ^ of ^ b » ^ — his p ^ p ^^^^ p ^ —^ r works W y ^ b * ^^ ta ^ H B . t _ J A BB A BjpPB BBi BB J— ^ B Am A bI B > ^

      issued in England , from only three of which he had received any pecuniary reward ? Do we not know

      that most of our authors have the same sad story to tell , and perhaps even sadder ones ? General Lew Wallace's popular novel was not only reprinted

      in London without pecuniary recognition to him , but copies of it were then sold to him with such recliristening and alterations and emendations that

      its author could scarcely recognise the book to which his name was prefixed . 'We ¦ W * B ^ all ^ BHBW ¦ " —^ W ' know ^—^ " ¦ - ^^ " » this ^ ¦ ¦ ¦ " ^ - ^^ ; ^ Bf and ^^ - ^ P" ¦ ¦ ^ - ^ ^— we ^ " ~^^ have ^ P » " ¦¦ ^ B ^^ P » ^ PJP thoug ^ p ^— ^^ ^ " - ~^ ^~ BBh ht ^ i B ^ , V per ™ B » ^^^ ^ W -

      haps , that we could justly fling back the Englishman ' s fierce words , and could say , if our hands are foul , yonrs are not clean ; if there is piracy going

      on , you are doing your full share of it , and aie as guilty as we . ' Speaking of the popularity of English

      books in America , and the consequent obstacles in the way of young American authors who

      aim at rising to note , the writer says : — ' With this state of affairs , what becomes of A - « 1 M ^ b— ^^^¦ P "' 4 *

      American * authorshi p ? How can we have an American literature ? Mr . Howells has just said that BhPBBmv '' Mr BIBB . T BBmmi . W . Higg HBh iuson has gone far to make BBl

      B ^* B »^ h ^ * ^^^^ p > AB * V V B W ^ ^ . BWBBl A * H ^^ I ^^^ ' ^^^ P' ' ^ P ^ kpP ^^^ P ^ P 1 P ^ P ^ - ^^ P > P ^ PT ^ Pi *~ BT B _^^_ ^ P ^ ^^ P ^^ ^ B ^^ ^^^ ^ k *^^ BBW ^ B ^ ^ BP ^^^^^ v ^^^^ v ^« PPPI ^ p ^ us " believe . _¦ m with m > . ^ ' him mm that . m . our national . m 4- story ( history W 0 . ) is more important , more varied , more picturesque , and more absorbinglinteresting than any historic

      y subject offered by the world beside / ' But just as we have done in the past , we are likely to go on in the futurereading Humeand Macaulayand

      Gibbon , and , Green , and Guizot , , and learning , every history but our own , because it is cheaper so tv > do . We shall go on thinking not our own but

      Englishmen ' s thoughts , discussing not our own but Englishmen ' s topics , seeing life and the world through insular glassesand narrowing ourselves through

      , insular prejudices . Can we afford to live on this cheap food , meant for men of another continent , and BB BB BB 4 BB ^*^ BT of ^^^ « PJ a ^ pPPV fading BBB ^ t ^* i ^ " PH B mB ^ B » BBBK era ^ pp BW B # P » , and « m BB ^^ « v' ^ pr not ^ B > PP > -m ^ - ~ intended BBB BVBB VHP 'BB- WWBB ) -B B W B ^ IB for B ^— ^ BB BBB . us -BB ^ B I B , BM whose V B BB ^ BJ BB" ^ ^ B ^

      nation and form of government belong emphatically to the present and to the untried future . ' In concluding a very practical paper

      General McClurg remarks that he has treated the broad lines of the subject , setting aside

      those questions of detail , such as where the Books shall be manufactured , and by whom ;

      the interests of publishers and of type manufacturers and printers : — ' minor matters which

      should not be allowed to confuse our minds nor to endanger the quick righting of a great

      wrong . ' ¦¦ 1 ai ^ S 4 — .,, 1— -

      Among The Forthcoming Publications Of |

      Among the forthcoming publications of |

      Messrs . Macmillan & Co . are Professor E . A . Freeman pi ^ pTPH ~ 1 _ ~ V ^| B * 0 fe * Bh B ^ . J ^ 'VpBBi ¦ b >» 's B » * Ei P ~ W F ^ g BM ¦ ¦ ht ^ ^* — L ' ectures " ^ B ^ B ^ 1 P ™^ 'B ^ r —— on ^ B * ^^ ^ B . - ^ the ^ B ^ —^ BV ^ B 1 B » - Methods B ^ BB V B ^^ BJ -m | Br *^ B ^ B ^ ^ " ^ ^ '

      of Historical Study '; Dr . Lauder Brunton ' s ' Lettsomian Lectures on Disorders of

      Digestion ' ; and Canon Westcott ' s ' Christus Consuniniator : some Aspects of the Work and

      Person of Christ in relation to Modern Thought / These books will be issued

      immediately .

  • Citation
    • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), June 1, 1886, page 542, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_01061886/page/4/