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Nov. t, 1890 The Publishers' Circular I4...
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By the death of Mr. Charles Edward Mudie...
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Boo (i f and X^umoui^ of
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Transcript
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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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Hen Our Last Issue Went To Press The | W...
question need not be seriously discussed here . Only we might ask with what supernatural
gifts Mr . Besant fancies publishers are endowed that they can obviate losses 1 On the
subject of agreements Mr . Beaant is strongly admonitory . * In every other transaction in
which property is concerned , ' he says , ' the clauses of the agreement , deed , conveyance ,
partnership , or joint venture are carefully studied by both parties before the document
is signed . They understand what they sell , and for what consideration they sell it . Authors
alone are expected to sign agreements , the rasaning of which they do not understand and
cannot learn . ' It is scarcely complimentary of Mr . Besant to say that authors , of all
people in the world , are incapable of taking care of themselves . It might be pointed out
that authors are neither expected nor compelled tD sign agreements which they do not
understand or with which they are not satisfied . We hare a better opinion of their business capacity
than to think they are precisely children . A ^ tA —
Nov. T, 1890 The Publishers' Circular I4...
Nov . t , 1890 The Publishers' Circular I 4 O 7
By The Death Of Mr. Charles Edward Mudie...
By the death of Mr . Charles Edward Mudie , the founder of the famous library
which bears his name , a familiar figure has been removed from the English world of
letters . For close upon half a century Mr . Mudie has been identified with the best
interests of literature ; and while his name is seldom to be found on title-pages , and never ,
we believe , in the columns of reviews , his was nevertheless a wide and potent influence . By
energy and foresight he built up an institution which is unique of its kind ; and which has
unquestionably been the means of making many of the best books of the century known
to the public , particularly to the public of London . He had not only a fine sense of what
is good in literature , but the generosity to go out of his way to help the circulation of books
which commended themselves to his judgment , but which were not often asked for . It was
not simply the book that was in demand—the fashionable novel , the thrilling tale of
adventure—that he supplied ; he took pains to bring under the notice of his subscribers literature
of the sterner and more thoughtful kind that might be supposed to influence life and
conduct . While his position as a distributor rendered it imperative that he should keep a
stock of popular literature , he never willingly circulated what was trashy , nor under any
circumstances , if he could help it , what was immoral or irreligious in tendency . He gave
umbrage sometimes , as men of independent judgment ^* r must ; w but he ' adhered to his prin
tmkciple , invariably , as will now : be acknowledged , to the advantage of his patrons .
One of the most pleasing traits of his character was his readiness to help young
authors of merit who experienced difficulty in getting well before the public . In a quiet ,
unostentatious way he befriended more than one eminent writer of the past ; nor do we
doubt that some popular writers of to-day could tell interesting tales of the early
assistance they received from * Mudie . ' Happily , Mr . Mudie's influence does not die with him .
The great institution which he established remains to carry out his ideals in the new
time . It was said of Napoleon that he was ' not a man , but a system . ' Mr . Mudie also
may be said to have been a system—and that survives . The library will not be affected by
the death of its founder . For several years w past the active management has devolved upon
Mr . Arthur Mudie , who fitly takes his father ' s
place .
Boo (I F And X^Umoui^ Of
Boo ( i f and X ^ umoui ^ of
BooKf Mr . Elliot Stock has in the press a history
of Kidderminster by Mr . J . H . Burton . ? *
Messrs . Reeves & Turner will shortly issue a new edition of Mr . Morris's * Earthly
Paradise . ' tf ## *
lished ' Within by Messrs an Ace . Di , gb a y book & Long , recen has tly been
pubprohibited by the Russian censor . ,
* Mr . E . L . T . Harris-Bickford will shortly
publish a new novel by Mrs . Yickers and Mr . T . Adams .
* Messrs . Hutchinson & Co . have arranged
for an American edition of Mr . Ashby Sierry's * Nutshell Novels , ' to be issued by Messrs .
Scribner & Welford , of # New York . entitled A new 4 A New novel Lady by Audley Mr . Austin ' has just Fryers been ,
sent to press by Messrs * f . Swan mf , Sonnenschein «• & Co .
? Messrs . GriffithFarran & Co . announce
a volume of fairy tales , by Mr . G . F . H . Low . The book is entitled ' The Air-Child and other
Stories . ' #
Messrs . Hodder & Stoughton have in preparation a biography of the late Sir
William It may be McArthur expected , b about y Mr . Christmas Thomas McCullag . h .
Mr . T . Fisher Unwin announces for
immediate publication a Cornish romance , by
Mr . J . H . Jf earce , entitled ' Hither Femreatb ; I or , The Miller ' s Daughter . ' j
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Citation
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Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), Nov. 1, 1890, page 1407, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_01111890/page/5/
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