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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

• Transcript

  • 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.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    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

• Citation
  • 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/