| Show NEW BOOK THREATENED Libraries Li e to Stock Villiam m de tic de Morgan Morgans Two Volume Novel and Publishers Declare re That They Th Are Trying to Dictate The Th Price and anti Form ot of o Popular Fiction London Literary Letter I ONDON Nov No 24 2 Much luch Interest LONDON L has been created by b the re rc refusal of the leading subscription sub lion tion libraries to te purchase Wil William V liam lam do Morgans latest novel nove It I Never Can Happen Again Up Tip to the eve ee of oC publication the tho libra libraries ries des declare they were under tho the Im ins Impression that tho the book was wa to be 0 pub la us 11 one ne volume at tho the usual price pilco bf ot 50 on discovering that It i was to tobe tobe tobe be Issued In two volumes at they the decided to lo leave leavo Ice It Il out of ot their cata catalogues catalogues logus On behalf of tho the publisher It may be pointed out that this Is no ordinary novel It runs Into pages pagel In 30 I words and has ha occupied three years 00 of steady stead writing on ems tho time part of time the author who has reached tho ho topmost rung of time the tle ladder of English notion fiction To ro 10 the libraries and wholesale booksellers the cost of tho the two volumes deducting the trade trado discount would probably be bo 15 Often Ocen 76 has ha been paid for a n book of fictIon containing from Crom pid to words so that when whon the magnitude of do de Morgans book Is considered tho time publishers publisher have havo lowered I rather than advanced tho time price Tho The libraries stipulate u mm 1 leading publisher said not to supply books book of technical reference or those profusely Illustrated nevertheless they have hao bought Sir Ernest book In I two volumes and that was published at Therefore T e ean an they cannot say s I that af their lr present attitude la Is due to their not being able to afford the time price If n Mr Heinemann the tho publisher had gono gone to them and amid ant sold said sad I 1 am aims about to publish a novel as big as Dickens works mend and nd it will wi bo be Issued at 15 they might have been Justified In their boy boycott bo bocol boycott cott But nut these volumes would cost COlt them hem col and with ono omme accord acord they the refuse to take taka the tho novel SERIOUS SEROUS QUESTION ARISES A very veo serious question arises whether the te libraries are arc entitled to exercise such arbitrary power In my opinion we are aro ae on the tho eve ovo of oC a momen momentous momentous tous book war which will vIll be bo fought keenly In the Interests of the time publish era t tOn er On tho the other hand time the librarians say sa that Mr action is tIme tho In Insertion section of the time thin edge edgo of tho wedge to bring back tho the old two and three e volume novels and these thes have been discarded because they the ore are Inconvenient to library subscribers Libraries can cannot cannot cannot I not afford aford to entertain a work worl of fiction at a higher price than 1 because small of books hooks It Is 15 only a percentage that earn cans their thel money In circulation the outlive their popularity and when they they boy aro practically waste paper value not a Tho larger price Is so Important question queston for tor the time libraries as tho the two to volumes As Aim to time the effect of the tho to library boycott bocott do Morgan says sS that one direct pur purchase purchase chase choso of his book Is equal to t a whole circulating library which would only stock one copy COP Ho He Is quito willing to share the tha risk of or the time publisher The correspondence I r have hae received about It Never Can Happen Happen Again is voluminous ho he said sid I think It I Just as ns well that time the question queston should wol be bo tested on my m book as on ott 01 any and anI I r hope hop It will wi prove provo strong enough for tor the purpose Tho original of ot Tom the time little of or Kingsleys Water Ba Babies Babic bios bies has Just been beon ion elected an alder altIer I man of the thE borough council counci of oC Woking Wokingham ham No trace can be bo found In time the prosperous alderman of oC today of oC tho the luckless little chimney sweep whose sufferings have wrung tears tea from suc sue successive successive generations of children ever since 1563 when Charles Kingsley dedi dedicated rated c ted The Tho Water Vater Babies to his youngest son and to all other good goot little boys Today loday James Seaward Is a fine featured elderly man with keen gray gry eyes and a commanding voice olce SEAWARD SI A WAnD A CHIMNEY SWEEP Mr 1 Seaward was a n young oung man of oC IS when The Water Vater Babies was pub Eversley rectory the famous home of Charles Charle Kingsley is only six IX miles mies from Wokingham and Mr Ir Sea Seaward Seaward Seaward ward always swept the rectory chim chimneys noys nes The Tho story stor of ot his hll early sufferings was told laid to KIngsley by a 11 woman who had taken an nn Interest In the tho boy sweep I I was 1 only six years old when whon I went up my m first chimney said sid Mr Ir Seaward I was an orphan and ad fel felInto felInto felinto Into the hands of oC a chimney sweep and a cruel master ho he was I have havo known what It was to have havo straw straw lighted under me and pins stuck stu k Into tho the soles of oC my m feet Ceet to force me mo up time the chimney and I have hao known too what It was to come down don covered with blood and antI soot sot after ater climbing with wih my knees and elbows No one knows the terrible cruelty cruel Inflicted on boys In those days da They Timey The used to be stooped In strong brine to harden their flesh V In my m own cass casa soda was used Sometimes I used to hae have to stay up a n difficult chimney five or six hours hour at a stretch Mr Ir Seaward has ha his own little jolts He has been boen a total abstainer for over oer 40 10 years ears So you OU see fO I am ans still a awater awater awater water baby bab ho lie boasts Pierre Pierro Loti Jt the tho celebrated author Is about to be bo placed on the retired list of French Fench naval officers This may come as M a surprise to many of ot his admirers who no doubt have hae contin continued continued all these years ears to picture him as a the time same youthful youth Cui officer who drew those graphic of ot his oriental orienta ex cx experiences experiences Although his mind Is stilt still sti young oun and active he Is now approach approaching ing lag the age of or 60 The decree placing him on ag the retired list was Wa signed by President Fleres a n few foss fo days das ago Ho He 10 of tho the French was sas S elected a member academy In 1891 V CHARIES |
