THE EARNING POWER OF A BOOK. MOST of the books that come from the presses are either published at a loss or at a very small profit. Occasionally one develops marvellous earning power, as in the case cited by W. H. Rideing in an article on "Literary Life in London," in The North American Review: A royalty of two shillings a copy on a book that retails at six shillings a copy could scarcely be afforded by any publisher, no matter how large the editions, but some of the royalties paid in England-not many, but a few -do not fall far short of this dazzling and enviable percentage of "thirty-three and a third" of the retail price. Let us figure on one novel of which I have some information. The author received $18,000 for its use serially in the United States, and about the same sum for its use in an English magazine during the same period-that is, $36,000 in all. When it had run its course through twelve numbers of the magazine it became his property again to publish in a book. The book was published at six shillings a copy there, and here at a dollar and a half a copy. Altogether, fully 150,000 copies of it (probably more) have been sold, and, assuming the royalty to be only twenty per cent., we have $45,000 to add to the previously mentioned $36,000. This gives us a total of $81,000-far more than George Eliot received for her masterpiece or Disraeli in the heyday of his glory as the prodigy of politics and literature for his, or Thackeray, the supreme genius of English fiction, for his. Yet the earning power of the book is by no means exhausted. Cheaper editions are to appear, adding to the revenue, and royalties for serial use in far-off colonies, the Cape, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and the rights of translation are still to be reckoned, and then the story is to be turned into a play, which is not likely to bring the author less than $50,000, and may bring him twice or thrice $50,000 This, of course, is a very exceptional case, and such a success is not often repeated, but the successful practice of the art of the novelist is in many instances nowadays as lucrative as the practice of law or medicine or painting, which it never was before. more. STEPHEN MASSETT, known as "Jeems Pipes of Pipesville," who some years ago was widely known as a song writer and entertainer, died on the 3d inst. at St. Vincent's Hospital, New York. He was born in London seventy-eight years ago, and came to this country when a boy. His best-known songs are "When the Moon on the Lake is Beaming," "My Darling's Face," and "Shadows in the Lane." FRANZ A. EYмUTH, a well-known bookseller in Utica, N. Y., died in that city July 28, aged eighty-six. He was born in Prussia, and followed his father's trade of vintner until 1854, when he came to this country and started farming in Oneida County, N. Y. He subsequently went to Utica and worked for seven years in a factory, moving from there back to Oriskany, where for thirteen years more he was employed in a woollen mill. In 1875 he returned to Utica and opened a bookstore, dealing in German books, magazines, and newspapers. JAMES MCALLISTER GRESHAM, since 1877 in charge of the law-book department of F. F. Hansell & Brother, of New Orleans, La., died last week, aged sixty-six. Mr. Gresham was born at Thibodeaux, La., and when quite a boy entered the employ of Thomas L. White, who had a bookstall in New Orleans, where the Mutual Bank Building now stands. When the gold fever broke out he tried his luck with the forty-niners." Returning to New Orleans he started a bookstore at old No. 92 Camp Street, in which venture he was unsuccessful. EDUCATIONAL CATALOGUE CORREC- After winding up his affairs he was induced to TIONS. THE trade are requested to enter in their copies of the "Educational Catalogue" the following corrections: Briggs' Text-Book of Statics. HS. 6oc., not 40c. Briggs' Elemen. Math. Astronomy. HS. $1.50, not $1.60. Heath's Vertical Writing Books (Newlands.) ΤΟ nos. doz. HE. omit; correctly entered elsewhere as Natural System of Vertical Writing (Newlands & Row,) 6 Bks. doz. HE. *85. 75. Lee's (S. P.) Hist. of United States. JH. net or wholesale, price $1.25, not $1. In subject classification, add under Chemistry Briggs' Chemistry; Under Greek, add Brooks' First Lessons in Greek. take a position with the Hansells. He was an able representative of his profession, and was loved and respected by his associates and customers, among whom were many prominent members of the bar. NOTES ON AUTHORS. WILLIAM ARCHER is engaged upon a critical work on living English poets, which is awaited with great interest. HALL CAINE is on his way to this country, where he intends to speak on "The necessity of an Anglo-American alliance." THE reasons why Mark Twain's "Joan of Arc" was published anonymously are given in the September Pall Mall Gazette by his friend, Carlyle Smythe. EDWIN GORDON LAWRENCE, of New York, has in preparation, for speedy publication by him self, "Modern Oratory," consisting of British and American selections, and provided with an introductory discussion. DR. ADOLPHUS WARD has now practically completed a new and revised edition of his well-known "History of English Dramatic Literature," and The Macmillan Co. intend to publish it in October. This time the work will be in three volumes. MARGARET BENSON, daughter of the late Archbishop of Canterbury, is an Egyptologist of much energy and some note. With another lady she has been engaged in excavations at Karnak, and has written a book describing their discoveries and giving an account of the daily life of excavators in Egypt. EMILE ZOLA is expected to deliver a course of lectures on various subjects in this country as soon as his exile expires. Paul Meyer, of Meyer Bros. & Co., has gone to Europe as agent for a syndicate who made the proposal which Zola is said to have accepted. Mr. Meyer is empowered to deposit $15,000 to secure the contract. Octave Mirbeau has paid Zola's fine and the costs of the trial to prevent distraint. are utterly unknown to the world at large, and many will be surprised to learn that there exist in the Celestial Empire masterpieces which in their way are not unsusceptible of compariand, strange to say, nearly all these works are son with the " Iliad" and "Niebelungenlied;" relatively of modern origin. A number of fullpage illustrations taken from original Chinese works accompany Mr. Candlin's essay. BUSINESS NOTES. AUBURN, ME.-G. H. Hasbrell has sold out his bookstore in the Y. M. C. A. block. CHESTER, PA.-Alfred D. Simmonds's old book store is being enlarged and improved. COLORADO SPRINGS, COL.-Briscoe Brothers have opened their new news, book, and stationery store on Pike's Peak Avenue. ERIE, PA.-George L. Winters, bookseller, has had judgment against him for $700, not yet due. NEW HAVEN, CT.-The Rev. Israel L. Sachs, proprietor of a book and stationery store at 123 Lafayette Street for some years, has assigned. NEW YORK CITY.-The Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work has established a New York Depository, with offices, in Rooms 403-4-5 Presbyterian Building, 156 Fifth Avenue. quested to send catalogues and announcements regularly, addressed to C. W. Hippard, manager. Publishers are re PONTIAC, MICH.-C. M. Brooks will add a stock of school-books, school supplies, and stationery to his store. SYRACUSE, N. Y.-Foote, Bailey & Sackett, booksellers, have leased the store in the University block. TALLAHASSEE, FLA.-A. P. Rice, bookseller, has sold out. NOTES ON CATALOGUES. CATALOGUES OF NEW AND SECOND-HAND Books-John W. Cadby, 131 Eagle Street, Albany, N. Y., Choice and rare old books re MR. BENTLEY will continue to edit Temple lating to America, comprising genealogy, hisBar. tory, masonry, Indians, the Revolution, natural history, etc. (No. 55, 146 titles.)-William THE State, a weekly political and literary journal published at Tacoma, conciliates wood-Downing, The Chaucer's Head, 5 Temple Row, cut and letterpress opposition by keeping to an uncalendered paper and tacking its half-tone proofs on the spaces allotted to them. THE October issue of The Bookman will contain the first of a series of four articles on A Century of American Book Illustration," by Arthur Hoeber, art editor and critic. In the same issue Norman Hapgood, dramatic critic of The Evening Post and later of the Commercial Advertiser, will begin his charge of the new department of Drama of the Month. THE September number of The Open Court contains an interesting article on "Chinese Fiction," by the Rev. George F. Candlin, Chinese missionary in Northern China. The achievements of the Chinese in light literature Birmingham, England, Containing scarce bookplates and choice miniature portraits. (No. 355, 271 titles, 12 p. 16°.)-Francis Edwards, 83 High Street, London, W., Clearance catalogue, including a valuable collection of modern poets. (No. 234, 56 p. 16°.)-Karl W. Hiersemann, Königstrasse 3. Leipzig, Katalog 209: Spanien und seine jetzigen kolonien (Spain and its present colonies.) Specially rich in the literature of Spanish discoveries. (No. 209, 662 titles, 46 p. 12°.)-Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Ltd., Paternoster House, Charing Cross Road, London, Books of the month, a list of new books and new editions issued in July. (Issued monthly, August, 16 p. 16°.)-J. & M. L. Tregaskis, "Caxton Head," 232 High Holborn, London, W. C., Clearance catalogues of books culled from the previous LITERARY AND TRADE NOTES. JOHN S. PRATT ALCOTT, Louisa Alcott's adopted son, has taken a position in the retail department of Little, Brown & Co. MEYER BROS. & Co. announce that they will publish at the end of this month " Cyrano de Bergerac," as a novel taken from the play. THE exclusive agency for W. H. Sadlier's Excelsior Series has been placed with William Beverley Harison, 3 W. 18th Street, New York. THE London Academy notes that Macmillan & Co. have no difficulty in accommodating the vast additional stock taken over from Bentley's. In their new premises in London they have shelfroom for four and a half million of books. WILLIAM BELLINGHAUSEN, of Freiburg, (Baden,) Germany, has in preparation a "Catholic Authors' Directory of the English-Speaking World." Catholic writers, whether authors, editors or translators, or contributors to periodicals, are requested to send to the publisher their full names with addresses. JOHN FISKE has recently prepared additional matter relating to the Spanish War, and to the cessation of hostilities brought about by the signing of the protocol on August 12, which will be included in all copies of his "History of the United States" for schools. This admirable text-book has been placed on the list of books for the public schools of Virginia and also accepted by a number of private schools in the Old Dominion. TERMS OF ADVERTISING. only are entitled to a free insertion of five lines not exceeding 100 lines a year. If more than five lines are sent, the excess is at 10 cents per line, and amount should be enclosed. Bids for current books and such as may be easily had from the publishers, and repeated matter, as well as all advertise. ments from non-subscribers, must be paid for at the rate of 10 cents per line. Under the heading “Books for Sale," the charge to subscribers and non-subscribers is 10 cents per line for each insertion. No deduction for repeated matter. Under the heading “Situations Wanted," subscribers are entitled to one free insertion of five lines. For repeated matter and advertisements of non-subscribers the charge is 10 cents per line. All other small advertisements will be charged at the uniform rate of 10 cents per line. Eight words may be reckoned to the line. Parties with whom we have no accounts must pay in advance, otherwise no notice will be taken of their communications. Parties desiring to receive answers to their advertisements through this office must either call for them or enclose postage stamps with their orders for the insertion of such advertisements. In all cases we must have the full address of advertisers as a guarantee of good faith. BOOKS WANTED. In answering, please state edition, condition, and price, including postage or express charges. Houses that are willing to deal only on a cashon-delivery basis will find it to their advantage to put after their firm-name the word [Cash]. Write your wants plainly and on one side of the sheet only. Illegibly-written "wants" will be considered as not having been received. The “Publishers' Weekly'' does not hold itself responsible for errers. It should be understood that the appearance In response to applications from England, America, and the Continent, the Swedenborg Society will bring out a new edition of the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, as translated by the Rev. Augustus Clissold, Dr. J. J. Garth Wilkinson, C. E. Strutt, and others. They were originally published about half a century ago, and for many years past have been "out of print and scarce." It is hoped that the new edition will include all Swedenborg's non-theological writings, whether previously printed The Pope and the Council, by Dr. Döllinger. by him or still existing only in manuscript. of advertisements in this column, or elsewhere in the "Publishers' Weekly," does not furnish a guarantee of credit. While it is endeavored to safeguard these columns by withdrawing the privilege of their use from advertisers who are PICK-UPS. A QUOTATION from an English book catalogue shows the danger of abbreviations: “Lot 599: Binney's Is it possible to make the best of both worlds, and five others." A Rochester, (N. Y.,) book clerk was recently asked for "White Aprons," (Mrs. Goodwin's delightfully told story of Bacon's Rebellion, Virginia, published a year ago by Little, Brown & Co.) Without hesitation he advised his customer to look for them" at the dry-goods store on the block below. This is not funny, but it is true. not "good pay," booksellers should take the usual precaution, as to advertisers not known to them, that they would take in making sales to any unknown parties. American Baptist Publication Society, Chicago. Amer. Bapt. Pub. Sec., 182 5th Ave., N. Y. American Baptist Publication Society, 316 N. 8th American Press Co., Baltimore, Md. Bartlett's Book Store, 33 E. 22d St., N. Y. Von Holst, Constitutional History of United States. BOOKS WANTED.—Continued. C. Bernheimer, Room 4, 90 Centre St., N. Y. J. T. Irving, The Attorney; or, The Correspondence of John Quod; pub. about 1887. A. C. Wheeler, The Toltec Cup. The Boston Book Co., Freeman Place Chapel, Boston, Mass. Kentucky Law Reporter, v. 11, no. 17, and title-page and index; up to $1.00. National Corporation Reporter, v. 2, no. 7; up to $1.00. Bankruptcy Register, reports, v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Putnam. J. W. Bouton, 10 W. 28th St., New York. Morgan and His Captors, Senour. 1865. Batchelder Greene's Reflections. Lyon's Colonial Furniture. Soderholtz, Colonial Architecture. The Bowen-Merrill Co., Indianapolis, Ind. Banvard's Lives of Ancient Philosophers, Howitt's Story of a Genius. Appleton. Brentano's, 31 Union Sq., N. Y. Allen Bidwell's Memoirs Manhattan Bank Robbery. Busch's Bismarck in Franco-German War. Buccaneers and Marooners of Am., Pyle. A. P. Russell's Table d'Hote. Judah Fauro. The China Hunters' Club. Brentano's, 1015 Penn. Ave., Washington, D. O. Imagination, and Other Poems, by H. D. Farmer, M.D. The Brown, Eager & Hull Co., 409 Bummit St., Toledo, O. Encyclopædia Britannica, v. 17 to 25 incl., Stoddard ed., sheep preferred. Century Dictionary, old ed. and new. Walter 8. Butler, Selma, Ala. Young's Night Thoughts. J. W. Cadby, 181 Eagle St., Albany, N. Y. Harper's Young People, nos. 22, 23; at 25 cents each. Forum, June, 1886 Whig Almanac, 1844, '57. Congregational Quarterly, Jan., 1878. William J. Campbell, 1218 Walnut St., Philadel phia, Pa. Chesterfield's Letters, good English ed. Ainsworth's Novels, good set. Am. Museum and Repository. Washington, 1822. Am. Builder's Companion, by Benj. Asher. Boston, 1806. Bentham's Principles of Legislation, Clarendon Press ed. Gass' Journal, Lewis and Clarke Expedition, etc., any ed. of any book on the subject. C. N. Caspar Company, Milwaukee, Wis. Proceedings of the Nat. Dem. Convention of 1884 Reported by Declauson. Pub. Douglas Taylor's Democratic Ptg. House. Landon, Kings of Platform and Pulpit, il. Chicago Medical Book Co., 37 Randolph St., Chicago, III. [Cash.] Clevenger, Comparative Physiology and Psychology. Fothergill, Dietetics. A. H. Clapp, 32 Malden Lane, Albany, N. Y. In Gold and Silver. Appleton. 1st eds. of H. C. Bunner. Christine Vellacott, Scott (Merriman). The Robert Clarke Co., 31-39 E. 4th St., Olncinnati, O. Ely Volume, by Thos. Laurie, D.D. Pub. by Congregational Pub. Co., 1881. Henry T. Coates & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Married Life of Anne of Austria, 2 v. Regency of Anne of Austria, 2 v., by Freer, cl., uncut. Dodd, Mead & Co., 149 and 151 Fifth Ave., N. Y. Cheyne's Praises of Israel. Vikram and the Vampire; or, Tales of Hindu Deviltry, by R. Burton. 1870. Wm. Doxey, 631 Market St., San Francisco, Cal. Statesman's Year-Book, any nos. from 1872 to '76. Proceedings of the International Monetary Commissions of 1868, '76, or any subsequent issue. W. Drysdale, 232 8t. James St., Montreal, Can. Superstition Origin of Primitive Superstitions and the Worship of Spirits Among the Aborigines of America, by M. Dorman. E. P. Dutton & Co., 31 W. 23d 8t., N. Y. Eaton & Mains, 269 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Aids to Reflection. by Coleridge. Elder & Shepard, 238 Post St., San Francisco, Cal. F. A. Fernald, Boulevard near 117th 8t., N. Y. Tyndall, Glaciers: Physical Principles, etc. P. K. Foley, 26 Bromfield St., Boston, Mass. Economical Library, any vols E. Littlefield, Boston. The Harbinger (Brook Farm Journal), any vols. Boston Miscellany, 1842, any nos. The Dial, any nos. Boston, 1841-4. The Pioneer, any nos. Boston, 1843. Funk & Wagnalls Co., 30 Lafayette Pl., N. Y. Last Days, by Jos. A. Seiss. Pub. by Lippincott. F. P. Harper, 17 E. 16th St., New York. Letters of John McDonough, by James T. Edwards. Hayes, Cooke & Co., 5 and 6 Washington St., Chicago, III. Poultry Doctor. Pub. by Hannsman & Dunn, The Helman-Taylor Co., 28-27 Euclid Ave., Westbrook's Marriage and Divorce. W. O. Holt, 17 Dexter Ave., Montgomery, Ala. Knight's History of Phallic Worship. G. P. R. James' Novels, complete set. U. P. James, 127 W. 7th St., Cincinnati, O. [Cash.] Dodd Family Abroad, by Lever, good ed. Wilbur B. Ketcham, 7 and 9 W. 18th St., N. Y. Practical Sermons, by Albert Barnes. B. F. Larrabee & Co., Washington 8t., Boston, Mass. Life and Letters of Princess Alice. Ride to Khiva, by Burnaby. West Indies, Stanford's Compendium. Hard Life in the Colonies, by Jenkyns. | Adventure Se- Voyages, by Pinto. Buccaneers, by Pyle. Filibusters, by Roche. Woodland, by Wm. Cobbett. Fight for a Wife, by Guy Earlscourt. Lorenzo Benoni, by Ruffini. St. Augustine, Braddock, Independence, By Musick. ries. The Macmillan Company. BOOKS WANTED.—Continued. The Masonic Book Co., P. O. Box 7, N. Y. The Costumes of All Nations, Ancient and Modern, by Albert Kretchmer, London. Jas. F. Meegan, 23 Marietta St., Atlanta, Ga. De Fontaine, Cyclopædia of the Best Thoughts of Dickens. H. H. Morse, 20 Monroe St., Grand Rapids, Mich. J. P. Morton & Company, 442 W. Main St., John Esten Cooke's Old Families of Virginia. W. M. Palmer, 20 Monroe St., Grand Rapids, Mich. The H. Parmelee Library Co., 1841 Wabash Ave., Annual Report of the Chief of Ordnance to the Secretary of War for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1876. The Peter Paul Book Co., 448 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y. Kelley, Outlines of the History of Religion. Presb. Bd. of Pub., 156 Fifth Ave., N. Y. American Catalogue, 1876. Philip Roeder, 307 N. 4th St., St. Louis, Mo. St. Paul Book and Stationery Oo., 5th and 8t. Peter Sts., St. Paul, Minn. Life of Francis Slocum, by McGinnis, Pub. by Heller Scrantom, Wetmore & Co., Rochester, N. Y. Spon & Chamberlain, 12 Cortlandt 8t., N. Y. Complete set of Engineering and Mining Journal (New York), in nos. or bound. Complete set of Colliery Engineer (Scranton, Pa.), nos. or bound. A Magnificent Young Man, pap. Lippincott. BOOKS FOR SALE. American Press Co., Baltimore, Md. Americana, Drama, Civil War. Send for lists. Clarke & Co, Vicksburg, Miss. Audubon's Birds of America, 8 vols., imperial mor. binding, in the best of condition, 3d v. missing. Price upon application. A. O. McClurg & Co., Chicago. Publishers' Weekly, 1881-91, 20 vols., new half leather. $10.00 net for the ao vols. Richard B. Shepard, 120-125 Commercial Block H. H. Waldo, Rackford, III. American Cat., July 1, 1876, morocco, authors and titles. Leypoldt & Jones. American Cat., 1876 to 1884, morocco, authors and titles. R. R. Bowker. American Cat., 1884 to 1890, morocco, authors and titles. R. R. Bowker. Haydn, Dict. of Dates, ed. 1889, cloth, 1052 pages, index, 170 pages. Drake, Dict. Am. Authors, 1879, law sheep, 1019 pages. Houghton & 0. Cushing, Initials and Pseudonyms, 603 pages. Crowell. Cassell, Biographical Dict.. 741 pages, cloth. Thomas, Comprehensive Biographical Dict., 741 pages. Adams, Dict. of American Authors, 1897, 449 papes. Houghton & M. Adams, Handbook Am. Authors. 1884, 160 pages. Matson, Reference to Literary Works, 1892. McClurg. Haydn, Pseudonyms of Authors, 112 pages. Harper, Anthon's Classical Dict., law sheep, 1886. Sonnenschein, Classified Dict. of Best Books of All Nations. A. R. Hart & Co. Lacroix, 18th Century France, 1700 to 1789. Fields and Whipple, British Poets, cloth, gilt, 984 pages. Coates, Fireside Encyclopædia of Poetry, tree calf, 1002 pages. Coates, Fireside Encyclopædia of Poetry, cloth, 1002 pages. Allibone, Great Authors of All Ages, 1880, cloth, gilt. Lippincott. Scribner, Collection of Letters of Thackeray, 1887, 189 pages. O'Reilley, Bernard, Life of Leo x., cloth, 803 pages. Webster. Edwards, Pharaohs, Fellahs, and Explorers, cloth, gilt top. Harper. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, 2 vols., cloth, Webster. Sterne, Sentimental Journeys. I us. Holiday ed., 1887, 210 pages. Lippincott. List, $3.50. Michelet, Birds, Illus. Holiday ed., cloth, gilt. Nelson. List. $400. Michelet, Mountains, Illus. Holiday ed., cloth, gilt. Nelson. List, $4.00. Michelet, Nature, Illus. Holiday ed., cloth, gilt. Nelson. List. $4.00. Curtis, Prue and I, Illus. Holiday ed., cloth, gilt, 272 pages. Harper. Lathrop, G. Parsons. Representative Poems of Living Poets, 1886, 675 pages. Cassell & Co. Hoyt and Ward, Cyclopædia of Practical Quotations, cloth. Funk & Wagnalls. Hoyt and Ward, Cyclopædia of Practical Quotations, morocco. Funk & Wagnalls. Bartlett, Familiar Quotations, cloth, gilt top, 1158 pages. Little, Brown & Co. Irving, Sketch-Book, Holiday ed., cloth, gilt. Lippincott. List. $4.50. Macleod, Peeps at the Far East, cloth, gilt, 376 pages. Strahan, London. Sheridan, P. H., Personal Memoirs of, complete 1 vol., cloth Webster. List. $2.00. Mayer, Sport with Gun and Rod, half morrocco, 886 pages. Century Co. List, $4.09. Blaine, Twenty Years in Congress, 2 vols., cloth, 1884. H. Hill & Co. Bryant, Library of Poetry and Song, Holiday ed., cloth, gilt, 1028 pages. Fords, Howard & Hulbert. Gilmore's Resistance of Freestones, Cement, Mortar, Charnay, Désiré, Ancient Cities of the New World, etc. Wiley. Allen's Manual of Cheirosophy. cloth, gilt top, 512 pages. Harper. List, $6.00. Wright, Animal Life, illus., cloth, 618 pages. Cassell. |