index it; and if you will only spare the time and patience and
perseverance, to _cross index_ it. Thus under letter W you will write,
'Wales, Prince of, married in Robes of the Garter' (1023); under G,
'Garter, Robes of, worn by P. of W. at his Marriage' (1023); under F, 'W.
P. Frith, R.A., present at the Marriage of P. of W.' (1023). Thus also,
'Verdi, Victor Emmanuel,' and 'Italy' will be indexed under their
respective letters 'V' and 'I,' and be referable to at the number (1024).
I have one common-place book that has been 'cooking' ever since 1858, and
is not half finished yet. The last entry is numbered (5068), and refers to
Sir Thomas Roe, Ambassador from James the First of England to the Emperor
Jehan Guize, commonly called the Great Mogul. The number (5068) is
referred to under the letters R (for Roe), J (for James I.), J (for Jehan
Guize), M (for Mogul), and A (for Ambassadors). By means of a rigidly
pursued system of indexing and _cross indexing_ (so earnestly recommended
by Henry Brougham) you can put your hand at once on the information
bearing on the particular subject which claims your attention."
Mr. Sala also said:--"I believe this system strengthens and disciplines
the memory, and keeps it green. It is a very good mental exercise to read
a page or two of the index alone, from time to time. You will be
astonished at the number of bright nuggets of fact which will crop up from
the rock of half forgetfulness. Finally, never allow your index to fall
into arrear, and write the figures in your circumscribed spaces in red
ink. The corresponding ones in the index may be in black."
It was from this mine of literary nuggets that he used to obtain the
materials for his charming papers which amused and instructed the reader.
Another celebrated modern journalist and author is Mr. Andrew Lang. He is
just the contrary of Mr. Sala in his methods of work. Mr. Lang seems to
pride himself on the fact that he has no other aid to writing except an
excellent memory. He does not trouble himself about books of reference,
and says he has not one of any sort, not even a classical dictionary, in
his house. Mr. Lang is certainly a clever writer, and manages to produce
much pleasant reading, but his contributions to the magazines and
newspapers lack the interesting facts which Mr. Sala placed so pleasantly
before the public in his racy and able articles. Mr. Lang devotes his
mornings to writing books and magazine articles, and the afternoons to
penning leaders for the newspapers.
The Earnings of Authors.
Little is known of the remuneration of authors until the days of Dr.
Samuel Johnson. Before his time, literary men, as a rule, depended on the
generosity of patrons for their means of support, and as an acknowledgment
of their obligations, dedicated their works to them. The dedications were
frequently made in most fulsome terms. The position of the writer was
certainly a mean one; indeed, it might fitly be pronounced degrading; when
he had exhausted his possibilities of patronage, he starved. It was
Johnson--a giant in the world of letters--who broke through the
objectionable custom, and taught the author to look to the reading public
for support, and not to a wealthy patron. It is not until the days of
Samuel Johnson that the subject of literary earnings is of much
importance; yet we may with advantage glance at a few payments made prior
to his age.
We do not know the amount Shakespeare received for his plays, but it is
certain that his connection with the theatre in London in a few years
realised for him a fortune, and, at a comparatively early age, enabled him
to return to his own town, a man of independent means. Oldys, in one of
his manuscripts, says that "Hamlet" was sold for L5; but he does not
mention his authority for the statement. It appears, from a publication of
Robert Greene's, in 1592, the price of a drama was twenty nobles, or about
L6 13s. 4d. of current coin.
Small must have been the literary pay of Spenser, Butler, and Otway, since
they feared to die for want of the simple necessaries of life. Milton sold
"Paradise Lost" for L5 down, to be followed by L15 if a second and third
large editions were required. The first edition consisted of 1,500 copies,
and in two years 1,300 were sold. The balance was not disposed of until
five years later. This powerful poem, when given to the world, met with
some adverse criticism. The poet Waller wrote of it thus: "The old, blind
schoolmaster, John Milton, hath published a tedious poem on the fall of
man; if its length be not considered a merit, it hath no other." A greater
poet than Waller--Dryden--recognised its merits, and said: "Undoubtedly,
'Paradise Lost' is one of the greatest, most noble, and most sublime
poems which either this age or nation has produced." Dryden wrote the
following epigram referring to Homer, Virgil, and Milton:--
"Three poets--in three distant ages born--
Greece, Italy, and England did adorn;
The first in loftiness of thought surpassed,
The next in majesty, in both the last.
The force of Nature could no further go;
To make a third, she joined the former two."
Milton's poem has been praised by the greatest critics, and it is still
very much read. It appears in many forms, and the annual sale is extremely
large. Routledge's popular edition sells at the rate of about a couple of
thousand a year; and we suppose the sale of other editions is equally
great.
Dryden arranged with Jacob Tonson, the famous bookseller and publisher, to
write for him 10,000 verses, at sixpence per line. To make up the required
number of lines, he threw in the "Epistle to his Cousin," and his
celebrated "Ode to Music."
Gray only received L40 for the whole of his poems. He presented the
copyright of his famous "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" to
Dodsley, feeling that it was beneath the dignity of a gentleman to make
money with his pen. The lucky publisher quite agreed with him, and
cleared about a thousand pounds by the publication.
Pope's translation of "Homer" yielded him about L8,000. He was assisted in
the work by William Broome, a scholar who was the author of a volume of
verse. John Henley thus refers to the circumstance:--
"Pope came off clean with Homer; but they say,
Broome went before, and kindly swept the way."
Gay made L1,000 by his "Poems." He was paid L400 for the "Beggar's Opera,"
and for the second part, "Polly," L1,000. Rich, the theatrical manager,
profited to a far greater extent from the "Beggar's Opera" than its
author. The contemporary jest was that it made Gay rich, and Rich gay.
Dr. Johnson sold the copyright of Goldsmith's "Vicar of Wakefield" for
L60, and he thought that amount fairly represented the value of the work.
"The great lexicographer," as Miss Pinkerton called him, placed no high
value on the performance of his friend, but the publisher found in the
"Vicar of Wakefield" a gold mine. Goldsmith was paid L21 for "The
Traveller." It was the work that established his reputation. Before it
appeared he was regarded as little better than a superior Grub Street
hack. Johnson pronounced this the finest poem that had been written since
the death of Pope. After having read it to the sister of Sir Joshua
Reynolds, she said: "Well, I never more shall think Dr. Goldsmith ugly."
The following are the prices Goldsmith obtained for others of his
works:--"English Grammar," L5; the "History of Rome," in two volumes, 250
guineas; the "History of England," in four volumes, L500; the "History of
Greece," L250; and the "History of the Earth and Animated Nature," in
eight volumes, L850. "She stoops to Conquer" yielded between L400 and
L500. Five shillings a couplet was paid for "The Deserted Village."
To cover the cost of his mother's funeral, Johnson wrote "Rasselas," and
disposed of it for L100. He sold his "Lives of the Poets" for 200 guineas.
The sum was considered liberal, but Johnson became so engrossed in his
subject that he supplied much more than what was expected from him. It is
believed that out of his work, in twenty-five years, the booksellers
cleared L5,000. It is still a saleable book, and is to be found in every
public and private library of any pretentions.
The sum of L700 was paid to Fielding for "Tom Jones," and for "Amelia,"
L1,000.
Very large amounts have been given for biographical works. Hayley received
for his "Life of Cowper," L11,000; and Southey, L1,000 for his life of the
same poet. The life of "William Wilberforce" was sold for L4,000; "Bishop
Heber's Journals," for L5,000; "General Gordon's Diary," for L5,250; and
the "Life of Hannah More," for L2,000.
The income of Scott was, perhaps, the largest ever made by authorship, yet
he said that the pursuit of literature was a good walking-stick, but a bad
crutch! His reputation was first made as a poet, and the following are
particulars of his profits from poetry: "The Lay of the Last Minstrel,"
published in 1805, L769 6s.; "Ballads and Lyrical Pieces," published in
1806, L100; for "Marmion," published 1808, Messrs. Constable offered 1,000
guineas soon after the poem was begun. It proved a very profitable
speculation to its publishers. During the first month after its
appearance, 2,000 copies were sold, the price being 31s. 6d. the quarto
volume. Next came the "Lady of the Lake" (1810), L2,100. This found even
greater favour with the public than its predecessors, and with it Scott's
poetical fame reached its zenith. A new poet who appeared on the scene,
Byron, completely eclipsed Scott. Scott tried, with two more poems, to win
back his lost place, as the popular poet of the period, and produced
"Rokeby," and the "Bridal of Triermain;" the latter was issued
anonymously, but both were failures. When Scott saw that his poetry did
not attract many readers, he turned his thoughts and energy into another
channel, and commenced his immortal novels. He had by him an unfinished
story, the work of former years, which he completed, giving it to the
world under the title of "Waverley." Constable offered L700 for the
copyright--an amount deemed very large in those days for a novel to be
published without the name of the author. Seven hundred sovereigns did
not, however, satisfy Scott; he simply said, "It is too much if the work
should prove a failure, and too little if it should be a success." It was
a brilliant book, and entranced the reading world. Scott had now found his
real vocation. He received for eleven novels, of three volumes each, and
nine volumes of "Tales of My Landlord," the sum of L110,000. For one
novel he was paid L10,000. Between November, 1825, and June, 1827, he
earned L26,000--an amount representing L52 6s. 3d. per working day. From
first to last, Sir Walter Scott made by his literary labours about
L300,000.
Lord Byron's dealings with Mr. Murray were in every respect satisfactory,
but this did not prevent the pleasure-loving lord from having a little
joke at the expense of his publisher. He delighted Mr. Murray with a gift
of a Bible, but the recipient's pleasure was fleeting, for on examining
the book it was discovered that it contained a marginal correction. "Now
Barabbas was a robber," was altered to "Now Barabbas was a publisher."
This was a cruel stab, seeing that Byron had received for his poetry
L19,340, and might have increased this sum if he had been more anxious
about remuneration.
In Mrs. Oliphant's book on "William Blackwood and His Sons," a letter is
quoted from Mr. Murray relating to the poet. "Lord Byron is a curious
man," says Murray, "he gave me, as I told you, the copyright of his two
poems, to be printed only in his works. I did not receive the last until
Tuesday night. I was so delighted with it that even as I read it I sent
him a draught for a thousand guineas. The two poems are altogether no more
than twelve hundred and fifteen hundred lines, and will altogether sell
for five and sixpence. But he returned the draught, saying that it was
very liberal--much more than they were worth; that I was perfectly welcome
to both poems to print in his (collected) works without cost or
expectation, but that he did not think them equal to what they ought to
be, and that he would not admit of their separate publication. I went
yesterday, and he was rallying me upon my folly in offering so much that
he dared to say I thought now I had a most lucky escape. 'To prove how
much I think so, my lord,' said I 'do me the favour to accept this pocket
book'--In which I had brought with me my draught, changed into two bank
notes of L1,000 and L50; but he would not take it. But I am not in despair
that he will yet allow their separate publication, which I must continue
to urge for mine own honour."
Mr. Murray treated Crabbe in a most liberal manner. He paid for the "Tales
of the Hall," and the copyright of his other poems, L3,000. It was given
to the poet in bills, and we read that "Moore and Rogers earnestly advised
him to deposit them, without delay, in some safe hands--but no; he must
take them with him to Trowbridge, and show them to his son John. They
would hardly believe his good luck at home, if they did not see the
bills." On his way to Trowbridge, a friend at Salisbury, at whose house he
rested (Mr. Everett, the banker), seeing that he carried his bills loosely
in his waistcoat pocket, requested to be allowed to take charge of them;
but Crabbe thankfully declined, saying that "There was no fear of his
losing them, and he must show them to his son John."
Without seeing a line of Thomas Moore's "Lalla Rookh," Messrs. Longman
undertook to pay L3,000 for it. The terms drawn up were simple, and read
as follows: "That upon your giving into our hands a poem of yours, the
length of 'Rokeby,' you shall receive from us the sum of L3,000. We also
agree to the stipulation, that the few songs which you may introduce into
the work shall be considered as reserved for your own selling."
His poem, of some 6,000 lines, was written in a lonely cottage in
Derbyshire. Moore never tired of telling his friends that the stormy
winter weather in the country helped him to imagine, by contrast, the
bright and everlasting summers and glowing scenery of the East.
The work was a great success. The first edition was sold in almost
fourteen days; within six months six editions had been called for. It is
said that some parts of the poem were translated into Persian, a
circumstance which caused Mr. Luttrell to write to the author in the
following strain:--
"I'm told dear Moore, your lays are sung
(Can it be true, you lucky man?)
By moonlight, in the Persian tongue,
Along the streets of Ispahan."
Moore received considerable amounts for his "Irish Melodies." The mention
of these call to mind a letter he penned to Mr. Power, his publisher, on
November 12, 1812:--
"My dear Sir,--I have just got your letter, and have only time to say,
that if you can let me have three or four pounds by return of post, you
will oblige me. I would not have made this importunate demand on you, but
I have foolishly let myself run dry without trying my other resources, and
I have been the week past literally without one sixpence. Ever, with most
sincere good will.--T.M."
Mr. Power promptly posted ten pounds to the poet. Said Moore, in the
course of his reply, "The truth is, we have been kept on a visit at a
house where we have been much longer than I wished or intended, and simply
from not having a shilling in my pocket to give to the servants on going
away. So I know you will forgive my teasing you.... You may laugh at my
ridiculous distress in being kept to turtle eating and claret-drinking
longer than I wish, and merely because I have not a shilling in my
pocket,--but, however paradoxical it sounds, it is true."
We read in Moore's journals, ten years later: "17th August,
1822.--Received to-day a letter from Brougham, enclosing one from Barnes
(the editor of _The Times_), proposing that, as he is ill, I shall take
his place for some time in writing the leading articles of that paper, the
pay to be L100 a month. This is flattering. To be thought capable of
wielding so powerful a political machine as _The Times_ newspaper is a
tribute the more flattering (as is usually the case) from my feeling
conscious that I do not deserve it." The next day he wrote and declined
the offer.
Thomas Campbell received, at the age of 21 years, L60 for his "Pleasures
of Hope," certainly a small amount for a fine poem, yet it gave him a
name, and enabled him to obtain large sums for some very slight literary
services. The publisher of his "Pleasures of Hope" did not treat him in a
generous manner, and his conduct appears to have embittered his mind as
will be gathered from the following anecdote. He was present at a party at
a period when the actions of Bonaparte were most severely condemned. On
being called upon for a toast, Campbell gave "The Health of Napoleon."
This caused a great surprise to all the company, and an explanation was
called for. "The only reason I have for proposing to honour Bonaparte,"
said he, "is that he had the virtue to shoot a bookseller." Palm, a
bookseller, had recently been executed in Germany by order of the French
chief.
It may here be mentioned that the copyright of the "Life of Bonaparte," by
Sir Walter Scott, with some copies of the work, was sold for L18,000.
Successful school-books are often gold mines for the authors and
publishers. The copyright of "Vyse's Spelling-Book" was sold for L2,000
and an annuity of L50 to the compiler.
The copyright of Rundell's "Domestic Cookery" realised a couple of
thousand pounds, and many other works of this class have been extremely
popular.
Very large sums have been paid for historical works. Hume received L700 a
volume; and Smollett, for a catch-penny rival work, cleared L2,000. The
money made by Henry is set down at L3,300. The booksellers, says Mr.
Leslie Stephen, made L6,000 out of Robertson's "History of Scotland." He
was paid for his "Charles V." the handsome sum of L4,500. Lingard's
"History of England" is, without doubt, an able work, and for it the
author was paid L4,683. The author's profits for the "Decline and Fall of
the Roman Empire," by Gibbon, are put down at L10,000.
The foregoing are respectable figures, but they appear small when compared
with the amounts paid to Lord Macaulay. On one occasion he had handed to
him a cheque for L20,000, representing three-fourths of the net profits of
his "History of England." A short time since, the following statement went
the rounds of the newspaper press, respecting Mr. Justin McCarthy's
popular work, the "History of Our Own Times." The book was offered to a
well-known publishing firm, who agreed to purchase it for L600. On finding
that the author was a Home Ruler, however, this firm asked to be allowed
to withdraw from the contract. Mr. McCarthy, who was greatly annoyed at
the suggestion that he might mutilate history to suit his own private or
political views, then went to Messrs. Chatto and Windus, who at once
agreed to publish the work for him on a basis of mutual profits. In the
interval, the other firm reconsidered the situation, and asked to be
allowed to revive the lapsed contract, but were too late, as the book had
been placed in the hands of the second firm. The work won a flattering
reception, and the author has, up to the present time, received several
thousand pounds as his share of the profits.
In 1897 passed away Dr. Brewer, the compiler of a "Guide to Science," and
other popular books. Shortly before his death, he told an interviewer that
he offered the copyright of his "Guide to Science" to Mr. Thomas Jarrold
for L50, but he declined the venture, saving he would pay a royalty of one
penny in the shilling for every copy sold. It went through two editions in
ten months, and then it was agreed to call 8,000 an edition, the royalty
to be given half-yearly, but any number less than 1,000 to stand over to
the next return. The largest half-yearly royalty was 19,000 copies
(Midsummer, 1836). In 1842, Dr. Brewer offered Mr. Jarrold L2,000 for his
half-share, which he declined. Soon after this, Messrs. Longman and Co.
offered Dr. Brewer L300 per year for life for the copyright. He offered
Mr. Jarrold L4,000 for his share, but he replied that he would not accept
double that sum, in fact that he would not part with it at all.
According to a careful estimate, Charles Dickens received L10,000 a year
from his works for five years, and died worth nearly L100,000. He made
every penny from his writings and readings. We need scarcely repeat the
well-known facts that "he not only lived in a very liberal style for over
thirty years, keeping up a considerable establishment, and often
travelling without regard to cost, but he brought up a large and expensive
family."
Thackeray did not make large sums by his books, when we consider his
undoubted genius and the high place he holds amongst the greatest authors.
It is said that he never made more than L5,000 out of any of his novels.
He received large sums for his lectures; indeed, the platform yielded him
better returns than the publishers.
Eighty thousand pounds is the amount of Bulwer Lytton's earnings as a
novelist. The remuneration he received, when his books first appeared, did
not reach large figures, the sums usually ranging from L600 to L1,000,
although his books were in great favour with lovers of fiction. When a
collected edition of his novels was issued, the publishers paid liberally
for the copyrights. The sale of Lytton's novels is very large; about
80,000 copies of the sixpenny edition, and some thousands of the
three-shillings-and-sixpenny edition, are sold every year.
The Earl of Beaconsfield, it is said, received the largest amount ever
paid in this country for a single novel. His last work, "Endymion," was
sold for L12,000. He only produced one other successful story, and that
was "Lothair." It is stated, on good authority, that these two novels have
together brought more than double the sums realised for his other books,
although inferior to some of his former writings. In his later years the
public paid for the novelty of reading stories by a statesman, and not for
the merits of his works. Some of his novels have recently been brought out
in a shilling edition, but they have already lost the allurements of
fiction, and are only read by students of politics, or persons curious as
to the character of the author.
Wilkie Collins was paid for "Armadale" L5,000. Mr. James Payn recently
received L1,000 for the rights of running one of his novels in the pages
of a sixpenny magazine. This author tells rather a good story about the
mode of payment for his novels. "It was," says Mr. Payn, "the custom with
a very respectable firm of publishers, with whom I did business, to pay my
cheques to the names of my immortal works, instead of to myself: and since
it suited their convenience to do so, I never complained of it, though it
sometimes put me in rather a false position when I presented my demands in
person, as, for example, in the case of the 'Family Scapegrace.' When I
came for the proceeds of 'Found Dead,' it was too much for the sense of
professional propriety of the banker's clerk, who gravely observed: 'It is
very fortunate, Sir, that this cheque is not payable to order, or it would
have to be signed by your executors.'" Said Dickens, to whom Payn related
the incident, "I should not like to have much money at a bank which keeps
so clever a clerk as that."