THE FUTURE OF THE NOVEL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 586, 14 August 1909, Page 9

THE FUTURE OF THE NOVEL.

/ great, discussion about' the future—tlio commercial :futiirej3hat .is—of the..novel goes on aii 'En'glish jotirnal); 'Puhthe"' situation, and Mr. Heine.marin'// who; tho '.Publishers' - Association,, speaking at the Associated Booksellers'- dinner the .other day; found it necessaiy,'; &ya'ddr.cs& ; '-himself; to', the -problem ;of ■; ;ffeymaae. in his -joints' oftintor^st'oh' this question. .•;In; ifirst.placet; he/A- deplored, short /floyels. -which; would previously ,'have .. bsen* originally published at a "shilling into ; .the.;bulk3f .a, six-'shilling jbook',' )-The.,reader who buys a novel 'to'read 'on'.a short holi- . daj'/or otf his spare'eveiiihgs :: fiWds ;himself . cheated if.-he-gets .barely oho nights reading out of a:■ book : instead,.; of'' several.. •In ; tho second-plaoo,'ho said that-far, too little attention was paid:to.quality, and that absolutely worthiest novels, published.' at a wellrto-do ; authoTfs "or,'';kuthoress's •;:expehse, are pro-' dnced '.at tho' same price. as. those which are thoYripo a work of experience , and . a trained : literary 7 faculty.. . pays the. .same, price, in r !fact', for ! Mr..; William- do #Morgan's; best . bodks 'as' ■ for—but The reader may ..fill' in the.'/blank... 'Lastly, 'he said the had become distrustful' because:'roissuo at"'a. quarter, of the .cbst or loss was threat- ; enqd at so early a ; poriod that ' many . book' , buyers .'preferred ..to. wait. This seems to be the crucial point in, the whole matter. ;It is plainly now -excroising the attention ;of.'.publishers; for 'the other -day -wenoticed .printed, on (the a. solemn undertaking 'riot' .to- rppublisb'.; : it' ; ;at a .; eh6apor ;price;.bsfore..3t; least>fiv;e'(years had elapsed.; 'Nowadays it js. theiaffair -of a year at; mostjjandsoften:;only ; .avfew,"months. The: reason is t.lie :who have taken uoT tho 'sevennenriy'.';jnbvel..+«

get material to satisfy tho enormous demand which has sprung up for their wares. They would, however, do well, to be careful. They are in; danger pf; killing the' gooso which lays the,- golden eggs .if they 'fojco. a six-shilling novel to'! appear ;ai"a .reprint within a few months of its first publication. Tho demand for it might cease altogether with tho ceasing, of subscriptions;"'.to those circulating libraries which are now almo3t its solo purchasers ; aiid;' 'the, "prosperity of.::which is menaiied by the possibility of buying all the fictio-nono wants at a very cheap price. If that happened, the ."sevenpenny" publishers -would he left to get their materia] in manuscript from the author direct.:; Then, one of two things .must - tho, author ceases to make a living, or. the, price qf cheap books will have to bo raised. - It is a very pretty dilemma—for everyone except - tho authors, whose voice is not much regarded i when .trade ;interests. are at : stake.