PAY OF THE PEN.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 174, 2 December 1892, Page 6

PAY OF THE PEN.

When Archbishop Tiilotson died it was discovered that he had left his widow no property except a great number of sermons. These the booksellers bought up eagerly, giving what Macaulay terms * the almost iracredible sum ’ of 2,500 guineas, the highest price yet given in England for any copyright: Two years later Dryden received £i,300 for his translation of‘Virgil ’ and was thought to have been splendidly jemunerated Spence, of ‘ Anecdotes ’ fame, cleared £1,500 by his ‘ Polymetis ’ —an exceed ingly dull precurson of Lempriere’s classical dictionary. For some years it held its own against all rivals, and was even abridged for reading in schools, but, as was said by a friendly critic, ‘ it sunk by its own weight and will never rise again.’ Before Macaulay’s famous cheque for £20,000, the largest sum ever realised by any one work whilst it continued to be called a new publication was £IB,OOO, the proceeds o’f Scott’s 4 Life of Napoleon,’ published in 1827. Indeed, the 4 Great Uuknown ’ is said to have made altogether something like £200,000 by his pen—a similar amount being credited to Dickens. Turning to biographies that have made their mark, we find that Washington Irving was paid 4,000 guineas for his 4 Life of Columbus’; Moore realised £2,000 guineas for his ‘Life of Byron’; while 4 Soapy Sam ’ and his brother received £4,500 for ten year’s right to their 4 Lite of Wilberforce.’ Many authors have refused to sell their works outright, preferring to take a percentage on the sale. Dean Stanley, acting on this plan, received about £1,600 for liis 4 Dr. Arnold ’; Mr Twiss 2,000 guineas for his 4 Lord Eldon ’; and Mr Roberts was lucky enough to make 3,000 guineas with his 4 Life of Hannah Move,’