THE ENGLISH COPYRIGHT COMMISSION. 453 



would in that case be printing, of the nine books that would not suc- 

 ceed suflSciently, a larger edition than he would ever sell. He must 

 begin in all these cases of doubtful grave books by printing small 

 editions. 



Q. Where an author brings a book to a publisher, the first question 

 the publisher asks himself is, of course, this : " Is this book likely to 

 take ? " and then, if he thinks it will take, he has to consider further, in 

 what degree will it take ? Will it have a large sale or limited sale ? 

 Because, in each case the book may be a success, though in a different 

 degree. Then, if it is competent for any other publisher to publish an 

 edition, it may be assumed that such edition would be a cheap one ; 

 and, therefore, has not the original publisher this further question to 

 put to himself : " The book, I think, will take ; but, looking to the 

 chances of a cheaper edition, I must see what compensation I can give 

 to the author, publishing this book as cheaply as possible, so that I may 

 not be underbid hereafter " ? 



A. But I think that the experiences of publishers show that it does 

 not answer their purpose to run the risk of cheap editions with the great 

 mass of graver books ; inasmuch as nine out of ten of them do not pay 

 their expenses — and do not pay their expenses, not because of the high 

 price, but because they do not get into vogue at all. The publisher 

 would argue, " It will never do to print cheap editions of all these ten, 

 because one out of the number will succeed." 



Q. Of course he does not do so now, because there is not any pos- 

 sibility of another publisher underbidding him by a cheap edition ; but 

 I am assuming a case where any publisher, on payment of a royalty, can 

 publish a cheap edition ; then the original publisher would have to con- 

 sider, " HoAV cheaply can I publish this edition so that I may not be 

 underbid by another publisher ? " 



A. That, I say, would altogether depend upon the experience of the 

 publishers as to what was, in the average of cases, the sale of a new 

 book. In most instances the sale of a new grave book is very small — 

 not sufficient to pay the expenses ; and I think the publisher would 

 make a great mistake if, in the case of such a book, he counted upon 

 getting a large sale at once by a low price. The other argument would, 

 it seems to me, be the one he would use. In fact, I not only think so, 

 but I find my publishers think so. 



Q. [Chairman). Do you wish to instance any particular case in 

 which you believe that a fixed rovalty, such as we have heard about, 

 would have hindered the difixision of a book of permanent value ? 



A. Yes, I have an extremely striking, and, I think, wholly conclu- 

 sive, instance of the fatal efi"ects — the extensive fatal effects — that would 

 have resulted had there been any such system existing as that proposed. 

 I refer to the " International Scientific Series." I happen to know all 

 about the initiation of that. It was set on foot by an American friend 

 of mine, Professor Youmans, who came over here for the purpose. I 



