30O THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



benefited by cod-liver oil who cannot get it at present because of tlie 

 price ? 



A. I think in all those cases in which they would be benefited the}' 

 get it by hook or by crook when it is prescribed for them, 



Q. And in the same way with your books, j'ou think ? 



A. Yes. For instance, university men have to read them, and they 

 would buy them in any case. 



Q. [Chairman). What would have hajDpened to you originally 

 had there been a law giving a copyright only of short duration, un- 

 der such an arrangement of percentage as that which you have just 

 named? 



A. I think it is tolerably obvious, from what I have already said, 

 that I should not have been wholly deterred. I should have gone on 

 losing for many years ; but I think it is also clear that I should have 

 stopped short much sooner than I did. Every author is naturally san- 

 guine about his books ; he has hopes which nobody else entertains. The 

 result is that he will persevere, in the hope of at some time or other reap- 

 ing some return, when to other persons there seems to be no probability 

 of the kind. But supposing it becomes manifest to him that the copj'- 

 right law is such that when his books succeed, if they ever do succeed, 

 he will not get large profits, then the discouragement will be much 

 greater, and he will stop much sooner. If I, for instance, instead of 

 seeing that vmder the system of commission I should eventually, if I 

 succeeded, repay myself and get a good return, had seen that eventu- 

 ally, if I succeeded, I should receive but small gains, I should have 

 given it up. 



Q. Are there other publications which you have undertaken besides 

 those to which you have already referred ? 



A. Yes. About ten years ago I commenced preparing works now 

 published under the name of "Descriptive Sociology," in large folio 

 parts, and containing tables and classified extracts representing the 

 civilizations of various societies. I employed gentlemen to make these 

 compilations. 



Q. Do you wish to state what has been the result of that undertak- 

 ing so far? 



A. Yes. I made up my accounts last Christmas. I had then in the 

 course of those ten years expended £3,958 odd upon eight parts (five 

 published and three in hand), and my net return from sales of the five 

 parts published in England and America was £608 105. 



Q. May I ask whether you ever expect to get back the money that 

 you have expended ? 



A. I may possibly get back the printing expenses on the earliest 

 part, and most popular part, that dealing with the English civilization, 

 in 1880, at the present rate of sale. The printing expenses of the other 

 parts I do not expect to get back for many years longer. The cost of 

 compilation I expect to get back if I live to be over a hundred. 



