302 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



by the suggestion of Mr. Macfie, who brought this question of royalty 

 before us, because his suggestion is, that no reprint is to differ from the 

 original edition without the author's consent, either in the way of 

 abbreviation, enlargement, or alteration of the text. Therefore, under 

 that regulation, if that is carried out, a publisher could not print half 

 of this book without your consent ? 



A, That would so far, if it can be practically worked out, meet my 

 objection. 



Q. [Mr. TroUope). But you have stated that you thought your- 

 self of using this form of abridgment to which allusion is made ? 



A. I have. 



Q. And if this form of abridgment when made by you could be re- 

 published again by anybody else, then your profit would be interfered 

 with? 



A. No doubt of it. 



Q. {Chairman). Supposing the suggested system of short copyright 

 and royalty had been in force, would you have undertaken these works 

 to which you have referred? 



A. Certainly not. The enterprise was an unpromising one, pecuni- 

 arily considered, and it would have been almost an insane one, I think, 

 had there not been the possibility of eventually getting back some re- 

 turns from sales that were necessarily very slow. Moreover, the hopes 

 under which the compilers have worked I could never have given to 

 them. 



Q. Then are we to gather from your evidence that the system of 

 short copyright and royalty would be injurious to the books of the 

 graver class which do not appeal to the popular tastes? 



A. I think so ; it would be especially injurious to that particular 

 class which of all others needs encouragement. 



Q. {Sir H. Holland). As requuing most thought and brain- work on 

 the part of the author ? 



A. Yes, and being least remunerative. 



Q. {Chairman). I understand you to say that in all these cases you 

 have not parted with the copyright yourself ? 



A. No, I have not. 



Q. Now, assuming that the authors of these graver books sold their 

 copyrights, do you think that this royalty system would still act preju- 

 dicially upon them ? 



A. I think very decidedly. I have understood that it is contended 

 that authors Avho sell their copyrights would not be affected by this ar- 

 rangement. One of the answers I heard given here to-day sufficed to 

 show that that is not true ; inasmuch as a publisher who had to meet 

 these risks would not give as much for copyright as he would other- 

 wise give. His argument would be unanswerable. He would say: 

 " Your book is a success, or not a success ; if not a success, I lose what 

 I give you for copyright ; if a success, I shall have it reprinted upon 



