LORD TENNYSON'S RELATIONS WITH HIS PUBLISHERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 10, 13 January 1893, Page 4

LORD TENNYSON'S RELATIONS WITH HIS PUBLISHERS.

TIIE PROFITS OF POETRY,

Tho Bookman for November prints a statement of the lato Lord Tennyson's relations with his more recent publishers. Messrs Strahau succeeded Messrs. Moxon in tho tnet's favour : —

Me Strahan wrote to him proposing that his firm should become tho publisher?. To this Mr Tennyson replied appointing an interview. Mr Strachan went down, aud tho matter was arranged one night after dinner; Mr Tennyson smoking and talking over tho contract and other matters with Mr Strahan until four iv the morning, iv tho top of the tower, at Farringdon. Tho terms of tbe contract were that Strachau aud Co ehould pay Mr Teuuysou, for a period of (ivo years, a sum of £5001) ter anuum for a right to publish the books which had already appeared at the dato of the contract, and, in addition, that they should have the right to issue auy new works on commission, the commission being 10 per cent. Notwithstanding the large sum agreed to be paid, Strahan and Co m^do a profit ou the transaction during the yearß they had the books. During the timo they had Lord Tenuy. sou's books they only published two new ono?, 'The Holy Grail' and 'The Win. dow ; or Sougß of tho Wrens.' Of ' The Holy Grail' they got rid of forty thousand copies within a short time after publicatiou. The book was published at 7s '.: ', and the net proceeds — less 10 per cent, commission to Strahan and Co, ' — went to Mr Tennyson. Tho book would, of course, cost [Tor paper and print about Id, binding another 4d, aud they would get about is Gd a copy, which after dcdu2tiug cost of production and publishers' commission, would leave about os to Lord Tennyson. Forty thousand copies at *."j equals £6,u00.

The small edition in ten volumes in a bos was Mr k'trahan's idea. It was also his idea that come should be done in purple and some in the usual green. A portion of the 6t ck was bound in purple — not against Lord Tennyson's wishes hut with his consent, ho haviug passed the whole matter. When Missi s Sirahan and Co. published Mr Tennyson's books, ' In Memoriam' sold considerably better than aty one of the others — that is, of course, of the old books. Sir Arthur Sullivan icceived i'oUU fbr setting ''iho Window ; or jtho fc'ongs of the Wrens.'

The transfer of Lord Tennyson's books from Strahan and Co. to Mr Henry S. King was conducted by Mr Strahan, who arranged tho terms between Lord Tennyson and Mr King. He was to pay £-i,UU'.' a year for the old books ; and Mr Strahan particularly stipulated on behalf of Mr King that he should have the right to publish a complete edition of all the poems at 7s I'd, which was to be included in the annual payment. The firm sold I'.'O.OW copies of the complete edition at 7s < ; L

Evidently the rewards of a great poet have lisun considerably since Milton got Xo for ' .Paradise Lost.'