VICTOR HUGO REJECTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 8 (Supplement)

VICTOR HUGO REJECTED.

A PUBLISHER'S ERROR. A good! many years ago the father of the present head of a Parisian publishing house was offered a manuscript by a £t *«?? ma V Wit , h a la, 'S e forehead. lhe publisher glanced over the pages and baw that the work was in verse Without attempting to read" 'it he handed it politely back to the youni: author with a few of the usual phrases about poetry being a drug in the mrket depression of trade, etc. "I am sorry for your sake," said the young man, impressively, as he pocketed the rejected manuscript. "I was about to propose to you a contract by which I would have assured you the right to all future productions of my pen. It was a fortune that I was about to offer you— but you refuse, and so no more need be Said."

The publisher, struck by his manner, reflected for a moment, and then hastened after his visitor to call him back. But he was too late—the young man had already disappeared. "Never before or since." the old gentleman was wont to say. "have I met with a young author who so fully believed in his own powers, nor with one that had so much reason for such belief, for my visitor was Victor Hugo."