THE AUTOGRAPH PEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE AUTOGRAPH PEST.

TRIALS OF AUTHORS. " What is an author to do with requests that reach him by post from professedly admiring strangers for autographs?" asks Mr. Osbert Burdett. in the American Bookman. One course is to leave such letters unanswered, but few authors cultivate such aloofness. " And correspondents in quest of a signature can make it more difficult for an approachable author, as they well know, if they accompany their request with a copy of his book for him to sign," continues Mr. Burdett. " This is the weapon of moral intimidation in the form of flattery." Mr. Burdett gives an interesting account of a personal experience. A correspondent wrote to him forwarding a copy of his book, " The Beardsley Period," and asking that it be autographed. This correspondent said that lie possessed an interesting collection of books dealing with the " Yellow Book " ans its contributors (of whom Beardsley was one of the most important), and stating (hat Mr. Burdett's book, which he had read with the keenest interest, would add 10 tho value of the collection, especially if it. bore tho author's autograph. In reply, Mr. Burdett said he regretted (hat he could not comply with the request as it was his practice to autograph only books that he gave to friends, or limited editions of his books. "To grant your request would be to connive at a practice that is making a farce of autograph copies," said Mr. Burdett. Though tho request was refused, tho correspondent had an autograph letter from Mr. Burdett dealing with a minor question of literary ethics. Some autograph hunters would have had senso enough to have known that they had gained rather than lost by the deal. But not so Mr. Burdett's admirer. He wrote back deploring Mr. Burdett's lack of courtesy in refusing (o autograph the book, and adding that the matter was of no consequence now, as he had burned this volume—which a few days before he had said he so Highly appreciated. Xot long afterward I ventured to ask a well-known poet what his practico was in this matter," states Mr. Burdett. " Ho replied that he never signed any but presentation copies or small limited editions of his books, except once. On this occasion the poet was glancing over the shelves of a secondhand bookseller. In a few minutes the bookseller, recognising him, advanced cautiously and said, ' Sir, I have here a copy of your early work. If you will sign it you will not be out of pockfit, and I shall gain some shillings the more. Will you oblige me?' The poet paused. Then with a smile ho asked for a pen. On the half title of his early work he wrote, 'To James Robinson, whose privately printed verses have been the inspiration of my life, from his friend and admirer—.' " The bookseller was enchanted, and sn no doubt will be the ultimate owner of this-* b00k.,, ITim in his turn we can picture haunting all the other secondhand book shops in search of that very great rarity, James Robinson's secret poems. Unless by some incredible coincidence the bibelot will not be easy to find, for tho simple reason that ' James Robinson ' was an invention. In years to come, no doubt, ho will be conjecturally identified in several learned and conflicting volumes. Someone will probably argue that James Robinson had a passion for privacy; that indeed he printed but a single copy of his book; that even this he did®not keep, but gave—the entire offspring of his genius—to the friend of- his life —our poet."