The Wanganui Chronicle. SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1944 ON THE MAKING OF BOOKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 12, 15 January 1944, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1944 ON THE MAKING OF BOOKS

“QX the making of books there is no end, and much study is a weariness for the flesh,” declared the writer of Ecclesiastes. The learned and anonymous author of that somewhat depressing book, which has for its chief thesis that all is vanity, is by no means an inspiring person. He is a corrective, and corrective agents are seldom popular. In China, where successive internal disturbances and frequent invasions have always directed efforts to the destroying ot libraries, there is common another saying. The despairing note concerning the Flowery Land is “a dearth of books and men.” The absence of books brings neither inward nor outward peace, nor freedom from weariness. On the other hand, as the Chineso have noticed, where there is a dearth of books there is always a dearth of men. Those who fear competition, those regimes that exist in fear of a challenge, always make straight for the printing press, and where they know that the very stones cry out against them they engage in the ancient game of burning books. Jn this they always have the doubting approval of everyone who enjoys a bonfire. When Hitler started purging the libraries of Germany lie started putting out the light of the people that had accepted him, and in th» smoke of burning books he hoped to blind their eyes so that they should not see. Sic semper Tyrannis.

When a. man writes a book be has either one of two aims in view: to widen the mind or to cloud it with prejudice. This is true even of the novel. A good novel is one that opens the mind to a fuller understanding of mankind and a deeper sympathy with human conduct. A bad novel is one that clouds the vision, hardens the heart and dulls the sympathies.

Fortunately the writing of a novel or other book is only part of the task of informing the minds of men. The printer will work for his pay, but someone has to pay him and it is seldom that authors can do this. It is here that the- publisher must function. The publishing of books is a highly speculative scries of ventures. There is money to be spent before even the printer receives his orders, for the selected book is but one of many that have been read in manuscript, by competent readers. The consideration.'; which affect the. acceptance of a book by a publisher are some limes many and diverse: for a book must not only be good in itself, it must also have a fair chance of being acceptable to the public. If it is not acceptable to the public there is no point in having a manuscript printed. The public, however, is guided in considerable measure by The publisher who puts the book forward. A good house is a book’s best recommendation. Where the publisher takes a high view of his calling he is a valuable public servant. Fortunately this view is widely held, hence the respect which is accorded the publishers of books, despite all that the writer of Ecclesiastes had to say on the matter.

‘‘As truly as God is, we are His ministers and help to minister to the well-being of the souls of men.” declared Daniel Macmillan, one of the co-founders of Macmillans, the famous publishing house which attained to its century last year, Daniel was born at Upper Corrie. Arran, on September S 3, 1813, the son of a small farmer. He learned the book business behind a retail counter a 1 first and then in publishing houses. In 1843 he was joined by his brother Alexander, who was a teacher, and a small shop was opened in Aldersgate Street. London. But in the same year, partly through the kindly interest of Archdeacon Hare, the business of Mr. Newby, of Cambridge, was taken over by the brothers, and in 1845 the book business of Mr. Stevenson was acquired for £6OOO with the assistance of fresh partners. The firm was then known as Macmillan. Barclay and -Macmillan, but in 1850 Barclay retired and the firm name of Macmillan & Co. was resumed, to remain ever since. Daniel died at Cambridge in 1857 and in that year they published Charles Kingsley’s “Two Years Ago.” Kingsley’s novels had a tremendous vogue and they helped the new but by then well-established firm considerably. Other important authors whose works Macmillans published were Huxley, Maurice, Tennyson. Lightfoot, Westcott, J. R. Green, Lord Roberts. Lewis Carrol and Sir James Fraser. Among the more modern school were Thomas Hardy. Henry James and Rudyard Kipling, and of the moderns Lord Keynes. James Hilton. Hugh Walpole, the Sitwells, Charles Morgan and Rebecca West. Macmillans get the name of being a conservative house because they encourage authors to retain an interest in their own books, so that when success does come the author shares in the golden harvest. But it should not be imagined that Macmillans arc unwilling to take a plunge. One of the most successful novels—and a challenging one in its day—was H. (I. W ells’ “New Machiavelli.” the. chief character of which was based on a combination of the careers of Sir Charles Dilke and Charles F. G. Masterman. It had been rejected because of the nature of the story by two publishing houses before it was taken to Macmillans, which house unhesitatingly accepted it. published it. amscored a huge, success.

'l’he passing of the century by this leading publishing house during 1943 was an event in literary history. The high aims of its founders have been preserved, and because of it all men hold the name of this house in high regard. There are not a few who. both during their school days and afterwards, have found the publications of this house to be the stepping-stones to high fame. Through these men the people as a whole have been served by the publishers, and while such service continues it is to be hoped that of the making of books there will be no end.