Anthony Trollope - Autobiography of Anthony Trollope

censure. To this rule I have adhered with absolute strictness, and

this rule I would recommend to all young authors. What can be got

by touting among the critics is never worth the ignominy. The same

may, of course, be said of all things acquired by ignominious means.

But in this matter it is so easy to fall into the dirt. Facilis

descensus Averni. There seems to be but little fault in suggesting

to a friend that a few words in this or that journal would be of

service. But any praise so obtained must be an injustice to the

public, for whose instruction, and not for the sustentation of the

author, such notices are intended. And from such mild suggestion

the descent to crawling at the critic's feet, to the sending of

presents, and at last to a mutual understanding between critics

and criticised, is only too easy. Other evils follow, for the

denouncing of which this is hardly the place;--though I trust I

may find such place before my work is finished. I took no notice

of my friend's letter, but I was not the less careful in watching

The Times. At last the review came,--a real review in The Times. I

learned it by heart, and can now give, if not the words, the exact

purport. "Of The Kellys and the O'Kellys we may say what the master

said to his footman, when the man complained of the constant supply

of legs of mutton on the kitchen table. Well, John, legs of mutton

are good, substantial food;' and we may say also what John replied:

'Substantial, sir,--yes, they are substantial, but a little coarse.'"

That was the review, and even that did not sell the book!

From Mr. Colburn I did receive an account, showing that 375 copies

of the book had been printed, that 140 had been sold,--to those,

I presume, who liked substantial food though it was coarse,--and

that he had incurred a loss of (pounds)63 19S. 1 1/2d. The truth of the

account I never for a moment doubted; nor did I doubt the wisdom

of the advice given to me in the following letter, though I never

thought of obeying it--

"GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET,

November 11, 1848.

"MY DEAR SIR,--I am sorry to say that absence from town and other

circumstances have prevented me from earlier inquiring into the

results of the sale of The Kellys and the O'Kellys, with which the

greatest efforts have been used, but in vain. The sale has been,

I regret to say, so small that the loss upon the publication is

very considerable; and it appears clear to me that, although in

consequence of the great number of novels that are published, the

sale of each, with some few exceptions, must be small, yet it is

evident that readers do not like novels on Irish subjects as well

as on others. Thus, you will perceive, it is impossible for me to

give any encouragement to you to proceed in novel-writing.

"As, however, I understand you have nearly finished the novel La Vendee,

perhaps you will favour me with a sight of it when convenient.--I

remain, etc., etc.,

"H. COLBURN."

This, though not strictly logical, was a rational letter, telling

a plain truth plainly. I did not like the assurance that "the

greatest efforts had been used," thinking that any efforts which

might be made for the popularity of a book ought to have come from

the author;--but I took in good part Mr. Colburn's assurance that

he could not encourage me in the career I had commenced. I would

have bet twenty to one against my own success. But by continuing

I could lose only pen and paper; and if the one chance in twenty

did turn up in my favour, then how much might I win!

CHAPTER V My first success 1849-1855

I had at once gone to work on a third novel, and had nearly

completed it, when I was informed of the absolute failure of the

former. I find, however, that the agreement for its publication was

not made till 1850, by which time I imagine that Mr. Colburn must

have forgotten the disastrous result of The O'Kellys, as he thereby

agrees to give me (pounds)20 down for my "new historical novel, to be

called La Vendee." He agreed also to pay me (pounds)30 more when he had

sold 350 copies, and (pounds)50 more should he sell 450 within six months. I

got my (pounds)20, and then heard no more of (pounds)a Vendee, not even receiving

any account. Perhaps the historical title had appeared more alluring

to him than an Irish subject; though it was not long afterwards that

I received a warning from the very same house of business against

historical novels,--as I will tell at length when the proper time

comes.

I have no doubt that the result of the sale of this story was

no better than that of the two that had gone before. I asked no

questions, however, and to this day have received no information.

The story is certainly inferior to those which had gone before;--chiefly

because I knew accurately the life of the people in Ireland, and

knew, in truth, nothing of life in the La Vendee country, and also

because the facts of the present time came more within the limits

of my powers of story-telling than those of past years. But I read

the book the other day, and am not ashamed of it. The conception

as to the feeling of the people is, I think, true; the characters

are distinct, and the tale is not dull. As far as I can remember,

this morsel of criticism is the only one that was ever written on

the book.

I had, however, received (pounds)20. Alas! alas! years were to roll by

before I should earn by my pen another shilling. And, indeed, I

was well aware that I had not earned that; but that the money had

been "talked out of" the worthy publisher by the earnestness of

my brother, who made the bargain for me. I have known very much

of publishers and have been surprised by much in their mode of

business,--by the apparent lavishness and by the apparent hardness

to authors in the same men,--but by nothing so much as by the ease

with which they can occasionally be persuaded to throw away small

sums of money. If you will only make the payment future instead of

present, you may generally twist a few pounds in your own or your

client's favour. "You might as well promise her (pounds)20. This day six

months will do very well." The publisher, though he knows that the

money will never come back to him, thinks it worth his while to

rid himself of your importunity at so cheap a price.

But while I was writing La Vendee I made a literary attempt in

another direction. In 1847 and 1848 there had come upon Ireland

the desolation and destruction, first of the famine, and then of

the pestilence which succeeded the famine. It was my duty at that

time to be travelling constantly in those parts of Ireland in which

the misery and troubles thence arising were, perhaps, at their

worst. The western parts of Cork, Kerry, and Clare were pre-eminently

unfortunate. The efforts,--I may say, the successful efforts,--made

by the Government to stay the hands of death will still be in the

remembrance of many:--how Sir Robert Peel was instigated to repeal the

Corn Laws; and how, subsequently, Lord John Russell took measures

for employing the people, and supplying the country with Indian

corn. The expediency of these latter measures was questioned by

many. The people themselves wished, of course, to be fed without

working; and the gentry, who were mainly responsible for the rates,

were disposed to think that the management of affairs was taken

too much out of their own hands. My mind at the time was busy with