Life, 1912-12-05 · page 21 of 116
Life — December 5, 1912 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines editorial commentary with fashion advertising. The left column, "More Editors Needed," satirizes the publishing industry's careless editing practices. The author argues that publishers demand authors produce massive output (80,000-word novels annually) without time for accuracy, creating embarrassing errors: historical inaccuracies, contradictory character details, and anachronisms. The example cites a 1664-set novel where a character sings Robert Browning's poem—written 200 years later—risking "anticipatory infringement of copyright," and another referencing Albany by its Dutch name "Beverwyck" when that name was no longer in use. The satire blames publishers for not hiring adequate editors, despite authors' already-overwhelming workload. The right side advertises Franklin Simon & Co. women's clothing and holiday gifts, primarily silk waists and accessories for various demographics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
More Editors Needed Why should anyone expect an in- dustrious author to bother about ac- curacy when a fiction-hungry public is demanding two or three cighty- thousand word novels a year from his typewriter? He can’t conceivably spare time to be grammatical, to ver- ify historical or literary references, of even to be certain that Lady, Geral- dine’s eyes, which were of the fathom- less blue of a summer sea in Chapter IV, have not, in Chapter XXII, changed to the restful brown of the autumn leaf. Thackeray is not the only novelist who has carelessly resur- rected, in the latter pages of a novel, a character whom he had decently in- terred several thousand words earlier. No, the author’s business is to turn out cnough copy to supply the demand. Somebody in every publishing house should read and edit manuscripts be- fore they are intrusted to the intelli- gent compositor; thus would worthy authors be spared the mortification of realizing too late that they had in- flicted painfully bad English, uninten- tionally funny French or German phrases, and all sorts of anachronisins upon a trustful public. In a recently published historical romance of the year 1664 or thereabout, one Angus McAlpine, an ardent adherent of the liouse of Stuart, is made to sing de- fiantly, “the cavalier song then in vogue ” “King Charles! and who'll do him Now an editor with the range of reading, the memory and the affection for reference books that editors are supposed to have, would have said firmly at this point: “No, Mr. McAl- pine; we can’t Ict you sing that song. Robert Browning is going to write it about two centuries hence, and his an- cestors are quite capable of getting out an injunction to restrain you from an- ticipatory infringement of copyright.” The same watchful editor would have saved the same overtaxed author from allowing several characters to speak of a famous old city on the Hudson as “Albany” at a time when it still bore its Dutch name of “ Beverwyck.” Mind you, such little slips are not wholly the author’s fault. What with disentangling plots and secing that the Proper persons get married to one an- other and that the improper ones are hanged, drawn and quartered, the poor author has already more than cmough to do. Blame the publishers, who will not hire somebody who knows something to read and correct manuscripts before they are put into print. Franklin Simon & Co. Fifth Ave., 37th and 38th Sts., New York Useful Holiday Gifts Crepe de Chine and Brocaded Waists FOR WOMEN AND MISS Sizes, 32 to 44 Bust No. 150 White Brocaded Satin Waist. With pointed Robespierre Collar of self material, silk tie, pearl buttons, long sleeves with French cuffs. Value $9.75 6.95 No. 152 White Crepe de Chine Silk Waist. With Robespierre Collar, fastened with pearl but- tons, double pleated frill, long sleeves. Value $7.50 5.75 Useful Holiday Gifts FOR WOMEN AND MISSES Handkerchiefs, Gloves, Silk Hosiery, Toilet Sets, Perfumery, Neckwear, Mackinaw Coats, Sweat: ers, Umbrellas, Corsage Bouquets, Furs, Silk and Lingerie ‘Underwear, Slippers, Boudoir Gowns and Caps. FOR_BOYS AND GIRLS Handkerchief Cases, Mackinaw ers, Hosiery, Gloves, Ties, Neck- wear, Bath Robes, Shoes, Slippers, Umbrellas, Rain Coats, Hats and Rubber Boots. FOR_INFANT! <D_CHILDR Toi'et Sets, Slippers, Bootces, Afghans, Fur Robes, Basincttes, Hampers, Wardrobes, Pillow Slips, Quilted Robes, Baby Bunting Robes, Wrappers, Character Dolls, Animals, Trinket Boxes, Rattles and Imported Nursery Toys. FOR MEN Military Hair Brushes, Gloves, Umbrellas, ‘amer Rugs, Handkerchiefs, Hand: ‘ases, Hosiery, Neckwear and Fur- nishings. comicbooks.com