The tyranny of publishers has from time immemorial been one of the greatest grievances of that section of society which has felt called upon to amuse or instruct the rest. Accentury or two ago, there was a good deal of foundation for the complaints of the author; but in the present generation, in which publishers, writers and readere have all multiplied exceedingly, the author, if he have something tosay worth the saying, can generally manage to obtain a hearing. Still, the warfare has been rather one-sided.. The author is loud in his complaints, but the publisher replies not, and fills his waste Rowever, the publisher hae not been con: aper basket: in stony silence. Tnone case,
tent with this, but has had the brilliant idea of making capital out of the effusions sent him by budding geniuses, When one comes to think of it, there ought to be something delightfully fresh about a book by one of the declined-wit auks" class of writers sent forth with all its imperfeetions on its head; and the wonder is that the idea has not been utilised before, We have before us " novel entitled Luck in Disguise, published by the John W, Lovell Company, New York, This remarkable work is described as a romance of love and travel into the Far West near Chicago," and is announced on the title page written in good faith by William J. Yexter, and revised and punctuated by L. P. Culter." On first taking up the book, the reader becomes impressed with the idea that he has in his hand a masterpiece of subtle humour; but upon further examination, the work reveals itself in all its ingenuousness, and the reader can enter into the feelings of the publishers, who believe that they are ' subservient to the best enjoyment of the public in placing this literary gem, from the rural districts of Ohio, on the market in all its virgin purity, free from the deleterious effects of editor's revisions and eliminations, and full of those trifling errors which occur when true genius sends burning thoughts white hot from the pen." The publishers also observe: ' It will be noticed that the clearness of thought is often due to the almost marvellous punctuation of Mr. Culter. This note has been approved by Mr. Culter, and will doubt-Tess add much to the reader's enjoyment, conveying as it does a hint at the ingennousness of the never-before-known but now-to-be-great author and punctuator.""
Upon taking a bird's eye view, 80 to speak, of Luck in Disguise, one is filled with admiration of the manner in which the gifted author expands into 229 pages the history of a young man who leaves home
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.