where the sale could not be expected to reach more than
a few thousand, there would be no business justification in spending
so much. Such books have more or less to make their own way.

Publicity is an essential part of the publishing business, and the
breadth of its field, as well as the proper way to apply its
influence, is beginning to be more correctly understood. Fortunately,
for all concerned, the author as well as the publisher and the
book-buying public, it is a power that can work only for good, and in
a good cause. It hastens the fame and the sales of a really good book,
but its power with a bad book is very small indeed. One fact has
developed from the thousands of book advertising campaigns, and it is
this--that you cannot force a really worthless book down the throat of
the American reading public however much money you put into
advertising. You may create a big sale for a very light and frothy
story, with little to recommend it from the literary critic's point of
view, but you can be sure, if it succeeds, your novel has certain
positive, if rather superficial virtues, either in the story, in the
local color, or in the method of telling. And when one contemplates
the huge success of Mrs. Humphry Ward's and Edith Wharton's
distinguished novels, one is obliged to accept the comforting
conviction that the reading public of this country knows a good book
when it sees it.

REVIEWING AND CRITICISING

By Walter Littlefield.

About 60,000 volumes are annually published in Germany, France, Italy,
Great Britain, and the United States. Germany heads the list, with
something less than 25,000, and the United States ends it, with
between five and six thousand titles, although it should be added that
Continental figures refer to all material bearing an imprint published
for circulation whether pamphlet or book. Aside from purely scientific
and specialistic publications those intended for public perusal of all
grades of literacy and intelligence may be classified as history,
biography, travel, _belles-lettres_ (including art, criticism, and
poetry), and fiction. It is the work of the literary critic to write
about these books in such a manner that neither the author nor the
public may suffer injustice by their purchase or non-purchase. The
critic must explain their purpose, point out their merits and
imperfections, and compare their features with the features of other
books on the same subject. In short, he