It was on these terms that they bought the stories
of Jules de la Madeleine, Flaubert's 'Madame Bovary,' etc. These facts are
within my knowledge. To take an example among translations, they bought
from Baudelaire, for 400 francs, the right to publish 6000 copies of his
Poe. We do not work in this way. We buy for 200 francs (L8) the right to
publish an edition of 1200 copies.... If the book succeeds, so much the
better for the author, who makes 200 francs out of every edition of 1200
copies. If M. Flaubert, whose book is in its third edition, had come to us
instead of to Messrs. Levy, his book would already have brought him in
1000 francs (L40); during the four years that Messrs. Levy will have the
rights of his book for a total payment of 400 francs, he might have made
two or three thousand francs with us.... Votre bien devoue,
"A.P. MALASSIS."
* * * * *
We now know that Flaubert made L16 in four years out of "Madame Bovary,"
which went into three editions within considerably less than a year of
publication. And yet the house of Levy is one of the most respectable and
grandiose in France. Moral: English authors ought to go down on their
knees and thank God that English publishers are not as other publishers.
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