INTRODUCTORY. TO OUR READERS. The discovery of a weighty reason for a new literary venture is almost as difficult as the discovery of a new country. We consider ourselves fortunate, therefore, in finding such important vacant ground as that which an International Annual must occupy. HE pen has done more | States is refreshing to English people. than the sword to keep Controlled by the calmer fashions of the alive international ani- Old World, it is a beneficial stimulus, and mosities; the pen can an international good. do more than trade or treaties to heal them. The kinship of a com'mon speech, and the heritage of a common history, have been less potent in bringing the people of England and the people of the United States to understand each other than the steady growth of a literature to which both may enter an equal claim. Warne's International Annual aims to continue the work which is being done by American writers in England, and English writers in America. It presents a combination of authors and artists of whom the one section is as distinctly English as the other is characteristically American. In these practical days, our enterprise may find favour with. .utilitarians upon the ground of international usefulness, as a new link of amity between two great peoples. Some of our readers have heard the story of the stranger who went into an English church during a charity service. On a pathetic theme, the preacher was most eloquent. The entire congregation, with one exception, was in tears. The exception was the stranger. After the benediction the leading pew-owners gathered around him. inquiring how it was possible he could listen to the heart-rending story of the preacher without being moved. "Well," he said, with irritating coolness, "the fact is I don't belong to the parish!" Now, in future we do not propose to leave the American author in that position. We invite him to come into the parish; and we intend to make him useful. Scribner's Magazine has shown us what he is, alone, in periodical literature. Warne's International Annual will put him to the friendly test of association, in an English periodical, with English authors. Then, he can no longer say that he does not belong to the parish; while the parish, we feel sure, will But we offer our work on other grounds besides those of mere policy. We stretch out our hands to the authors across the Atlantic, and join. them with the writers here, because we believe such a union will produce a novel and attractive work. Handicapped by the absence of an International copyright, our American cousins have, nevertheless, developed a literary activity with which it is pleasant to be in welcome him, and be the better for his contact. The vigour of life in the United companionship. |