LITERARY ASSASSINATION.
[TO-THE EDITOR OF TIER "SPECTAT011."]
Suz,—The appropriation in the United States of literary work not specially protected by copyright is inevitable, and not perhaps altogether to be deprecated, and the remedy in any
case lies in the author's hands. There is, however, so far as I am aware, no protection available against a form of literary
assassination of which I have just . been the victim. Many years ago I published in a volume a poem called "The Daisy," which ran as follows :—
" With little-white leaves in the grasses, Spread wide for the smile of the sun, It waits till the daylight passes
And closes them one by one.
I have asked why it closed at even, And I know what it wished to say : There are stars all night in the heaven, And I am the star of day."
In a musical setting recently issued by If. Witmark and Sons, New York, Chicago, London, Paris, under the title "I am the Star of the Day," this little poem is thus improved upon :—
"Little white leaves in the grasses, Bloom for the smiling sun, Wait till the daylight passes, Then closes them ev'ry one. Wait till the daylight passes, Then closes them ev'ry one.
I've asked why they close at evening, And I know what they would say, There are stars all night in the heaven But I am the star of the day, There are stars all night in the heaven But I am the star of the day."
This amazing travesty, libellously described as "Poem by Sir Rennall Rodd," was sent to my publisher by the composer, whose name I charitably forbear to pillory, with a note of explanation thus conceived :—
"You may notice that I have used the word bloom instead of the two words spread out. I had to use the substitute on account of the music as the two words could not make harmony and could never have been used by any accurate musician."
The two words did not occur in the original, but let that pass. The poem has been set several times before as it stood, pre- sumably, however, by inaccurate musicians. Meanwhile the letter offers the author some consolation, informing him that "the poem has been complimented as well as the music," and more than that, "the poem will find a place with the most artistic people of this country." That is precisely my trouble. It is possible that the authors of -"I'm Lonesome, Dear," "Katherine's Curls,"- and the words of other compositions advertised on the cover may be in the same case. It is only fair, therefore, to warn them.—I am, Sir, Scc., RENNELL RODD.,
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