The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1027: Chapter 69 A Plan within a Plan

Indeed, Arthur very much wanted to recommend to Gasoline the outstanding academic works in the “Economist” supplement of the “British” magazine.

However, due to the fact that Paris’s publishing censorship is far stricter than London’s, Gasoline, being an experienced old hand in the publishing world, cleverly selected those publications that wouldn’t cause trouble.

Although the Polish Romantic poet Adam Mickiewicz’s work “Ancestor’s Feast” involves political propaganda, considering the current political climate in Paris and French society’s sympathy for the Poles, publishing “Ancestor’s Feast” would undoubtedly earn cheers and applause from the Bonaparte Party and Polish refugees, and the Orleans Party would also welcome such social sentiment.

As for the Royalists, although they have always seemed in cahoots with the Russians, they wouldn’t fuss over such minor issues. Moreover, in the current political spectrum of Paris, this group is under severe oppression, and they certainly wouldn’t risk opposing societal opinion for the Russians.

Regarding John Stuart Mill’s economic writings, the concept of the free market aligns well with the Orleans Party’s governing philosophy, which is based on the wealthy financial bourgeoisie, so publishing his books wouldn’t pose any issues. However, given the academic nature of economic papers, the sales might be problematic, but Mill’s works losing money is completely acceptable to Gasoline.

Because among the options provided by Arthur, there are several choices that excite him.

Arthur Sigma, Alfred Tennyson, Benjamin Disraeli, and Charles Dickens, a four-in-one great bundle.

Alfred Tennyson, a name that over a year ago was still relatively unknown in the British literary world, has by now, in 1833, rapidly emerged as one of the hottest young poets.

Pastoral poetry and elegies are his forte, with a beautiful and haunting language that doesn’t seem like something a “Britisher” would produce.

His new work “In Memoriam” single-handedly reversed the “Britisher’s” reputation among readers who uphold a Romantic style, with many who once hailed “Blackwood’s” as the pinnacle of British literature now considering the “Britisher’s” poetry column as the second choice for a literary sanctuary.

As for Benjamin Disraeli, this talented young man, both a politician and writer currently traveling in Italy, solidified his leading position among young British writers with his “Captain Papanila’s Travels,” created during his travels post “Young Duke.”

His frequent sparring on the Tory Party’s organ “Quarterly Review” and the Whig Party’s organ “Edinburgh Review” has earned this Jewish lad the Tory Party’s endorsement for literary prowess. Many young people in the Tory Party have become devoted followers of Disraeli, swayed by his extraordinary rhetorical skills and writing talent, heedless of their elders’ warnings, ‘Benjamin Disraeli doesn’t look like a good person.’

If his works were published in Paris now, many prominent political figures would surely be interested in purchasing a copy, considering he is a promising young politician, with a youthful following within the Tory Party, potentially heading a department in the future.

As for Charles Dickens, his reputation needs no elaboration; just look at the shows staged at London’s major theaters, “The Strange Gentleman and the Pretty Peasant Girl,” “Is She His Wife?,” “The Pickwick Papers,” and so on. This man is absolutely dazzlingly popular in London!

Who’s the leader of the new literary movement in Paris? Some might say Hugo, others Dumas, and still others Vini.

But in London, this question has no controversy: it can only be Charles Dickens.

Even though in British literary circles, many criticize Dickens’ works for being lacking in depth, overly compromising to a mundane society, having too much entertainment value and insufficient literary merit, pursuing nothing but profit. But when these words reach publishers’ ears, it’s honey to one but poison to another.

Did you hear that?

Dickens’ works sell very well.

The Paris publishing world already scrambled for the French rights to Dickens’ works, but they didn’t anticipate that the “Britisher” seems unlike “Blackwood’s” in grasping for money. Even though publishers set a very high price, neither their editorial staff nor Dickens himself loosened their grip.

As for the reason, it’s quite simple, at that time they weren’t in the mood to discuss publishing matters, as one of their key shareholders was just lying in St Martin’s Church near Trafalgar Square, like in the story of Lazarus.

And finally there’s Arthur Sigma, also a rather mysterious writer. In some sense, he is as important as Sir Walter Scott among British authors. Scott pioneered the genre of historical fiction, establishing a writing tradition.

Arthur Sigma, however, is considered the founding father of detective fiction, although this field is far from being as matured as historical fiction, it represents potentially considerable sales power. Moreover, from the feedback of the British market, the reader base is quite robust. In the minds of some readers, Charles Dickens and Benjamin Disraeli can’t compare at all to Arthur Sigma; he is truly the “Britisher’s” number one.