The Editor's Fence

14-2 THE EDITOR'S FENCE 1. Prodigality too Brief« Conscience, Economics, and Time and Tide having prevented a sojourn in England during the summer of 18?9, all, rather strangely, became right with the world under more difficult circumstances this summer. I became a happy prodigal editor for three weeks from mid-June to nearly mid-July. ELT, the labor that never ceases, hung in suspension. Despite eighteen days of rain, three days of cloudiness, and the inflation vacuum cleaner, the London sojourn was research-fruitful, culturally fattening, and personally therapeutic. The last half of July and most of August have expectedly been my time to pay the piper. He has been handsomely pa id ι Volume 23, Nos 3 and k (1980) of ELT will probably be out on time toward end of October or early November, contributions are being evaluated, correspondence has been dutifully dealt with, and Volume 24, Nos 1 and 2 (I98I) will be in the mails in March. 2. Anticipationi Last March I announced new subscription rates for I98I (please check the inside front cover). It was none too soon and it was the better part of wisdom. Postal rates have gone up again. Although they go into effect for the October mailing while the new subscription rates become effective with the I98I mailings , I will probably make ends meet by end of I98O. Fortunately , ELT never has been and still is not significantly dependent on any university or outside funding. And, fortunately again, ELT subscribers have been admirably loyal. ELT survives. ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. A Symposium on Samuel Beckett 1 The Ohio State University will sponsor a three-day conference in the spring of I98I entitled "A Symposium on Samuel Becketti Humanistic Perspectives," May 7, 8, 9, I98I. The Symposium, directed by S. E. Gontarski, Morris Beja and Pierre Astier, will be strongly interdisciplinary. Featured speakers so far are Ruby Cohn, Hugh Kenner and Germain Bree. Suggestions and proposals for seminars should be addressed either to the 8ymposium directors or simply to: Samuel Beckett Symposium, Department of English, The Ohio State University, 164 W. l?th Avenue , Columbus, OH 43210. 2. The "New" Prose Studies ι Prose Studies I8OO-I9OO. edited by Philip Dodd and Ian Hilson, has extended its field of interest to the non-fictional prose of all periods. The new journal aims "to offer readings of individual works 1 to identify the special generic and stylistic conventions and structures of prose discourse 1 and to contribute to the developments of a new poetics of prose, which would free its material from the negative definitions - nonfiction , non-literature - still current criticism, and would establish its presence within a reconstituted theory of literature. Prose Studies is planning a special issue on travel literature. Articles and notes are welcome on individual works, on travel literature of a particular period, on the historical determinants of such writing, and on the forms and conventions of the ...