Until well into the 18th century, in the book trade an honorarium (from Latin honorarium, “gift of honor”) –  in the sense of a sum of money paid in cash to an author for his intellectual work – was paid by publishers only in exceptional cases. In Germany a few authors received a Bogenhonorar based on the number of pages in a book. More often, however, the honorarium was a “gift,” a testimonial, which until the period of the Enlightenment (18th century) had solely commendatory character. Authors (as well as musicians, painters, etc.) usually received or expected it from wealthy pat…