Gospel and its Fruits. See Wilson, J. H. Hall, C. H. (117), Spini Christi, $1 (Orphan Press Church Heroes of the Seven Hills. See Laing, C. H. B. Jewett; Lee & S. pap. 50 c...... Ireland, Wm. H. (117), Confessions of, $2; large paper, $3.50....... ..Bouton. Ireland among the Nations. See O'Leary, J. Lytton, E. B. (118), Devereux; (116), Eugene Aram: Zanoni (Lord Lytton ed.), each $1.50..........Lippincott. Mabel (118) Hazard's Thoroughfare, $1.25.......... Carter. Mackey, A. G. (119), Encyclopædia of Freemasonry, $9, Moss. $10, and $11.. Maclear, G. F. (118), Instruction for Confirmation, $1. Macmillan. McMullen, M. A. (119), Snatches of Song, $1.50..... Fox. Mahan, D. H. (119), Civil Engineering, 2d ed., $5...Wiley. Maid of Orleans. See Calvert, G. H. Maiden (117) and Married Life of Mary Powell, new ed., $1. Dodd & M. Meriwether, H. A. (117), By Sea and by Land. $2.50. Macmillan. Modern Doubt and Christian Belief. See Christlieb, T. Modern Painters. See Tytler, S. Morse, J. T., Jr, (117), Trial of Tichborne Claimant, etc., $2.25.... ..Little, B. & Co. McLoughlin. McLoughlin, Mother (116) Goose Complete, $1.. Ohio (119), Seney's Civil Procedure, 2d ed., $7.50... Clarke. ..Murphy. O'Leary, J. (119), Ireland among the Nations, $1... McGee. Papa's Own Girl. See Howland, M. Paradise (118) of God, $1 and $1.50... Pascoe, C. E. (117), London Directory for Am. Travelers, $1.. .... Lee & S. Passages (117) in the Life of the Faire Gospeller, new ed., $1.. .Dodd & M. Philosophy of Herbert Spencer. See Bowne, B. P. Plato (117), by C. W. Collins (Anc. Classics), $1. Lippincott. Poetry of the Orient. See Alger, W. R. Prescott, W. H. (117), Conquest of Peru, v. 1, $2.25; $2.75 and $4.50.... Lippincott. Ralston, J. G. (118), Solar Hieroglyphics, 75 c. Appleton. Smith, E. & Co. Reese, J. J. (116), Manual of Toxicology, $5....Lippincott. Reid, C. (117), Daughter of Bohemia, $1.50; pap. $1. Religion and the State. See Hovey, A. Reynolds, J. R. (116), Clinical Uses of Electricity, 2d ed., $1.25.... .....Lindsay & B. Right and Left. See Newby, C. J. Robertson, J. C. (118), History of the Christian Church, v. 2, new ed., $2.25... ....Pott, Y. & Co. Rogers, H. (118), Superhuman Origin of the Bible, $2. Scribner Roper, S. (119), Handbook of the Locomotive, $2.50. Claxton. Wiley. .Estes & L. Knight, C. (118), Popular Hist. of Engl., new ed., 8 v., $25; Laugel, A. (116), England, Political and Social, $1.50. Putnam. Law, H. W. (119), Simplified Interest Tables, $3... Kendall. Logic. See Bain, A. London Directory for Am. Travellers. See Pascoe, E. C. Ruskin, J. (119), Ariadne Florentine, $1... ...Hale. .Porter & C. Lippincott. Haverty. - (119), Same, Illustr. Fireside ed., $1.50.......... Spencer, Herbert. See Bowne, B. P. Roberts. Tyng, S. H. (118), Office and Duty of a Christian_ Pastor, Wilson, J. G. (119), Sketches of Illustrious Soldiers, $2.50. Wilson, J. H. (119), Gospel and its Fruits, $1.25....Carter. Woman to the Rescue. See Arthur, T. S. Worthies of all Souls. See Burrows, M. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF FORTHCOMING PUBLICATIONS. HENRY S. ALLEN, 136 8th St., New York. A. S. BARNES & CO., New York. (MAY.) Youth's Script Speller. By J. Madison Watson. 12°. Complete Arithmetic. By Wm. G. Peck, LL.D. Monteith's Primary Geography. By James Monteith. Sm. 4°, pp. 94. Half bound. Nelson & P. A Life of Daniel Webster. By Joseph Banvard, D.D. $1.50. Uniform in style with "Life of Charles Sumner." Knights and Sea Kings; or, The Middle Ages. A companion volume to "Myths and Heroes." By S. F. Smith, D.D. $1.75. Bible Lessons. By Edmund Clark. For S. S. Concerts and Anniversaries. To be published monthly, the first number to be issued June 1, subject Temperance." The Name Above Every Name. By Samuel Cutler, D.D. Rev. and enl. Plain, $1; gilt edge, $1.50;. Red Line ed., $2. The Lost Purse; or, Bessie Bleak. 75 C. Peter the Ship Boy. By Kingston. 16. $1. Parsing Blanks in 4 Nos. By J. H. Sampson. 4°. Physiology. By F. L. Gros Clark. Per 100, $1.50. ROBT. CLARKE & CO., Cincinnati. Eunomous; or, Dialogues concerning the Law and Constitution of England, with an Essay on Dialogue. By Edward Wynne. 1st Am. from 8th London ed. 2 vols. 8°. J. DISTURNELL, Phila. Sailing on the Great Lakes. $3. (June.) HENRY O. LEA, Phila. Pavy on Food and Dietetics. 1 vol. 8°. LORING, SHORT & HARMON, Portland, Me. Maine Reports. Vol. 61. Reports of Cases in Law and Equity determined by the Sup. Jud. Court of Maine. By Edwin B. Smith. 8, pp. 600. Shp. $5. (May 31.) Guide to Mount Desert Island, Me. Containing two Maps from U. S. Coast Survey, and Photographic Illustrations. By Clara Barnes Martin. 16°, pp. 100. Bds. (June.) D. LOTHROP & CO., Boston. Life of Charles Sumner. By J. and J. D. Chaplin. Modern Prophets. Giving an Inside View of the Great A History of the Jewish Nation. By E. H. Pal- Pioneers of the New World. By Joseph Banvard, IPORTER & COATES, Phila. Valentine the Countess. A Novel. By Carl Detlef, author of "Must It Be?" etc. Transl. by MS. (International Series of Novels, Vol. 8.) 12. $1.50; pap. $1. ROBERTS BROS., Boston. Antony Brade. A Story of Schoolday Life. By Robt. Christine. A Love Story. From the French of Louis T. WHITTAKER, New York. Lady Rosamond's Book. The second vol. of the Corbet Chronicles, being a continuation of "Lady Betty's Governess." By Lucy Ellen Guernsey. $1.50. Recompense. By Mary H. Seymour. $1.25. Christian Thought and Modern Opinion. A Series of Discourses delivered in New York by Clergymen of the Episcopal Church. Publishers' First Announcements. From the New York Commercial Advertiser for the week James R. Osgood & Co.:-Les Survivants du Chancel- Anson D. F. Randolph & Co.:-A New Poem, by the authoress of " The Changed Cross," uniform with The Changed Cross." APRIL 22. G. P. Putnam's Sons:-From advance sheets, Word- saye. James R. Osgood & Co.:-Seven Years of a Life ;-The Harper & Brothers :-Roseteague ;-Esther Dudley's APRIL 27. J. B. Lippincott & Co-Gaunt Abbey, by E. J. Lysaght;-Villages of the Bible, by E. P. Hood ;-Patricia Kemble, by Mrs. Lynn Lynton;-Judith Gwynne, by Lisle Carr ;-At Her Mercy:-Mambi-Land, by J. J. O'Kelly. Henry Holt & Co.:-Roseteague ;-Primitive Civilization, by F. Levermant;-The Modern Plutarch;-Africa: Geographical Exploration and Christian Enterprise from the Earliest Times to the Present;-Beatrice Aylmer :Autobiography of William Godwin ;-Old Acquaintance; -Ingram Place. Porter & Coates:-For Love and Life, by Mrs. Oliphant. RECENT FOREIGN PUBLICATIONS. ENGLAND. Present rate of Importation, about 50 c. per shilling. Borrow, George. Romano Lavo-Lil: Word-Book of the Romany or English Gypsy Language. Post 8°. Murray. Ios. 6d. Calendar of State Papers: Carew Manuscripts. (1603-24.) Ed. by J. S. Brewer. Imp. 8°. Longmans.. ........ 15S. English Catalogue (The) of Books for 1873. Roy. 8°. Low. 5S. Clayden, A. The Revolt of the Field: a Sketch of the ..55. .....21S. The Alternative. 21S. ...3 fr. 50 c. Feydeau, Ernest. Théophile Gautier, souvenirs intimes. GERMANY. Present rate of Importation, $1.10 gold, per Thaler a 30 gr. the principles it put forward. Most of the points It is not so unfrequently as might be supposed of its platform we believe to be of primary importhat we come across, in our intercourse with pub-tance, and look to see them adopted by the trade lishers, a total misapprehension of the drift of our as the only true remedy for its present and increascourse on underselling. We are told that it is ing difficulties. scarcely worth while to foster the notions of a few Western booksellers, as though these were all concerned in the matter. We have said, time and time again, that we advocate the reform in question as a measure vital throughout the trade, and therefore most to the advantage of publishers, since they are the largest dealers. The importance of the Cincinnati Convention was not in its personel, but in It has, however, been suggested-and the question had already suggested itself to us-whether an attempt to reform the trade in this particular is not in opposition to the conditions of business in these days of the railroad, express, post-office, and telegraph; whether, in fact, the book business is not reorganizing itself to fit a new state of things. There is apparent force in this argument, especially to those who believe, as we do, that these natural | and do not intend to, but we have expressed opinchanges indicate healthful progress. But we do ions, favorable and unfavorable, on measures in not think the argument holds of the book trade. which only one house is concerned. In a certain The outcome of this view would be in setting a sense, as we have before said, no one has any right publisher's price (corresponding to the present to criticize any man's business so long as he transwholesale prices) at which he would sell to any one gresses no moral law. Our position is this, that we who would buy, and letting local buyers pay the are urging a reform which is notably to the interest local dealer an added margin for his services as of the trade, and most to that of its best houses. If middleman. This would reduce the book business we are debarred in this discussion from treating of to the same basis, eventually, as the trades in gro- the relations of individual measures to the general ceries and dry goods. trade interest, always required that it be properly done, we are really debarred from any serviceable discussion. As an organ of the trade, it is our duty to treat of such matters, and it is the best houses which should support us, so long as we speak honestly, wisely, and in proper tone. Are we not right? But there are several reasons why the book business can not be carried on in this way. It may suffice to state that in the case of groceries and dry goods, each lot is different from others and must be judged by itself, besides which, the cost of freight and the inconveniences of purchasing at a distance are sufficient inducements to the local buyer to patronize the local dealer. But a book is not only a sample, but an identical pattern, of its whole class; the buyer orders with perfect surety as to what he is to get, and gets it easily by mail and at the cost of the seller. The local library is a sort of repository of samples, the newspapers describe the book accurately, and taking all together, the selection of what is wanted from a local stock is not of sufficient importance to support a resident bookseller. The final result of all this will be to do away with the booksellers, as a trade, entirely. If books were necessaries of life, that must be bought in certain quantities, this would be, from the politico-commercial stand-point, a good thing. Although more men would be required at the centre of trade and in transportation, there would probably be a certain balance of workers set free to become direct producers. But this is not true of books. They are, above a very small minimum, a luxury from the business point of view, and a market has to be made for them. In a great and growing country like this, the difference between a book trade managed from centres and one distributed really might amount to fifty per cent. The crippling of the booksellers would be not only a trade, but a national, calamity, because they have thus an educational function of the first value. This is then the alternative before the trade, whether it shall reform its system now or be broken down. We have spoken all along, in these discourses, from the publishers' and public's side chiefly. The public can no more afford to have that extremely useful class, the booksellers, disposed of, than can the publishers. It is a very plain alternative, in which it seems to us there is but one choice. While we are upon these explanations, it may be well to treat of one more point. We have been amicably taken to task for going outside the province of an organ of the trade in criticizing the acts of individual houses in it. We have never given names, The Uniform Trade List Annual for 1874-1875. For THE editor has the pleasure of calling the attention of the trade to the prospectus of the UNIFORM TRADE LIST ANNUAL for 1874-75. The TRADE LIST ANNUAL for 1873, as a useful enterprise to the trade, if not a very profitable one to the editor and publisher, has been a thorough success. several months after the publication of the volume, orders were received daily, and the demand has not ceased to-day. Unfortunately hundreds of booksellers, not having paid attention to the only safe rule which makes such publication possible-viz., to limit the edition according to subscription—had neglected to secure copies in advance and were thus disappointed, as no copy could be supplied from this office after publication day. It is to be hoped, now that it is no more an experiment, the value and usefulness of the Trade LIST ANNUAL having been thoroughly tested, that subscriptions will come forward promptly. It is desirable that the subscription list be closed at the earliest date possible, in order to enable us to give sufficient time to the publishers for the preparation of their lists, and to place the ANNUAL in the hands of the trade before the opening of the busy season, Belated subscriptions were chiefly the cause of the delay as well as the incompleteness of last year's ANNUAL. Subscribers will please remember that the more time and security given for the preparation of the work, the more completely and satisfactorily it can be accomplished. We are Any suggestions of practical improvements will be thankfully received and considered. impatiently awaiting the British Reference CatALOGUE, which, for the first time, is to do for England what the TRADE LIST ANNUAL has done for the United States. Should the former contain any improvement, it will, if possible, be adopted for the forthcoming ANNUAL. The latter, however, will present a feature which the British companion probably will not contain, in its Alphabetical Refer- | -ence List of Books published and reported from Jan. 15, 1873, to July 1, 1874—a feature which alone is fully worth the price of subscription. THE special agreement among S.S. book publishers, having been generally signed, created a considerable demand for this class of books from those who buy for a rising market. The agreement goes into effect May Ist, and binds the parties thereto not to sell any juvenile or Sunday-school, books to the trade at a greater discount than 40 and 10 per cent. from retail list prices, except on special bills of $500 and upwards, at retail list prices, purchased at one time, in which case the discount given shall not exceed 50 per cent. The above are understood to be cash rates, and there is to be no further inducement of any kind. The difficulty with this arrangement is that the discounts are not small enough to prevent underselling, though they protect the publishers among each other. A COMMUNICATION in "The Library Corner" notes the desire of many librarians for a continuation of "Poole's Index." We wish this valuable work could be bought up to date, and shall be glad | to have subscriptions offered to Mr. Poole through that department of THE WEEKLY; but from our own success with the Finding List subscriptions, we are not hopeful of the result. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. The interests of the trade cannot be better served than by a full discussion by its members of all questions which affect it. Our columns are always open to communications on any such subject, provided they be brief and suggestive, and we cordially invite the trade to express any suggestions or opinions of interest or value in "Letters to the Editor." More Underselling Grievances. PHILADELPHIA, April 23, 1874. To the Editor of the Publishers' Weekly. DEAR SIR: The following aggravated instances of the evil produced in the public mind by underselling may be of interest: Some time since we received from a member of a wholesale grocery firm in Cleveland a request for a general catalogue, coupled with this remark: "For the past two years I have been buying books in Boston at list price, with discount of from 25 to 40 per cent. Can you do as well, or better?" Of course the response was that we could not "do as well" as Boston, not desiring to interfere with her legitimate trade. Again, very lately, we received from a person in a small town of Illinois, signing himself as "Dentist," an order for about five dollar's worth of our own publications, if at "one-third off list price!" In this connection, it seems to us that one bad symptom of the demoralization of trade is the offer of certain journals to supply any book by mail. Not a very dangerous, but a suggestive instance of this is the advertisement of a small periodical published in this city by a boy, offering to send by mail, post-paid, any of a certain list of books, or any book published, at prices varying from 10 to 333 per cent. below the retail. Of course this can only be done by an arrangement with some bookseller, but it is astonishing that any house should be willing to undertake so petty a business. Where are we going? Very truly, PUBLISHERS & BOOKSELLers. CORRESPONDENCE. FROM PHILADELPHIA. PHILADELPHIA, April 27.—A coincidence is to be noted in connection with a book shortly to be published by J. B. Lippincott & Co. I allude to the "Concordance to Shakespeare's Poems," by Mrs. Horace Howard Furness. The great concordance to Shakespeare's works is by a lady, Mrs. Cowden Clarke, whose laborious compilation is to be found in almost every library, and now what will happily prove a companion volume, is due to the industry of another lady. Mrs. Furness has given a great deal of attention to the early English poets and dramatists, and her labor on the poems of Shakesband, is well known in connection with the peare has been one of love. Mr. Furness, her husVariorum edition of Shakespeare's works which he is issuing, the volumes of which it is to be hoped will one day be published at a popular price, so as to be within the reach of poor students. Gebbie & Barrie have completed their Boydel Gallery, and a very handsome book it is. I may also add that it has been a very successful venture. It is the first book of any pretentions published on this side of the Atlantic in which a photographic process has been employed for the illustrations, and it clearly demonstrates what may be done in that direction. They are about to issue another work in parts, the "Wilkie Gallery," with illustrations engraved on steel. Many of the illustrations have been specially engravad for the work, which will be an Imperial 4to, uniform in size with the Boydell. Sir David Wilkie occupies a position in art very similar to that of Dickens in literature. His most successful pictures were those in which he took for subjects the common everyday life of the poorer classes. They are a double source of pleasure, because while we may, from an artistic standpoint, admire their merits as paintings, their simple, unexaggerated truthfulness to life is a touchstone by which our keenest sympathies are instantly awakened. Such compositions as " Blind Man's Buff," "Reading the Will," "The Parish Beadle," " Distraining for Rent," and others of that class, require no interpretation. The meaning of the artist is patent the moment the picture is presented to us. The dullest observer is brought into instant communion with the spirit of the work, while the connoisseur alone knows the infinite genius and skill which has been required to produce the result. Later in his career Wilkie changed his style, seeking to emulate the depth and coloring of the old masters. Many of his later subjects were chosen from Spanish and Oriental scenes, in which, however, he is far less happy than in his earlier productions. The steel engravings contained in the "Gallery" are very finely executed and are beautifully printed. Each part will contain three illustrations and several pages of letter-press, and will be published at $1. |